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Gossip Girl 3.4 Review: Dan de Fleurette

Michelle Graham — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:47 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 9/8c

Episode: “Dan de Fleurette” (Season 3, Episode 4)

Synopsis: Dan falls for Vanessa’s new roommate, who’s more than she appears. Blair, at her wit’s end over her lack of progress in NYU social circles, receives a report that Jenny is attempting to dismantle the hierarchy at Constance, prompting her to rush back to her old fiefdom in its defense. However, after a carefully planned series of events coordinated by Chuck, she realises that NYU is hers to conquer, she just needs to find the right method. When Lily arrives home and discovers Serena’s deferral of Brown, she’s not best pleased, leaving Serena feeling as though she’s never good enough, even when she finds a job she’s good at.

Review: It’s getting harder and harder to review “Gossip Girl”, as there’s been very little to talk about. At this point, 3 seasons into the show, there’s not much point in discussing how well or badly the current episodes are holding up to the first season. It’s no longer relevant. So therefore, from this week onwards casting the eye backwards won’t be a constant aspect of the review. It’s a serialized drama with an overall story arc and many many episode-length mini-dramas. Should there be more mini-drama than story/character progress, then that’s something we just have to deal with.

With all that said, it’s time to move on to reviewing “Dan de Fleurette”, and as episodes go, this was a pretty entertaining one. The guest stars may have been a tad distracting, particularly Tyra as she looked slightly ill much of the time, but Hilary Duff seems to have formed a decent connection with Penn Badgley. Since it looks like they’ll be spending a good deal of time together over the next few weeks, that’s a good thing.

Serena’s dramas with her mother seem to be somewhat ridiculous. For a woman that wants her daughter to be happy (and doesn’t every mother?), she’s behaving atrociously. Serena has said she’ll go to college after a year’s deferral, and as far as I can tell, that’s perfectly reasonable. So why is Lily acting so irrationally and insisting that Serena charge straight off to Brown? Congratulations to Kelly Rutherford for successfully portraying the utter frustration Lily feels about Serena’s decision, along with doling out the blame to Rufus (who deserving nothing but thanks for his behaviour, but it’s not like that matters) for his “part” in things. Serena’s job-hunting was a little dull, but her eventual role seems to suit her and hopefully she’ll keep her job for a few episodes so that we can see the princess dealing with divas. Of course, it’d be funnier witnessing Blair running after them, but we can’t have everything.

Speaking of Blair, her downward spiral of self-doubt and longing for the familiarity of the old finally hit bottom, and it’s about time. I have no patience for a whiny Blair, this is the Queen of Bitch-town and it’s about time she got her ass in gear. Georgina Sparks may have made Blair’s quest to conquer NYU more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Now Blair is off the mat (thanks to the wonderful Chuck, who is far more of a sweetheart than he’d ever let on), she’ll prove to everyone that it takes more than a little public humiliation to keep Blair Waldorf down. While Leighton Meester isn’t bad at the whiny act, she excels at the Queen Bitch persona, so I’m looking forward to seeing that back in action in the next episode.

Up Next Week: “Rufus Getting Married” – Georgina’s back, but will her arrival have a ripple effect? Rufus and Lily move up their wedding plans, but someone or something threatens to ruin the event. Carter’s not being completely honest with Serena, but if the news comes from an enemy will it be believed?

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Gossip Girl 3.1 Review: Reversals of Fortune

Michelle Graham — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:39:35 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Reversals of Fortune” (Season 3, Episode 1)

Synopsis: We return to the world of Gossip Girl and her subjects as summer is drawing to a close, with the gang reflecting on the events of the season. Dan and Jenny have adapted to the Van Der Woodsen way of life, if only on the surface. Meanwhile, Serena’s summer abroad shows exactly how far a girl can go to get her daddy’s attention. Apparently events didn’t go as she’d hoped as she made a mad dash exit at the end of the last season. In a shocking twist, Nate and Vanessa did not end up together after their European summer experience. Instead, they’ve found far more interesting partners. As for Chuck and Blair, desperate to avoid falling into the humdrum rut of a regular relationship they’ve opted to play games, both in and out of the bedroom.

Review: For a season premiere, this episode lacked a lot of the punch designed to motivate viewers to stick with the show. Blair and Chuck’s opening game was beyond predictable, with the whole set up screaming, well, set up. Vanessa’s complaining about Dan was irritating, although she claimed it was because he was lying, it definitely appeared more to be his adoption of the high life at all. Dan’s speech to her explaining the reason for so many changes was a high point of the episode, showing Vanessa that she doesn’t know everything about his life. Maybe now she’ll stop whining. Serena’s wild child summer didn’t have the meat to hold up the bulk of the episode, which the writers attempted to have it do. Although her constant fleeing from Carter was interesting, the whole thing was more suited to a side plot.

However, when you think about it as a whole, there’s quite a list of subtle issues off and running. What will happen with Scott, now that he’s managed to insinuate himself into Dan and Jenny’s social circle? What are his motives? Can Chuck and Blair last when all they do is rely on games to keep things fresh? How is Nate’s grandfather going to ruin things for Nate now? That’s all before you cast your mind back to Georgina Sparks and her actions at the end of the last season. These things do linger, though this could be because I’m already a fan.

Of course, with college just around the corner, things are soon going to change for everyone, so perhaps more of the fire will return to GG then. At the moment though, it seems that we’re in somewhat of a “calm before the storm” lull. Hopefully, that will change. The show doesn’t have to rely on fire to survive, but it helps to have some sort of drive to it, rather than just floating in the current.

Up Next Week: “The Freshman” – Blair tries to prove herself Queen Bee of the Freshman class, but an old enemy gets in her way. Serena gets ready for Brown, but a row with Chuck sends her back to Carter seeking help to take him down a peg or two.

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

Did you see the Gossip Girl premiere? Did you think it matched up to the quality of previous seasons? Have your say down below.

Previously on… Gossip Girl

Michelle Graham — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:14:44 +0000

With our return to the upper echelons of Manhattan’s youthful society hitting televisions this week, it’s time to recap what happened over the course of season 2. For those of you that want a more in-depth look at the events of last year, our beloved FSR editors haven’t thrown away last year’s reviews quite yet, so feel free to catch up that way. However, for those that want the quickfire version, stick around! There’s plenty to see and learn right here:

Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgeley) : Good guy from the wrong side of the wealth line, in serious L.O.V.E with Serena van der Woodsen. At the end of season 1, Dan and Serena parted ways, only to reunite several times over the course of season 2. His college dreams of attending Yale were thwarted due to a lack of funds, sending him towards NYU and matriculation with his former classmates. Dan’s biggest twist this season was the scandalous relationship with a teacher at Constance Billard, breaking Serena’s heart. Though the two weren’t a couple when rumours began about the pair, a spark caught and relations were had. However, all good things must end and the object of his affection hopped a bus back to the midlands where she will be forever labeled as the teacher that slept with a student. Hope it was at least good sex.

Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) : Former bad girl with a love of guys with a good heart, now step-sister to Chuck Bass. Slept with her best friend’s boyfriend during her wilder days. Other than breaking up and making up with Dan a handful of times over the course of the season, Serena’s storylines mainly involved her climb back to the top of the social ladder and her relations with some wishy-washy partners. Another major strand to her story arc involved falling victim to a complex con (fake marriage, fake investments, fake beau) enacted by a supposed friend and created a somewhat interesting plot line for the usually lovestruck girl. Of particular interest in that arc was the return of Georgina Sparks (the wonderfully evil Michelle Trachtenberg) to the realm of Gossip Girl, first as born-again goody-two-shoes and then as the vicious bitch we know and love.

Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) : Queen bitch of her school, with a love of Audrey Hepburn and Chuck Bass. Heavy (one-sided) rivalry with bff Serena, along with some residual issues over boyfriend-related events. Blair began the season furious with Chuck for his desertion and dangling her new-found love in his face. Humiliation soon followed, when her Lordly beau ran off with his step-mother (who just happened to be Nate’s older lady friend). Blair’s love life continued down the messy path, with Chuck playing a major role in the games. Unfortunately, it also featured Chuck’s uncle, a fact which almost split the pair as they finally found happiness together. Happily, Chuck had grown beyond the point of letting her slip away, and the couple became official in the final moments of the season. On the non-romantic side of the street, Blair’s dreams of attending Yale sputtered when her jealousy of Serena turned nasty, then died when she focused her wrath on a new teacher, earning blemish after blemish on her previously sparkling record. With the loss of her chance at Yale, she tried to lose the rest of her identity, but eventually realised that she still had something to live for, even if it is at NYU.

Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) : Playboy of Manhattan’s (youthful) elite and in lust/love with Blair. Has severe daddy issues and believes all women want him. Chuck started season two feeling guilty and heartbroken over his treatment of Blair, a theme which continued throughout the season. Rivalry between the couple reached new heights, with declarations of love and twisted game-playing featuring heavily. In the end, Chuck’s predictions over the couple’s doomed destiny seem false, as he finished the season standing with Blair and presenting her gifts from all over the world. Sadly, season two wasn’t all happiness, with the death of his father hitting the young man hard. Added to this was the betrayal by his trusted uncle, who attempted to steal the Bass empire from under Chuck’s nose. Luckily, his step-mother rescued his company and offered him a place to live. What a lady.

Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) : childhood sweetheart of Blair Waldorf until he cheated on her with bff Serena. Turned his dad in for drug possession and broke his mother’s heart. Nate began the season in a precarious situation, with no money and an older woman handing him wads of cash to satisfy her. After that particular relationship goes up in smoke, along with his official one with Vanessa, Nate is left living the life of a squatter in his old digs. Eventually things look up, all it takes is an attempted extortion and his father going to jail. Further family matters play merry havoc with his newly repaired relationship with Vanessa, but that’s ok because he was meant to be with Blair anyway, sacrificing any remaining friendship with Chuck by doing so. Except Blair and Nate weren’t meant to be, with the pair breaking up after a perfect prom. Nate’s storyline this year was pretty circular, with the long and the short of it being his cutting of ties with Chuck and his decision to attend NYU.

Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) : sister to Dan and former devotee/current target of Blair and her coven. Has a flair for designing clothing and a hatred of all things Chuck. Started the season working in the Waldorf fashion house as an intern before working her way up to integral and under-appreciated designer. After a few episodes of a friend’s whispering in her ear of fortune and fame, little J. decided to quit school, start her own fashion line, attempt emancipation and don as much eyeliner as she could get out of one pencil. Eventually she woke up to the idea of a life without a real future and settled back to life at school, and, through Blair’s intervention, was eventually crowned as the new Queen of Constance Billard.

Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr) : Best friend to Dan and current girlfriend of Nate. Bohemian attitude to life and wants to make movies rather than go to college. Belongs on staff here at FSR. Vanessa began season two as Nate’s girlfriend, with the relationship going through one hell of a ride over the course of the season. Her liaisons with Chuck, his cheating with a significantly older woman (for cash), his relations with little Jenny Humphrey, his reunion with Blair. So much to choose from, and most of it was Nate’s fault. Happily, everything worked out for the best. At the end of the season, the pair were due to set off backpacking around Europe for the summer, as friends. Wonder how long that lasted.

Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) : Mother of Serena and wife of Chuck’s father, Bart Bass. Rich and powerful, with a long-forgotten but recently-resurfaced love for Rufus Humphrey. Intolerant of her daughter’s wilder side due to her own past. Lily started the season as the new Mrs Bass, despite her feelings for a certain Mr. Humphrey. By midway through the season was a widow, but this wasn’t enough to get those crazy cats back together. A secret from her past in the form of a son given up for adoption caused a rift between the pair, along with many tears upon being informed of his death. Good intentions went wildly awry as she tried to keep Serena on the right path and keep Rufus out of the red when both fell prey to a con artist, but it all worked out alright in the end. Except for the sad news that the spin off following her life as a teenager in the Valley wasn’t being picked up.

Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle) : Father of Dan and Jenny. Fronted a rock band in the 80s, during which time he fell head over heels for Lily. Still head over heels for Lily, but has more issues now. After professing his love to a married woman (Lily) and having her admit she loved him back, Rufus was elated, but this was not to last. Discovering that Lily had fallen pregnant, had his son and given him away without even informing him drove a wedge between the newly formed couple. Worse still was the revelation by the adoptive parents that his son had died years earlier, meaning he’d never get to know the lad. Rufus rallied eventually and even fell back in love with Lily, despite a worrying time where money threatened to come between them. Happily, disaster was averted and he proposed, beginning the combining of the Humphrey and van der Woodsen households forever.

What’s next for Gossip Girl?
At the end of season two, we saw Georgina Sparks return to her nastier ways, swearing vengeance against a certain ex-Queen B. We’re not quite sure whether it was the constant put downs or the loss of the Church’s money that shook Georgie out of her sweet and forgiving altered persona, but the damage is done and Blair is going to pay. Somehow, despite her seeming disdain for attending school, Georgie has made it to NYU and is up for some mischief at Blair’s expense. Her big eyes and sweet charm convinced the college housing authorities to pair them for next year’s accommodation, guaranteeing wacky fun times ahead.

Of course, with she and Chuck newly coupled, it’s possible that no one could knock Blair off her own personal cloud 9, not even missing out on Yale. It was a long road for the pair, but Chuck’s admission of love and tokens of affection from around the world would make any girl swoon. He’ll be busy learning to run the Bass empire and keep it safe from evil uncles and takeover threats, but there’s no doubt that he’ll make time for his favourite girl.

Meanwhile, Serena has more on her mind than mere romance as she heads off into the horizon to locate daddy dearest. She should really be more concerned with a threat far closer to home, as her supposedly dead half-brother begins to cosy up to Dan and the gang. Lily and Rufus have just gotten things back on track, with a very sweet proposal thrown in for good measure, but will their relationship weather the coming storm? A child coming back from the grave should be a joyous occasion, but will it stir up old issues over giving him away in the first place? Not to mention how it will affect Dan and Serena and their Ross ‘n’ Rachel dance?

The only way to find out how all this will sort itself out is to watch the season premiere, “Reversals of Fortune”, coming this Monday night (Sept 14th) at 8/7c on The CW. Til then – XOXO, GG fans.

TV Review: Gossip Girl – The Goodbye Gossip Girl

Michelle Graham — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:00:04 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Goodbye Gossip Girl” (Season 2, Episode 25)

Synopsis: It’s Graduation day and the gang’s all here. When Gossip Girl dismisses Serena as irrelevant, she launches an all-out attack on the cyberland big brother, vowing to discover her (or his) identity. But two can play at that game, and Gossip Girl has far more ammunition than Serena could hope to have. Meanwhile, the new queen of Constance is about to be elected and Little J’s a candidate. However, winning a peaceful year means playing dirty in the big leagues. does Jenny really have what it takes? Blair decides to end the games for good and confronts Chuck about his use of the “L” word to everyone but her. Finally, a new face emerges and an old “friend” firmly establishes a place in the gang’s world, but what will this mean for the current players?

Review: So, season 2 is over and that’s not exactly a bad thing. Sure, there were high points, but the highs were too often counterbalanced with pretty deep lows. “The West Wing” once called the swearing in of a certain Vice President “a triumph of the middling” and that’s definitely what this season has felt like. Perhaps season 1 spoiled us? Either way, the sophomore year is over and we can reflect on how the season finished off.

The idea of discovering the identity of Gossip Girl was tantalizing, especially as it really does have to be someone featured on the show’s peripheries. Of course, we were never going to really find out who it was, as it’d spell the end of a lucrative series for The CW. However, the chase was fun and the consequences of going head to head with the big G were far reaching. Everyone’s dirty laundry aired at once does remind me of the “take out the trash” day strategy employed in politics. It’s far less damaging to release in bulk than to drip feed as you can’t pay attention to all of them at once. Some stories were juicier than others though, so we’ll see whether any of the dirt sticks as the gang matriculates, Gossip Girl in tow.

It did seem as though Gossip Girl had managed to finally destroy Blair and Chuck’s chances as her all-out assault hit them mid-seduction. The couple that had gone through hell over the last two seasons seemed about to be happy together, only to have past affairs used to ruin it. However, the writers realised that another trip around the block for Dan and Serena just yet would throw the fans into a revolutionary frenzy, and so rescued the damsel and her black knight. How will Blair and Chuck fare with an honest to goodness grown-up relationship, now that the games are at an end and they have both declared their feelings? Though I’m ashamed to admit it, Chuck’s declaration was one of the high points of the episode for me. It was sweet and kind and loving and everything that you could tell was just beneath the sniping back and forth between them all through the series. Oh, and did I mention cute?

Of course, to balance the cute we need something evil and no character manages that better than good old Georgina Sparks. Her mere moments in the episode rank as my other high point as not only do we discover that the Poppy Lifton issue has been resolved (The only problem with this scene: HOW did she resolve the issue?) but also that she will be back! So if things go Georgina’s way, Blair will be getting a new room mate with quite the score to settle and let’s face it, when doesn’t Ms. Sparks get her own way? Perhaps this will be the spark (no pun intended) required to shake Blair’s cobwebs off and get her back to her queen bee fighting weight.

Apparently to balance all that pesky teen drama, there’s the compulsory trip to the grown up side of the street. Yes, we watch more of Lily and Rufus’s awkward fumbling through the minefield of love that they navigate each week. However this week, instead of misery there’s finally a proposal and an acceptance. Now the merging of both households can begin, and with Rufus’s nest egg returned it seems that everything will be fine. Assuming that you ignore that slight problem from Lily’s youth which sat just across from Dan earlier..

Sadly, we may not be not destined to see any more of what came before there even was a little Rufus-Lily baby running around, as the CW have not yet picked up “Valley Girl” for next year. There has been no definite decision regarding its pick up, and it is still officially a contender for a mid-season slot. However, only weeks ago it was all but guaranteed a slot and now the network needs to wait a few weeks before making its decision. Things aren’t exactly looking rosy for the show’s chances.

Whilst this is a great shame, given the quality of the 80s stuff last week plus the excellent casting, it will probably work out well for the network. Working with a tight budget as all networks are in this fun-filled economic climate, choosing shows like “The Vampire Diaries” and “Melrose Place” is a safer bet, providing access to a wider audience than a Gossip Girl spin-off would allow. “Vampire Diaries” should appeal to the Twilight audience (which is rather massive), but may even pull in a wider demographic. Heck, look at how well “True Blood” has done with a very adult approach to the genre.

That’s it from me for the summer. We’ll return to New York’s elite next season, full of questions and hopeful that this time around the show will consistently perform. Will Little J. survive as queen? How will B. cope with her matriculation to lowly NYU, with the lovely Ms. Sparks to keep her company? Has S. really located her father, and why on earth would she want to? Do we really even care? Oh, and of course, does the talented Mr. Bass really have what it takes to stick with former queen B.? Gossip Girl will be watching, and so will we.

XOXO

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

What did you think of the season finale? Did it leave you wanting more?

TV Review: Gossip Girl – Valley Girls

Michelle Graham — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:55:57 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Valley Girls” (Season 2, Episode 24)

Synopsis: The gang complete their journey through high school with the time-honored rite of passage – attending Prom. Blair is blessed with a fairy Godmother who ensures that her night is everything she ever dreamed of, and Serena’s bad day finally ends as she attends prom with Dan, though only as friends. Meanwhile, Lily reflects on her time of rebellion back in the 80s, when she left home and comfort for the freedom of her sister’s relaxed lifestyle.

Review: There’s always a danger when attempting to use an episode of a series to spin off a new one. Slotting in new characters, storylines and locations and establishing a new tone whilst maintaining the original’s is a tough needle to thread, and unfortunately Gossip Girl didn’t quite manage it. Don’t get me wrong, the spin off show segments(”Valley Girl” at last check) looked good, plus the show contains a large quantity of Veronica Mars alums and that’s always positive, but the episode suffered with a serious case of split personality. The overall effect was disjointed and showed it for what it was: an attempt to shove two shows together in order to save money on a proper pilot.

It’s a pity that the episode was so fragmented, as the Gossip Girl segments were stronger than some complete episodes have been this season. Blair and her perfect night, Blair realizing that Nate’s not the one for her (finally! Perhaps that particular circular plot will come to a close for good now) and even the once-faithful acolytes turning on her and attempting to give her what she deserved, all played exceptionally well. Even the Serena storyline was interesting, though that could be because Gabriel did not appear and Serena was in no way love-lorn. It was fitting that she and Dan attended prom together, and the easy way in which they fit together does give hope that their circular plot may take another turn and allow them some happiness together. Not that the writers would leave them that way for long.

The Valley Girl aspects of the show, Lily as a young woman, her sister’s rebellion and channeling of Madonna, the idea that their home life wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs either, their struggle to make it in their own right, all these came together to form the basis of what could be a strong show. Hopefully the writers won’t rely too much on montages of 80s fashion, as even the short one included in this episode was a touch too long for my taste. Yes, Gossip Girl makes fashion a main character, but not in an in-your-face, “oh my god look at what they’re wearing, isn’t it ridiculous!” manner. The fashion helps define the person and show their personality in the same way “Sex and the City” became famous for. Making 80s fashion a staple without using it in relation to the characters leaves it as a novelty tactic which audiences are sure to find boring and repetitive, probably after only a single episode. The show should be about the characters, not the era and its embarrassing memories.

The only negative about the content of the show – other than the complete inability of the writers to blend the two aspects into one seamless episode – was that the plot concerning Georgina Sparks and her plans for revenge (admittedly, I did wonder if it was Georgie behind the assault on Blair’s perfect night initially) was completely untouched. After witnessing the birth of her evil phoenix from the ashes of the much changed young girl at the end of the last episode, it was hard to simply set that image aside and continue on to the bubbly froth of prom. Then again, this approach leaves a wealth of evil material for the finale episode, so it should be explosive. Last season provided quite the shocker ending, so with both Georgie and the supposedly-dead son of Lily and Rufus on the horizon, we’re in for quite a ride.

Up Next Week: “The Goodbye Gossip Girl” – We finally reach the end of the season two. As Georgina Sparks continues her quest for revenge on Poppy Lifton, the veil of secrecy regarding Gossip Girl’s identity may be lifted when she publishes one update too many. Meanwhile, Blair and Chuck finally deal with their relationship, Serena’s college acceptance may not be as guaranteed as it once seemed and Lily and Rufus attempt to repair the connection Lily damaged through channeling her mother.

Read More: Gossip Girl Recaps

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? Will you be watching “Valley Girl” if it makes the CW cut for Fall? If so, feel free to discuss below.

TV Review: Gossip Girl – The Wrath of Con

Michelle Graham — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:00:08 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Wrath of Con” (Season 2, Episode 23)

Synopsis: Serena and the gang come together in an attempt to take down Poppy, but Lily has other plans. Meanwhile, Rufus discovers that Lily may be just like her mother after all, leading him to reconsider popping that all-important question.

Review: When the highlight of the episode is its final moments, something’s usually not quite right. Unfortunately, that’s the best way to sum this week’s installment up, something wasn’t quite right with the execution. On paper, it must have looked great. Georgina’s complete about-face into spouting Bible phrases and being Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, the gang all together to take down a common foe, Chuck and Blair having “the” conversation, Rufus and Lily finding more ways not to be together, the list just keeps going. Yet despite all the juicy story aspects, the episode fell flat.

With so much negative to discuss, it’s important that the brief shining moments of positive are remembered. Despite being mentioned above as part of the “great on paper” set, Blair and Chuck’s discussion of their situation was a bright spot in the episode, most notably because Chuck was the complete gentleman that Blair’s always believed him to be. He acted out of her best interest, he admitted he loved her, he let her be happy. Of course, she doesn’t know any of this and if she did, it’d be adios Nate. Perhaps he can go back to Vanessa (who was a no-show again) to console himself before heading back for camp preppy. Meanwhile, Blair would linger in Chuck’s arms for a while before they enter this whole dance again, leaving us with no option but some form of murder-suicide plot.

The brightest other moment came, of course, from Georgina. During her entire sappy Jesus-loving, Bambi-eyed, saved stint, she was more irritating than any storyline previously attempted on “Gossip Girl“, quite the achievement! Had this been Survivor, people would have been ringing in in their droves to have her voted off the island and back to her mothership. However, those final moments where Georgina steps back into her Prada slip-ons and slings her Louis Vuitton bag back over her shoulder, you know the bitch is back and this time, she’s playing for keeps. Who knows whether it was the loss of the Bible money, Blair’s constant slamming or the fact that she was taken for a fool, but something tipped Georgie right over the edge. Poppy’s not going to know what hit her and that’s a scene I want to see.

On the adult end of the street, who knew that Lily had such a devious side! After all, setting your own daughter up with a criminal record (which, incidentally, she didn’t seem to care about. If she drops the charges, is the arrest expunged? Won’t this impact Brown’s acceptance?) is quite the dastardly deed. However, it was enjoyable to witness. Serena’s nice and all, but a night in jail may make her less irritating and possibly even get her to forget about Gabriel! This plot should be laid to rest with all possible haste, just like Lily and Rufus’ relationship is about to be. Rufus was never really a fan of Lily’s mother because of the very same streak exhibited by Lily herself this week, so it looks like it’ll be bye bye birdie. With their supposedly-dead son still lingering (who never did show up this week) in the background, he could end up the glue that binds them together, or the acid that burns them apart.

One final thing. Did anyone else think of a few very famous names when they heard the term “fauxcialite” and its definition?

Up Next Week: “Valley Girls” – It’s spin-off time as the back-door pilot to Gossip Girl’s spin off show (tentatively called “Lily”) finally airs. Through a series of flashbacks to the 1980s (complete with fashion mistakes, big hair and blue eyeshadow), we meet Lily as her teenage self and see what life was like for her as she grew up in “The Valley”.

Read More: Gossip Girl Recaps

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

TV Review: Gossip Girl – Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Michelle Graham — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:12:41 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (Season 2, Episode 22)

Synopsis: When Blair and Chuck notice inaccuracies in Gabriel’s version of how he met Serena, a confrontation is ensured. However, the scheming Gabriel turns this discovery to his advantage, applying his Midas touch to situation and walking away with a group of investors as head over heels about his business venture as Serena is over him. When Chuck realizes that only the true Queen of Mean can solve the mystery, he seeks out the devilish Ms. Sparks but finds instead a truly changed person. But is she really as saved as she makes out to be? Meanwhile, Nate’s jealousy over Chuck’s contact with Blair causes him to pop a surprising question, for all the wrong reasons.

Review: Well, that was a fun little episode. Jealousy, betrayal, scheming and best of all – a little Chuck and Blair action (strictly platonic, but better than nothing). As we head into the home stretch of the season, the story arcs are setting up nicely and it’s obvious that nothing’s going to go smoothly.

Even the adults had a little drama this week, as Rufus dealt with money worries and considered a fairly prominent relationship issue. Whilst the ring was completely not to my taste, the idea of him proposing to Lily is both a blessing and a curse. It could seal the fate of Dan and Serena forever, but would also get rid of the angsty back and forth dance that Rufus and Lily do every so often. Funnily enough, the part he’s now so blase about, his cash flow issue, is exactly what he should go back to worrying over.

From the moment Gabriel mentioned an investment, his intentions were clear. Scam as many people out of their money as possible and blow the joint. Doesn’t anyone on this show watch Lost? Sawyer was an expert at just this con! Just like Sawyer, Gabriel displayed a sliver of heart when he tried to protect Rufus from the con, but unfortunately not enough to let him keep his money. Now the question becomes, did Gabriel just bail out on Poppy too, or is this still part of the plan? Of course, we’re still looking for an answer regarding why the dastardly duo chose Serena to begin with. Also, were the investments the only reason for the scheme, as it seemed that Poppy was surprised at this turn of events. Perhaps they just hadn’t planned on getting into that quite so quickly. It appears that it’s nothing to do with Georgina, as Gabriel seems clueless about anything to do with that particular minx.

Speaking of Georgie, for all her talk of being saved, praying and confessing her sins to Jesus, one mention of Blair Waldorf had her leaving her commune and headed back to the bright lights of the big city. It’s possible that Chuck was right and the “saved” stuff was all an act, or there could be genuine remorse motivating her to find Blair. The audience expects the former, which makes me lean towards the latter. Writers do try their best to confound our expectations, after all.

Surprisingly this week, even the sub-plots were strong enough to hold attention. Nate and Chuck’s sparring over Blair, Vanessa confessing about her torrid night of passion with Chuck, even Dan’s whingy bits about Yale were solid. The disdain and almost fear on Blair’s face as she peered down those steps into the subway station was priceless, and Vanessa’s method of confession was cute. Who doesn’t want to drink the pain away when confessing something so embarrassing?

It looks like Dan’s headed for NYU as Rufus’ money walks out the door with Gabriel, so the final hold out of the gang is Serena. At this stage, it’s unlikely she’ll end up at Brown, so perhaps it’ll be Columbia for her and Nate whilst Blair and Dan matriculate at NYU. Wouldn’t that make for some interesting late night study sessions.

Up Next Week: “The Wrath of Con” – A supposedly deceased member of the Humphrey family shows up on Rufus and Lily’s doorstep looking for help.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl – Seder Anything

Michelle Graham — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:24:11 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Seder Anything” (Season 2, Episode 21)

Synopsis: Relationships get more complex this week as Serena returns from Spain a (possibly) married woman, while Blair’s attempts to solidify her place in life and society almost destroy her relationship with Nate. Jenny gives Chuck a wake up call, prompting an unexpected apology and another sign that a heart really beats beneath his hard exterior.

Review: Is Blair really that stupid? Thank God she redeemed herself because right up until the end of that dreadfully social party, I was wondering what had hit her so hard on the head that it knocked everything she’d learned from her tumble from the realm of the socially blessed. To think that manipulating someone would not turn and bite her on the ass after all that was a little bit stupid. Not just a little bit, but an enormous amount. Nate’s grandfather has played the manipulation game for far too long not to have an insurance policy approach, and mutually assured destruction is always a winner. All’s well that ends well though, as Chuck came to her rescue in rather an odd way, preventing yet another knock to her stupid little head. Hopefully the bump won’t cause any more forgetfulness.

Speaking of memory lapses, we had an exemplary incidence of recovering from convenient-short-memory syndrome. Many a TV character has succumbed to this disease, forgetting entire chunks of their history only to resurrect them whenever the plot next calls for the emotion to surface or a subplot to be filled out. Little J managed to do her part admirably here, as someone who managed to go almost two full seasons between being attacked and calling her attacker on it. Considering her family has had plenty of dealings with Chuck, and yes she has exhibited signs of distaste, it was nothing to this week’s venom. Why she chose this week to mention it, who knows, but it shook Chuck up plenty and got him ready for the battle for Blair we’re bound to get next week. After all, what white knight is ready to abandon his fair lady just for being herself? Also, what white knight is that wooden? Nate needs to relax a bit, you’d think that some time with Vanessa would have taught him to breathe a little easier.

Speaking of Vanessa, where was she this week? Won’t she be delighted to hear that Nate, having broken up with her after all the issues about following his own path vs following the path set out by his grandfather, has now decided to go his own way and live his own life. Apparently he can live outside the family confines just fine, once he has Blair there with him.. Maybe Chuck will be called on to console her again, after his excellent performance the last time. Hell, he could even twist it to make Blair jealous and realize she loves him and not Nate!

Over at the party house, AKA the Waldorf apartment, plot development was thrown into chaos as Serena’s urgent conversation with Blair’s lawyer step-father revealed that she had inadvertently (that’s teenage speak for drunkenly) gotten married. To her friend’s ex-boyfriend. Of 3 days. I’ve said before that Serena’s not been acting like herself, but this is just like plastering it all over a billboard and screaming at the top of your lungs in the middle of an cave of echoes. Serena, though impulsive, is not that idiotic. She may sleep with her best friend’s boyfriend, but she won’t marry some strange man…

Ok, the old Serena might have been at risk of marrying a random guy on the spur of the moment, but the new and more matured Serena would never behave in such a ridiculous fashion. Scriptwriters, take note: There’s nothing wrong with a good plot twist to keep the story fresh, but at least make them believable. Keep within the bounds of the character’s plausible behavior!

However, having said all of that, the final moments of the episode cushion what was a highly improbably episode. Did anyone out there watching NOT do a double take? What is going on? Are Poppy and Gabriel in on some scheme together? That’s what it looked like, and Serena has fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Gabriel knew Serena way back during her glory days with Georgina, is there some lingering grudge going on there? How is Poppy involved in all of this? Thank goodness we don’t have to deal with yet another hiatus this week, because this mystery needs explaining sooner rather than later.

Up Next Week: “Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” – An old friend from the past returns as rivalry flares between two lions over one lioness. Meanwhile, Serena’s complex relationship with her pseudo-husband gets even more muddled.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl – Remains of the J

Michelle Graham — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:07:46 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Remains of the J” (Season 2, Episode 20)

Synopsis: Serena attempts to prove to herself and the world that she’s not stuck in a rut when she overrules Jenny’s wishes and throws her a spectacular sweet sixteen. Nate decides that he and Vanessa have come to an end, but not before she learns of his renewed friendship with Blair. When the party finally arrives, a wild night leads to a morning filled with revelations and possibly regretted actions.

Review: This week’s episode was a nice mix of the fun of the old with the drama of the new, whilst setting up the season’s big finish. Not only that, but it even made Nate and Blair cute and not just bland and boring, something long since thought impossible. Unfortunately, the recap at the beginning of the episode did sort of give away the big twist at the end, but no episode’s perfect. At least, not in Gossip Girl.

This week showed exactly why Nate and Blaire were a couple for so long before we joined them last season. They had a close relationship and at one point they were good friends, ones who could rely on each other. Despite how much pull and appeal the Blair and Chuck relationship has, it’s hard not to think that Nate and Blaire could be just as happy together, at least in the short term, after the events of “Remains of the J”. Of course, all good tv relationships require a little spice and the shocked look on the happy couple’s faces when Vanessa decided to lip meld with Chuck in front of them shows that perhaps not everything in the past is really done with.

Was anyone actually surprised when we saw Chuck and his liason the morning after the night before? That spark has been burning hot and bright ever since partway through season 1, and it’s good that they finally acted on it. The question is, will it stay secret enough for both to regain their lost loves, and if by some miracle it does, how long could it be before the events of that night finally bite them on their asses.

Speaking of actions having consequences, hands up who believes that Serena is headed down that slippery slope towards becoming “Savannah” again? Her mad dash off to Spain smacks of the infamous Georgina Sparks, and goes completely against Serena’s usual level-headed approach to things. Then again, her life is in a rut, she has no boyfriend, her best friend spends most of the time either lying to her, fighting with her or whining at her and her mother is dating her’s ex’s dad. That’s not even getting into the illegitimate love child shared by those two. Add the debacle regarding Miss Carr from a couple of weeks ago into the pot and you’re left with a strong case for getting outta Dodge.

However, Serena’s not been acting like herself for a few episodes now. Her infatuation with the director of the final year school play, the way in which she hijacked Jenny’s party for her own benefit (sub-consciously or not), even the way Poppy Lifton made her feel bad for being off the social scene, none of this seems like the very strong and true character we were introduced to initially. Events may have taken their toll, but this just isn’t quite sitting right. There were a few moments in the episode, such as when she and Dan were making the bed, which showed signs of the old relaxed Serena, but sadly, not enough. It was a nice touch to have her call on Dan though, just goes to show that there’s still a connection, romantic or not.

Finally, if Dan can’t afford to go to Yale, Serena turned them down and Blaire was dropped from their list, where does that leave our intrepid Gossip Girl stars next season? Chuck seems intent on running his father’s business (now that he’s finally stopped focusing on the secret gentleman’s club) and Vanessa is happy in Brooklyn with her documentary film making, so assuming Nate’s grandfather can get him access to an Ivy league school in the Fall, it seems that he’ll be the only one matriculating at the end of the school year. Of course, with three episodes to go, that could all change. Tune in again on April 20th, same Bat time, same Bat channel.

Up Next Week: “Seder Anything” – No new episode next week, Gossip Girl returns to our screens with a bang on April 20th as Chuck and Nate compete for Blair’s affection and a familiar face from the past returns to play a very different role than what we’re used to.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl – The Grandfather

Michelle Graham — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:14:52 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Grandfather” (Season 2, Episode 19)

Synopsis: Blair tries to destroy the remnants of her old life in an effort to free herself from the pain of its loss. Despite her repeated brush offs, Chuck refuses to give up on the idea of a life with her, but it seems that some aspects of the past have a certain charm which he lacks. Meanwhile, Nate discovers the price of returning to the familial fold, which both he and Vanessa must pay.

Review: Did Gossip Girl just invent time travel? Because it sure does feel like mid season 1, what with Blair having a bad girl melt down, Nate returning to preppy form and the pair of them going at it like little bitty bunnies. Well, that’s what I pictured happening, anyway. Is that wrong? However, whilst time travel may have occurred, the end result may turn out quite nicely. In fact, the Blair-Chuck-Nate triangle could be a good solid arc to follow now that the writers have yet again nuked Serena and Dan’s relationship.

Ah, Dan and Serena. How good you used to be, how right it seemed and how well you clicked. Now look at the situation. When even the fans of the relationship (I refrain from using the word “shippers” because I don’t really want to apply that label to myself) are saying that it should be left alone for a while, it’s time to stop flogging the horse. However, whilst I know that it’s wrong to hit someone, I did enjoy the moment following the slap, where both parties were completely shocked. Dan’s realization that he did, in fact, do something wrong was strangely satisfying. He acted without any concern for her feelings and he should feel sorry. Well done on righting that wrong, writers.

Back to Blair, who, along with Nate and his familial issues, really was the primary focus of the episode. This season her arc has been so Chuck focused, it makes my head spin to think about. She’s gone from pissed at Chuck to madly in love with Chuck to hating Chuck to concerned about Chuck to distanced from Chuck before finally moving her focus away from Chuck and losing her entire future through a really stupid game with a teacher. It’s nice to finally have a different aspect of Blair again, does anyone else remember the days of bitchy Blair and her minions? Nowadays her minions are completely unafraid of her! Talk about a 180 shift. Bad girl Blair couldn’t have come sooner, and hopefully she’ll be around a while longer. Despite the long term ramifications her behavior at Nate’s social gala will have on her existence, it was enjoyable to witness the utter delight she took in destroying her carefully constructed image. Those damning words tripped off her tongue as easily as pleasantries did only months before. Hopefully whatever phoenix that rises from these ashes will keep a little of that spark.

Finally, there’s Nate and Vanessa. At least, what’s left of Nate and Vanessa, which really doesn’t seem to be much. After all, when your boyfriend cancels his summer vacation with you by announcing he’s got other plans to a room full of people, you could be, quite justifiably, brassed off. Throw in the events at the end of this episode and you have quite the storm brewing in V&N land. This may be a very negative way to think, but thank $deity. Vanessa and Nate’s relationship, though sweet, suffered from a serious case of boring. They were happy, they were together and they had overcome whatever obstacles were around to overcome. The class thing wasn’t an issue, distance wasn’t a factor and it seemed that all was smooth sailing. Now there’s a little spice to the mix! This has only a few episodes left to play out in, one of which will launch Gossip Girl’s spin off show, so if the couple are to be happy and healthy by the season finale, they’d want to sort things out sharpish.

One strangely fascinating aspect that did stand out was the oddly cult-ish situation Nate found himself in when he returned to the Vanderbilt fold. Brainwashing, communal activities, free will being removed, people being given only the illusion of choice, even the existence of a “compound”, it was all quite eerie. Perhaps Vanessa’s next move will be to have him kidnapped and try to break him out of the brainwashed mindset so she can have him back. Hey, at least it would be unexpected.

Up Next Week: “Remains of the J” – Dan’s future at Yale may not be set in stone after all, when his claim for financial aid is rejected. Also in the Humphrey house, little J. turns sweet 16. Serena’s plans for a quiet party are scuppered when a blast from her not-so-sweet past shows up. Meanwhile, Vanessa and Chuck team up for a scheme regarding Nate and Blair.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl – The Age of Dissodance

Michelle Graham — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:38:05 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Age of Dissodance” (Season 2, Episode 18)

Synopsis: As the students of Constance and St. Jude’s perform “The Age of Innocence” as their final year school play, life begins to imitate art. After her dream of attending Yale is shattered, Blair’s drive for revenge alienates her from all her friends and acolytes. However, the true culprit behind the attacks on her perfect life is not quite who she expects. Blair’s dreams aren’t the only ones destroyed, as Dan’s eyes are opened to the true nature of someone he believed above the mud slinging of the schoolyard. Meanwhile, Chuck attempts to rescue Elle from the hands of members of his father’s secret gentleman’s club.

Review: Gossip Girl returns to our screens, and although it didn’t exactly return with a bang, it also didn’t disappoint. Instead we were presented with a neat wrapping up of Dan’s May-August love story; an attempt at making us believe Serena is actually over Dan while underlining the fact that her character has disappeared into some other creature; and a complete crumbling of Blair’s world, all intermingled with teenagers performing scenes from “The Age of Innocence”. Oh, and Chuck has a side plot concerning the secret gentleman’s club his father frequented and that girl that accidentally revealed its existence to him. It seems that chestnut’s going to last a while.

Despite all the build up, the heat and the drama with Dan and Rachel’s relationship in the previous episode, it seems that Ms Carr’s career in the realm of Gossip Girl is already over. It was nice to see a teacher behaving like a real person, even if that teacher is not much more than a teenager herself. With what Blair did to her, it’s understandable that the girl would be pretty pissed and eager for some revenge.

I hope the writers didn’t mean for this particular plot point to be some sort of shock twist, as it was pretty predictable. Then again, predictability seemed to be the theme of this week’s episode. From Serena setting herself up for failure by falling for a gay guy to Elle’s ditching of Chuck as soon as she got her money, there were no surprises. Only the closing moments held a certain amount of uncertainty and the promise of more trouble to come. With only four episodes left in the season and the promise of more fun and flashes from Serena’s former life, things are not due to run smoothly. Perhaps tonight was only the beginning of this downward spiral into Crazytown. Poor Blair and Chuck, it seems like they’ll never catch a break!

Up Next Week: “The Grandfather” – With Blair’s college dreams in tatters, she turns to her darker side in an effort to lose herself and forget her grief. Meanwhile, Vanessa attempts to persuade Nate that it’s time to let his mother’s side of the family back into his life.

TV Review: Gossip Girl 5.17 – Carrnal Knowledge

Michelle Graham — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:56:56 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Carrnal Knowledge” (Season 2, Episode 17)

Synopsis: Gossip Girl strikes again, as rumors surrounding Ms. Carr’s relationship with a student hit the headlines. Drastic punishment is meted out when Blair’s part in this rumor is discovered, but some new evidence throws the case into a different light. Serena & Dan accept the end of their affair, but is it the right time for one of them to begin a new one? Meanwhile, Chuck awakens after a possible night of drunken debauchery to discover only a stamp on his arm and disjointed memories of a beautiful woman. Digging deeper into the mystery, he discovers a far nastier underbelly to his experiences.

Review: It’s important that we learn to expect the unexpected, and this episode was definitely unexpected. Not because the plot shocked us, because it truly didn’t, This review could have been written 5 minutes into the episode! No, the reason for expecting the unexpected lies in the fact that while the plotline involving Chuck and his lost weekend seemed like it would be the stronger of the two main stories, it ended up being left in the dust as Blair’s world fell apart and was repaired, relationships fizzled out and hot teacher sex occurred.

It seems that both sides of this story are set to have a story arc, with Chuck’s father’s membership to some nasty secret Eyes-Wide-Shut club bound to come back over the next few episodes. Whether it’ll be an interesting story remains to be seen, but if he wants to keep Daddy dearest’s memory in tact and untarnished, perhaps he’d be better off not continuing on down that particular rabbit hole. Meanwhile, Blair seems to have gotten everything she wanted, but at the cost of her image in her Daddy’s eyes. Perhaps that’s not as good a bargain is it seems, Blair’s always been a Daddy’s girl and what’s to keep her on the straight and narrow if her worries over image are lost?

Last, but definitely not least, there’s Dan and Serena. While I want to believe that their relationship is meant to be, the writers keep on kicking it in the teeth. If the pair were honest with each other, they’d have a better shot, but strangely that’s a skill that neither can manage. Now with Serena free to frolic with whomever she wishes, and Dan already in the midst of the dirty deed, it seems that the lid is firmly on their relationship. Is there anything strong enough to pop it open again? The current state of play cannot last for long, that’s for sure.

Up Next Week: “Blair Waldorf’s Day Off” – Not due to air until the 2nd of March, summaries for this episode remain slightly elusive. What we can tell you is that Dan still doesn’t seem to be grieving over the loss of his relationship with Serena, while things don’t seem all that positive for Nate and Vanessa.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl 2.16 – You’ve Got Yale

Michelle Graham — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:32:02 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “You’ve Got Yale” (Season 2, Episode 16)

Synopsis: Serena gets accepted into Yale. Dan gets accepted into Yale. Blair… does not get into Yale? Chuck takes Jack down, with the help of an unexpected ally. A new teacher at Constance promises to shake things up in more ways than one.

Review: Oh, Gossip Girl. You get my hopes up every so often with some great and promising story, but then you go and dash them. This episode is a prime example. The last few episodes have been solid enough, a few dips but there was always something fabulous to hook you for the next in line. Unfortunately, that’s all this episode has going for it, the last 10 minutes hook you enough to come back for next week.

It’s not that the episode was bad. Even in a lull period, there’s rarely a “bad” episode in the bunch. This one was simply dull. Blair’s struggles to find her way into Yale, while matching her personality, were more Blair-lite. Serena’s college crisis was bland, though it does introduce a new spin on the S&D relationship. The addition of a new teacher to the Constance ranks also looks like it could cause some trouble in that area. Perhaps the writers really will stick with the original book series’ story and nuke Dan and Serena’s relationship in the end, but it would be at the cost of a chunk of their viewership. If they’re not planning on ending the relationship, they’ve a funny way of keeping things going. At least things are a little different this time around, Dan avoiding Serena and not vice versa. Still, angst between Dan and Serena? Not exactly the opposite of dull..

Someone who embodies the opposite of dull is Chuck’s dear sweet Uncle Jack, but sadly it looks as though we may have lost him. If he really has exited the series, it will be quite the pity. His nasty streak runs wide and deep, as we saw tonight. At least the loss of the villain brought Chuck and Lily back onto speaking terms and even sparked a very nice scene between the pair. Chuck can play the hero well, when he wants to.

So, Lily has legally adopted Chuck and brought him back to the nest, Jack is flying back to Oz, Dan is put out and Serena is confused. The best may still be yet to come, though. Blair’s swearing vengeance on the sweet and innocent new teacher may sound like classic Blair, but I dare say we’ve never seen her black ops approach before. Watch out, Ms. Carr…

Up Next Week: Nothing until the 2nd of February, folks! : “Carnal Knowledge” – Blair comes up with a devious plan to take down a teacher. Chuck has no recollection of what happened to him when he wakes up in a hotel.

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TV Review: Gossip Girl 5.15 – Gone With the Will

Michelle Graham — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:35:29 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Gone With the Will” (Season 2, Episode 15)

Synopsis: Dan dodges Serena in a bid to keep from lying to her, but unfortunately his antics catch the attention of Gossip Girl and her followers. With everyone on Dan-watch, it’s only a matter of time before Rufus and Lily’s big secret out comes tumbling out, but the fallout from this bomb has yet to be fully felt. Meanwhile, Chuck discovers that his father really did believe in him, but dear old Uncle Jack quickly makes sure that no one else ever will, including Blair. Will this send him running back to the Far East to forget all his troubles? Lily and Rufus meet with the adoptive father of their child, but not everything is what it seems.

Review: While not quite as powerful as last week’s episode, this week’s installment still remains a lot better than some of this season. As usual, Dan and Serena together are far better than Dan and Serena apart, and even more importantly when Chuck is given some drama to work with, he excels. Add a dash of Blair, albeit a slightly watered down version of her bitchy self and you’ve got the makings of some great moments.

Poor Chuck. He starts to feel more confident, tries to grow into his role as his father’s son and then his one remaining relative sabotages him. No wonder the guy has trust issues. However, Chuck’s not blameless in this. His behaviour towards Blair was cruel and unfair, even if they were just friends. Their end scene at the elevator was touching, hopefully it will convince Chuck to work to fix things, rather than just imploding again. He and B could have a good thing, if they could just get out of their own way.

Speaking of couples that can’t seem to get it right, Serena and Dan were surprisingly well behaved this week. The normal next step in their ongoing tango would be to dance around things for a bit and then give up, but they look to be putting up a fight! Of course, their situation is just a little bit weirder now, given that there’s common blood in their family tree. Even weirder still, their respective siblings look on each other as, well, siblings. When one half of the family views themselves as related, dating is going to get tricky. Especially if Rufus and Lily last as a couple! This whole situation is getting twisted up, and though it’ll be interesting to see how they sort it out, it does feel a tad… wrong. Not to the point of jumping the shark, but not in line with the rest of the show. What’s strange is that the show is causing a strong conflict between resolutions. Serena and Dan make a wonderful couple, but Rufus and Lily are extremely sweet together. It would also allow Jenny and Eric to be siblings, roles which they already inhabit so happily and well after only a day! Something tells me both resolutions can’t co-exist, which is a pity.

Finally, about that common blood link. Gossip Girl is definitely pushing the “surprise” twists this year, to the point that this one was visible from the second it was set up. The predictable next step would be for their son to show up in the big city, bags in hand. Then again, who says he won’t be at college with the wild bunch next year? After all, they can’t stay in school forever. Hopefully they won’t take the predictable step, formulaic story lines are so last year.

Up Next Week: “You’ve Got Yale” – It’s that stressful time of year when Constance Billard and St. Jude’s students find out who is and isn’t worthy of early admission to Yale University. Blair’s academic career suffers an unsightly blemish when a teacher doesn’t think she’s A-material, but do the Yale review board disagree?

TV Review: Gossip Girl – In the Realm of the Basses

Michelle Graham — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “In The Realm of the Basses” (Season 2, Episode 14)

Synopsis: Dan and Serena finally prove that we were right to keep watching, but things could get ugly when Dan learns a secret from his dad’s past. Jenny’s return to school upsets the political regime, however Blair is too busy moving onwards and upwards to play referee. Chuck’s return to New York does not herald his return to form, just a plunge further into the darkness. Rufus’ efforts to find his unknown child meet constant dead ends, forcing him to ask Lily for help.

Review: Finally, some sort of progress on the Dan and Serena front. After a long time being saddled with the irritation that was Aaron, it’s a great relief to hear that Serena has seen sense and broken up with him. Even better was the fact that it was off screen and therefore any moping was done away from the viewers! With Aaron’s dad married to Blair’s mom, there’s a possibility that we may see him again, but it’s unlikely that it’ll be anything to do with Serena. Unfortunately, it also looks as though the dream pairing may not stay together too long. As Chuck himself pointed out, bedding the sister/brother of your sibling is a little off, even if there’s no blood between you. The addition of a Baby Humphrey-Van der Woodsen definitely has long reaching potential, but it better not prevent Dan & Serena from being together in the end. The Ross-and-Rachel-ness of it all is just too much, especially after seeing how good they are together. The couple clicks, as opposed to the awkwardness of Aaron & Serena in previous episodes.

Another couple that click but haven’t locked are Blair and Chuck, and boy is that plot flying at the moment. The Christmas break seems to have seen some interesting action, and if the exchange between “Uncle Jack” and Blair regarding New Year’s Eve is as dramatic as it sounds, Chuck may end up back on a rooftop again soon. Secrets and lies always come apart in this town, after all. It’s a pity, because Chuck’s downward spiral in this episode was a pretty good indication of how hard something can hit him, and losing Blair would rank right up there with losing his father. Their intimacy may not be that of a couple, but they know each other inside out, a fact that constantly comes through.

The episode was a great start to the year, with a lot of promise. Even the Jenny storyline was tolerable! Sure, she’s back in Constance, but hopefully it’ll be a more interesting Jenny this time around, with Little J a thing of the past. Though Blair claims to be past the high school politics and Jenny’s not interested, things look to be shaping up for more shake ups within the Girls on the Steps. As side plots go, it’s not too bad. Even the adults were strong this week, although it’s odd how Blair repeatedly loses hers. Perhaps the new Mr. Waldorf isn’t as interested in family time as he seems? It’s definitely a huge contrast to Rufus, whose desperate attempts to find his surprise child may wear thin if it’s not solved soon. In the mean time, it’s intriguing. Overall, Gossip Girl has definitely signed back on after the holidays with a bang.

Up Next Week: “Gone With the Will” – Chuck finds himself at the helm of Bass Industries and agrees to his Uncle Jack acting as guardian, but is this a wise move?

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