Sex, scandals, secrets, blah blah blah. There was only one real mind-blower in the season finale of Gossip Girl: Vanessa’s dress, designed by none other than Jenny Humphrey. I had to rewind this scene three times and then pause it just to get the shrieks of joyful horror out of my system before going on with the episode. Not since Molly Ringwald’s Pretty in Pink potato sack have we been asked to ooh and ah at something so wonderfully wretch-worthy. From the yellow tulle petticoat to the awkward bell sleeves to the neon flower in her hair, she looked more like the mistress of a hypercolor renaissance fair than a high schooler on her way to a wedding.
But sadly, the outfit, in all its love-to-hate-it glory, was an early high point in an episode that otherwise felt a little frumpy. Serena and Dan’s relationship was finally half-resolved with a groan-inducing breakup; Lily and Rufus let their spark fizzle without much of a fight; and worst of all, Georgina was summarily dispatched in one disappointingly tidy scene. After watching her gleefully ruin Dan and Serena’s lives, I was looking for something more along the lines of semi-accidental death or even just public humiliation (courtesy of a certain blog, perhaps). I mean, who didn’t want to see Blair deck her with a Fendi clutch instead of handing her a pamphlet for a bad-girl boot camp? But at least B got in one good line before it was over, hissing at a defeated Georgina: "Haven’t you heard? I’m the crazy b—- around here." Now there’s the Waldorf spirit.
In fact, Blair — or at least, Blair’s wardrobe — was at the center of most of the episode’s best moments, from her flowery tête-à-tête with Serena (whose awesome wasp-colored frock made for a cute visual pun), to her helipad send-off in a cruisewear get-up that Doris Day would’ve admired. And up until Chuck’s last-minute change of heart (with a Hearst heiress, no less), I was really digging the Blair-Chuck romance. It would’ve been fun to see the two of them team up to form some kind of Upper East Side superpower, but I suppose next season will just hold more of the same spurning and sparring. Sigh.
And then there’s Dan and Serena, whose constant miscommunicationseems less like a choice made by human beings than like a decision madeby producers who wouldn’t know what to do with two main characters in ahappy relationship. Every show needs suspense, but the wholeRoss-and-Rachel thing feels very 90’s — especially when Gossip Girl’sbasic premise of rich kids gone wild is ripe with so many possibilitiesbeyond the usual break-up, make-up formula. I’m sure Chuck, Nate, andBlair could drum up enough intrigue to keep us watching even if S &D actually stayed together.
Frustrating as the finale might have been, it at least left us witha few interesting summer-love pairings that are sure to unleash a newwave of drama next season. Will Vanessa and Dan finally become friendswith benefits? Will Serena and Nate dip their toes in romantic watersin the Hamptons? Will Blair come back from Europe with a new man tocompliment her Cote d’Azur tan? Here’s hoping for a second season thatbrings us more of the catty brilliance of the show’s best episodes –and maybe a few more Jenny Humphrey originals, too.
Your turn, PopWatchers. Should Dan and Serena work things out? Didanyone really care about Nate’s dad leaving the country or Rufus goingon tour? Was Vanessa’s dress actually attractive? And what should Blairdo to get back at Chuck for ditching her?
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I actually didn’t like Vanessa’s dress!!it was horrible!!
The NATE&SERENA thing is cute, but the Chuck-going-back-to-his-old-days thing wasn’t!!and is it just me or Amelia is weird looking?her face is strange
But i liked the guy Blair met in the airport!!he reminds me of someone, i don’t know who
I totally disagree! I really liked this episode. The Blair/Chuck back and forth was outstanding. And Chase is growing on me with every episode. He’s not just the really hot guy in the corner anymore. And I’m all for Serena and Dan breaking up. And there breakup was classic “high school” in a world that is so unlike my own high school experience. The whole uncomfortable conversation was a throwback to some of my 11th grade relationships.
This has NOTHING to do with the posting, but I have no place else to put this. The “Tonight’s Best TV” section is still set to last week, not this week – 2nd day of it.
last night’s episode was a bit of a let down, ok it was a lot of a let down. D didn’t sleep with G, S didn’t cheat on D, so WTF is the problem? I love N, but I don’t want him with S, but I guess better S than V. Loved C’s best man toast, loved that he and N made up, hated that he went back to his old ways after the talk with his dad. OMG and D&V, gag me, I do not want to see that, and V’s dress was horrible, sorry little J, but hope that the designers can come up with some better stuff when you go intern with B’s mom. After S&D broke up, I couldn’t help but wish that Lily and Rufus had run off together, but who knows what the summer will bring. I’m trying to figure out how they’re going to do summer in the Hamptons with B in Europe.
AHHH I can’t believe it’s over. I need more, when’s the new season start????
Um…this episode was a real letdown. Can someone please explain to me what the point of having Serena and Dan get back together if 5 minutes later he admits that he “might as well have” slept with Georgina (whatever the heck that means), and all of a sudden they’re breaking up? And why put Blair and Chuck together for a few delicious seconds for that to go absolutely nowhere? And what exactly happened to Vanessa and Nate? Apparently in GG world, breakups are extremely tidy and there is always someone else immediately around the corner…
Jennifer, I guess you and I are on the same page!
I really liked the episode! Loved the Blair-Chuck pairing – lots to look forward to next summer. And Dan and Serena will figure things out. How about getting a blogger who actually enjoys the show?
y’all are crazy! V’s dress was fierce!
where the hell is the bones recap??!!! I want to know who Gormogon is!!!!!!
Why do they insist on not giving S a real updo? I have had to watch a season of this girl having totally messed up hairdos. She couldn’t even get it together for her own mother’s wedding. Just once I wish that the stylists would allow her a true updo for this formal event, rather than looking like she jussed it around the top of her head, stuck in a rubber band, and said I’m done. Rant over.
Why do they insist on not giving S a real updo? I have had to watch a season of this girl having totally messed up hairdos. She couldn’t even get it together for her own mother’s wedding. Just once I wish that the stylists would allow her a true updo for this formal event, rather than looking like she jussed it around the top of her head, stuck in a rubber band, and said I’m done. Rant over.
Why do they insist on not giving S a real updo? I have had to watch a season of this girl having totally messed up hairdos. She couldn’t even get it together for her own mother’s wedding. Just once I wish that the stylists would allow her a true updo for this formal event, rather than looking like she jussed it around the top of her head, stuck in a rubber band, and said I’m done. Rant over.
I’m in the minority here but Vanessa drives me nuts! She’s a little too “Andrea Zuckerman” turned hip coffee shop chic for my taste. And yes her dress was LAME. The finale was little too neat and tidy and I wanted a big fat juicy cliffhanger of some kind. It had it’s moments (most of which were Blair’s) but I was a tad letdown. Natuarlly, I can’t wait for it to come back and I hope it comes back with it’s claws out!
Ahhh I love this show!!! I don’t know how I’m going to go all summer without it – especially since the DVD’s aren’t coming out until late August
Ed Westwick did an awesome job in that ending scene with his father – the way his face changed as his dad talking about his growing up, being mature and faithful, how Europe with a girl will change everything… PERFECTION! (Although I was really rooting for a C&B pairing.) I wonder how B will feel about S & N hooking up over the summer?
gossip girl roc k but chuck and blair NOT! blair give it up you can’t change no more than you can change vanessa out fit
I know it is ridiculous of me to expect any realism in a show like Gossip Girl but….If Dan started out as a guy who had never had a real girlfriend and didn’t have any real friends at school then wouldn’t he cling for dear life to his relationship (read, regular sex) with the super hot Serena no matter what she did? This isa horny teenage boy who months ago had no social life whatsoever, Vanessa had left, he had no friends at school, we’ve seen no other friends outside of school for Dan. Just hanging with his little sister and dad. Seriously, he would not have dumped her.
Agreed – V’s dress was very unfortunate looking, little J has alot to learn. And am I the only one who LOVED D & S together, there’s always next season
First off, this was my FAVOURITE post-strike episode because we finally got some Chuck/Blair action. Although it wasn’t all happy (yes, as a huge CB fan…I’m still crying)
1)First off, I have to say CB is my FAVOURITE COUPLE ON TELEVISION. I have NEVER in my life seen a couple with this much chemistry onscreen together.
2) I LOVED all the CB scenes…until the last one. I was SO ANGRY when I first saw teh finale, but rewatching I realized this was a total Chuck move. He got scared and reverted back to his old ways (I gotta saw Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester are by far the best actors ever to hit the CW!)
3) Although I was angry by the CB finale…It did end with a CB cliffhanger which means they will be front and center in season 2. Since CB are the REASON I became obsessed with Gossip Girl I can’t wait
4) It is also obvious that the writers realized that Chuck/Blair have the largst most vocal fanbase out of all GG couples and are finally making them front and center in Season 2
I was disappointed. I have been wanting a Chuck and Blair pairing all season but it lasted all of 5 minutes!! They should have saved the cheating for after they’d beed dating for a bit!! Ugh!
What happened to Youyoung doing these write-ups? Adam, your write-up has all the charm of a toothless goblin asking me to care…
Chuck and Blair together could have their own show. They are the only reason I watch GG. I am sad that we only got like 5 min. of them together and hope for some fun superpower debauchery with them in the future. Chuck may have relapsed for a moment but hopefully that will not be the end of he and blair – the drama is their connection after all.
The season finale was disappointing because everyone’s story line was tied up with a little bow, except for Chuck and Blair’s story. Where is all of the crazy drama and great cliffhangers that existed before the writers strike?
The writers need to start creating some juicy story lines soon….. I mean, I love GG, but if have to watch this “kiss and make up” story line all next season, I’m going to stop watching.
Dress – Bad. Nice “pretty in pink” reference, and so true. S & D – pretty dang pathetic, the writers could have left us hanging with some sort of twist. B & Chuck – perfect. He wouldn’t be Chuck if it had ended any other way. D & Vanessa? Lord I hope not.
For everyone crying bout last night’s finale, first off let me say I’m not a teenager, and I’m gay, but I’m not flamboyant. V’s dress might not have been stunning to all you girls out there, but I think it complimented her natural coloring, AND at the same time held its own floral aspect next to Serena’s And Blair’s own floral wedding dresses.And if you can’t grasp that, then you’re just being over the top! Secondly, when D & S are dancing at the reception after they broke up, he says very clearly “I KNOW, I DOn’T WANT TO LET GO.” Cause HE KNOWS THIS IS THE LAST TIME THEY WILL BE TOEGTHER FOR A WHILE. BRILLIANT WRITING in an otherwise so-so night. And personally i loved the scene when Blair turned G over to her folks. Totally what I woulda done, gone to the one trump card Georgina couldn’t over-turn. When you can’t beat the b!tch solo, you bring in the big guns! Anyone who doesn’t udnerstand that, prolly gets played twice a week on average.
disappointed. I was wondering who was supposed to had designed that dress that DAn’s exgirl had on- horrendous. Now on the other hand, the final episode for CW’s THE GAME? OFF THE HOOK!
Loved B & G’s park scene. Hated V’s dress. I love Blair & Chuck together – too bad it lasted 5 mins. She (blair) really made this episode worthwhile. Thought Rufus would’ve put up more of a fight for lily… Loved Dan’s comment about man bangs (Nate)
Chuck and Blair could definitely have their own show. I cannot wait to see how mad she is at him next year and how much he secretly loves it!
Chuck and Blair could definitely have their own show. I cannot wait to see how mad she is at him next year and how much he secretly loves it!
Yeah I also think that Dan would have held on to the love of his hS life a little tighter had this been real life. She took his virginity for gosh sakes! Chuck and Blair’s chemistry is amazing. i also agree that they should have left them together for a least a couple of swoon worthy episodes before interjecting the Hearst chick and Bart’s comment about chuck growing up.
I loved that they ended Chuck’s scene with “I’m chuck bass”. S seemed to get over her break up with D pretty quickly. She was back to her usual bouncing around. She seemed too friendly with Nate. If I had accidental- not- so- accidental bar sex with my bf’s boyfriend, I would still avoid him like the plague.
Man s & D just should not let go eachother !!!
the perfect couple !!
it suckx that they broke up ( or did they ? cuz he said i cant when she said let go at the dance !! ) !!