Gilmore girls: Season 1 Episode 3 References Explained
If you’ve ever (re)watched Gilmore girls, you know every episode has its own rhythm. One episode is fast-paced and chaotic; the next slows down and dives into the Gilmore family dynamics. Episode 3, Kill Me Now, is definitely one of those moments.
In this episode, Rory spends time with her grandfather, Richard, for a round of golf “at the club”. It’s a rare glimpse into the start of theri relationship—and a reminder that while Rory might be adjusting to Chilton, Lorelai is still figuring out how to navigate her own complicated history with her parents. Meanwhile, Lorelai’s busy at the Independence Inn, planning a wedding that’s equally stressful and entertaining.
And, of course, between all the family tension and perfectly timed dialogue, the episode is filled with clever pop culture references—some subtle, others impossible to miss.
As always, in this series, I’ve gone through every reference I could find, breaking down what it means, where it comes from, and how it fits into the story. You’ll also find a list at the end of all the books, movies, and music mentioned, so you can follow along or add a few to your own list.
Gilmore girls is available to stream in most countries on Netflix and Disney+, so whether you’re rewatching or discovering it for the first time, you can easily follow along with every reference.
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Looking for another episode? You got it:
Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot”
Season 1, Episode 2 “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton
Season 1, Episode 3 “Kill Me Now”
Season 1, Episode 4 “The Deer Hunters”
Season 1, Episode 5 “Cinnamon’s Wake”
Season 1, Episode 6 “Rory’s Birthday Parties”
Season 1, Episode 7 “Kiss and Tell”
Season 1, Episode 8 “Love and War and Snow”
Season 1, Episode 9 “Rory’s Dance”
Season 1, Episode 10 “Forgiveness and Stuff”
Season 1, Episode 11 “Paris is Burning”
Season 1, Episode 12 “Double Date”
Season 1, Episode 13 “Concert Interruptus”
Season 1, Episode 14 “That Damn Donna Reed”
Season 1, Episode 15 “Christopher Returns”
Season 1, Episode 16 “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers”
Season 1, Episode 17 “The Breakup: Part 2”
Season 1, Episode 18 “The Third Lorelai”
Season 1, Episode 19 “Emily in Wonderland”
Season 1, Episode 20 “P.S. I Lo…”
Season 1, Episode 21 “Love, Daisies and Troubadours”
Okay, let’s get into it! Here are all the references explained from Gilmore girls Season 1 Episode 3 “Kill Me Now”
1. “Physical fitness is as important as intellectual fitness. So says Plato
and so say I.”
Context:
At Friday Night Dinner, Lorelai mentions that Rory has to pick a sport to play at Chilton. Richard responds, “Physical fitness is as important as intellectual fitness. So says Plato and so say I.”
Explanation:
Plato was a Greek philosopher from the 4th century BCE who believed in educating both the mind and the body. Richard uses the quote to underline his point that sports matter just as much as academics.
2. “OK, Bob Barker”
Context:
After dinner, Lorelai pulls Emily into the living room to talk privately about Emily arranging for Richard to take Rory golfing. Lorelai argues that Rory wouldn’t say no outright but she really doesn’t want to go. Emily insists that if Rory tries it and likes it, “she wins.” Lorelai replies, “Ok, Bob Barker.”
Explanation:
Bob Barker was the longtime host of the game show The Price Is Right, famous for telling contestants to “come on down” and play for prizes. Lorelai uses the reference to mock Emily, comparing her persistence about Rory golfing to a game show host pushing contestants to play.
3. “Ooh, I'd rather get my face surgically altered to look like that lunatic rich lady with the lion head than go to the club with you.”
Context:
After dinner, Lorelai and Rory leave the Gilmore house. Before getting into the car, Lorelai starts listing things she’d rather do than go to the club with Rory and Richard. One of them is: “Ooh, I’d rather get my face surgically altered to look like that lunatic rich lady with the lion head than go to the club with you.”
Explanation:
The reference is to Jocelyn Wildenstein, a wealthy New York socialite who became famous in the 1990s for her extensive cosmetic surgeries that gave her a catlike appearance. Lorelai exaggerates to make her point—she’d rather undergo extreme surgery than spend the day at the club.
4. “To me, you are the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoon.”
Context:
At the Independence Inn, Lorelai tells Michel she’s waiting for Rory to call so she can come rescue her from the club. When she notices Michel isn’t paying attention, she says, “You do not care at all, do you?” Michel replies, “To me, you are the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoon.”
Explanation:
Charlie Brown is the main character from the Peanuts comic, created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. In the animated show, all the adults speak in a muffled “wah-wah” sound instead of real dialogue. Michel’s line means Lorelai’s talking sounds like meaningless noise to him.
5. “Here you go. Now you look just like Tiger Woods.”
Context:
Rory is in her Chilton classroom when Tristan enters with a note. He sits down and notices her. He looks at his friend and asks who that is. The guy reponds that Rory is new to which Tristan replies: “Looks like we got ourselves a Mary,” marking the moment he begins calling her “Mary”—a nickname that sticks for most of the season.
Explanation:
Tiger Woods is one of the most successful professional golfers of all time, rising to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Emily’s line is a simple comparison, equating Rory’s new golf outfit with the most recognizable golfer in the world at the time.
6. “Was it an all-boy band? Kind of a scary, feathery 'N Sync kind of fiasco?”
Context:
At the Independence Inn, Lorelai and Michel are overseeing a wedding that includes swans. Michel complains he hates them, explaining that he was attacked by a group of swans as a boy in the Luxembourg Gardens. Lorelai quips, “Was it an all-boy band? Kind of a scary, feathery ’N Sync kind of fiasco?”
Explanation:
’N Sync was a hugely popular American boy band in the late 1990s and early 2000s, known for their coordinated dance routines and catchy songs. Lorelai twists Michel’s story into a joke, imagining the swans as a boy band instead of a flock of birds.
6. “Hey, Pepé Le Pew, you want to give me a hand with this?”
Context:
Later in the same wedding scene at the Independence Inn, Drella, the harp player, asks Michel to help her with her harp. She says, “Hey, Pepé Le Pew, you want to give me a hand with this?”
Explanation:
Pepé Le Pew is a cartoon skunk from the Looney Tunes series, known for his exaggerated French accent and amorous, persistent behavior. Drella’s line compares Michel to Pepé, teasing him for his often dramatic and flamboyant personality.
7. “It’s Peyton Place.”
Context:
After golfing, Rory and Richard go to separate steam rooms. While in hers, Rory overhears gossip from the other women at the club. Later, she tells Richard, “She caught him in the pool house with the tennis pro, not the riding instructor.” Richard responds, “It’s Peyton Place.”
Explanation:
Peyton Place was a popular 1950s–1960s novel (and later TV series) about scandal and intrigue in a small town. Richard’s line compares the club’s gossip and dramatic behavior to the melodrama of Peyton Place, implying that the women are creating soap-opera-level stories out of everyday events.
8. “That Madonna and Sean Penn should get remarried?
Context:
On the patio at their home, Lorelai and Rory are talking about Richard calling Rory, which is surprising as he’s never done that before. Lorelai says, “You know what I was thinking?” and Rory responds, “That Madonna and Sean Penn should get remarried.”
Explanation:
Madonna and Sean Penn were a celebrity couple known for their whirlwind romance and divorce in the 1980s and early 1990s. Rory’s line is just a random pop culture reference comment to change the subject.
9. “Oh, thank you. Sister Sledge! Excuse me.”
Context:
At the Independence Inn, the mother of the brides hugs Lorelai, thrilled that her daughters are getting married and moving hundreds of miles away to share a condo in Tucson, Arizona. When the song We Are Family by Sister Sledge starts playing, she says, “Oh, Sister Sledge! Excuse me.”
Explanation:
Judging by Lorelai’s reaction, we can conclude the line is meant to be interpreted as ironic—the mother is excited about her daughters moving far away while celebrating with a song about family bonds, even though her words show she’s not exactly praising them.
Honorable Mentions In This Episode:
Books:
A Mencken chrestomathy
Music:
Thelonious and Steinway
Samuel Barber
John Cage
Philip Glass
Shania Twain
I hope this was helpful in understanding some of the references from Gilmore girls and that we are one step closer to decoding our ultimate comfort show.
If I missed something or you have another interpretation of a reference, let me know—I’d be happy to add it!
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