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Rory is accepted into the elite Chilton prep school. Bad news for Lorelai: she must make amends with her parents to borrow the money for Rory's tuition. The money is available--with strings attached.

October 5, 2000 | The WB

• Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore 
• Alexis Bledel as Rory Gilmore

Welcome to Stars Hollow, founded in 1779 and thriving! We meet Lorelai as she walks into Luke’s Diner and asks for coffee. He tells her she has a problem because she’s a coffee junkie—but there’s nothing he can do about it. Why? Because he loves her. I mean… maybe not. It’s the pilot.

We also meet her 15-year-old daughter, Rory. While getting coffee, a random dude hits on both of them separately. Classic Gilmore Girls—so close in age they could be sisters.

Lorelai heads to work at the Independence Inn, where we meet her coworkers: Michel, a rude French man who runs the front desk, and Sookie St. James, the wildly talented and chaotic chef—and Lorelai’s best friend. Sookie dreams of one day owning an inn with Lorelai.

Meanwhile, Rory is hanging out with her best friend, Lane Kim. They’re discussing an upcoming hayride that Lane’s mom is forcing her to attend in hopes of setting her up with the son of one of her friends.

Then Lorelai gets BIG news: Rory has been accepted to the ultra-exclusive prep school, Chilton. This is huge, because it makes Rory’s dream of going to Harvard that much more possible. Lorelai tells Rory, and she is pumped.

But the joy doesn’t last long. Lorelai finds out how much Chilton costs—and it’s a lot. They need the money immediately, or Rory can’t start on Monday. There’s only one option, and it’s the worst one: asking her wealthy parents for help. Lorelai shows up at their house, and it’s immediately clear the relationship is rocky. They agree to pay—but on one condition: weekly dinners with Lorelai and Rory. Lorelai reluctantly agrees.

At school, Rory is packing up her things when she bumps into Dean, the new kid from Chicago. They talk, and Rory quickly starts to like him, despite the extremely concerning fact that he admits he watches her every day because she’s “nice to look at.” Sir.

After a sweet afternoon with Dean, Rory tells Lorelai she’s not sure she wants to go to Chilton anymore. Lorelai is confused and upset, but it suddenly clicks—it’s because of a boy. Lorelai tells Rory she will not allow her to throw her life away for some random guy. Rory is going to Chilton whether she likes it or not. It’s not a great night… nothing a little Macy Gray can’t help.

It’s finally time for the first Friday night dinner, and it’s a disaster. Lorelai’s father, Richard, brings up Rory’s dad, Christopher, and all the success he’s having with his internet startup in California. Lorelai spirals. She and her mom, Emily, end up fighting in the kitchen, and Rory overhears everything—including the fact that her grandparents are paying for Chilton.

By the end of the night, Rory recognizes her mom’s bravery and agrees to go to Chilton. The episode ends where it belongs: the Gilmore girls sitting in Luke’s Diner, talking.

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