Gossip Girl: Yogurt Fights, Custom Valentino and Dirty Packages

Gossip Girl: "The Blair Bitch Project"
"Gossip Girl here..." How lovely are those three little words? Especially when they're said by Kristen Bell's gorgeous, snarky voice. Welcome back, Gossip Girl!

I must say that this was the first post-strike debut episode of any show that hasn't disappointed me at least a bit. (The first episode back of The Office was fabulous, but that one was already written before the strike, just not filmed...and the second episode was not great.)

The highlights of tonight's episode were definitely Chuck and Blair. Not that that's surprising anyone at all. I love how GG's pilot set those two up as the show's villains and now they're the ones I really care about.

Jenny is a complete fool to go up against Blair. Actually, I'm beginning to think that Jenny's just a complete fool in general. Blair really didn't need to go to all the trouble of staging the fake surprise party to bring about Jenny's demise--Jenny imploding all by herself. But, Little Miss Materialism just doesn't learn, and an hour later she's pimping Nate out to get her spot in the cool group back. She is making it virtually impossible to feel sorry for her. Seriously, are there no other girls at her school who she could be friends with? There must be better options.

While I still like them, I am a bit over Dan and Serena. Dan has become so preachy--he has kind of lost his sarcastic edge that was so adorable and Seth Cohen-y. He's too busy being Jenny's dad. And Serena has become awfully shrill and bubbly--which was not how she started out either. Let's see if the return of the mysterious "G" will shake these two up a bit and get them out of their rut.

Highlights:

• The episode began with a lovely ode to Breakfast at Tiffany's...which probably would have been a lot more exciting if we hadn't already seen them filming it over a month ago. GG certainly loses its sense of surprise when we've seen paparazzi photos of all its outdoor scenes months in advance.
• Blair's maid: "You have bad dream, and you're sleeping with your chocolate."
• Ugh, I would not want to share a bathroom with Chuck. I'm actually surprised he's smoking pot in there and not primping. You know it takes some serious preparation to rock his look.
• Serena: "I am not your sister. I don't have any of your DNA, nor do I ever want to."
  Chuck: "Then I suggest you get new hand towels." Eeeeeew!
• Everyone's hair looks different. The across-the-board different hairdos really call the supposed "3 week break" into question.
• Wow. I still can't believe Jenny threw yogurt on Blair. That's unacceptable. She's lucky Serena didn't kick her ass right there.
• Why would Serena encourage Blair go to dinner with the people who threw yogurt on her 6 hours ago? It's pretty obvious they weren't suddenly just being nice to her.
• Chuck should be an event coordinator!
• Lilly: "Don't put your dirty package on the table."
  Chuck: "If I had a dime for every time I heard that..."
• Blair with the plate of Rice Krispie treats was awesome.
• Serena: "Who treats you like that?"
  Eric: "Guys at St Jude's, girls at Constance, Suk at the Korean deli on 75th Street." Eric's always got a few good one-liners (which is kind of surprising, as he was the suicidal one).
• Why does Butter serve martinis to 17-year-olds?
• Wow, even Chuck's afraid of "G." That's not a good sign.
• You know what I liked about this episode? No Vanessa.

What does Georgina has on Serena? Did Serena kill someone? And, the more important question... which skeezy Chuck comment was best: the one about the hand towels or the package? ;-)

photo: cwtv.com