The center of the third season of Gilmore Girls was the Rory-Dean-Jess triangle, which played out with surprising sensitivity and not a bit of sadness; it all came to a head in the episode "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?" in which Rory and Lorelai's quest to win a dance marathon ends in tears and break-ups. The year's teen drama did have a tendency to put the adults on the back burner, but the luminous Graham made the most of her character's dilemmas, whether gauging her growing attraction to diner owner Luke (Scott Patterson) or wrestling with her parents' continuous meddling. While it is hard to pinpoint a specific compelling story arc for this season, that doesn't mean it wasn't filled with the charm, smarts, and rapid-fire dialogue that made Gilmore Girls one of the brightest shows on television. Stellar supporting turns from Liza Weil as Paris, Rory's friend and nemesis by turns, and a pre-O.C. Adam Brody, as a band member who falls for Rory's best friend Lane (Keiko Agena), also punctuated the drama of the season with great comedy. --Mark Englehart