One of the best elements of Gilmore Girls was the romance, but the series completely soured me on the relationship I rooted the most for — and it did so in about four minutes. If one relationship defined Gilmore Girls, it was the one between Luke and Lorelai — and by season 4, most people assumed the pair were endgame.
By contrast, Rory had several boyfriends throughout the show, and it was never clear who she’d wind up with. A Year in the Life‘s ending threw a wrench in the notion that she needed to be coupled at all, but there was one character I wanted to see her with for most of the series. Unfortunately, that desire abruptly ended in season 6, when I realized how wrong they were for each other.
I Was Team Jess For Years, But This Gilmore Girls Season 6 Scene Totally Soured Me On Them
Dean, Jess, and Logan were all in the running to end up with Rory Gilmore, but Jess was the person I’d been rooting for. Even since his introduction in Gilmore Girls season 2, he seemed like the best choice for Alexis Bledel’s lead. He had some issues to work through, but he genuinely cared about Rory — and he made the effort to grow and change as time went on.
Rory also seemed to have more in common with Jess than she did with her other love interests. Dean’s dreams of a traditional life clashed with what Rory wanted, and his season 4 affair with her demonstrated how much he still needed to mature. Logan was a better fit than Dean, but his arrogance and initial reluctance to date Rory both worked against him.
Jess had room to grow, but he was easily the most likable of the three, and his reappearances in Rory’s life kept viewers guessing about whether he’d win her over. I held out for that for six seasons, and I was especially hopeful when he pushed her to go back to Yale. However, one season 6 scene changed my mind about Rory and Jess being endgame.
Later in season 6, in the episode “The Real Paul Anka,” Rory proved that she was too immature for the person Jess had become. Her actions at his book signing proved as much, with their kiss highlighting that she hadn’t grown nearly as much as he did. She also drove home that she’d likely never be a great partner, at least not as long as Logan was around.
Rory & Jess’ Season 6 Reunion Proved That Jess Was Better Off Without Rory
When Rory cheated on Logan by kissing Jess in Gilmore Girls season 6, she proved that Jess was better off without her — and that they weren’t as compatible as they once seemed. Rory and Jess’ relationship started in a similar manner, as Rory kissed Jess when she was still with Dean. However, they were teenagers, and this could have been forgiven with altered actions.
However, while Jess was never unfaithful on-screen — he even went out of his way to break up with Shane before getting with Rory — Rory continued to engage in problematic romantic behavior, from dragging along her boyfriends to cheating on or with them. In the case of season 6, she kissed Jess primarily to get back at Logan, which was both cruel and self-centered.
Jess understandably told her that he deserved better, and he was right about that. By the time season 6 arrived, he was capable of a level of maturity Rory hadn’t reached yet. The imbalance within this interaction made me rethink my “Team Jess” stance. And A Year in the Life drove home what Gilmore Girls season 6 woke me up to, once again contrasting how different Rory and Jess had become.
A Year In The Life Drove Home What Gilmore Girls Season 6 Woke Me Up To
“The Real Paul Anka” may have soured me on the possibility of Rory and Jess getting together, but A Year in the Life was the final nail in that coffin. Rory and Jess were never quite on the same page throughout the original series, but there was hope they could catch up to one another. A Year in the Life threw that out the window.
For one, the Netflix revival showcased how little Rory had matured. She was still engaging in an affair — this time, with an engaged Logan — suggesting that her approach to romantic relationships remained unhealthy. Additionally, Rory’s reunion with Jess showed that they were still in very different places in A Year in the Life.
Although Jess had an established career and was going after what he wanted, Rory was still struggling with what she wanted and where she was going. While there’s not necessarily shame in that, it was jarring to realize that Rory hadn’t changed much since Gilmore Girls season 7. Meanwhile, Jess was different every time he showed up in her life, indicating that he was more committed to growing up than she was.
- Release Date
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2000 – 2007-00-00
- Network
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The WB
- Writers
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Amy Sherman-Palladino
