Episode Report Card Pamie: B- | 16 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Jess Is Dumb
By Pamie | Season 2 | Episode 19 | Aired on 2002.04.30
Lorelai's in her kitchen, going over the list of movies. She says she's gone through every review and she's picked a movie. It's The Yearling. I can't believe she didn't pick the worst movie she could find and decide to MST3K it with Rory. She drops the book on the floor as there's a knock on the door. Lorelai says that must be Pauline Kael rising from the dead. Rory goes into her bedroom with a roasted marshmallow on a utensil.
It's Luke at the door. He's brought over some brownies. Lorelai wants to know why. He says he accidentally dropped triple the amount of cocoa powder into the batter, and that she's the only person he knows who would still eat them. Lorelai smiles that she loves being special. Luke asks if he may speak to Rory. She says he may. Luke knocks on Rory's bedroom door. Rory answers. He asks if he can come in and talk to her. She invites him in. Rory and Lorelai share a confused look.
In Rory's bedroom, Luke notes that Rory is studying, and remarks that studying is a very good thing to do. She thanks him. He asks if she'll tutor Jess. He tells her that Jess will fail his grade if he doesn't start doing better. Rory says that Jess is smart enough to pass any subject. Luke says he doesn't think it's Jess's lack of smarts that's keeping him in the eleventh grade. It's the fact that he's not going to school. Rory asks what subject Jess needs help in. Luke says it's probably all the subjects. He tells Rory he doesn't expect miracles, and that this doesn't have to be a full-time thing; he just wants Jess to get through a couple of his upcoming tests. Rory says she'll do it. Luke asks if she'll do it tonight. She will. Luke thanks her and tells her to go back to her studies.
In the kitchen, Luke tells Lorelai he'll see her at dinner. Lorelai asks what all of that was about. Luke's practically hyperventilating with the stammering and the discomfort as he tells Lorelai that Rory's going to tutor Jess for a little while until his grades get back up. Lorelai says, "Wow." Luke says he'll go now. Lorelai follows him out the door and says that Rory's too nice to say no to anybody, and Lorelai's not sure this is a good idea. She says that Rory's got her own studies to worry about. I mean, Rory takes about nineteen classes at Chilton. Luke promises that this won't take up much of Rory's time. He adds that he couldn't imagine Rory accepting the offer if she thought it'd be too taxing. Lorelai says that Rory's just a kid, and that perhaps a professional tutor would be more appropriate to help Jess: "Somebody with a degree and a pipe and one of those coats with the elbow patches on it?" Luke says he needs someone Jess will listen to and look up to. "He likes Rory," Luke says slowly as if there's a possibility we might still not get it. He says that Jess needs to see someone he respects doing what he should be doing. Lorelai says she doesn't know if this'll work for Jess. Luke says he's desperate, and that he has to try something. He asks Lorelai what she'd do if it were her in Luke's position. Lorelai's favorite subject is Lorelai, after all, so she ponders for a moment the answer to this question. She answers with this noise: "Ninuh." She makes Luke promise that Jess won't take up too much of Rory's precious time. Luke promises, and tells her to enjoy the brownie. He leaves, and Lorelai takes a bite. After the initial chocolate shock, she concludes that they're pretty good brownies.