Gossip Girl: Seder Shenanigans

Gossip Girl:

"Seder Anything"

I reamed Gossip Girl out a bit for the past couple of episodes, but I think this episode was back on the GG track of awesomeness. The Blair/Nate stuff still feels like such a season 1, pre-cotillion redux that I can barely stand to watch it, but the Seder hijinks were fantastic. Sure, Cyrus was holding his Seder meal was a week or so late, but no technicality like that should ever deny a Josh Schwartz enterprise the chance to do a Passover episode. (Too bad Nana "the Nana" Cohen didn't show up to this Seder.)

I loved Dan trying to hide the fact that he was a cater waiter from Rufus, and I loved, loved, loved all of Eleanor's digs at Dan. As a rule, Gossip Girl is much better when somebody is ruthlessly picking on Dan.

Another thing I loved about this episode was that Jenny showed that she still remembers what Chuck tried to do to her at the Kiss on the Lips Party in the GG pilot. That's definitely not something she'd soon forget, and I'm glad that it was finally acknowledged again. Also, the attempted date rape was probably the one thing Chuck's done that we Chuck apologists can't really explain away. That behavior wasn't just smarmy; it was horrible. It was gratifying to hear a very depressed Chuck offer Jenny a long-overdue apology.

Highlights and observations:

• Ugh, the moniker "Blate" (for Blair and Nate) is just as dumb as the coupling that inspired it.
• Blair has such elaborate movie-inspired dreams.
• Blair: "Just because I lost Yale, doesn't mean I'm wasting my time at a non-Ivy reading Beloved six times and experimenting with lesbianism." (For what it's worth, I only had to read Beloved once during my non-Ivy collegiate career...oh, and I also didn't experiment with lesbianism. Does nobody do either of those things at Yale?)
• Chuck's banging a synchronized swimmer. That's creative.
• Chuck: "Then I realized I was a 17-year-old billionaire with incredible stamina." (There you go, Chuck. That's the spirit!)
• Nate got into Columbia! That's kind of a shock. Who knew Columbia had such low standards?
• Wes? Who the hell is Wes?
• Serena gets married and needs a lawyer, so she calls the father of her ex-boyfriend? That's kind of awkward.
• Serena's trip to Spain apparently didn't cause her to re-think the messy hair look.
• Blair: "I thought firstborns were supposed to be spared."
• Eleanor: "I don't even know how to say half the words in this prayer book that was named for Lieberman's wife!"
• Oh, Dan, get over yourself. Everyone knows you're "poor"--serving the Seder isn't going clue anyone in to something the didn't already know.
• Oh, Serena, I'm sure Lily's done much worse than having a surprise Spanish wedding. Don't feel too bad.
• Dan: "How does one not know if one is married?"
• Dan: "You're a wife of the landed gentry, and I'm a cater waiter at a Seder."
• Ha ha, Rufus is coming to the Seder? Lol, ok, Dan serving it is now funny.
• Rufus: "Dan, you're dressed just like a cater waiter!"
• Eleanor: "Dan, ...could you please go make yourself a little more presentable?"
  Rufus: "Well, that was a little rude."
• Why is Jenny playing board games with Wes in Lily's apartment? Is Chuck supposed to be babysitting her? Lol.
• Eleanor: "There's an empty seat. It's for Elijah, but you can take it."
• Should they be giving Serena all that wine? I know she drinks all the time, but she is still 17/18 after all.
• Cyrus: "Oh, well, that's where we just moved Elijah."
• Oh, come on, Jenny. You may be a social pariah, but you can still do better than this Wes kid. He has Aaron Rose hair for crying out loud! She might as well just go hook up with Aaron, if she wants to slum it. At least that guy was an "artist." Think about it, Jenny: just a few months ago you had Nate Archibald. Now, sure, he is no amazing catch personality-wise, but he is freaking gorgeous. You should still have some standards.
• Little J sure has Chuck's number for not having talked to him or spent any amount of time with him in forever. (Since the Kiss on the Lips Party, perhaps?)
• Poor Blair. Every time she tries to do the right thing, she still gets screwed anyway.
• Dan: "I'm a cater waiter."

  Eleanor: "And not a very good one."
• Sorry, Gossip Girl, Blair Waldorf is always falling apart these days. It's not big news.
• Ugh, this Dove commercial with Vanessa in it just reminded me how thankful I am that she hasn't been in this episode. Man, she's annoying.
• Chuck: "Look, I told you, I'm not in the mood."

  Nate: "Good. Neither am I."
• Chuck: "It's stupid for you to want her to be anything other than she is."
• Rufus sold a painting to that guy sight unseen? I don't think I'd buy a painting I haven't seen. Especially not from Rufus.
• Vanessa's going to be so bummed that Rufus is selling the gallery. What is she going to do with herself?
• Well, that sure was helpful, Nate: offer Chuck a refill, take his glass, and then just leave.
• Aww, poor Chuck. He is just beyond pathetic.
• Cyrus: "Well, I carried J.R. on my back for five hours through the jungle..."
• What the hell is going on with Poppy and Gabriel? Are they trying to swindle Serena out of the van der Woodsen fortune or something? I thought they were both rich already. Did Nate's dad get away with their money?

Summary of next week's promo (for Ashley): Chuck and Blair are spying on Gabriel and discover that he's dating both Serena and Poppy. During the stakeout, they end up falling asleep while holding hands, and Nate finds out (I guess) and yells at Chuck. Then Chuck runs into Georgina in the park, and she cheerfully hugs him hello and asks, "Have you been saved?"

(photos: cwtv.com)