Gilmore Girls: 10 Reasons Why Jess & Paris Would Have Worked
In the Gilmore Girls episode "There's the Rub," Lorelai and Emily go away for a spa weekend, leaving Rory home alone. Rory was happy about the solitude because she wanted to focus on laundry and homework. Her night took a drastic turn, however, when Paris showed up unannounced to study. But Rory's night didn't end there. Jess soon showed up with a box of food from Luke's Diner as a way to spend more time with her.
What followed was an unexpected night of food and conversation with two very random characters: Paris and Jess. In the brief time these two shared onscreen, fans were in a tizzy over their chemistry. Paris was oddly sweet with Jess as he made his points on differing authors; it was a side to her that fans weren't used to. This small moment made fans wonder what a world with Jess and Paris dating would be like.
10 Ideally, They Would Be Friends First
The only way that Jess and Paris would work would be if they were friends and study buddies first. Although Jess didn't care about school, he was a good listener and knew a lot about Rory and Paris' interests. The two would have met at Rory's house and slowly begin hanging out to read and study together. From there, the two would get used to each other's quirks and flaws before truly falling for one another.
9 Their Debate On Literature Was Civil
As Rory's bizarre evening carried on, the cameras showed the three of them in the kitchen eating and conversing about the Beat Generation, the literary movement of the '50s. Jess and Paris had contrasting views on the Beats but were able to convey their sides without insulting the other (something that Paris isn't used to doing).
Instead of tearing Jess's head off for having a different view from hers, she listened to his side, chimed in when she could, and moved on from the conversation. It was a new side for Pairs, which could have been an inclination that she liked Jess. She acted similarly when she dated Jamie.
8 Jess Would Have Taught Paris To Get Out Of Her Head
Paris is headstrong and self-centered. It's not too often that she cares about the opinions or lives of others. Jess on the other hand is more self-aware. He's self-involved but is curious enough about others where he'll stick his neck out to help them or learn from them. This kind of partnership could have helped Jess in a lot of ways. Jess could have taught Paris to ease up on herself and introduce her to new things. In "There's the Rub," he already introduced her to a French fry dipping sauce combo containing salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
7 Paris Could Have Encouraged Jess To Do More
Rory loved Jess for who he was but she also wanted him to do more for himself. She acted similarly towards Dean. Before dating Logan, she always seemed to fall for guys who were falling behind their potential. She pushed Jess to finish high school and move on to college but that was never Jess' way.
However, perhaps Paris could have made a difference for Jess. Jess ended up having a happy ending, but maybe his future could have been brighter if Paris was behind the scenes.
6 Paris And Jess Were Both Independent And Never Needy
Rory's biggest problem with Dean was how needy he was. That's why she found Jess so appealing; he was in his own little world where he didn't need her. Like Rory, Paris also enjoyed her space and liked a partner who had their own life as well. When she dated Jamie, she didn't like how much he needed her when she attended Yale. Seeing how similar Rory and Paris are in this sense, Jess could have been a good fit for Paris. They would both enjoy their time together but would be happy alone, too.
5 They Could Have Introduced Each Other To Different Artists
Paris was pleasantly surprised when Jess admitted that he enjoyed Jane Austen. Jess was rough around the edges but he was well-read. He always kept up with Rory's readings and what she was studying. He would have done well at school if he had applied himself.
Nevertheless, Paris had the means to travel and meet interesting people that would help her chances of getting into an Ivy League school. She could have introduced different people and sources to Jess, while he could have suggested different musical artists for her to explore. They would have become more adjusted and open people.
4 Their Differing Upbringings Would Have Shaped Each Other
Paris and Jess are alike and different in a lot of ways. They have different perspectives that could have been of value for the other. They had hard exteriors but had soft insides. They were aggressive in how they spoke but they always meant well. Their impatience with other people could have been a connection to their abandonment issues.
These two were both raised by parents who didn't care much about them. Paris' parents were never home, and Jess' mom didn't know how to raise him, so she sent him off to Luke. Between Paris' wealth and Jess' street-smarts, their differences — and their similarities — would have helped their romance.
3 Rory Would Be The Couple's Soundboard
Much like Lane with Dean and Rory, Rory would have been a nice soundboard between Jess and Paris. Rory was friends with both people as individuals before they became a couple, which could help the other when they got into disagreements or arguments. It would also be fun for the three of them to hang out and learn from each other.
2 Rory Hid Her Real Feelings For Jess — Paris Wouldn't Let Him Get Away With It
Whenever Rory had a problem with Jess, she didn't have the confidence to confront him about it until she erupted. By the time she exploded on Jess, he was confused as to why she was so upset. Being yelled at for not being good enough was not at the top of Jess' list, and it affected his relationship with Rory. Paris, on the other hand, would have never let Jess get away with mistreating her. Her honesty would have been frustrating for Jess but also refreshing. Everything would have been laid out on the table instead of kept inside.
1 They Would Have Left Stars Hollow Behind
Jess was never a fan of Stars Hollow as a teenager, and that's mainly because no one in the town treated him with the respect or kindness that Rory showed him (on her good days). He wanted to get out of dodge as soon as he was able. Likewise, Paris judged Rory's small town. She would have never made it in Stars Hollow in the long run, which means she and Jess would have happily moved on from Connecticut and started somewhere new and exciting.