Gilmore Girls: Milo Ventimiglia, Scott Patterson talk revival

When Gilmore Girls premiered, Luke Danes was the epitome of a bachelor. He owned his own business, he lived above it, and he quite literally did whatever he wanted (unless, of course, Taylor got in his way). But that sense of freedom disappeared in season 2 when Luke’s nephew, Jess, came to stay with him.

“[Jess] was, in suburban terms, an at-risk kid, and I had to manage that,” Scott Patterson (Luke) tells EW. “I had to be responsible and set a good example and try to set him on the right course. Incidentally, I loved working with Milo [Ventimiglia]. They were some of my favorite scenes to do.”

The feeling was mutual. “I always had a blast working with Scott,” Milo Ventimiglia (Jess) says. “The stuff between family usually resonates deeper for me, and the relationship that Luke and Jess had started from a place of, on Jess’s side, complete disdain for having to live with his uncle, basically share a room with his grown adult uncle. It drove him nuts. But it turned into something at the very end where Jess genuinely appreciated his uncle looking out for him and pulling him in when he didn’t feel wanted by anyone else.”

In terms of the show’s timeline, Jess’ transition from troublemaker to appreciative adult took about five seasons. It wasn’t until season 6 that Jess was able to stand on his own two feet (and even begin to pay back his uncle). But what could that mean for the upcoming Netflix revival?

When Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life picks up eight years after the Gilmore season 7 finale, Jess and Luke’s relationship will have changed even further. Translation: Could Luke be coming to Jess for advice?

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“At a certain point, children grow up and they’re able to weigh in on their parents’ lives,” Ventimiglia says of Luke and Jess’ new dynamic. “Jess was a kid when he first lived with Luke and then after a time, he grew up. Luke is a smart guy to see that in his nephew to say, ‘He’s carved a path for himself, he’s done well, and more importantly, he’s happy.’ And when people see someone that feels settled in their life, they’re going to be more inclined to listen to that person if they’re giving them perspective.”

Or, as Patterson sums up their new dynamic: “It’s like two men interacting now.”

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life hits Netflix on Friday, Nov. 25.