Don’t Show, Tell

Flipping old writing advice on its head for a dramatic effect

Late in season two of Gilmore Girls, Rory and Jess clearly are infatuated with each other. The problem? Well, there are many.

Rory has a boyfriend.
Rory’s mother doesn’t approve of Jess.
Jess’s uncle/guardian doesn’t want Jess dating at all right now.
The entire town is watching and judging.
Jess is a Bad Boy.

But they have chemistry and shared interests and an intellectual connection and similar senses of humor, but enough differences to challenge each other in interesting ways.

So when Jess needs to be “tutored” in basically every subject, Rory takes the job. Outwardly, it’s because she wants to please people, but inwardly it’s because she wants to spend one-on-one time with Jess.

They study… a little. Mostly they flirt and talk about books and music and then they go get ice cream. In the car, they’re flirting again and Jess asks if Rory wants to go back to studying, but she tells him to keep driving.

Then Lorelai gets a phone call. Rory is in the hospital, but says she’s fine, don’t freak out.