The season starts when the girls get back from their Europe trip. They stayed longer than they meant to and are in a rush to prepare Rory for Yale while still managing to enjoy their last week together, with the help of some biscotti that they brought back for their last week.

Luke doesn't elaborate much on his trip with Nicole. Finally, when Lorelai asks him point-blank if he proposed to Nicole, he admits that he did and they got married on the boat, but then realized they'd made a mistake and are getting divorced.

Lane tells Rory that Dave has moved to California, but they're still together. Lane is going to the Christian school.

The Soda Shoppe opens. Taylor makes a big deal out of it and there's a big festival. Lorelai and Rory try to catch part of it while rushing around town getting last-minute stuff for Rory. Taylor was going to have Rory be the "Ice Cream Queen" but she wasn't around to ask and didn't even know about the festival. However, most of the townspeople are angry with her because they think that she thinks she's too good/too busy for them. Taylor plays it up and says stuff like, "We were supposed to have an Ice Cream Queen, but she couldn't take time out of her busy Queen schedule to come play with you." This makes a little girl named Christy start to cry.

When Rory comes out of the stationary shop to meet Lorelai after buying pens, two little boys glare at her. "Thanks a lot, Yale can have you," they say, and run off. Rory is getting steadily more frustrated.

Rory heads for home and passes by the podium again. Taylor has draped a cape on the chair and is holding a crown above it, telling everyone to pretend that the Ice Cream Queen is sitting there smiling and waving. Rory gets pissed and goes up to the stand and grabs the microphone. She tells everyone that she humiliates herself at least six times a year for the town and that just because she's going to Yale, it's not going to stop. She explains that the reason she's not the Ice Cream Queen is because Taylor never asked her and she never even knew about the festival. She says that she loves the town and that she'll be back in the Pilgrim outfit at Thanksgiving so "everybody get off my back!" She tells Christy to "suck it up already" as she gathers up her things and storms out.

Emily gets mad when Lorelai doesn't come to dinner with Rory, as she's busy getting last-minute things for Rory, who's leaving the next day. She keeps Rory at her house until very late, resulting in Lorelai being deprived of their last-night plans. Lorelai ends up going to the grandparents' house and watching ballroom dancing tapes to be with Rory, which is not at all what they'd planned for Rory's last night.

Episode Two: The Lorelais' First Day at Yale
Airs 09.30.03
Written by Daniel Palladino

Lorelai borrows Luke's truck to help cart Rory's stuff to Yale. She gets there ahead of Rory in her Prius, which is also packed full of stuff. Lorelai stands in an empty parking spot next to the truck to save it for Rory, which makes some of the "Yalies" mad. A nice-looking 20-year-old, played by Joy Darash, approaches them and asks for their name, which freaks Lorelai out so she starts explaining that some guy in a jacket told her it would be okay to save a parking spot. But the girl introduces herself as Tess, Rory's freshman counselor. She welcomes Rory and gets ready to shake her hand, but Lorelai makes them stop so that she can get the camera ready to take a picture of the scene. Rory is a little embarrassed but Tess says that "they all do this". After Lorelai takes the picture, Tess starts telling Rory about a tour for all new Durfee girls that she's about to give, but Rory has memorized the schedule. Tess notices that they've brought Rory's own mattress. Lorelai starts acting guilty again, but Tess says that it's okay as long as they've made arrangements to dispose of the one that's already there. Lorelai and Rory both affirm that they have. Tess tells Lorelai to get her camera ready because she's about to give Rory the key to her dorm. After she gives Rory the key and leaves, Lorelai and Rory go to see Rory's room. They grab bags and head off. Rory asks if Lorelai really arranged to have the mattress disposed of, and Lorelai says that she really did. Rory seems doubtful and is reading in her Freshman Handbook about mattress disposal.

Later on, Rory is on a tour led by Tess. She's trying to take notes on a small notepad while picking up various student survival tools from tables in the courtyard. Another girl in the tour, Diane, is watching Rory take notes. She makes fun of her and smirks with a friend. Rory is suddenly next in line for her ID picture. She tries to straighten her hair and asks about getting a second picture, but the picture is quickly snapped and Rory has to move on.

After the tour, Rory goes into her room. She's followed by another girl from the group. We find out that she's Tanna, Rory's roommate, who's sixteen.

Luke gets a visit from Nicole's lawyer about the divorce. The lawyer asks Luke what he wants from the divorce, but Luke says he wants nothing. The lawyer says that when people say that, it always means the start of a negotiation, but Luke says no, he really doesn't want anything.

Later that day, Lorelai enters Luke's Diner to see three scary-looking men from Nicole's law firm talking to Luke. Two are in suits and the third is in golf togs. Luke asks Lorelai to shoot him, but she replies that she likes him too much. The two men in the suits are both named Stein, which makes Luke confused. They want to make a fair settlement in a timely manner, but since Luke wants nothing from Nicole he says that there's no settlement to begin. They're very skeptical. They tell about how Nicole has been with the firm her whole career, and how they're very fond of her and don't want any harm to come to her. Luke says that he doesn't want any harm to come to her either. The lawyers seem puzzled as to why he won't hire a lawyer. Luke says, "Because lawyers waste time and money. They're needless middlemen who slither into situations when people are at their most vulnerable so they can clamp on and suck like leeches until everyone but them is distraught and penniless." "I can see why the marriage went bad," says one Stein to the other. The lawyer in golf togs warns Luke that if he doesn't hire a lawyer, he could end up with nothing. Luke reiterates that nothing is exactly what he wants. The lawyers seem frustrated with this answer and start talking about bringing in more lawyers. "They're going to multiply like the Matrix!" Luke says to Lorelai. He then drags her in between himself and the Lorelai to vouch for his character.

Lorelai talks about how Luke is a hermit who has no other interests besides fishing and baseball, and that when he says he wants nothing, she knows he wants nothing, because when she thinks of Luke, she thinks nothing. One of the lawyers says that Luke's choice of character witness does nothing to lessen their concerns, and if he doesn't respond to them about this matter, they're going to have to "kick it up a notch". Luke says fine, there is something he wants, but he's been holding back. The lawyers are excited to hear about it. Luke tells them about how, under various circumstances, he was forced to see a guy playing musical drinking glasses on three separate occasions, for an hour each, while on the cruise. He wants his three hours back. The lawyers say that they'll have to confer on this and that they'll get back to him.

Rory runs into Paris, who drops the bombshell that she's going to Yale, and that they're suitemates. Rory's surprised, and she's even more surprised when Paris gives her a hug. Paris then introduces Rory to Terence, her Life Coach. She explains that she "lost" her Nanny when she opened a pupeseria in Boise. She learned about Life Coaches in an article, and found Terence. "He's here to assist me with whatever I need assistance in, from wardrobe, to diet, to finding me a kick-ass gynecologist." Paris requested to share a suite with Rory because Terence said that their journey together is not complete. She says that Terence has also done a lot for her people skills, and cites the example of Tanna, who's been hovering nearby. "The old Paris would have been bothered by your penchant to hover. It would've made her want to wring your neck 'till your eyeballs popped out. But now, I accept it because I can't control everything." Tanna is terrified and shakes her hand wordlessly, then goes into her room.

Later, Rory is telling Lorelai about Paris and Terence. Lorelai is in a state of disbelief when Paris herself comes up and gives Lorelai a hug. She says that she and Lorelai have a bit of a journey left to finish as well. She then explains that she's been setting up her "crafts corner" in the suite, because Terence showed her how working with her hands could help her nerves. Tanna, hovering in the doorway, asks where they're going to put the couch. Paris is instantly angry and starts in on Tanna, but is stopped by Terence. She takes a breath and regains her composure.

Luke comes in, dragging the Yale mattress behind. He's been trying to get rid of it, but with no luck because Tess was around. He had to bribe some guy to help carry it back up to the dorm, so he immediately leaves to go help the guy move his things. Lorelai and Rory go out into the hallway to bring the mattress back inside while Paris glues macaroni at her craft station.

There's a sort of party going on in Rory's suite. Lorelai is ordering food from around the area and they're all rating the food and the delivery boys. The whole floor is getting involved, eating and bonding while music plays. Diane approaches Rory. She says that it's awesome and asks who pulled it together. Rory points at Lorelai, who's wielding a hairbrush and trying to get someone to sing "Can't Hurry Love". Diane and Rory both laugh.

Later that night, Rory and Paris are in the dorm, getting ready for bed. The extra Yale mattress is on the floor. Rory is finishing putting the sheets on her bed while Paris wraps up a call with Jamie. She's listing her complaints, but ending each one with, "but I've accepted it." Jamie seems to be slightly jealous of Terence, but Paris assures him that Terence is back in his room.

The next morning, Rory is in the common room when Diane and some other girls knock. They have white bags and many cups of coffee. They say that they "Lorelai'd" a few places and found the good coffee. They explain that to "Lorelai" means to check places out. The coffee and muffins are to say thanks for the night before, which was the perfect first night at Yale. They invite her to come to the Freshman assembly, and then plan to conveniently lose their IDs so they can have new pictures taken. They sip their coffee and continue to happily chat.

Back home, Lorelai enters the empty house. She looks very lost and alone. End of show.

Episode Three: The Hobbit, the Sofa, and Digger Stiles
Airs 10.07.03
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino

We’re introduced to another of Rory’s roommates, Janet, in this episode. She’s a runner and is athletic.

Rory gets to her first class really early and stakes out a seat. She tries to read but starts to feel foolish about her early arrival. She starts to leave when another student, a guy, enters. He’s played by Wayne Wilcox and his name is Marty, but Rory doesn’t know that yet. He sits down at the opposite end of the table. Rory’s about to say “hi” when the T.A. enters and starts putting papers around on the tables. He finishes and leaves, shaking his head as he goes. “Freshmen” he mutters under his breath. Rory and Marty continue to sit in silence.

Sookie and Lorelai sit at Sookie’s kitchen table, surrounded by important looking papers which they’re signing and dating.

While Rory is at class, Emily sneaks into her dorm and furnishes the apartment with a new couch, chairs, an ottoman, a coffee table in the shape of a stack of books, and an entertainment center with a plasma TV. Rory calls Lorelai and they have a funny conversation about what Emily did.

Lorelai and Sookie cater a "Lord of the Rings" themed party. Lorelai is at the house where the party is taking place. Costumes, cardboard cutouts, and balloons are all around. Lorelai is sitting next to a boy dressed like Frodo, trying to convince him to give her the ring. He refuses, even after she does an impersonation of Gollum. Helen, the mom of the boy whose birthday it is, arrives with two kids who have just shown up. Lorelai helps them with their costumes. The kids start to fight about Lorelai’s name (she told some of them that she’s Julie, their “cruise director”), and Lorelai tells them to go play lovingly, because “Lord of the Rings” is all about love. “Nuh uh, it’s about the destruction of all mankind,” says the birthday boy. Helen walks up to Lorelai and asks her if she brought swords, because some of the kids are asking for them. “No, I didn’t,” says Lorelai. Helen is grateful.

Lorelai handles the kids while Sookie brings in platters of foods with the help of Spanish-speaking helpers (Lorelai and Sookie can speak Spanish, apparently). Helen’s husband has shown up with a bunch of plastic swords. Lorelai rigs a “game” where the kids throw their swords in trashcans disguised as Mount Doom. Then Lorelai walks into the dining room to see how things are going. Sookie is setting out white tablecloths, silver platters, votive candles, etc.

The first party of the year is held on Rory’s floor. Paris wants to leave their door open but Rory says she’d rather not. Paris calls Lorelai to tattle on Rory’s unwillingness to party, and Rory gives in to leaving the door open.

Madeline and Louise come to the party. They’re on the prowl for boys as usual. After they go off in search of some, Rory looks around and sees Marty standing by the wall. She’s about to go over when two blond girls, Mickey and Kick, appear in front of her. They ask if she’s Rory Gilmore and start trying to give her a nickname. Rory is a little confused. They explained that their mother is a friend of Emily via the DAR. When Emily found out that they were going to Yale, she told them to look Rory up and make sure that she fell in with the “right crowd”. Rory tries to squirm out of the situation by saying that she needs to go find her roommate. They follow her back to her dorm room. They sit on either side of her on the couch that Emily bought, talking about the woman’s great taste and how it should be applied to their mother. Rory looks at them and realizes that she can’t go anywhere. She settles back while they jabber to each other over her.

Paris is standing in the middle of a highly charged, extremely opinionated beer-and-first-year-of-college infused discussion. She looks bored and a little annoyed. She walks over to the sofa where Mickey and Kick are still talking around Rory. Paris taps Rory on the shoulder and tells her that she’s not having fun. Rory tells her that the party’s not over yet. Paris asks about Mickey and Kick. Rory explains that their mother is friends with her Grandmother. Paris is put-out because it seems that everyone has a group except her. Janet’s a runner so she’ll go with the jocks, Tanna’s a “freak” so she’ll be in the John Nash group, but Paris is stuck listening to bad talk radio. Rory offers to kick everyone out so they can go to bed. Paris takes a deep breath and says that she’ll just have to try a little harder. It’s going to be different this year. A drunk guy stumbles over to Paris and asks her to pierce his ear. Paris looks at him for a second and then yells at everyone to take their gross beer and inane conversation and get out. She pulls Mickey and Kick from the couch. Rory feigns apology and watches them go happily. She relaxes happily on the couch.

At the party house, the kids are watching “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”, totally entranced. Helen says that the food should be ready right when the movie’s over. Lorelai agrees and goes into the kitchen. Sookie is making a ton of crazy, fancy foods, such as quail eggs, blanched vegetables with lemon garlic aoli, etc. Lorelai is getting concerned and asks where the kids’ table is. Sookie says that there’s no kids’ table, she’s “mixing and matching”. Now Lorelai is really concerned and asks where the kids’ food is. Sookie tells her to relax, she hasn’t gotten it out yet. Then one of the helpers comes out with a platter of gravlox. That’s the kids’ food. A little girl comes into the kitchen, complaining of hunger. Sookie offers her gravlox. The little girl doesn’t know what gravlox is. Lorelai asks Sookie where the rest of the food is. Sookie says that it’s in the kitchen. The little girl takes a carrot off of the platter and licks it, then puts it back on the platter, saying that it tastes “like diapers”. Sookie is horrified and starts getting upset. Lorelai calms the situation and sends the little girl out of the situation, then heads to the kitchen.

The two helpers are there, garnishing platters of stuff that definitely doesn’t look like normal kids’ food. Sookie follows Lorelai in and asks what she’s doing. Lorelai asks where the kids’ food is.

Lorelai sort of takes over with the food, providing the children with normal kid food that they will actually eat. She lets the kids decorate their own cupcakes and stuff like that. Sookie is upset that Lorelai has taken over. Lorelai explains that she had an eight-year-old who had eight-year-old friends, and Lorelai’s own taste is not too different from an eight-year-old’s. Sookie is still very angry. “I am a great chef! Great chefs do not let the client decorate their own cupcakes!”

A little girl walks into the kitchen, asking for a juice box. Sookie yells at her, and the girl’s face scrunches up, turning red, mouth opening. She’s getting ready to cry. Sookie doesn’t know what the heck’s going on. “Is she sick? Why’s the mouth open?” Lorelai rushes to the fridge and gets a juice box and hands it to the girl, who immediately calms down. She then tries to soothe Sookie and explains certain things to her, like kiddie food.

Sookie begins to feel worried about her upcoming motherhood. Is she cut out to be a Mom? Does she have the right skills? She and Lorelai have a nice talk about the approaching transition into motherhood.

Rory wakes up and finds Marty sleeping in the hallway naked. She covers him with a robe.

A man named Jason Stiles approaches Richard about becoming partners and screwing over Jason’s father, who is/was a friend of Richard’s. Jason also happens to be the one who took over Richard’s job at the old company. Although Lorelai and him don’t see each other in this episode, she knew him when they were kids and called him by the nickname of “Digger”. Jason is Lorelai’s future love interest.

Episode Four: Chicken or Beef?
Written by Jane Espenson
Airs 10.14.03

Rory is sitting in the gazebo, reading "Northanger Abbey" and eating fries. She's got her headphones on but is shaken out of her reverie by a loud "wham". She takes off her headphones and looks around. A barrage of people has arrived and are unloading chairs, tables, flowers, tulle, and tablecloths from trucks that have arrived. Rory asks what's going on, but the guys unloading the tablecloths are too busy to give her an answer besides telling her that they're setting up for "tomorrow". Rory gathers up her stuff to leave but stops short when she sees Lindsay and her mother standing there, talking about "frosting" the town with tulle and deciding where they should display the giant poster of Lindsay and Dean where everyone can see it. Rory runs back into the gazebo and down the stairs on the other side, on her way to Lane's.

For most of the episode, Lorelai and Sookie are dealing with inn stuff. Lorelai needs Taylor's approval before she can start work on the new inn, so he blackmails her by withholding his approval until Lorelai can get Luke to approve an ice cream truck in front of the diner.

Lorelai and Sookie are inside a chic hotel, watching gorgeous chic people with headsets run around importantly. They go to the desk and ask for Michel. They're confused by the chic guy, who alternates talking into his headset with talking to them. They can't tell the difference. Finally Michel walks up, talking into his own headset.

Luke is cleaning up the diner for the night when he hears a rowdy group of boys singing the Stars Hollow High fight song. Dean and four other guys enter the diner, all drunk except one, who's the designated driver. They've come from Dean's bachelor party (beer in the Target parking lot, batting cages, and laser tag) and want to refuel for "phase two" of the party. One of Dean's friends wants strippers for phase two, and Dean wants cake. Luke isn't too keen on them being there, especially when they push some tables together and want to play "Jets", which is basically spraying tables with water and sliding across them on your stomach. To get them off this idea, he offers to make them pancakes. As he's heading into the back, he hears Dean say "Rory" drunkenly. He convinces Dean's friends to abandon phase two and leave. He then helps Dean up the stairs to Luke's apartment, Dean mumbling about Rory the entire time. He talks about how she's so smart she could probably fix the world, and asks Luke why she couldn't love him.

Rory was planning on attending Dean's wedding, but Luke tells her that she shouldn't go. The episode ends with her watching from a distance as Dean is married.

Episode Five: The Fundamental Things Apply
Written by John Stephens
Airs 10.21.03

Marty introduces Rory to his friends Roscoe, Sugarman, Josh, and Keebler. He thanks her for giving him her robe that morning after the party and tells her that he'll get it back to her once his mom washes it. He hasn't approached her since then because that experience was so humiliating.

Lorelai is at Luke's, on her cell phone with Emily. Emily is berating her for something. Lorelai wants desperately to get off the phone, so she tries to attract Luke's attention, knowing that he will kick her off the phone due to his "no cell phones" rule. She finally has to throw a spoon at him before he notices that she's on her cell phone and yells at her to get off the phone. Lorelai quickly tells Emily that she has to go and hangs up. She exits the diner, leaving a confused Luke behind.

Rory's at school, discussing "The Sun Also Rises" with other students and a professor. Heather, a neo-hippie is monopolizing the conversation. The professor asks Rory to offer her opinion. Another student, Trevor, agrees with Rory, and the class ends before Heather can interject another thought. Trevor and Rory walk out of the classroom together. Trevor is trying to ask Rory out on a date but she doesn't get it. Finally he asks her point-blank to try a new restaurant with him. She says that she can't this Saturday, but if the restaurant is good she'll go another time. Trevor is disappointed and embarrassed, but Rory is totally oblivious.

Rory comes home to Lorelai's house, carrying a large basket of wet clothes. Lorelai is arranging two pizzas in front of the TV. Lorelai wasn't expecting Rory and asks what she's doing home. Rory explains that someone dumped her clean clothes out of the washer, so now she gets to wash them again on top of everything else she has to do. Rory opens one of the pizza boxes and starts to take a piece, but Lorelai tells her that pizza isn't theirs and to take a piece from the other box. Rory seems confused and ask whose pizza it is when Lane comes running in.

Later, when Lorelai finds out that she turned Trevor down, she tells Rory to try casual dating, because what she had with Dean and Jess was "serial monogamy". Rory agrees to give it a shot.

The next day, Lorelai is sitting with Natalie, the designer for the Dragonfly, played by Traci Lords, at Luke's diner. The diner is pretty much empty and Lorelai, Natalie, and the decorating books are taking up an entire corner. They’re discussing options for various rooms when Luke walks up and asks Lorelai to move the books that are on other tables, because people will want to sit there. Lorelai points out that there are only two other people in the diner, but Luke insists. Lorelai moves the books and Natalie goes back to talking about wallpaper. She mentions that Emily's guest bath has the kind of wallpaper Lorelai's thinking about. Lorelai is taken aback. Natalie explains that she remodeled Emily's second floor a couple of years ago, and assumed that Lorelai got her name from Emily. Lorelai says no, she got it from a magazine. They go back to looking at decorating books, but Lorelai is still freaked out that it's such a small world.

Later, Luke is in a super bad mood. People have been calling the diner and leaving messages with him for Lorelai. Lorelai apologizes and says that people must just know that she's at the diner a lot. A guy, Ed, comes in to pick up some tickets from Luke. Luke shouts at him. Ed gets mad and storms out of the diner, declaring that he'll never accept anything free from Luke ever again. Luke goes to the door and shouts after him. Lorelai is stunned and asks Luke what's wrong with him.

Lorelai is freaked out that she and Emily have had the same designers. She feels weird sharing anything with Emily and wonders if Natalie is some sort of spy. Sookie tells her that she's being paranoid, but Lorelai decides to talk to Natalie anyway. She finds Natalie at Kim's Antiques and asks about Emily. Natalie assures Lorelai that she hasn't had contact with Emily in a very long time, and probably won't in the future.

Lorelai and Luke watch "Casablanca" together at Lorelai's house. Lorelai calls Luke a monk because he's never seen the FBI Warning before, and gets mad at him for talking over the movie. Luke ends up falling asleep on Lorelai's couch.

Rory is on her date with Trevor at an Italian restaurant. Trevor is relaxed but Rory is uncomfortable. Trevor is doing his best to make the date go well, but Rory isn't into it and the conversation keeps lagging. She realizes that this is her fault, so she starts talking about the bowl of mints on the hostess stand, and how scientists have done studies on bowls of mints and found traces of urine on them because of people who come out of the bathroom and grab a mint without washing their hands. What an awkward thing to talk about. Luckily, their pager goes off just then, signaling that their table is ready. The hostess takes them to their booth and Rory sits down on one side. Trevor slides in next to her. Rory is surprised but scoots over. They open their menus. Trevor tries to make a joke but Rory doesn't get that it's a joke, so they just sit and stare at their menus.

Lorelai and Rory eat cookies together while Rory tells Lorelai about her bad date. Lorelai tells Rory that ninety-nine percent of her dates will stink. Rory asks Lorelai to shoot her. Lorelai tells her that it's okay, because the bad dates make for conversation on the next date Rory will go on.

Rory goes into the Yale laundry room to get her clothes from the dryer. A cool-looking, good-looking guy is there putting his own clothes in the dryer that Rory's clothes had been in. She asks about them, and he tells her that someone had already taken them out so he put them in his own basket to keep them clean. She thanks him and looks at his basket, which is covered with rock stickers. She mentions that she loves one of the bands, and they start talking about music and home and stuff. After a minute, Rory asks him if he'd like to grab a cup of coffee sometime. He says no, but thanks, and leaves. Rory sits there, wondering if she should become a nun. End of show.

Episode Six: An Affair to Remember
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Airs 10.28.03

Lorelai and Sookie cater a party for Emily. The party's a launch party thrown for Richard's and Jasons's new business dealings. Lorelai asks Emily to treat them like she'd treat any catering company, and she and Sookie end up jumping through hoops following Emily's orders. They're even asked to go through the servants' entrance when they arrive at the Gilmore house.

Jason, not knowing about the party, tells Richard that they should take their prospective clients on a trip to Atlantic City so that they'll stand out among the competition. Emily is really upset, feeling that she'll have no place in this new world of Richard's, and tells Lorelai that the party is off.

Lorelai goes to Jason's office and they have a great fight where she really stands up for Emily. She's already mad at Jason because she's been trying to get in touch with him and he hasn't returned her calls. You get a real sense of Jason's and Lorelai's history through their fight/conversation. He ends up asking her to dinner. At first she says no, but he reminds her that it will piss Emily off, and she agrees.

Kirk has a date with a girl named Lulu, and it actually goes well. He takes her to Luke's, where he's reserved a table that's set with champagne, candles, and a "Reserved" place card.

One of Rory's professors tells the class that there was a problem with the syllabus and their reading has been pushed ahead a week. Rory goes to her "study tree", but there's already a guy sitting there, reading a magazine. She asks him to move, he refuses and goes back to reading.

Episode Seven: The Festival of Living Art
Written by Daniel Palladino
Airs 11.04.03

The residents of Stars Hollow decide to host their own version of the popular California-based Pageant of the Masters, in which living, breathing people re-create classic and contemporary paintings. Rory is 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". He takes that very seriously and even quarrels with Judas.

Sookie plans to have her baby delivered by a midwife. She's now overdue and is panicking about it. Lorelai tries to calm her down by telling her stories about Rory's birth. Lorelai wants to be there for the birth but first has to try getting along with the midwife.

Jackson's brother Beau is in town for the birth of his nephew. Sookie's lateness is causing Beau to miss more work than he thought he would and forcing him to keep changing his flight which costs him money. He complains about it constantly to Sookie.

A guy named Gil sends Lane's band a demo. They invite him to try out, but are shocked to discover that he's quite older than the rest of them.

Nicole comes to see Luke, wanting to make the marriage work. She asks him why they're rushing to get this divorce, since they do really like each other. He tells her that he doesn't know. The episode ends with him considering this.

Episode Eight: Die, Jerk
Written by Daniel Palladino
Airs 11.11.03

Doyle, the editor at the Yale newspaper, tells Rory that her articles are dull, so Rory writes a stinging review of a Yale ballet, making several derogative comments about the lead dancer in the ballet. After reading the review, the dancer confronts her publicly.

Jason gets Emily to invite him to a Friday night dinner. His hidden motive is to continue to try to get Lorelai to go out with him.

Lorelai sees Nicole at the diner. She's surprised because last she knew, Nicole and Luke were proceeding with the divorce. Luke admits to her that he and Nicole have put the divorce on hold and are dating again.

Mrs. Kim gives Lane a "marriage jug" to send to Dave.

Episode Nine: Ted Koppel's Big Night Out
Airs 11.18.03

Lorelai, Emily, and Richard go to Yale for the Harvard vs. Yale football game. Richard sings with the Whiffenpoofs and Lorelai flirts with Yale guys at a very fancy tailgate party thrown by Richard and Emily. Richard introduces Paris to an old classmate of his, Asher Fleming, who is now a Yale professor.

Lorelai has a conversation with Pennilyn Lott, Richard's ex-fiancée. The conversation leads Emily to think that Richard and Pennilyn have been secretly having lunch for years. Emily is furious with both Richard and Lorelai, so Lorelai decides to stop protecting her mother's feelings and accept a date from Jason, unbeknownst to Richard or Emily.

Lorelai and Jason go out to dinner at an upscale Chinese restaurant, where they're seated in a private room. Lorelai sees Ted Koppel there.

After dinner, Lorelai and Jason go to a store where Lorelai is upset because she can't find the exact chips she wants. Jason persuades a teenage clerk to let them into the back storeroom to look for her chips.

Rory sees Paris and the professor kissing.

Episode Ten: The Nanny and the Professor
Airs 1.20.04

Rory gets back from winter break a little early, so she and a maintenance man are the only ones around. Looking out of the window, she sees Paris get out of Asher Fleming's car and then kiss him. She tells Rory that she got back that morning from seeing her mom.

Lorelai goes to Friday dinner at the elder Gilmore residence, where the Historical Society is giving a walking tour. Richard is upset because the tour was supposed to be over hours ago, and the people taking the tour think the Gilmores are actors.

Emily and Richard still have no clue about Jason and Lorelai's relationship. He wanted to tell them, but she said no. Even though the secrecy was her idea, she's still surprised when Richard and Emily tell her they saw Jason with date at a charity event.

Paris and Rory take part in an all-night hazing ritual for new members of the Yale newspaper staff. Paris sneaks out to meet Professor Fleming, forcing Rory to make excuses for her to Doyle.

One of Rory's new classes, Contemporary Political Fiction, is taught by Asher Fleming.

Lane gets a job at Luke's Diner.

Michel baby-sits for Sookie's son Davey.

Episode Eleven: In the Clamor and the Clangor
Written by Janet Leahy and Sheila Lawrence
Airs 1.27.04

Rory starts seeing William, the guy from the laundry room (that she asked out), around a lot and is embarrassed, especially when she hears that he's telling a story about a girl who asked him out and is now stalking him. She thinks he's talking about her and stews about it for a while. It comes to a head in a International Relations Assocication meeting during a discussion about the Israel/Palestinian conflict, where her heated argument seems to be directed at William, especially when she refers to the spreading of lies and calls him an idiot. William seems baffled at this attack. Finally she confronts him about the stories he's telling, and it turns out he's talking about a girl from high school.

Lorelai is made less than happy by the news that Luke has gotten an apartment with Nicole in Litchfield. When he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to actually move, she tells him that she doesn't want him to leave Stars Hollow.

Luke and Lorelai argue while he shovels the snow around her house. Fed up, he tells her she can do it herself, she tells him that it's her shovel, and he reminds her that he lent it to her three years earlier.

Lane is at Kim's Antiques with other students from the Adventist College. They're working on a project about a leader who has influence over a community, state or nation. The other students want to interview one of the pastors at the school, who has done it every year.

Lane sneaks to New York to play a gig with the band, where the only people who show up to hear them are Brian's parents. Lane begs to be allowed to play that night, although the booker for the club wants to reschedule them. Lane ends up staying out all night without calling Mrs. Kim, though she does call Lorelai, and Luke too, because she works at the diner. Mrs. Kim finds all of Lane's contraband, and after they talk about it Mrs. Kim kicks her out. Lane shows up at Rory's dorm with a suitcase.

Episode Twelve: A Family Matter
Written by Daniel Palladino
Airs 2.03.04

Liz, Luke's sister and Jess's mother, comes to town. Luke doesn't know what to think about her being there.

Lorelai and Jason are still together, and Lorelai takes him furniture shopping. Jason needs a Japanese translator, Mr. Watanabe, in a case he's working on with some Japanese businessmen. Lorelai's with him, a little bummed because he doesn't have mornings off anymore. They go to a bar where the Japanese men sing karaoke.

Paris tells Rory that her affair with Professor Fleming is becoming serious. Rory reminds Paris that she's treating Jamie pretty badly, so Paris breaks up with him.

Lorelai planned on telling her mother about she and Jason at Friday night dinner, but is unable to do it when Emily jokes about how laughable it would be if they were dating. Rory drives them home and plans to stay in Stars Hollow for the weekend.

Luke discovers that the car Jess bought is gone and reports it stolen. The police come into his diner and tell him that they found the car, which had broken down on the freeway, and the guy who was driving it. However, there's nothing they can do, because according to the (expired) registration, the guy's the legal owner: Jess Mariano. They've brought the car and Jess back to the diner, since it looked like a family matter. Neither Jess nor Luke are very happy about this situation. Jess tells Luke that this wasn't his idea; he just came to retrieve his property. After the cops leave, Luke and Jess tell each other that they've got a lot of nerve.

Luke gets protective of Rory.

Rory sees Jess sleeping in his car. She says she can't deal with it and goes home.

Episode Thirteen: Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Airs 2.10.04

Richard and Emily planned on going to a charity event with some guests, but at the last minute they all had to cancel so they're desperate to find people to come and fill their table. Emily tells Lorelai to bring someone, and when she brings Rory, Emily says it's because she can't find a date. Richard's and Jason's secretaries have been roped into coming too. Jason arrives and goes to sit next to Rory, but Emily thinks it will look better if Lorelai and Jason pretend to be a couple, so he sits next to Lorelai. Lorelai and Jason find this amusing and hold hands while speculating about how far they could go with the pretending: dancing, walking outside, making out in a closet.

Richard tells Jason about a cryptic comment that Mr. Stiles (Jason's father) made, which according to Richard's experience means that something big is coming. Jason and Richard then have to leave. Jason apologizes to Lorelai for having to go, but Emily says it's fine because no one would believe they're a couple anyway.

Luke is driving down the street on the way home from seeing Nicole. There's quite a bit of traffic and he sees that it's caused by Jess's car, which is being pushed down the street by some guys, with Jess inside steering.

Liz and some friends of hers from high school are hanging out in the diner. They're there for their 20th High School reunion and are flirting with Luke, commenting on how they all had crushes on him back when he was "Butch" Danes. Liz wants to sell turquoise earrings at Luke's.

The town is having a Firelight Festival which Taylor put Kirk in charge of. He's going nuts trying to make everything perfect. TJ, Liz's loser boyfriend, shows up at the festival. He's selling Liz's earrings and giving out punch. Luke is annoyed by him.

Jess is stuck in town while his car is being repaired. Luke tries to talk to Jess about TJ, but Jess tells him to stop interfering in peoples' lives.

Jess and Rory keep running into each other but he walks away each time. Finally, the third time, she walks away from him. He tells her he loves her, then walks away.

Episode Fourteen: The Incredible Sinking Lorelais
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino
Airs 2.17.04

Janet has a large boyfriend named Kleebold. Paris hates him and doesn't hesitate to insult him to his face. Janet and Paris fight about him while Lane looks on. Paris says that he takes up a lot of space in the dorm and left a dent on the couch, and Janet retaliates by asking, "You have another hot study date with the library?" At the end of the fight, Paris says, "Either she goes, or I go."

Lane packs up her stuff at Yale while a sad Rory looks on.

Lane goes to Luke's diner and asks for her job back, apologizing for leaving so suddenly. He agrees and she tells him that she's not living at Yale anymore. Before she leaves, Lorelai tells her to make sure that Mrs. Kim knows. Lane says she will and tells Lorelai she'll see her at home. After Lane is gone, Luke is acting grumpy and annoyed by the customers' eating habits.

Lorelai, Sookie, and Michel are at the Dragonfly where a lot of construction is going on and a lady named Delia is showing them a couple of horses for the inn. Lorelai and Sookie love them and Lorelai especially wants to purchase them. She calls Rory and leaves a message about the horses, saying that they have to be the first ones to ride them, and makes a reference to a time Rory rode a pony who layed down and rolled her into a ditch. Michel has no interest in the horses, stating: "I do not care for the Animal Kingdom."

On the way to see one of her professors, Professor Gilbert, about a paper she wrote, Rory leaves a message for Lorelai, telling her she wants to talk in person. In the message she also acts confident about what Professor Gilbert has to say; the professor will probably just hand her the "A" paper and tell her she did a good job. However, Professor Gilbert is definitely not thrilled with Rory's paper: among other things she points out that Rory just recycled research from another class. Rory is embarrassed, especially when the professor tells her that she's overloaded herself and needs to drop the class. She tries to convince the professor that she's fine and mentions that Paris is taking the same number of courses and that her Grandfather did in his day, but the professor tells her that she shouldn't compare herself to others and she works at a slower pace. Rory is absolutely stunned, apparently in disbelief that she's no longer the star pupil. The professor reiterates that Rory should drop the course, saying that it's not that big of a deal and many students do it all the time.

Rory confesses her self-doubt about the Yale situation to Dean, who is working on the Dragonfly construction team.

Lorelai is feeling stressed by the nonstop work and not being able to get Rory on the phone. She gets mad at Sookie and accuses her of not pulling her weight, and then talks to Luke for advice about her huge financial problems.

Lorelai is having her hair done when her cell rings. The stylist tells her to leave it, but Lorelai says, "It could be my daughter. We've been missing each other for days."

Richard is angry when he and Lorelai bear the brunt of the nastiness his mother Trix usually reserves for Emily.

Episode Fifteen: Scene in a Mall

Lane moves out of the Kim house. When she leaves, she and Mrs. Kim don't even say goodbye to each other.

Lane moves in with Zach and Brian from the band.

Dean and Rory are at the Dragonfly helping with the construction somehow. Rory is wearing a red rose. Dean tells Rory to hammer the banister, but she doesn't think that she should. Dean says that Tom (head construction guy) isn't there so it's okay. Rory hammers and Dean compliments her on it, saying she's a natural. Rory comments that she must have been a carpenter in another lifetime.

Lindsey and her mom Theresa come up at that moment. Lindsey and Dean kiss. Apparently Lindsey has found a new dry cleaner and they have a little conversation in which she states she is environmentally conscious. Rory says that she likes the environment too. Theresa and Lindsey have brought a picnic lunch to set up and Rory mentions that it's early for lunch. Lindsey's mom says, "Deany gets up at 5." Rory teases Dean about this nickname. Lindsey says that she is learning to cook, and her mom makes a comment about how important it is to teach your kids to cook. Rory takes this to mean that Lindsey is pregnant, but Dean shakes his head "no."

Lorelai, also wearing a red rose, comes up at that moment and jokingly pretends to mistake a bearded man with a beer gut for Rory. She and Rory meet up and Lorelai comments that Rory is wearing a red rose too.

Rory and Lorelai go to the mall to windoshop. They start off having a lot of fun, but slowly start getting bored. Later, they run into Emily and get caught up in her wild shopping spree at an expensive department store. All of the salespeople are scurrying around trying to help their favorite customer. Rory and Lorelai have trouble keeping up with the energetic Emily who is madly buying designer clothes and accessories for Richard. She buys Lorelai evening gowns and cocktail dresses and even a diamond watch that Lorelai doesn't really want because she doesn't wear a watch. Lorelai is trying to settle her mother down, but there's no stopping Emily's shopping fever. Finally Emily admits that she is trying to getting back at Richard, who has been ignoring her to concentrate on his new business.

Episode Sixteen: The Reigning Lorelai
Written by Jane Espenson
Airs 3.02.04

Richard’s mother, also named Lorelai Gilmore but known as "Trix," has died. Everything is handled by Emily until, when she and Lorelai are going through Trix's things, she finds a letter Trix wrote years before begging Richard not to marry her. Emily is so upset that Lorelai is forced to take care of the rest of the funeral arrangements.

Trix had her headstone pre-carved with her dates reading 1918-19_ _, the two blanks left for her date of death, which she assumed would take place in the 20th century. Since she didn't die in the 20th century, it needs to have it re-carved as 1918-2004. However, since it’s special marble from Italy, recarving it would be expensive and risks damage to the monument. Lorelai has to deal with this issue as well as buy underwear for Gran to be buried in.

The funeral is held off-screen. The Gilmores hold the post-funeral gathering at their house. Jason is there. Emily seems concerned about Richard, who is falling apart over the loss of his mother. Rory flirts with some cute guy, but after Lorelai whispers something to her, she hurries away from him.

The second Lorelai Gilmore is freaked out about a headstone having her name on it.

Luke has a loud argument with someone in his apartment above the diner.

Episode Seventeen: Girls in Bikinis, Boys Doin' the Twist
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Airs April 13

Rory and Paris go somewhere that's warm and has a beach for spring break. They stay at the "Sea Sprite" hotel. Rory brings her school stuff and Paris mocks her. Madeline, Louise, Janet and Glenn are there too. There are typical spring break hijinks; fun, craziness, flirting, Rory wondering if two sleeping guys are alive, Glenn eating a lot of hot dogs, etc.

Rory flirts with a guy named Sean. They keep running into each other and flirt tentatively, smiling shyly and stuff.

Rory, Paris, Madeline, and Louise go to a club where the Shins are playing. Madeline and Louise try to get drinks even though they're underage. They're stamped with the blue "underage" mark, but wipe them off and lick older guys' hands and transfer those stamps to their own hands. They offer Paris and Rory drinks, but Rory says "Maybe later." Paris enters a banana-eating contest, not understanding that it's an erotic banana-eating contest. Paris and Rory talk about kissing. Paris wants to know if she's a good kisser, and she can't ask a guy because that'll mean she has low self-esteem. She kisses Rory and asks if she's a good kisser. Rory is put off by her actions and tells Paris she's not her type. Sean teases Rory, asking if Paris is her girlfriend. Rory is embarrassed and runs away.

Paris and Rory watch TV in their hotel room.

Jason and Lorelai return from the movies and Jason seems distracted. Lorelai says that it was great to see Michael Caine in a movie and it's funny because he's in every movie. Jason says he did something wrong and Lorelai asks what it is. Jason offers Lorelai a key to his place, and tries to be all suave and smooth which makes everything awkward and weird. Later when they talk about it, she happily accepts it.

After he discovers that Nicole is seeing another man, Lorelai has to bail Luke out of jail.

Episode Eighteen: Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom!
Airs April 20

Richard and Jason run into Jason's father, Floyd, while golfing.

Richard and Emily invite the Stiles over for dinner. Lorelai and Rory are there too. Emily and Carol Stiles bond over landscaping and baby pictures and are happy that the Gilmores and Stiles have reached a truce.

Floyd sues Jason and Richard for taking his clients, and also reveals that Jason and Lorelai have been secretly dating.

Rory gets upset when Dean tells her he's dropped out of college and is working full-time so that he and Lindsay can buy a townhouse. Lindsay also demands that Dean stop seeing Rory, but the two of them agree to keep meeting secretly.

Luke files for divorce from Nicole.


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