Gilmore Girls Recap: Hay Bale Maze

It's the annual Spring Fling in Stars Hollow and this year that means lots and lots of hay...

Original air date: April 17, 2007

Spring Fling is in the air
It's the annual Spring Fling in Stars Hollow and that usually means: face painting, Gypsy's lemonade stand and Morey's salted nuts (apparently it's a draw?), but not this year. This year it's all about Taylor and his dream come true: a hay bale maze.

The hay quickly starts to take over the town. It's in the streets, on the green, it even covers the window of Luke's Diner — if ever so briefly. There's so much hay that Taylor's quick to mention there isn't a budget for any of the other usual attractions. That puts the whole town up in arms.

Lorelai's especially mad because she has guests at The Dragonfly who are in town specifically for the festival. There's not much anybody can do, it's all about the hay.

Hey?! Is that April?
April's in town for a visit to see Luke and she's sporting a new look. She has new black specs, her ears are pierced and she's not wearing a ponytail. What do you think about her new look? She's definitely growing up and not hating New Mexico as much as she thought. From her new home state, she brings back a little present for Luke: a bracelet. Like the good Dad, he not only tries it on, but wears it!

Job search is on
Rory's job search is in full swing. She has an interview at the Providence Journal, which is a paper that gets Doyle's approval. Plus, she's also applied for a 6-week fellowship at the New York Times.

On the train ride back from the "Projo" interview, Rory excitedly tells Lorelai that it went really well. She lost all her nervousness and ended up "just talking" with the editor. Lorelai is so impressed that Rory's interviewing and getting into the real world and she's excited that Rory's coming back to Stars Hollow for the Spring Fling.

Logan in Stars Hollow
Rory has one "but" about her trip back home, she's not coming alone, Logan's coming with her. It's his first trip to Stars Hollow (really?) and his first trip staying over at Lorelai's house, so it's a little awkward. Lorelai makes up two beds: Rory's bed and a trundle bed next to it and leaves it at that.

Logan finds Stars Hollow "fascinating" and compares it to Colonial Williamsburg. During his visit he tries to calm Rory as she waits anxiously for a call back from the Providence Journal. While it's not her first choice for a job, she really wants the fellowship at the New York Times, it's still a good job.

Logan gets on Lorelai's good side by making some homemade paella for dinner and serving up some wine, but he's on her bad side too because he seems a little blase about the millions he just lost in his recent business venture. Plus, instead of pounding the pavement and getting a new job, he's constantly writing in his journal as if that's his full time job, he tells Lorelai "ideas are his commodity."

Rory finally gets the call she's been waiting for: she got the job! However, the more she thinks about it the more she wonders: does she want to be the big fish in the small pond at the Providence Journal. Or, does she want to be the small fish in the big pond at The New York Times?

Logan thinks Rory should take the gamble and go for what she really wants, meanwhile, Lorelai tells Logan that Rory isn't like Logan. She's not a gambler. She wasn't raised in home of privilege and it's going to take hard work to be successful. Lorelai doesn't want Logan's spoiled upbringing to rub off on Rory.

It's up to Rory to decide whether or not she wants the job and so in the middle of the night, when she's unable to sleep, she takes her usual approach: a pros and cons list. Logan notices that he's not listed as either a pro or a con. He's in a category of his own. He decides to head to the kitchen and get some water. He's cautious to almost get fully-dressed just in case he runs into Lorelai... which he does.

The big talk
Lorelai's ready to head back to her bedroom and give Logan some space. She's still irritated with him and his recent actions: losing millions and then going to Vegas to gamble with Colin and Finn.... But, Logan asks her to stay. They finally clear the air. Lorelai tells Logan that Rory wasn't raised like he was with a silver spoon in her mouth. Logan says he knows that he grew up in a home of privilege, but, as he reminds Lorelai, she was too. Lorelai may have left the wealthy upbringing sooner than he did, but now he's trying to work hard and achieve his own success just like Lorelai did. They reach an understanding.

Maze madness
Taylor's hay bale maze is a hit, it's also a huge trigger for his allergies, but the dancing daffodils from Miss Patty's don't seem to care. Zach's running deliveries from Luke's as if bales of hay weren't in his way - he supposedly has it all figured out.

Logan and Rory decide to tackle the maze, but first they have to tackle some of their issues. Logan tells Rory not to factor him in on her decision of whether or not to take the job at the Providence Journal. She's upset at first, but he explains that he'll factor her in wherever she ends up working. That satisfies Rory. She then makes the bold decision that she's not going to take the job in Providence because it's the fellowship at the New York Times that she really wants. Logan and Rory stand at a crossroads in the maze and then both head in Rory's direction.

In another section of the maze, Luke and Lorelai run into each other. Lorelai gives Luke a long-awaited apology for sleeping with Christopher. She knows she messed up and she's sorry. Luke too has an apology. He knows that he used April to push Lorelai away. What do you think is the state of their relationship now?

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