Episode Report Card Sara M: B | 98 USERS: C+ YOU GRADE IT We Blame Daniel Palladino
By Sara M | Season 5 | Episode 21 | Aired on 2005.05.10
The staff files out, leaving Mitch and Rory behind. He tells her that his work at the paper is almost done, so he won't be around very much after next week. Now would be a good time for Rory's performance evaluation. "I'd love your feedback!" says Rory. It turns out that she won't, at all. Mitch starts that he's worked with a lot of young people over the years, and developed a "gut sense" about whether they'll be able to make it in journalism. Rory smiles, eagerly anticipating Mitch's high praise of her mad journalism skillz. She wonders if he will say that she is THE finest specimen of young reporter he has ever encountered, or just ONE of the best. "I have to tell you," says Mitch, "you don't got it." Ouch! Rory's face slowly falls. Mitch adds that he could be wrong, but probably not. Rory doesn't have the "drive" to "put [her]self out there." Like at the meeting -- Rory didn't say a word. "I wasn't sure if I should!" says Rory. "Exactly," says Mitch. He points out that Harry jumped right in, but that Rory didn't, even though she had quite a few opportunities to. Rory points out that she's just an intern, and didn't think it was her place to say anything. I can see that side of the argument, but there was that WIDE OPEN space for her to say something when Mitch suggested recruiting Yale students, and Mitch even turned and looked at her, and she just sat there. "I've always done what's asked of me," says Rory. Mitch says that that's not always good enough. Rory would make a great assistant, though. Ouch ouch. ["That's not such a bad assessment. I would love a great assistant. Especially one who worked for free, like Rory." -- Wing Chun] Mitch says he is sorry to tell Rory this, but he thinks honesty is "healthy." "I should get back," says Rory, picking up her stuff to leave. Mitch says he knows that what he said to Rory must have been tough to hear, but that he may have just done Rory a "big favor." "Oh. Okay. Thanks," says Rory, and walks out. You know, all she had to do was say something like, "Yes, because now I know what I have to do to be better," or just something like that that showed even tiniest little bit of spark or drive, but she didn't. She just took it and left. And that's why Mitch was exactly right about her.