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Ausiello Report
TV Guide Community: It's a <i>Gilmore Girls</i> Spoilerganza!

It's a Gilmore Girls Spoilerganza! No, I won't be revealing any more letters to that nagging asterisk puzzle today. Sorry, but you Gilmore Girshippers have proven way too sharp for your own good, and I promised certain VIPs that I wouldn't spill the proverbial beans this early in the game. But here's something that should more than make up for me being a big ol' tease. I recently unearthed from the archives this exclusive interview with Gilmore show-runner David Rosenthal that I conducted in August for TV Guide's Returning Favorites issue (on newsstands now). It's chock full of spoilery goodness — some of which I've already doled out in Ask Ausiello — so proceed at your own peril. And please, don't shoot the messenger, no matter how strong the urge. Remember: The messenger is good. (And last I checked, kinda sexy.) Ausiello: Now that you've completed your first episode as show-runner, what was it like? David Rosenthal: It was great. Everybody's in great spirits and very excited and it was a really good first week. It's a group that's been together a long time, so they really know their stuff. Ausiello: When will the show take it's traditional summertime leap forward in time? Rosenthal: The first three episodes of the season are kind of the summer. You know, Rory's home from school. And then Episode Four, Rory will be heading back to school. So the big jump will be between Episodes Three and Four. There will be a few weeks between Two and Three, but One and Two are pretty continuous. We view them as a two-hour Gilmore Girls movie. It's just a lot of emotional stuff that we're facing. Ausiello: I got the sense that Luke was headed somewhere at the end of the premiere. Rosenthal: Luke will definitely be heading somewhere when we come up in Episode Two, but I don't wanna ruin it. I think people will be very curious and interested to see where he's going. Ausiello: Will those first three episodes primarily focus on the fallout from Lorelai's night with Christopher? Rosenthal: Yeah. I mean, there's so many ramifications, not only for Lorelai and for Luke, but you know, for Rory and for Christopher. Something like this sends shockwaves out, so there's a lot to deal with. There's still obviously a lot of other [fun] stuff going on, but in terms of emotionally, yeah, there's a lot of fallout. I also feel like the first five or six episodes are really kind of setting Luke and Lorelai on a course for the season. And it's gonna take a few episodes for us to get them out at sea and on their journeys for the year. But I'm hoping the audience will be with us and interested and ready to follow them where they're going. Ausiello: Is it safe to say Luke and Lorelai are taking separate journeys? Rosenthal: They definitely are on separate journeys, but their journeys will also intersect and overlap. It won't be like Luke's over here and Lorelai's over there and never the two shall meet; not at all. They're on their own journeys, but those journeys will come together. Ausiello: There's a line in the first episode where Lorelai tells Luke it's over. How much should L/L fans read into that? Rosenthal: Time has a way of healing. She means it, but is that the case forever? I don't believe that. Do I think Luke and Lorelai ultimately are soul mates? I do. I really do. But does that mean they're gonna run off together tomorrow and live happily ever after? No. But I think it seems like they're at a point where they both have some re-growing and changing to do and some things to figure out. It's over for now. Ausiello: How pivotal is Christopher in Lorelai's journey this season? Rosenthal: Very. He's a big part of her life and he's a big part of Rory's life. This past season he really showed a different side of him, a more patient side, a more mature side. And I feel like he's earned their trust in a way he really hasn't before, and he's in their lives in a way he really hasn't been before. Ausiello: Will they be back together romantically? Rosenthal: Certainly, given what's happened… Yeah. Absolutely. Ausiello: And I assume Anna and April will be a big part of Luke's journey. Rosenthal: Absolutely. Those relationships will continue to intensify. Ausiello: What's up with Richard and Emily? Rosenthal: Obviously, the Luke and Lorelai relationship will impact them. They've always been very conflicted about Luke and his role in Lorelai's life. Also, Richard is going to be offered a guest lecturer-ship at Yale, so he'll be on campus and around Rory. Emily, as part of her DAR work, is doing a little Cotillion training for young girls. She's running her own little etiquette school, which will be very funny. I think it'll really be a great thing for her. There also might be some health issues coming up this year. Ausiello: For Richard? Rosenthal: Yeah. So that's something that could impact them significantly in terms of his work and also kind of Emily's role in his life and their dynamic. I think health issues can create stress and conflict and trauma in a family, but they can also bring the family together. It can bring mothers and daughters close together and it can bring grandparents and grandchildren close together. Ausiello: I hear the Stork will pay a visit to Stars Hollow this season. Rosenthal: There will be multiple babies born this season. There also will be a marriage. Ausiello: Please tell me Lorelai won't be faced with a "Who's the daddy" quandary. Rosenthal: No, no, no. I promise. There are no sharks anywhere near our set and there will be no jumping of them. Ausiello: OK, that's fantastic news. Why did you decide to keep Logan in London? I thought for sure he would find some way to wiggle himself out of that situation. Rosenthal: I think it presents an interesting issue for Rory, and it's a complicated thing when you're still in college and your boyfriend or girlfriend has graduated and moved on. And not only moved on — he's in the professional world and she's still in college. We just thought, why rush him back when there's stuff to explore there? I think it's interesting for Rory to have to find her own way at Yale without Logan, and also try to maintain this relationship and to see how much she really loves this guy, how deeply the feelings run. But I promise you, Logan will be a major part of her life this year, and they will find ways to be together. Ausiello: Were you OK with Matt Czuchry doing an episode of Veronica Mars? Rosenthal: I just wanted to make sure he was not playing a character similar to who he's playing on Gilmore Girls. I think Matt's a terrific actor. He has great range and ability to play all kinds of characters. I support Matt and would love him to do all kinds of work outside the show. I just didn't want it to feel like, “Logan's guest starring on Veronica Mars.” Ausiello: When and how will Marty reappear in Rory's life? Rosenthal: He makes kind of a surprising appearance when she's least expecting it. And whether intentionally of unintentionally, he definitely stirs up some trouble in her personal life in a big way. He really causes her a lot of problems. Marty's grown up a little. He's developed a thicker skin; he's a little tougher. He's not such a boy anymore. His actions will definitely cause trouble in Rory's life. Ausiello: Now for the most frequently asked question from fans: Will we ever see Mr. Kim? Rosenthal: Nope. Mr. Kim is a mystery. Perhaps one day that mystery will be answered, but there are no plans now. I think Mr. Kim is like Norm's wife Vera. Better to just imagine him.