Gilmore Girls Backstage Special (2004) (TV)

Release Date:

3 November 2004 (USA)

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman

Cast

Brooke Burke	...	Herself - Hostess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Keiko Agena	...	Herself
Kelly Bishop	...	Herself
Alexis Bledel	...	Herself
Lauren Graham	...	Herself
Sean Gunn	...	Himself
Edward Herrmann	...	Himself
Scott Patterson	...	Himself
Liz Torres	...	Herself
Yanic Truesdale	...	Himself
Liza Weil	...	Herself

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

The Black Sheep of the Gilmoreverse

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This show was aired only once on ABC Family when GG started out its off-network run and not even considered as an extra for any of the series' DVD box sets, and there was a very good reason for it. If you're the type who cringes through reunion specials ("One Day at a Time", I'm looking at you!), this is going to make your forehead permanently wrinkle from the horrible presentation.

Mind you, this isn't a criticism of the cast at all...they did a great job on the special, all of them. But when Brooke "Wild On & Rockstar" Burke is hosting the special, you know that the producers took the term 'contractual obligation' to a new low, and produced a show that made the cast wish this off their resumes the moment it ended. A hint of the amount of money WBTV and ABC Family spent on the special is found in the producers of the show, who are more well known (or not) for producing video clip show compilations of sports injuries for TLC and other networks looking for timeslot filler.

Pretty much, before the special, Burke had never watched an episode of the series, ever, and the clips presented were the first time she had watched the show. Going off a script written by a 7th grade "Introduction to Playwriting" student, Brooke then asks the stupidest questions known to the cast, and which they've probably answered in real life at every meet-and-greet, ever. Just watching Liza Weil stare daggers at Brooke as she asks the dreaded 'Are you like Paris in real life?' question and expects an earth-shattering answer, kept my love for her as an actress and a woman very strong. Another awkward moment occurs when she asks Alexis and Keiko if they visit each other's homes all the time, a question not exactly burning in the minds of the fans, not to mention too personal for a light forum like this show. They then look at each other awkwardly and decide that the question was horribly posed, and ask Brooke to go on. Everyone looks like they'd be interviewed by an Aerie Girl instead, and the entire thing beyond the cast's answers has the feel of a very bad infomercial. Or worse; a staple of ABC Family, "The 700 Club". You half expect fake applause and Brooke leading a prayer circle any minute.

There's nothing new revealed at all about the cast, the characters, or the show in particular at all. It's a rundown of the first two seasons that can be better spent on a fansite with screencaps, clips, transcripts, and past media articles. The cast has forgotten about this horrible mess, and you should too.