Ella Mitchell
Photography Editor
As we reach the middle of September and the leaves start to turn familiar shades of orange, red, and gold, it becomes prime time for a Gilmore Girls rewatch. As I began my own rewatch of the season, I began to wonder what the Sewanee population thought of each of the main characters Rory’s love interests.
Gilmore Girls, a widely popular 2000s TV show created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, focuses on the lives of a single mother (Lorelei) and her young adult daughter (Rory). Throughout the series, Rory has three main love interests. Dean, her first boyfriend, who has been labeled as the worst by many fans of the show. Jess, the fan favorite stereotypical artsy bad boy. And Logan, the long term college boyfriend. Obviously, each of these characters have more traits that make them appealing to fans and to Rory’s character, but these are the basic descriptions.
After creating a Google form to collect the thoughts of the student body, I wasn’t surprised to see that not a single person voted for Dean. He is hated by fans for many reasons, including the fact that he cheated on his wife with Rory. Obviously, the opinion of the larger internet fanbase stays true with Sewanee students.
That leaves us with two options: Logan and Jess. I was impressed with the compelling arguments made for each of these characters. As a Jess fan, I had to force myself to hear out the Logan arguments in an unbiased fashion. I have to say that I found them very convincing.
Logan and Rory meet at Yale where he is first introduced to viewers as a bold yet charming rich kid. After they first meet it is evident that Logan is a “no relationship” kind of guy, a type most of the Sewanee population is familiar with. Rory manages to change that as their relationship develops. She remains with Logan throughout most of her time in college, even during her time off from Yale. Rory’s relationship with Logan is the longest out of all of her relationships in the original series.
Now, let’s hear some Sewanee students make their case for Logan. Ella Madej (C’ 27) said: “He wasn’t manipulative, he showed up for her, and he supported her passions.” Emily Litchfield (C’ 27) also makes a similar point: “Logan makes Rory the happiest and can easily financially support her! He’s also very smart and holds the same passions as her.” Another very compelling argument on behalf of Logan is made by Sloan Rogers (C’ 25): “He was there for her and always prioritized her. Especially as he matured he became a person who was in tune with Rory’s needs while being there for her through family situations. They have similar backgrounds so he would understand her in ways others couldn’t.”
I had a feeling all along that Sewanee would be a campus to favor Logan over Rory’s other relationships, but quite a few students also argued on behalf of Jess. When we are first introduced to Jess, he reads as a stereotypical bad boy. Once the viewers (and Rory) get to know him on a deeper level, it is evident that he is very intellectual and shares the same passion for books that Rory does. Their relationship begins when Rory and Dean break up, because it is obvious to everyone that Rory and Jess have developed feelings for each other. Jess is often considered a fan favorite because of the similarities he shares with Rory and the fact that he has some of the most iconic quotes in the series. I give you: “WhY DiD yOu DrOp OuT oF yAlE!!” (Season 6, Episode 8)
The arguments made for Jess by Sewanee students are very understandable. Mary Pomeroy (C’ 27) believes Jess is the “hottest and the most compatible imo [in my opinion].” Cassidy Reynolds (C’ 28) shares a similar opinion. “Reading is hot and so is Milo Ventimiglia,” she said. Although many fans believe that the actor who plays Jess is conventionally attractive, that is not the only reason they think that Jess is the best match for Rory. Camille Pfister (C’ 25) believes, “He’s the only one of Rory’s boyfriends who really understood her, especially when it came to books and the world. He also could see through her, like when he was one of the only people who could tell her she needed to go back to Yale.”Both sides of this debate are very strong, but at this point it comes down to the numbers. 58.3% of Sewanee students who opted to participate in the Google Form voted for Jess, while 41.7% voted for Logan. This makes Jess the ‘winner’ among the Sewanee population, but Logan is not far behind. Personally I believe the ideal boyfriend for Rory (and me, let’s be real) is a mix of all of the good qualities in Logan and Jess. But, you can go start your annual Gilmore Girls rewatch and decide for yourself! Happy Gilmore Girls Fall!