Rory and Jess

[amensisterfriend]

I guess I can understand that on some level, but Rory missing Lorelai's graduation really wasn't Jess's fault in any way, shape or form. It's not even like he tried to persuade her to stay in the city longer than she had intended. (Though even if he had and Rory had acquiesced, that would be on Rory, not on Jess.) 

 

I think maybe since Rory is sometimes kind of passive and washy-washy, people tend to blame the stronger personalities in her life---Lorelai, Emily, Jess, Logan, even Paris, etc.---for Rory's own questionable choices and missteps. And, trust me, as someone who's lived in NYC for most of my life---transportation delays happen no matter how carefully you try to guard against them! 

 

The other thing Jess was most blamed for that really bugs me is the car accident...emphasis on ACCIDENT. He wasn't drinking or even speeding at the time. It was the sort of accident that can and does happen to most drivers at some point, and the town's subsequent vilification of him was so wildly over the top even by typically exaggerated GG standards. There's so much for which Jess could be legitimately faulted---why act like he's a soulless sociopath over a minor car accident?! I guess maybe it was just to show that once we relegate people to the role of 'bad guy', we can always find ample justifications for keeping someone in that box and claiming that he's living down to our expectations of him. (Conversely, Rory was the firmly ensconced 'good girl' in  SH who could do no wrong!) 

 

As much as I like Rory/Jess, I'm very quick to point out the flaws in him and in their relationship---I just don't see the incidents I mentioned above as indicative of them at all! 

[Aloeonatable]

 

The other thing Jess was most blamed for that really bugs me is the car accident...emphasis on ACCIDENT.

 

Oh so much in agreement! I really dislike Lorelai's reaction, " I can hate him for breaking my daughter," which implies intent. I may often be a Jess apologist, but he definitely wasn't trying to hurt Rory or damage the car. When Lorelai said that Dean wouldn't have gotten in an accident, I wanted to reach into my tv and throttle her. Then again, Jess was shown to be a bit reckless when he had Rory grab the steering wheel and seemed to be paying more attention to her and less to what was on the road. 

[amensisterfriend]

Agreed once again, aloe! Weirdly enough, I can ALMOST understand Lorelai being so irrational about it, because as unfair and annoying and ridiculous as her reaction is, I know that's the sort of situation that causes parental panic. (I was in a car accident more serious than Rory's, and my normally very straitlaced father resorted to 'borrowing' a doctor's coat and impersonating a physician so that he could sneak into the ICU and make sure I was okay!) I have an even tougher time with the entire town acting like Jess deliberately set fire to an orphanage or something. Again, I swear this doesn't stem from a Jess/Rory shippery place---there's plenty to legitimately be angry at Jess for, and if the writers wanted to illustrate the 'gang up' mentality that even an idyllic town like SH can occasionally descend to and then write him temporarily out of town, they could have very easily done so with FAR more convincing scenarios. But those episodes were written as if no one in the whole town was aware of the difference between a VERY common, minor car accident and a deliberately perpetrated felony. It's one of the few strikes against an otherwise awesome S2! 

Edited May 19, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[alexa]

I guess I can understand that on some level, but Rory missing Lorelai's graduation really wasn't Jess's fault in any way, shape or form. It's not even like he tried to persuade her to stay in the city longer than she had intended. (Though even if he had and Rory had acquiesced, that would be on Rory, not on Jess.)

 

 

As I stated it wasn't really Jess' fault, it is more about the influence he had on her.  Again, not his fault, but it influenced how I felt about the introduction of character to the show.  As for the accident, I thought that the reactions were a bit over the top as well.  

Edited May 19, 2015 by alexa

[amensisterfriend]

Understood, alexa---I totally get it, especially as for a long time I resented Logan in part because I happened not to like and relate to Rory as much while he was on the show :)

[Aloeonatable]

I know I've stated this before, but when it came to guys and their "influence" on Rory, she often times acted irrationally. Not their fault, most of the time, but Rory went against her better judgement (or lost any ability to think) when a guy was around. 

[readster]

I also agree about Rory's brain when guys were involved. She would regress to believing their ideas or situations without question. Their influence on Rory was like she had no free will of her own and that was something that really drove me nuts with all of her boyfriends or men in her life. From Richard to her own father. It isn't the process of constantly projecting their thought process onto Rory where she was worn down and decided to just agree to it. With Jess it was his "whatever" attitude that made Rory not think. Or Dean's: "Poor me" attitude or Logan's: "Live dangerously while you are young" attitude. Did Jess do something stupid telling Rory to hold the wheel? Oh yes, however the accident was so routine that it could have happened to everyone. There was Lorelai's reaction that made sense and then there was SH acting like Jess killed someone in broad daylight. That was way over the top and I agree that was a major strike in S2 or that Chris magically got another woman pregnant and all the craziness that happened at Sookie and Jackson's wedding. Those are my main strikes on an almost perfect season.

[blueray]

I never got why the town reacted the way that they did, sure they didn't like Jess but it was just an accident. He may have been distracted however it wasn't his fault and Rory wasn't seriously hurt. I do think however, Jess should have been with Rory at the hospital.

 

I also never thought about how she does adapt to the her boyfriends attitude to some extend. I guess she wants to make them happy. Someone I think was on this board said that it could be similar to how she sees her mother's love life. If the guys were happy they will stay if not they will leave (like her dad).

Edited May 31, 2015 by blueray

[junienmomo]

I also agree about Rory's brain when guys were involved. She would regress to believing their ideas or situations without question. Their influence on Rory was like she had no free will of her own and that was something that really drove me nuts with all of her boyfriends or men in her life.

 

I think it's even simpler than that. Rory does the exact same thing with her boyfriends that she did with Lorelai - she goes along with them. Lorelai set that pattern in Rory's brain and Rory simply does the same thing with boyfriends.

From the "Rory decided at age 4 to go to Harvard" statement, the signs were there. This freakishly good relationship in which they always wanted the same things existed because Rory's giant brain was set to "make Mommy happy" and she could rationalize almost any crazy thing Lorelai could think up.

With the boyfriends we see Rory using first Lorelai's method ("I can't tell Dean I love him" vs "I can't tell Max I don't love him"). Jess wouldn't stand for that so much, so Rory was often at a loss to choose the correct behavior.

I think she achieved a greater amount of independence with Logan, but still tried to please him more than please herself (different thread).

The "I love you" appearance of Jess at Yale was similar to the Dean ILY, and the appearance at Truncheon was Rory's try to reset them back to BF/GF.

His wake-up call was more interesting, because she could have chosen Jess, but she didn't. However, she didn't choose the DAR life either. This might have been her first real chance at being herself.

[alexa]

I think you all have a good point about Rory.  I know I made those comments being annoyed with Jess, but now that I am a few episodes further it clearly reminds me of how she acted and her part in it.  I have seen this series more than once but forget aspects over time.  I hated how she did what she did to Dean throughout most of their relationship, and especially when Jess came around.  At that dance how she went on and on about Jess and didn't think anything about how Dean might see how obvious it was that she was into Jess was just crazy to me.  I am happy he stood up to her and just said forget it.  She really is an idiot when it comes to guys sometimes.  

[lottiedottie]

I'm in the thick of the Jess episodes. As much as I dislike the character (what a whiny asshole malcontent), Milo is very handsome. I think every girl has to go out with a guy like that at some point, right? The kind of guy who has zero interest in your life and is kind of a dick about it but for some reason it makes you like him more. He never wants to do what you want to do or hang out with your friends, but you stick with him because he's really cute and a little bit of a bad boy. BTDT!

[Aloeonatable]

Even if you're not a "Literati" you might find this interesting. I think we can all relate somehow.

 

http://hellogiggles.com/rory-jess-helped-find-people/

[Taryn74]

That was awesome, Aloe.  I wasn't a part of that particular group, but WOW did that ever bring back memories of TWoP and before that, all the X-Files message boards I was on.  Not to mention the "expecting/new moms" group I was a part of when my oldest was born.....almost 17 years ago.  *gulp*  And I'm still friends with dozens of the people I met through these groups.  So cool.

[amensisterfriend]

Here's a fun challenge: What are your 5-7 favorite Rory/Jess scenes of the series?! 

[Aloeonatable]

Not in any particular order:

1) The gas station meet-up "far away from my clueless uncle."

2) Jess sharing his novel, "The Subsect" with Rory in her bedroom at the Gilmore mansion.

3) The car ride to get ice cream in cones in "Teach Me Tonight."

4) "You looked it up," the kissing on her head when Rory confirms that she is going to Yale.

5) And as painful as it was, the scene where Jess asks Rory to leave Yale with him in LWFTWT.

 

They had so much chemistry "sigh"

[Anela]

It bugs me when Rory asks her mother to treat Jess nicely, when he's being an ass, and they're never going to sit around and watch movies together (at least at that point - maybe five or ten years down the line). I only recall him making an effort once with Lorelai, when he cleaned the gutters - until she rightly called him out on his letting Rory stress when he had her bracelet all along. 

 

I didn't like Jess until the later seasons, when he grew up. 

Although, now that I think about it, I didn't like Lorelai mocking Jess, to Luke, at the wedding. 

[Aloeonatable]

 

I only recall him making an effort once with Lorelai, when he cleaned the gutters - until she rightly called him out on his letting Rory stress when he had her bracelet all along.

 

I have to respectfully disagree that Lorelai was right about Jess letting Rory stress about her bracelet. Rory didn't even know she was missing her bracelet until Dean pointed it out, and then she, IMO, only freaked because she was fearful of Dean's reaction. I always think that Jess didn't know the bracelet was from Dean until Rory told her mother it was missing. I think Jess kept it when he found it because it belonged to Rory and to him it was a reminder of the day they spent together. Once he saw how bummed she was about it being lost, he went and got it and returned it to her bedroom. It was Lorelai who jumped to the wrong conclusion that he had stolen it with the intent to cause Dean some discomfort. I think when Jess pointed the truth, that Rory didn't even realize it was missing for two weeks, Lorelai knew he was right about the bracelet. 

[Anela]

I have to respectfully disagree that Lorelai was right about Jess letting Rory stress about her bracelet. Rory didn't even know she was missing her bracelet until Dean pointed it out, and then she, IMO, only freaked because she was fearful of Dean's reaction. I always think that Jess didn't know the bracelet was from Dean until Rory told her mother it was missing. I think Jess kept it when he found it because it belonged to Rory and to him it was a reminder of the day they spent together. Once he saw how bummed she was about it being lost, he went and got it and returned it to her bedroom. It was Lorelai who jumped to the wrong conclusion that he had stolen it with the intent to cause Dean some discomfort. I think when Jess pointed the truth, that Rory didn't even realize it was missing for two weeks, Lorelai knew he was right about the bracelet. 

She wore it all the time, and anyone else would have handed it to her, telling her that she'd dropped it. He may have been right in that she hadn't missed it for two weeks, but if he hadn't know who it was from, he surely would have told her that he'd found it somewhere, and given it to her as soon as possible - instead of hiding it in her room whilst she ran around freaking out.

 

I love the ending of the Thanksgiving episode where Dean tells Jess that he no longer has to be on his best behaviour around him. 

[Aloeonatable]

Jess liked Rory, but he knew she was dating someone else, so no, he wouldn't have told her he had the bracelet after he kept it in remembrance of their time together. That would have been too embarrassing for a teenage boy. 

 

What I found more telling, was that (1) Rory didn't miss it for two weeks, and (2) she was more concerned about what Dean might think than she was about the actual bracelet being gone. 

[amensisterfriend]

I always thought the lost bracelet was symbolic of Rory's lost interest in the relationship ;) And, yes, her fear of Dean's reaction definitely seemed a lot more powerful than her own distress at not having the bracelet. Not that the males on this show were depicted as excessively angry, bitter, negative, sullen and jealous or anything ;) [/sarcasm!] 

 

Here's a question for you guys: How do you think the Rory/Jess arc would have proceeded differently if Milo V. (please don't make me try to spell his last name!) had been available all seven seasons? Would they have been on-again/off-again throughout the series? Do you think the writers would have made them 'end game'? Would the writers have had Dean re-materialize in S4? Would there have been a Logan and, if so, would he have played the same role in Rory's life? 

[timimouse]

Here's a question for you guys: How do you think the Rory/Jess arc would have proceeded differently if Milo V. (please don't make me try to spell his last name!) had been available all seven seasons? Would they have been on-again/off-again throughout the series? Do you think the writers would have made them 'end game'? Would the writers have had Dean re-materialize in S4? Would there have been a Logan and, if so, would he have played the same role in Rory's life? 

This may be a very unpopular opinion, but Logan reminded me a lot of Jess. Or rather, they shared similar qualities that she was attracted to... Bad boy, well read, witty, sense of adventure.... I also think Rory is somewhat shallow and I think if she had to choose between the two, Logan would win as he would be able to provide more.

[Aloeonatable]

I honestly don't think Milo really wanted to be on the show once his spin-off didn't happen. I think that the Rory/Logan relationship had to happen because she needed to date someone from that world, so I couldn't see her with Jess after he left Stars Hollow for good. As much as I enjoyed the Jess/Rory relationship, the good and the bad, I never really saw them as end game. I would have liked to see them becoming good friends, having outgrown their romantic feelings, or just deciding that they were better friends than lovers. 

 

 

This may be a very unpopular opinion, but Logan reminded me a lot of Jess. Or rather, they shared similar qualities that she was attracted to... Bad boy, well read, witty, sense of adventure.... I also think Rory is somewhat shallow and I think if she had to choose between the two, Logan would win as he would be able to provide more.

 

I don't think that either Jess or Logan was going to be the end game for her. She did actually choose Logan over Jess in "Paul Anka."

[Gilmorefan]

I think that Logan and Dean would still make their appearances when they did, and still be romantic interests, but Rory and Jess would probably be endgame. Didn't they ask Milo to come back for season seven, but he refused because ASP wasn't working on it?

My top five moments (in no particular order)

1. In Nick and Nora, when he gives her the book back and she calls him Dodger (it was Dodger, wasn't it?)

2. In TTR when he comes over with food while she's home alone

3. The scene by the lake after Rory breaks up with Dean

4. The scene where he tells her about his book

5. The scene where he turns off the sprinklers for her, and they talk, and then he turns them back on when she says Dean is coming.

This was so hard to pick!

[FozzyBear]

I always thought the lost bracelet was symbolic of Rory's lost interest in the relationship ;) And, yes, her fear of Dean's reaction definitely seemed a lot more powerful than her own distress at not having the bracelet. Not that the males on this show were depicted as excessively angry, bitter, negative, sullen and jealous or anything ;) [/sarcasm!]

Here's a question for you guys: How do you think the Rory/Jess arc would have proceeded differently if Milo V. (please don't make me try to spell his last name!) had been available all seven seasons? Would they have been on-again/off-again throughout the series? Do you think the writers would have made them 'end game'? Would the writers have had Dean re-materialize in S4? Would there have been a Logan and, if so, would he have played the same role in Rory's life?

That's an interesting question. I think it might have proceeded much like Dean part 3 where they break up over Rory moving into a world at Yale that Jess didn't fit into. The Jess that came back in S6 may have been able to be secure enough in himself to support Rory, but the Jess who originally left the show would have been insecure about himself and lashed out and been mean to Rory and her college friends.

Which brings me to why I don't like Jess. He was mean and he liked being mean. I don't blame him for any of Rory's dumb ass behavior and I always hated Lor's tendency to blame the latest boyfriend for Rory's bad behavior (interestingly the one time she didn't do that was with the married Dean affair.). Rory was old enough to know better each and every time she acted like an ass during the Jess period. However, Jess had a cruel streak that Dean and Logan lacked. Dean could be needy and passive aggressive and Logan could be irresponsible and distant, but neither was mean. Jess could actually enjoy hurting people at times and Dean and Logan lacked that. That's why my Rory boyfriend preference from best to worst is: Marty (I know, but I thought the would have been cute), Logan, Dean, Jess. For Lor it's Dugger, Luke, Max, Chris.

[timimouse]

Which brings me to why I don't like Jess. He was mean and he liked being mean. I don't blame him for any of Rory's dumb ass behavior and I always hated Lor's tendency to blame the latest boyfriend for Rory's bad behavior (interestingly the one time she didn't do that was with the married Dean affair.)

 I'm going to politely disagree here. I don't think Jess LIKED being mean. I think Jess was in a bad place and was lashing out at the world as his reaction to what he was dealing with. And that's why they went with the "Good Girl Changes The Bad Boy" arc. Because Jess did get a little bit better once him and Rory became a couple, I guess because she distracted him from all his other problems. But he had more issues than Rory could fix (a distraction is not a solution to a problem but only a temporary fix) and I think that's why they also didn't last.

 

I also didn't get the impression that Lorelai blamed the boyfriends for the things that Rory did. I think she lashed out at them in anger but I also think that she was disappointed in her daughter for LETTING these guys have such strong influences on her. She did say to Rory on more than one occasion "don't be that girl".

[LeafontheWind]

I'm going to politely disagree here. I don't think Jess LIKED being mean. I think Jess was in a bad place and was lashing out at the world as his reaction to what he was dealing with. And that's why they went with the "Good Girl Changes The Bad Boy" arc. Because Jess did get a little bit better once him and Rory became a couple, I guess because she distracted him from all his other problems. But he had more issues than Rory could fix (a distraction is not a solution to a problem but only a temporary fix) and I think that's why they also didn't last.

I agree with your disagreement! I never found Jess to be intentionally cruel to others. He certainly lashed out at people, especially Lorelai and Luke when he first came to town, but I don't think he meant to cause them pain. In fact, I think he thought so little of himself that he would never imagine that the things he said would hurt Luke so deeply. As far as his little pranks around town were concerned, I don't really think those were cruel. Maybe the people of Stars Hollow didn't find them funny, but I don't think they were coming from a mean place. But, of course, YMMV and I am admittedly a pretty big Jess fan. Perhaps my judgment is clouded by the pretty.

[takalotti]

I don't know. This may not constitute as "mean," but I always took Jess' behavior as intentionally trying to cause SOMEthing negative.

He seemed to be a classic case of "Everybody leaves me, so rather than trust that people won't leave me, and then get hurt later when they do, let's just cut to the chase now. Piss them off early and get the leaving over with, like I always knew they would."

His stupid pranks and such weren't about the recipient. They were about Luke. How much trouble could he cause before Luke would finally throw his hands up and say "That's it! I give up! I'm sending you back to your mother!"? I also think his rudeness to people and cutting remarks to Luke were indeed meant to at least anger, if not hurt, Luke for the same reason.

Weirdly, I think one of the things that showed Jess that Luke wouldn't just fling him away in irritation was when Luke sent him back to New York after the accident. I think Jess could tell that Luke didn't want to but felt he had to.

At some point Jess stopped believing he could push Luke far enough to get rid of him, so Jess stopped pushing (at least, stopped pushing as much). So when Luke did kick him out over not staying for an extra year of high school, I think Jess was a bit shocked and heartbroken. He had allowed himself to believe that Luke would never leave him, that Luke would accept him as is, warts and all, and yet here he was being "abandoned" all over again. He probably felt stupid for letting his guard down. (Note: I don't see Luke as abandoning an imperfect Jess, but rather giving tough love by not enabling poor decisions. That was just how I expect Jess sees it.)

This is tied to why I think Jess bailed on Rory without saying anything. He couldn't risk another round of rejection.

J: Hey I'm not actually graduating and I'm not going to stay in school.

R: What? But school is really important. I can't be with you if you don't care about school.

So he did the rejecting. Sort of.

[Guest]

My biggest issue with Jess Version 1.0 was that while he didn't intentionally try to hurt people, he didn't care about others' opinions and feelings enough to avoid doing so.  I don't think it was because he had low self-esteem though. I just think he was selfish.

[Aloeonatable]

 

Which brings me to why I don't like Jess. He was mean and he liked being mean.

I agree with tinimouse that Jess really didn't like being mean and with Leafonthewind, he didn't want to hurt people, but his actions were meant to push them away so that they wouldn't be disappointed in him. All the pranks and misbehaviors were a reaction to his new surroundings. He wanted to shake things up a bit and also was hoping that he would be sent back to New York. The only thing he didn't count on was caring about Rory. 

 

 

I don't think it was because he had low self-esteem though. I just think he was selfish.

 

Understandable once meeting his mother and learning about the situation in which he was raised. I'm not necessarily making excuses for his behavior, but I can see why he acted the way he did.

[Guest]

Very true. After meeting both his parents, it wasn't exactly shocking that he was selfish.  

[Ororo Monroe]

Jess was such a jerk. I'm rewatching the series now and the way he talked to Lorelai, asking if she was sleeping with Luke IN HER OWN HOUSE, after he tried to steal a beer...I mean...the audacity. I know his parents were pretty horrible, and he was in a new town, and he was a teenager, yadda yadda yadda but man. I know if I talked like that to an adult when I was 16/17, I would have been slapped into the previous week and rightfully so.

 

He was so smarmy and so sure that he was smarter than everyone else. One of my favorite episodes was Keg! Max! when Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (a national treasure, btw) rightfully upbraided him and told him he couldn't go to the prom and wouldn't graduate. I can see the appeal he would have held for someone like Rory, especially coming off a relationship with Dean, but man, that kid was actively and unapologetically a Grade-A horse's ass.

 

I may need to be in the Unpopular Opinions thread but I didn't really care for any of Rory's boyfriends and would prefer that she was #TeamRory for a few years after college. Focus on work, establishing herself as an adult away from her mom, paramours, and Connecticut and take some time to just find herself. While I'm excited about the upcoming GG reboot, I hope that Jess (or Dean or Logan) is not set up as endgame, but maybe they can be good friends since it did seem like in the later seasons that he matured since his Bad Boy Teen Jerkwad days.

[dustylil]

One of my favorite episodes was Keg! Max! when Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (a national treasure, btw) rightfully upbraided him and told him he couldn't go to the prom and wouldn't graduate

 

Since I am old and unkind and I didn't care for Jess in the least, I liked this too.

 

What I never quite understood was Jess' inability to do basic arithmetic. Presumably he had a nodding acquaintanceship with the grades he was getting in his courses (even if Luke did not). If he was averaging say 30-40% in each subject, by April or May - with only weeks left in the  school year - how exactly did he think he was going to manage to pass in the short time left?

 

Not what he would tell Rory should she hear via the grapevine he was doing poorly. Or his unaware uncle. But what he told himself.

[Aloeonatable]

While I'm excited about the upcoming GG reboot, I hope that Jess (or Dean or Logan) is not set up as endgame, but maybe they can be good friends since it did seem like in the later seasons that he matured since his Bad Boy Teen Jerkwad days.

 

 

IMO, there is no way that Rory will end up with any of the three in the reboot. We do know that Milo was asked to return, so there is the possibility of some scenes with Jess and Rory, but I'm guessing that they will only be friends. I'm ok with that too. 

Edited November 11, 2015 by Aloeonatable

[Eyes High]

I may need to be in the Unpopular Opinions thread but I didn't really care for any of Rory's boyfriends and would prefer that she was #TeamRory for a few years after college. Focus on work, establishing herself as an adult away from her mom, paramours, and Connecticut and take some time to just find herself. 

 

I am curious as to what Rory has been up to in the intervening eight years since she graduated, but in the way of many flashforwards, it seems likely that she'll have had some random boyfriend for the whole eight years, with their relationship conveniently ending so that she can be freed up to be paired off with whomever ASP intended to pair her off with originally.

 

I think Rory would have benefited from being single for a while, considering how lousy her boyfriends were and her distressing tendency to be too easily influenced by her boyfriends. I doubt a reasonable person would have been in any hurry to throw herself into another relationship after what happened with Logan, but this is Rory we're talking about.

[amensisterfriend]

So for those of us who do see a strong connection/chemistry/etc between Rory and Jess, how much of that do you attribute to the fact that the actors were in love in real life?

 

In my case, I think it has a lot to do with why they always seemed so naturally RIGHT together in that 'can't explain or define it, there's just something there' kind of way to me despite their problems and the fact that Jess, like nearly all GG guys, is not someone I'd especially love with in real life. (Let me make it clear that there's actually a lot I like about Jess---his wit, his intelligence, his interest in books, his independence, the fact that I always felt he's a good and even sensitive person underneath the bitter snarkiness, but that whole 'angry punk rock guy, automatically hates everything 'mainstream', too indie and cool for YOU' thing he exudes just isn't my style!) But Rory just seemed to GET Jess and to feel gotten by him in return, and it's hard not to think that some of why AB seemed more natural and at ease when showing affection to Jess (read: less agonizingly awkward and uncomfortable!) than she often did around Dean and Logan is because she was just more natural and at ease around MV. 

 

 

 

IMO, there is no way that Rory will end up with any of the three in the reboot. We do know that Milo was asked to return, so there is the possibility of some scenes with Jess and Rory, but I'm guessing that they will only be friends. I'm ok with that too.

 

I'm totally okay with them just being friends at this point as well. In many ways I'd even prefer it. I'm guessing, though, that Rory is more likely to end up with Jess than with any other former boyfriend. I'm basing that on pretty much nothing other than how AS-P wrote him in S6 (one of the VERY few things she did well in that entire season, IMO, and he's one of the only characters she ever showed maturing/evolving/semi-redeeming himself!) and the fact that there's still such relatively strong support for them among the fanbase, at least from what I've read and seen. Not that AS-P cares all that much about giving fans what she thinks they want, but still :) 

Edited March 5, 2016 by amensisterfriend

[Aloeonatable]

 

I'm guessing, though, that Rory is more likely to end up with Jess than with any other former boyfriend.

 

I think that the revival will end with Rory single. She will have worked through her lingering feelings for Logan, but they won't end up together.  It will also be obvious that Jess still cares for Rory, but they won't be together. 

 

I'm hoping that we still see some chemistry between the actors as they were so believable in the initial run of the series. However, the fact that they are no longer a couple, I'm fearful that Alexis will not seem as comfortable, and it will show in their scenes together. She just isn't that strong of an actress.

[brightside]

I'm guessing, though, that Rory is more likely to end up with Jess than with any other former boyfriend. 

 

I would tend to agree if not for the fact that ASP wrote Rory "choosing" Logan over a grown-up, more mature Jess. I feel like it's sort of been written that Rory/Jess is kind of...settled. It's an unsatisfactory ending, but honestly most failed relationships are. I think Rory might end up single--I doubt any of these 3 guys are right for Adult!Rory. 

 

Now that could all be colored by the fact that I hate the Rory/Jess relationship. So much. Oh boy so much. But I do like Jess. I think he's funny--his one liners could rival Paris at times--I just don't like that relationship. Honestly I have 3 hopes for Jess in the revival 1) He has a strong relationship with Luke that involves regular conversation 2) He isn't pining for his high school girlfriend and maybe is in a strong, healthy relationship himself 3) He has a good friendship with Rory that doesn't involve any BS.

 

I think there is a certain value in having a relationship with an ex--and a particular type of ex. I think Rory and Jess fit that for me. Kind of the "we could've been, but we messed it up too much to ever work again--but we still know each other really well" type relationship. There's probably a better way to articulate this, but that's what I can come up with for now. I would really love to see these two have a friendship that involves pointing our when the other is being stupid or timid or scared.

[Aloeonatable]

 

There's probably a better way to articulate this, but that's what I can come up with for now. I would really love to see these two have a friendship that involves pointing our when the other is being stupid or timid or scared.

Jess and Rory have that relationship. They have the friendship thing already, even though they had a strong physical attraction. I doubt we'll see any of her former flames with another woman. 

[brightside]

Jess and Rory have that relationship. They have the friendship thing already, even though they had a strong physical attraction. I doubt we'll see any of her former flames with another woman. 

 

They don't have that relationship, not the one I'm describing. When the show ended they hadn't spoken for about a year and a half and it's been 9 years since then. Plus, the last time they saw each other, they kissed. I think it would be interesting if they were honestly just friends. 

 

I think it would be a real shame if NONE of the 3 were with someone. By their early 30's I feel like at least one of them would be in a serious relationship.

Edited March 6, 2016 by brightside

[Aloeonatable]

If I had to choose which one would have a significant other it would be Logan. 

[Breezy]

My biggest problem with Jess is he would never be her partner in either of her worlds. I mean think about it. He never went to town events with her unless if dean was there, and he couldn't make it through one dinner with the Gilmore's (Emily was very polite and friendly towards him- she was right to call him a thug). And not admitting that he got beat up by a swan? That was lame. If he had just admitted it (and been the Jess that he was with Rory when he's in a good mood) then I think it would have gone over much better. And he didn't even have to deal with the whole clan- although I would have LOVED IT if Trix had gotten ahold of him, mainly bc I think she would have been fair (bc she respects hard work and all that) but brutal and honest. However, she would not be happy with the no college or career plans.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Breezy

[Breezy]

Jess was such a jerk. I'm rewatching the series now and the way he talked to Lorelai, asking if she was sleeping with Luke IN HER OWN HOUSE, after he tried to steal a beer...I mean...the audacity. I know his parents were pretty horrible, and he was in a new town, and he was a teenager, yadda yadda yadda but man. I know if I talked like that to an adult when I was 16/17, I would have been slapped into the previous week and rightfully so.

He was so smarmy and so sure that he was smarter than everyone else. One of my favorite episodes was Keg! Max! when Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (a national treasure, btw) rightfully upbraided him and told him he couldn't go to the prom and wouldn't graduate. I can see the appeal he would have held for someone like Rory, especially coming off a relationship with Dean, but man, that kid was actively and unapologetically a Grade-A horse's ass.

I may need to be in the Unpopular Opinions thread but I didn't really care for any of Rory's boyfriends and would prefer that she was #TeamRory for a few years after college. Focus on work, establishing herself as an adult away from her mom, paramours, and Connecticut and take some time to just find herself. While I'm excited about the upcoming GG reboot, I hope that Jess (or Dean or Logan) is not set up as endgame, but maybe they can be good friends since it did seem like in the later seasons that he matured since his Bad Boy Teen Jerkwad days.

Now what about Tristan? Edited March 9, 2016 by Breezy

[Aloeonatable]

 

My biggest problem with Jess is he would never be her partner in either of her worlds.

 

I think the mature Jess we saw in season 6 was much more flexible and could easily adapt to wherever he and his significant other wanted to live. The irrational Jess we saw in seasons 2 & 3 was an angry teenager. Could Rory be happy living in Stars Hollow after graduating Yale? I don't think so. Could she be happy living the life of a society wife in Hartford? She tried that route (sans marriage) when she worked in the DAR. Not a success. Both Rory and Jess had options outside of Stars Hollow and the society of her grandparents world. 

[dustylil]

To me it would not so much be where they wanted to live. I think they would be interested in residing  beyond the small  pond that is Hartford and the tiny pond that is Stars Hollow. Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Washington are some of the places that might come to mind. Or living abroad would be another possibility.

The issue would be more how they would live. Would  they manage on their respective salaries and/or earnings from their writings? Or would Rory's trust funds (Hayden and Gilmore, most likely) and any  inheritances she might receive be used for their day to day living? I can see Hardscrabble Jess having difficulty  living off those avails.

[Aloeonatable]

You are probably right, dustylil. It is, usually, more difficult for a man to live off of the earnings, or inherited money, of a wife or partner. Pride and all. 

Edited March 12, 2016 by Aloeonatable

[timimouse]

As much as I agree that Rory and Jess had the best chemistry of all her relationships and I do agree that "grown-up" Jess was much less of an a$$ than when he left, I'm not convinced (from what we saw) that the two of them would've had any longevity. I think he still had a lot of growing to do, as did she and it would take them a while to get on the same page. Maybe if they met again in their late 30s or 40s, after having seen the world and done what they needed to do, then they would be in a better place to pursue a real relationship.

Edited March 13, 2016 by timimouse

[Ms Blue Jay]

Oh man.  Just watched Rory kissing Jess at Sookie's wedding.  I know that she was still with Dean and all but it is romantic as HELL!

 

I love Milo's acting throughout their whole arc and it brings out something really great in Alexis.  You really believe Rory is so shocked to see Jess, and then totally overcome by her emotions.  He barely says a word but she is just really overwhelmed by his mere presence (and the fact that he has returned to Stars Hollow, presumably because of his feelings towards her) that she (once again) acts out of what she believes her character to be.

 

Milo is so great at the subtext in acting out Jess's feelings towards Rory, and I think that's a big reason why this whole thing is so popular.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[Aloeonatable]

 

Milo is so great at the subtext in acting out Jess's feelings towards Rory, and I think that's a big reason why this whole thing is so popular.

 

IA. He does so much with just his eyes and physical actions, that sometimes words aren't necessary. I'm sure the actors' real life feelings helped with their chemistry. 

[sashabear21]

I liked Rory and Jess together the best, although most of their interactions that were the best were either before they were together or the episodes where he came back after he had matured a little bit. Once they were together it seemed like he had no idea how to act and had probably never been in a relationship like that before, and with his emotional problems that he had from growing up, his habit of pushing people away, and his determination to be the anti-Dean, he blew it all to hell.  As much of a snitty little asshole as he could be though, there were some things that I did appreciate about him.  He was never really afraid to call Rory on her shit whereas other people tended to kiss her ass.  When she got back from Washington and was being pissy with him for kissing another girl when she had kissed him and run off before she left, hadn't contacted him in two months, and was still with her boyfriend, he called her out on it.  When she dropped out of Yale and Lorelai basically stopped talking to her, her grandfather was trying to figure out ways to bribe her to get her back to school, and Logan wasn't really doing anything to help the situation, all it took was a Jess calling her out and she got her shit together right then and there. I also got tired of Lorelai making Jess out to be the devil and praising Dean all the time, "Dean wouldn't have gotten into an accident, Dean would have been more careful, Dean would have called, Dean is wonderful, blah blah blah".  Dean was a sweet guy, but a total doormat, and I would have had my number changed if someone was calling me as much as he was calling Rory when he got all clingy.  I feel like Lorelai liked having Dean around because she knew that he'd probably never even tongue kissed her daughter and kept his hands to himself so she was in the clear to continue being Rory's best friend instead of her parent.  Rory's fascination with and later relationship with Jess forced Lorelai into the parent role probably much more than she would have liked.  Not that I blame Lorelai for not liking Jess, he really didn't try very hard to get along with her and when he first got to town he was such a rude little shit to her that she should have smacked him across the face, so he really did not make a great first, second, third, etc. impression on her.  He was a really troubled kid that needed to grow up and fix his problems and it's good that we got to see that he did.  The later episodes that he was in, he seemed to have it more together than Rory did, probably because he was used to rejection and life kicking him in the ass and he grew up and got to where he knew how to dust himself off and move forward instead of acting out, whereas Rory was sheltered and always got whatever she wanted and had no clue how to deal with rejection or an ass kicking from life so she couldn't handle it when it did happen.  Hopefully he'll have a good story arc in the revival whether he ends up back with Rory or not.  

[Aloeonatable]

Wow, what a great post and analysis, sashabear21. ASP did say that Jess was Rory's sexual awakening. Ironic considering that he ended up to be the only boyfriend that she didn't sleep with. 

Edited March 31, 2016 by Aloeonatable