Gilmore Girls and Dynamic Mother-Daughter Relationships
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Today I’m talking with Christine Carpenter about all things Gilmore Girls. I’ve only recently watched the series, so I knew I had to bring on a life-long fan. This conversation with Christine helped me appreciate the series in a whole new way. Whether you’re a devoted viewer or not, I think that there’s a lot to take away from this show, especially on the topic of our relationships with our own mothers and how it can shape the relationships we have with our own children. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
TOPICS DISCUSSED
Thoughts on becoming a mom during the pandemic and Christine struggling with the guilt of working from home and splitting her time
Christine’s evolving perspectives on Gilmore Girls over the years, from watching it as a pre-teen with her mom to enjoying it now as a new mother
Why Lorelai is Christine’s favorite character on Gilmore Girls because of her endearing flaws and ability to be herself
The Gilmore Girls’ ability to show the complexity and contrast of dynamic relationships between mothers and daughters.
Examining the relationship between Lorelai and her parents vs. Rory and her grandparents
Why Gilmore Girls gets a “Guilty Pleasure” rating according to Jackie and Christine
RESOURCES MENTIONED
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Jackie Leonard 00:04
Hi, Christine, welcome to the podcast.
Christine Carpenter 00:06
Hi, Jackie, thanks for having me.
Jackie Leonard 00:09
I'm really excited to talk to somebody who is a Gilmore Girls fan, because I probably I'll share this in the beginning, but I just recently watched it, but I did not have the pleasure of experiencing it in real time and all that, like, I know so many people that I know have. And so I feel like I'm gonna learn a lot about the characters in a different way than I experienced alone. And we're gonna chat about Gilmore Girls. So I know that's something that so many people were interested in talking about with me. And yeah, it's a show that people really love. Um, before we do that, can you share a little bit about yourself, for those who are listening?
Christine Carpenter 00:52
Sure. My name is Christine Carpenter, and I am a writer, even though I struggle to call myself that. I was I worked in the fashion industry for about 13 years, and then the pandemic hit, and I was pregnant, seven months pregnant. And I gave birth to my son and kind of gave up my career and everything else and took a completely different path. And so now I'm living in the suburbs of New York, and writing and knitting and kind of creating my own little business around all of that, and kind of just delving into the things that I love. So,
Jackie Leonard 01:27
yeah, and becoming a mom during the pandemic is like a whole new beast that I've had the privilege of reading some of your writing that addresses that. And so, I don't know, I feel like the guilt of becoming a mom during the pandemic is like a very new thing. It was like, even more than my first time around, I noticed. So the topic of mom guilts, I think, for both of us who've had kids during the pandemic, is like almost more magnified, or, like, more pressing for us to talk about. Yeah, so before we dive into Gilmore Girls, can you share what you feel guilty of this week as a mom?
Christine Carpenter 02:09
Well, I'm guilty all the time. But this week, in particular, I think now that kind of some of my creative pursuits have taken off. I'm, you know, I'm scheduling interviews, I'm setting aside aside time to do things like this, and kind of like feeling like my son is my fifth limb. And, you know, carving out that time to say, Okay, I need, you know, X amount of hours today, and I need to schedule someone to take care of him and, and do these things to you know, further my own creative pursuits, but also my career, my this new career path that I'm taking, and just kind of like, realizing how vital it is, but also struggling with that that inner beast that's saying, like, you know, oh, like, you know, you should be with him, you're you're staying at home to be with him. You gave up your, you know, your, your job in the city to be with him. So it's like, that's always, always on my mind, but especially heavy. This week, when I had a couple of interviews for some pieces I'm working on for the local paper, and then I I'm like, you know, I cringe every time I have to leave. So it's something that's, it's new for me to leave him for those kinds of things. So
Jackie Leonard 03:18
yeah, well, congratulations for these writing assignments. You're doing.
Christine Carpenter 03:22
Yeah, thank you. It's exciting. I feel like it's finally finally you know, getting some momentum. So that's exciting.
Jackie Leonard 03:28
Yeah. And I have to plug you are also a new contributor from other scope as well. Yes. I'm
Christine Carpenter 03:32
so excited. So, so yeah,
Jackie Leonard 03:35
that's big. Those are all big things. I feel similarly about kind of the splitting of time. I think this week, what I've found myself feeling really guilty for is being impatient. With my kids, specifically, they, my son got sick at the beginning of this week, he like started having a runny nose, and then it got a little worse. And three days later, my daughter now is like stuffy nose waking up in the middle of night. They're more cranky, but then my son is feeling better. So he's like running around because he was cooped up for a few days. And now he's like, going nuts and my daughter's like, cranky and, and I at the same time I had these things that I had planned, I had scheduled you know, when you start to navigate scheduling with kids, you're like, Okay, I have this time that I blocked off, and I got childcare, and I'm good and all these things, and then your kid gets sick, right? Do you have to cancel that and you end up with your kids home, and they're not quite 100% They're more, you know, aggravated, and you know, they need you more. And I thought I felt so guilty, especially at this point in the week, where I've just like been very impatient with them kind of, like, resentful, I would say like that they need me so much right now when I'm trying to do X, Y and Z and I have to push those things back. And I think those are all normal feelings. Like I know rationally like it's normal. doesn't mean that I'm like, actually angry with them. But I do feel like guilt for having a shorter fuse not not dropping everything so that I can just be there for them. Because there's a part of me that's like, well, I can't fall into this, like, doing everything for my kids all the time. Because I know that's not good. For me. It's like navigating that balance is really tough. Because sure, I feel guilty, like maybe I should have canceled everything and just been there for them. Why, you know, was not the right move. I don't know. So. So that's, that's what I'm navigating right now. And I guess I got lucky because for a few years, my kids weren't getting sick because we weren't
Christine Carpenter 05:39
going. Right. That's the that's the funny thing about this whole thing is, it's it's almost like if I find myself like annoyed, almost like what, what what's going on? You know, because you're so you're so not used to being out and about. So,
Jackie Leonard 05:54
yeah. So now that we've got that opera, Gilmore Girls, alright, so I'm curious to hear, like when you started watching it, and what your relationship has been with Gilmore Girls the show,
Christine Carpenter 06:09
so I watched it when it initially aired with my mom. And I think it aired on Thursday nights. And I just remember either doing homework or having dinner and just watching it in a little TV in our kitchen, because my dad couldn't stand at the you know, the constant chatter and the banter. And we actually I don't think we ever watched it all the way through together, we kind of stopped at a certain point, and I'm not sure why. And then I would say a few years ago, I started rewatching it you know, when Netflix became a thing, and streaming became more popular, and then in the last few years, I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've watched I mean, my husband will walk in from pizza teacher, and he'll say, I think I've seen this episode three times. So I don't know how many times you've seen this episode. But it's funny, because I've watched it through the lens of where I was closer in age to worry. And now I think there's a meme floating around that said, you know, something about now. Now I'm closer in age to Lorelei. And that's I that's totally dead on for me, because Lorelei was 16 when she had, you know, when she gave birth to Rory. And so it's just funny to see it now. And especially now with the motherhood lens, watching it again. And kind of seeing like the things that I like about the way she raises her daughter the things I don't like the things that stand out to me now that wouldn't have when I was, you know, a preteen watching it.
Jackie Leonard 07:46
Yeah, it's so it's such a different viewing experience going back and rewatching things that we grew up with, and we have these memories of and then being like, oh, like, I didn't remember that when I watched it, or I really loved that relationship. And now I'm like, Oh, that's not you know, and so it's always this different experience. And like you touched on being a mom now and looking at the the way, you know, Lorelei mothers compared to the way you may be thought about it when you were a teenager watching it. And I'll get into that a little bit more later. I'm curious too, about, you know, what, how your mom, you know, has shared what her thoughts were, if she has with you about that show, or what you remember her liking about it back then. Could be interesting to get into. So, I guess, aside from it being a show that you said you have these, like memories of watching when you were younger? What kind of impact has it had on you specifically like this, you know, intergenerational mother daughter, show with the grandmother as well, like, what impact has that had on you?
Christine Carpenter 08:52
I think it's also you know, it's seeing how Emily is the grandmother is kind of seeing like, what you absolutely don't want to be, you know, for your children. I think there's that angle to and kind of, you know, getting getting to see the book, but also getting to see the human side. So it's her you know, and and kind of empathizing with a character who they sort of villainize and seeing her backstory and now I mean, as I'm sure as a kid, it was, you know, she was the mean grandmother you know, and now you know, you see kind of her struggle that her daughter you know, was was this teenage girl who they had dreams for and and she she got pregnant and she dropped out of high school and she moved out and you know, and kind of having empathy for and compassion for for that you know, enormous life event and how that may have affected her mothering. So that's something that I would have never, you know, I would have never thought about and now I see her differently.
Jackie Leonard 09:56
Yeah, I think what I will appreciate it about the show, but And also there were times that I was one, wondering where there could have been more of was how it really rounded like these characters felt very well rounded, like, developed. It wasn't like, you know, I think it could have been easy with somebody else maybe telling the story to have made the grandma Emily B, her name is Emily, right? Yes, Emily be the villain just only be the villain be this you know, it was very easy all these you know things about her she was wealthy and kind of pretentious and all judgy and all these things, it was really easy to make her this like villain character and just that. But maybe because it was such a long running show or because of the way it was handled. They really did make her more of a person, you know, more, you know, things that we saw in her we could see in ourselves, maybe, but also see, in people we knew. And so even if maybe she wasn't the most likable, it was like, understood that she was like this was a person. This isn't some caricature that we see a lot of times and in other examples. So I really did appreciate that about the show. And even with Lorelei, like you said there were times, probably when you watched it, especially recently where you're kind of like, I don't know if that was like good mothering there, right. But we give her the grace, because we also know like, this is somebody who was a teen mom, too, I think, and maybe we see her differently than we may see. Emily. And so that's interesting to think about too.
Christine Carpenter 11:28
Yeah. And how she had to grow, you know, how she had a grow with her, her child and even that I relate to, you know, how much how much I've had to grow with, with, you know, with my son, and that the beauty in that how she grew up together really grew up together. And that's the bond of that, that close relationship. So yeah.
Jackie Leonard 11:45
And you know, that makes me think too, about, you know, do we have things that we see on TV or in movies where they show a parent who isn't a teenager? Like, do we show that growth enough? You know, cuz I feel like, just cuz I had my, I mean, I had my son when I was 30. Where, you know, back when I was a teenager, I would have thought that was like, I was a dinosaur. Like, why did you wait that long? Um, and I still feel like I made a crease, like, I'm, I feel so much difference. You know, I made so much growth in these few years that I've been a mom. And I don't know that I've seen that represented like I've like, we understand that Lorelei has grown up so much, had to being a single Teen Mom. Obviously, that's like a huge growth, a huge learning curve, a huge change. But I wonder, you know, do we do we show that enough in like, just moms who maybe had their kids in their 20s or 30s? Or maybe even later? Like, I wonder that? Great.
Christine Carpenter 12:48
I don't know that we do, actually.
Jackie Leonard 12:51
Because I think we had like different expectations of Emily, for example, like, Why was she so this and that, and she, presuming I don't know how old Emily was when she had Lorelei, right? I don't know if they tell us that but presumed she's like, at least in her, you know, early adulthood and not, you know, 18 years old when she had her for example. So yeah, I wonder like, we hold her more accountable because she was married and established and why couldn't she have been a better mom? But, you know, that's interesting learning, you know, the same way that we would if we were a 16 year old, not the same way but in the same kind of struggle, I would say, right? Um, so the episode we're gonna Oh, before I want to get into that, who is your favorite character
Christine Carpenter 13:38
that's tough. I like them all for such different reasons. But I have to go with Lorelei. I, her humor, the way she breaks things up the wishes, the constant comebacks. The just, I don't know the way she's so she feels so self made. She comes from this, you know, wealthy family, but she breaks free and she starts off as a maid and she works her way up. But now she's managing and in and then she opens her own and there's just so much so much that I like about her and I love how flawed she is to you know, I love that she's, you know, she's unapologetically herself. So I love that about her. Yeah, cuz
Jackie Leonard 14:19
I was wondering that because the show is a bit of a like, I don't know if I'd say an ensemble show, but it definitely like I feel like Rory and Lorelei are kind of like shared in the main character kind of roles, like we don't have like a narrator or somebody who are watching the show through their eyes only. So I feel like it's kind of split like I think some people maybe might gravitate toward the Rori character or the Lorelei character depending and yeah, so I just wanted to ask that before we get into it. So the episode so I, I, you know, sought your advice in extra Mathias on the show and wanted to know what episode stood out to you as like one that you would want to talk about new reference. An episode that was season two, episode one. It's titled Sadie Sadie. And at the moment, I can't remember Do you know what it's called CDC
Christine Carpenter 15:17
to know, I have no idea. And I've probably seen it 100 times, but I have no I even was thinking about it because I wasn't really aware of the titles until recently. And I looked at it and I'm not sure. I'm not sure.
Jackie Leonard 15:31
I didn't look it up. Did I not pay attention to the episode and this is a description I found. It says Lorelei accepts Max's proposal. But when Emily hears about the upcoming wedding from Suki, she is hurt and angry that Lorelei didn't bother to tell her. Meanwhile, Roy brings Dean to dinner at our grandparents house. And Richard's obvious disapproval of Dean leads to the first fight between Rory and her grandfather. So that's just a little synopsis for those of you who maybe aren't as familiar with the episode. And we don't have to run through all the details that way. So what about the episode stood out to you? Why did it was it something that you wanted to talk about?
Christine Carpenter 16:13
I loved the parallels and in the relationship between Lorelei and Rory, and between Lorelei and her parents, really, namely, her mother, Mae, namely, Emily. But just just how, how different and how you have Lorelei, who hasn't decided if she's going to accept this proposal, from her daughter's teacher, that's Max Medina, that's the man that shakes up, she finally does accept, and they're at one of their obligatory Friday night dinners at the grandparents house. And Lorelei leaves the table and she gets she picks up the phone, and she calls Max, and she's panicking. And she's going through all the questions that she has and all of her uncertainties, and then she comes back to the table rejoins worry in the family, and she just get all she does is give her her a look. And they and Rory knows. And they both nod, and they both get up and scream and giggle and hug and it's just like that unspoken bond. And I thought it was a perfect example of how they operate throughout the show, throughout multiple seasons, but then you have on the other hand, you have Emily, who finds out that Lorelei is engaged through moralised best friend Suki calling to plan this surprise shower. And she's devastated. And this fight happens between Dean Royce boyfriend and and Royce grandfather, Richard and Emily says, you know, when you're going to apologize to worry when because when worry gets married, I want to I want to hear about it from her, you know, and so it's like, kind of like, it's so much. This is what I love about the show, there's so much dynamic relationships, and you have, you know, these grandparents who are almost getting a do over with worry, and she's even got the same name. She's more library for sure. So she and she's Harvard bound. And, you know, she's got this great future. And they see I'm sure they see their daughter in her and they end they this is the daughter they never had. So I just loved that that contrast in that episode. And I think it summarizes so much of what happens throughout the show.
Jackie Leonard 18:25
Yeah, as us, you know, sure that it really does embody the show. And I mean, it would be fun to look at a different episode and see, you know, the impact, but I really do feel like you get a sense of the relationships, and the the beauty of the like, the intimate relationship between Rory and Lorelei and also understanding the context of why there's this strange relationship between Lorelei, the mother with her her own mother, Emily, not not a lot, you know, it's like, you just get this very specific moment of a fight or, you know, not sharing this. And there's, I mean, it's very, to not to know that Lorelei did not tell her mom that she was engaged, that chose not to tell her parents, and that Rory understood that was not something that they were going to share publicly yet. I feel like that speaks volumes, like you don't even have to say that there's obviously some issues there. And then it's almost like we understand it even more seeing how her grandfather treats Roy's boyfriend, because, you know, he isn't, you know, the right type of guy. I found that all very, very loaded. And also just telling, that's like great storytelling. It's like the kind of things we want to take notes of as writers.
Christine Carpenter 19:47
Definitely. I even love how Lorelei is trying to defuse it too, because she's been through it with her own parents. And she, she's trying to defuse the argument. She I think at one point, she turns to her father who says, you know, well, I've known what I wanted to do since I was 10. And she said, Well, that's because you were picked last for dodgeball. Um, you know, she, she's constantly trying to, you know, to, to defuse this argument because as much as she's had the struggle with her parents, she she doesn't she wants more for her daughter and she she does regard that relationship as precious, which you can appreciate to because she herself doesn't have the closeness with them.
Jackie Leonard 20:26
Yeah, totally. And I, I think, Lorelei or Rory represents who they wish Lorelei would be. Because I always got the sense that Lorelei was kind of that like, I don't even know if this is fair, because I think all kids should have the freedom to like, explore, but she was more law, like, you know, didn't know what she wanted probably as a teenager, the way Rory is, like, I'm going to Harvard I'm doing this and so I think she almost sees herself more in this like Dean character. And later when we like, in. In other episodes, you get more of a sense of who Roy's father was, but like he was, you know, from a well to do family to and very established and maybe to her parents, they thought he was like the more together the one who complied by the rules more, and Lorelei was like kind of the the wayward kind of troubled child. So I just, I felt like she also seems to be be defending that side of her. Like, she was almost defending herself as a child. Like, it's normal for kids not to know what they want, dad, you know, that's a good point. I didn't know that, you know, and she didn't get that grace from her parents.
Christine Carpenter 21:41
Right? Because she wasn't willing to get married and to, you know, take their, their predetermined path for her
Jackie Leonard 21:48
totally. But the irony is that Rory picks this path for herself, even though it's like the one that her parents imposed on her. It's very Yes. So, what were some observations that you made? I mean, you obviously shared, like the quiet moments and stuff. But what as you rewatched it, this this most recent time? Did you make any observations or notes or notice things that you were like, oh, like, that was kind of something more that I hadn't quite noticed or something, I felt rewatching it trying to think I'll share something, and then you can kind of jog, or something else. Um, I remember the episode as soon as you mentioned that. So that obviously was one that stood out to me. And I remember when I rewatched it just a day or two ago, that phone call with Emily and Suki. Just feeling so bad. For for Emily, the grandma to hear that her daughter was engaged. And how she plays it off even like she she didn't you know, her initial reaction was I didn't know she was engaged. It was more like she didn't, she couldn't say she did not want someone else to know that she wouldn't have been told that by her daughter. But then at the end of the episode, how she makes that comment to her husband, like, you're gonna call her your granddaughter and apologize, because I want to know, when she's like, I'm going to cry. I want to know when she's engaged, you know. And it made me think about how this Emily character is the quote unquote, villain. And I think in a lot of ways her the grandfather is afforded a lot of grace, and is kind of the sweet grandpa. And I mean, we see other sides to him throughout the show as well, but not to the same degree. And it made me think about how, like, by her making that comment, it made me wonder like, how much of this is being pushed by him? And she's just getting a lot of the blame for it, because maybe she's a little bit more direct, or she's more, you know, explosive. But is he the one that's kind of driving some of this that that she's getting, you know, the blame for And is she the one who is more reflective or is more regretful than maybe he is, even though I thought that was interesting, that last moment really kind of stuck with me.
Christine Carpenter 24:25
And she even I mean, she even goes into defense for a with with Richard, which I think is interesting to me. She says, you know, she's 16 and you're you're attacking her boyfriend? What How did you expect her to react? You know, so it's almost as if, I mean, we can we can judge the way she goes about it, but it's almost as if she can kind of put the face on and then she may attack Lorelei later and say, What were you thinking, you know, your daughter dated this kid and whatever and have her opinions, but she, she was homos, and you don't know is it for her image to be polite in front of This kid or is it you know that she has the manners have that have been instilled into her but, but she did recognize it and and I think that they see Rory as you know, the do over and it's just it's become such a difficult balance to figure out how to because this isn't their daughter but they you know they create a room for her there's so many things they do throughout you know the series to to kind of have her as a almost their child and not their grandchild. So it's it's interesting how they both reacted to Dean even.
Jackie Leonard 25:35
Yeah, totally. Um, what do you think about like as a whole? Did you feel like that because I feel torn? Do you feel like you would have wanted to have a better understanding of like the relationship between Emily and Lorelei? Did you feel like you got enough? Because I feel like we do understand a ton about Rory and Lorelei. And I'm just curious, from your perspective, having watched it a number of times? Do you feel like there's something that you wish more for of between Emily and Lorelei? Or do you feel like you kind of understand them enough? And we're satisfied with that?
Christine Carpenter 26:15
I think I felt satisfied, I think that they give us you know, there's there's so many things that happen throughout the series, but I think that you know, you, you see, especially in this episode, and the episode that follows you see, like both kind of both sides of it, you know, when when Lorelei finally does decide to say she's she's accepted this engagement, and she's engaged her, her mother has no reaction. And she's like, she's so in pain. And I mean, I could see like, even in relationships in my own life, or relationships that haven't worked out, or, you know, where that miscommunication it's right laid out there in front of you, and how one person can feel so slighted when she wasn't even aware that her mother had found out through a friend at that point. So I think you you get, you get bits and pieces of it throughout the the series. So I was satisfied. And I, I loved the bond between and I think you needed to have that that contrast between the two relationships in order to feel the strength of that bond between Lorelei and worry that it intensified it because they were kind of all each other had.
Jackie Leonard 27:23
Yeah, yeah, I, I always found it a little interesting how, you know, you go from kind of believing that they barely saw each other, to then at the start of the show. Because of this, she needed help with paying for the tuition for the school for her daughter, she makes this agreement with the grandparents to go every week for this dinner. And that's kind of what starts the show in a lot of ways because it's it reintroduces or it reestablishes this like relationship with their parents that has, I believe been pretty, like, strained up to that point. Yes. And I wonder if that show, the show was made today, like how we would handle it differently. And I wonder if that's like, for better or for worse? Because it's like, do we really need to like over show, you know, her holding, like, I don't know, setting boundaries and doing all these things that we're like learning about as adults? Or was it enough to just like, show us what this relationship was and not have to, like, give us everything so that we can make our own judgments about the different characters. I don't know. I'm like, torn. I was like, there's a part of me that's like, you know, this is like not a healthy relationship for Lorelei to be like doing in this like agreement they have is like kind of like a little abusive isn't the right word. But it's like almost like there's, there's times that they're like, we're going to take this away, or we're not going to give you this and I'm just like, No, that's not like this isn't a solid relationship. So it's like, there were times that Lorelei and her mother seemed to be on a good place. And I'm like, But is this like a real solid relationship? Or is it very like transactional, it almost felt like transactional so it was hard for me to like, know how I felt about them. But I also think that's really real. Like there's relationships that we have that we're not like that we we value but that are also complicated and how do we navigate that how do we keep ourselves protected but also like, still extend an olive branch and and so I feel like they really navigated that in an interesting and real way.
Christine Carpenter 29:24
And even the dichotomy of that, that decision from MLA to say, you know, to hold it right there, you're not just going to take a check you know, you have to come into you if we're going to be financially involved you're going to be in our lives and at first you go like you cringe for her for Laura like because you know that you know, she's this kid who left home and who is so did not fit into her her family and on the other hand, you know, is this really is this a control how much of it is control by Emily and how much of it is I want to get to know you and this is the only way I'm going to get in, you know, so I don't know in watching it The many times that I have, you can kind of go back and and I almost have a more respect for it because I You never know what that character with Emily, what was that really? How much of it was control? And how much of it was we we miss you? You know?
Jackie Leonard 30:16
Yeah, well it's like her way of being vulnerable, like she's not going to say it but she's like, you know, she you still see and especially as the show gives you so many layers of her You see, like the waves, it's coming from love. And so I feel like I yeah, I did gain that like understanding where at first it was kind of like this is a little like, not, you know, the the way that you would hope to have a relationship. But then at the same time, you see, you know that Laura, Laura, Lorelei is able to get a better relationship with her parents over time. And then also Rory has her own relationship. And I, the other thing I appreciated was Rory was able to like the relationship that Lorelei and Marie had was, Roy was able to understand and respect that, like her parents, her mom and her mom's parents had their own relationship that was complicated. And she could have our own that looked differently, and that they were both, like, valid. No, it wasn't like, I don't understand why you can't be nice, because they're nice to me. Like she she understood enough to know, like, it's different. And not and I mean, there might have been examples of times that they like, we're not holding that understanding in the best way, depending on what was going on. But I felt like they respected that each of them like Lorelei wasn't like, don't do that with my parents, because they were mean to me, and Roy wasn't like, why can't you you know, whatever. on a normal basis, it seemed that was like very understood and respected between the two.
Christine Carpenter 31:46
Yeah, various character was very mature in that way. I feel like they made her very, like, beyond her years old lost in that way.
Jackie Leonard 31:53
Yeah. Um, yeah, so I, I think as a whole, like, the more I'm talking about it, I really do appreciate. Also, the like, the type of show was it was a sitcom it had humor and all this and it was It wasn't too heavy, even though the subject matter at times, you know, was like heavy to think about, like this woman who had to basically like scrap it and, and leave everything to raise her daughter the way that she needed to. And she, you know, all these things and the show as it's on its own, though, I feel like didn't have these like super heavy storylines. And so I feel like that's another reason why so many people love it. Because it just like, it's feel good though. The the witty banter and all these things like that are just, you know, kind of a nice lights, lights viewing instead of some of the heavier stuff, that it's almost
Christine Carpenter 32:49
like a day in the life, you know, and just kind of a continuation of these two women, two women kind of growing up together.
Jackie Leonard 32:57
Yeah. And there's still tension and drama and all of that, but it's right. Like, yeah, very day to day stuff that you would, you could see yourself having those kinds of situations. Absolutely. And there are definitely other dynamics and relationships between mothers and daughters on the show that we're not like getting into for the sake of time, but obviously, I just wanted to say that too, because there's also lane with her mom, who also has a very complicated relationship that is, you know, influenced by their their culture and influence just by their dynamic and I feel like that could be a whole other episode to talk. Yes. But to wind up. I did want to do a couple things with you. The first is I'm going to I'm going to test your your knowledge of the of the Gilmore Girls and and see if how well you know, Lorelei. I did some research on the show creator and Amy Sherman Palladino, and I'm going to talk about this a little bit in my intro, but I found out that she was originally a staff writer for the show Roseanne and I think that's where she got her big break into Hollywood, because that's the first thing that's listed. But she wrote for that show from 1990 to 1994. So the third through the 60s and, and she wrote, one of the m&a Emmy nominated episodes is actually is all about Mother Daughter relationships. Specifically, it's about like her older daughter coming to her and saying she wants to get on birth control. And it's like a whole episode kind of navigating her reactions to that. And so what is interesting is Amy Sherman Palladino does not have children, but she definitely seems well tapped into this this dynamic. So maybe she's pulling from her own experiences as a daughter with a mother or whatnot. But I found that interesting. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to read you lines from different episodes of either Roseanne or the Gilmore Girls, and so you're gonna have to tell me what It Lorelei or was it Roseanne and I have five for you. So the first one is if you're going to throw your life away, he better have a motorcycle. Lorelei. Lorelei. That is correct. You can't watch Willy Wonka without massive amounts of junk food.
35:23
lorilynn
Jackie Leonard 35:25
Correct. I'm so amazing. If I ever get up off this couch, I'll be unstoppable. Roseanne that was Roseanne. Okay, three I love putting I worship it. Lorelei. Correct. What's up? I smell fear. I love that smell. But what's up? Roseanne? Correct. Oh, my gosh. I will say that's because, you know, Lorelei and what she would say, but yeah, there are so many quotes that I was like, Ooh, these could be. There were two I'm gonna read to that. I also had the I didn't share, but almost sounds very, like equal. And I wonder like, is this Amy Sherman Palladino his influence? Or was she influenced by some of the the way that Roseanne was written to do and Gilmore Girls. It's interesting. This one was by Roseanne, she says, You know, I consider myself a pretty good judge of people. And that's why I don't like none of them. Lorelei says, Hey, tomorrow, if you have time, I'm planning on despising everyone who says hey, how its how's it going? Very similar, like, yeah. So after talking about Gilmore Girls, I would love to I'm going to share what I think too. But I would love for you to rate the series as a whole. Do you think this is either a show that would be considered a mom advocates a guilty pleasure? Which mom advocate, I would say is like totally like, showing real examples of motherhood. a guilty pleasure is like, it's a fun watch it it addresses motherhood in some ways that are good. And there's some problematic ways as well? Or is it a mom guilt trigger like one that you should kind of watch with a certain caution?
Christine Carpenter 37:27
I'm between mom advocate and guilty pleasure. I think that it definitely illustrates motherhood, but not there were so many times I remember even watching with my own mom, and we would laugh, you know, and we, I think what were we bonded over? It was the close relationship. And we had had such a close relationship, but there was so much of it that was so you know, unreal, you know, as far as the relationships go, and as far as the storyline, but, but I did love you know, I did love watching that unfold. So I'm going to go guilty pleasure.
Jackie Leonard 38:00
i That's I think I was between the two as well. And I think I'm going to go with guilty pleasure as well. Because the show is a whole, you know, is a great show, and one that really people like but when we're looking at it as moms, it's like there's some things I think it's in some ways that show is like watching it with rosy colored colored glasses. Units, Brownlee who's one of mothers scopes contributors wrote something I don't have the title off the top of my head, but basically about how Gilmore Girls ruined her expectations for motherhood, because I read it I have this beautiful bond with her daughters and it just light rail. And so I thought about that as you were talking and I was like, you know, I do think that it presents this, you know, single motherhood with a daughter and having a teenage you know, daughter when you're a teen could be a wonderful, beautiful thing. And I'm, I'm not saying that it's not and there are things about it, but we don't get quite that real life with a teenager life with, you know, some interesting boundaries between mother and daughter. Like, what are some of the dynamics that come out from that? So yeah, I love that. Guilty pleasure. I think that's a good stamp for this show. So thanks, Christine. I really love talking about this with you. I may be more of a fan hearing you share about. Really appreciate
Christine Carpenter 39:16
it. Yeah, Jackie, this is fun. Yeah, before
Jackie Leonard 39:20
you go, can you share with those listening how they can connect with you and get in touch with you after after listening?
Christine Carpenter 39:27
Sure. I'm active on my instagram at Christine is writing. And there's a link to my blog on there, but I'm not as as active on there. And I'll be nearly contributing from other scopes, so to speak as well. So that's, that's exciting.
Jackie Leonard 39:43
Yeah, this episode's gonna air and have a end of March early April and Christine has one of her first pieces coming up soon too. So you got to go check that out at Mother scope calm and under Instagram. You share your wonderful writing regularly and also your knitting projects that you're doing which are also very, very creatively just inspiring. It makes me want to do it and I'm like, Okay, well maybe I'll just look seriously. But I find that all the writers that I've been meeting are just creative in so many other ways. And that includes you as well. So thank you for taking the time to be here and taking time away from your little one and happy viewing. Thanks, Jackie.