Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series

When Rory gets accepted to a fancy prep school, Lorelia is forced to humble herself and ask her mother for help in paying the tuition.

A T-shirt, shorts and cowboy boots clad Lorelai accompanies Rory on her first day at school, drawing disapproving stares from the other mothers and from Lorelai's own mother, Emily. Lorelai and Emily argue over money for Rory.

When Richard and Rory form an instant bond during a wonderful day of golf, Lorelai feels left out and finds it difficult to observe Rory's emotional connection with Emily and Richard, knowing that she herself lacks the same intimacy.

Rory has trouble getting good grades at her new school. Lorelai becomes interested in Rory's handsome teacher.

Lorelai forgets to tell Rory that she has a date with Rory's teacher Max. Rory has a new crush.

Rory gets upset at Emily, who plans a formal birthday party for her but feels that Rory is being ungrateful when Rory reveals that she would not like to have a formal birthday party. However, Lorelai's party for Rory is a success.

Rory decides not to tell her mother that she and Dean have kissed. Lorelai takes the liberty of inviting Dean over, and Rory is embarrassed by her mother's actions.

Lorelai shares a wonderful day with Max while Rory is snowed in at her grandparents home. Lane misses Rory and comes to visit.

Rory turns down two boys' offers to take her to a school dance and instead chooses to go with Dean. Dean gets into conflict with the two jealous boys, who were rejected by Rory. Dean and Rory fall asleep together inside of Miss Patty's dance studio. When they wake up, Rory rushes home, only to hear her mother and grandmother in a passionate argument about Rory ending up like her mother.

Richard collapses at the Gilmores' Christmas party. Dean assures Lorelai that nothing improper happened on the night he and Rory fell asleep together. Lorelai and Luke seem to be more attracted to each other.

Paris exposes the relationship between Lorelai and Rory's teacher, Max, causing a scandal. Lorelai and Max sadly part. Rory furiously confronts Paris, who admits that she wanted to deflect attention away from her parents' embarrassing, high-profile divorce. Sympathetic, Rory befriends Paris.

Lorelai finds herself on a hellish double date with Sookie, Jackson and Jackson's very odd cousin. Meanwhile Rory double dates with Dean, Lane and Dean's friend. They keep their plans secret because Lane's protective mother would not approve.

Trouble occurs when Rory brings her friends to a concert by The Bangles.

Rory and Dean disagree about women's roles after watching "The Donna Reed Show."

Rory's father, Christopher, returns, causing tension in Emily and Richard's house--and forcing Lorelai to make a big decision about her family's future.

Dean and Rory share a special evening as the town celebrates its romantic history.

Dean ends his and Rory's relationship on the night of their third anniversary. Refusing to indulge in self-pity, Rory attends a party and finds her classmate Tristin, who just lost his girlfriend. When Tristin kisses Rory, she finally admits to herself how confused and miserable she is. Meanwhile, Lorelai visits Max, and the two can't resist making love.

Emily becomes worried when Lorelai's grandmother offers Lorelai a trust fund for Rory's education. If Lorelai acceptsthe trust fund, Emily fears she will lose contact with Lorelai and Rory once they are not financially dependent on her. Meanwhile, Rory feels uncomfortable near Tristin after their kiss. She tries to pair Tristin with Paris, not realizing that she herself is the one whom Tristin is interested in.

Aghast to finally see the conditions in which Lorelai reared Rory instead of living with Richard and her, Emily tries to create the perfect bedroom for Rory in her house. Lorelai convinces Luke to give his former girlfriend a chance to reconcile with him.

Still upset over Dean, Rory becomes angry with Lorelai, who didn't tell her that she is dating Max again. Dean tells Lorelai that he left Rory because she couldn't say "I love you," and Lorelai urges Rory to express her emotions more freely.

Rory finally tells Dean that she loves him. Rachel senses that Lorelai and Luke are attracted and leaves town rather than pursue Luke anymore. Max also senses the attraction, which Lorelai denies. When Max proposes marriage to Lorelai, she is caught off guard and rebuffs him saying he should have done it the "right" way with 1,000 daisies and a white horse. The next day, Lorelai arrives at the inn to find it full of daisies. Again, Max proposes marriage, and Lorelai considers her response...

Lorelai accepts Max Medina's (recurring guest star SCOTT COHEN) marriage proposal, but when Emily hears about the upcoming wedding from Sookie, the elder woman is hurt and angry that Lorelai didn't bother to tell her. Soon, the whole town is busy making wedding arrangements, but her mother's attitude dampens the bridal bliss for Lorelai. Meanwhile, Rory brings Dean to dinner at her grandparents' house, and Richard's obvious disapproval of Dean leads to the first fight between Rory and her grandfather. "Sadie, Sadie..." is the first part of a two-hour episode that concludes with "Hammers and Veils".

Lorelai accepts Max Medina's (recurring guest star SCOTT COHEN) marriage proposal, but when Emily hears about the upcoming wedding from Sookie, the elder woman is hurt and angry that Lorelai didn't bother to tell her. Soon, the whole town is busy making wedding arrangements, but her mother's attitude dampens the bridal bliss for Lorelai. Meanwhile, Rory brings Dean to dinner at her grandparents' house, and Richard's obvious disapproval of Dean leads to the first fight between Rory and her grandfather. "Hammers and Veils" is the second part of a two-hour episode that begins with "Sadie, Sadie..."

During a wild bachelorette party hosted by Sookie, Lorelai makes an impulsive telephone call to Rory's father, Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE), and sadly realizes that Max is not the man for her. SALLY STRUTHERS ("All in the Family") guest stars.

With the wedding canceled, Lorelai is eager to escape the sympathies of everyone in Stars Hollow, so she and Rory take off on a road trip that ultimately leads to Harvard University. While Rory confronts her dreams of college life, Lorelai ponders what might have been.

Lorelai's well-intentioned advice doesn't dissuade Luke from reluctantly agreeing to care for his wild 17-year-old nephew Jess (new series star MILO VENTIMIGLIA). Rory finds herself attracted to Jess, the town's newest resident.

Emily requests that Rory partake in a debutante ball. To everyone's surprise, Rory agrees. After asking Rory's father, Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE), to present Rory to society, Lorelai finds herself attracted to the new, more responsible man he has become.

Rory is told by her guidance counselor that she is perceived as a loner, and her subsequent, reluctant efforts to socialize put her in the most popular clique at Chilton. Meanwhile, the chancellor of Chilton recommends that Lorelai participate more in school activities, so she volunteers the Inn as a venue for a Chilton fund-raising fashion show. She is later horrified to find herself modeling matching outfits with her mother, Emily.

Lorelai and Sookie have the first fight of their long friendship when, upon hearing that the Independence Inn may be sold, Lorelai panics and decides that their shared dream of opening an inn together is doomed to fail.

When Rory and her classmate Tristan (recurring guest star CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY) are cast as Romeo and Juliet in a school play, a jealous Dean insists on attending every rehearsal, forcing Rory to beg Tristan not to tell Dean about the time she and Tristan kissed. Meanwhile, Lorelai has to endure Luke's teasing after she dates a much younger guy.

While Rory struggles to keep the budding rivalry between Dean and Jess under control, Lorelai invites most of the citizens of Stars Hollow to an elaborate feast, complete with Elizabethan costumes and horse-drawn sleigh rides. During the event, Richard stuns Emily by revealing that he has retired.

Lorelai is concerned because she can't afford to repair her home's extensive termite damage. She becomes angry when Rory tells Emily about the problem, and Emily again offers Lorelai a loan. Meanwhile, Rory is confused when Lane joins the cheerleading squad, despite having always mocked it.

Newly retired Richard is making Emily crazy, so Lorelai agrees to take her father for a day in Stars Hollow, where he proceeds to annoy both Lorelai and Rory. Richard criticizes every aspect of their lives and refuses to let Rory accept a car that Dean built for her.

The annual Stars Hollow Picnic Basket Auction causes romantic complications when Jess outbids Dean to win a picnic lunch date with Rory. A fight ensues between Rory and Dean, and she has an even bigger argument with Lorelai over Rory's socializing with Jess.

Lorelai and Rory are stunned when Rory's father, Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE), brings his new girlfriend, Sherry (MADCHEN AMICK - "Twin Peaks"), to Stars Hollow. Sherry makes it obvious that she wants to build a meaningful relationship with Rory. Meanwhile, when Emily learns about Sherry, she becomes furious with Lorelai for failing to win Christopher back.

Rory panics when she realizes that she has lost the bracelet that Dean made for her. When the suspicious Lorelai witnesses Jess in Rory's room, she accuses him of stealing. Meanwhile, exasperated with sharing his cramped apartment over the diner with Jess, Luke impulsively buys the entire building in order to expand.

Lorelai and Emily are at a health spa for the weekend, but they sneak out for some unauthorized food at a local restaurant. There, Emily dances with a distinguished stranger, Chad (HAL LINDEN - "Barney Miller"), and blames Lorelai for her feelings of guilt. At home, Rory looks forward to a rare evening alone, but problems occur when Paris, Jess and Dean all come to the house unexpectedly.

Luke is overwhelmed by the funeral arrangements he must make for his deceased Uncle Louie, who was Stars Hollow's most disliked citizen, so Lorelai and Rory work at Luke's diner--without much help from Jess. Meanwhile, Emily's extravagant suggestions for Sookie's upcoming wedding to Jackson (recurring guest star JACKSON DOUGLAS) make everyone crazy.

When Chilton hosts its annual business fair, Rory must create and market a first-aid kit for teenagers, so she asks her newly retired grandfather, Richard, for advice. He is so thrilled to work on a business project that he decides to start a second career. Meanwhile, Lorelai causes problems for Michel when his flamboyant mother, Giselle (JANET HUBERT), visits town. And Dean feels miserable when he suspects that Rory is no longer romantically interested in him.

Luke asks Rory for help after he learns that Jess is failing several high school classes. However, during their first study session, Jess convinces Rory to let him drive her car, and he crashes it, breaking Rory's wrist. Lorelai becomes furious at Luke for putting Rory in danger by encouraging Jess to study with her, prompting Luke to put Jess on a bus to New York.

Lorelai volunteers her organizational skills to help Richard establish a consulting business. As Rory gradually realizes that everyone in Stars Hollow blames Jess for the accident that led to her broken wrist, her anger and guilt finally lead to an outburst directed at Emily. Meanwhile, Lane discovers a new desire to become a rock drummer when a former New Yorker named Sophie (singer/songwriter CAROLE KING) opens the town's first music store.

As Lorelai frantically prepares for her final examinations in business school, Rory secretly invites townspeople--including Richard and Emily--to Lorelai's graduation ceremony. Christopher gives Lorelai a special gift, and Sookie bakes a cake. Meanwhile, without telling anyone, Rory travels to New York, where Jess has been living since Luke sent him away. Everyone happily gathers for Lorelai's proud moment, but Rory is not there! Her bus is delayed by an accident, and she misses the graduation ceremony. Lorelai is upset until she realizes that Rory truly loves Jess. Rory doesn't believe that she could love anyone but Dean, but she is happy to celebrate Lorelai's graduation with her a little late.

On the eve of Sookie's wedding, Lorelai and Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE) share an intimate night together. However, their discussion of perhaps resuming their relationship ends when Christopher gets an unexpected message from his former girlfriend. Meanwhile, Rory is so happy to see Jess when he returns to Stars Hollow that she surprises him--and herself--by greeting him with a passionate kiss.

After returning from a summer internship in Washington, D.C., where she mingled with members of the U.S. Congress, including Senator Barbara Boxer (HERSELF), preparatory school student Rory Gilmore (series star ALEXIS BLEDEL) faces a dilemma with her classmates Dean (series star JARED PADALECKI) and Jess Mariano (series star MILO VENTIMIGLIA). Lorelai Gilmore (series star LAUREN GRAHAM), the manager of the quaint and historic Independence Inn, is overjoyed to have her daughter home, but upon learning that the girlfriend of Rory's father is having a baby, Lorelai questions her own future. MELISSA McCARTHY stars as Sookie St. James, a clumsy culinary genius and Lorelai's best friend. KEIKO AGENA stars as Lane Kim, Rory's pal. YANIC TRUESDALE stars as Michel Gerard, the inn's haughty concierge. SCOTT PATTERSON stars as Luke Danes, the rugged owner of the local diner who never fails to charm Lorelai with his smile and great coffee.

Ignoring Lorelai's pleas to stay out of her love life, Emily tries to reunite Rory's father, Christopher (recurring guest star David Sutcliffe), with Lorelai and Rory. This results in an ugly confrontation between Rory and Christopher. Meanwhile, Lorelai rebuffs the romantic advances of the town geek, Kirk, and Rory learns that Jess is angry that she neglected him during the summer.

When an application to attend Harvard University arrives, Rory and Lorelai arrange a dinner at an alumnus' house to get advice. Meanwhile, Lane becomes enamored with a boy who answers her advertisement for rock band members. And local resident Taylor Doose (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) convinces Luke to open an old-fashioned soda fountain next to the diner.

The Stars Hollow Parent Teacher Association invites Lorelai and Luke to speak at the high school's career day, but when the students bombard Lorelai with questions about her teenage pregnancy, the PTA moms turn ugly. After discovering that her mother, Mrs. Kim (recurring guest star EMILY KURODA), wants her to go to a conservative religious college, Lane asserts her independence by dying her hair purple--with Rory's help.

Lorelai pursues an attractive man, Peyton Sanders (JON HAMM), whom she met at an auction organized by her mother, Emily. However, when the first date is a disaster, Lorelai tries to cancel the second date, and Emily and Richard insist that she is damaging their social standing. Meanwhile, Rory enlists Jess' help when she can't turn off a neighbor's sprinkler system.

When Rory is invited to a celebration for her father's pregnant girlfriend, Sherry (recurring guest star MÄDCHEN AMICK), Lorelai is forced to attend as well, and she inadvertently learns more about Christopher's life than she wanted to know. Meanwhile, after Luke interrogates Jess about where he got the money to buy a used car, he discovers that Jess has a surprising second job.

Determined to win the annual Stars Hollow 24-hour dance marathon, Lorelai forces Rory to be her partner. While everyone in town dances around them, Rory and Jess can't stop arguing, a fact that Dean definitely notices.

Lorelai and Rory join Richard and Emily on a trip to visit Yale University, but Richard causes trouble with the news that he has arranged an interview for Rory with the dean of admissions. Meanwhile, Luke tells Jess how he feels about Jess' relationship with Rory.

Lorelai and Rory enjoy the bounty of Thanksgiving four times in a row when, on the way to a formal dinner party with Richard and Emily, they stop for celebrations with Lane, Sookie and Luke. Lorelai is shocked to learn that Rory has applied to Yale University. Meanwhile, Dean and Jess almost get into a fistfight over Rory.

Lorelai is forced to miss the Stars Hollow Winter Carnival due to the unexpected arrival of Richard's haughty mother, the original Lorelai, otherwise known as Gran (recurring guest star MARION ROSS - "Happy Days"). Gran insists on having dinner with Richard and Emily at the inn and makes a surprise announcement. Meanwhile, Jess refuses to accompany Rory to the carnival--until he finds out that she might go with Dean.

Rory is tricked by her manipulative classmate Francie (recurring guest star EMILY BERGL), who convinces Paris that Rory has been plotting against her. Meanwhile, when Emily is sued by a former maid, Lorelai worries that if she gives a deposition in the case, it will cause more problems with her mother. Also, Lorelai meets an interesting man, Alex Lesman (BILLY BURKE), at a business seminar.

After surprising herself by agreeing to go on a fishing date with her new beau, Alex (BILLY BURKE), Lorelai asks Luke for a lesson in fishing techniques. Meanwhile, the political battle between Rory and Paris escalates when Paris tries to have Rory impeached. Lane plots to go to the prom with a guitarist, Dave (recurring guest star ADAM BRODY). And Luke asks an attorney, Nicole (recurring guest star TRICIA O'KELLEY), on a date.

When Christopher's pregnant girlfriend, Sherry (recurring guest star MÄDCHEN AMICK), begins labor and asks Rory to stay with her at the hospital, Lorelai reminisces about the day Rory was born. In flashbacks, 16-year-old Lorelai (CHELSEA BRUMMET) learns she is pregnant, decides not to marry young Christopher (PHILLIP GLENN VAN DYKE) and leaves home with her new baby.

Lorelai goes away with her new boyfriend, Alex (recurring guest star BILLY BURKE), for a weekend in New York, but she worries about leaving Rory and Jess together. Meanwhile, when Jess goes with Rory to dinner at Emily's house and refuses to explain his injured eye, Rory accuses him of fighting with Dean.

Tired of waiting for Jess to call and make plans for the weekend, Rory accompanies Lane to a hockey game, where she encounters Dean and his new girlfriend, Lindsay (ARIELLE KEBBEL). Meanwhile, Lorelai confronts Jess about his poor treatment of Rory. And when Gran (recurring guest star MARION ROSS) comes to visit for a few days, Emily is shocked to find her kissing a man.

While nervously waiting for their college acceptance letters to arrive, Rory and Paris compete to give a speech at Chilton Academy's bicentennial celebration. Meanwhile, when Lorelai encounters her former fiancé, Max Medina (recurring guest star SCOTT COHEN), and they share a passionate kiss, she wonders if ending the engagement was the right decision. Also, Sookie's strange behavior has a surprising explanation.

When a meeting of the Edgar Allan Poe Society at the Independence Inn is interrupted by a minor fire, Lorelai must find rooms for the guests at various homes around town. Forced to relinquish her bedroom in her own house, Lorelai spends the night at Luke's place. Meanwhile, trying to decide amongst Harvard, Yale and Princeton, Lorelai and Rory make an extensive list of positives and negatives for each college. And Luke worries that Jess may not be attending school when he learns that Jess has been working a surprising number of hours at a local drugstore.

While Lorelai deals with the rebuilding of the fire-damaged inn, Rory schemes to give her mom a great birthday party, complete with a gigantic pizza. After Richard surprises Lorelai with a large check that resulted from an investment he made when she was born, she uses part of the money to repay her parents for Rory's education, a gesture which does not please Emily. Meanwhile, Luke confirms that his suspicions are correct: Jess has been skipping school to work extra shifts at the drugstore.

With graduation approaching, Rory happily anticipates attending the Stars Hollow High School prom with Jess--but he gets some surprising news from Principal Merten (LAWRENCE HILTON-JACOBS - "Welcome Back, Kotter"). After Lane's rock band debuts at a big party, the evening ends badly when the longstanding animosity between Jess and Dean finally results in a fistfight. Meanwhile, Lorelai reluctantly serves on the parents' committee for the Chilton graduation party, uncomfortably reuniting her with her former boyfriend, Max Medina (recurring guest star SCOTT COHEN).

After the brawl between Jess and Dean, Lane is in a lot of trouble with her conservative mother, and Luke is furious at Jess. But ironically, Lorelai is proud of Rory for causing such passion in two guys. Later, a mysterious coffee shop patron observes Jess at work and accidentally leaves his wallet behind. Upon finding it, Luke is amazed to discover that the man is Jess' estranged father, Jimmy Mariano (recurring guest star ROB ESTES - "Melrose Place," "Providence"), from California. Jimmy's arrival causes Jess to ponder a major decision. Meanwhile, Lorelai's relationship with her mother gets worse. Dean amazes Rory with a life-altering announcement. And Lorelai and Sookie guiltily try to capitalize on the death of a beloved bakery owner whose building they desperately want to convert into their own inn.

Jess leaves Stars Hollow and travels across the country to Venice, California, where his father, Jimmy (recurring guest star ROB ESTES), lives. The reunion and the important decisions it engenders cause tension with Jimmy's live-in girlfriend, Sasha (SHERILYN FENN - "Twin Peaks," "Boxing Helena"). Meanwhile, although she has an almost impossible amount of school-related work to complete before graduation, Rory agrees to help her grandmother choose an outfit for the ceremony--resulting in another conflict with Lorelai. Also, Lorelai agonizes over paying for Rory's Yale education.

In the season finale, Rory and Lorelai happily prepare for Rory's graduation from Chilton. But major developments involving the Independence Inn threaten to dampen the festivities. Rory secretly approaches Emily and Richard for help. Meanwhile, Rory and Dean share a bittersweet moment as he prepares for a big life change. Rory's beautiful valedictorian speech causes many tears. Rory and Lorelai are excited about their summertime European trip. And Luke has a surprising dream about Lorelai on the night before a romantic cruise with his girlfriend. Recurring guest star musician GRANT LEE PHILLIPS appears as the Town Troubadour.

Immediately upon returning from a whirlwind summer backpacking trip to Europe, Lorelai (series star LAUREN GRAHAM) and Rory (series star ALEXIS BLEDEL) Gilmore embark on a heavily scheduled week of mother/daughter activities, in bittersweet anticipation of Rory going away to Yale University as a freshman. But a number of situations conspire to make things harder than expected for them. After an exhausting day of handing out gifts to everyone--except, to Lorelai's dismay, coffee shop owner Luke Danes (series star SCOTT PATTERSON), for whom they couldn't find anything good enough--Rory is horrified to discover that she wrote down the wrong day for her departure. Instead of having a week and a half, they must do everything they had planned within three days. Meanwhile, Taylor Doose (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) opens a soda shop near Luke's diner and, unbeknownst to Rory, hires eccentric resident Kirk (series star SEAN GUNN) to advertise her as the "Ice Cream Queen."

Mother and daughter share Rory's first day at Yale University by moving Rory into her dormitory, where she meets a strange new roommate, Tanna (recurring guest star OLIVIA HACK), and learns that her old adversary, Paris, will also be sharing her room. Although she is overwhelmed with excitement, Rory is also embarrassed to find that she isn't quite ready to let Lorelai go. Meanwhile, Luke continues to cope with the aftermath of a disastrous cruise with his soon-to-be-former wife.

Rory is shocked when Emily completely redecorates Rory's dormitory room without her permission. At her first Yale party, Rory finds herself trapped by twins who were instructed by Emily to find Rory and keep her safe. Meanwhile, Lorelai and Sookie take a job catering a kids' "Lord of the Rings"-themed birthday party to make money while their new inn is under construction. And Richard takes on a new business partner named Jason "Digger" Stiles (series star CHRIS EIGEMAN), who is the son of Richard's former associate.

While visiting Stars Hollow for the weekend, Rory encounters her ex-boyfriend Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI), who awkwardly invites her to his wedding the next day. During his bachelor party that night, Dean stumbles into Luke's diner and drunkenly confesses how much he misses Rory. Meanwhile, Taylor Doose (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS), who controls the permit procedures for every building in town, irritates Lorelai and Sookie as they try to get construction started on their new Dragonfly Inn.

Rory goes on her first date since ending her relationship with Jess and finds that college dating is not going to be easy. Lorelai invites Luke over for the traditional movie night she used to share with Rory. Later, Lorelai gets upset when she learns that the designer she just hired for the Dragonfly Inn used to work for Emily.

When Emily plans an elaborate launch party for Richard's new company, she hires Lorelai and Sookie to cater the affair but insists they prove that they are worthy of her trust. After Richard's partner, Jason "Digger" Stiles, insults Emily by suggesting that her party idea is outdated, Lorelai confronts him and is surprised when he asks her out to dinner. Meanwhile, Rory has a tough time finding a decent place to study at Yale.

Stars Hollow hosts the Festival of Living Art, an event in which the townspeople dress up and present tableaux imitating famous paintings. Rory appears in Portrait of a Young Girl Named Antea. Lorelai plays the beauty in Renoir's The Dance at Bougival. And Kirk is Jesus in The Last Supper, along with the Town Troubadour (recurring guest star GRANT LEE PHILLIPS) as Judas. Meanwhile, Sookie panics because she hasn't given birth by the date she's supposed to, and Lorelai calms her with stories of the night Rory was born. Luke's wife, Nicole (recurring guest star TRICIA O'KELLEY), tells Luke that she wants to postpone their divorce and give their relationship a chance. And Lane finds a great guitarist, Gil (SEBASTIAN BACH of the band Skid Row), but he is a lot older than everyone else in the band.

When the editor of the Yale student newspaper tells Rory that her articles are dull, she writes a scathing review of the Yale ballet and becomes the vindictive lead ballerina's target. Jason impresses Lorelai by manipulating Emily into inviting him to Friday night dinner so he can continue flirting with Lorelai. Meanwhile, surprised to see Nicole (recurring guest star TRICIA O'KELLEY) at the diner, Lorelai forces Luke to admit that he and Nicole have put their divorce on hold and are dating again. And Lane gets upset when her mother gives her a "marriage jug" to send to her boyfriend in California.

After Richard and Emily invite Rory and Lorelai to their fancy tailgate party at the Harvard/Yale football game, Lorelai's innocent conversation with Richard's ex-fiancée, Pennilyn Lott (LINDA GEHRINGER), leads Emily to realize that Richard and Pennilyn have been meeting secretly for lunch for many years. Emily berates both Richard and Lorelai, prompting Lorelai to stop worrying about her mother's feelings and finally accept Jason's invitation to dinner instead of staying at Emily's party. Meanwhile, Richard introduces Paris to his former classmate Asher Flemming (recurring guest star MICHAEL YORK - "Austin Powers" movies), who is now a distinguished Yale professor. Later, Rory is astonished when she later spots Paris and the professor kissing.

While Lorelai and Sookie work on renovating their new inn, Michel clashes with a rival who he believes wants the manager position promised to Michel. Meanwhile, Lorelai happily spends a romantic night at Jason's house, despite his many eccentricities. But she is concerned to learn from her parents, who don't know that she and Jason are dating, that Jason was seen escorting another woman to a charity function. Rory remains irritated by Paris' disturbing relationship with her much older professor, Asher Flemming (recurring guest star MICHAEL YORK). And the incredibly efficient Lane intimidates Luke when she begins waiting tables at his diner.

Lorelai is upset to find out that Luke has gotten an apartment with Nicole in another town in Connecticut. However, when Lorelai realizes he is reluctant to move, she admits to him that she doesn't want him to leave Stars Hollow. Meanwhile, Rory remains attracted to a fellow student, William (recurring guest star PETER KLAUSNER), after he rebuffs her invitation to date, and she is later humiliated to learn that he has been gossiping about her obsession with him. Also, when Lane sneaks out to perform with her band, Mrs. Kim (recurring guest star EMILY KURODA)finally discovers her daughter's secret life and tells her to move out of the house.

Luke is wary when his flighty sister Liz (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE - "ER") arrives for an unexpected visit. Lorelai promises Jason that she will tell her parents about their relationship, but she reconsiders after Emily comments about how laughable it would be if Lorelai and Jason began dating. Meanwhile, when Paris confesses to Rory that her affair with the professor is becoming serious, Rory reminds Paris how badly she is treating her boyfriend, Jamie (BRANDON BARASH)--so Paris breaks up with Jamie. Finally, Luke discovers that Jess' (recurring guest star MILO VENTIMIGLIA) car is missing and reports it stolen, but he later discovers that Jess has come back to town to pick up the car. Rory sees Jess sleeping in his car but walks away without speaking to him.

Stranded in Stars Hollow while his car is being repaired, Jess (recurring guest star MILO VENTIMIGLIA) keeps crossing paths with Rory--but he walks away from her every time. Luke tries to talk to Jess about Liz (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE), Luke's sister and Jess' mother, who is dating someone new. However, Jess angrily tells Luke to stop interfering in other people's lives. Lorelai does a favor for Emily by attending a charity dinner and is pleasantly surprised when her secret boyfriend, Jason, arrives--and the unsuspecting Emily asks them to "pretend" they are a couple. Meanwhile, when Rory and Jess encounter each other for a third time, Rory tries to be the one who walks away, but Jess stops her and makes a shocking confession.

Although she is completely exhausted by her heavy workload at Yale, Rory is horrified when a professor suggests that she drop a class. She confesses her self-doubt to her former boyfriend Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI), who is working on the construction crew at the Dragonfly Inn. Meanwhile, frustrated because she can never reach Rory and by the nonstop work involved in getting the Dragonfly ready to open, Lorelai first accuses Sookie of not doing her fair share then turns to Luke for help and advice. Also, Richard becomes infuriated when he and Lorelai both get a sample of the nastiness that Gran (recurring guest star MARION ROSS) usually reserves for Emily.

Rory encounters Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI) for the second time at the Dragonfly Inn and gets a glimpse of his new life. Later, Lorelai and Rory decide to spend a day together at the mall, but they run into Emily and are caught up in her wild shopping spree. When Lorelai questions her mother on her out-of-control spending, Emily admits that she is getting revenge on Richard, who has been ignoring her to concentrate on his new business. Meanwhile, although Lane is excited to be moving into her first apartment with two of her band mates, she is also hurt by her mother's (recurring guest star EMILY KURODA) coldness.

When Gran (recurring guest star MARION ROSS) dies suddenly, Richard has an emotional breakdown. Emily handles the funeral arrangements with her usual efficiency--until she finds a letter Gran had written to Richard years earlier, begging him not to marry Emily. Lorelai is forced to take over the preparations, leading to her own small breakdown while buying new clothing for Gran to be buried in.

Exasperated by the freezing Connecticut weather, Rory and Paris travel to Florida for their first spring break. Amidst sun, sand and too much partying, they meet Madeline (recurring guest star SHELLY COLE) and Louise (recurring guest star TEAL REDMANN), their pals from Chilton. Rory is shocked when Paris makes an unexpected bid for attention at a nightclub where musical group THE SHINS (themselves) are performing. Meanwhile, Lorelai's relationship with Jason takes another step forward when he gives her a key to his home. And Luke needs Lorelai to bail him out of jail after he reacts badly to the news that his estranged wife is dating another man.

Jason's father, Floyd (LAWRENCE PRESSMAN - "American Pie" movies), sues Jason and Richard for taking his clients. Floyd also reveals that Jason and Lorelai have been dating secretly for months. Meanwhile, Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI) upsets Rory when he admits he has dropped out of college to work full time so he and his wife, Lindsay (recurring guest star ARIELLE KEBBEL), can buy a townhouse. Lindsay demands that Dean stop associating with Rory, but Dean and Rory plan to secretly remain in contact.

When Jason reveals that he is no longer in business with Richard, Lorelai has an ugly confrontation with her father about his treatment of Jason. Later, after an extremely uncomfortable Friday night family dinner, Lorelai and Rory spy on Emily and make a shocking discovery about the state of the elder Gilmores' marriage. Meanwhile, Luke tells Lorelai that he and Nicole are getting a divorce.

Depressed over the failure of his marriage, Luke resorts to a self-help tape and suddenly realizes that he already knows who his soul mate is. Later, when his sister Liz (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE) returns to town and announces that she and T.J. (MICHAEL DeLUISE) are getting married, Luke finds Jess (former series star MILO VENTIMIGLIA) and convinces him to attend the wedding. Meanwhile, Lorelai is completely stressed as opening day at The Dragonfly Inn approaches, and Rory pretends not to be interested when Lorelai tells her she overheard Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI) and his wife, Lindsay (recurring guest star ARIELLE KEBBEL), fighting.

All the townspeople of Stars Hollow come to Liz's (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE) Renaissance-themed wedding. Jess (former series star MILO VENTIMIGLIA) walks Liz down the aisle, and Lorelai and Luke share a romantic dance, after which Luke asks Lorelai out on a date. Meanwhile, as Yale students begin their summer break, Rory attends a drunken party and has to call Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI) to drive her back to the dorm. Dean tries to explain his unhappy marriage to Rory, but they are interrupted when Jess arrives and makes Rory a surprising offer.

Lorelai suspects that Luke's intentions towards her have become serious, but she doesn't have time to dwell on the situation as she prepares for the opening of the Dragonfly Inn by inviting friends and family to a test run. Using the opportunity to force her parents to reconcile, Lorelai is shocked when it becomes obvious that the damage to their marriage is greater than she had thought. When Jason arrives at the Inn to convince Lorelai that their own breakup was a mistake, Luke tries to declare his true feelings for Lorelai. Meanwhile, after their last awkward encounter, Rory attempts to salvage her friendship with Dean (former series star JARED PADALECKI).

After 19-year-old Rory Gilmore makes love with her former boyfriend, Dean--who is married--she argues bitterly with Lorelai, who is disappointed by her daughter's choices. Despite her best efforts, Rory cannot resist Dean, even when she guiltily observes how hard Dean's eager young wife is working to keep their marriage together. Meanwhile, Lorelai copes with a tricky situation of her own: Eccentric resident Kirk has witnessed her kissing recently divorced coffee shop owner Luke Danes after the gala opening of the new Dragonfly Inn, Lorelai's long-awaited venture with her friend Sookie St. James. Despite the gossip, Luke and Lorelai seem to finally be happy together. The longtime marriage of Lorelai's parents, Richard and Emily, continues to crumble. Impulsively, Emily persuades Rory to join her on a European trip. Also, Rory's friend Lane Kim bickers with her uncontrollable band mates.

While calling Lorelai from Rome, Rory admits that she complicated her relationship with Dean (recurring guest star JARED PADALECKI). Lorelai gives Dean a letter from Rory, but Dean's wife, Lindsay (recurring guest star ARIELLE KEBBEL), finds the letter and makes Dean move out of the house. Rory returns from Europe, and a terrible argument ensues when she and Lorelai encounter Lindsay and her mother. Meanwhile, Luke returns to Stars Hollow after spending several weeks helping his injured sister, Liz (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE), on the Renaissance Fair circuit. Luke and Lorelai try to find a private spot to say hello but are interrupted by a town parade.

Early in the morning after Lorelai and Luke spend a romantic night together at Luke's place, Lorelai walks into the diner dressed in one of Luke's flannel shirts and discovers that the place is full of customers. Lorelai is a little offended when it appears that no one cares about their relationship--until it becomes a topic of heated discussion at the town meeting. Meanwhile, Rory verbally spars with a haughty, rich student named Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY - "Eight Legged Freaks") after he is rude to her friend Marty (recurring guest star WAYNE WILCOX). And Paris holds a wake for her older lover Professor Asher Flemming, who died over the summer.

Rory and Dean have difficulty meeting alone because they live far apart and Dean (recurring guest star JARED PADALECKI) shares a car with his estranged wife. Impulsively, Rory asks Dean if he left his wife because Lindsay found Rory's letter--and she is not completely satisfied with his response. Lorelai and Sookie manage Jackson's (recurring guest star JACKSON DOUGLAS) campaign when he decides to compete against Taylor (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) for town selectman. Lane tells her band mate Zach (recurring guest star TODD LOWE) that she has feelings for him.

Feeling bad that her relationship with Dean (recurring guest star JARED PADALECKI) has become awkward, Lorelai suggests that she and Luke go on a double date with Rory and Dean. But Lorelai's plans go awry when Luke is unable to disguise the fact that he thinks Dean isn't good enough for Rory. Meanwhile, Emily and Richard are lonely and a little lost without each other, but neither one can take the first step toward reconciliation.

Lorelai and Sookie are thrilled when author NORMAN MAILER (himself) and a young reporter, Josh Davies (STEPHEN MAILER, Norman's real-life son), show up repeatedly in the dining room of the Dragonfly Inn, but Sookie's awe turns to annoyance when Mailer refuses to order any food. Working on a story for the Yale newspaper, Rory uncovers evidence of an intriguing secret society to which Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) belongs. Meanwhile, when Rory's father, Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE - "I'm With Her"), appeals to Lorelai for help after his girlfriend leaves him to raise their baby daughter by himself, Rory orders him to leave Lorelai alone. Finally, Sookie realizes that she is pregnant again.

Rory is impressed when Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) takes her to an elaborate event staged by his secret society, and she participates in a thrilling--but dangerous--stunt. Meanwhile, when she discovers that Lorelai is dating Luke, Emily insists he come to dinner. Not to be outdone, Richard invites Luke to a game of golf, and Luke is overwhelmed by the strength of the elder Gilmores' personalities.

Rory is honored when Emily and Richard give a party to introduce her to their Yale alumni friends, but it soon becomes obvious that their ulterior motive is to find her a suitable husband. When Dean (recurring guest star JARED PADALECKI) arrives at the party to pick Rory up, he realizes he doesn't belong in her privileged world. Meanwhile, Luke cooks a romantic dinner for Lorelai, but their evening is interrupted by newlyweds Liz (KATHLEEN WILHOITE - "ER") and T.J. (MICHAEL DeLUISE - "NYPD Blue"), who are feuding.

Rory decides that she and Lorelai should split up at the next Friday night dinner and confront Richard and Emily separately about ending their separation. However, Emily dashes their hopes of a reconciliation by announcing that she is ready to begin dating. Meanwhile, Lorelai invites Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE) for lunch at the inn, unaware that Rory had warned Christopher to stay away from her mother. Feeling guilty that she hadn't told Luke about seeing Christopher, Lorelai confesses that they had lunch, and Luke tries to convince himself that he isn't jealous.

Rory is delighted when Headmaster Hanlin Charleston (DAKIN MATTHEWS) from her old prep school asks her to host a young student, Anna (SARAH FORET), who is thinking of applying to Yale. However, Anna is much more interested in boys than academics and runs off to party, leaving Rory to deal with Logan's (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) elaborate practical jokes. Meanwhile, Lorelai and Luke have their first argument when she upsets him by buying an old boat that had previously belonged to his father.

Wanting to make peace with Rory, Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE) visits her at Yale, but she rejects his attempt at reconciliation. When Lorelai learns that Christopher's father died, she spends an evening at his home trying to console him but neglects to tell Luke the truth about where she was. Meanwhile, Emily and Richard are briefly reunited when they rescue a lost dog. Luke brings Lorelai her own portable skating pond. And the annual Stars Hollow Revolutionary War reenactment takes on a racy new twist.

Rory offers to help Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) write an article for the Yale Daily, but she is disappointed when he doesn't invite her to be his date at a book-signing party hosted by his father. When Richard sees Emily talking to a man she dated, he rear-ends her car, forcing her to ride home with him. The elder Gilmores reconcile and decide to renew their wedding vows. Meanwhile, Emily warns Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE) that Lorelai and Luke are getting serious, and he had better do something quickly if he hopes to end up with Lorelai.

In the series' landmark 100th episode, Lorelai and Rory feel obligated to give Emily a bachelorette party on the night before Richard and Emily renew their marriage vows. At the ceremony the following day, Rory tells Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) she wants a relationship with him even though he's not ready to commit. Later, when Lorelai, Luke and Christopher (recurring guest star DAVID SUTCLIFFE) discover Rory and Logan together, half-dressed, the shocking scene leads to an angry confrontation between Luke and Christopher. A furious Lorelai figures out that Emily invited Christopher in an attempt to destroy Lorelai's relationship with Luke.

After the disastrous scene at her parents' marriage recommitment ceremony, Lorelai begs Luke not to give up on their relationship. However, Luke's decision that he needs time alone leaves Lorelai devastated. Stranded at Yale without her car and worried about Lorelai's depressed state, Rory borrows Logan's (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) limousine and driver and travels home to Stars Hollow to care for her mom. Meanwhile, Taylor (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) goads the town residents into taking sides on the Lorelai/Luke relationship.

Already upset that she and Luke ended their relationship, Lorelai feels even worse after she discovers that Luke's boat is no longer in her garage. Knowing that Lorelai is the costume designer for the elementary school's production of "Fiddler on the Roof," Luke agrees to build sets in hopes of seeing her. Meanwhile, Rory and Marty (recurring guest star WAYNE WILCOX) plan to spend a day together, but Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) stops by Rory's dorm room and convinces them to go out to dinner with him. After a terrible evening with Logan's clique, Marty tells Rory how much he likes her, but she admits she really likes Logan.

Richard and Emily return from their second honeymoon, and Rory attends the customary Friday night dinner. But an angry Lorelai refuses to see or speak to Emily. Rory surprises everyone with a rare outburst directed towards her grandmother for interfering in Lorelai's love life. Miserable without Lorelai, Luke gets into a dark mood that causes him to burn food and throw any customer who complains out of the diner. Emily unexpectedly visits the diner to talk to Luke. Meanwhile, Lane is horrified when she realizes that her mother has more influence over her than she thought.

After seeing Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) on a date with another girl, Rory regrets their new agreement to date other people. Later, Rory attends a party with Logan's friend Robert (NICK HOLMES), forcing Logan to admit his jealousy. Meanwhile, now that Lorelai and Luke are happily reunited, Emily can't understand why Lorelai still refuses to come to Friday night dinner. Emily's second visit to speak with Luke at the diner leads to a bitter mother/daughter confrontation. Finally, Michel appears on the game show "The Price is Right" and wins a motor home.

When Stars Hollow's oldest resident dies and leaves his house to the town, Luke has an ulterior motive for volunteering to help turn the house into a temporary museum. Dean (recurring guest star JARED PADALECKI) is also working on the project and offers Luke unwelcome advice about the dangers of dating a Gilmore girl. To get publicity for the Dragonfly Inn, Lorelai grants an interview with a travel magazine but immediately regrets the unkind comments she makes about being raised by Emily. Meanwhile, Lane suspects that Zach (recurring guest star TODD LOWE) is having an affair with music store owner Sophie (recurring guest star Grammy Award winner CAROLE KING - composer, producer, singer of the "Gilmore Girls" theme song "Where You Lead"), while Rory and Paris are both devastated by trouble with their respective boyfriends. Recurring guest star JACKSON DOUGLAS (Sookie's husband, Jackson) directed the episode.

Rory tells Logan (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) that she can't have a casual romantic relationship with him, and they should return to just being friends. But Logan surprises Rory by insisting he's ready to commit to her. However, when Logan brings her home to meet his powerful and intimidating family, Rory is shocked by his parents' negative reaction to the relationship. The following day, Logan's father, Mitchum Huntzberger (GREGG HENRY – "Eyes," "Payback"), apologizes to Rory and offers her an internship at one of his newspapers. Meanwhile, when Sookie is placed on bed rest by her doctor, Lorelai asks Luke to fill in as the substitute chef at the Dragonfly Inn.

Wanting to make a good impression with Logan's (recurring guest star MATT CZUCHRY) powerful father, Mitchum Huntzberger (recurring guest star GREGG HENRY), Rory learns everything she can about him before starting work as an intern at one of his newspapers. When Lorelai discovers that Emily and Richard have invited Logan to Friday night dinner, she ends her boycott of family gatherings in order to get to know Logan better. During the evening, Emily and Richard fawn over Logan, but Lorelai sees a side of him that causes her to worry about Rory's involvement with the Huntzberger family. Meanwhile, Lorelai gets an interesting job offer, and Luke tries to persuade Taylor (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) to close the Stars Hollow museum.

Rory is surprised by the performance review she receives at the newspaper from Logan's father, Mitchum Huntzberger (recurring guest star GREGG HENRY). Luke's plan to buy the Twickham house is threatened when Kirk makes a competing bid. Lorelai is thrilled when the travel magazine featuring The Dragonfly Inn appears on newsstands but worries about Emily's reaction to the article. Meanwhile, Sookie begins to have contractions and will soon deliver her baby. And Emily sponsors a ballet dancer.

After spending a night of reckless behavior with Logan, Rory is rescued by her mother. But Lorelai is shocked to hear her daughter's plans for the future. Lorelai first asks Richard and Emily for help but soon realizes that Luke is the only person she can trust.

Thirtysomething Lorelai Gilmore (series star LAUREN GRAHAM) and coffee shop owner Luke Danes (series star SCOTT PATTERSON) begin making plans for their future, but Luke is embarrassed when word spreads that Lorelai was the one who proposed marriage. Still hurt that her daughter, Rory (series star ALEXIS BLEDEL), has decided to drop out of Yale and move in with Lorelai's proper, old-money parents, Emily (series star KELLY BISHOP) and Richard (series star EDWARD HERRMANN), Lorelai tells them that they can take care of Rory from now on. Although Richard hires a respected attorney and longtime friend to help Rory get an easy sentence for stealing the yacht, a judge orders Rory to serve 300 hours of community service. Rory's boyfriend from Yale, Logan Huntzberger (series star MATT CZUCHRY), hosts a "felon party" for Rory.

Rory begins to work her 300 hours of community service and finds that life on a road crew is not pretty. Lorelai and Luke try to decide whether they will fix up Lorelai's home or buy the Twickham house, which Luke has always admired. Luke's sister, Liz (recurring guest star KATHLEEN WILHOITE - "ER"), begs him to hire her husband, T.J. (recurring guest star MICHAEL DeLUISE - "NYPD Blue"), as a contractor. When Rory surprises Luke with a visit at the diner to find out how Lorelai is, he feels obligated to tell her that he and Lorelai are engaged. Afterwards, Luke confronts Lorelai about her estrangement from Rory. Feeling lonely, Lorelai adopts a dog at the Stars Hollow pet fair. Finally, during a chance meeting, Lorelai and Rory have an angry confrontation about their mutual hurt feelings.

Excited to cater Lorelai's wedding, Sookie pressures Lorelai to set a date but cannot get her to commit. While completing her community service hours, Rory takes a job at Emily's DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) office. Convinced that she has a rival for the job of DAR president, Emily uses Rory as her spy. Logan returns from Europe and goes back to Yale, forcing Rory to confront her true feelings about quitting college. Lane and her band come home after spending their summer performing out of town. Luke agrees to take care of Lorelai's dog, Paul Anka, while she works late at the inn and ends up rushing the dog to the vet. Finally, Lorelai admits to Luke her reason for putting off their wedding.

Lorelai misses Rory and tries to call her but soon discovers that her daughter's cell phone is no longer in service. Sookie asks Lorelai and Rory to be the godparents to her two children, hoping they will reconcile when they see each other at the ceremony. However, mother and daughter end up fighting when Lorelai realizes that Rory gave her new cell number to Sookie but not to her. Logan learns that his father expects him to graduate this year and enter the family business. Wanting to break free from family pressures, Logan whisks Rory off to a weekend in New York.

Rory does a fabulous job organizing a big DAR bash for Emily. However, at the party, Richard confronts Logan's father, Mitchum Huntzberger (recurring guest star GREGG HENRY - "Eyes," "Payback"), about his opinion of Rory's journalistic talents, while Emily has an even uglier confrontation with Logan's mother, Shria (LEANN HUNLEY - "Dawson's Creek"), over the romance between Rory and Logan. Meanwhile, after a small kitchen fire at the Dragonfly Inn, Lorelai enlists Richard's help in settling the insurance claim. She also needles him about the fact that he has been unable to get Rory to return to Yale. Although he's annoyed with Lorelai, Richard admits that Rory is not doing what she should be doing.

Richard tries to gather information from Logan about Rory's future plans, but Logan mistakenly thinks that Richard is asking when he plans to marry Rory. Lorelai supports Taylor's (recurring guest star MICHAEL WINTERS) plan to change all the Stars Hollow street names back to their original historic ones, until she learns the disgusting former name of the street on which the Dragonfly Inn is located. Rory makes a surprising confession to Logan. Richard finally admits that he should have never allowed Rory to drop out of Yale and shows up at Lorelai's house to discuss the matter.

As Rory's 21st birthday approaches, both Lorelai and Rory are saddened that their estrangement will keep them from spending the day the way they had always planned. Richard tries to convince Lorelai to help him concoct a plan to get Rory to return to Yale, but Lorelai insists that Rory has to make the decision herself. Meanwhile, Emily plans an elaborate birthday party. Later, Emily and Richard are shocked when they realize that Rory and Logan have been having sex. Former Secretary of State MADELEINE ALBRIGHT appears in a cameo role as herself.

Rory is pleasantly surprised when her former boyfriend Jess (recurring guest star MILO VENTIMIGLIA - "The Bedford Diaries") appears at her grandparents' house and reveals an amazing development in his life. Rory agrees to go to dinner with Jess, but when Logan unexpectedly joins them, an ugly confrontation develops, leaving both Rory and Logan to face the choices they have made. Emily is concerned about Rory's sudden evasiveness and tries to exert some parental discipline. Meanwhile, Luke agrees to sponsor a local girls' soccer team, and Lorelai channels all her concerns about Rory into caring for her dog, Paul Anka.