Episode Report Card Pamie: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Yale. Harvard. Jess. Dean. Get it? Got it? Good.
By Pamie | Season 3 | Episode 8 | Aired on 11.18.2002
In the bathroom, Lorelai takes a look at the skirt as Emily complains that the skirt is brand-new and she's got a dinner to go to tonight. Lorelai suggests that Emily drink a lot at the party, as it's easier to explain why you're not wearing a skirt if you're drunk and reeling. Lorelai fixes the skirt with a paper clip in her purse. Now, after all that about how prepared Emily is for everything, and how they need extra clothes in case something breaks, gets stained, or gets rained on, isn't it strange that neither of them carries a sewing kit? Moving on. Letting it go. Emily has never heard of using a paper clip in such a fashion, and is amazed at Lorelai's skills. Emily tells Lorelai that Richard is having a wonderful time. It means a lot to him to share this with Rory, but he's really happy that it gets to share it with both of Rory and Lorelai. "It's nice that you're here," Emily says. Lorelai says it's nice for Emily, but since she just found out that she was supposed to have a different mother, she's a little scarred.
Sitting on a bench somewhere with Rory, Richard points out in front of him and says that's his favorite building. It's the dining hall. Rory says she thought campus food was supposed to be bad, but Richard goes on about how Yale food is some of the best food in the world, the finest cuisine, the best food, wonderful food, vote Yale. Then they make a small ad on behalf of the National Pot Roast Council, about how everyone in the world loves pot roast. Even vegetarians, I guess. Richard asks Rory if she's having a good time. Rory says she is. Richard says it's nice to be able to show this place to another Gilmore generation. He tells Rory a story about the time that Lorelai was ten and declared that she was going to go to Yale just like he did. She took his diploma off the wall and put it in her room for the next six months. "This place makes you remember things," he says. "Hopefully things you're being graded on." Emily and Lorelai enter from the bathroom and say that everything's fixed. Richard asks if they're ready to continue. Lorelai begs them not to show her the vending machine where she was conceived. Richard sighs and takes Emily's hand. Rory gives Richard a look. An awkward fade to commercial that leaves me wondering why Lorelai had to ruin the nice moment they had going on.
Big giant "Yale" room. Lorelai says it's so big it makes her want to open a checking account. Richard says that this is the main administration building, where all of the deans' offices are located. He leads the women over to his trap: the admissions office. He's rigged an interview for Rory to start right at that moment with one of his old Poofs, who happens to be the dean of admissions. Emily, Lorelai, and Rory are immediately upset. Richard says he told the dean all about how great a student Rory is, and the dean can't wait to meet her. Rory says she didn't apply to Yale. Richard says he told the dean that she hadn't decided yet, and that she's being very picky. That made Yale want her even more. As Richard checks his watch and notes that the interview is to take place immediately, Lorelai shakes her head while Emily nods her head, both women wearing the same disgusted expression. Richard offers to walk Rory in. Lorelai steps up and tells Rory that she doesn't have to do this. "Well, of course she's going to go in there," Richard says. Lorelai -- first stressing that Rory's the only person she's speaking to -- repeats that Rory doesn't have to go in there. She says they can leave now if she wants. Rory says that it's okay, and that she'll go in. As Lorelai and Emily stand with the same crossed-arm look of fury, Richard tells Rory that the dean is a very nice man, and that they'll hit it off. He walks her into the dean's office.