Gilless Girls

I’d never watch an episode of Gilmore Girls until Ian and Tessa told me that I should. And so I started, and it became a regular in our household, both in re-runs on W after Compass and the regular season on Global.

And the times they were good: the writing was quick and smart, the pop-culture references many, and the pace David Mamet-like.

And then came this season.

Sigh.

The plot has gone all muddy, the quirkiness has been excised, and the dialogue seems quick simply for the sake of being quick.

If I had to point to a single hinge around which things have gone all to hell, it’s the revivification of David Sutcliffe’s character as Lauren Graham’s love and Alexis Bledel’s father: his character was a “jealousy utility” play at best, and he’s simply not a textured or interesting enough actor to breath any life into the part. Everything else seems to have fallen apart as a result.

I haven’t de-DVRed the show yet, but it’s hanging by a thread.