Gossip Girl: Risky Business
Blair's been busy trying to get into the Colony Club, the oldest, most prestigious ladies' club in the city, but her plans grind to a halt when she finds out Chuck's back in town. Yes, after his father's death and Blair's subsequent declaration of love for him, Chuck fled to Thailand for a month of debauchery. He returns in a sorry state indeed, buoyed by his slightly slimy uncle Jack Bass.
Meanwhile, Serena's back in town. After dumping Aaron a few hours into their flight to Buenos Aires, she took the city's tango clubs by storm alone. Now that she's returned to the Upper East Side, she and Dan decide to give it another go. Thrilled about their newfound coupledom, they decide to play hooky and get busy at Casa Humphrey.
Dan's about the only happy Humphrey around, though -- Rufus is furious after finding out that he and Lily have a child together that he knew nothing about for twenty years. He tries to find out about the kid on his own, but he's told that nothing can be revealed without the mother, i.e., Lily.
Rufus isn't much happier when he finds out Dan and Serena are once again an item. When he walks in on their makeout session, he coldly dismisses Serena and tells Dan he's making a mistake.
Speaking of Humphreys, Jenny's back at Constance Billard with Eric by her side (yay!), but she can't stand seeing how Penelope & Co. have been treating Nelly Yuki in her absence. Jenny comes to Nelly's rescue by stealing the popular girls' table and blackmailing them with some juicy info Nelly spills.
Chuck shows up at school smoking hash and looking completely out of it. Blair can't believe her eyes, but she still defends Chuck in a hearing with the headmistress and Uncle Jack. He almost gets a reprieve, but then he starts smoking again, right in front of the headmistress. Not good.
Blair tells Serena that she's really worried, but Serena tries to assure her -- that's Chuck! That's what he does. But this time it's different, Blair thinks. She's really worried. Serena agrees to help Blair out if Chuck hasn't returned by tonight.
Blair heads to Victrola and finds Chuck, surrounded by women. He's bought the burlesque club back, and he's throwing a big party there tonight. Blair tries to convince him to come home, but as usual, he lashes out -- what's she going to do, tell him she loves him again? Blair is crushed, and she finally gives up and leaves the club.
Dan and Serena decide to do some snooping to find out what their parents' secret is, and Dan discovers a Boston phone number for an adoption agency. He demands an answer from Rufus, who asks if Chuck mentioned something. Chuck!? What does Chuck know? Dan can't believe it. He storms out.
Blair's Colony Club ladies arrive and turn out to be perfectly awful. They disapprove of Serena, the Basses -- practically everyone in Blair's life! Blair won't sell out her friends to be a member of this club, and she tells them as much before heading to Victrola to help Chuck. Dorota looks on approvingly.
At Victrola, Dan pumps Chuck for info, and he reveals the Rufus/Lily child secret.
Eric shows up at Victrola (it really doesn't seem like his scene!) to chat with Chuck, who actually has a kind word for him: "It was nice having you as my little brother." But then he heads up to the roof to take in the view...
Outside of the party, Jenny's big scheme backfires when it turns out despite all the bad treatment, Nelly still wants in with the populars. Everyone thought she was doing all these good deeds to be Queen Bee, not out of the goodness of her heart. Unbelievable! "Nothing changed," Jenny tells Eric. "You have," he says with all his teenage wisdom. And they head off to have some hot chocolate. Awesome -- we love when these two hang out!
Rufus goes to Lily again. Now that Dan's found out the truth, it's only a matter of time before everyone knows. Lily tells him she's terrified -- Rufus already hates her, but will her kids hate her, too? Rufus says he doesn't hate her, but he needs time to process all this. And that's when Lily finally decides to come forward with some answers.
On the roof, Chuck stumbles precariously along the edge, dropping a bottle and nearly falling himself. Blair and Uncle Jack try to talk him out of this dangerous game, and he speaks up -- his dad didn't want him, and that's the truth. "No one cares," he says.
Blair steps up. "I do," she tells him. She couldn't bear it if he hurt himself! He can't do that to her! And Chuck realizes someone cares. He takes the hand she offers and comes down off the rooftop... and collapses in her arms, saying he's sorry. But it doesn't end there. After he puts Chuck in the limo, Uncle Jack and Blair have a moment... and she tells him not to tell Chuck about New Year's. Wait, what!? Please tell us these two didn't hook up!
Dan struggles with whether to tell Serena their parents' secret -- he's about to, but just then Rufus calls and asks him to hold off so Lily can tell her kids herself.
And finally, Lily and Rufus head to Boston together to find some answers about their child.
So here's what's on our mind:
*Please, please, PLEASE, Gossip Girl, don't go there with a Blair/Jack hookup. It's contrived and unnecessary! Blair and Chuck have enough issues keeping them apart; they don't need another one.
*Where has Nate been? He was barely in the last few episodes, and it seemed really weird for him to not be there with Blair in the rooftop scenes. He's supposed to be Chuck's best friend, and no one even mentioned him when they were talking about helping Chuck out!
What's on your mind after watching this episode? Tell us all in the comments!
Comments
Great reading everyone's comments! Okay, here are my thoughts:
Inger -- Exactly. He seemed too important a character to just leave out.
Barbie -- I couldn't agree more!
nisinis -- Love this comment: "i'm proud of miss jenny humphrey finally handling business and puttin them heffers in their place." Indeed!
Jenny -- Thanks for the Vanessa info. The poll was mostly in jest, since I couldn't believe Nate was totally written out of the ep and not even mentioned! And yeah, I think Nate would regret his decision if he saw Jenny now... but I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of their relationship.
ki -- As you'll hear in the podcast, the turtlenecks didn't bother me as much this time around because Rufus is scruffy-faced again. I'll forgive him those turtlenecks as long as he's not freshly shaven! I'm so fickle.
Posted by: Jackie | January 7, 2009 7:28 AM
hi. this episode was kind of boring to me. nothing really happened. dan and serena was way too fast. lil j was reety cool by standing up to the "rulers" of constance. (what where you thinking nelly). i wonder what jackie is going to say about the turtle neck rufus wore.i thought it was nice that he wanted to find his kid but wish dan could tell serena. (messy family) have fun and hoped your break was great.
Posted by: ki | January 6, 2009 5:50 PM
Just a clarification for the poll, Vanessa was with her parents in Vermont. She wasn't hanging out with Nate. Who knows where Nate is. They could have easily said he was stuck in the Hamptons or something, but they just said nothing. Weird. Chuck even showed up for the first day back, but Nate couldn't? A friend of mine suggested that Nate overslept and just rolled over and went back to bed...for 2 days. LOL!
And the two things I kept thinking during the episode were:
Jenny is super awesome! If only Nate could see her now. He would have realized how very wrong and judgmental he was at the Snowflake Ball (you know Jenny was totally thinking about their last meeting when she was talking to Eric about why she was coming back to Constance).
And...what the heck happened between Blair and Jack?! I guess we'll see.
Posted by: Jenny | January 6, 2009 5:09 PM
the things they do to keep us interested. i think that Blair and Chuck really do love one another and just have horrible ways of showing it and it has to stem back to childhood, i mean look at their parents.
i'm proud of miss jenny humphrey finally handling business and puttin them heffers in their place, and though it was not to be " queen" just the fact that she did it she gets kudos from me she's finally growing up and maturing.
i think as soon serena finds about the sibling that her and Dan are gonna break it off, which sucks because they are so cute together but definitely understandable. who wants to be doing their stepbrother in a sense.
as far as bair and Jack i am on edge trying to figure out whats goin on and its more than likely as simple as they slept together (although i am really hoping they didn't) but yeah. all the sisbence is killin me...
Posted by: nisinis | January 6, 2009 2:49 PM
Really, that Blair and Jack cliffhanger has me very upset. WTF! ANd I think it really happened because in next week's trailer we see a glimpse of a fall out between Chuck adn Blair over dear old Uncle Jack. I'm flabbergasted really. Blair doesn't realy love Chuck if she could do that just days after confessing her love to Chuck. And I thought she was supposed to be yearning for him? This is too much. If I were Chuck I'd be pissed!
Yay for Dan and Serena but what's with the upset of a shared sibling....ugh. Can't any couple in this show get together happiy and enjoy each other without some serious situation in the way? Sheesh! Dan and Serena have to be together. Please don't let Lily and Rufus get it....it's not as fun. Nowhere near.
Posted by: Barbie | January 6, 2009 1:13 PM
I kept thinking .. where is Nate? No one even mentioned him.
And I agree .. Blair and "Uncle" Jack .. yuck and not necessary.
Posted by: Inger | January 6, 2009 12:33 PM