PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC

Credit: Jason Hall

“Gilmore Girls”

The CW, Tuesdays at 8

Lane had her babies! We don’t get to see what the babies look like; we don’t get to see Lane in labor; we don’t see her have any mood swings. But we’re supposed to know she had her babies because Zack, who was going into a nervous breakdown hours before, had the forethought to e-mail a photo to Lane’s cell phone? I don’t bloody think so!

Where are my hours of labor!? What a missed opportunity!

It was an upsetting capper to an otherwise stellar episode that played off of some of the best subplots from the beginning of the series. Viewers (and perhaps the writers) had allowed themselves to become too complacent with the relationship between Lorelai and Emily, and it was time something came in to shake things up. Lorelai’s other mother’s marriage was just the thing.

And how weird is it that I feel proud of Rory even though I had nothing to do with her upbringing and probably would have turned her into a depressed alcoholic if I raised her? My girl is fighting off jobs at the major newspapers in the country with a stick! And she is telling Logan exactly what she thinks about him instead of lying in a ball and taking it! You go, girlfriend!

The best moments of the evening, though, were the quiet scenes between Luke and Zack as they were waiting for Lane to go into labor. It would have been nice to actually see Lane during this, but the easy chemistry between the two actors is obvious, and I can totally see many episodes in the future taking advantage of this sudden friendship.

“Desperate Housewives”

ABC, Sundays at 9

I promise I will never ever complain about Mary Alice again. Just bring her back!

There has been a string of surprisingly excellent episodes that are notable not just for the producers’ attempts to hide Marcia Cross’ baby bulge, but because they had twists and turns one didn’t foresee. One cliffhanger had me ready to catch a flight to L.A. and camp outside the studio until they told me what happened. But Sunday’s episode just sucked. Badly.

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s a cute idea to have the story told from the men’s points of view for an episode, but I can’t stand the guys! Seriously, Ian!? Carlos!? MIKE!? There is a reason the show is called “Desperate HouseWIVES,” and it has a lot to do with the fact that the men on the show can’t sustain a scene to save their lives.

With the mystery of the season solved and most of the other subplots in limbo, perhaps the producers should have just called it a day and ended the season last episode because I have no idea how they can get any mileage out of the last bunch of episodes without being forced.

Contact ALL correspondent Robert Taylor at [email protected].