A Family Matter

A Family Matter
Season	4
Episode	12
INFO
Airdate	3 February 2004
Written by	Daniel Palladino
Directed by	Kenny Ortega
EPISODES
Previous	In the Clamor and the Clangor
Next	Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels

A Family Matter is the 12th episode of Season 4 of Gilmore Girls.

Synopsis

Family affairs flummox Luke (Scott Patterson) when his flighty sister Liz (guest star Kathleen Whilhoite, "ER") returns to town to attend her high-school reunion and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) subsequently appears to reclaim his missing car. At Yale, Rory's (Alexis Bledel) caught in the middle when Paris (Liza Weil) tries to dodge a visiting Jamie (guest star Brandan Barash); and Lane (Keiko Agena) gets a taste of dorm life.

Plot

Luke is wary when his ditzy sister Liz shows up for an unexpected visit. Lorelai promises Jason that she will tell her parents about their relationship, but changes her mind after Emily jokes about how laughable it would be if Lorelai and Jason began dating. When Paris confesses to Rory that her affair with the professor is becoming serious, Rory reminds her how badly she is treating her boyfriend Jamie, so Paris breaks up with him. Finally, Luke discovers Jess' car is missing and reports it stolen, but discovers that Jess has come back to town to pick up the car. Rory comes upon Jess sleeping in his car but walks away without speaking to him.

Starring

Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore Scott Patterson as Luke Danes Keiko Agena as Lane Kim Liza Weil as Paris Geller Sean Gunn as Kirk Gleason Chris Eigeman as Jason Stiles and Kelly Bishop as Emily Gilmore Special Guest Star Milo Ventimiglia as Jess Mariano Recurring cast Emily Kuroda as Mrs. Kim Olivia Hack as Tana Schrick

Guest starring Joe J. Garcia as Coop Brandon Barash as Jamie Kathleen Wilhoite as Liz Danes Co-Starring Jason Dugre as Customer Pat Crawford Brown as Mrs. Cassini

Quotes

Luke – Families. I mean, they're just messes. It's like this - spilled drink that just keeps spilling, and ya gotta keep cleaning it up, and you scrub and you scrub and you just can't get the stain up! Show me a happy family - just one. Didn't that Tolstoy-guy say something about families?

Lorelai – Probably

Luke – It's a famous thing he said. It's like: "all families are unhappy" …or, or, or "happy on the surface"… or "unhappy in the same way"…

Lorelai – Sounds a little incomplete.

Luke – Well, y'know, maybe he couldn't complete the thought because he was dealing with his stinkin' family

Trivia

• Paris breaks up with Jamie.
• Rory can't deal with Jess being back.

Music

shy boy | BANANARAMA

Photos

Gilmorisms

MUSIC

• The Doobie Brothers

LITERATURE

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

FILM

• Good Morning, Vietnam
• The Court Jester
• The Graduate

POP CULTURE

Lorelai – I love that shirt.

Kirk – It's an Arnold Palmer.

Lorelai – Yeah. It's not "Donner Pass", we have cheese.

Lorelai – Well, it's freezing out here. He could die, he must not know.

Rory – Or doesn't care.

Lorelai: Do you think David Blaine put him up to this?

Lorelai – So, danger, Will Robinson.

Luke – Families. I mean, they're just messes. It's like this - spilled drink that just keeps spilling, and ya gotta keep cleaning it up, and you scrub and you scrub and you just can't get the stain up! Show me a happy family - just one. Didn't that Tolstoy-guy say something about families?