[8.4/10] I’m not sure we’ve ever had a straight up Jess story before. I don’t mean that we haven’t had major plots involving Jess, but I think this is the first time he’s essentially been the protagonist of a story where he’s had an arc from the beginning of the episode to the end. I have to admit, he annoyed me a bit here (particularly at the dinner with Emily), but I like that they’re showing him learning and growing. As with his quiet development early in the season, it makes him more likable and gives him potential as a romantic interest for Rory.
And I like Luke as someone who’s legitimately guiding him. It’s nice that Jess is characteristically reluctant to do the nice boyfriend thing at Emily’s, that he’s upset that everyone assumes he got into a fight with Dean, and that he buttons up and thinks it’s all over when he and Rory get into a fight. But then there’s Luke, the voice of wisdom, explaining that he doesn’t have to be a pushover like Dean to accept Rory’s family and be more open with her. The fact that Jess seems to take it to heart, and talks to Rory afterward is a good place to take it, and shows Little Rat Boy slowly but surely maturing.
There’s also an interesting theme of physical affection that goes through the episode. There’s the reciprocal instances of Rory and Lorelai each walking in on the other necking with a boy, and the awkwardness of it as a moment where their mother-daughter relationship prevails over their best friends relationship. While Lorelai worrying so much about Rory being with Jess feels a little out of character (wasn’t she the one telling Luke to lighten up and telling Rory to kiss Jess more forcefully over the past few episodes), it’s an interesting note to have the character play, particularly given her own history and understandable concerns about history repeating itself on that front.
The final scene between the two of them is just spectacular. There’s a realness to both the uncomfortableness but also the understanding between Lorelai and Rory in that moment. It’s a real issue parents and children face, and I’m glad the show chose to dramatize it with an honest but simple heart-to-heart between them rather than something more overblown. It’s a very well-acted scene, particularly for Lauren Graham.
And while it was mostly fluff, I also enjoyed the Dave-Lane story here. Them having to hide their romance from the rest of the band is sitcom plotting, and the fake out of the “we have to get this out in the open” resolution being that the other bandmembers “out” and accept Dave as a Christian is a bit silly, but it’s nice material with its heart in the right place. The run-in with Mrs. Kim and the difficulty that Lane and Dave have convincing both her and their bandmates that they’re not dating at the same time creates some funny but sympathy-worthy knots for the almost couple.
But most of all, the comedy game was on point in this episode. Luke joshing Jess about being attacked by a swan is hilarious. While the scene went on a little long, Kirk going all Darren Nichols on Patty’s one-woman show is amusing. And my god, somebody go back in time and give Kelly Bishop an Emmy already. The way that Emily is unfailingly polite and yielding to Jess for Rory’s benefit when her granddaughter is in earshot, and then just unloads all her complaints about Jess to Lorelai on the phone is amazing. I mean, my god, her rant is an instant classic. Just the phrases “slap his monosyllabic mouth” and “abominable thug” and the way she intones “he should be in jail” had me in stitches. I’m pretty sure it’s the scene that clinched Emily as my favorite character on the show.
Overall, this was an excellent episode that had an interesting theme for Rory and Lorelai, a nice if abbreviated plot for Lane, a well-done arc for Jess, and some great comic material for Emily.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-10-12T17:27:36Z
[8.4/10] I’m not sure we’ve ever had a straight up Jess story before. I don’t mean that we haven’t had major plots involving Jess, but I think this is the first time he’s essentially been the protagonist of a story where he’s had an arc from the beginning of the episode to the end. I have to admit, he annoyed me a bit here (particularly at the dinner with Emily), but I like that they’re showing him learning and growing. As with his quiet development early in the season, it makes him more likable and gives him potential as a romantic interest for Rory.
And I like Luke as someone who’s legitimately guiding him. It’s nice that Jess is characteristically reluctant to do the nice boyfriend thing at Emily’s, that he’s upset that everyone assumes he got into a fight with Dean, and that he buttons up and thinks it’s all over when he and Rory get into a fight. But then there’s Luke, the voice of wisdom, explaining that he doesn’t have to be a pushover like Dean to accept Rory’s family and be more open with her. The fact that Jess seems to take it to heart, and talks to Rory afterward is a good place to take it, and shows Little Rat Boy slowly but surely maturing.
There’s also an interesting theme of physical affection that goes through the episode. There’s the reciprocal instances of Rory and Lorelai each walking in on the other necking with a boy, and the awkwardness of it as a moment where their mother-daughter relationship prevails over their best friends relationship. While Lorelai worrying so much about Rory being with Jess feels a little out of character (wasn’t she the one telling Luke to lighten up and telling Rory to kiss Jess more forcefully over the past few episodes), it’s an interesting note to have the character play, particularly given her own history and understandable concerns about history repeating itself on that front.
The final scene between the two of them is just spectacular. There’s a realness to both the uncomfortableness but also the understanding between Lorelai and Rory in that moment. It’s a real issue parents and children face, and I’m glad the show chose to dramatize it with an honest but simple heart-to-heart between them rather than something more overblown. It’s a very well-acted scene, particularly for Lauren Graham.
And while it was mostly fluff, I also enjoyed the Dave-Lane story here. Them having to hide their romance from the rest of the band is sitcom plotting, and the fake out of the “we have to get this out in the open” resolution being that the other bandmembers “out” and accept Dave as a Christian is a bit silly, but it’s nice material with its heart in the right place. The run-in with Mrs. Kim and the difficulty that Lane and Dave have convincing both her and their bandmates that they’re not dating at the same time creates some funny but sympathy-worthy knots for the almost couple.
But most of all, the comedy game was on point in this episode. Luke joshing Jess about being attacked by a swan is hilarious. While the scene went on a little long, Kirk going all Darren Nichols on Patty’s one-woman show is amusing. And my god, somebody go back in time and give Kelly Bishop an Emmy already. The way that Emily is unfailingly polite and yielding to Jess for Rory’s benefit when her granddaughter is in earshot, and then just unloads all her complaints about Jess to Lorelai on the phone is amazing. I mean, my god, her rant is an instant classic. Just the phrases “slap his monosyllabic mouth” and “abominable thug” and the way she intones “he should be in jail” had me in stitches. I’m pretty sure it’s the scene that clinched Emily as my favorite character on the show.
Overall, this was an excellent episode that had an interesting theme for Rory and Lorelai, a nice if abbreviated plot for Lane, a well-done arc for Jess, and some great comic material for Emily.