Gilmore Girls 3.08 “Let the Games Begin”

by Arieanna on January 23rd, 2008

Gilmore Girls 3.08 "Let the Games Begin"
Original Air Date: November 19, 2002 (Recap date: January 23, 2008)
Photos, Recap & Discussion

Gilmore Girls 3.08 Let the Games Begin

Discussion Questions:

Are you surprised that Rory doesn’t seem upset about her breakup?
Why doesn’t Emily interview her maids better?
Why are Jess and Rory so nervous?
Luke did not have ground rules with Shane, so why now with Rory?
Why does Richard hide his motives for the trip from Emily?
Was Richard right to overstep Lorelai and arrange that meeting?
Why does Luke feel he has to chase after Jess if Lorelai is not worried?
Why does Rory bail after kissing Jess? Why then?
Rory feels the need to apologize to Dean - is this to alleviate some guilt in moving on?
Did Rory rule out Yale before because of her mom?

Gilmore Girls Episode Recap & Photos:

We pick up right after the dance marathon. Lorelai and Rory can barely walk and are lacking sleep. Try to psychically bring the diner to them. Kirk flaunts his trophy in front of Lorelai.

Jess comes downstairs in a good mood - they all trade hi’s then bye’s. Lorelai fills in Luke - that was "episode 1 of Rory and Jess: the early years". Says Rory and Jess are together. Luke is thrilled. Lorelai seems ok with it now - says at 17 it may be time for Rory to have a Jess. Lorelai won’t fight it - wants Rory to be happy.

Emily is having salad #4 or 5 prepared - it keeps being made ‘wrong’ by her maid. Hunger strikes. So, salad will come after the meal. And Emily wants to fire the maid. Lorelai warns her about disgruntled servants. Horror story. Richard follows Rory to the kitchen and gives her chocolate, asks how senior year is - preparing for college. Recounts his own crazy year before Yale. Says how wonderful Yale is, and how many friends he still has.

Richard invites Rory to come along when he goes back to Yale in a week for a "Whiffenpoofs" reunion. A singing group from Yale. The maid brings back out the salad, still with the unwanted walnuts (not very bright, that one). Richard says it might be fun for Rory - and Lorelai - to come on a road trip to see Yale. It’s something he wants to share with Rory. She agrees, but she looks anxious.

Rory breaks the news to Lorelai in the car. Lorelai wants to walk back into the house to give Richard a piece of her mind, but Rory stops her. Says Richard is just being sentimental. Lorelai can tell he’s got something else in mind. Rory thinks that even if that were true, it means a lot to him. She’ll go.

Kirk lost his trophy. Again - happens every year. Rory comes in to the diner and looks around for Jess. Sits down to eat - and there is Jess. More hi’s. Rory is no longer hungry. Jess uses the premise of lending her a book to take Rory upstairs. Luke watches as they go.

Rory and Jess both seem nervous. Jess begs to give her a soda so he doesn’t have to stand there like a moron. Rory says he’s not alone in that. They agree to regoup. Get closer together. Jess holds both her hands and they are just about to kiss, but Luke barges in with the burger Rory asked to take home. Rory freaks and runs home.

Luke wants to know what was going on - Jess compliments him on his timing. Suggests a signal. Luke says there will be no ‘hanging of the socks’ at his house. Sets down some ground rules, like leaving the door open and having Rory home on time. Jess wants to know what Luke thinks he’ll do to Rory. When Luke leaves, he smiles knowingly at Jess - he’s pleased.

Lorelai has a huge bag packed for the trip - she knows the Gilmore road trip rules. Rory thought her list was a joke - no joke.

Lorelai notices that Dean’s bracelet is off. Rory doesn’t want Lorelai to be biased against Jess. Rory quizzes Lorelai on just how tolerant and supportive she’ll be. Doorbell rings - let the games begin. Lorelai brings her coffee, but hangs her hand outside the window so it’s not ‘inside’ the car.

Emily relays stories of Richard’s dating techniques. Richard as a ladies man. And Emily as a boyfriend stealer! They go to where Richard proposed - in the middle of a fight! Emily is happy Rory and Lorelai are there - says it’s special for Richard.

Richard recounts a story of Lorelai at 10 saying she was going to go to Yale just like her dad. Rory sees how sad he is to see the Gilmore Yale tradition die. Richard takes Rory to a good friend’s office, who "just happens" to be the Dean of Admissions. Even Emily is shocked by this. Richard has arranged an interview for Rory for Yale.

Richard insists, after walking Rory in, that Rory doesn’t know she doesn’t want to go to Yale yet. His excuse to Lorelai. He accuses Lorelai of conspiring to make Rory not want to go to Yale. Lorelai says he doesn’t get to control this choice. Richard says Lorelai knows nothing about how to do this since she didn’t go to college. He says as an alumnus, it makes it easier for Rory to get into Yale than Harvard. Richard insists that Rory’s education is more important than Lorelai’s pride.

Emily tries to calm Lorelai down - says Richard’s intentions were honorable and applying to Yale could help Rory with Harvard too. Lorelai just takes it as another reason why she and her father can’t communicate - takes it more personally. Emily points out that Rory could live at home if she went to Yale.

Rory is angry at Richard for not preparing her for the interview - she messed up answers and hates that. She likes to be prepared - it matters to her. Rory says she would have done the meeting had he asked, with or without Lorelai’s consent. She would have had the meeting and done it ‘right.’ Emily won’t talk to Richard.

Lorelai brings tacos into Luke’s diner. Jess comes down, but has to go out for a bit to get a part for his car. Rory leaves to go study. Luke tells Lorelai he laid down the rules with Jess, that he’ll be watching. Lorelai points out they’re together now - Lorelai can see the ‘kid code’ Jess and Rory exchanged. Luke is freaking out that they’re unsupervised, calls Jess trouble. He goes to look for them.

Rory meets up with Jess. They finally get to kiss. Rory is glad he didn’t light up his cigarette. And that’s all the incentive Jess needs to quit smoking. Jess makes a comment that "at least that part works" - the kiss was great. Rory says she has to go - but Jess takes one more kiss first.

Rory climbs up onto Dean’s roof and knocks on his window. It takes her a while to get to it, but Rory says she’s sorry. Sorry for treating him badly. Rory says Dean was the most amazing boyfriend in the world, made her so happy. She did love him. He wants to know if Rory is with Jess. Rory won’t talk about Jess, but says she’ll miss Dean. And hopes that some day he won’t hate her.

Lorelai wants to know how Rory’s night was - Rory promises details the next day. Rory goes to bed and reads a Yale brochure. Upstairs, Lorelai is doing the same.