Posted by yeahandalso on Oct 24, 2009 in
Gossip Girl,
tv review,
yeahandtv
Dan de Fleurette is all about dual identities, self doubt and finding your true self, and of course scheming and power struggles. Starting off with Nate telling Dan Humphrey about the famous, hot actress newly enrolled at NYU it is only a mater of moments before Dan Humphrey has a meet cute with shiny celebrity guest Hillary Duff. Of course she is not the normal, sweet girl named Kate Dan Humphrey is looking for, no, no, no she is Olivia Burke the breakout actress, and Vanessa’s roommate (and somebody who eats at the same restaurants as Serena). I am really not a Hillary Duff fan, and here she proves herself equally incapable of playing a regular coffee drinking coed and a teen starlet about to make the A list. We’re supposed to care about Olivia’s need to have a normal college experience, but since she isn’t convincing as a star it’s hard to imagine what she’s escaping.
Hilary Duff isn’t the only celebrity guest, also preposterously playing a serious actress is Tyra Banks. After Lily finally returns. Serena is determined to get her approval on her decision to find herself instead of going to Brown, so she sets out to find a job. After a brief montage Serena manages to snag herself a publicists job after impressing Olivia’s rep at a restaurant. Soon she is tending to the diva ways of an emotional actress played by Tyra, somehow though Tyra just doesn’t pull off being a diva when she’s acting, ah sweet irony. Serena’s PR job get really ridiculous really fast and I found it pretty hilarious. Being a publicist means being able to have a slumber party one night, and then make tough ethical decisions the next, it’s a really good fit for Serena who likes talking about trying to do better more than actually working at it. Serena manages to loose the job by being too ethical but Tyra gets it back for her because they forged such a strong bond in those two crazy days.
Little J and Blaire both also struggle with their identity this week as one queen bee fades away and another starts to rise. Jenny and Eric finally go back to school and are shocked to find a bunch of raccoon eyed Jenny wannabes with punked up uniforms (though none as punk as Jenny who has a skirt about an inch long and leather vest over a wife-beater and tie! LOL). Blair still can’t win over NYU so she decides to meddle in high school business again, I’m glad Chuck agreed with me that this was really pathetic on her part. Chuck pulls off a mini-coup, taking Jenny to Olivia’s movie premier and getting Blair good and pissed off. I was really happy to see this wind up so well with Blair starting up a new monarchy of her own, NYU is a huge school she just had to look harder for her followers. Jenny didn’t fare as well as the raccoon pack was back, but at least they’re not wearing headbands! Like Serena last week Chuck really shines with very little screen time. He manages to light a fire under Blair and Jenny’s asses and get them to take back what’s theirs. Bonus points for his hilarious Dumbo metaphor.
And also, Scott makes an appearance at the end talking to Vanessa on the phone when he gets an incoming call…from Georgina. Dun dun dun!
Posted by yeahandalso on Oct 24, 2009 in
Gossip Girl,
tv review,
yeahandtv 
The Lost Boy really proves that Gossip Girl is back in top form by adding to the suspense of established plots and cementing some of the shakier relationships on the show. And, in perhaps the greatest achievement of the episode: Vanessa is interesting and bordering on likable! I know, I can’t believe it either! While all the stories were pretty satisfying this week none of them are really very connected or intertwined so I’ll have to discuss them individually.
The biggest storyline of The Lost Boy is Vanessa finding out the truth about Scott, the Single White Humphrey, previously revealed to be the (presumed dead) love-child of Rufus and Lilly. [sidebar, I’ve missed Lilly so far this season] Vanessa grew suspicious of Scott after his purported class schedule didn’t match actual courses, so she Nancy Drewed out the truth that Scott isn’t even enrolled at NYU and confronts him. Scott is surprisingly forthcoming about the whole thing and admits that he is Dan and Serena’s half brother, he asks her sincerely to give him a day to talk to Rufus about it first. In true Vanessa form she immediately calls Dan to discuss what she just promised not to tell anyone for one whole day. However, Vanessa misses her chance to go back on her promise when Georgia shows up at the coffee shop where she met Dan. I was a little annoyed, I thought Vanessa was the one who was supposed to actually be giving Georgina a chance, but then again they also imply Vanessa has morals which she generally proves she doesn’t.
Why exactly is Georgina there? Because she’s fallen crazy in love with Dan Humphrey of course! I am actually really enjoying the Dan/Georgina casual dating/hooking up/maybe I’m crazy in love with your plotline. And I don’t think its just because I have loved Michelle Trachtenberg since Pete and Pete and all through Buffy (I know, not hating Dawn is Whendonverse blasphemy, by I thought she served her purpose well). To me this plot just seems like your typical college fling with all the uncomfortable and too comfortable moments that happen in dorm life. It is one of the most relatable plotlines of the season, regardless if you’re rich or poor, Ivy League or Jr. State, any time you get a bunch of college kids living together this type of thing happens. And it’s even juicier when you add in Georgina’s plot to take down Blaire. And also, it’s nice to see that Dan Humphrey seems like much less of a tool in a college setting than in high school, he was way too pretentious for high school, but just about freshman average at college.
This week Chuck and Blaire’s games center around a struggle to obtain a photograph from a famous artist (an imitation Helmut Newton, I was pretty ticked that they dissed Newton while so blatantly ripping him off). Blaire needs the painting to get an invite to Thee Elite Table (but in French), a secret society of to best the best, upper class academic women the Ivy league has to offer. Chuck needs it because of his on-going, boring, goal of wanting to open a club. They weren’t too remarkable this week in any of their games, but currently they’re sort of like a sitcom that is in a really good stride, so I don’t think they need to rush this plot it‘s still pretty fun. Serena and Carter are really just on the outskirts of this plot, Serena is suspicious and untrusting of Carter who is being framed by Chuck and Blaire who just don’t like him. Serena was good tonight though, given how little screen time she actually had. She out-bid both Chuck and Blaire for the photograph, and was the one to realize that both Blaire’s invitation and Chuck’’s business contact were fabricated by Georgina. I was impressed with Serena, but even more with Georgia!
Other people in small roles were Nathan and Bree, who now only talk to each other outside of a hotel toom. I do like Joanna Garcia, but this is trying my patience, hopefully the surprise ending of her being related to Carter gives her character the spark that it needs. Jenny and Eric were on screen, like seriously I’m about 95% sure they were there. Aren’t they in school yet? High school usually starts earlier in the year that college. Rufus attends the same Sotheby’s auction at the end and is almost told the truth by Scott. who ends up copping out and says he is the brother of Rufus’s son. This leads Vanessa to dump him because she can’t keep a secret this big, but apparently she will if he is gone because lying is OK if you don’t have to be reminded about it too often, good call Vanessa. Georgina manages to eavesdrop the truth about Scott, because Vanessa talks on her cell phones with the door to her dorm open. So it does seem to only be a mater of time before the whole truth is revealed to everybody. Yeah and also, I’m glad somebody finally went all Mean Girls and told Nate, “you look sexy with your hair pushed back”.
