Comments on: Is Jess Rory’s Wake-Up Call?

By: Iscah

Iscah — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:44:51 +0000

This was the episode that made me fall in love with Jess. It made me see for the first time that he was the man for Rory. He had finally grown up. He really had gone and made himself worthy of her. She had been his guiding star, and he lived up to all of the potential she saw in him. More than that, though, Jess was the one person who could get through to her – the one person she would listen to – because he would not allow her to stay in denial. He held up her life and showed her what she was throwing away. He knew when to back off, and didn’t presume that it was his place to fix her or tell her what to do. He trusted her to do that. And, even though he loved her more than anything, he didn’t even presume to try to win her back. She was in a relationship, and though he hated that, and thought the guy was bad for her, he still respected the fact that she was in a relationship.

He gave everything and expected nothing.

As to Luke…he could gripe and grouse about kids and jam-hands all he wanted, but his big teddy bear heart loved children. He’d fallen in love with Rory, and did EVERYTHING for her. Remember after the car crash how he told Lorelai “You know I care more about her than I do myself.” That’s Luke. He gave everything for Rory, then for Jess, then for April…he couldn’t even say no to sponsoring the girls’ soccer team! And, he bought the Twickham house (had to go through the torture of sucking up to Taylor and meeting with the “town elders” to do it) “for the kids.” It cracks me up when Luke tells Lorelai that for him having a bunch of kids is easier than shopping for furniture. And, one last proof – watch Luke’s face in every scene where he’s with Doula. BIGGEST most ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE grin! It makes my heart melt every time!

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:08:53 +0000

I’m a bit late chiming in but I just watched this episode again and then re-read this post. This is the one episode where Jess and Rory’s role reversal plays favorably for Jess. I really like him in this episode. I think Rory had been noticing a lot of things prior to Jess’ arrival and then needed that extra push.

However, I was a bit taken back when he said he knows her better than anybody. Really? Not Lane or Lorelai or even Dean or Luke?

Finally, about Luke wanting kids-I recall a cute scene between Luke and Lorelai in Season 3 at the dance marathon. They both admitted they would want kids *if* it was with the right person. Luke may seem to go back and forth because he is slightly unsure about what Lorelai wants.

By: Suzi Higginbotham

Suzi Higginbotham — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 09:08:49 +0000

Im with you Mac on the luke kids thing. He claims to hate them but stepped up to the plate when jess needed him (more than once), has been there for Rory more than Chris has and he didnt once try and get out of being in Aprils life. I think part of it is just the way luke likes to portray himself, he often grumps at people for things and then helps them any way.

Regarding Jess – Never really liked him (apart from looks wise lol) but agree he was best suited to Rory – Dean was a good guy but didnt challenge her – Logan was well better not say on this site really. I think the proble is that She didnt want to admit Jess was her equal. I agree with you she was not in logans world but she wanted to be. Quite funny really, she splits with dean as she sees him as not being in the same league as her but she isnt really in Logans.

By: Mac

Mac — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 08:02:06 +0000

When I first started to watch GG I didn’t really like Jess but now after watching over and over the show I really think he was the best boyfriend she ever had.

They had a physical and intellectual chemistry and where completely on the same wave lenght. Sure he was kind of a bad boy first but he gradually calmed down and always cared a lot for Rory.

He hasn’t seen her in years and yet he immediately understood that running DAR meetings and dropping out of Yale was completely out of character for her. Logan never tried to counteract her. Sure he gave her a month but then he never did anything to convince her that she did something wrong with her life.

I’m not totally objective since I really don’t like Logan. They don’t come from the same world while Jess is a townie all the way – even though he never completely blended in…

Regarding Luke, I think we have to make a difference between his ‘hostile’ feelings towards kids in general and his desire to have his own kids with Lorelai.
It’s not so surprising. Some people are not all child-liking but cherish their own offsprings. I know I’m one of them.

By: Suzi

Suzi — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 12:32:58 +0000

Im With Danielle on the luke-lorelai self centred thing.

She is normally so giving – does stuff to help her parents even though their relationship is strained, gets rory into chilton even though it means having her parents back in her life, is prepared to give up the dragonfly dream for yale…. yet some how when it comes to luke she is a monster at times.

By: Paige

Paige — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:49:19 +0000

Being a Jess & Rory fan I’m also a big fan of this episode. Jess was definetily Rory’s wake up call. He was the one person who was able to finally get Rory to realize what she was doing with her life and showed her how far she had really strayed from it all. Unlike before when Rory was always the stable one it’s Jess this time , Rory helped Jess to become the person he is, and now it was his turn to get her to be the person she really was. I think Rory’s realization was about everything and was now determined to fix it.

And As for Luke and kids, he seems interested in the idea I think but honestly doesn’t know what to expect from it. But since he has April I really don’t seem him going past that.

By: mcityrk

mcityrk — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:34:57 +0000

The role-reversal dialogue between Rory and Jess is the best written piece to date in Season 6 [Thanks guys, that only took almost 1/3 of the season] and leaves us only T-1 episodes from the “girls” reconciliation, the promise of which is almost immediately diluted by the introduction of April to completely muck up the works….again.

At least we get to ignore that for a while and have some fun with the mid-season 5 cycle currently running on ABCF

By: danielle

danielle — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:38:14 +0000

I have to agree, this is my favorite episode of this season-mainly because of the Jess-Rory interplay. He definitely wakes her up out of her helpless, useless “big house” Hartford life. I think this is best seen in the fact that Rory cannot even spend the night in her grandparent’s house following the confrontation with Jess. Going back to that situation, I also really liked how Jess calls her out on her new life, but then knows when to back off and walk away. I think he might even see a glimmer of his old self in her now and so knows how far to push.

Luke and kids? I think he’d eventually want them, but then I think he might just get walked all over by them the same way he lets Lorelai walk all over him now. Sorry-I am a big Luke-Lorelai fan, but sometimes get bugged by how self centered she can be, even within the relationship.

By: Suzi

Suzi — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:40:37 +0000

Rory has been given everything and always succeded at everything but currently isnt achieving anything – possilby for the first time ever. Jess by contrast has never had anything, has failed at everything (school, relationships….) but has now succeded – this must be a wake up call for rory.

As much as I am not a big Jess fan in some ways he is very much like Lorelai – very grounded and not influenced by money like so many in Rory’s life.

Regarding luke and kids – my guess is that he wants them but is afraid of failing them. He has been there for Rory more than chris ever has. As soon as he found out about april he got involved with her and he has given Jess more chances that anyone else has. He always seems to worry that he is not doing the right thing by them all though – possibley related to his own childhood.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:01:14 +0000

Possibly my favorite episode of the season. I’ve always been a big Rory/Jess supporter, and this more responsible side of him is finally coming through. Jess represents Rory’s other life in Stars Hollow. He never really infiltrated the “rich part” of her life (sure he met her grandparents but she associates him with Stars Hollow). Jess is foreign to this part of her life which is why she feels so uncomfortable about it. He’s a reminder of how far she’s deviated from her former path and I loved how he didn’t let her shrug it off but confronted her about it. It was the catalyst that brought Rory back to her senses as the reminder of who she used to be.

As for Luke and his kid issue… I honestly can’t see it happening. I don’t think he really knows what he wants so he keeps going back and forth in his own mind. I could see him deciding he wants kids and then start freaking out about it and going on one of his tantrums the next day and taking it out on Lorelai. Kind of like the whole father’s boat debacle. He’d eventually calm down and accept it.