Gilmore Girls 3.16 “The Big One”

Gilmore Girls 3.16 "The Big One"
Original Air Date: February 25, 2003 (Recap date: February 4, 2008)
Recap & Discussion

Discussion Questions:

• Is Luke menu-whipped?
• Would Rory have entered the contest regardless of Paris?
• Why was Paris psyching out the other students?
• Why is Max nice to Lorelai?
• Why did Jackson flip out?
• Did the Headmaster set up the joint-speech to stop the feud?
• Did Paris reconcile with Rory because she needed someone to confide in about Jamie?
• Was Lorelai unsure if Rory had slept with Jess or Dean?
• Is Lorelai upset that Max was not hurt?
• Why didn’t someone step up to stop Paris?
• What does it mean that Max kissed Lorelai?
• Was the enthusiasm for Rory’s acceptance dampened by Paris’ rejection?
• Do you think Paris helped open Rory’s eyes to possibilities other than Harvard?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap & Photos:

The mail arrives and with it, the hope of an acceptance letter from Harvard. Kirk is the mailman, so they have some time to kill while he finds their mail.

Lane is annoying the allergy stricken Lorelai by drumming in mid-air. Luke has new menus. Lorelai had hidden her name on all the old menus over many years, and now the new ones are doodle free and laminated. Nicole is behind the change, and the 3 new salads on the menu. Lorelai says he is menu-whipped, then sees the Monte Cristo sandwich was removed too. Luke gives her the old menu, then Lorelai pouts about everyone having a new menu but her. Luke just walks off.

The bi-centennial is coming up at Chilton – there is a competition to give a speech at this ‘prestigious affair.’ Alumni from elite schools, and it will be broadcast live on C-Span. Paris perks up, as does Rory. Brad is back again, this time from a stint on Broadway. He chats up Rory, saying he’s no longer intimidated by Paris. Paris wants Rory to enter the contest so she can beat her.

Someone has sent back Sookie’s food. Sookie is fuming. Lorelai has to ask if anything was wrong with the food – Sookie says no, but all the staff are looking away. Lorelai asks to try the food, and says it’s one of the worst things she’s tasted. Lorelai suggests maybe Sookie’s taste buds are off from a bug – Sookie does admit to being sick the week before.

Paris’ threat to crush her is fueling Rory’s desire to enter the contest and win. She’s not big on standing up in front of the school though. Lorelai suggests it’s good experience for being a foreign correspondent. Then starts saying ‘oh my God’ over and over and runs to Sookie, who at the same moment had realized that she, Sookie, is pregnant!

Paris is trying to psych out all her rivals in the competition. Paris pretends to be innocent. Rory guesses that Paris’ speech must suck, if she’s going to the trouble to psych out the others.

Sookie calls Lorelai to tell the story of how Jackson reacted to the news. He didn’t say anything, just got out the calculator. Though he does say ‘oh, boy’ every 15 minutes. Sookie is disappointed.

Kirk has the mail spread out in Doose’s, trying to find people’s mail while they yell at hime for not sorting it. People dive in for their mail, fed up with him.

Lorelai runs into Max at the pharmacy. He’s been at Stanford teaching, but is back to see the bi-Centennial. They make amiable small talk about how he is, how Rory is, the new boyfriend Lorelai hates (Jess), and part ways.

Lorelai arrives to dinner, but it’s only Richard. Three DAR women had strokes, so Emily is at the hospital. Rory is there already. Lorelai tells Rory about seeing Max, and how he didn’t recoil seeing her. Richard is confident Rory will win the competition. Lorelai secretly dials the Gilmore house just to see Richard get up to run to answer the phone, the maid being off.

Jackson is now being overprotective of Sookie. He comes out to say they’re selling the truck and buying a mini-van. The house is baby-proofed and he’s talking about an add-on to the house. They missed out on the celebration stage of the news. Lorelai talks about Max – considers writing him a note to explain. Jackson comes out with a cleaver asking "what if baby fell on it?"

Paris and Rory are in conference call with the Headmaster. He compliments both their speeches. He was thinking what a pity it would be to choose just one of them, but realized as Headmaster he could change the rules. He says they will combine their speeches and present them together. Paris thinks he’s doing it so she and Rory will ‘play nice.’

Paris shows up the next night at Rory’s. They read each other’s speeches – Paris interrupts to say she slept with Jamie last night. Rory has to process that information and the details Paris is sharing. Wants to debate it with Rory so that she can determine how she feels about it. Lorelai walks in and overhears that Paris had sex, but smiles when Rory says she never slept with Dean or with Jess. Paris thinks sex is ‘inevitable’ in a relationship. Lorelai backs out, letting them discuss what is the "right time."

Paris brings up their feud. Says Francie got things twisted up – Rory said she let her. Paris admits she sees the worst in people. Apologizes. Lorelai announces she’s home after this. Gives Rory a big hug and tells her they’re going to go shopping tomorrow – that it was "time" to get Rory new shoes. Says under her breath, "I’ve got the good kid."

Paris is late for the speech. Lorelai goes to grab coffee and runs into Max again. Lorelai asks to speak with him privately. She apologizes for never calling, though she meant to. Max thinks Lorelai did not love him, but she doesn’t think so. Lorelai says sometimes the person you love is not the person you’re ready to live with forever. She wants closure, though he got over it on his own.

Richard cautions against picturing the audience in their underwear – he had a bad experience picturing Bulgarian’s in Speedo’s. Rory is nervous about having to read both parts – Paris shows up, but disheveled in her clothes that are not her best. And walks into the auditorium. She appears catatonic, not answering Rory and, though she takes a podium, cannot deliver her speech. Rory handles it until Paris goes off-script about how she believed Chilton would get her to where she needed to go – Harvard. Paris was rejected from Harvard. She asks the audience who deserves it more than her?

"I’m not going to Harvard, I’m not going to Harvard. I had sex, but I’m not going to Harvard."

She shocks the crowd with that one. Paris thinks she’s being punished for having sex. Rory pulls her off the stage while Paris tells everyone Rory is a virgin, so will probably go to Harvard. And all this on live tv.

With 5 generations at Harvard, and the name carrying weight, Paris thinks they must have really not liked her to reject her. Rory tries to console Paris, telling her that she can start her own tradition at another great school. Paris calls herself a slut. She’s worried Jamie won’t love her after telling him about Harvard. Ends on a somewhat light note, saying:

"After all the trouble this sex thing has caused me, I had better’ve been good."

Lorelai and Max bump into each other again in the coat room. Max says it must be hard to be a girl. And they kiss.

"And apparently, I’m not over it." – Max

Jackson taps Sookie’s shoulder – Sookie thinks it’s another baby fear thing, and tells Jackson they are not doing most of what he suggested to fix their ‘death trap’ of a house. But Jackson just wanted to tell Sookie how happy he is. Sookie has her moment, brief as it may be before he digs around for statistics on knives and babies.

Lorelai has told Rory about Max, but Lorelai doesn’t know – about what it means, about Alex, about any of it.

They stop at the mailbox – full of big thick envelopes for Rory, including the one from Harvard. Rory says Paris was right. Lorelai says Rory must be the biggest virgin the world, and hands her all the acceptance packages. Rory has her own "I don’t know" situation to deal with now – which school will she choose?

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