Now that filming for Gilmore Girls: A Year in The Life has officially wrapped, a spoiler drought has set in until the premiere. I honestly do not know what to do with myself when I'm not looking for cryptic spoilers in random set photos. However, Netflix did something curious that made my spoiler senses tingle: the streaming site made an image of Jess the official thumbnail for the original Gilmore Girls series. Could this mean Jess and Rory are endgame? Maybe... but there is likely a much less thrilling answer to this puzzle.
While poor Dean has been ruled out, Rory could still pick either Jess or Logan in the Gilmore Girls revival. I love the idea that Netflix could be sneakily hinting at a big Rory and Jess reunion by changing the image on the site. It is odd to use Jess, who is neither a Gilmore, nor a girl to promote Gilmore Girls, but there is a reason behind Netflix's sudden fondness for one Mr. Jess Mariano that does not involve any spoilers for the upcoming revival. (That being said, I refuse to completely rule out the possibility that someone at Netflix is a massive Jess and Rory shipper. It is too beautiful of a dream to dash.)
You may have noticed the icons for all of the content on Netflix change from time to time. In fact, you may see one image while a friend's Netflix homepage will sport a different image entirely. It turns out Netflix has spent quite a lot of time analyzing what images users respond to the best.
Express UK reported Netflix found viewers only take 1.8 seconds to decide whether or not to watch a program, and they base the decision almost entirely on the show or movie's icon. Netflix also found viewers in the United States are more likely to watch a show with one or two stars sporting expressive looks in an icon than they were to watch something with a non-human icon or a crowded icon. So, why is Jess currently on the thumbnail for Gilmore Girls? There is an excellent chance Netflix is trying to figure out if people will be more likely to watch the show if there is a man in the photo.
Gilmore Girls has clearly been a big hit for Netflix since the streaming service acquired the show. Otherwise, the world would not be getting new episodes soon. That does not mean the streaming site is going to stop trying to lure new viewers in though, especially now that Gilmore Girls is available internationally. Featuring Jess has less to do with the content or current fans than it does with trying to bring in new fans, or perhaps even trying to sway male viewers who are wary of the title.
Jess' stint as the Gilmore Girls poster boy will likely end before long. Netflix icons never stay the same forever. Meanwhile, the hope Jess and Rory will be endgame will live on at least until the final credits role on the revival — and let's be real, even if Rory and Jess don't end up together this is one ship that will never sink. While I am sad to report the likelihood of Netflix sending fans a secret spoiler in the form of Jess' gorgeous mug is minuscule, it is always interesting to analyze the method behind Netflix's wonderful madness.
Either way, Jess and Rory are still totally on the table, guys, so don't give up hope for a happy ending just yet.
Images: Warner Bros. TV; Netflix; Giphy
