Gilmore girls: Season 1 Episode 5 References Explained
Gilmore girls is famous for its quick dialogue, witty banter, and the endless pop culture references that make every rewatch just as entertaining as the first. That’s what inspired me to start this series—breaking down every reference, episode by episode, and seeing just how many I’d missed after all these years.
Episode 5, Cinnamon’s Wake, is one of those perfectly offbeat episodes that mixes fun with emotion. When Babette and Morey’s beloved cat, Cinnamon, dies, the whole town gathers for a wake. Rory tells Dean she’s interested in him, while Lorelai is juggling her own romantic chaos—Max shows up for their date, but she forgets to cancel.
It’s a sweet, funny, slightly chaotic episode that captures everything Gilmore girls does best—and, as always, it’s filled with clever cultural nods and quick one-liners that are easy to miss unless you’re paying attention.
In this series, I go through each reference I could find, explaining 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 keep track—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 5 “Cinnamon’s Wake”
1. “By someone other than Dolly Madison.”
Context:
Rory is telling Lorelai about the upcoming bake sale at Chilton. She notices Lorelai hasn’t started baking yet. Lorelai insists she has it covered, but when Rory reminds her the goods need to be homemade, Lorelai repeats that it’s taken care of. That’s when Rory says:
Explanation:
Dolly Madison is a well-known U.S. snack cake brand famous for pre-packaged sweets like Zingers and cupcakes. Rory knows Lorelai doesn’t bake, so she’s fully expecting her mom to swing by the store and grab something off the shelf instead of making it herself.
2. “Very Henry VIII.”
Context:
At the Chilton bake sale, Sookie goes all out and creates an over-the-top spread of different delicacies for their table. Max Medina stops by, taking in the lavish display, and says to Lorelai, “Very Henry the VIII.”
Explanation:
Max compares Sookie’s extravagant table to the indulgent feasts associated with King Henry VIII of England. He was known for his banquets, excess, and larger-than-life appetites—and yes, he’s the one with all the wives….
3. “Do you have any Hemlock back there? Arsenic, something quick.”
Context:
Max and Lorelai are at a coffee shop, bantering about whether or not they should date. Lorelai keeps shooting down his reasoning with her quick wit. Feeling dramatically defeated, Max turns to the woman behind the counter and asks, “Do you have any Hemlock back there? Arsenic, something quick.”
Explanation:
Hemlock and arsenic are both classic poisons, with hemlock most famously tied to the death of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was sentenced to drink it. By asking for poison, “something quick,” Max is saying Lorelai’s comebacks are so tough that he’d rather drop dead than keep losing this verbal sparring match.
4. “Oh. Very serious face. Jean-Paul Sartre.”
Context:
Lorelai and Sookie are at Luke’s Diner. Lorelai comments that life is a funny thing. Sookie misunderstands, saying she thinks Jim Carrey is funny. Lorelai clarifies that she’s being philosophical, not joking, prompting Sookie to tease, “Oh, very serious face, Jean-Paul Sartre.”
Explanation:
Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher known for his serious ideas about existence and the meaning of life. Sookie’s line playfully mocks Lorelai being “philosophical” to Sartre’s famously intense demeanor.
5. “To Perm or not to Perm.”
Context:
Earlier in the episode at the Independence Inn, Drella had been playing Black Sabbath on her harp, and Lorelai told her she wasn’t allowed to play it. Later, Drella asks, “Hey, what do you think about Pat Benatar?” Lorelai replies, “Great idea, can she play the harp?”
Explanation:
This is a playful twist on Shakespeare’s famous line, “To be or not to be” from Hamlet. Lorelai swaps “be” with “perm” to compare her dating dilemma to a permanent hairstyle change (once you perm your hair, the structure is forever altered) Just like a perm, deciding whether or not to pursue a relationship with Max is a choice that could have lasting consequences.
6. “You don’t do yoga on the Dalai Lama’s mat and you don’t come behind my counter, period.”
Context:
Sookie is standing behind Luke’s counter at his diner, which annoys him. Luke tells her to get out, emphasizing that the counter is a sacred space. He adds, “You don’t do yoga on the Dalai Lama’s mat and you don’t come behind my counter, period.”
Explanation:
Luke’s line compares his diner counter to something as sacred as the Dalai Lama’s personal space. The Dalai Lama is a highly respected spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, and his mat would obviously be off-limits. By using this comparison, Luke exaggerates how seriously he considers his diner counter “his territory”.
7. “Oo-hoo, Hee-Haw man, where is Lorelai Gilmore?”
Context:
At Cinnamon’s wake (Babette and Morey’s cat that passed away), Michel comes in to drop something off for Lorelai. He notices a man wearing overalls and a plaid shirt and announces, “Oo-hoo, Hee-Haw man, where is Lorelai Gilmore?”
Explanation:
Hee Haw was an American TV variety show (1969–1993) featuring country-themed comedy sketches and characters. Michel is joking that the man’s outfit—overalls and plaid—makes him look like he belongs on Hee Haw.
8. “It’s like a scene from the kitty version of Valley of the Dolls.”
Context:
After Cinnamon’s wake, Lorelai asks Babette if she can help clean up. Babette is busy putting away Cinnamon’s medicine. Lorelai notices the medicine cabinet and says, “It’s like a scene from the kitty version of Valley of the Dolls.”
Explanation:
Valley of the Dolls is a 1967 novel (and later movie) about ambition, fame, and addiction, famous for its dramatic and over-the-top depiction of characters’ personal struggles. Lorelai’s remark compares the amount of medicine Cinnnamon had to take to the character’s substance-heavy lives in Valley of the Dolls.
9. “Information that would have come out eventually. Like the Iran-Contra scandal.”
Context:
Rory sees Max Medina (her teacher) on their front porch and asks Lorelai why he’s there. Lorelai realizes she forgot to tell Rory that she and Max were supposed to go on a date. After speaking with Max, Lorelai explains to Rory that she should have told her, but “it would’ve come out eventually — like the Iran-Contra scandal.” Rory responds, “So you’re Oliver North,” to which Lorelai responds, “No, I’m Fawn Hall.”
Explanation:
The Iran-Contra scandal (mid-1980s) involved secret U.S. government arms sales to Iran, with key figures like Oliver North and his secretary, Fawn Hall. North was central to the scandal, while Hall became known for helping manage documents and communications. Lorelai compares her secretive date to a political cover-up, and Rory plays along by calling her Oliver North. Lorelai corrects her: she’s Fawn Hall — the behind-the-scenes operator rather than the main actor.
10. “I think the Angelina Jolie - Billy Bob Thornton thing really proves that.”
Context:
Lorelai and Rory are still talking about Max. Lorelai is justifying why she forgot to tell Rory about him and explains that she really likes him. She continues, “You can’t always control who you’re attracted to, you know. I think the Angelina Jolie–Billy Bob Thornton thing really proves that.”
Explanation:
Lorelai is referencing the highly publicized relationship between Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton in the early 2000s. Their pairing was unusual and surprising because Jolie was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, while he was well, there… Lorelai uses this example to point out that attraction doesn’t always follow logic or conventional expectations — even unexpected pairings can happen, just like her feelings for Max.
Honorable Mentions In This Episode:
Music:
Rancid
The Bangles
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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