Mitchum Gives Rory Career Feedback | Gilmore Girls

[@queencleopatra007]

Mitchum was right though. Someone who has a total melt down over one rejection clearly doesn't have what it takes for the cut-throat world of journalism. She didn't even try to prove him wrong, or take any of his criticism into consideration, she just gave up.

[@MissCalaMari]

I think most 21-year-old over-achievers would completely freak out when the most important man in the business told them they weren't cut out for the job they were dreaming of since they were little...

[@aliyabawany2444]

Because he said he did her a big favor. How does one filter such critique with no witnesses to cajole them? Take it as a challenge and waste time in the wrong place? Or take time away and find they'll just screw anything else up that they're interested in when they have no idea what "else" even means. Where putting effort and staying on top of the game did not reward, there, trying to take things easy like the majority of the folk might be worth a try.

[@aliyabawany2444]

Wouldn't you think it is wrong of him to say to her, "Push him on that, won't you?" during work hours about a motel booking? Rory's readiness to be Mitchum's son's girlfriend and a good journalist are mutually exclusive. The tougher and more opinionated she is, the more she is as Shira Huntzberger and Logan's grandfather described her. In circumstances like this, it is key that Rory realizes Mitchum has motives. I'm with Lorelai on this one. Sure Rory could use criticism from time to time but not that ends with, "I may have done you a big favor."

[@-kaminhou-9834]

​@@aliyabawany2444 The thing is, if she bounce it back after that she could have been a top journalist. It wanst written in stone, she did what people asked because she was hopping that she would get praised. In the real world it doenst work like that, and in a really competitive area also donst. Her reaction that define that she would be a good journalist or not.

[@ivanniapicado5578]

Rory was so spoiled! She was smart but not extraordinary. I believe Lorelai projected her own needeness in her daughter

[@dercuwuin]

The way Rory just sat there with a big smile expecting praises…

[@cfinley81]

@@dercuwuin YUP.

[@kasiaxx-k9x]

yes!!! Alex played her role perfectly :D

[@paperrev]

And then we learn in the revival series that Mitchum was spot on the money with Rory here - the way she fell asleep MID-INTERVIEW was so telling...

[@march.286]

More like at the very beginning of the interview, it was an easy job, the theme was interesting and there were tons of people to talk to, yet she couldn’t manage to make one article out of that

[@deztheray8935]

Ya he was. You could tell throughout the series, she hates anything risky and can’t take any type of critique.

[@RilianSharp]

being a good journalist doesn't make you magically able to stay awake when you need sleep.

[@Emmalittlepengelly1690]

There are other newspapers and publications! Not all jobs fit a person. She would find her niche.

[@0FynnFish0]

Honestly, I could see his point even here. Rory has always been rather cautious and it's no surprise he thinks that is not a good prerequisite for becoming a journalist. And it's not like he yelled at her or insulted her. He told her what he saw as her strengths (intelligence and organization) and why he thinks that journalism is not a good fit for her personality. Is he a great diplomat? Nope, but he's not wrong either.

[@brontiq]

I was told by a man I LOVED I don't got it. Later on by my boss. And guess what? Now I'm the boss. She clearly expected praise, but got destroyed by one man's opinion. That only proves he was right.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yes precisely

[@SagemaGrindset1894]

mitchum even says something along the lines of "sometimes my hunch is wrong" so at that point he was just outright saying "prove me wrong Rory"

[@ZBM-jj1xr]

You are exactly right. You can see a repeat of this in "A Year" where she thought she wouldn't have to prove herself for a job, but should rather just be gifted it because she's somehow too good for it. At the very beginning of my career I too was told I didn't have it. My boss at the time actually discouraged me and it took some time to get over my own insecurities. With a lot of hard work and putting myself out there however I fully exceeded what those people at the beginning thought I could achieve. I actually also ended up the boss of the boss who was so discouraging at the beginning, which I enjoyed. I ended up leaving though because another company basically threw an amazing opportunity into my lap. An opportunity this person had thought I wouldn't be able to achieve many moons ago. In return though I don't tell people they don't have it. I offer clear feedback and what is going well and what are things they need to learn in order to succeed, but I leave it up to the people themselves to conclude whether they make it or not and try to be as encouraging as possible to go out and achieve their goals. While I'm glad I was able to prove my critics wrong, I do feel going beyond clear feedback and concluding someone can never hack it, is presumptious. It made me seriously doubt myself those first few years. I kept at it, but I was also incredibly harsh towards myself and I don't wish that onto anyone. There are many roads that lead to Rome.

[@gerstein03]

Mitchum wasn't even unkind here. He was up front with his criticism and didn't sugarcoat it but he didn't do it in a way that was mean. He didn't take potshots at her act like she was incapable of anything. He simply said that he didn't think she had the drive that he as a longtime veteran of this industry considers essential for the job

[@anthonyanderson9303]

Right? He even complimented her good qualities.

[@0FynnFish0]

Exactly. Plus he told her he's been wrong before. She could've benefitted and grown so much from that criticism... if she'd had the drive. Oops.

[@jennakerkman5406]

I personally don't see the negative with being a good assistant, I understand it's not what she wants to do but she could have always shadowed someone in journalism to build the drive and confidence she lacked from being coddled and treated as a golden child by almost everyone.

[@homerc9101]

And that is exactly what she was told to do, but instead of proving him wrong she stole a boat. This is what happens when you protect your kid too much, their self-esteem can't handle criticism if they believe they are a golden child.

[@revi6482]

And to be fair: being an assistant takes a lot. Hell even a secretary can be quite difficult at times. And it shows how great she was in the first 20 seconds with everyone in the scene. It was fast paced, she got everyone everything they needed, got even more info and had to make sure that everyone got what they needed to do their work. And to be honest that’s quite the skill. Some people really underestimate how hard the job of an assistant can be.

[@anthonyanderson9303]

@@revi6482 Yea and Admin Assistants can make good bank in that right situation. It's an admirable career.

[@jclyntoledo]

​@@revi6482I agree especially bc it wouldn't be a generic office assistant/clerk it would be more of an admin assistant job which is a pretty good career and can branch off into HR if she ever wants to dive in to that. She could have 100% taken that route and been successful.

[@enticingrose215]

​@jclyntoledo Late to the party but I wanted to comment on this thread because everyone is so right! I believe Rory felt rejected when Mitchum pointed out that she would make a good Assistant because she felt she's "above" just being an assistant. "Just" an assistant? What? The Golden Rory? Noooo. But that is a damn good job and career path. I think many characters on the show looked down on certain careers and even blue collar workers like when Jess once worked at Walmart. When there's nothing wrong with any of those types of jobs or careers. Just wanted to weigh in and thank you guys for this thread!

[@TommyLellan]

"I just don't think you have the DRIVE to get the story." Flashbacks to Rory falling asleep in line for a story... Well well well.

[@jclyntoledo]

Exactly! 😂😂😂 Also it's funny that in the Revival the only reason why she has no job is bc all of the jobs she would be qualified for and good at she turns down as if they are beneath her. If you keep pushing yourself in a career that isn't aligned with you, you will keep hitting road blocks. For example she really should have taken the teaching job at Chilton because she probably would have done a really great job.

[@teacake2298]

If she really had the passion, she should have used that feedback as fuel to prove Mitchum wrong.

[@moon7shinev150]

He even says "Maybe I'm wrong" Mitchum is literally asking her to prove him wrong

[@angrykatrants]

Honestly I am glad Mitchum said this. Nepotism and following instructions to a T isn’t enough. Drive goes a long way, and Rory didn’t really show drive (like Paris does.)

[@Surfer041]

Paris had drive, for sure, but she was unbearable

[@angrykatrants]

@@Surfer041 Yes she’s an insufferable narrow minded woman and i would NOT vibe with her, but at least she went for what she wanted!

[@LOSTmyHOST]

Ikr? This apply to any job. Only doing what they ask you is not enough to grown at all.

[@Surfer041]

@@LOSTmyHOST Rory's downfall began when she slept with Dean after he married Lindsey.

[@anthonyanderson9303]

@@Surfer041 But you noticed Paris was a more successful adult than Rory. For all her faults, Paris was a go getter.

[@Solitude1990]

With a child’s mind, you think Mitchum was an asshole here. However, you eventually grow up and realize Mitchum was right. Rory was so coddled all her life she didn’t know HOW to take criticism. In the reunion you can see why Rory is struggling. She gets offered a position to TEACH at a prestigious Ivy League private school and she declined it because again she thinks she’s better than that; just like she thought she was too good to be an assistant

[@23magneta]

Mitchum failed to communicate his expectations from the start. In many internships, Rory would’ve been ripped to shreds if she dared to share an idea during a meeting without being asked. Mitchum should’ve mentioned during her orientation that everyone, including interns, are encouraged to share ideas. You have to be very clear especially with young interns. I trained many employees and made sure they knew my expectations from day 1. This gave me a much better insight into my employees’ abilities rather than make foolish assumptions.

[@homerc9101]

@@23magneta She could had asked other former interns what did Mitchum wanted, her job is to get information and to learn how to read people. She got an internship with one of the most important persons in media, you don't do just the basic.

[@snowyy.5275]

@@homerc9101 As a direct report, you sometimes run into bad managers who don’t give feedback, share expectations, or coach. She should have managed up and been more proactive, but these are also things I learned in my mid-20s after experiencing multiple absentee managers. It doesn’t change the fact he’s also a terrible mentor and should not have said what he said. Hearing that from someone who’s in a much more powerful position in the industry, relative to her, seniority, and who she respected is crushing, and even without that, that is never how feedback is delivered. He PR-speak said she is inherently unworthy of the profession, not “these are your weaknesses and you need to work on them to do well as a journalist.”

[@anthonyanderson9303]

@@23magneta But that's the point tho. If you have to be told that, you clearly don't have it in you. You think Paris would have to be told that?

[@joshjones1848]

At this moment Rory Arc changed for the worst And if that was Paris we can all agree mitchum would be scared and hire her on the spot

[@moviegal6000]

After the reboot this conversation proved what Amy Sherman-Palladino thought of Rory's talents. She was gearing up to show that Rory absolutely didn't have what it took to be a reporter at that moment AND that she couldn't handle criticism of any kind. I also think Rory's response to this was very in line with what we knew about her from previous seasons. She was a girl who got nothing but praise and instead of using this as fuel to do better she reacted like a child and threw a temper tantrum, a rich kid temper tantrum. Also, ask ANY executive or person in leadership about the importance of their executive assistants and they will sing their praises. I absolutely know people whose professional lives would fall apart if they had to deal with professional scheduling. Scheduling is so important in politics that there literally is a position in Congressional offices called a Scheduler. We know as a view that being an EA wasn't what Rory wanted but I know as someone who works for people whose titles are CEO/Partner/Senior VP/VP their lives are VERY BUSY, and EAs make getting their attention 1000x easier than without.

[@SavannahSteel]

I think I identify so much with Rory because I’m in news, and I had an experience similar to this. The more I gave, the more they wanted. My best was never quite good enough. If I did do something right, he’d acknowledge it, but not without tearing me down for something I could’ve done better. At the end of the day, we can all do better. He could’ve done better. I’m at a new station now, and I’m set on throwing out my idea of perfectionism so I can actually be proud of my work. I hate what he turned me into. I hate how he disrupted my life. But at the same time, sometimes we need to be disrupted.

[@eeshaw95]

I think it's totally realistic she feels crushed and panicky about this feedback, even tho it may be warranted, especially when she has seemed talented in academia/been lauded as a gifted student her whole life. It's also realistic to have a dramatic reaction when the whole fabric of your belief system gets up-ended....but SHEESH they could've handled the "Rory takes a break from Yale and seeks privileged refuge in the arms of her wealthy grandparents" storyline WITHOUT HER STEALING A BOAT OMG

[@lisasolier504]

She’s insulted at the assistant compliment because she thinks she’s better than that. He was right about her. She never even studied abroad yet claimed to idolize Christiane Amanpour 🙄

[@Romy-90]

omg that's so true! she definitely should've studied abroad and learn several different languages to be successful in that field. I think unconsciously she was always afraid to leave the comfort of her home and her safety net of her grandparents because at the end of the day she's doesn't really have the drive to fight for her 'dream job'.

[@IrideGonzalez-u1l]

Several thoughts.... 1. You can't expect such a young person to always take everything with the maturity a more seasoned adult would. The fact that she had a meltdown doesn't mean she can't improve. If someone chooses to manage feelings the right way, they'll learn resilience and bounce back eventually. 2. For employers, I think it is a very ineffective form of feedback to simply say that you just don't have "it." What's "it"? Be specific and communicate effectively. Thankfully, this guy eventually listed what "it" meant, but only after some resistance from Rory. If she hadn't questioned his advice, he literally would've told her that little of information, that she didn't have "it." Effective feedback is clear and objective, and comes accompanied with expectations of what would change things for the better. 3. For employees... even if they feel like the employer isn't fair or clear in the feedback, they way you take it may make or break whatever image you portray of yourself so far. I've learned this the hard way. Learn to say "yes, thank you for that feedback. As someone whose been in this industry, what would you suggest in order to overcome X, Y, Z?". Then take note and respect that person's advice. Wherever possible, apply the advice by setting goals and report to the employer on your progress. It can go a long way. 4. Sometimes, only sometimes, there's nothing wrong with you. Just like in dating, sometimes the employee-company combo isn't the best match, and it's just a matter of finding a better match. An employer has a right to express that. An employee has a right to express that too.

[@cfinley81]

Mitchum Huntzberger did NOTHING WRONG. He was 100% correct and was probably the ONLY person to ever be honest with Rory. The fault of her downfall is with her family. Period!

[@23magneta]

He did plenty wrong actually. Rory is around 20 and an intern. For many young people, a job like this would be their first experience in the workplace. I’ve trained many employees of varying ages. The one thing you must do as a manger is establish your expectations for behavior and work performance. You really need to spell it out for very young employees. In some workplaces, interns are expected to stay silent unless spoken to while others are encouraged to share ideas. The fact that Rory didn’t know she was allowed to share her ideas tells me that Mitchum failed to communicate his expectations from the start. As a manager, I would not have made a judgment call about someone’s potential after 2 weeks especially after failing to orient them properly. Many young people make a million mistakes during the first couple of months. One of my best employees messed up so much during his first month as an intern. If I acted rashly like Mitchum and advised him to find something else, I would’ve missed out on a great employee. It’s best to give an intern a couple of months to settle in before giving a major life altering critique.

[@jamieson88]

@@23magneta Fair.

[@heyarmyyounicekeepfighting1747]

The fact that Rory just sat down with a big smile on her face expecting to get a sticker on her forehead is really upsetting. Poor kid she has never been through a downfall before her whole life everyone she knows has always been nice to her and everything comes easy for her. That’s why I’m somewhat grateful that I experienced downfalls at a young age. It taught me how to be strong, how to receive criticism as a lesson not an insult. Rory should have been taught better so she would of been prepared and not cry and ruin her life because for any of you who haven’t seen the reboot you’ll be very disappointed of her is so depressing💔

[@xupetefierro]

rory would have killed it as miranda preastly's assistant

[@annaji-r4u]

i love this comment so much it exceeds human limits

[@Haleycarol]

Kinda sad to hear that Rory cannot except on rejection, yes she is good at journalism but not everyone will accept her, she has got to learn to take criticism

[@MrHappy3feet]

How would you feel if the top guy on your career/passion told you that you shouldn’t be doing it cause “you don’t have it”? It would definitely affect me

[@Haleycarol]

@@MrHappy3feet im not saying what he did was ok, but ij just saying he isnt worth it and that she shouldnt listen to him, as its only one mans opinion but also move on from the critisim

[@MissCalaMari]

Rory has been criticised before and handled it okay. When she started Chilton, she got bad feedback from her teachers that she needed to improve and apply herself more and she buckled down and succeeded. When Doyle said her pieces for the Yale Daily News weren't cutting it, she buckled down, improved and succeeded. She struggled academically her first year at Yale and got told she had to drop a class. She got upset at first (which is fine, in my opinion), but she followed the advice and we see her grades massively improving. But this instance was simply bigger than all of that. Mitchum is considered the most important man in the business. Of course it would cause her to freak out and rethink her entire plans for the future.

[@kucylja]

@@MrHappy3feet to be fair he also said that he was wrong before. But she heard only the other part.

[@citydweller99]

@@MrHappy3feet I would either strive to prove them wrong.. or do some soul searching and see if they're right. I wouldn't do what Rory did.. that's for sure.

[@TheUnknown-yx8zc]

I honestly thought he was really nice about it. He didn’t even think she was a bad worker. He was just saying she needs to be more agressive. She just took it the wrong way

[@nicholethomas1382]

She was so happy at the job but he was totally right, she didn’t have the drive to grasp the opportunity he put right in front of her.

[@revi6482]

However she was a great assistant. And Mitch even said that himself. I just hate how people say “assistant is so sexist” when even in the minutes before it showed how she winged that job.

[@theclownwholivesinthemoaville]

The thing I observe about this conversation, is that not once did Rory ask mitchum on how to improve herself as a person in order to be a journalist, she just got put out and gave up. It doesnt matter if mitchum's advice was useless or whatnot, atleast she could've made improvements with the critisism he had given her. But completely dropping out of YALE for that?? Big screw up indeed. She could've atleast attempted the career. I totally get that she was upset, it was probably unexpected for her, hell I'd cry myself to sleep that night if i got told that, but thats the real world. I've seen so many people getting told that they "dont got it" yet they still proved them wrong. Mitchum wasn't even rude about it either, in fact, I'd say he was being pretty generous, he told her that he never thought that she wasn't smart or something, but that she just needed the drive, I've seen way harsher critiques.

[@m.j.mbrooks1859]

Agreed. To be a journalist and to get any sort of story, you HAVE to not be afraid to ask any questions. They have to take initiative and be able to do the research and interview people from every kind of walk of life about every kind of topic there is. And if she can’t even ask Mitchum for feedback on ways to improve herself to be better equipped to pursue things with the head and drive and heart of journalist, she’ll never get a single story. And there are other rival papers and news agencies with the drive of five Paris Gellars to get answers and a story published first before anyone else. That’s one of the biggest things about the news, there’s always a battle to get the inside scoop first and published before anyone else. Otherwise, what use is your news agency if eight other news stations have already published the story before you? Rory is the gifted child who has always coasted. And unfortunately there are other people her age who went to more rigorous schools that easily ace classes she struggles in and with the drive of five Paris Gellars. And they all would do anything to be in front of Mitchum.

[@lunaloutfy]

Oh God… this scene made me so uncomfortable because I feel for Rory. I really do. She’s been coddled and overprotected by everyone her whole life. Her mom thinks she can do no wrong, the town of Stars Hollow worships her, and her grandparents think so highly of her. The one time she gets to step into the real world and receive criticism, she spirals. I wouldn’t say that I went to her lengths (such as stealing a boat and dropping out of college), but I’ve definitely related to the feeling of being so overprotected by my loved ones. Now, I feel like I don’t know what to do even if I’ve always had a certain path that I’ve envisioned ever since I was little. I don’t agree with some of her actions, but I do think that what she went through was realistic. The privilege, the high standards and expectations, the suffocating and overwhelming pressure to be perfect, it can really take a toll on someone. I love how complex her character is. She’s just a girl who made mistakes in her life. Nobody’s perfect. But I do hate how they changed her like that. Rory Gilmore, they could never make me hate you! (The only time I fully couldn’t stand her character was when she slept with Dean. Aside from that, I still very much empathize for her.) I just wish she worked harder for what she wanted.

[@joanclayton5212]

I wish people would stop saying Rory was protected her whole life. She grew up poor staying in the back of a rundown hut with a teenaged single mother. There was a reason she was a loner, even Mrs. Kim would give her Bibles and people would make snide comments against her. They didn’t like her. Only Sookie, Babet, and Luke. That’s 3 people. Even her dad’s parents called her a mistake baby.

[@queencleopatra007]

​@@joanclayton5212What? Thr entire town sang her praises, constantly.

[@joanclayton5212]

@@queencleopatra007 It’s like 3 people that liked her. You notice she doesn’t have any friends her own age outside of Lane. Like the grandfather said at her graduation party, the town likes Lorelei. When you rewatch it… she only has three cheerleaders from the town… Babbet, Sookie, and Luke.

[@MissCalaMari]

People say who say that about Lorelai (aka that she thinks Rory can do no wrong) have not watched the series lately. Besides Paris, nobody argues with and pushes against at Rory regularly other than Lorelai. Sure, Lorelai didn't "punish" Rory when she got drunk or stole a boat. Because she knew Rory would be punished enough. But she WAS the one to tell Rory that sleeping with Dean was a massive mistake. She was the one who told Rory she needed to STOP when she began treating Dean badly (because she was more interested in Jess). That article with the Ballerina? Lorelai was the only one who said that she could see the Ballerina's point and that Rory's words were harsh. Lorelai was appalled and said so, when Rory just let her father pay for Yale without informing her grandparents about it. Little moments like that are throughout the entire series, literally starting at season 1.

[@stellaapril7264]

The most important thing you can ever do during class seminar conference meetings is to speak - you have to speak and u have to work your ass off to prep and be know as much as u can that wen u speak you are not way off if not excellent- thats the way to get noticed and to show u got it

[@tanchuanen7913]

Richard and Emily got so upset at Rory receiving feedback from Mitchum. They said he "cut the girl into pieces". I thought Mitchum phrased it quite well and was constructive about it. I've received worse from supervisors. Unfortunately this is the real world and not everything is handed to her on a silver platter. I've always wondered why ahe chose journalism of all fields instead of just being a nepo baby..

[@amandaramos4322]

They are honestly very naive

[@rustjones385]

The PROBLEM is that Rory is really good at exceeding with guidelines or a rubric. But she can't think outside of the box. Even in Chilton, if Paris hadn't told her a lot of extra requirements for getting into Harvard, Rory wouldn't have made it. But when you sit in a classroom by force and a teacher tells you what to do by force, Rory does a great job because she's smart and pays attention to detail. But in the real world there isn't a rubric or instructions. You have to come up with things on your own, especially in journalism. We see that Rory generally enjoys sitting in a corner and reading a book. She isn't fascinated by people or any other particular subject. I just find it so annoying that Rory's talents were wasted. She could have been a great doctor, event planner, editor, lawyer, etc. Journalism is literally the worst possible career choice for her. Rory isn't even necessarily a bad writer. When she is given a topic to write about she does a great job at researching and making it great. Her only issue is finding leads. She will never be cut out for doing that

[@rajikrishkrishnan]

100 %

[@m.j.mbrooks1859]

She’d be a great editor, doing the crucial behind the scenes work for journalism , but she doesn’t have it in her to do be on the scene while things are rapidly unfolding in real time.

[@rustjones385]

@@m.j.mbrooks1859 she also doesn't have any original thoughts or opinions. She pretty much is just a clone of Lorelei and copies whatever opinions she reads in the New York Times. The only time she has a unique enough personality for journalism is when she's straight up rude and mean. Basically a bully. (When she wrote about the ballerina and Logan's work party). I find it so amazing how you can be that intelligent but lack self awareness. Rory just seems like a kid saying she wants to be a journalist as an "ideal career' but she's never seen writing. Always reading. If someone tells me they want to be in the NBA they better be working day and night or I'm telling them they're wasting their time. If they watch 40 hours of basketball every week it's not the same as playing 40 hours a week. There are creative people/active doers then there are the people behind the scenes who make it happen by organizing/leading/planning. Both are equally important but Rory is a planner not a doer. She was amazing as editor of Yale daily News and at the DAR organizing events.

[@angeninetytwo]

How did she except to be praised at being a journalist if she’s literally being an assistant? Mitchum probably should’ve tested her directly instead of tricking her but what did she think he was gonna praise her about? At how fast she was making coffee for the employees? Lol

[@0FynnFish0]

Tricking her? He was just being honest. And she shadowed him so he'd have quite a bit of time to assess her personality. What he criticised wasn't her lack of writing ability but her personality being unsuitable for journalism because she was overly cautious, only ever played by the rules put in front of her and lacked the drive to dig! And you don't need to see someone as an active journalist to come to that conclusion. On top of that he praised her for her good qualities and said he'd been wrong before. If she'd just taken the criticism and learned from it, she could've grown so much and proven him wrong. You know, if she had the drive... But instead she ran away and quit school. He was 100% right about her.

[@vjerez1149]

I think Mitchum was spot on about Rory here and all but tbh, I can relate to Rory too. I'm not a journalist but honestly I think Rory was... right to think that as an intern she was just supposed to follow orders and take cues from more experienced people. That was not entitled on her part, that's more or less how internships work. Lots of older bosses feel terribly insulted when someone younger and less experienced shares ideas or, even worse, questions how things work. People criticize Rory for being too entitled thinking she could just follow instructions and get praised, but the opposite of that is even more entitled. You're just an intern here, why do you act like we're on the same level, you know? I understand Rory's actions. Rory was definitely too weak and sensitive to go into such a tailspin just over one man's criticism, though. Especially as an aspiring writer and journalist. In that world you really gotta have thick skin, you need to know how to take criticism - both constructive (from the people who want you to improve) and destructive (from competitors who want to take you down).

[@kathtsmall6405]

I always thought this was when Gilmore girls jumped the shark

[@wondercat6027]

Unpopular opinion but I think Mitchum was totally wrong and I understand why Rory took the criticism so bad. Mitchum is a big name in journalism industry, it was like Steven Spielberg told you that you're not made for cinema. And she's 20, it's her first experience in the real world of journalism, this job was a great opportunity for her, so when Mitchum told her she was not fit for journalism, it was like a big slap, she said nothing because she was too shocked and even afraid to defend herself. When I started to work I was at the same age and I was afraid to talk to my superior, now I'm 30 and I'm more confident. Mitchum was right for some things about Rory but Richard was right, he totally crush her, he made her loose her confidence : a good manager/boss gives you advices, doesn't talk to you like that, Mitchum treats everyone, even his own family members like shit under his shoes.

[@kylewilkins6149]

I gotta admit first time I saw this I totally felt for Rory. Of course she felt crushed, of course she felt like giving up on life. She was seriously dating Logan and his mother and grandfather already insulted her, spoke over her like she wasn’t even in the room and made her feel like 💩 about herself. She was already self-conscious and intimidated and deflated. She went in there trying to impress her boyfriend’s father and she already thinks he’s the type who would approves of a docile obedient woman who doesn’t speak until spoken to. As for Mitchum, he treated her like every other man who works there. He’s not sensitive to the fact she is dating his son and is trying to please him personally and not trying to impress him professionally. He wasn’t mean but he was blunt. It didn’t occur to him to be kind or gentle. We can give him props for being professional and brutally honest in his opinion, but this was a wisp of a girl dating his son; he could have shown a touch of chivalry. After all, she grew up like a princess, of course she’s delicate.

[@swiftnstylinson]

And why the hell should the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company care about that? She is his intern and she has come to him for approval, not the other way around. Mitchum was the only person in the entire series which did not treat rory like a 'princess' because that's not the way life works. Unfortunately this is the real world and not everything is handed to her on a silver platter.

[@Myatheroses]

Rory seems more like a good bookkeeping type than a journalist. Journalists are risk takers, very social, think outside of box. Rory needs structure and rules and then she does well, but she doesn’t have the entrepreneurial or risk taking type personality, or the shark like personality needed for a very chaotic job like journalism

[@ritafioretto3093]

described perfectly

[@JDoe-sp8yd]

copying this comment i made on another video: tbh the main issue was that she chose the wrong career in the first place. she had never left her home town up until graduation, and didnt speak any foreign languages except for some extremely rusty french. she never showed any interest in big adventures and seemed happy living the small town life. why the hell would she ever choose to be a foreign correspondant? idk why she was stressing about grades so much if that was really her "dream job" (spoiler: deep down inside she knows it isn't). the journalism industry is a who-you-know, opportunity-based kind of deal, it doesn't matter if you went to harvard or not. all that matters is your ability to put your own spin on a story that 100 other media conglomerates are already pouncing on. therein lies the issue: rory has no sense of who she is, no real opinions of her own. she just modeled herself off of what her mother admires in others and repeats the same pattern in all of her relationships. someone like jess would make a better correspondant or writer than she ever could, because he is defined by his individuality and ability to adapt to ever changing circumstances. be ffr, did any of rory's yes men really see her getting rained on by bombs and sleeping through air raid sirens? anyways all of this to say that this could have been avoided if someone was brave enough to tell her what she had never heard before: no. too bad that person had to be logan's dad AFTER she had spent her whole life building her future on a mirage.

[@Jasminesim18]

"I think I've been a bad influence on you, ace" Yeah, no shit 😒

[@Noneofthedays]

Telling her she’d make a good assistant seems slightly sexist to me (even though she would), but she doesn’t have the thick skin or the drive that season 1 Rory had. If she really wanted it, she would’ve worked to prove him wrong.

[@lisahuber9329]

I wouldn't neccessarily say it's sexist, it's just that the entire time she's been there she's been acting like his personal assistant. So that's the only impression he got from her that he can speak on or say that she's good at it.

[@thefairybug40]

@@lisahuber9329 THIS. He's not being sexist, he's reflecting upon the capacity he's seen her work in. He's also challenging her to prove him wrong, but she didn't read between the lines to catch that challenge. Which is partially the result of two very different communication styles, and partly the result of Rory crumbling at the first sign of opposition.

[@citydweller99]

He even said his gut instinct isn't always accurate..but she did act more like an office manager then a journalist. Just based on these clips

[@missnlahi]

I think she would have been good in journalism operations

[@StewNWT]

Mitchum was a total asshole to logan but actually he gave this feedback in an incredibly supportive and respectful way

[@0FynnFish0]

Honestly, I think he was kinda justified even with Logan. Not exactly diplomatic of course, but his expectations weren't unreasonable. Logan was happily cruising by on his family's wealth and status, spent his dads money like there was no tomorrow and (until the end of season 7) showed no ambition towards any other kind of career or independent way of life. I don't think Mitchum asked for too much when he wanted Logan to stop wasting his brains and time and start doing something useful. Logan was in his early 20s. Definitely old enough to grow up a bit and stop partying like a frat boy, especially if you want daddy to finance your life.

[@StewNWT]

@@0FynnFish0 you know you're not wrong

[@amandaramos4322]

This scene was in some of my dreams

[@darkkey19]

I kind of see both sides of it. On the one hand, Mitchum is being fairly polite in his criticism of Rory, but his motives are suspect. Most of Logan's family did not want Rory in Logan's life, and Mitchum probably didn't either. And Rory did have a lot of pep when working with the people at the paper, suggesting good work ethic. On the other hand, Rory's eventual downward spiral supports Mitchum's belief that she didn't have what it takes to be a journalist. And while it's understandable that she would be discouraged at his criticism, her going out of control after this meeting suggests she was overly sensitive to criticism. And as many people have suggested, that likely stems from her growing up with people putting her on a pedestal.

[@rubenoteiza9261]

If you are good at giving it you have to be good at taking it. Rory had no problem telling the ballerine that she looked like a hippo on a stage and that this wasn"t anything personal so she had no reason to get offended, that she, Rory, was just doing her job. But Mitchum tells her in a far less offensive and more professional way that he doesn't think she has the right stuff and she falls apart. She should have thought of the ballerine when she came out of that office but she was to self centered for that.

[@darkkey19]

@@rubenoteiza9261 Agreed. Mitchum handles the situation very professionally, to his credit. The show plays it as him trying to be manipulative, and in fairness, his motives are highly suspect. But Rory is so used to people praising her endlessly that she can't handle the negative feedback, whatever his motives. I'm glad you mentioned the ballerina, because that's one of my favorite episodes, and it's a perfect parallel. It's probably the first time anyone ever really calls out Rory for her attitude. And as you say, Rory's reaction is worse than the ballerina's, despite the feedback being presented much more kindly.

[@rubenoteiza9261]

@@darkkey19 What is more telling is that Rory confirms right away he is right. I have seen even the Three Stooges acting in a smarter way in the same situation. seriously. They would jump "PLease, please, boss, give us a chance we'll show you we are the best reporters in town!". That's the attitude, Instead of that Rory goes to cry and to complain how life is unfair and how Logan's family hate her. And I wouldn"t even qualify the reaction of the ballerina as bad, she is reacting like any human being when treated in such a lousy way even more when the offender doesn't even recognize her offensive ways.

[@darkkey19]

@@rubenoteiza9261 Again, I agree. Rory's reaction is primarily based on the fact that she's never really received that kind of negative criticism. She's succeeded at nearly everything she's every attempted, with people praising her up and down along the way. This is probably the first time anyone ever gave her anything less than that. Nothing is more fragile than a heart full of pride. Although, in fairness, she does eventually gain that kind of enthusiasm, and it is not unreasonable to be discouraged at Mitchum's words. But the way she goes out of control is inexcusable. And I agree about the ballerina too. She goes a little over the top by saying she wants Rory to die, but her being upset is perfectly reasonable. Rory always saw herself as the nice girl, so she had no idea how offensive she was being.

[@adoramy2013]

Mitch was correct. Jess said the same thing to her but he was way kinder

[@teresaw9987]

My favourite scene in Gilmore Girls

[@makeupdoll7413]

Well her reaction when he said she would be a good assistant speaks volumes... Rory looked down on jobs that were not journalism but in reality, I think Mitchum was doing her a favor saying these things: journalism, Harvard etc those were all Lorealai's dreams and plans, not Rory's because she was living vicarously through her daughter... Rory never really had the chance to understand who she actually was without her family telling her what she had to do: we saw Jess suggested she could be a good writer, she showed talent when it comes to PR and organizing events while working with Emily, fans said she could be a good college or high school professor, I also think she had the right personality for a job related to math and science even though she was so fixated on writing! But the sad truth is every job that is not related to journalism is lame to Rory because of her mother who's actually more manipulative and controlling than Emily, too bad in the reboot she still pursued this unrealistic career option! It would have been awesome if we saw her realizing this wasn't the right path for her and switching to become a professor, an engineer or a writer maybe... Some people said Mitchum is a privileged white man who comes from old money which is true but I can't blame him for saying what was really going on, he was the Deus ex machina, he was the opportunity for Rory to realize she was pursuing other people's dreams who had unrealistic expectations on her and that is why I actually like this storyline because it's realistic, when she came back strong to become a journalist in S07 that was cringy and forced in my opinion, I would have appreciated more if she told her controlling mother that she had to figure out what she has to do with her future on her own and move in with Logan! That whole Obama campaign and Logan asking her to marry him was so forced and unrealistic and I always hated how over the top and cringy this show was, that taste of realism we got with S06 was the only good part of the show..

[@diegoiunou]

Yes, he was a DB and his critique was out of place, because Rory is just starting in the business and she's right playing it safe! When I was a junior I stood exactly in her spot and let my boss berate me, and I didn't say anything because I thought I'd be out of place. And then my boss proceeded to berate me even further because I wasn't speaking back. Nevertheless, we now know she isn't really cut for it! What she did with Sandy is outrageous!

[@citydweller99]

He was being professional and honest. Some people are too thin skinned.. which surprises me about Rory because she dealt with Paris.

[@ladyanime100]

See now most people would either take this as an opportunity to improve themselves and do better or find a new path but not kids like Rory who had a meltdown after receiving real world criticism. I had a bad semester in college, my major was at the time unrealistic and the classes were hard and I didn't pass them at semester. The grades left my GPA very poor to the point that I lost my financial aid. Did I quit school? No. Did I blame others? No. I took summer classes out of pocket to get back my GPA to better standing to get financial aid and changed my major for the better. I did not have a meltdown or blamed others for my mistakes. I got a taste of real world criticism and took the opportunity to better myself.

[@jamiegollwitzer8528]

good luck on your job rory

[@rubenoteiza9261]

Rory tells an aspiring ballerina who makes all what she can to become un dia a star that she is just a hippo and the ballerina has to suck it. But Mitchum tells her that she doesnt have what it takes to be a journalist and there comes the waterworks and the drama. Poor Rory.

[@enchantingkatie2]

Rory’s complete meltdown that stemmed from this was definitely overkill, but Mitchum wasn’t exactly a saint either. No, he didn’t make any attacks on her as a person and he was cordial about it, but internships are meant to be learning opportunities. He could’ve been more constructive about her lack of drive and offered suggestions on what she could do to improve, but he instead basically told her to give up her dream because she wouldn’t ever make it. Students are young and will inevitably make some big mistakes in their first corporate internships (lord knows I did). The key is to help them learn and encourage their development

[@Starbits7]

I find it strange Rory was still written to like journalism. She only focussed on writing when she had an assignment. She wasn't making lists or brainstorming future article ideas etc as writers often do. And when she worked at the Yale Daily News, she often struggled to find a good topic. Paris instinctively knew (or by constantly reading various newspapers) what was over done and what was interesting. Rory shone in organizing and being a leader but not a writer. She didn't care about hunting a story down. Then of course in the revival when she's in London to work she also focusses on her personal life (the affair). She's not focussed or driven about the story. When she's in New York she doesn't have a book of ideas for stories with her to pitch at interviews....she falls asleep interviewing people & once again isn't focussed. I wish the show would have made her pivot and realize she didn't know what she wanted yet. Then spent the last year or two of college figuring that out.

[@yanan4249]

It's not criticism, it's just being a narcissist, I wonder why people don't see it. Criticism would be "you should express yourself more" or "you should be persistent" or "take more initiative". But "you don't have it" is just unprofessional. What "it"? A professional would be specific. Real criticism helps a person to grow, but this was just letting a person down and it was done clearly out of spite.

[@kilaa3417]

True! Even so, he was right in the sense that she only does what's asked of her + doesn't take the extra step. But I agree if it were framed differently she may have improved, + learned to have more drive - but something else would have crushed her bc of how she learned to take criticism when she was younger. It would have been nice if this were a good learning lesson for her instead of the point in which she spiraled

[@gingerisevil02]

Exactly!! Nothing about that was constructive, he was crushing her dreams by telling her she couldn’t do it. Manipulating but saying he has a “gut feeling.” He’s super manipulative. He coaxes his abuse as constructive criticism.

[@fuckingfucksake]

The fandom just loves to shit on Rory. It's so boring.

[@freeinghumanitynow]

When pretty privilege doesn't get you what you want. 😂😂

[@jamieson88]

Mitchum was right, but was supremely undiplomatic; unkind, even. He and his team must not have set clear expectations with Rory. Did he even work much with her? It seemed like he was too busy to interact with her much on the job, so how could he determine that she doesn't "have it" without prolonged engagement? His point still stands, though: there is no "gold star award" for finishing tasks in life; one must be ambitious and pursue things.

[@Romy-90]

the way she sits down expecting praise like it's her right annoys me to no end 😂 oh no, there's finally a person who doesn't think Rory's the second coming of Jesus Christ, oopsie 😂

[@FragginCap]

The thing that always bugged me for the whole show is they never say WHAT it was that made him think what he thought. He just pointed at imagined bs

[@eternaltears21]

At the end, Mitchum was right, Rory was a complete failure as a journalist, she only made one good job, and she always thought that it could be enough...

[@emmatyler4375]

Rory was putting herself out there, but it was in a really controlling way like she was the boss of everyone as an intern. Her idea of being a go getter is really codependent because she was raised by a narcissist.

[@blairbrown4812]

"Because 'Mitchum being a complete and total ass to our girl,' was not only too long but probably would have earned us a strike!"

[@thehistoryfreak13]

I don’t get it that criticism isn’t that bad. I’ve been told worse.

[@adeel-eh7xq]

Cringe