Concert Interruptus takes us back into Rory’s world of Chilton friendships, Lorelai’s switch between “cool mom” and parent, and a night at a Bangles concert that doesn’t quite go as planned. This episode also brings back that fast, reference-packed dialogue from early Season 1 — and in this breakdown, I walk through the key pop-culture mentions from Yogi Bear to Paul Bunyan.

In “Double Date,” new beginnings and mismatched expectations play out across two very different evenings. Lane learns that the reality of a date doesn’t always live up to the version in her head, while Sookie and Jackson slowly move toward something real. In this post, I break down the pop culture references that pop up along the way, from Yoko Ono to Romeo and Juliet, and more.

Romance, rivalry, and reputation all collide in “Paris Is Burning,” where relationships start to shift under pressure. Lorelai struggles with her relationship with Max just as Paris’s parents’ divorce becomes the talk of the school. In this post, I break down the pop culture references from Psycho and The Odd Couple to Tonya Harding, and more.