Episode Report Card Pamie: A- | 16 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Jess Is a Tool
By Pamie | Season 2 | Episode 15 | Aired on 2002.02.26
Lorelai pulls a million Chinese food boxes out of her refrigerator as the sound of Jess working outside can be heard. The strummy music continues as Lorelai starts making a mondo plate of Chinese leftovers for herself and then stops. We have no choice but to take this moment to reflect on how pretty Lauren Graham is. She puts on her blue coat and the quirky music stops.
Outside, Jess is on the roof working the gutters. Lorelai calls his name, walking to where he is. He apologizes and asks if he's being too loud. Lorelai says that he's not, but that she's got a ton of Chinese food in the kitchen and she was wondering if he'd like any. "No thanks," he quickly answers, and just as quickly Lorelai heads back into the house. Jess thinks for a second and then comments that he likes Chinese food. Lorelai walks back and says there's plenty. She says that she and Rory tried to eat the entire "chicken" section of the menu last night. Wow, that would be expensive. "Ambitious" is the adjective that Jess chooses to use instead. Lorelai tells him to come in when he's ready. "I'm ready now," he says. She walks inside to meet him. Jess walks down from the roof.
Inside, Lorelai grabs Jess another plate. She reads off the long list of chicken-flavored items that she's got on the table. She warns him not to eat the red peppers or he'll die. Jess goes to wash his hands first. He asks when she had the gutters cleaned last. He says he found an "I Like Ike" bumper sticker up there, and tells her they'll be finished tomorrow. He comments that Lorelai and Rory aren't too keen on vegetables. He is his uncle's nephew. Lorelai says there are green peppers in the Kung Pao. Lorelai asks if Jess is a healthy eater like Luke is. Jess says that Euell Gibbons wasn't a healthy eater like Luke is. Lorelai is impressed with Jess's pop culture name-dropping. Lorelai grabs Jess's plate (even though I'm pretty sure he wasn't done piling the food on it yet) and tosses it in the microwave. Yuck. You can't microwave leftover Chinese food. You have to sprinkle water on it and put it on the stove. Lorelai asks Jess how school's going. "Still there," he answers. She asks if he's on any teams. He laughs that he's not. "Though the thought of throwing a ball at a jock's head isn't entirely unappealing," he notes. They stare at the table for a bit. Jess makes a Luke gesture and says he's not really good at the small talk. Lorelai says he's doing fine. She gives him a cold egg roll. He takes a bite. It's horrible. They laugh. Rory runs in freaking out. Their bonding moment is over as Lorelai runs to Rory in the hallway.