still team jess

So yesterday was the big Back to Work day-- and I'm here to tell the tale! Or not. I mean, I am. There's just not much to tell. It was better than I'd expected, and also I only went for a half-day, so...that probably helped. I survived three hours (plus lunch out with friends...but Millie joined us for that part, so I'm not sure it counts). Now I just have to do it again. And again. And again.

So since I'm not yet really ready to reflect on all that, let's chat about what I am currently devoting lots of brainpower to: Gilmore Girls.

Source

For once I'm not just a decade behind the times. I was a huge GG fan back in the original glory days when it first aired- I zealously watched every episode with my roommates and friends during college (and after...) and was more than thrilled when Netflix released all of the seasons on October 1! There are very few shows that I enjoy re-watching, but Gilmore Girls definitely makes the cut. The wit! The fast talking! The early 2000s clothing! The heartwarming relationship between Lorelei and Rory! The scary relationship between Emily and Lorelei! The charming small town!!

But above all?

Jess.

Ohhhhhh Jess.

Oh Jess.

I just...I mean, I'm 31 years old, happily married, and I can pretty safely say I have very few TV show crushes left...but there's just something about Jess.

When I started re-watching, I halfway wondered if he'd still have his appeal. I mean, I'm ten years older than I was the last time I 'met' him. Would his bad boy act still charm me? His wardrobe from 2001? His weird references to bands I've never heard of...would that still be alluring? 

Turns out...yes. JESS. What is it about him??!

PS. I'm not alone here. I regularly chat with no less than two other fellow married-and-thirty-plus friends who are also re-watching GG and who also still believe that he is as fabulous now as he was then. I also did a quick poll of my coworkers (perk of going back to work!) and the general response when I mentioned Jess was a dreamy sigh and an oh, Jess... So...I think I'm speaking on behalf of everyone (female) on earth, here.

Matt, upon hearing my excitement every time I see the words 'Milo Ventimiglia' scroll across the bottom of the screen during the opening montage, thus promising he will have a prominent role in the upcoming episode, started watching over my shoulder.

"What's so great about Jess? Isn't Rory dating Dean? What's wrong with Dean? Jess is a jerk."

It's hard to explain. I don't quite understand it myself.

There's nothing wrong with Dean. Dean is fine. No one hates Dean. He's just...boring. Predictable. Not terribly smart, not terribly funny, not terribly great. He's just fine. Not like fine-fine...not 'fine' like Matthew McConaughey...'fine' like vanilla ice cream. It's fine. It is what it is. It'll do if there's nothing better to eat, it's just not really worth getting excited about. 

Jess is the misunderstood, angsty bad boy. That character stereotype usually holds ZERO interest for me. I don't like bad boys. I was much like Rory as a high schooler- a rule following nerd. I liked guys that were also rule following nerds. I rolled my eyes at bad boys. But Jess...he's just different. He's smart. Witty. He has reasons for his bad attitude! And he is really, really, extremely good looking.

Source

While many of the show characters look a little dated by today's standards...Jess...no. Not a bit. But it's not just his good looks that have me on Team Jess. It's that he's just the better guy for Rory. 

After watching for about 30 seconds, Matt's like "so even though there's nothing wrong with Dean, you think it's fine for Rory to just leave him and date Jess because he's cuter and more interesting?"

It sounds harsh when you put it like that, but yeah, pretty much. I wouldn't advocate that to a married lady, but to a 16 year old high schooler (who is also a fictional character)? Sure, why not. Team Jess. Go for it.

I thought I would have a lot of really deep thoughts about this whole topic, but it turns out that I don't. Jess is just Jess. He's the better choice. And he is strangely beloved by a lot of women in their thirties, so...that isn't creepy at all, is it?

If you survived all that drivel, you will be rewarded with a little Halloween treat:

And the answer is no: there are not any more kissable cheeks on the face of the whole earth. She wins.