While watching television, a viewer is subjected to a jumbled variety of ideals, opinions and influences from writers, directors and executives. They manage this by utilizing a combination of themes and subjects of the show itself, promos and commercials and scheduling. During an hour of the WB show Gilmore Girls, viewers can find themselves watching a text that revolves around the family, specifically the relationship between mothers and daughters, and can get a sense of the show�s targeted audience, the educated middle class with expendable income.

Gilmore Girls, currently in its fourth season, is an evening series/serial hybrid that follows the story of Lorelai Gilmore, a young single mother, and her daughter, Rory. The show centers on their life in quirky small town Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and their interactions with the distinct and vivid people around them. There is Lorelai�s mother, Emily; the snobby hotel desk clerk, Michel; the rough diner owner, Luke; Rory�s overprotected best friend, Lane; Lorelai�s co-worker, Sookie; Rory�s uptight schoolmate, Paris; and many more. Lorelai and Rory have grown up together through thick and thin, various guy problems and other adventures.

Each episode has a self-contained storyline, however, there is also a broader story arc for each season. This season�s story revolves around Rory�s first year at Yale and Lorelai trying to start her own inn, the Dragonfly Inn, after her last one burned down. In this particular episode, �The Fundamental Things Apply,� Rory is trying to date again after two failed boyfriends; Lorelai is horrified about hiring the same interior designer that worked on her mother�s house; and Luke is initiated in the movie night traditions.

Gilmore Girls closely examines mothers and daughters, who are characterized by the way they dress and their surroundings. This is easy to see in the three main females: Lorelai, Rory and Emily. Rory dresses conservatively and shyly in jeans and sweaters. On her date, she dresses nicely in a skirt and blouse. Lorelai�s youthfulness is shown in her clothing, which is similar to Rory�s, and relaxed demeanor. Lorelai�s house is a cozy two story with comfy looking chairs and an abundant amount of food. When they are talking together, their outfits usually mesh well in a similar style. Even their names are unusual as opposed to Emily�s. Emily often wears tailored outfits to signify her aristocratic and conservative manner, which clashes with Lorelai�s trendier outfits. Her house is large and spacious with leather furniture, hard wooden floors, tapestry rugs and maids.

There are three different mother and daughter relationships portrayed. One is the close friendship type where they talk and do everything together. This is Lorelai and Rory�s. It is shown in the expository part of the episode where they talk in a relaxed manner about gardening and neighbors. The opening credits show scene after scene of them doing things together -- talking, laughing, fighting, comforting, eating. The theme song even points to this with a mother and daughter duet of �Where You Lead, I Will Follow.� The rest of the episode shows various scenes of Rory visiting home, which indicates that even though she may be away at college, she still has a place for her best friend, Lorelai. She even calls her mother during her date to ask for advice.

The second type is one of independence and spite. Emily and Lorelai�s relationship exemplifies this one. In the diner, Lorelai throws a roll at Luke so he can see her on the cell phone and yell at her to get off thus preventing her from having to talk to Emily. When Lorelai discovers the interior designer she has just hired had worked for her mother, she nearly fires her. At the Friday night dinner, she refuses to sit in the house without Rory there. When she is dragged into the house, she walks like a little child who is being punished. When Luke, who is always wearing worn jeans and a flannel shirt, picks up the phone during movie night, she is upset about what her mother must be thinking about with this new little tidbit of information. She hates being dependent on her mother in any way, especially financially, and is secretive about different details of her life to prevent judgment from her mother. When Lorelai is around Emily or talking with her alone, she is rarely smiling unless Rory is also there.

The third type is somewhere in between. Lane�s mother is an overprotective Korean who wants her daughter to be a good Christian and marry a Korean boy. Lane, dressed in khakis but a bright print top, is slightly frustrated by it but does not hate her mother for it. She does have to hide some things such as eating pizza at the Gilmore�s and drumming for a rock band from her, though, because of it. Sookie is pregnant with her first child and discusses her excitement about it with Lorelai during the episode.

The show is directed towards a couple of audiences, indicated by the time slot and commercials. One is a predominantly white middle class family oriented audience. The commercials vary from families playing card games, a family shopping at Sears or Wal*Mart, cotton and photo developing. Another audience is the middle class high school and college student as seen with the promos for other WB shows, DVD�s, movie trailers, cell phones and cosmetics. The more modern styles of the commercials indicate this, too. They are also targeting those with high expendable income by advertising iPod, cell phones, Neutrogena, Pantene, Revlon and Volkswagen. The evening time slot is often reserved for shows targeting family time, white collared workers who do not have to work in the evening, teenagers who do not have to hold night jobs and others.

Another indicator of the target audience can be seen in the show itself. It is assumed that viewers have had a good amount of education. They can appreciate the witty banter and subtle jokes that are always packed into each episode and causes the viewer to pay close attention. Those who are into pop culture will catch the quick references. For example, Emily accuses Lorelai of wearing �Sex and the City outfits� when she offers to lend an outfit to Rory for Rory�s big first date. Before Lorelai and Luke watch Casablanca during movie night, she teases him with a story about the Lumiere brothers� arrival of a train film.

The show also targets those with a less conservative mindset with its differing viewpoints. There are single parent households, Lorelai�s, and nuclear households, Emily�s. There are examples of children conceived with the two parents married, Sookie�s. Rory was conceived when Lorelai was 16 and unmarried. There are token minorities, Lane and Michel, and the mostly Caucasian cast. There is a large array of ideas being depicted.

Gilmore Girls is a show about relationships. The most prominent is the one between a mother and a daughter. Its thoughtful view is illustrated by how the characters act and react to each other. The characters� own demeanor, clothing and surroundings characterize them. This show is targeting a family oriented audience with its evening time slot, commercials and the story itself. It treats its audience with a respect for their intelligence and open mindedness with quick clever jokes and insightful cultural references.

~* October 29, 2003 @ 2:46 pm *~