There Goes My Baby – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “The Fasting and The Furious”

BLAIR: “Your mother is requiring my baby to have an oil change, and a battery recharge, every month?  But that doesn’t make any sense! No human child needs Double D Batteries to live!” 

LOUIS-BOT: *whistles uncomfortably*

(By the way, special  thanks to Home of the Nutty, for the gorgeous screencaps you see here.)

Greetings Upper East Siders!  It’s Yom Kippur in Gossip Girl World, a.k.a. The Day of Atonement, a.k.a. HUNGRY DAY.  What better time could there possibly be to tell your parents that you’ve been knocked up by a robot prince, than when they are too delirious with hunger to be truly disappointed in you for it?  Clearly, this is Blair’s and Louis-bot’s reasoning, when they finally confront their parents with news of Blair’s pregnancy, at the start of the episode.

ELEANOR: “But how is that even possible, Blair?   He’s a robo . . .”

CYRUS: (interrupts) “Now, now Eleanor, there’s no need to be rude toward our cyborg future son-and-law (through his teeth) we don’t want the Queen to have us beheaded.” 

QUEEN SOPHIE: “Yippee.  I always knew you would be a marvelous baby making machine.  You have spectacular child-bearing hips.  That said, you WILL agree to unplug murder the child, in the event that it’s not a boy, right? 

Blair’s and Louis-bot’s gamble, in choosing to reveal this information when they did, actually seems to be a good one.  After all, aside from Blair’s mom’s reminder that Blair hasn’t finished college yet (I’m glad SOMEBODY remembered!), the parental units seem to take the baby news shockingly well.  Of course, this does move up the couple’s wedding plans, just a bit.  “We don’t want another bastard on our hands!” Sophie jokes pointedly.

Hmmm . . . did she mean a bastard, as in a child born to an unwed mother?  Or a BASS-tard?

“I’m Baby Bass.” 

Doing it Doggy Style. . .

Meanwhile, elsewhere in town, the Dan /Chuck /Monkey bro-dog-mance continues . . .

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Apparently, Dan has bought a little gift for Monkey.  It’s a black, shiny S&M collar.  How thoughtful!

“You know, Dan.  If you want to play dirty sex games with me, all you have to do is ask.” 

Upon seeing the naughty collar, Chuck gleefully notes that he knows a lot of women, who would look good in it, which basically means, that a lot of Chuck’s sexual partners have REALLY thick necks . . .

Not you, Blair.  YOUR neck is perfectly proportioned. 

It’s not all that surprising that Dan is showering Chuck and Monkey with sex toys, when you consider that, at this point in the story, Chuck and his trusty canine sidekick are they only people on the show who don’t HATE DAN’S GUTS.  I mean, Dan’s own DAD isn’t even returning his calls, for crying out loud!

“I don’t know why you’re mad, Rufus.  If it weren’t for me, you would never have gotten that job offer to be on Real Househusbands of NYC.” 

Always one to look on the bright side of things, Chuck reminds Dan that, at least now, all his so-called friends and family are ignoring them, because they hate him . . . as opposed to before, when they ignored him, because they didn’t know he existed.   (Good point!)  Someone who DID always seem to know Dan existed was Serena.  And when she calls Dan and invites him out for coffee, the Dopey Donut becomes immediately convinced his days as a Social Pariah are over . . .

Haha!  Sucks for him!

Silly Dan!  Clearly, he hasn’t watched the first four seasons of Gossip Girl.  Because, if he did, he would know that nobody forgives ANYONE on this show, without getting horrible revenge on them for whatever bad thing they’ve done, first.

Meanwhile, Monkey — who clearly takes after his owner — starts sniffing the butt of some seemingly random shrink’s dog . . .

“I’m Monkey Bass . . . and you have a nice ass.” 

This, of course, gives Chuck the “fabulous” idea that he and the lucky shrink should ALSO be sniffing eachother’s butts.  After all, what’s good enough for Monkey is good enough for Chuckie, right?  Shrink Lady immediately assesses Chuck as someone who’s in need of some serious sexual favors psychological help.  So, she offers him her business card.

“For a good time, call . . .” 

Chuck wastes absolutely no time, plopping himself on Shrink-o’s therapy couch, and propositioning her . . .

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Unfortunately, Shrink-o REJECTS HIM!

The way I see it, there can only be three logical reasons for this: (1) she is a lesbian; (2) she is blind; or (3) she watches Gossip Girl, is a huge Chair fan, and isn’t willing to be this season’s Lame Plot Device to keep the happy couple apart . . .

“Hey!  I resemble that remark.” 

Whatever the reason, Chuck ends up leaving his first “therapy session,” with nothing but a $250 invoice, and a pair of these . . .

But, hey, at least he still has Monkey to keep him warm at night . . .

 .  . . which is more than can be said for a certain Dopey Donut . . .

Inside: The Movie (Based on a Best Selling Novel by Humpty Humphrey)

“When I portrayed you in my book as a shallow, drunken, slut, with no redeeming qualities, whatsoever, I meant it in the nicest way possible.”

Having been tasked by her new boss, Cruella Deville, with the assignment of securing the film rights for Dan’s SPECTACULAR novel, Serena is forced to suck up her pride, and invite her ex-boyfriend, F. Scott Fitzjackass, out for coffee. On the surface, Serena seems to play very nice with Dopey Donut.  But, if you watch her closely, you can tell she’s secretly plotting ways to murder him, by lighting his muppet-esque hair on fire .  . .

Dan, of course, is oblivious to all of this, and informally offers Serena the movie rights to his book, without a second thought.  But then, after Dan leaves the shop, his Evil ASS-istant (HATE HER!)  . . .

“Hi Dan.  I’m on my way out to eat some puppies, and smother newborn babies with pillows, but before I do that, let me entice you to do something else that will make your friends hate your guts . . .”

 . .  . calls to tell him that Harvey Weinstein wants the movie rights to Gossip Girl Inside.  So, of course, now Dan’s all “Serena, WHO?”

*insert game show buzzer noise*

Meanwhile, in the storyline that nobody’s cared about for weeks, but, which suddenly got interesting, in the last few seconds of this episode . . .

Blah, Blah, Blah Charlie/Ivy/ Call Me Serena, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blackmail / Spying

“Wake up, Faux Charlie, things are about to get exciting . . . for a change.” 

After information about Diana’s Poor Little Rich People Cell Phone Heist from last week is leaked to Gossip Girl, Diana finds, much to her chagrin, that her tawdry tabloid website cannot go live yet, without making Diana’s illegal deeds TOTALLY obvious to Manhattan’s elite.  Desperate for an alternative news source, Diana propositions both the blackmailed Faux Charlie, and Sex Toy Nate to find out information about their “pals” the Bass’ and Van Der Woodsens.

NATE: “You know, one of these days, I’m going to get a REAL storyline . . . one that doesn’t involve me getting manipulated by the middle-aged guest star my character is currently boning.”

DIANA: “It’s good to have to dreams . . .” 

Back at the Van Der Woodsen Mansion, Moronic Lily inexplicably tells Faux Charlie all about the Big Bad Safe filled with Big Bad Van Der Woodsen and Bass Family Secrets, before leaving with Rufus to attend the Waldorf’s Yom Kippur Thingy.

“I’d gladly leave you the combination to the safe, so that you could break in and use the Top Secret Information contained inside to destroy our lives.  Unfortunately, I don’t know how to count past the number five.” 

Charlie eventually entices Nate to help out with her “devious” plan.  Nate, for his part, secures the combination to the safe from Chuck Bass, who had broken into it with Serena once before.  (And, of course, the Van Der Woodsens didn’t think to change the combination, since then.  HOW IDIOTIC CONVENIENT!)

The combination to the safe ends up being Chuck’s mother’s birthday.  (Remember that . . . because it ends up being important later.)

After opening the safe, and extracting the documents hidden therein, Nate suddenly has a crisis of conscience.  He doesn’t want to deliver the information to Diana, even if it means he’ll never be the next John F. Kennedy, Jr.  (Umm  . . . Nate, next time, you might want to try having a role model who DOESN’T DIE REALLY YOUNG in a FREAK PLANE CRASH!  Just sayin’.).  Nate also reminds Charlie that, because she’s supposedly RELATED to the Van Der Woodsen’s, she probably shouldn’t want to expose their deep dark secrets, EITHER!

“Oh, that’s right.  For a second there, I forgot I was pretending to actually be a member of this f*&ked up, dysfunctional, family.  Thanks for reminding me.” 

Charlie / Ivy / Call Me Serena pretends to return the information to the safe, for Nate’s benefit.  But, of course, she ends up turning it over to Diana, anyway.  Now, HERE is where things finally get interesting . . .

“Don’t you wish every family had a folder conveniently labeled ‘Big Bad Family Secrets?’  It would make the often time-consuming art of successful blackmail SO much more efficient . . .” 

Diana surprises viewers, by actually RETURNING the folders to Faux-Charlie, claiming that none of the information contained within them is remotely newsworthy.  But then, after Faux-Charlie leaves, we see that Diana has kept ONE particular piece of information from Bart Bass’ folder.   It is . . . wait for it . . . a PICTURE OF DIANA from when she was a bit younger . . . like . . . say TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER.  (Now, how old is Chuck Bass again? ;))

Remember how I said that the fact that the combination to Bart’s safe was Chuck Bass’ mother’s birthday was significant?  Is it possible that Diana is Chuck’s long lost mother, once thought to be dead?

Though Diana burned the picture in question, before it could inevitably fall into the wrong hands, I think it’s VERY safe to say that this little tidbit of information is destinted to haunt the Upper East Side, sometime in the very near future . . .

Shrink-Wrapped Bass

Speaking of Chuck, he strikes out with the Good Doctor AGAIN, at the Waldorf’s Yom Kippur thingy.  (This has to be a record for him.)  What’s worse, as a consulation prize to sleeping with her, she decides to give him a free impromptu therapy session, right there in the street.  And the results are NOT pretty . . .

“That will be another $250, thank you for your time.” 

OK.  Now we know, FOR SURE, that the Shrink-o is a huge Gossip Girl fan.  Because she psycho-analyzes poor Chuck to a TEE!  She basically tells him that he never had a childhood, and therefore acts like a child, in all the worst ways.  She then explains to him that he pays for sex, so that he can always be in control.

“Your superficial connections, and lack of authentic emotion leave you isolated and alone . . . not just tonight, always.  I wish you all the best.  But you are going to need more than that to lead a happy and normal life,” she concludes.

 “Oh, and while we’re at it, why the heck did you f*&k that Raccoon Zombie, Jenny Humphrey, back in Season 3?  That was SO whack!  And don’t even get me started on that Raina thing . . .”

Wow, Lady!  Why don’t you tell Chuck, how you really feel?

*sniffles* “She was just SO MEAN!  All I wanted to do was give her the best sex she ever had in her long boring life!”

Of course, it seems more than a bit unrealistic that this woman — without being psychic, or spending hours with a Gossip Girl DVD box set — could surmise all of this about Chuck, after reading a few tabloid stories, and spending all of three minutes with him.  But what kept the scene from being completely ridiculous was Ed Westwick’s acting ability.  Watching Chuck take in this all-too-accurate assessment of his personality was pretty darn heartbreaking, as his glib cocky smile, gradually gave way to understanding, and, ultimately, depression . . .

Someone needs a hug . . . 

Westwick’s sublime mastery of this difficult scene almost makes me forget the fact that (1) Chuck came to this EXACT same realization last week, with Lily, making the shrink’s monologue a bit redundant; and (2) there was not a SINGLE Chair scene to be had in this ENTIRE episode . . .  ALMOST.

*silently seething* 

Anywhoo, at the end of the episode, Chuck calls this same shrink, but this time to set up a GENUINE appointment for some much-needed therapy . . .

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And if the CANADIAN PROMO for the next episode is any indication, this psychotherapy is going to have a MAJOR impact on the Chair relationship.  Now, whether that impact ends up being positive or negative, remains to be seen  .  . .

Elsewhere, on the Upper East Side . . .

Baby-Bot Needs a New Boarding School . . .

In-laws . . . gotta love em!

Tensions run high in the Waldorf household, when Louis-Bot’s Slimy Priest Kissing Wench of a Sister, Beatrice-Bot plants the seed in her mother’s head that Blair might not raise her baby in a way suited for a future Monaco royal heir.  So, Sophie then places a whole bunch of conditions on Blair, requiring her to give birth to the baby in Monaco, and have the baby attend boarding school there.

At first, Blair is appalled by Queen Sophie’s conditions.  But when she turns to her supposed bestie Serena for support, and Serena blows her off, because of WORK problems, of all things . . .

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(That’s funny, when Serena usually blows Blair off, it’s for sex with Random Guest Stars or Nate. . .)

 . . . Blair suddenly and inexplicably becomes convinced that she has NOTHING left for her in NYC (overdramatic much?), and instantly agrees to all of Queen Sophie’s conditions.

But wait . . . it gets worse.  Enter that annoying Tabloid Journalist witch, Diana who might be Chuck’s mom.  Hoping to snag a story for her stupid online Beta version of Gossip Girl, Diana indirectly helps Beatrice to (1) convince her mother that these baby-raising conditions need to be in writing; and (2) somehow insert into this oddball baby-raising contract provisions that are so preposterous even this new Stepford version of Blair won’t be able to agree to them.

“I just have to insert my wanker, into EVERY SINGLE storyline on this show, don’t I?”

The plan goes off, without a hitch of course.  As expected, Blair and her family are severely disturbed by the notion of having to sign this ridiculous contract, which, among other things, prevents Blair from ever spending more than 48 hours in New York, without prior approval of the monarchy.

“But how will I manage to maintain my inevitable marital affair with Chuck Bass, then?  Most of our sex sessions last at least six hours!”

But the biggest shocker, of course, comes from Louis-Bot, who ACTUALLY STANDS UP TO HIS MOTHER, for once.  (Blair has reprogrammed him well.)  When Queen Sophie publicly threatens to disown, and refuse to acknowledge, Louis-Bot, if his soon-to-be wife doesn’t sign the contract, Louis-bot turns around and replies that, as heir to the throne, it is Baby-bot’s decision whether HE (or SHE) chooses to acknowlege HER.  While, I’m not sure that’s true from a political standpoint (After all, what if Baby-Bot is female?  Would she still be more powerful than the reigning Queen?), kudos to Louis-Bot for FINALLY growing a pair . . .

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Well . .  . so much for THAT!

Oh, and Diana got her Big Bad Tabloid story, just in case you cared . . .

Headline of the Day: Royal Robot Wars . . . a.k.a. Real Steel 2, Electric Boogaloo

The altercation led to a very sweet exchange between Blair and her mother, though . . .

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And this, in turn, convinced Rufus to forgive his son for effectively portraying him as a high class male prostitute in his book!  So . . . YAY for positive parent-child relationships that aren’t Louis-bot’s!

 Speaking of Blair’s cyborg fiance, don’t know about you, but I found Louis-bot’s supposedly sweet remark that, “You’re my only family now,” at the end of the episode, to be more than a bit creepy.  I mean, really, when you think about it, a line like this is really just a hop, skip, and a jump from the much over-used, “If I can’t have you, NO ONE CAN!”

In fact, Louis-Bot proves himself to be a Fiance on the Brink of a Possible Psychotic Breakdown, when he finds Blair’s Paternity Test results and, rather, than immediately confronting Blair with them, he instead contacts . . . wait for it . . . CHUCK’S NEW SHRINK for help with the matter.

RUH-ROH!

How convenient is it that there’s seemingly only ONE therapist on the Upper East Side, and she just so happens to have a pooch who’s ass Chuck’s Monkey likes to sniff?  Be afraid, Blair Bear, be VERY afraid . . .

Oh, I guess I should finish telling you about Dan’s movie option, should I?

The Love of Her Life . . .

When Serena learns from a public television interview that Dan is NOT going to offer her the movie rights to his book, after all, she is SUPER PISSED . . .

I said PISSED . . . not wasted!

That’s better!

Furious with Dan for ruining her chances at success in a job that has suddenly become The Most Important Thing in Serena’s Life, at least, until next week our blonde book villain decides to sabotage Humpty Humphrey’s chances of selling the movie rights to his book to anyone else aside from her boss.  

Well . . . not really  . . . but it certainly wasn’t a very nice thing to do.

She does this by leaking to a major online publication a rumor that Dan has ALREADY promised the rights to Serena’s boss.

Slimy as it was, Serena’s Evil Plan ultimately WORKS, in that Dan eventually agrees to GIVE Serena’s boss the movie rights (but only because no one else gives two craps about him and his lame book anymore), provided that HE gets to write the screenplay.

(Seriously?  He writes screenplays, too?  What’s next,  Donut Dan for President?) 

Dan and Serena then have a heart-to-heart conversation about how Serena’s character, just like Nate’s, isn’t JUST her, but rather, an amalgamation of her, and other book and TV characters that Dan stole borrowed from alternative media sources because he lacks originality as an author.

“My second novel will be entitled SuperDan, and will feature a character that rises above his humble Brooklyn beginnings, to fly around NYC, and battle evil, while wearing a cape, and a bodysuit, with a big “D” emblazoned on the front.” 

This makes Serena feel a little better.  But she’s still bummed about the fact that Blair got to be the heroine of Dan’s book, while SHE is merely the Drunken Slutty Sidekick.

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Having considered Dan to be the Love of Her Life (and, considering how many people Serena has had sex with loved in her lifetime, this should be a HUGE honor for Donut Dan), Serena is hurt to learn that he might not feel the same way about her.  Dan later apologizes to Serena for this, claiming that it is WAY too early in Dan and Serena’s lives for them to know who the True Loves of Their Life are.  His MAY be Serena . . . but it also may be Blair (MAN, I HOPE NOT) . . .  or Chuck . . . or Monkey.  Who really knows?

That said .  . . Dan and Serena’s conversation does raise an interesting question about “soulmates.” Specifically, exactly how old does one have to be to recognize his or her True Love?  What do you think, GG’ers?  Do we need to wait until we are old and wrinkly, before we can figure out who the loves of our life are?  Or is this something we know instinctively, the moment we experience it?

*clears throat*

One thing is FOR SURE, however.  We definitely don’t need to wait until we’re old, to figure out, is who our True Friends are.

Therefore, it is fitting that, at the end of the episode, Serena FINALLY apologizes for being such a douchette to Blair, and COMPLETELY ignoring Queen B’s ass, while she was going through all this awful crap with her baby, and Louis-Bot’s despicable family.

As it turns out, Serena was merely acting out, because she was jealous of the generally positive way Blair was ultimately portrayed in Dan’s story, as opposed to the unbelieveably AWFUL way Serena was portrayed.  “You were the star of Dan’s book,” Serena admits with a pout.

“Well, it’s pure fiction,” Blair replies kindly, offering Serena a big ole hug . . .

AWWWWW! 

Here’s hoping these two besties never again let jealousy, selfishness, or boys get in the way of their eternal friendship.  *cough Fat Chance cough*

So . . . that was “The Fasting and The Furious,” in a nutshell.  In two weeks, Gossip Girl returns for “I Am Number Nine,” during which we will get our first taste of Bridezilla Blair, and her less-than-lucky prospective Bridesmaids . . .

(By the way, did you guys notice how the Canadian promo makes this upcoming episode look AWESOME, and the American one, above, makes it look . . . um . . . ridiculous, cheesy, dumb  slightly less awesome?  Weird . . .)

Anyway, I’ll see you all on November 7th.   Until then, XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

It’s Lonely on the Inside – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “Memoirs of an Invisible Dan”

[For those looking for a recap of The Vampire Diaries’ “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” it’s on it’s WAY!  I just have to load a few more Delena-centric gifs ;), and rework some photo captions.  Best case scenario: it should be up early this afternoon.  Worst case scenario, it should be up by 7 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time)  There’s nothing wrong with being a little “fashionably late,” right? ;)]

“Say cheese, all you miserable people from Dan’s book!”

I’m going to break tradition by beginning this recap with a personal anecdote.  (I promise you it’s at least partially relevant to this recap.)  Here goes . . . I’m a novelist . . . definitely not a famous one, and, possibly, not even a particularly good one.  But, still I (self) published two novels.

And when I did, everyone who knew I published them, inevitably wanted to know if any of the characters in either of the books was based on them.

This is despite the fact that one of my books was about warlocks, and the other one was about a vampire.  (Not exactly memoirs.)  Once the people in my life found out that the books were NOT about them, their next inevitable SUGGESTION was that I write the NEXT one about them.  To this I would always respond some variation of “HELL NO!”  And this episode of Gossip Girl is precisely why . . .

“This book is like the perfect second child I never had . . . We’re just going to pretend Jenny doesn’t exist, OK?”

Good stories require deeply flawed characters . . . the more flawed the better.  No one wants to read a book filled with Mary Sues.  As a result, writing a GOOD book about your friends is the quickest way to lose them.  It’s as simple as that.  (Besides, all my friends are absolutely perfect, and have no flaws, whatsoever. ;))

It’s TRUE! 

Additionally, from personal experience, I can tell you that most books written by a first time novelist take anywhere from seven months to a year to write, sometimes longer.  I only say this because, despite the fact that Dan the Donut might have claimed that he never planned for anyone to read his book, NO ONE works on something for close to a year, just so they can keep it to themselves .  . . Just sayin  . .  .

“Money?  Fame? GIVE ME MORE, NOW!  EWWWW GROSS!” 

But enough about me.  Let’s talk about “Memoirs of an Invisible Dan.”

How to Lose Friends and Alienate Upper East Siders

We open up the episode with what I believe is the first of many “flashbacks” to scenes from Dan’s book.  The scene features Dan, er, I mean “Dylan,” walking through a sea of old fogey well wishers at his book party, without a friend in sight.

“All by mysellllf (surrounded by old people) . . . don’t wanna be, all by myself (surrounded by old people), anymoreeeeeeee.” 

The REAL Dan wakes from his reverie to hear his new publisher’s assistant babbling on about his upcoming book party, during which he will be revealed as the anonymous author of “Inside.”

“Would you just shut up about my book, for a second, so that I can show you my awesome Elvis impersonation?  Thank you . . . thank you very much.” 

Hmmm . . . so let me get this straight . . . at the end of “Inside” the Dan character publishes a book similar to “Inside,” which is actually similar to the Gossip Girl books, on which the Gossip Girl show is based?

Excuse me, I think my head just popped off trying to wrap my brain around all this . . .

Don’t worry . . . I’ll put it back on . . .

Dan continues to assure the publisher’s assistant that the Dylan character in the book is NOT actually him.  And yet he’s frightened to tell all his friends about the book, because the Dylan character’s friends in the book are almost exactly like THEM, with some key changes.  You know, as the apparent “voice of his generation,” Donut Dan sure isn’t particularly creative, now, is he?  If he REALLY didn’t want his friends and family to know this was a memoir, he might have tried . . . I don’t know . . . being a bit more inventive about his character’s names . . .

“Coming up with character names is HARD.” 

Here are the characters’ in Dan’s book:

Dan Humphrey = Dylan Hunter

Blair Waldorf = Claire Carlyle

Serena VanDerWoodsen = Sabrina VonSomething

Nate Archibald = Derek VonSomething (more on that later)

Chuck Bass = Charlie Trout

No . . . actually . . . you’re Charlie Trout.  Didn’t you read the book? 

For one thing, it would make the inevitable defamation lawsuits a lot easier to defend against . . .

Dan finally relents, and asks for six copies of his book, so that he can deliver them personally to his so-called friends, only some of whom actually know how to read . . .

DOH!

Elsewhere in town, Blair is complaining about her ever-growing pregnancy boobs . . .

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And I have to say, whatever the makeup and wardrobe department are doing with Leighton Meester to make her look pregnant (whether it’s the oddly flat hair, or the tired eyes, or the slightly paler skin, or the not entirely flattering dresses ), it’s WORKING. 🙂  (Don’t worry, Blair!  We still think your gorgeous.  If you weren’t, every single solitary male character on this show wouldn’t be madly in love with you.)

“Yes,  I know.  I’m awesome.” 

Where was I?  Oh yes . . . Blair’s boobs . . . Cue Louis-bot to rise up and fondle said tatas mechanically, as he makes a not particularly funny joke about Blair’s bad moods not being related to pregnancy hormones, since Blair always suffers from mood swings, anyway.  (Real nice, Douche!)

“How else can I make you feel extremely uncomfortable about your pregnancy?  Ooh!  I know, I can squeeze your boobs, while making honking noises.” 

In Louis-bot’s defense, most of the robots I know can barely get through a simple knock-knock joke.  So, are far as cyborgs go, his sense of humor is fairly advanced.

“I am a comedic genius!  (Take that, R2D2!)”

Blair worries that Louis’ parents won’t respond well to her pregnancy, and that she will end up on some trashy reality show, like Unwed and Pregnant Princesses or Royally Screwed.  (In other news, MTV has just added two new reality shows to its line-up.)  Louis assures her that his parents will be THRILLED that she’s knocked up, since they have always viewed royal women as nothing more than Future-King Making Machines, anyway.  Heaven forbid, she actually gives birth to a girl!  Off with her head!

(Don’t worry!  I won’t post the Decapitation Picture, again!)

Meanwhile, Serena is totally rocking at her job, and completely impressing her new boss.  Clearly, we must have stepped into an Alternate Universe of some sort, where Serena actually has Life Goals.

“Wait a second, did you just call me a smart cookie?  Am I being punked?”

Of course, her most impressive feat is getting Daniel Day Lewis’ people to call her boss back, on possibly starring in a movie, just by sending him flowers with the script, or something.  Yeah . . . something tells me “flowers” wasn’t the only thing Serena sent Daniel Day Lewis.  Then again, maybe “flowers,” is a euphemism for something else . . .

“Hey Mr. Lewis, wanna see my flower?” 

Meanwhile, Wicked Witch of the Upper East Side Diana, and her Flying Monkey Nate (not to be confused with Chuck’s Monkey, of course), are busy plotting World Domination, and raping the cell phones of Manhattan’s elite . . .

“That Anthony Weiner guy is HILARIOUS!” 

Of particular interest to Diana is the cell phone that USED to belong to Charlie / Ivy / Call Me Serena, since she suspects the owner of that cell phone is the key to a BIG story of some sort.  Diana also wishes she had Blair’s and Serena’s phones.  Unfortunately, for her, apparently, there are some things even a Flying Monkey won’t do.  And one of those things is screw over your friends . . . both of whom, coincidentally, Nate has already screwed.

It should come as no surprise to you that my favorite scene in this episode, features none other than that Dynamic Duo,  Chuck and Blair, as they “coincidentally,” meet up with one another, on their way to the Non-Judging Breakfast Club Book Club Meeting Dan has arranged.

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Considering how heartbreakingly poignant, Chuck and Blair’s last meeting was . . .

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 . . .  it was kind of refreshing to see these two former (and future) lovers, reunite, so soon after that epic devastation, and fall right back into the easy comfortable flirtation that embodies their one-of-a-kind relationship.  Of course, Chuck was walking his new best friend, Dan Monkey, at the time.  And watching the three (well, four, if you count Blair’s unborn baby BASS, BASS, IT HAS TO BE A BASS Louis-bot) together, I couldn’t help feeling as though I was looking at the future first branches of the new Bass family tree . . .

“Blair, I know you want to have sex dance with me, but we have to go meet Dopey Dan about his book.”

This becomes even more apparent, when Chuck drops his carefree facade to ask Blair, in earnest, how she is doing.  In response, Blair instinctively clutches her stomach, where her unborn baby lies, before telling him that she is doing well.

“You take good care of that Little Bass-tard.  Do you hear me?”

 The moment is at once, sweet, subtle, and meaningful, as it illustrates the ever-lasting connection between Chuck and Blair, one that supercedes petty jealousies and paternity tests.  At this point in our story, Chuck is convinced that he will never again experience the joy of having Blair as a lover.  And yet he still cares so deeply for her, that he is willing to put his own personal heartache aside, in order to ensure her continued happiness.

Comfortable comraderie and witty banter give way to electric chemistry, and hidden longing, when Monkey starts trying to escape Chuck’s grasp, causing Blair to “accidentally” jump into Chuck’s waiting arms.  The usually confident Chuck is adorably shy in this scene, mumbling something about squirrels, as he tries to reign in his impulse to kiss this beautiful soon-to-married woman on the mouth.

Blair too seems temporarily caught up in the moment, and is a bit breathless, when she finally extracts herself from Chuck’s grasp.

It’s time for Dan’s Big Meeting, where he finally tells everyone (except Chuck, who already knows) that they are the stars of his book.

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Dan wants all of them to read what he wrote in a SINGLE DAY (selfish much?), so that they can decide whether they still like him enough to attend his book party.  At first, we don’t get too many details, except for the tantalizing tidbit that, for some reason we will learn a bit later, Dan has decided to make Nate’s character GAY . . .

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Nate seems surprisingly cool with this, provided his character is portrayed as being highly adept at getting dick.  And if the little clip / daydream / flashback we got of Nate and his LOVER is any indication, our resident boy toy was portrayed faithfully in that regard.  (Though, admittedly, Nate’s book beau does seem about 10 years younger than the people Nate USUALLY dates.)

He IS pretty hot, though . . . 

By the way, watching this scene, I couldn’t help but be reminded of THIS . . .

Certain that she will be portrayed horribly in the book, given the pair’s checkered past, Blair is unusually icy and insulting to Dan, even for her.  And if I said this didn’t make my Chair loving heart sing, I’d be lying.

“Cheers!”

She actually calls Dan’s book “America’s Next Doorstop,” (which is pretty clever, by the way).  She also bails on his party, to meet with Louis’ parents, and tells Dan that she’s not even going to read it.  OUCH!

The not-at-all-conceited Serena promises Blair that “everybody loves a villain,” but only because she’s certain Dan will portray her as the perfect little innocent flower that she still honestly believes herself to be.

Speaking of people who live in a bubble, Faux-Charlie somehow convinces Nate that she can find the owner of that phantom cell phone, who is DEFINITELY NOT her, NO SIR!

“I NEED my cell phone back, without it, I’ll never remember what my name is supposed to be today.” 

After the meeting, everyone starts finding out what Dan wrote about them from others, but few of them actually READ the book.  You know . . . because reading is like . . . hard . . . and stuff.  Silly Serena has no qualms about telling her coworkers that she is the real life “Sabrina” in Dan’s book, because, like I said, she’s positive she’s going to come out of this smelling like a rose.  But then, she learns that her character smells more like poo, and wishes she wasn’t so hasty to reveal her identity.

“Sabrina” is slutty, flighty, often drunk, irresponsible, selfish, and self-absorbed.  Now THAT doesn’t sound like anybody WE know, does it?  In fact, “Sabrina” / Serena is apparently portrayed like such a worthless waste of life, that DANIEL DAY LEWIS doesn’t want to work with her BOSS, even though Serena bought him FLOWERS!

Riiiight . . . because famous actors always make their decisions on what movies they plan to do based on how many people the production company assistants for those movies have had sex with!

Complete lack of believability aside, Dan pretty much ruined Serena’s BIG AMAZING TWO WEEK LONG CAREER with his totally true piss poor betrayal of her in his book.

“Oops.  Did I do that?” 

You know who else’s life is getting ruined by Dan’s book? BLAIR!   Because Dan apparently used his “memoir” to live out his NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN wet dreams of bedding the Queen Bee.  When Louis-Bot reads this, he TOTALLY malfunctions, believing what he’s read, INSTANTLY, without even asking Blair if it’s true.  (What a loving future husband?  Right?)  This short circuit in his Perfect Prince Microchip causes him to cancel his parents arrival, during which he was supposed to inform them about the pregnancy, and storm off like a toddler, much to Blair’s horror.

“You do realize the douchier you are to me, the shorter your guest star character arc will be.”

Meanwhile, Dan’s hanging out with Chuck and Monkey, while worrying (with good reason) about how everyone is going to react to his book.

I tend to find Dan at his most tolerable, when he’s hanging out with Chuck.  These two are just adorable together.  And I love how utterly non-judgmental Chuck is about . . . well . . . everything!  “Scotch?”  Chuck offers, as Dan cuddles with Monkey (but doesn’t spank his own, thankfully).

“It’s 2 p.m.”  Dan whines.

“Valium then,” Chuck responds coyly.

Dan then notes that while his dad is probably finished with the book, Nate is only page 20.  I actually think that is a harsh assessment.  I think, by this point, Nate probably finished the book, from cover to cover.  Then, once he didn’t find any pictures, he put it away, and went back to reading Curious George.

“Ahhh, Curious George!  I love that little scamp!”

Dan, of course, is wondering why Chuck, of all people, is being so nice to him, considering he KILLED HIM IN THE BOOK!

Oh wait . . . it gets worse.  Do you want to know HOW DAN KILLED CHUCK?  Well, they don’t exactly come out and say it, but based on  context clues, I’d say it has something to do with a little thing called auto-erotic asphyxiation.

I’m not going to describe that to you in depth, because this site has already been labeled as having adult content, without me telling you what that is.  But you can go ahead, and Google it, if you dare.  All you need to know, if that Chuck’s character’s death in the book was “accidental,” even though he SEEMS to have hung himself in his closet by a belt.  (Chuck claims, in real life, he would have used a designer scarf.)  Are you picking up what I’m putting down here, kiddies?

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Don’t cry , Chuck!  We don’t believe anything that bad man said about you!

By the way, was anyone else wondering how DAN came up with the idea to make auto-erotic asphyxiation a plot point?  Hmmm . . .

Anywhoo, Chuck reminds Dan that all success comes at a price, including his own . . . wise sage words, for a guy who’s alter ego is currently hanging in the closet next to the Armani suits . . .

Speaking of “only up to page twenty” Nate, Dan’s assessment of him was actually pretty close to correct, since, instead of reading the book, Nate was busy allowing Faux-Charlie to steal back her own phone from Diana’s office.  This, of course, ultimately led to Diana putting two and two together about who Charlie was, and blackmailing her for information about the Upper East Side crew, in exchange for keeping her secret.  It looks like Diana won’t need Nate to get intel on Blair, Chuck and Serena, after all . . .

“I’ll get you my pretty.  And your little Ivy / Charlie / Call Me Serena too . . .” 

But back to Nate, I’m starting to think he really might NOT actually be able to read, as Chuck had to explain to him that his alter ego, a gay character named Derek VonSomething, who’s two years younger than the rest of the characters, and Serena’s character’s little brother, is actually much more Eric VanDer Woodsen, then he is Nate Archibald .  . .

“You put me in your book, Dan?  I’m going to get REVENGE on you (but only because I left Gossip Girl to star in a show called REVENGE)!”

I think it’s kind of funny, that Nate’s character is probably the most positively portrayed of all the characters, yet he’s pissed because he has to share him with Eric!  “But I’m YOUR BEST FRIEND!”  Nate whines on the phone to Dan, before his Mommy comes to change his poopy diaper.

This is probably one of the few times during the hour, when I’m actually on DAN’S side.  And when Nate balks at the notion of showing up at his supposed best friend’s book party, I can’t help but kind of wish that Dan hung Nate’s character in a closet, at the end of the novel .  . . well . . . I guess Nate’s character would probably hang OUTSIDE of the closet.  But that’s neither here nor there . . .

Worst Book Party EVER!

“But Serena, when I said you were flighty and irresponsible, I only meant like 98.6% of the time.  The rest of the time, you’re fabulous.” 

All the poo really hits the fan at Dan’s book signing party, where Serena and Blair confront Dan to rip him a new one for their portrayals in the book.  Then, Dan has to try to stop Louis-bot and Blair for coming to blows with one another over the little Dair sex scene he included therein.  “I thought my suspicions about the two of you were ridiculous.  But, it turns out, the only thing ridiculous is me,” bleats out Louis-bot.

Well, he’s right about one thing.  .  . 

Dan earns some major points with me, by admitting to Louis that said sex never actually happened . . .

And earns some more points, by informing Serena that the world doesn’t revolve around her, when she completely IGNORES the turmoil that HER friend is undoubtedly going through, regarding the impending breakup of her marriage, as a result of this book.  “If you can’t tell the difference between what I did to Blair, and what I did to you, then maybe all that stuff about you in the book actually IS true,” says Dan.

Slight redemption aside, Blair isn’t about to let Dan off the hook so easily for humilating her in this way.  “You better hope I can stop your fantasy life from destroying my real one,” she tells him.  And then later, she says, “Get it through your head,  There is no US!  There never was!  All we had was friendship!  And now there is not even that.”

“And for the record, Dan Humphrey, I’ve seen FANFICTION writers who are better at writing smut than you.” 

Woah!  Meanwhile, outside, Chuck is calmly trying to hit on the publisher’s assistant, who is really quite awful, isn’t she?  I mean she really knows how to make a person feel like crap.

“The economy is never going to get better.  The world is doomed for all eternity.  And you are going to die, alone and unloved.  And so is your dog.  By the way, my name is Alexandra.  Nice to meet you.”

Alexandra casually remarks about Charlie Trout’s auto-erotic demise, wondering how long he hung in the closet, before anyone found him.  “I have plenty of staff.  I’m sure they would find me rather quickly,” explains Chuck.  “Because . . .”

“Staff . . . not friends and family?  That’s even worse,” replies the EVIL WENCH.

Excuse me?  Do you not realize you are talking to a REAL person about their LIFE, you DESPICABLE SHREW!   You know what, Alexandra?  If YOU were hanging in the closet, something tells me YOUR so-called friends and family would throw a party RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR LIFELESS CORPSE.

Did I go too far?  Sorry . . . I get very sensitive about my Chuck Bass.

Speaking of Chuck, he totally saves the day (though I kind of wish he didn’t), by rushing out to tell Louis what a MORON he is, for letting go of a girl like Blair . . .

“If you read Dan’s book, you know how I turn out.  You have a chance to be happy, and not end up alone, hanging in a closet.  Don’t give up you’re own fact for someone else’s fiction.”

WOW!  That was really beautiful.  And I must admit, it made me a little teary . . .

You know what else made me teary, when Chuck came to Lily toward the end of the episode, and admitted that he didn’t want to be the unrepentant bad boy anymore, and that he feared that Blair was lost to him forever . . .

I must admit, I was a bit annoyed at Lily for simply AGREEING with him, though.  What is this, Make Chuck Want to Kill Himself Day?

Things start to go slightly better for the OTHER members of the Non-Judging Breakfast Club, when Serena and Blair share a sweet heart-to-heart, in which Blair FINALLY tells Serena she is pregnant.  And the pair remind us why we’ve always loved their friendship so much, in the first place.  (Yes, I make fun of Serena A LOT.  But I do thoroughly enjoy her friendship with the rest of the GG gang.  See, I’m not a total heartless bastard.)

“You may be flighty, irresponsible, selfish, and slutty, but I LOVE YOU!” 

Then Louis-bot apologizes to Blair, as he always seems to do in the last five minutes of every episode, after he inevitably does something douchey . . .

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It’s not his fault, of course.   This is just how he’s been programmed to behave by the mad scientist who created him . . .

Commence battery recharge . . . 

Then, Serena’s boss tells her that she wants her to get the movie rights to “Inside,” which, honestly, we all should have smelled coming a mile away.  (Hmmm . . . I wonder if Blakey Lively will play the part of Sabrina?)

I said the Non-Judging Breakfast Club was doing better at the end of the episode, but that doesn’t include Dan.  In fact, Dan’s OWN FATHER is incredibly hurt by HIS portrayal in the novel.  Dan wrote him as a money-grubbing trophy husband,  which, while not entirely false, is actually a quite terrible thing to say about the person who raised you . . .

“I’ll only forgive you, if you get George Clooney to play me in the movie.”

Granted, Rufus never struck me as the smartest dad on the block, but compared to some of the other fathers on teen television, he’s practically a saint.  And he really didn’t deserve this kind of treatment . . .

The episode ends, much like it began, with Dan Humpty Dumpty doomed to follow in his character, Dylan Hunter’s footsteps, loved by the masses,  but still utterly alone.  And because that’s an awfully depressing way to end an episode, I’d like to leave you on a much brighter note . . .

That’s better!

Until next time, XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

Read it and Weep – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “The Jewel of Denial”

Sometimes, the greatest love stories can be found in the most unexpected of places . . .

Greetings Upper East Siders!  In a show that is so often about lies, it was kind of refreshing to experience an episode of Gossip Girl that was actually all about the truth.

Each of our main characters except for Serena had a certain painful truth that plagued them throughout the episode.  Facing up to those truths  could leave them vulnerable to a world of painful consequences, but it could also set them free.  During the hour, we repeatedly wondered how our characters would cope with their specific truths.  Would they embrace them, bravely?  Or become imprisoned by them?  And, perhaps, importantly, would anyone get laid, in the process?

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Oh, come on!  As if it never crossed YOUR mind!

Let’s find out, shall we?

There Once was a Dog Named Monkey (and a Test Named Paternity)

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“Is that you, Jenny Humphrey?  You look . . . different.  Did you do something to your hair?

The odd (but hilarious) little bromance between Dan and Chuck continues, as Dan tries to cure Chuck of his “conversion disorder.”  Dan’s attempts to make Chuck “feel” again, include (1) making him watch Field of Dreams (an admittedly odd choice, but considering that Dan has always struck me as a 50-year old man, stuck in a 19-year old body, I guess we’re supposed to just go with it); and (2) buying him the most adorable little puppy EVER!  Thanks Dan, you’ve officially just made that Mother Chucker even more irresistible than he was before.  I didn’t think was possible . . .

“I’m Chuck Bass’ dog.” 

Chuck, who honestly, never struck me as much of a “dog” person, or an “animal of any kind,” person, for that matter, seems adamantly against the idea of keeping the dog, which, of course, in TV speak, means the canine is pretty much guaranteed to become a series regular . . .

“Oh yeah, I’m getting my SAG Card, b*tches!” 

But Chuck isn’t the only Upper East Sider Dan is trying to cure.  For whatever reason, Dan seems positively OBSESSED with getting Blair to open the results of her paternity test, so that she can FINALLY find out whether Chuck or Louis, is, in fact, her baby daddy.

“Well, it definitely isn’t ME!” 

In fact, Dan is SO interested in the answer to this question, that he and Dorota have been texting eachother like girlfriends, pretty much nonstop, ever since Blair found out she was pregnant.  The two also have been pestering Blair to pick up, and open the results envelope, about every three minutes.  (With friends like these, who needs stalkers?!)

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Actually, I’d say the best part of pregnancy is when cute guys give up their seat on the subway for you . . . but what do I know?

Finally, after cornering Blair on the street, Dan gets the Queen B to pick up her paternity results from the hospital.  But “picking up” the results, and actually opening them are two very different things!  Dan, of course, thinks Blair should rip of the proverbial Baby Daddy band-aid, right away.

DAN: “Would you mind terribly if I read the results out loud, in my best reality game show host voice?  I do a mean, Ryan Seacrest impersonation.”

But Blair manages to buy herself some time.  She reminds her Donut-y friend that she has an important interview with Hello magazine that she does not want to ruin with her eventual tears Inevitably Emotional Baby Discovery.  Dan then reluctantly agrees to back off, until after the interview is over.

“Well, that’s more civilized,” Blair replies, relieved.  “Unlike your hair,” she can’t help but add.  “You look like a muppet.”

Now that she mentions it, Dan does have a bit of a Fozzie Bear thing going for him, doesn’t he?

At the interview, of course, Blair is asked questions about when her and Louis-bot will be starting their half-human, half-cyborg family.  When Blair awkwardly deflects these questions, the interviewer informs her that Louis-bot has answered for her already.  Apparently, during HIS interview, Louis told the folks at Hello magazine that he and Blair were not at all ready for children, and that a family was a LOOOOOONG way off.

“Tell me something, Blair.  Can robot babies be breastfed, or do they only drink out of oil cans?”

Blair, of course, is crushed, not to mention petrified as to what Louis-bot’s response will be, when he finds out a “family” isn’t far off, at all.  Rather, it’s less than nine months away!

“I hope he doesn’t short-circuit, when I tell him.” 

To make matters worse, she receives a blast on Gossip Girl, which features Chuck taking his adorable little puppy back to the pound, a very, non-fatherly thing to do.

“Why is Chuck carrying Jenny Humphrey like that?  Can’t she walk on her own?” 

Convinced that neither of the baby’s potential fathers will be at all pleased to learn of her pregnancy, Blair tears up the paternity results (but not very well), and tosses them in a nearby wastebasket.  (Riiiiight, because no one would EVER find them there!)

“I’ll fold up the results and make them into a paper crane . . . or maybe a stork . . .” 

Blair then decides to go to a Fancy Schmancy Fashion Thingy, where she can walk the catwalk, and continue to be in denial of her expanding waistline , and uncertain Baby Daddy Future . . .

Meanwhile, over at the VDW household . . .

Welcome to the Mecca of Psychotic Freaks . . .

“Hey, that reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time I KILLED SOMEONE?” 

A very apprehensive Charlie/Ivy / Call Me Serena, and the actual Serena have arrived back home.  Noticing faux-Charlie’s discomfort,  Serena immediately assumes that faux-Charlie is worried that the Upper East Siders won’t accept her, because last time she was here, she was a Total Wackjob, Who Had a Nervous Breakdown, and Pretty Much Single White Female-d Serena.

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Though pretty much anywhere else in the world, these would be fabulous reasons not to accept someone, in the Upper East Side, crazy is apparently what passes for normal.  Just ask Juliet, Georgina, Jenny Humphries, and, yes Serena! Serena describes the UES as a Mecca of Psychotic Freaks and a nervous breakdown as a right of passage.

“Who needs a Sweet 16, when you have your First Trip to the Ostroff Center?” 

Faux-Charlie seems touched by Serena’s seemingly unfailing kindness and acceptance of her, but doesn’t know how long this charade can continue.  Meanwhile, Serena reintroduces faux-Charlie to Blair.  And though the latter doesn’t exactly welcome her with open arms, she doesn’t shun her either, for Serena’s sake.

BLAIR: (through her teeth) “Just keep smiling, and maybe she won’t chop our faces up into teeny tiny pieces, while we sleep.” 

Faux-Charlie is quickly becoming enthralled with the Non Judging Breakfast Club.  And she seems pretty certain that she doesn’t want to return to her old Poor Person’s life, anytime soon . . .

“Seriously, stop bringing stray dogs into this house.  It stopped being cute, when you were about 13 and I realized you were actually sleeping with most of them.” 

But then she overhears Serena talking to her mother, and learns that Carol Rhodes, Charlie’s REAL mother, and the person who hired her to impersonate Charlie, in order to gain access to her trust fund is on the hunt for her, and worse, is returning to the Upper East Side to collect her.   Feeling trapped, faux-Charlie sees no other choice, but to leave town, before she is discovered.  She calls her ex-boyfriend Max, and tells him she will meet him in Seattle, and then hails a cab.

“Now, I know how Cinderella felt when she got turned back into a pumpkin . . . wait . . . I think I got that wrong, somehow.  One of these days, I’m definitely going to learn how to read.”

But Serena finds her outside.  Uh-oh!  Busted!

Thinking fast, faux-Charlie explains that she overheard Serena talking to her mother, and doesn’t want to be any trouble for the VDW’s.  “I just feel like I don’t belong here,” faux Charlie pouts.  (Gee, faux-Charlie, I wonder why that is .  . . could it possibly be because you DON’T?)   Eventually, Serena relents giving faux-Charlie a hug, as she enters the cab.  But then a mischievious glint enters her eyes, and we just KNOW she is up to something.  “Before you go, just do me a favor and return these Tickets for a Fancy Schmancy Fashion Event for me,” Serena says, more or less.

“SUCKER!”

Undoubtedly, feeling a bit guilty for all she has put Serena through, since last season, Faux-Charlie agrees to run this errand for her.

Who knew Serena knew how to be devious?  I always thought that was more Blair’s and Chuck’s forte?

When faux Charlie arrives at the fashion event, she quickly learns that Serena has arranged for HER to walk the runway in Serena’s place, despite the fact that Charlie is about a FOOT shorter than Serena, and could never, ever, EVER fit into her dress.  On the dress Charlie is supposed to wear is a note that she should “live out her dreams.”

“Would you like some wine with that cheesiness?” 

While preparing to walk the runway, faux-Charlie has an encounter with Blair, who, upon hearing that faux-Charlie is planning to leave, tells her that she should live the life that she wants.

“Yes, Faux-Charlie, live the life that you want, even if it just happens to be someone else’s life.  I don’t about you, but I’ve always found identity theft to be SUPER inspiring . . .”

Little does Blair know that her small words of encouragement give birth to a monster.  When Carol Rhodes arrives at the fashion event to chase faux-Charlie out of town (She was alerted to faux-Charlie’s deeds, upon finding her canceled check, from last week’s episode), Faux Charlie threatens HER, claiming that if she doesn’t let her assume Charlie’s life, Faux-Charlie will reveal all of Carol Rhodes’ monkey getting schemes, and bring HER down, right along with her.  “This family that you HATE, has been kinder to me than my real family ever was,” Faux Charlie insists.

“You mean, you actually have a family?  This whole time I thought you were raised by Keebler Elves.”

Toward the end of the episode, Charlie moves back into the VDW house, with a newly non-house arrested Lily and Rufus.  Her and Carol share a cold hug, on Carol’s way out, “You are on your own now,” Carol tells her ominously.

 . . . errr . . . I mean . . . my Charlie . . . oh . . . I mean . . . my Ivy, or whatever the f*&k you’re calling yourself these days . . .

Good luck, Faux Charlie!  Something tells me you are going to need it, if you want to keep up this charade for the foreseeable future . . .

Speaking of those who aren’t sufficiently devious (or smart) . . .

Journalism for Dummies (like Nate)

“I liked you so much better, when I was banging you in my front yard.”

Today is Nate’s first day on the job as a “serious journalist.”  Poor Naive Nate.  He genuinely believes that Diana has hired him for his brains, and not for his . . . hot dog.

Chuck, of course, warns him of this, but he refuses to listen to reason.  But then, when he arrives at the office, of course, Diana pulls him into her office, and starts to ravage him.  Nate argues that this will not set a good impression on his co-workers, if the INTERN is having sex with the boss on the first day, as if he is her male prostitute.  Diana agrees.  So, she FIRES them!

“Sorry, average-looking people, you’re simply not attractive enough to be extas on this show.”

“Due to a recent botox injection, opening my mouth wide like this, is the only way I can show you I’m happy.”

Now, Nate is furious.  It’s finally dawning on him why he was hired to take this job.  He threatens to leave Diana’s internship for another one.  So, Diana thinks fast, and offers him a “reporting gig.”  The assignment is so ridiculous, the fact that it didn’t set off warning bells in Nate’s head immediately  illustrates that he might very well be learning disabled.  Nate’s “job” was to interview a senator and his snooty wife, NOT on the senator’s politics, but on his vacation to the Greek Isles.

“And if you REALLY want to see him squirm, ask him about his favorite color.” 

Of course, the minute Nate asks about said Isles, it clues the Senator’s wife in to the fact that he is having an affair.   (Don’t ask me how.  Just go with it.)  The wife storms off, telling the Senator she wants a divorce.  And when Nate apologizes to the Senator, the latter says in a huff, “I thought you were the NICE one in the family.”

(Oh, but he IS the NICE One Senator!  Unfortunately, he’s also the MORONIC ONE!)

Just be thankful you’re so pretty . . . 

Now, Nate’s pissed at Diana AGAIN for being used as a pawn in her little game.  As it turns out, Diana had arranged for everyone at this party to have their cell phones turned in.  She did this so that she could get the Senator’s cell phone, which confirmed information about the affair.  As it turns out, Diana doesn’t wish to make the Spectator into a “serious journalism” publication at all.  Rather, she wants to make it a tabloid about the New York elite, by using the type of tactics that got News of the World shut down.

You know what that means, of course.  Girlfriend is stomping on Gossip Girl’s toes .  . . and getting PAID to do it.  When Nate unwittingly suggests that Diana check ALL the cell phones taken at the party for a scoop, Diana thinks its a brilliant idea.   Of course, she makes NATE do all the dirty work, as her sole, unpaid, employee.

“OK . . . so let me get this straight . . . so, now, I’m not getting laid . . . OR getting paid?  What a crock!”

Nate considers the moral implications of this for about two seconds, before robotically doing Diana’s bidding.

“I know my dignity is in here somewhere . . .”

He gets a few human points back for not hijacking his friend’s phones: Chuck, Dan, Blair and Serena.  However, the information Diana is able to mine off the cell phones he DID nab is enough for a BOOK . . . or at least a few issues of a trashy magazine.

One of the cell phone’s he DOES find is Faux-Charlie’s.  Something tells me, Diana is going to find some VERY interesting stuff on THAT phone . . .

A Fashion “Don’t”

Oooh . . . do I smell another love triangle? 

It isn’t a real Gossip Girl party without a humiliating cat fight, amongst our Upper East Siders.  In a throwback to their quarrelsome internship days, this little wrestling session took place between Dan and Blair.  It all started when Blair decided to ignore the results of her paternity test, and walk the runway.  Dan wasn’t having that at all!

“Dair” to be a pest. 

So, in a surprisingly bold (and definitely weird) moment, DAN pushes away celebrity Simon Noonan, and escorts Blair down the catwalk. Apparently, Dorota has taped up the paternity test from Blair’s trash (where, rumor has it her pee-covered pregnancy test is still sitting, and given it to Dan.  (CREEPY!)

I hope you wore gloves, Dorota . . . 

Dan keeps trying to stick the letter on Blair . . . under her armpit, down her dress, anywhere that will force her to read it.  It’s a well-meaning gesture, I guess.  But also immature . . . and weird.  I mean, this takes being a supportive friend to a whole new level, doesn’t it.

A furious, and determined Blair, end up pushing Dan HARD into a nearby waiter, causing glasses and plates to fly everywhere.  Nice going, Dan the Flying Donut!

“Don’t worry.  I’m OK, I just felt like doing a little dance for you, called The Worm.” 

Later, Blair and Dan share a sweet apology outside the party.  Dan admits that he’s been WAY too involved in Blair’ test result, because he has been using them to try to avoid focusing on his OWN issues relating to the unwelcome publication of his novel.  Blair admits to the fact that she came to Dan in the first place, because she knew he would help her to combat her darkest instincts.  Dan finally gives Blair the paternity test letter and leaves her to her own private HELL.

“You DO realize this is the second time you’ve tackled me at public event, don’t you?   Around Brookyln, we call that foreplay.”

We see her open it, and (maybe) look at the results.  So, tell us Blair . . . WHO’S THE DADDY?

“Umm . . . Dan?  I think you gave me the wrong letter.  This one says I may have just won one million dollars from Publisher’s Clearing House.” 

From The Inside Out . . .

“OK, Famous Author Person . . . I need you honest opinion on something.  Do you really think I look like a muppet?” 

Thanks to Chuck “taking one for the team” by having mediocre sex with some VERY LUCKY publisher’s assistant, Dan now knows Simon & Schuester is the lucky publishing company that has nabbed his book, appropriately entitled “The Inside” (sounds vaguely dirty).  Now,  all he has to do is stop the proverbial presses.  Dan decides to do this by stopping by his old pal and mentor Noah Shapiro to ask him for a favor.  (Have you ever noticed how many curmudgeony, over 50 writer friends Dan has collected, over the course of five seasons?  I can’t even keep track.  They all look and act, exactly the same.

Chuck hilariously offers to lend Dan knee pads for his plea and grovel affair, which gives the meeting itself homoerotic undertones, that are perhaps unintended.  Dan explains his plight to Noah.  And Noah, in turn, gives him advice that would be solid and reliable, if Dan were anything but a character on Gossip Girl.  “You want my advice . . . the easiest way to let a book to die, is let it be published.  Have you seen the Bestseller’s list lately?  In a month, you’re book will be half off, in a bargain bin,” he says, more or less.

I’m pretty sure this is EXACTLY what Dan Humphrey will look like in about 40 years . . . It’s almost as if he’s talking to himself . . . FROM THE FUTURE!

(Of course, we know that while this would probably be the case with ANY OTHER BOOK written by an anonymous college student, it will NOT be so, with Dan, because that would make for an incredibly lame storyline.  Nevertheles, Dan seems comforted by Noah’s assurances, and leaves with some weight lifted off his shoulders.)

If this were a “Nate” storyline, instead of a “Dan” one, these two would have (1) already had sex, (2) already started dating, and (3) she would already have a DEEP DARK SECRET she was hiding from him.  Instead, I doubt we’ll ever see this woman again.  Sucks for her.

But the next day, Dan return to Noah’s office and learns from his assistant that NOAH is coming forward as if HE wrote “The Inside.”  Dan is livid, but conflicted.  On one hand, this would get him off the hook with his friends and the new object of his affection.  On the other hand, this IS his first published novel, so . . . NO FAIR!  Dan, of course, turns to his new bromantic buddy Chuck for advice.  And Chuck basically tells him to “poo or get off the pot,” as far as this novel is concerned.

So, Dan manages to get some balls, and decides to poo.  By this, I mean he tracks down Noah at dinner with “friends,” and publicly announces that HE, not Noah, wrote “The Inside.”  Suddenly, the whole table is clapping, including Noah.  It turns out the whole thing was a set up to get Dan to come clean about his authorhip of the book, which had been published anonymously.  Noah then invites Dan to sit down and meet his entire publishing and marketing team.  That’s right . . . because major publishers and agents ALWAYS spend this much time and energy on anonymous first-time novelists.  I guess we are just supposed to believe the book is “SOOO GOOD,” that it merits all this fuss . . .

“Yes!  I’m totally going to be the next Stephenie Meyer . . . except not Mormon . . . and not . . . you know . . . a woman.” 

I’ll believe it when I see it  .. .

When Dan arrives home, he is greeted with a copy of his book (the cover of which, looks suspiciously similar to that of the first Gossip Girl book – how meta), even though it seems as though it was just picked up for publication, at most, a couple of months ago.  (These sort of things typically take at least a year from publication agreement to ACTUAL publication, particularly for an unknown writer.  But like I said . . . Dan is just SOOOO GOOD.

And next week, based on the promos, it seems we will get to find out just HOW good he is . . .  You better not let me down, Humphrey Dumpty. 🙂

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for . .  .

And the Daddy Is . . .

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Blair visits CHUCK’S APARTMENT!  When he first turns around to see her standing there, he blinks twice, as if he thinks it must be a dream.  Blair is clearly effected by the reunion as well, as she stands stock still in the doorway, shaking, her eyes just minutes away from overflowing with tears.  “I need to talk to you,” she says, shaking her head, as if to give herself the courage she needs to do what she needs to do.  An unprepared Chuck even wonders out loud whether this is a ploy by Dan to get Chuck to “feel” something.  (If so, that would be a mighty mean ploy.)

Blair doesn’t beat around the bush.  She tells Chuck that she’s pregnant, and pauses, while she lets that piece of information sink in.  Chuck tries to be non reactive, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who caught a glimpse of hope, and adoration in his eyes,  as he attempts to work out the math in his head.  But then Blair says it’s Louis-Bot’s (NOOO, IT’ CAN’T BE!  CAN IT?  SURELY, SHE’S LYING!),  and Chuck quickly masks his heartbreak as seamlessly as he can.  We see him look away for a second, eyes shut tight, before he turns back to Blair again.

He hopes to appear cold and aloof, but GG fans know he is brimming with emotion, and Blair can feel it, as well.  Chuck notes that Blair must be relieved that the baby is not his, because THAT would have derailed her Princess fairytale.  Blair flinches a bit at this, noting that this fairytale is more complicated than it would first appear.

Cue Monkey, Chuck’s new dog to come nipping at Blair’s feet.  Already, I’m loving Monkey.  He’s an awesome wingman.  it’s as if he knows instinctively that Blair read that blast on Gossip Girl about Chuck returning him to the pound, and wants her to know that Chuck DOES have love in his heart, for animals, and, yes, for little tiny humans, as well.  Blair kneels down to pet Monkey, as she asks Chuck about the Gossip Girl blast.  “I took him to get fixed.  I figured it was the responsible thing to do  kind of like, you know, wearing a condom, before you have sex at a stranger’s Bar Mitzvah.  Blair winces at this, message sent and received.

But if the encounter between Chuck and Blair has turned a bit sour, Blair brings it back to sweet, with this line, “You know, there was a part of me that wished it was yours.”

Chuck blinks at this, as if to say, “a part of me wishes it was mine as well.”  When Blair tells Chuck that she should leave, Chuck agrees, but only because he seems about ready to burst, and doesn’t want Blair to see him breakdown.  The entire encounter is truly heartbreaking.  And yet, it is nothing compared to final scene, which I will get to, in just a bit.  You can rewatch the ENTIRE Chuck / Blair encounter, by clicking below (provided this video doesn’t get snatched from YouTube, before you have a chance to watch):

Later, we see Blair sharing the good (but possibly false) news with Louis-bot.  The Prince of Monaco is overjoyed at the prospect of being a father (though the computer chip in the back of his brain prevents him from showing any more than a modicum of emotion).  Blair, of course, then asks him about his interview with Hello Magazine, in which he said he didn’t want kids for a long time.  And Louis replies, very smoothly, I might add that Louis only said this to prevent the press from hounding Blair about starting a family before she was ready.

Just nod and smile, Louis-bot . . . You don’t really have to understand what she’s saying . . . 

Blair is clearly touched by Louis-bot’s sensitivity to her needs, and gives him a big ole hug.  But then, when he leaves, she stupidly shoves the paternity test results in her drawer, as opposed to shredding them, or throwing them away.

Whether or not the results actually CONFIRM Louis-bot as the father, the fact that Blair has so poorly hidden her paternity test makes me feel as though part of her is subconsciously trying to sabotage her so-called fairytale, by increasing the odds that Louis-bot will find the test results.  Even if they do confirm that he’s the father, the test results will undoubtedly show Louis-bot that the baby’s paternity was doubted.  And if they confirm that Chuck is the father, well . . .

Speaking of Chuck, remember how I said that the last scene of the episode, was by far the most heartbreaking.  Well, it involves Chuck, lying in bed, finally able to feel the wounds he sustained in his chest, as a result of the motorcycle accident.  He clutches his side, as tears roll down his cheeks, emphasizing that the realization that he may have lost Blair forever has cured his aversion disorder.  But more than anything, Chuck’s heart hurts, and he’s holding that for dear life.

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That’s when Monkey, Chuck’s new best friend and ultimate wingman, sweetly hops up on the bed to comfort Chuck.  First, he rests his head on Chuck’s stomach.  But then, seeing that this is not enough to staunch his new master’s pain, he places his head on Chuck’s chest, as Chuck holds his new pet close, kisses him on the forehead, and finds himself finally able to cry in earnest for the one true love of his life . . .

Grab your Kleenex, because I’ve provided you a link to what is surely going to go down in history, as one of GG’s most memorable and heartbreakingly beautiful scenes, right here:

And that’s all she wrote GG fans.  But if you want to get a peak at what HE wrote, check out this promo for next week’s GG installment, entitled, “Memoirs of an Invisible Dan,” here:

Until next time, Upper East Siders.  And please, while you wait, whatever you do, don’t spank your Monkey!

XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

L’eggo My Eggo (I’m Preggo!) – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “Beauty and the Feast”

BLAIR: “Pull my finger.”

DOROTA: “Just because you are ‘with child,’ doesn’t mean you have to act like one, Miss Blair.”

BLAIR: *pouts*

Greetings, Upper East Siders!  I don’t know about you, but I learned A LOT from this week’s episode of Gossip Girl . . . Let’s see, I learned about a  “disease” called “conversion disorder,” which apparently makes you jump from rooftops, crash motorcycles, and pay guys to beat you up.

In other words, it turns you into Bella Swan, circa New Moon 

I learned that there are actually people who are more than willing to beat you up for cash (it’s a recession economy, after all).  And I learned the difference between bulimic puking and pregnancy puking.  And you just never know when these things are going to come in handy!

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Thanks Gossip Girl!

Let’s get on with the recap, shall we?

Friends don’t let friends . . . have tender boobs.

“Is this going to involve us getting into stirrups?  Because my Brazilian Wax isn’t until next week. . .” 

Your first gynecological pregnancy check-up . . . it’s a Right of Passage . . . or at least, that’s what I’m told.  As such, many women prefer not to experience it alone.  Some drag their husbands along, others their friends, still others, their mothers.  Dorota brings her boss, which is probably why she felt obligated to wear her uniform to the checkup, complete with that weird doily thing she always wears on her head.

“Is that my sanitary napkin on your head?” 

(Seriously, what IS that?  And what sort of function does it have in the complex world of housekeeping?  I mean, it’s not large enough to be a hairnet, and not circular enough to be a scrunchie.  So, what does it DO for Dorota, aside from make her look ridiculous cute.  Inquiring minds want to know . . .)

“Have you reviewed this doctor’s credentials, Dorota?  Because I’m pretty sure I saw him recently on an episode of Law and Order, SVU.” 

When the doctor arrives, Blair peppers the poor schlub with TONS of icky personal questions about “Dorota’s” pregnancy symptoms, including, but not limited to, her breast tenderness (gag), her morning sickness (double gag), her sensitivity to smells (ick), and her fatigue . . . (Well, OK, I can live with that).  Of course, it’s not until Blair inquires about how long “Dorota” must wait to be able to determine the father of her baby, that both the housekeeper and the doctor, become suspicious.

“Actually, I am not suspicious.  This is just my usual facial expression.” 

The doctor got so suspicious in fact, that he LEFT, instructing Dorota to come back another time, ALONE.  (Really, Doctor?  You got scared off by someone asking you a couple of sensitive questions?  Talk about a lack of bedside manner!   Perhaps, you received your medical degree online?)

Since the happily married Dorota is damn near certain about the paternity of her baby (Then again, you never know with those saucy Russian Maids Perpetually Dressed in French Maid Halloween Costumes), she puts two and two together, and figures out that her little Blair-ipoo is, in fact, with child.

Yeah . . . I just really love this GIF. 

Dorota is THRILLED by the prospect of being able to share the “wonders of pregnancy” with her boss / friend / surrogate daughter.  “We are like sisters now,” she exclaims, downgrading that to cousins, upon noticing Blair’s horrified response.

“Right . . . sisters . . . like I would really be related to someone who willingly wears toilet paper on her head.” 

Unfortunately, Blair is not exactly ready to share Dorota’s excitement about her upcoming Baby Bass bundle of joy.  For one thing, she’s neither married, nor out of college yet . . . for another . . . duh .  . . she DOESN”T KNOW WHO THE DADDY IS!  CHUCK!  CHUCK!  IT HAS TO BE CHUCK’S!

“No one must know,” Blair warns Dorota, as she makes the first of her trademark I’m Going to Hurl Faces, of which we get different variations throughout the episode.

You can practically FEEL the chunks rising.  Now THAT’s good acting! 

You know what else I loved about this scene?  The fact that the song “Pumped Up Kicks” was playing during it . . . a song that sounds all sweet and innocent, but when you listen to the lyrics is actually about a psycho kid on a killing spree.  How VERY appropriate for this “sweet” gyneological moment between a girl and her maid . . .

Elsewhere, on the Upper East Side . . .

Slutty Cougars are Better than Viagra (AND they can get you a job!)

“And if you are a really good lay, Ill take your for a Happy Meal at McDonald’s, when we’re finished.”

Ahhh  . . . Nate.  For a guy who’s had more Random Guest Star Girlfriends than any male character on the entire CW network, he SURE does fall hard and fast for the floozies, doesn’t he?  All it takes is a couple of LA sex romps with the mysterious “Diana,” and suddenly Nate can’t get it up for ANY OTHER ANONYMOUS FLOOZIES!  (Oh the horror!)

You know what they say, once you go OLD, you never go back . . . (OLD-ER!  I meant old-er, I swear!) 

This becomes immediately apparent when ONE of these random floozies dashes out of Nate’s bed, complaining about “guys on anti-depressants.”  And you know what “anti-depressants” tend to do to Mr. Happy, don’t you, boys and girls?

That’s right!

I have to say, I think Chuck had a point when he said that Nate’s apparent Mommy Issues, tend to manifest themselves in him becoming obsessed with sexual partners who are old enough to be his mother.  (Well, when you put it THAT way, it just sounds gross..)  I’m not necessarily sure this explains his tendency to date scheming stalkerish psychopaths, however.

Any thoughts?

Nate spends a good portion of this episode (as in about four-and-a-half minutes of his total eight minutes of screentime) trying to find out any information he can about his mysterious Mrs. Robinson-type.  But then, (SURPRISE!) she finds him.  No . . . really . . . I mean she stalks him all the way from LA to right in front of his mother’s doorstep, in the Upper East Side.

NATE: “Where have you been all my life?”

DIANA: “Well, around the time you were born, I was probably getting felt up behind the bar at a frat party.  After that, it’s all pretty much one big blur.”

Apparently, “Diana” has some business agenda.  She manages The Spectator,  an LA-based tabloid newspaper that she wishes to bring to the East Coast, and, for reasons I couldn’t quite comprehend, needs Nate’s mother’s approval, in order to do it.  Maybe I would have gotten more out of this particular storyline, if I wasn’t so distracted by Nate and “Diana” randomly HAVING SEX UP AGAINST THE ARCHIBALD’S OUTDOOR SECURITY GATE!!!! Way to stay classy, Professional Businesswoman Person!

This is one of those times when I kind of wish Gossip Girl was on HBO.  Because I bet Chace Crawford’s ASS (among other things) is OUTSTANDING! 

Nevertheless, Nate somehow manages to secure “Diana” his mother’s backing, by telling her what a great lay she is, perhaps.  And “Diana” returns the favor, by offering Nate an internship at her crappy tabloid professional newspaper, as opposed to the plum, GUARANTEED CAREER- MAKING internships with Goldman Sachs, etc., that were originally offered to Nate.

“I major in Cougar Studies, with a minor in Pot Brownie Baking.” 

It must be nice to think with your weiner all the time be so friggin wealthy that little things like one’s future career path mean nothing in comparison to sexual opportunities with women almost over child-bearing age.  (Because, hey, at least pregnancy isn’t as substantial a possibility? Right?  Chuck Bass, take note! ;))

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Meanwhile, on the opposite coast . . . .

“Call Me Serena, “Ivy/Charlie = The WORST Waitress, Girlfriend, Cousin, and Roommate EVER  (But at least she’s consistent!)

“I also dress like that chick from the show Blossom.”

So, here’s the thing.  I’m a little worried about Serena.  (What else is new, right?)  But wait . . .  it’s not necessarily for the reason you would expect.  On one hand, I LIKE New, Perky, Optimistic, Non-Boy Obsessed, Job-Oriented Serena.

“Holding important looking folders is a tough job, but somebody has to do it.” 

In fact, I probably like her more than I’ve liked ANY incarnation of Serena since Season 1.  It’s just that . . . I think she might suffer from a brain disorder . . .  specifically, whatever Drew Barrymore had in 50 First Dates .  .  .

Serena HAS to be suffering from some kind of selective amnesia!  How else could she exist on this show for FIVE SEASONS, and not have learned by now that you can NEVER, EVER trust the pretty Guest Star!  Heck, this isn’t even a NEW Guest Star!  “Call Me Serena” Ivy Charlie was a big ole wackadoo the FIRST TIME SHE WAS ON THE SHOW!

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 I mean, sure, chalk it up to the “lack of anti-psychotic medication.”  Tell me that she was “just playing a part for some cash.”  I DON’T CARE!  B*TCH IS OBVIOUSLY CRAZY!  She also wears weird pants.  (And not in a cute, charming or adorable way, either.  More like in a Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Octo-Mom kind of way.)  RUN SERENA!  RUN FAR AND FAST!

But I’m getting ahead of myself here.  Let’s start at Ivy continuing to pretend to be Serena’s cousin, while the pair, frolic around LA.  Nevermind the fact that Ivy’s adorable live-in, wanna-be chef boyfriend just followed her to LA, so she could pursue her “acting dreams,” and has no idea what a scheming little wench he is dating .  . . Nevermind the fact that Ivy left her new JOB as a waitress to play the part of the Trust Fund baby, and will now have no way of paying rent.  Just .  . . well . . . nevermind.

“You and your creepy cotton candy pants, don’t deserve me and my adorableness.” 

Things are going great for “Call Me Serena” Ivy / Charlie until Serena drops the REAL bomb on her.   She’s staying in LA . . . AND looking for an apartment  . . . AND she wants “Charlie” to live with her.

Wait . . . I’m sorry . . . but WHAT THE F*&K?  I get that she’s your relative, Serena.  And I know you feel a bit bad for her, because she didn’t grow up filthy rich like you, and has “mental problems,” but do you not remember that this is the same girl who tried to dress up like you, asked your ex-boyfriend to call her BY YOUR NAME, when he had sex with her, and pretty much went all SINGLE WHITE FEMALE ON YOUR ASS?  This is who you want to live with?  You don’t know anything about this girl, and everything that you know is BAD.

“Oh . . . well, when you put it THAT way.” 

WHAT . . . IS . . . WRONG . . . WITH . . . YOU!

Now faux-Charlie (See, I can’t even decide what I’m supposed to call this girl!) REALLY has to tap dance to get out of living with Serena, because Golly GEE she ISN’T really her cousin, doesn’t really have access to the Van Der Woodsen Trust Fund, and is already living with her adorable boyfriend who, as I mentioned, knows NOTHING about this con.   So, faux-Charlie tries her best to find polite reasons why she can’t live with Serena.  But girlfriend simply REFUSES to take no for an answer.

And they think CHUCK has a Death Wish . . . 

Of course, rather than coming clean about NOT being Charlie, faux-Charlie ends up getting dragged into going apartment hunting with Serena.  What’s worse, so as not to hurt Serena’s feelings, and make her think she doesn’t want to be her roommate, faux-Charlie ends up giving the realtor one of “Charlie’s” checks to help cover the downpayment.  (Who knew con-artists were so sensitive to other’s fragile egos?)

Now thoroughly freaked out, faux-Charlie quickly calls the realtor to get back the check, only to learn that it was bad (SURPRISE), and that it was returned to Serena.  (Yeah, because that’s what realtors do when you write bad checks, give them to YOUR FRIENDS, instead of YOU!)

Logical explanations aside, faux-Charlie is SO busted!  At least, that’s what she thinks, which is why she runs to her poor sweet schlub of a boyfriend (his name is Max, by the way), and tells him she is SO done chasing after HER dreams (after two weeks).  It’s high time they started chasing after HIS dreams for a change . . . FAR AWAY in Portland.

“Wait . . . this means I don’t get any more screentime, doesn’t it?  YOU B*TCH!” 

“Max” seems confused by faux-Charlie’s sudden change of heart, but readily agrees to move to Portland, probably because he is SO whipped you can practically see the rope marks on his body through his clothing.  Max then promptly quits his new restaurant job, so that he can start packing.  (You’ve really gotta love the tremendous work ethic these two have!)

Now, faux-Charlie is relieved because she’s actually dumb enough to think that she can run away, without the girl she just screwed over for cash on an apartment, will not realize that she left.  (Then again, given Serena’s obvious amnesia issues, this is actually a distinct possibility.)  But alas, Serena now KNOWS where she lives.  And worse, she is waiting outside her apartment to utter the oh so cliched, pre-commercial break line, “I know what’s going on here.”  (Or something like that . . .)

*insert dramatic music here*  (By the way, is Serena wearing SHOULDER PADS?) 

Of course, us veteran TV watchers know this as code for, “I am COMPLETELY off base as to what is actually going on here.  But I want to make you worry about what I know, throughout the commercial break . . .

Back from commerical break, we finally find out what Serena thinks she knows.  And believe it or not, it’s actually a lot more plausible than the REAL reason faux-Charlie’s check bounced.  Serena thinks her “Charlie’s” mom cut her off from her trust fund for moving to LA.  And so she promises to get faux-Charlie cut back ON.  (Is that a real phrase?  NO?  Well, you get what I mean . . .)  Then, she reiterates her NEED for faux-Charlie to become her roommate.  (Clingy much, S?)

“Can you blame me?  I haven’t had a boyfriend in TWO WHOLE EPISODES?  This is TORTURE!” 

But this was the part that really dusted my doileys!  Faux-Charlie DUMPED her REAL boyfriend to STAY with SERENA, and continue to be her FAKE cousin.  She told him she didn’t love him any more, and sent him packing to Portland ALONE.  I’m pretty sure there is a special place in hell for people like that . . .

Oh, and get this, after all that, Serena decided SHE’S NOT STAYING IN LA.  Her production assistant job is being moved . . . you guessed it . . . back to New York!   (SURPRISE!)  And now she wants faux-Charlie to come with her?  Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t faux-Charlie claim to be leaving New York because the Upper East Side was what made her fall off her meds in the first place?  (See what I mean, about Serena and her amnesia?)

And, really, how needy are you, that you ask somebody you barely know to travel across the coast to LIVE WITH YOU?  But, of course, faux-Charlie says yes.  Because . . . you know . . . this is Gossip Girl, where everybody does strange and inexplicable things sometimes lives for the moment, and flies by the seat of their pants.  So, faux-Charlie hops in the limo with Serena, and they ride off toward good ole Manhattan, where they will undoubtedly live happily ever after . . . at least until next week’s episode.

Speaking of phony relatives . . . Louis-Bot has a relative who’s a BIG phony.  And (SURPRISE!) she has it in for Blair .  . .

An Entire Plotline Focused on Blair’s VOMIT?  Well, this is NEW!

“If I don’t watch my step, I’ll be forever remembered by the Good People of Monaco as Princess Pukey.” 

You know what I really liked about this storyline?  How real it was .  . .

Of course, I’m not talking about the moving of the Assumption Feast, or the whole prince thing, or really anything about this plotline except for Blair’s morning sickness.  It is so rare that we actually get to see our Non Judging Breakfast Club members (at least the female contingent) of them, when they are not at their best (well .   . . we see them drunk sometimes, but, other than that).

Personally, I thought it was refreshing that Blair looked a bit tired and disheveled throughout the episode.  I like that she made puke faces, any time anybody or anything smelly got anywhere near her.  Because, from what I’ve been told, that’s what women in the early stage of their pregnancy are like!  And as prim, proper, and often perfect Blair may appear, she is, after all, only human (as evidenced by the fact that she’s not entirely certain of the paternity of her baby).

This story begins with Louis-Bot informing Blair that she gets to meet yet another one of his oh-so-charming royal relatives.   This one’s name is Beatrice.  And though she looks about the right age to be Louis-Bot’s sister, she’s actually his aunt.  *cough Change of Life Baby cough*  At first, Beatrice seems nice enough.  She’s way more laid back than the stodgy Princess Sophie, and she has a much wider range of voice inflections than Louis Bot.  Her worst offense seems to be that she wears too much perfume, which, like everything else in the episode, makes Blair want to hurl.

“Would you please get that weiner-looking thing out of my face.  THAT’S what got me into this mess in the first place!” 

As nice as she seems, Blair is VERY eager to get rid of Beatrice, and ship her and Louis Bot off to the Feast of Assumption by plane, so that she can get some much needed Pregnant Lady R&R.  But Beatrice insists on spending the day with Blair, during which she regales her with how AWFUL being reigning princess will be for Blair, because she will have to wear lame, non-skin showing outfits.  Beatrice of course, though second in line for the throne, has no interest in doing such things, no SIR . . .

But the “kindly” Beatrice begins to become suspicious of Blair when she repeatedly gags at the food Beatrice shoves in her face every five seconds. And, despite being in the middle of NYC, where it is almost impossible to find a place that will let you use the bathroom without buying something first, Blair makes roughly twenty trips to the potty in a single afternoon!

Just like Serena, Beatrice comes to the immediate WRONG conclusion about Blair’s bizarre behavior.  She confronts Dorota and basically accuses Blair of being on drugs.  Dorota denies this, but, of course, doesn’t want to tell Beatrice what is actually wrong with Blair.  (A good maid never reveals her boss’ secrets, after all).  And so, when Beatrice suggests bulimia, Dorota sort-of agrees, since, it seems the lesser of two evils, and is not entirely untrue.  After all, Blair WAS bulimic . . . back in Season 1.

“How did you know?  Are you bulimic too?  Perhaps, we can throw some Big Bulimia Party!  No?” 

Upon hearing this news  scheming wench concerned sister Beatrice calls Louis-Bot for an impromptu meeting.  She tells her nephew that Bulimic Blair just isn’t ready for the pressures of being princess.   But Loyal Louis-Boy will not believe it.   So, Beatrice decides to prove it to him, by miraculously moving the Feast of Assumption to NYC (Get it?  Miraculously), and spending the entire feast .  . . you guessed it . . . trying to make Blair vomit again . . .

What is our Blair-Bear to do?  She decides to pray to the Virgin Mary.

“Can I ask you something?  Where did you get your outfit?  Because it’s really cute!”

And, hallelujah, her prayers are answered . . . well . . . sort of . . .

Dan’s Got a Plan, Blair’s Got a Secret, and Chuck’s . . . Joined a Fight Club?

Back in non-royal ville, Dan the Donut (who I will refrain from calling The Donut this week, because he did some nice things for both Blair and Chuck . . . things that I suspect, will start them on the path toward their inevitable reunion) is STILL trying to figure out what publishing company That Annoying Wench Who Shall Not Be Named Manessa got to publish his book.

“Actually, I’m just pretending to figure out who published my book.   I’m really just surfing the net for porn.  Shhhh!  Don’t tell Gossip Girl anybody!” 

He decides that the best way to do this is to trace the check said wench sent him as an advance.  But Dan the Donut has NO skills in the art of computer hacking or bank breaking, he decides to turn to the one person with the ability to do ALL OF THOSE THINGS . . . the man . . . the myth . . . the legend . . . CHUCK BASS!

Dan uses Gossip Girl to track Chuck’s head (no literally, Gossip Girl uses a picture of a Giant Chuck Bass Head to signify his whereabouts).  But when Dan finds him, these two hooligans are KICKING LOVERBOY’S ASS.

*insert homoerotic joke here* 

So, Dan rushes to Chuck’s rescue, and .  . . is completely unsuccessful in helping.  In fact, he gets PUNCHED IN THE FACE!  The two men rush off, and Chuck DOES NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

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But Dan, while ogling Chuck’s awesome abs notices that nasty gash Chuck got on his stomach from his motorcycle wipeout . . .

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*whistles appreciatively*

 . . .  and  insists he see a doctor.   Chuck boredly complies with this request.  As for the doctor, he says Chuck’s wounds are “bordering on serious.”  He’s more concerned with the fact that Chuck claimed not to physically FEEL anything when the wound was touched.

“Hey, look!  It’s Doctor House . . . calls.” 

So,  now everyone assumes that Chuck is numbed out on drugs . . . just like Beatrice thought about Blair.  Coincidence?  I think not . . .

Dan, being the good After School Special Star that he is, confronts Chuck AGAIN in his bedroom, to tell him to “Just say no to drugs.”

“Unlike Serena, when I rejected you, I meant it,” replies Chuck smugly.  (Ooh, look at Chuck with all these slamming Darena zingers!)

Dan figures out, quite correctly that Blair is the cause of Chuck’s rash behavior.  In fact, he pretty much accuses Chuck of being Bella Swan in New Moon, a.k.a. trying to get himself killed so that Blair will return to his side.  Ouch!  Then, to add insult to injury, Shrink Dan decides to REALLY send Chuck off the deep end, by telling the poor guy that HE, Dan Humpty Dumpty Humphrey (See, I’m trying, I really am!) kissed Blair last, pre-Louis-Bot.

Now, I know this was supposedly just some well-intentioned tough love on Dan’s part.  But, honestly, did anybody else think that Dan was using this as an opportunity to stick his tongue out and go “Nah-nah, nah-nah boo, boo” in the emotionally-damaged Chuck’s face.

Fortunately, Chuck had the comeback to END ALL COMEBACKS to this remark.  “The last person she was with was me.  And I’m talking full carnal knowledge.  Did that hurt?  I wish I could feel it.”

Ooohh!  BUUUURN!  I love it!

It’s time for Dan to stalk Blair now.  But since he’s coming to tell her to help out Chuck, I can’t fault him too much for his decision.  What I can fault him for is his outfit.  SERIOUSLY?  A t-shirt and jeans to the Feast of Assumption?  You couldn’t at least put on a pair of khaki’s or something . . .

Religious Festival Attendance FAIL! 

Anywhoo, Dan arrives at the perfect moment to rescue Blair from the puke-making Beatrice.  She drags Dan into the Little Girls Room,  (I will not make the obvious joke . . . I will not make the obvious joke . . .  I will not make the . . .) where he feels right at home.  (DOH!  I  guess I made the obvious joke.).  Blair seems to have forgiven Dan fairly quickly for his most recent transgression of plotting to get her to escape her upcoming not going to last anyway nuptials, and f*&k him in the Hamptons.  Then again, maybe she’s just too nauseous to push him away.

Dan successfully manages to plant the seed in Blair’s head that Chuck is going TOTALLY BATTY without her, and needs her help, before she rushes into the nearest stall and starts blowing chunks.  While Dan doesn’t get the full credit he would have received for holding Blair’s hair back Chuck definitely seems like a holding hair back kind of guy, don’t you think? while she prayed to the porcelain god (Man, my euphemisms for vomiting sure are in full force this week, aren’t they?), he does get partial credit, for running the water in the faucet to drown out those pesky retching noises, and for not crinkling his nose to much at the inevitable foul smell.

“I can sing too, if you’d like?” 

Enter that b*tch Beatrice.  Dan tells her that Blair is sick, and she offers to go “fetch” Louis.  But, instead, of course, she stays to overhear Dan accuse Blair of being bulimic again, and demand that she gets help.  To this, Blair replies in frustration, “I’m not bulimic, I’m pregnant.”

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Of course, Beatrice heard THAT too.  And just when we THINK she’s going to tell Louis, she surprisingly DOESN’T.  What she does do, is claim that Blair had this “great idea” to dine with smelly homeless people at the Feast of Assumption, as a way of giving back to the community.  Man, that Beatrice, she is REALLY good at inducing vomiting.  She’s like the human version of Ipecac!

“Hey!  I resemble that remark!” 

Cue the blast from Gossip Girl that Chuck is getting his butt beat again.  And cue Super Man Dan’s exit to make another rescue!  (Hes a busy little bee, this week, isn’t he?)

“Ta-da!”

When Dan arrives to see Chuck getting beaten by the SAME guys who beat him last time, he finally figures out that Chuck PAID them to do this.  Backed into a corner, both literally and figuratively, Chuck explains the real reason behind this one-sided fight club.  Ever since he lost Blair, he has found himself frighteningly unable to feel.  So, basically, the reason he keeps putting himself in dangerous situations is that he hopes to experience pain.  “Is being dead that much worse than being nothing?”  Chuck asks, morosely.

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How about you try to feel good things?”  Dan suggests.  “I could tickle you!”

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(WOW .  . . just wow . . . and the gay porno version of Gossip Girl would start right there.)

Most of us, had kind of assumed that Chuck wasn’t as well-adjusted and coping with Blair’s loss, as he might have seemed last week.  But hearing Chuck admit this is still extremely sad.  Back at his bachelor pad, Chuck graciously asks the REAL reason Dan has been stalking him all episode.  Dan admits that his book contains some SCATHING commentary on all his “friends,” including Chuck.  And, if it’s published, a lot of people will get their feelings hurt.

“Oops,  I should really learn to keep a lock on my diary.”

According to shrink Dan, Chuck is suffering from conversion disorder, a psycho somatic illness that removes the feeling from limbs, as a result of the experience of a traumatic event . . . an event like the VERY TEMPORARY loss of a soulmate . . .  ( What’s the cure, you ask?  LOTS OF SEX WITH SAID SOULMATE, Dr. TV Recappers says . . .)

“Ahhh, Charlie Trout returns,” Chuck replies, cleverly recalling Dan’s OTHER scathing essay, about Chuck and his dad, which Dan used to impress a teacher, at Chuck’s expense.

You know, it just occurred to me that Dan is forever exploiting satirizing his pals to further his writing career.  Think about it . . . his story that was published in the New Yorker was about Serena.  He’s already written about Chuck.  And THIS story is about the ENTIRE Non Judging Breakfast Club.  Given Dan’s obvious penchant for gossip about rich kids, and “based on true events” stories, wouldn’t it just be HILARIOUS if Dan ended up being Gossip Girl?

I know he isn’t.  But I still think it would be funny .  . .

Ultimately, Chuck agrees to help Dan with his little scheme to get back that EVIL book.  And, like that, the Chan Bromance is reborn . . .

Meanwhile, Beatrice is in a limo with the PRIEST from the Feast of Assumption.  To him she reveals her desire to usurp the throne from Louis, by bringing down Blair.  Is this confession?  You might be asking yourself.  NO, believe it or not, it’s actually SEX . . .

That is so wrong on so many levels.

The episode ends with Blair finding her way back to Brooklyn, and the comfort of an old friend.  She tells Dan everything she’s been keeping locked up inside herself for such a long time now . . . like how she had sex with Chuck once, but Louis-Bot many times.  Apparently, according to Blair, he’s “surprisingly virile.”  I didn’t know robots could copulate?   Who knew?

You totally paid the writers to put that part about you being virile in the script, didn’t you?

And even though Blair is not yet certain who the father of her child is, she knows that it was conceived out of love, and therefore wants to keep it.

Ahhh, memories! 

  Honestly, I’m still skeptical as to whether Blair loves Louis-Bot, especially considerng she went back to him, more or less, as a consulation prize, after Chuck gave her up for the greater good.

But for now, I will give her the benefit of the doubt.  (OK . . . maybe I won’t.)  Of course, Blair’s life will be much easier if the baby is Louis-Bots, as it will leave her with much less explaining to do.   And yet, she is conflicted, scared, and petrified of losing everything.

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You’ve really gotta hand it to Dan.  And this is coming from someone who isn’t usually his biggest fan.  Given how clearly head over heels he is in love with her, it couldn’t have been easy for him to endure her graphic description of Louis’ virility, or of her sex with Chuck, or of her love for both men, and not him .  . . not in that way, at least.  And yet, the used-to-be extremely judgy Dan takes the fragile Blair in his arms, and convinces her to find out the baby’s paternity.

“What if I lose everything?” She asks tearfully.

“You’ll still have me,” he replies, as the episode draws to a close.

Well . .  now, that’s nice . . . sweet even.  (See?  I can behave!)  🙂

Until next time, XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

The Beautiful and Damned (and Pregnant) – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s Season 5 Premiere “Yes, Then Zero”

NATE: “It’s Season 5, folks.  You know what that means . . . we get to have five times more sex than we had in Season 1.  CHEERS!” 

CHUCK: “I’ll drink to that!”

Welcome back, Upper East Siders!  Man, have I missed you!   It’s been a long, hot and lonely summer without my Non-Judging Breakfast Club .
. . and Dan.

A lot has changed, since we last saw one another.  There are new zip codes to explore.  New opportunities to enjoy . . . and destroy.  New romances are on the horizon.  And SOMEONE might just have a bun in her well-dressed, upper-crust, oven.

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 So, pop the cork on that champagne (unless you happen to be with child, of course), sit back in that sun chair, and just say “yes,” to a GG premiere filled with excess, intrigue, CHAIR SEX and expanding waistlines galore . . .

“Whatchu talkin about Recapper?  There will be NO expanding waistlines!” 

(Oh, and special thanks to the awesome damnthatmotherchuckerr tumblr for most of the fabulous gifs you see here!

Serena van der Woodsen – Working Girl?

Ummm . . . not THAT kind of work, Serena.

We open up on a black-and-white montage, in which a girl in a flapper type dress, dances over to a dapper dude in a period-suit.  And I’m thinking to myself, “Oh please lord, do not let this be another one of Blair’s annoying Classic Movie Dream Sequences.”  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), it’s not.  The scene comes from an ACTUAL movie entitled “The Beautiful and Damned” (based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald book of the same name), which has apparently been filming in LA all summer in GG world, and on which Serena has worked as Assistant-to-the-Assistant-Producer . . . Otherwise Known as “Coffee Girl.”

*insert Mary Tyler Moore Show theme music here* 

It’s kind of refreshing to see the Non-Judging Breakfast Club’s second laziest member (I’m looking at YOU Nate), you know WORKING.  (Well, we don’t actually get to SEE her work.  But she does a very good job of pretending that she is, by tiptoeing around other people who are working, while carrying around thick stacks of paper, and lattes.)  I would have thought for sure, our blonde ne’er do well would have already started sleeping with the director, or lead actor, by now, and lounging around set, dressed in nothing but her new lover’s t-shirt, and a thong.

(This reminds me, remember those two episodes a couple of Seasons ago, when Serena was all gung ho about having a career in Public Relations?  Good times!)

The LA sun has clearly been kind to Serena,  who’s got a great tan, and a surprisingly great attitude to match.  It’s the first time in a long time we’ve seen Serena, when she’s NOT whining over some relationship crisis, or pouting over some friend or another’s betrayal, our shouting at her mother for some unknown, amorphous reason.  Heck Serena even withstands some tough and belittling talk from her doucheface boss, who, though not much older than her, seems to be the first male character on this show (save for Chuck Bass) who seems unnaturally immune to Serena’s charms.

He must be gay!

In fact, if anything, he seems threatened by her potential to best him at his own job!

“Don’t let my angelface fool you.   I’m a TOTAL asshat!” 

SERIOUSLY?  Serena van der Woodsen the Corporate Ladder Climber?  Is this supposed to be some parallel universe?  Did my DVR I don’t actually have DVR tape the right show?

As if in answer to my question, Serena, rather unrealistically, gets her personal mail delivered right to the set.  And, lo and behold, it’s the Save the Date card for Blair’s sham of a Wedding to Not-Chuck-Bass . . .

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Speaking of Chuck . . .

Chuck Bass – Zen-tastic Biker Dude?

“Yes, I DO ride a hog, wearing white chinos, and an ascot.  Got a problem with that?” 

Oh, Chuck!  How I missed this man-whoring, uber-cocky, in love with his own name, version of you!  So, what if he’s CLEARLY in denial of the Blair Waldorf-sized hole in his heart, and has somehow converted all that angsty heartsickness into a Death Wish, and a life philosophy straight out of a not-particularly-good Jim Carrey movie?  He’s still WAY more fun to watch than that mopey workaholic doofus, who magically found himself in love with the bland as cottage cheese Raina Thorpe, last season, and punched his hand through a glass window for sh*ts and giggles . . .

(I’m still trying to repress the memories of those two storylines from my mind.)

When we first see Chuck he is hopping off his Harley (How the heck did he get a motorcycle license?  My guess is he the f*&ked a guy named Bubba for it.), and heading onto some boat he won in a Poker Game (naturally!), arm-in-arm with two blonde floozies with whom he is about to have loud raucous sex.  Like his pal Serena, LA seems to have been kind to Chuck, who is looking sexier than ever, with his longer than usual wind-swept hair, and decidedly un-preppy bomber jacket.  He’s even sporting a tan . . . something I never thought possible for this character to achieve, considering I always secretly believed him to be a vampire . . .

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Nate’s on the boat too.  He’s also pretty tan, and is doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, when Chuck arrives.

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(I guess some things NEVER change.) 

“If you hear anything crazy, then I’m doing something right,” announces Chuck proudly, as he escapes to the bedroom with his whores.

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. 

After Chuck is safely out of sight,  Nate pulls out his and Chuck’s version of Blair’s Save the Date cards, and hides them in his pants . . . or someplace less likely for Chuck to go digging them up . . .

Dan Humpty Dumpty – Athlete?? 

Oh, Danny Boy!  My how you’ve grown, since Season 1 . . . 

My, oh, my has Dan the Donut (thus called, because he always appears to be both glazed, and oddly jelly filled) come a long way from his Poor Little Brooklyn Boy routes.  While his only remaining friends (I leave Manessa out of this limited circle, completely, of course), are busy planning their Royal Weddings, and taking Hollywood by storm, Dan has been summering in the Hamptons, of all places.  When we first see him, he is taking part in an Artists and Writers baseball game, which I’m sure is SUPER intense.  (You know how competitive those Artists and Writers can be!)

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“Sorry to interrupt your game.  I just really needed to ruin your life, and it absolutely couldn’t wait.”

Papa Rufus, who has the WORST timing ever, decides to interrupt Dan, right in the middle of the game to give him HIS Save the Date from Blair.  (Really?  That couldn’t have waited until he got home?)  Though Dan tries to play it cool (HAHA!), the punched in the gut look he gets on his face, upon viewing the invitation, only serves to confirm Doofus Daddy’s long-held suspicion that his son is still harboring some pretty intense feelings for our Queen B . . .

Blair Waldorf – Kept Woman??

BLAIR: “Louis, darling, should I be worried that there is a picture of Marie Antoinette, a.k.a. that Queen that got beheaded, behind me, at this very moment.”

LOUIS: “No, dahlinnnng.  Do not worry.  You are save with me.” *pulls out the knife he’s been holding behind his back*

 Without her Non-Judging Breakfast Club friends to attend lavish parties and have HOT LIMO SEX WITH bolster her mood, things seem surprisingly dreary for Blair, back on the Upper East Side.  As a staunch lover of all things New York, I was shocked by how much more fun the LA portions of this episode seemed, in comparison to their East Coast counterparts.

Unfortunately, no limo sex was to be had on either coast . . . 

Blair is spending her morning with Prince Louis, who I have decided to call Louis-Bot.  This is because I am convinced that we will soon learn that he is not an actual human being, but  rather a cyborg, programmed to utter polite sentences, every time you push a button on the back of his neck, and to obey the commands of whoever spoke to him last.

I can sort of see a resemblance.  Can’t you? 

Blair rubs up on Louis, and suggests that the two of them stay in bed and screw all day.  Louis declines, because he has to go to some hoity, toity Assembly Speech / Dinner that Blair is not allowed to attend, until the two of them are married.  So, instead, he gives his fiance a ridiculously over-priced necklace, and exits stage left.

OK . . . here’s a guy who just TURNED DOWN sex with Blair Waldorf . . .

Ahem . . . 

 . . . to meet with his mother, and prepare from some snooty dinner that is still hours away.  Now, I KNOW he’s not human . . .

It’s Chuck Bass’ World (and we just live in it)

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Surprisingly enough (especially considering what a staunch Chair fan I am, and how much Serena’s and Nate’s subplots typically bug the hell out of me) my absolute favorite scenes from this premiere were the ones where Serena, Nate and Chuck got to pal around, give eachother advice, and tease one another, like the old close friends we had forgotten they were.

The lighthearted, fun and easygoing banter between the three harkened back to the show’s first season, before random special guest stars, betrayals, and separate plotlines unintentionally got in the way of this beautifully enviable friendship.  The only thing that would have made these scenes better would have been if Blair was there with them, thereby resulting in a Non-Judging Breakfast Club reunion of the highest order . . .

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Anywhoo, Serena comes to visit Chuck and Nate on their new party boat.  The boys offer her champagne, but Serena politely declines, claiming she has adopted a new healthy LA lifestyle.  Serena, sober?  HUH?

Immediately, I called shenanigans, and wondered whether it was HER positive pregnancy test we found in the trash can last season.  But I digress . . .

Once Serena is seated and NOT drinking, Chuck decides to regale us all on his new life philosophy, one that revolves around a bad Jim Carrey movie the word “YES.”  Said life philosophy is actually fairly simple.  If someone presents Chuck with an opportunity he HAS to accept it.

Well, in that case, Chuck, have sex with me, and then stop Blair’s ridiculously dull wedding, this instant! 

NO?  Well, it was worth a shot . . .

Chuck’s words have an immediately inspirational affect on Serena, who was recently given the opportunity to write a scene for The Beautiful and Damned (yeah, because that opportunity ALWAYS comes up for coffee girls, with NO film writing experience whatsoever), but declined it, out of fear of pissing off her immediate supervisor.  Serena decides to accept the challenge, but requests that her two male besties accompany her for moral support.

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Speaking of someone in need of moral support . . .

Say Yes to the Dress, Say NO to the Prosecco . . .

“I’m smiling right now, but only because I’m imagining what it would feel like to kick your mother’s bony ass.” 

Back on the Upper East Side, both Blair and Louis-bot are meeting with both of their mothers to discuss the details of the upcoming royal nuptials.  Unfortunately for Blair, she and Louis-bot’s Mommy butt heads on nearly every detail, from the flowers (Blair wants peonies, Mommy-bot insists on a more traditional bouquet), to the dress (Blair wants to pick out her own, Mommy-bot wants her to wear HERS), to how Blair should look in her upcoming Vogue magazine spread.

Rather than stick up for herself, every time Blair doesn’t get her way, she turns to Louis-bot and pouts, expecting him to stick up for her as Chuck Bass undoubtedly would.  But Louis-bot, unfortunately, is not programmed to disobey his Mommy.  And so he just sits there, with a blank expression on his face, waiting for someone to push the button on the back of his neck, so that he can speak again . . .

This VERY awkward moment is interrupted by another one, in which Dorota arrives bringing Prosecco, which Blair politely declines (UH OH!  Another “Just say no to alcohol moment.”  Somehow I don’t think this one has anything to do with the fact that Blair is still underage.)  After dropping off the booze, Dorota notices a Gossip Girl blast on Blair’s cell phone about someone on the Upper East Side being with child.

She nervously deletes the message, before Blair can see it.

Annnnnnd the plot thickens . . .

Once this wedding discussion nonsense is over, Blair calls Serena to complain about how her robot fiance can’t stick up for her.  And I find myself once again wishing that Blair was with Chuck the others in LA.  The effortless banter between B and S is just so much more entertaining to watch than ANYTHING that happens between Blair and her Prince of Lame.

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Blair expresses shock over the fact that Serena is actually working.  And Serena, in turn, offers Blair some surprisingly sound advice, namely: give Mommy-Bot what she wants for the Vogue feature, and maybe she will leave you alone, when it comes to picking a wedding dress.

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Blair and Serena then reluctantly get off the phone, promising to contact one another the following day .  . .  Man, if Blair actually ends up going through with this wedding, she’s going to need a SERIOUSLY good international cell phone plan.  Because, take it from someone who knows, those little ten-minute nation-to-nation phonecalls can REALLY add up .  . . not that either of these girls ever need to worry about money, of course.

Speaking of S . . .

The Actor, The Stuntman . . . and the Screenwriter?

Just as she knew they would, both Nate and Chuck accompany Serena to the set, where her douchebag boss, of course, gives her heat for the intrusion, reminding her that Take Your Hotties to Work Day isn’t until next week.  (As Nate cleverly noted, “Douchebags are the same, no matter where you go,” which, by the way, would be a great saying to print on a t-shirt.)

Douchey McPussFace then motions over to Chuck, and asks who the heck he is, to which Serena and Nate, both respond, hilariously and in unison, “That’s Chuck Bass.”  (He’s got them trained SO WELL!)

CHUCK APPROVES!

Both Nate and Chuck immediately get the chance to put Chuck’s “Just say yes,” philosophy to the test, when Chuck somehow gets mistaken for a stuntman, and Nate gets pulled in to an audition for a role on the film.  (Ummm . . . wouldn’t they have already cast all the parts, considering the movie is almost done filming?  Just sayin . .  .)

Now, it’s Serena’s turn, she heads over to the producer, and is immediately offered more responsibility on the film set.  I’d say the producer just wants to get into her pants like everybody else on this show but she’s female, and at least seems to be straight.  So, I guess Serena is just REALLY good at getting coffee and carring around piles of paper!  When Serena leaves “the meeting,” her grumbly, and now extremely jealous, boss, Douchey McPussFace informs her that SHE has been given HIS task list for the rest of the day.

“I totally hate you, right now but I’d still have sex with you.”

 If she finishes all the tasks listed by noon, she can attend some swanky Hollywood party.  Serena excitedly accepts the challenge.  But I’m already not trusting this Douchey McPussFace as far as I can throw him . . .

This exchange is interrupted by Chuck performing an impromptu jump off a high platform onto what looks like the BIGGEST BED EVER!  And I am so turned on watching this, it is not even funny.  Apparently, the cougar in charge of stunts feels the same way, because she immediately accepts Chuck’s offer for a date .  . .

Louis-Bot Makes Amends

 After being scolded by Blair, for being such a Mama’s Boy / Weenie, and not sticking up for her on all things wedding, Louis-Bot is programmed to placate Blair by inviting her to the Non-Royal FORBIDDEN assembly speech / dinner thingy.   Blair is thrilled, but still not satisfied.  So, she decides to wear a SCANDALOUS green dress to the event to test Louis-Bot’s ability to stand by his woman.

But then, when it comes time for the EPIC Dinner, Louis-Bot is nowhere to be found.  So, Blair begins to think she has been stood up, and wonders whether she has made a mistake in agreeing to marry this Wussy Pants . . .  YES!  IT’S A MISTAKE!  He’s a cyborg!  RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

My own personal reservations aside, Louis-Bot actually has a REALLY good reason for not picking up Blair for the Assembly Speech / Dinner Thingy.  And it has to do with a certain Dopey Donut, and his former friend, Manessa . . .

Donut on the Run . . .

At another Artist and Writer Baseball Game, Dan’s former internship boss, back in Season 2, and current writer friend, remarks about a certain Anonymous manuscript that is making the rounds in the literary world.  Apparently, a chapter of it is set to be published in Vanity Fair relatively soon.  The writer mentions it to Dan because the main protagonist has his same initials as the young aspiring author, and a similar writing style. (Yeah, real CREATIVE, DONUT!)

Wow, someone really likes to read! 

Dopey Donut immediately realizes that the Anonymous Novel in question is HIS, about BLAIR, and apparently, though it is not explicitly stated, it ends with a rather explicit sex scene between the soon-to-be royal Queen B and Dan Humpty Dumpty’s alter ego.

“Damn you, Manessa!”

“That’s right.  Even when I’m NOT on the show, I ruin everything!”

Freaked out about the idea of Blair reading this article, Dopey Donut goes to the only person he thinks might be able to help him . . . Louis-Bot.  Dopey Donut catches Louis on the way to pick up Blair for the Assembly Speech / Dinner thingy, and warns him that he HAS to stop publication on this story, or it could mean some serious embarrassment for his future wife.

Louis-Bot, who really does seem to love Blair, despite the fact that he barely knows her, and is virtually incapable of conveying real emotion, due to his being a robot, agrees to help . . .

Weed is GOOD (unless you’re a drug addict . . .)

NATE:  “I don’t think we’re in New York anymore, Serena.”

SERENA:  “Umm . . . we haven’t been in New York all summer.”

NATE:  “Sh*t.  I am so high right now . . .” 

Having completed the last item on Douchey McPussFace’s list: “Get medicinal weed for the lead actor in the film.”  (Ummm . . . don’t you need to have some kind of license to do that?), Serena and Nate walk the streets of Hollywood,  en route to their first celebrity bash.

“I think I’m getting a contact high.” 

Stoner Nate, of course, can’t stop jabbering on excitedly about the amazing variety of pot in LA, as compared to the garden variety spliff he’s stuck with in NYC.  Nate then admits that for the past few seasons lately, he’s been kind of lost in really bad story lines, with really annoying Special Guest Stars that are completely unrelated to the rest of the characters or plot.  Serena’s been feeling a bit lost herself.  And so, the two of them decide to use this big Fancy, Schmancy Party as an opportunity to “reinvent themselves.”

I love how Nate’s idea of “reinventing himself,” was to pretend that he was some random actor (Chace Crawford, perhaps?) who owned the house where the party was, so that he could have raucous sex with the Cougar Special Guest Star Elizabeth Hurley Diana, who ACTUALLY owned the house.  Umm . . . Nate, isn’t this pretty much what you do at the beginning of EVERY SEASON?  Someone’s seen The Graduate and American Pie a few too many times . . .

“Ahhh . . . love interests . . . they keep getting older, and I keep staying the SAME AGE . . .” 

Lest you think this was just a one-night stand for Nate and Special Guest Star, we later overhear a conversation “Diana” is having with a friend, about her having planned to meet and seduce Nate all along . . .  It sounds like she’s going to go back to NYC and stalk him or something.  I’m still not quite sure what that was all about.   The sex looked pretty good though . . .

As for Serena, she gives the actor his weed, only to learn the completely obvious from the time she first got the list shocking truth that Douchey McPussFace had set her up!

Apparently, the actor she just drug dealed for has a bit of “substance abuse problem.”  In fact, one of the stipulations the production company had for continuing to fund the film was that this actor “stay sober.”

Cue Douchey McPussFace to swoop in and save the day before the actor in question sparked his dooby.  As the actor’s handlers rush to find out who gave him the offending smokes, Serena confronts Douchey McPussFace about what he did.  The dude then starts boohooing about how life is SO hard for him, because he has student loans, and needs this job . . . and how everything comes easy to Serena, who got this job without trying, and could easily get another job just by sleeping with another producer or director batting her eyelashes and asking for it.

Yeah . . . as much as I REALLY don’t like this guy, He was MUCH nicer in those Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movies he kind of has a point.  Serena obviously thought so too, because she decided to fess up, and take the blame for the pot distribution.  She then offers to quit the first job she’s ever loved.  *sniffle, sniffle*

But HEY, this is Serena we’re talking about.   And . . . aside from that time when she “killed a man,” and that other time when Crazy Juliet drugged her and made everyone think she was a royal nutbar, NOTHING bad ever happens to Serena.  So, of course, when Serena returns to the set to pack up her stuff, the film’s producer offers her a full time job, working directly for her, as soon as the movie wraps.

So, it looks like Serena is staying in LA . . . for now, anyway . . .  Oooh, Douchey McPussFace probably isn’t going to like that (unless he ends up falling in love with Serena, and sleeping with her, which, knowing this show, he probably will . . .)

Meanwhile, in Chuck Bass land . . .

Oooh . . . WIPEOUT!

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So, while Nate is busting up the bedroom with HIS Cougar, Chuck is riding matching motorcycles with HIS.  They stop back at Chuck’s place to change clothing before heading out again on Mullholland Drive.  The original plan is to take a CAR on this leg of the trip, since the road is notoriously rocky.  However, when Chuck, accidentally finds Blair’s Save the Date invitation, buried underneath a pile of other papers, he decides to brave the road by motorcycle anyway . . .

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While riding, Chuck wipes out in a pretty major way, while riding at top speed.  He looks pretty darn hurt, but when Cougar Lady offers to take him to the hospital, he brushes her off, nonchalantly insisting that the pair keep riding.  This freaks Cougar Lady out enough to realize that Chuck’s daredevil antics bely a darker, and more deep-rooted psychological issue. named “Blair.” (If only she knew!)  She instructs Chuck to get some mental help (an idea that is probably suggested to Chuck at least once EVERY season . . . usually by Blair, herself), and dumps his ass.

Despite the rejection, and his obvious heartbreak, Zen-Master Chuck still has positive words for both Serena and Nate, the morning after the party.  Undoubtedly assuming the voice of both the writers, and many fans, Chuck reminds both Serena and Nate how incredibly lame they’ve been the past few seasons, and backhandedly compliments them on FINALLY getting on the right track, in this episode . . . Serena, by FINALLY taking responsibility for herself and her actions, and Nate, by realizing that being someone else, like Chuck Bass, for example  is way more fun than actually being “Nate.”

“You should write a book or something,” Serena suggests to Chuck, only half kidding.  (Hey, if Dopey Dan can do it, why not him?)

“People like me don’t write books.  We’re written about,” Chuck replies.

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MAN, I love Chuck!  So, do Serena and Nate, apparently, who pull him in for the most adorable three-way group hug EVER!

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This adorableness is repeated again, outside a limousine, as Chuck and Nate prepare to return to NYC, and say goodbye to their pal, Serena, who will be sticking around LA for a little while.  The group open a celebratory bottle of champagne (I guess Serena’s not pregnant!), which promptly spills all over Chuck, forcing him to go into a nearby trailer to dry himself off . . .

Weeeeee!

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In a scene that stands in stark contrast to the joyous ones immediately preceding it, Chuck enters the trailer alone.  Once inside, he quietly looks in the mirror at the large gash on his stomach.  This physical wound is clearly meant to represent how broken and damaged our Bass Man truly is on the inside, despite his carefree, and happy external facade.  The resulting image is both poignant and genuinely heartbreaking (not to mention, a little gross) . . .

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He still has awesome abs, though  . . . That Bass-tard’s been WORKING OUT!

Speaking of heartbreaking . . . (or not, depending on how you feel about babies . . . and weddings) . . .

Baby Got Back . . . Donut Got Dumped.

Donut Dan is trying desperately to determine whether the rest of his book about Blair is about to be published, when the vixen herself appears on his doorstep.

She is distraught over Louis’ believed refusal to take her to the Assembly Speech / Dinner thingy . . . so distraught, in fact, that she wants to call off the entire wedding.  Blair tells Dan that he’s the only friend she has on the East Coast now.  So, she asks him if he could help her make an escape.  GO TO LA, GIRLFRIEND!  GO TO LA!

Blair suggests to Dan that the two of them go to his empty place in the Hamptons.  And the Donut immediately agrees, undoubtedly doing a dopey dance on the inside, despite knowing that this little impromptu getaway is being taken under false pretenses, since Louis-Bot, though boring, does not actually lack honor.

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“I’m soooooo getting laid, tonight .   . . It’ll be JUST LIKE IN MY BOOK (except my weiner isn’t a foot long, in real life)!”

Cue the doorbell  It’s Louis-bot.  He’s coming to tell Dan that he’s successfully prevented his short story about Blair from getting published.

“DOH!”

UH OH!  BUSTED!  Now Donut is forced to come clean to Blair about knowing Louis’ positive intentions all along.  “YouKNEW . . . You were going to let me walk away from everything,” exclaims an extremely hurt and betrayed feeling Blair.

Dan has no response to this.  He just stares at Blair with his droopy puppy dog eyes, as she storms out of his apartment with Louis-Bot . . .

As it turns out, the story CHAPTER is the least of Dan’s problems.  Cue the mailman!  Well, what do you know, there’s  a CHECK for $10,000 from Manessa to Dan, congratulating him on having his first FULL novel published . . .

RUH-ROH!

And finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for . . .

Back at La Casa de Waldorf, Blair’s busy getting ready for her Vogue shoot, dressed in Mommy-Bot’s frumpy wedding dress, when her Mom comes in with a “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” book.  She immediately thinks Blair is pregnant, and is FURIOUS!  But guess what?  The book is DOROTA’S, who’s apparently pregnant with Baby #2, and THRILLED that she’s been deemed important enough to make it onto gossip girl.

Zzzzzzz!  Seriously?   That’s what we’ve been waiting all summer to find out!

But wait . . . it’s not over until the pregnant lady sings, right?  Out at the photo shoot, Louis-Bot proves himself worthy of Blair’s love once again, by insisting that she appear in the photo shoot with her choice of bouquet.  It’s a nice gesture, and a symbolic step in the right direction for Louis-Bot, in terms of his putting Blair before Mommy-Bot in his marriage . . . It’s too bad he’s still boring.

“Seamstress say WHAT?!” 

Then in the  not particularly surprising ultimate shocker, Blair’s seamstress inquires of Blair how far along she is, noticing that her measurements have been rapidly expanding.

Blair denies the pregnancy allegation, but the frantic look on her face says otherwise.  If her seamstress can already tell that she’s pregnant, how long before EVERYONE knows?  And, perhaps, more importantly, who’s the daddy?  Will this a Baby Louis-Bot?

Or a Baby Bass?

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Or did the Dopey Donut somehow manage to insert his coin in the Queen B’s slot off camera?

Only time (and, perhaps, a paternity test) will tell.  But, suffice to say, things are about to get ROYALLY UGLY .  . .

In other, kind of random news . . .

Poison Ivy Blues

At the end of the episode, we see that faux-Charlie / Ivy / “Call me Serena” is in LA, working at a restaurant with her boyfriend, and, most certainly, up to no good.  Serena, of course, enters the restaurant right when “Ivy” is supposed to start her shift, but still thinks she’s “Rich Charlie,” and starts talking her up, as if they are actually cousins or something.  Not wanting to give up the jig just yet, Ivy ditches her waitressing shift, and walks off with Serena, continuing to play up her false identity.

Hey there!  I just pretended I was you during sex . . .

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AW-KWARD!

This can’t end well . . .

And there you have it folks, the Gossip Girl Season 5 premiere in a diamond-encrusted nutshell.  So, what did you think?  Were you as bothered as I was by the separation of Blair from her Non-Judging Breakfast Club . . . or the COMPLETE lack of Chair interaction?   How do you like the new Chuck Bass, and Serena’s new LA home?  What about Nate’s NEW Cougar, do you think she will be as dull and pointless as the rest of his non-main cast member girlfriends?  Or will this time be different?  And, most importantly, who do you think is the daddy?

Please sound off in the comment section, below.   Until next week . . . XOXO!

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[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

Redemption, Thy Name is Chuck Bass (Charlie, Thy Name is Ivy?) – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s Season Finale “The Wrong Goodbye”

CHUCK:  ‘So, Blair (other half of “Chair”), maybe you could explain to me how, even though we crashed this Bar Mitzvah, somehow you and I end up the stars of the Chair Dance, an honor typically only bestowed on the Bar Mitzvah boy and his parents?”

BLAIR:  “Maybe it’s supposed to foreshadow something?”

CHUCK: “Like the Super Hot Sex we are about to have  in the conveniently-located private room, right outside the reception hall?”

BLAIR: “Like the fact that we are about to become parents.”

CHUCK: “You know, they should really start handing out condoms at Bar Mitzvahs, given the whole ‘boy turning into a man’ theme, and all . . .”

We wanted it, and we got it, Chair fans: The Redemption of Chuck Bass!  After weeks of agonizing and hand-wringing over the whole “pretending to love Raina” thing, and the “drunkenly breaking glass on Blair’s face” thing, Team Chuck was finally rewarded.  This week, fans got the opportunity to hear our King Bass say to his Queen B. everything we have wanted him to say to her, since the couple’s devastating breakup at the end of “The Witches of Bushwick.”

Chuck Bass rescued Blair Waldorf tonight, and not just from Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, Russell Thorpoop either . . .

“Yes, I’ll admit it.  I’m an adult who likes to play with fire.   How else did you think I ended up bald?”

Through his eloquent words, Chuck rescued Blair from her fear that she was not a successful enough woman, in her own right, to be coupled with a powerful man.  He also rescued her from her belief that love and happiness were two mutually exclusive emotions.  And, perhaps, most importantly, he rescued her from those pesky panties she was wearing . . .

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This is NOT your mother’s Chairytale!

And though things didn’t end quite the way we had hoped for Chuck and Blair in “The Wrong Goodbye” (an apt title, if ever there was one), the growth Chuck has undergone as a character this season, coupled with the personal sacrifices he made for the happiness of the woman he loves, this week, have proven, without a doubt, that Chuck Bass deserves to be with Blair Waldorf.  And he will be with her . . . eventually.

Patience, my dear Waldorf!  There’s always Season 5!

But this Season Finale wasn’t ALL about Chair (about 98% of it was), “The Wrong Goodbye” also treated us to some Crazy Charlie(?) shenanigans, a bit of Georgina hilarity, and a few dryly humorous meta-references, courtesy of the Three Kings of Snark, Dan Humphrey, Nate Archibald, and Eric van der Woodsen . . .

So, what are we waiting for, Upper East Siders, let’s get on with the recap?

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

MANESSA:  “I can’t believe this is my last episode of Gossip Girl, EVER!  I’m really going to miss you guys!  But, hey, maybe I can come back for a few guest appearances next season?”

SERENA:  “I doubt it.   They’ve already converted your trailer into a gym for the rest of the cast.”

In a scene that would absolutely NEVER happen under normal GG circumstances (and is ONLY happening because it is Jessica Szohr’s last appearance on the show, and the writers want to throw her a bone, by giving her some lines, and a teensy bit of character redemption), Serena and Manessa are riding to Constance Prep together, in search of an off-her-meds, wacked-out Charlie.  Manessa explains that Charlie, had to leave college after “Single White Female-ing” her roommate.  And now, evidently, she is doing the same thing to Serena.  (“Thanks for the explanation, Manessa!  We would NEVER have figured that out, otherwise,” The Recapper says sarcastically.)

For the record, the only time I EVER want to be watching the inside of a limo on Gossip Girl, is when THIS is happening inside of it . . .

Meanwhile, in Bromantic Buddy News . . .

. . . Dan and Nate are getting gossipy at the bar over at Constance Prep.  Dan “Screw and Tell” Humphrey is overly eager to fill Nate in on his Principal Office sexcapades with Belongs in a Strait-Jacket Barbie.

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Initially, Nate, not surprisingly, reacts the same way most of us fans did when we heard Charlie utter “Call me Serena” during sex, by laughing hysterically at the poor girl’s expense.

“Apparently, ‘Call me Serena,’ is the New ‘What’s My Name, B*tch?'”

But, of course, Nate is DUDE.  And for most dudes, a little schizophrenia CERTAINLY isn’t going to get in the way of a good lay!  “Just tell her ‘That’s not necessary,’ and get back to doing whatever it is you were going to do,” instructs Nate.

THIS . . . coming from the guy who once thought Raccoon Zombie, Little J was a “great catch.”

Nate, I love you to pieces.  But it’s characters like you that always die first in horror movies.  Just sayin’.

The GG writers continue to laugh at their own absurdity, when Dan sees Chuck entering the party, and wonders why the dude isn’t in rehab, like Gossip Girl said he was.

For the record, I would totally watch a show in which GG’s Alcoholic Chuck, got together TVD’s resident alcoholics, Damon and Alaric,  and entered into some kind of CW Character rehab .  . .

Speaking of Chuck, he’s just found Mama Waldorf (who’s new haircut is SO not cute, by the way), and is inquiring about Blair’s whereabouts . . .

“You know, sometimes I get bored hooking up with the dude who played the nerdy teacher in Clueless.  So, if you are ever in the market for a ‘mature and experienced’ woman . . .”

Clearly, tired of Chuck playing paddleball with her daughter’s emotions, Eleanor Waldorf really goes for the jugular, telling Chuck that he should let Blair go, and calling him, among other things, a “Fantasy Destroyer,” and “The Big Bad Wolf.”  When I heard the latter name being used to describe Chuck, part of me expected him to do something like this . . .

But, instead, he just walks away.  LAME.

Then, Serena and Vanessa arrive at the party, causing the entire Scooby Gang, except Blair, to unite, for a not particularly subtle recap of the season’s current dangling plot threads . . .

“Previously . . . on Gossip Girl . . .”

More self-referential humor abounds, when Eric agrees to help the group with whatever scheme they have cooking, provided it doesn’t require, among other things, stopping a wedding, running a Ponzi scheme, or giving anybody Fake Cancer.

“I take pride in knowing that I am the only character on this show who recognizes how ridiculous we all are.”

Then Blair’s old high school minions pop by, wondering when Eric VDW got so hot.  (It’s called puberty, girls.  You should try it sometime.)  Though Eric gently reminds the minions that he is “still gay,” they are not discouraged.  “That means you CAN dance!”  They exclaim. 

Ahh . . . gay stereotypes . . . We truly ARE back in high school, aren’t we?

“Those darn, meddling kids!”

Chuck and Nate then head to the roof of the school (probably to snort coke, or something).  And, Raina magically appears.  Apologies abound, as Nate apologizes to Chuck for spilling the beans to Raina about her father “accidentally” murdering her mother. Raina apologizes to Chuck for telling her wackadoo dad she doesn’t love him anymore, thereby sending Pops off the deep end.  And Chuck apologizes to Raina for getting her involved in the most uninteresting relationship on Gossip Girl, since Serena and Ben, and ANYBODY and Vanessa . . .

This lovefest is interrupted by the ringing of Chuck’s cell phone . . .

“No, I’m not interested in joining the Steak of the Month Club!  Stupid Telemarketers!”

As you might recall from last week, Lex Luthor-wannabe Russell Thorpoop, having been “fingered”  (It sounds so dirty!) in the murder of his wife, by his own daughter, has somehow decided that REPEATING the crime that got him in trouble in the first place (namely, burning down a new hotel, with a Bass’ lover in side of it), will solve all his problems.  Talk about not learning from past mistakes!

“It was either this, or reorganizing my doll collection.”

With her life on the line, Blair means to call 911.  But since three numbers are SO hard to remember, she calls Chuck instead.  (HE’S Number 1 on her Speed Dial!  Take that Prince Louis . . . and Serena . . . and Dorota!)  Wanting to give Chuck an idea of where she is, without cluing Russell in to the fact that she is making the call, Blair employs the MOST OBVIOUS DIALOGUE EVER!  “Why are you doing this to me.  . . You brought me to the rooftop of Chuck’s new hotel in Brooklyn, by pretending Chuck was in trouble, and are now threatening to kill me!”  Blair emotes comically.

“There you go, Blair!  That’s exactly what people sound like when they are talking to their prospective killers!  Russell will never suspect a thing.”

Chuck hears this on the other end of his cell phone, and SOMEHOW pieces together what is happening to Blair.  (The man is a GENIUS!)  Little Bass then rushes to his new hotel site with Nate and Raina, hot on his heels.  At some point during all this, our rescue gang calls 911.  Interestingly enough, even though I’m sure there are, in fact, cops in Brooklyn, and Chuck and Co., traveling ALL THE WAY FROM MANHATTAN,  the trio miraculously arrives on the scene before the NYPD.  And yet I will not complain about such petty details, because the cop’s ineptitude gave me THIS . . .

Awwww!

Like every dumb comic book villain, Russell Thorpoop chooses to blather on about how he’s going to screw Chuck over by killing Blair, rather than actually DOING IT.  While the camera is focused on Russell, Chuck and Blair have time to have a little rooftop sex session, with Nate watching of course.  (At least that’s what they are doing in my head.) 

Then Raina comes forward and tells her dad that he is going to prison for life, and that she is never visiting him!  Honestly, I haven’t liked Raina THIS much, since her character smoked pot for the first time, and beat Nate at “Dance, Dance, Revolution.”

“This bud’s for YOU!”

Of course, after the whole ordeal,  Raina decides she wants to leave the show Manhattan for good.  And Nate pretends to be genuinely upset.  But we know secretly, he’s thrilled to have a chance at a GOOD storyline, with a love interest who’s actually a MAIN CHARACTER, for a change.

“Memories . . . like the corners of my mind.  Misty, water-colored, memories . . of the way we were.”

Meanwhile, back at Constance .  .  .

Step Aside, Amateurs!  Because NO ONE does crazy, like Georgia Sparks!

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Georgina Sparks is back in town.  As it turns out, being a Baby Mama / Real Housewife of Westchester County isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  So, when Georgina hears that the Scooby Gang is banding together to “rescue” Charlie from her own insanity, Georgina is eager to help them come up with a plan.  And she offers her services to LITERALLY everybody in the cast, whether or not they ask for it.

Man, I miss Georgina!  None of GG’s villains (with the exception, of perhaps, Jack Bass) have ever even came close to the level of naughty fun and hilarity she added to the show.  Aside from having some of the best one-liners ever,  (“I’m going to go get drunk enough to find you interesting.”), Georgina always stood out from the rest of baddies.  After all, when she wasn’t busy making the other character’s lives miserable, she really WAS one of the gang, playing a key role in many of the gang’s most successful schemes.

“I miss you!  You really GET ME!”  Georgina calls out to Serena, after being once again rebuffed by her frienemy.

In fact, we feel Georgina’s pain when she wonders (along with the rest of us) why ON EARTH Manessa got to be part of the Rescue Charlie games that night, while Georgina was left out in the cold.  And, of course, it was GEORGINA, Queen of Scams, who figured out IMMEDIATELY that Charlie wasn’t exactly who she said she was, and gave the girl her number, written on a napkin.  Crazy “Charlie” and Crazier Georgina . . . something tells me these two are going to be quite the Scary Pair in Season 5.

Speaking of “Call Me Serena” . . .

Lamest Suicide Attempt Ever!

“Oh, would you just JUMP already!  I’m missing American Idol for this!”

So, Crazy Charlie is supposedly all sad about Dan rejecting her for her Serena Sex Fetish.  So, she starts getting all self-destructive and drinking liquor RIGHT OUT OF THE BOTTLE . . . at a Glorified HIGH SCHOOL DANCE!

“Hey, Headmistress!  Maybe you should spend less time telling your old students how disappointed you are in their life choices, and more time CHAPERONING the UNDERAGE BOOZE INTAKE!”

Then, after texting Serena “Goodbye”  (Suicide Texts are SO last season!), Charlie finds a window and pretends to jump out of it, by half-assedly dangling one leg outside of it.  Surprise!  Serena gets there just in time.  So, Charlie starts boo hooing about how nobody looooooveeesss her, and everybody haaaaaates her, and Serena is so much beeeeetttter. 

Remembering Mistress Queller’s thinly-veiled insults about her decision to stay in New York, and the Mini Mes’ criticisms about her inability to choose between Dan and Nate (She chose the “guy who tried to kill [her] instead”) . . .

“For a pedophile, attempted murderer, that Ben guy SURE WAS BORING!”

 . . . Serena explains to Charlie that she’s not nearly as cool as no one everyone thinks she is.  After all, her whole life she has never made any real decisions for herself.  Somehow, hearing what a loser Serena is brings Charlie back from “Brink of Death,” which I guess I would be more excited about, if I gave two craps about her character . . .

“See you in Season 5, Bitches!”

Nonetheless, Charlie decides the Upper East Side is not for her.  So, she heads back to Florida, where she feels she belongs.  And . . . here comes the twist.

When “Charlie” gets off the bus in Florida, and meets with Carol Rhodes, we learn that she is not really “Charlie” at all.  Rather, she is “Ivy,” an actress hired by Carol to impresonate “Charlie” and gain access to Charlie’s trust account, left to her by her grandmother. 

Ivy returns a series of trust account check books to Carol, prompting Carol to say that now the van der Woodsens will never be tempted to find the REAL Charlie.  (Why Carol, what did you do, eat her?)  Of course, after the pair of near-strangers part ways, we learn that Ivy has kept one of the trust account check books for herself.  In Ivy’s final moments, we see her dig out Georgina’s number from her bag, and stare at it intently.  I smell trouble, Upper East Siders!

Speaking of storylines, I didn’t care too much for, until their final moments . . .

Adios, Manessa!  Don’t let la puerta hit you, where Dios split you!

Manessa’s new address in Spain, i.e. the place where you should start forwarding all your hate mail . . .

So, after pretending to care about Charlie and her suicide, Manessa, surprise, surprise, takes it upon herself to start stalking Dan’s apartment, and rifling through his papers, while he’s not home.  (Note to Dan:  GET A RESTRAINING ORDER!)  Manessa “miraculously” comes upon a manuscript Dan has apparently been working on for five years, which, to me seems like it’s probably Books 1 through 5 of the Gossip Girl Series.  The novel is called “Inside.”   Manessa, of course, assumes that if she can get Dan to publish it, then his friends (most of whom are portrayed like shallow a$$holes in it) will all abandon him, so, she can get back INSIDE his pants . . .

“Can’t blame a girl for trying!”

Manessa calls Dan and babbles on about how Ahhh-mazing his writing is!  She then scolds him for spending his whole life wanting so desperately to be part of the in-crowd, and warns him not to let his desire for popularity get in the way of his “art.”  (Well, one thing can be said about Manessa, SHE doesn’t let popularity get in the way of anything!  Then again, since everybody despises her, she doesn’t have to!) 

Manessa also hints that some people, other than Serena, will really like the way they are portrayed in the book.  And I can’t tell whether she’s referring to herself or Blair. 

“I wrote nice things about Manessa?” Clearly, I was on drugs.”

However, whether or not Dan had fond feelings toward Manessa, when he first started writing the manuscript five years ago, he certainly doesn’t have them now.  “When are you going to realize that it’s better to be a Great Man, than a Good Boy?”  Manessa demands.

“And when are you going to realize that I had a better life, before you climbed up my fire escape four years ago!”  Dan replies.

NEVER in the entire history of Gossip Girl have I been more proud of DAN HUMPTY DUMPTY than I am RIGHT NOW!  High five, Dan!

Any realism that was created by this scene is IMMEDIATELY destroyed when Manessa just randomly happens to appear at a publishing office.  The HEAD of publishing then READS the anonymous manuscript given to him by NOBODY Manessa, immediately touts the author as the next Jonathan Safran Foer, and agrees to publish the book, while sending Manessa royalty checks at her new address in Spain.

OK, as someone who has spent YEARS of her life trying to get books published, SCREW YOU, GOSSIP GIRL!  I understand the plot point.  And I applaud you for ridding us of Manessa, but this was just plain MEAN!

*takes deep breath*

OK . . . I think I’ve calmed down.  On to bigger and better storylines . . .

“The Best Loves are the Crazy Ones”

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Back in Brooklyn, having disposed of Crazy Russell Thorpoop, Blair suddenly remembers that she has to meet Louis at Constance Prep and prove to him that she still loves him.  Chuck offers to drive her there.  But since Blair doesn’t really seem to love Louis all that much, she promptly agrees to keep her “future husband” waiting just a little longer, so that she can crash a random Bar Mitzvah with Chuck.  (You can’t beat an open bar, right?)

Freed from the constraints of being stalked by Gossip Girl, and the pressures of their day-to-day lives, Chuck and Blair let loose in ways we’ve never seen them do in their entire time on the show.  This involves a bit of laughter, a whole lot of smiling, and, yes, some REALLY, REALLY, RIDICULOUSLY BAD dancing to Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

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It’s nice to see that Chuck and Blair have the ability to have fun together and enjoy one another’s company, even when they are doing other things besides scheming, and having amazing sex . . .

Speaking of sex, after Chuck and Blair ride the chairs together (sounds kinky!), and leave a nice fat check with the Bar Mitzvah Boy, they head off into the nearest semi private room and  . . . um . . . roll in the deep together . . .

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When these Chairs are rockin’, don’t come a knockin!

Well, there’s nothing like good sex to spark a life-changing epiphany!  Blair realizes immediately after experiencing innumerable “O’s” with Chuck, that there is no way she can go back to life with the Prince.  “You love him, don’t you?”  Chuck asks.

“But not like I love you.   His love is lighter.  Our love is intense.  It always pulls us in.  What’s real happiness in the face of that?”  Blair replies. 

And while what she is saying is clearly true, in terms of the Chair relationship . . .  it does sound like an odd endorsement for love, especially coming right after all the bad dancing and happy humping, in which she and Chuck had engaged just moments earlier. 

I don’t know!  They look pretty happy to me!

Nonetheless, Chuck again offers to drive Blair to Constance to confront Louis.  Given that the dance has long since ended, Chuck and Blair are actually shocked to find Louis still waiting alone for Blair’s arrival.  “I knew you’d come,” says Louis, upon seeing her appear, not seeming the least bit concerned that Chuck is by her side. 

AWKWARD!

Just when Blair is about to let the Prince down easy, Chuck intervenes.  “You have my blessing,” he says, shaking Louis’ hand graciously.  “I couldn’t be more happy you two are getting married.”

Shocked, Blair pulls Chuck aside, wanting to know why the HELL he did that!  (You and me BOTH, Blair!  You and me, both!)

And Chuck’s explanation as to why he is sacrificing the love of his life and his own happiness, to save Blair’s, is more beautiful and poignant than anything viewers could have anticipated.  And yet, it is also heartbreakingly sad.  Just when Chuck has finally proven to Blair, and to us fans, that he CAN make Blair happy, that he IS a good enough person, and a strong enough man, to give her everything she needs in a mate, THIS is the moment when he decides that he must let her go, for her own good.

Sound familiar, TVD fans?

I’m going to post the dialogue in its entirety here, before discussing it more in detail:

Fans of Veronica Mars, will undoubtedly remember the speech that Logan made to Veronica, during Season 2, about their love story being EPIC, “spanning years and continents, lives ruined, and bloodshed . . . They don’t write love songs about the ones that come easy,” he told her.

And I couldn’t help but wonder whether Blair Waldorf was a Veronica Mars fan, when she made that comment about the Great Loves, being the Crazy Ones.  She even made a similar argument to Logan that literature, sonnets and music tended to be written more about the CRAZY and EPIC love stories, than about the mundane and easy ones.  And, honestly, these two TV couples share a lot in common with one another.  Both Logan and Chuck are dark and tortured souls, who, each in their own way, are difficult to love.  And yet they love harder than any bright and sunny person on the planet.

Another notable line during this exchange was Chuck’s reference to the fact that, back in Season 3, he had waited only two minutes on top of the Empire State Building for Blair to meet him and accept his marriage proposal, before leaving to sleep with the Raccoon Zombie, whereas Louis waited all night . . .

Of course, to me, this says less about the extent of Chuck’s love for Blair, and more about his lack of faith in himself.  Unlike Chuck, Louis seemed certain that Blair would return to him.  But, had Chuck not intervened, he would have been WRONG!  How important is faith in love?  This is something Blair will have to figure out for herself, in the coming months . . .

And, finally, I loved Chuck’s insistence that Blair recognize how powerful she is.  After all, the initial reason that Blair had broken up with Chuck, earlier this seaso,n is that she felt she needed to prove herself a powerful and successful woman, before she could align herself with a powerful and successful man.  But Blair has always been a powerhouse, in her own right, a woman who has time, and time, again shown her strength and intelligence.  And I suspect she will continue to do so, with or without a man at her side . . .

In the end, just like during their last break up, Blair and Chuck conclude their relationship by telling one another that they will always love eachother.  On one hand, it’s a depressing, and totally ass backward, way to end a relationship.  In another way, it is uplifting, and provides hope that these two will someday (hopefully sooner, rather than later) find their way back to one another once again. 

But, for now, Blair is walking off into the sunset with Prince Charming, just like in the fairytales.  But will they live Happily Ever After?  Knowing the GG writers, probably not.

Epilogue

We cut to a few weeks later, and learn that Blair will be spending the summer in Monaco with Louis.  She is also planning a November wedding, to which the entire Upper East Side Crew is invited . . .

Chuck comes to VDW mansion to see her off, and the two kiss one another wistfully, as “friends.”  And though they are both being all nice and mature, we, of course, don’t believe any of it, not even for a second . . .

Speaking of Chuck, he and Nate plan to spend the summer months traveling the world together, just as Blair and Serena did the summer before . . .

 . . . while Dan goes to the Hamptons to “write.”  Meanwhile, Serena spends time alone on the beach, where, miraculously, some young screenwriter and producer, just so happen to be adapting the ONE BOOK SHE HAS EVER READ THAT DOESN’T HAVE PICTURES IN IT, (appropriately titled “The Beautiful Damned” . . . just like her) into a film, and EQUALLY MIRACULOUSLY require her help to do so . . .

(Oh, you go right ahead, GG!  Just keep digging that knife deeper into aspiring writers’ chests.  It’s nice to know that it is SO easy for “brilliant” people like Serena and Dan to find success in the literary world.)

OH . . . and I almost forgot to mention, SOMEONE left THIS in the wastebasket of Blair Waldorf’s bedroom . . .

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Could there be a little Bass-tard on it’s way? 

So, that’s where the gang left off for the summer . . . each on their separate journies, which, of course, are destined to intertwine in innumerable ways, as the Summer comes to a close.  But, for now, the Summer is just beginning, both for the Upper East Siders, and for US!  So, enjoy it, Gossip Girl fans!  XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

Two Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “Shattered Bass”

“Remember when I got really wasted . . . and punched a glass window . . . and  glass shattered .  . . and some of it hit Blair in the face?   NO?  That’s good, because I don’t really remember it either.  Ah, the wonders of Drunken Binges and Rage Blackouts not to mention schizophrenic, often ridiculous, but still oddly entertaining, episode writing.”

So, I think after last week’s episode, a lot of us thought (hoped?) that this episode would focus on Chuck’s  immense guilt over how he behaved during “The Princesses and the Frog,” and his quest to right the wrongs in his life, while winning back the woman of his dreams . . .

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Well, as it turns out . . . not so much.  Instead, the episode focused on two Evil Looney Tunes . . .

Wrong Evil Looney Tunes!

Those are the ones!

 . . . and two very important lessons:  (1) NEVER forget to take your anti-psychotic meds, or you may just end up in the principal’s office, begging the guy you’re crushing on to call you another person’s name during sex . . .

CHARLIE:  “Call me, Serena!”

DAN:  “But . . . I thought your name was, Charlie.”

CHARLIE: *whistles awkwardly*

DAN:  “Oh I get it!  This is your polite way of telling me that you are a F&*KING NUTBALL, and of reminding me that the guy who played my role in Single White Female ended up being hacked to death by a stiletto heel . . .

CHARLIE:  “Pretty much . . .”

 . . . and (2) DON’T, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, tell Nate Archibald ANYTHING, unless you want the Whole World to know . . .

“Tell me your troubles, and I will sing them from mountaintops.  I’m like a low-tech Gossip Girl, in that way.”

Now, from a “Character Development” perspective, this was VERY bad form, on the part of Gossip Girl.  After all, by this point, I think it’s pretty obvious to most fans that Chuck and Blair are intended by the writers to be one another’s “endgame” . . .

Chemistry like this doesn’t come in a bottle . . . and can overcome even the shoddiest of plot devices.

So, as a writer, if you plan to tear down one of the character’s in your Endgame SHIP in the eyes of fans, in order to promote drama, angst, and a ratings bump, the least you could do is attempt to redeem him, by illustrating some remorse on his part for what he has done.  Aside from a few throwaway lines from Chuck, we didn’t really get that this week, which was somewhat disappointing.  On the other hand, Gossip Girl is a show written predominately for entertainment.  And “Shattered Bass” was nothing, if not entertaining . . .

Let’s review, shall we?

A Dream is a Wish Your Chuck Makes  . . .

Those “Classic Movie” Dream Sequences Blair often has at the beginning of an episode are really weird, aren’t they?  I know they are often meant to illustrate what’s going through Blair’s mind, in a “cute and quirky” way.  But, honestly, we didn’t need a dream sequence to tell us that Blair was having difficulty choosing between Prince Louis and Chuck, did we?  I mean, how dense do these writers think we are? 

I don’t even know what movie this was supposed to be!  (Someone on Tumblr said it was Roman Holiday.  Must have missed that one on my Netflix Queue.)  Oh . . . and I didn’t like Blair’s hair in the dream either. You would think Sleeping Blair would have better taste than that . . . 

Anywho .  . .

We cut to the Empire Hotel, where Chuck doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by the brand new GAPING HOLE in his window.  (What if the birds fly in and crap, on his expensive furniture?)  He also doesn’t seem to understand at all why Nate is mad at him, which is a bit disconcerting.  (Though, in Chuck’s defense, Nate probably should have spent less time, judgmentally staring at Drunk Chuck, as the latter took his anger out on that Mean Ole Window, and more time TRYING TO STOP CHUCK FROM ACCIDENTALLY HURTING HIMSELF AND BLAIR.)

“It’s a good thing I’m so pretty.  Because I tend to suck ROYALLY, most of the time.”

(By the way, I’ve been trying to figure out how much time has passed in between last week’s episode and this one?  Based solely on Chuck and Nate’s conversation, I assumed it was just the next morning.  But then things happened later in the episode  — like Blair’s parents’ impromptu planning of herengagement party — that made me think at least a few days had past.  Perhaps, the timeline was left intentionally ambiguous, due to the way the writers had opted to ignore treat Chuck’s storyline, from last week.)

So, Nate announces to Chuck that he is going to be staying over at Raina’s for a few days.  And Chuck basically responds by saying, “Suit yourself, Lame-o!  Get out and stay out!  I own this ENTIRE HOTEL!”

CHUCK:  “I bet RAINA’S apartment doesn’t have a Wii Entertainment System, or a lifetime supply of POT.”

NATE:  “I am so screwed . . .”

Charlie’s Angels (are probably on vacation)

“This one time . . . at band camp . . . I murdered my boyfriend in his sleep . . .  by shoving so many candies down his throat that he choked on them.  Would you like a Gummi Bear?”

Those of you (like me) who were INSANELY excited that Manessa was “studying abroad,” and, therefore, would be out of our hair for good . . .

 .  . . were probably a tad disappointed to see her again toward the beginning of this episode . . .

As it turns out, Manessa (having just been burned by Charlie, while trying to screw SERENA and BLAIR).  Now, all the sudden, is back to wanting to “help” Serena defeat Charlie . . .

“Please talk to me.  Otherwise, I won’t have any lines in this episode, and they won’t pay me.”

Initially, at least, Serena tells Manessa to F*&k OFF!

Cut to Dan Humphrey Dumpty’s House, where Charlie is telling Dan that her favorite book is Flowers in the Attic, which, among other things, is about a brother and sister, who occasionally like to DO IT with one another . . .

This really should have been Dan’s first sign that all was not kosher in Charlie-land . .  .

But as we know, all too well, Oh Danny Boy, is SUPER NAIVE, not to mention, a real Sucker for the Psychos.  And so he invites Charlie to the Charity Ball taking place that night Blair’s and Serena’s old high school.  Charlie then, not so subtly, brings up Dan’s and Serena’s high school relationship, which Dan seems almost too eager to discuss with her.  This is something that people in the BIZ like to call . . . FORESHADOWING . . .

CHARLIE:  “Mmmm . . .  mind if I pretend you’re my brother?”

The Return of Cyrus Rose (and Blair’s Deliciously Nasty Sense of Humor)

“Drink Vitamin Water . . . or Blair Waldorf will NOT be your friend.”

After some ridiculously blatant, and completeley obnoxious, product placement / advertising for a company that shall remain nameless SEE ABOVE.  Blair’s Ma and Step-Pa discuss with their daughter plans for her upcoming engagement party.  Specifically, they talk about how they plan to use said party to win over Princess Sophie, and convince her that Blair is, in fact, Princess Material.  When Serena enters the room, Eleanor (who undoubtedly didn’t watch last week’s episode of Gossip Girl.  FOR SHAME, Eleanor!) politely inquires whether Serena will be attending the party in Blair’s honor . . .

“Well, I would love to go.  Unfortunately, I already have plans to have sex with a Guest Star during that time . . .”

Before Serena even has time to formulate an answer, Blair’s got HER response, ready and waiting.  “YOU are not invited.  I’d like to actually be engaged when it’s over.”

Serena can’t, for the life of her, understand why Blair hasn’t forgiven her for attempting multiple times to EMBARASS HER IN FRONT OF A ROYAL FAMILY and TOTALLY RUIN HER LAST CHANCE HAPPINESS.  Talk about holding on to a grudge!  After all it’s been . . .a whole TWO DAYS (maybe?), since this happened!  I mean, come on BLAIR!  What gives?

Of course, Blair’s response to Serena’s whiny / half-assed “I’m sorry” is PURE PERFECTION!  “Like everything else in your life, your apology was underwhelming,” she replies snidely.

Sometimes, I wish I could put Blair Waldorf in my pocket, and keep her there, as I go about my day.  I mean, seriously, how handy would it be to ALWAYS have the perfect nasty remark for EVERY SITUATION?

Speaking of nasty . . .

HEY!  JACK BASS is BACK!

“Hey Raina, do you think there’s any chance your dad would be interested in trading your body for a hotel?”

If you recall, at the end of last week’s episode, Raina called Jack Ass.  It turns out that she wants his help in bringing down Chuck, in order to avenge her mother’s death.  In return for his help, Raina promises Jack Ass the “run of Bass Industries.”  (Now, I’m not entirely sure how SHE can give him this, considering she has NO OWNERSHIP INTEREST WHATSOEVER in the company.  But, no matter!)  Jack Ass, at least initially, seems intrigued by Raina’s offer, but even more intrigued with the notion of breaking into the Thorpe pantalones.  Nate Archibald is not amused .  . .

Always a PRO at being extremely creepy, and Dirty Old Man-esque, but still oddly sexy playing both sides, Jack schedules a meeting with Papa Thorpe, and cuts a deal with HIM too.  Jack Ass promises to personally bring down Chuck Bass, in exchange for a boatload of money.  He also plans to give Russell the one piece of furniture he wishes to “inherit’ from Bart Bass, a key to the dead guy’s old lockbox, which, as we know, is currently located in Chuck’s hotel apartment.

JACK:  “Hey Russell, would you be interested in having sex with me, in exchange for a hotel?”

RUSSELL:  “You don’t OWN any hotels.”

JACK:  “Can’t blame a guy for trying, right?”

A Word of Warning (a LOOK of Eye-Fucking)

CHUCK:  “I’m truly sorry for what I did to you, Blair.  It was awful.  And there are no excuses for it.”

BLAIR:  “It’s OK, Chuck.  I get it.  You aren’t a Bad Guy.  You are just written that way, sometimes . . .”

While taking a leisurely city stroll with Louis, and a slightly less acerbic than usual Princess Sophie, Blair spies Jack Ass in the distance.   Knowing trouble when she sees it, the Queen B makes some lame excuse to leave the Royals, so that she can f*&k warn Chuck . . .

“Princess Sophie, there is something I’ve always wanted to ask you.  Are you genuinely this miserable all the time, or do your daily Botox injections simply prevent you from smiling?”

Surprisingly more astute than her own son, on matters concerning his fiance, Princess Sophie (who clearly watches Gossip Girl regularly) informs Louis that he should follow Blair, to make sure that she isn’t lying to him, and secretly meeting Chuck behind Louis’ back . . . which . . . of course, she TOTALLY IS!

Since Chuck and Blair will ALWAYS be connected in some way, even when they are not technically together, Blair instantly knows that she will be able to find Chuck on the rooftop of his hotel . . .

“Please!  Don’t jump!  The Raccoon Zombie has been fired from Gossip Girl.  She will never eat our trash again!”

“You finally came to your senses,” says Chuck. 

And though Chuck’s eyes lit up in such a beautiful way, upon seeing the woman he loves, that, under any other circumstances, this moment would have melted my heart, the fact that Chuck said THIS made me want to throw my sneakers at the television screen!  Came to HER SENSES?  Because, just two(?) days after your earning of a Gold Medal in Olympic Wall Punching / Glass Breaking, she’s “finally” willing to talk to you?

Come on, Chuck!  Even NATE thinks that was a douchbag thing to say.  And he’s a total moron!

It’s almost as if Chuck and Serena both coordinated their outfits for the episode, so that they could both be wearing Matching Cloaks of Selfish Entitlement, the first time each spoke with Blair.  “You have no idea what I’ve been going through, since that night,” Chuck explains.    (What YOU’VE been going through, Chuck?   Oh honey!  Someone needs a “How Not to F*&k Up” lesson in Blair wooing STAT!)

In terms of their actual conversation, Blair simply warns Chuck that his Evil Uncle is back in town, and then leaves . . .

But, thanks largely to Ed Westwick’s and Leighton Meester’s superb acting skills, fans can see there is so much more to this reunion than “meets the ear.’  Both Chuck and Blair look at one another with longing, sadness, hope, and the fear of losing their one true love forever.  It’s a simple scene, but one that is both quietly moving, and packs an emotional wallop, as well.

Not surprisingly, Blair is seen leaving the Empire Hotel, by the ONE person who shouldn’t be seeing such things . . .

 

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“Every move you make . . . every vow you break . . . every smile you fake . . . every claim you stake .  . . I’ll be WATCHING YOU!”

Speaking of people who need to be watched . . .

Charlie and the Choco-NUTS Factory

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You’ve really gotta hand it to Rufus Humphrey!  He does the “bewildered and frightened because my son might be screwing a homicidal maniac” look like NOBODY’s BUSINESS . . .

GG fans were blessed with Rufus’ hilarious facial expressions TWICE this episode.   The first time was when he noticed an EMPTY bottle of Charlie’s Don’t-Be-So-Crazy pills, and figured out that she had stopped refilling them.  The second time was after Charlie DID have the pills refilled, but he found them dumped out in the trash can, along with the once-again empty Don’t-Be-So-Crazy pill bottle.

Meanwhile, Charlie has no clue what to wear to the Charity Ball.  And Serena (who TOTALLY freaked out at the notion of Blair kissing Dan once, but, oddly enough, seems not the least bit threatened by Charlie’s “puppy dog” rabid pitbull crush on the guy) suggests that Charlie demand access to, and raid, her personal trust fund, in order to purchase a suitable dress . . .  Gotta love the priorities on this show!

“Ahhh . . . the joys of coming from a filthy rich family, and, never, ever having to work, or have any ambition, whatsoever.”

Charlie follows Serena’s suggestion, and comes back with a suitably expensive dress.  Unfortunately, we never get to see it.  Charlie takes ONE look at a picture of Serena necking with Dan Humpty Dumpty, in the Special Gold Dress that Serena wore during her cotillion, and suddenly, all the circuits short in her brain . . .

Charlie arrives at  Blair’s engagement party looking EXACTLY like Serena van der Woodsen, circa 2007!  And when Serena calls her out on it, part of me is REALLY hoping for a TOTAL Catfight . . .

But alas, Doofus Dan TOTALLY sticks up for Charlie, and takes her to Constance Billard Academy for the Charity Event.  It is there, in the Headmistress’ office, behind closed doors, that THIS happens . . .

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There’s nothing like learning that your new Psycho Girlfriend wants to SWITCH IDENTITIES with your old (Also Kind of Psycho, but in a more normal way) Girlfriend to RUIN THE MOOD!  I guess Serena and Manessa, were right about this one, after all, huh Dan?  (I can’t believe I just typed that sentence.)

Meanwhile . . .

Show me all your PARTS, Blair!  (Especially the dirty ones.)

“So, when I found out we were going to be dating, I rented the first three seasons of Gossip Girl.  It looks like you enjoy having kinky sex in strange places.  What are your thoughts about having not-particularly-kinky sex in a castle?  If you want, Princess Sophie can WATCH!”

Upon hearing the good news that Princess Sophie has conveniently deemed Blair an acceptable princess for Louis.  (She and Cyrus Rose apparently bonded over a love of birds (?)) . . .

Louis confronts Blair about her little Rooftop Rendezvous with Chuck.  Matching the small scar on Blair’s face with the bandage on Chuck’s hand, Louis puts two and two together, and figures out that Blair Waldorf has some SERIOUSLY dirty little secrets in her closet.  Louis insists that Blair confess her sins secrets to him.  (Why doesn’t he just look them up on Gossip Girl, like his MOM did?)  “If you want us to work, you need to show me everything,” Louis pleads.  “All of your parts .  . . even the ones you are ashamed of.”

Louis and Blair then proceed to makeout . . .

.  . . but not before he gives her an ultimatum.  “Show up at [the Constance Billard Charity Ball], only if you are willing to share your life with me.”

“Geez, dude!  I don’t have time to tell you ALL that!  Just read the books, and be done with it!”

Of course, Blair recognizes that there is only ONE person who loves her for all her Dark and Twisty Parts, as well as her Light and Fluffy ONES.  After all, HE is JUST as dark and twisty as she is . . .

Blair worries that Louis won’t love her anymore, when he learns how much she enjoys sex games, limo sex, and weird black and white movie dreams.  And, of course, the person to whom she chooses to confess all this to is . . . wait for it . . . Cyrus Rose!

“If you would excuse me, for a moment, Blair.  I have . . . ah .  . . a hotdog that needs squeezing.”

Despite being, perhaps, inappropriately turned on by his stepdaughter’s words, Cyrus sweetly convinces Blair to come clean to Louis about her DARKSIDE.  The problem, of course, is that Blair might not make it to the party in time . . .

Russell Gets Burned . . . So he BURNS Someone Else . . .

Who would have thought these three would end up forming the PERFECT Bromantic Trio?

As he had earlier promised to Russell Thorpe, Jack Ass (along with Nate?) confronts a seemingly inebriated Chuck Bass, claiming him to be insane, for what he did to Blair (among other things), and wanting to ship him off to rehab .  . .

Chuck puts on a jolly good show, screaming like a loon, and beating up on both Jack Ass and Nate . . .

CATHARSIS!

“After everything you’ve done to me, I’d be insane NOT to want to beat YOU,” Chuck exclaims.  (And he’s kind of got a point there . . .)

Eventually, Jack Ass’s goons cart Chuck away . . . (or do they?)  Jack Ass then tosses Russell the key to the lockbox he had requested. 

But when Russell returns to the Empire Hotel to search the box, Chuck, Nate, Jack Ass, and some cops are right outside waiting for Russell.  And it is . . . AWESOME!

It’s genuinely nice to know that Jack Ass doesn’t TOTALLY live up to his name.  And that, while he may be willing to buy his nephew’s girlfriend, in exchange for a hotel .  . .

 . . . he’s not quite willing to sell out his own flesh and blood for Russell Thorpoop.  Low and behold, Chuck Bass now magically has footage of Russell locking up the burned down hotel, and leaving his OWN wife in there to DIE . . . all because she wanted to dump him for Bart Bass . . .

“I know . . . I’m such a stud.”

Apparently, BART was the one Russell meant to be killed in the fire, not Avery.  And yet, BART agreed to keep things quiet about the murder, because HE felt partly responsible.  (OK . . .  so basically BART BASS saved YOUR ASS, RUSSELL THORPOOP, and yet, you STILL wanted revenge on his son!  What an Asshat, you are!)

BUSTED!

Seriously Thorpoop!  When BART BASS comes out looking like the Good Guy in a situation, you’ve gotta know you are Pretty F*&king AWFUL human being! 

But, lest things start getting too maudlin, you can always count on Jack Ass to provide some comic relief . . .

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You’ve really gotta love characters who (1) know that what’s going on around them is just completely ridiculous; and (2) seem to understand, instinctively that they are on a TV show, and that none of this really matters.  Jack Bass is CLEARLY one of these characters.  Other, Fabulous Jack Ass gems uncovered, during this episode, include: 

 “Can we call the cops already, so that we can leave.  I’m hungry and all you appear to have in your fridge are olives and hallucinogenic mushrooms.”

AND

“I can’t choose my entre with Hallmark Hall of Fame playing in the background.  I’m calling the cops.”

DUDE!  I’m keeping this guy in my pocket too!  (But not in the same pocket I’m keeping Blair in.  I don’t want ANY funny stuff, going on in my pants!)

Mommy wants herself some Jack Ass! 

Being the benevolent soul he is, Chuck refuses to take Russell’s company from him, even though it is offered to him, by the desperate loser, who seems more worried that his daughter will find out that he’s a Sadistic Psycho Liller than anything else.  Chuck promises not to tell Raina that her dad killed her mom, provided Russell leave town and never come back. 

With Thorpoop out of the picture, Chuck bids a fond farewell to his Fun Uncle . . .

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All together now:  “Awwwwwww!”

 . . . and heads off to Constance Billard to, in his words, “make sure the nice guy doesn’t win.”  You’ve really gotta hand it to Chuck, I mean here’s a guy who makes no bones about who he is, or what he wants.  And what he wants is THIS . . .

That being said, it really is a shame that Prince Louis ended up being SUCH A NICE GUY .  . . because I suspect even the staunchest of Chair fans are going to feel a bit bad for him, when he inevitably loses the girl . . .

Wrong place, wrong SHIP, buddy!

Two people who will certainly NOT be feeling bad for Louis, however, are Mini Blair and Serena.  (Remember them?)  When Chuck arrives at Constance Billard, these two girls have some words of encouragement for their Male Idol . . .

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“I knew he wouldn’t give up on her.”

As for Blair, she’s on her way to Constance Billard too.  The question is, will she get there in time?

The Part Where Nate Opens his Big Fat Trap and RUINS Everything (Then again, maybe not .  . .)

NATE:  “So, it’s been less an a full episode, since you and I made Chuck’s life miserable. What can we do?”

RAINA:  “Let’s send my father off the deep end, and try to get Blair Waldorf killed.”

NATE:  “Great idea!  Why didn’t I think of that?”

RAINA:  “You tend not to think of anything at all, except for sex and reefers.”

NATE:  “You know me so well . . .”

So, remember when Russell made Chuck promise not to tell Raina that he was O.J. Simpson’s Doppelganger?  It turns out he should have extended the request to EVERYBODY in the room.  Because, of course, Nate just CAN’T WAIT to tell Raina that her father killed her mother. . .  just like he couldn’t wait to tell Raina that CHUCK’S DAD killed her mother, LAST WEEK. 

 In the limo, on the way to Constance Billard, a blubbering Raina confronts her father, and cuts him out of her life for the SECOND time in about two weeks.  (You would think he would be used to this by now.)

“Please Lord, let this interminable storyline be over!”

“Ha ha, that’s what YOU think!”

His reputation tarnished, his daughter having abandoned him again even though I don’t think she ever UN abandoned him, from the first time, Russell feels he has absolutely nothing to lose.  And for the second time this hour, a character’s brain short circuits .  . .

Russell calls Blair, pretending that Chuck wants to jump off the roof of his Hotel, and is asking for her.  Thanks to Russell, Blair rushes immediately to Chuck’s aid.  In doing so, of course, she neglects to visit Louis at Constance Billard, so that they can have their all-important “talk.” 

It’s official.  Crazy Russell is Team Chair!  The problem is, he also seems to want Blair DEAD, as a way of getting vengeance on Chuck for ruining his life.  (Because, remember, as Jack Ass said earlier in the episode, “Nothing sends Chuck Bass off the deep end faster than losing Blair Waldorf.”) 

So, basically, the episode ends with Blair alone on the roof with that Wackadoo Russell Thorpoop . . .

And if you think that Blair is actually going to DIE, than I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn for $2.00.   Still, it’s a pretty cool cliffhanger right?  You can check out the promo for next week’s installment of Gossip Girl here . . .

Until then . . . XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]