Gilmore Girls S5E04 Tippecanoe and Taylor, Too

Picture this: you’re in Stars Hollow, strolling through Doose’s Market.

It’s a cozy small-town grocery store, where everyone knows everyone, and the owner, Taylor, is probably involved in some new eccentric community initiative. As you walk down the aisles, picking up some snacks for your next 'Gilmore Girls' marathon, you notice a woman in the produce section. She’s carefully selecting cucumbers, and there’s something about her that catches your attention. Wait a minute, is that...? Yes! It's Lucy Butler!

Now, for the casual viewer, this might not be a big deal. But for a true cinephile, especially a David Lynch enthusiast, this is the equivalent of finding an Easter egg in your favorite video game. Lucy Butler, the same actress who played Fred and Pete’s mom in David Lynch's 1997 mind-bending neo-noir horror film, “Lost Highway.” What is she doing here, in the quaint town of Stars Hollow?

Let’s take a step back and appreciate the moment for what it is: a collision of two vastly different universes. On one hand, we have Stars Hollow - the epitome of idyllic, small-town America, with its quirky residents, and an unending supply of coffee at Luke’s Diner. On the other hand, we have the dark, unsettling world of David Lynch’s “Lost Highway,” where the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred.

Seeing Lucy Butler in Doose's Market is a reminder that there's more to the world of television and film than meets the eye. For instance, it’s intriguing to imagine how an actor’s journey leads them through various roles and universes. From being a part of a David Lynch thriller, where everything is shrouded in mystery and the ambiance is palpably eerie, to portraying an ordinary townsperson in the whimsical, heartwarming landscape of Stars Hollow.

But wait, let’s stir our imagination a little more: what if the presence of Lucy Butler’s character in Stars Hollow is not a coincidence? In a twisted, Lynchian twist, what if Stars Hollow is actually another layer in the multiverse that David Lynch creates? Picture this - the quirky oddities of Stars Hollow, the eccentricities of its townsfolk, maybe they’re all part of a larger Lynchian narrative that’s yet to be unveiled. Maybe Miss Patty’s dance studio has a red room hidden somewhere, and Taylor Doose is, in fact, a man with cryptic secrets.

That was a long way to go for that graphic but yeah guess who I just saw in this episode.

“Believe it or Not”

Let’s dive into this wonderfully chaotic scene where the band – Hep Alien – is faced with a musical dilemma that tests their rock ‘n’ roll spirit. You’d expect them to be playing some headbanging riffs or, at the very least, a classic rock anthem. But no, they’re confronted with the daunting task of playing "Believe it or Not" in the heart of Stars Hollow. If you’re picturing a group of cool rockers cringing in their black leather jackets, you’re spot on.

As the tape rolls and “Believe it or Not” plays from the boombox, the air gets sucked out of the room. It's like they've stepped into a portal that teleported them into a universe where rock doesn't exist. Zach, the feisty frontman, looks as if he's witnessed a tragedy, and exclaims, “This is the day the music died”. Gil, the older rocker in the group, manages to throw in a jab about Seals & Crofts. Brian, the nerdy bassist, chimes in, innocently admitting that his mom likes this song. And there’s Lane, the band’s no-nonsense drummer, reminding them that they HAVE to play this song because it’s what Jackson picked.

Now the pandemonium ensues. They can’t just go out and play this song without tarnishing their ‘cool’ image, right? Zach’s first instinct is to run out of town and never show their faces again. Brian, bless his soul, suggests wearing masks. Yes, you heard that right. Masks, so no one would recognize them. Gil argues that masks will mess up their hair, which is a valid concern for rock stars, and Lane wonders where they would even get them. Brian’s got that covered too – tiki masks from his parents' collection. Zach is not having any of it, he refuses to wear “smelly wood” on his face.

As the debate heats up, Zach talks about street cred, Lane talks about doing something for a good cause, and the rest of the band just want to figure out what to do without disappointing the audience. Lane's assertiveness versus Zach's rebelliousness is classic Hep Alien – they clash and blend, all in one.

And then, Gil, who's the voice of experience in the band, puts things into perspective. He brings up Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, where he rocked “The Star-Spangled Banner” and turned it into an anthem. That’s when it hits them – this is their moment to embrace the unexpected and give Stars Hollow something to remember.

And so, they took to the stage, played the heck out of "Believe it or Not," and the crowd went wild. They made it their own, with the energy, the spirit, and the heart that only Hep Alien could deliver.

This scene isn’t just about a band playing an unlikely song. It’s a beautiful representation of what it means to be an artist – to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary. It’s about finding common ground, embracing the unexpected, and rolling with the punches.

Hep Alien didn’t just play a song that night; they reminded us that sometimes the best moments come from the most unexpected places. They didn’t just rock Stars Hollow; they rocked our hearts. And that, my friends, is the essence of rock 'n' roll.

Stars Hollow Showdown: When Small-Town Politics Takes Center Stage

Let’s start with Taylor. Who isn’t tired of Taylor’s antics? This gleeful, power-hungry guy would make you attend a town meeting just to complain about your new greenhouse. Speaking from personal experience living in the suburbs, I despise when my neighbors breathe too loud, let alone having them in my business 24/7. Stars Hollow is like that overeager neighbor that doesn’t understand the meaning of personal space. And, honestly, the older I get, the more Stars Hollow seems like a literal nightmare.

Moving on to Lorelai. She’s the friend we all need but sometimes don't know how to handle. Lorelai is knee-deep into Jackson’s campaign, making sure her bestie Sookie doesn’t go bananas. And don’t get me started on her relationship with Luke – it's a see-saw of emotions. She continues to be that chaotic, forgetful, and somewhat selfish person, but there’s something endearing about her trying to improve herself. But let’s face it; she’s still navigating the weird waters of Rory and Dean's relationship, and honestly, she deserves a medal for not throwing tomatoes at Jackson during that tomato tasting.

Rory and Dean, where do I start? What’s up with Rory's obsession with Dean 2.0? This isn’t the same cool Dean that liked old movies and reading. This Dean is a shadow of his former self – lacking ambition, sulky, and struggling to deal with emotions. It’s cringeworthy, especially during that laughable car scene. Who attempts to get it on in a Prius, seriously? These two need to sort out their priorities.

Dean, man, what happened to you? Shouting at Rory for inviting him to Jackson's rally? Not cool, bro. Yes, he eventually apologized, but let's face it, that was the bare minimum.

Speaking of characters taking a nosedive, Dean’s character development (or rather, lack thereof) is a cardinal sin of the show. How does a character go from being likable to being the definition of every bad decision ever made? What was the rationale behind that? Are the writers trying to suggest Rory’s treatment led him down this path? If that’s the case, then that's just messed up.