Will anyone live happily ever after on Gossip Girl?

“Your world be easier if I didn’t come back.” – Chuck
“That’s true … but it wouldn’t be my world without you in it.” – Blair

Now that we’ve got some Chuck and Blair face time, it finally feels like Gossip Girl is really back. The premiere was solid, don’t get me wrong, but this relationship defines the show, good or bad. Their encounter wasn’t all that I’d hoped for, but it isn’t like these two have ever made things easy for themselves. It is a trend, not for nothing, that everyone on this show seems to follow.

It would have been stupid to expect Blair and Chuck to take one look in each others eyes and instantly dismiss all of their problems and recent history, fall into each others arms and live happily ever after, right? These two are one of the few “will they/won’t they” couples (though more likely “when will they again?”) on television that work just as well, if not better, not together as they do otherwise.

Maybe it is just the juxtaposition of seeing my favorite couple together, but I plain don’t buy this new young woman in his life. The character just seems so … plain. Even a kinder, gentler Chuck Bass needs more than that. I mean, he’s Chuck Bass for Pete’s sake.

Serena surely walked into an (accidental) ambush at the loft, didn’t she? It was pretty much a rapid fire version of her worst nightmare. Dan and Vanessa? BAM. Nate and some new girl? BAM. And there’s a baby? BOOM. I hate to say that the girl had it coming, but … well, she kind of had it coming. She leaves two guys on the hook, spends the summer in the city of lights, and just expects that they’ll be waiting there for her to make her choice? A wee bit presumptuous, no? (And presumptuous was the nice word I was thinking of….)

I may have said it before, but I really like the friendship that has developed between Nate and Dan. It is quite possibly the most normal relationship on the show. It was nice to see that, despite Juliet’s machinations, these two could get past it.

I am not, nor will I ever be, a fan of Nate and Vanessa (I don’t even remember if I was at any time, but for now, I’m done). It is that high school relationship that you knew would last forever, but didn’t. No matter how many times you think about going back (or, in the world of Gossip Girl how many times they do get back together), it will never, ever work. Even a suddenly domesticated Vanessa that fits the need that Dan now has.

Speaking of Dan’s new bundle of joy … I’m surprised Rufus hasn’t already forced him to get a second paternity test. I like that he’s finally come around to supporting his son, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have walked the tightrope and done both before, and after.

I read some speculation on the internet this past week that posited that Juliet was actually the Gossip Girl. I don’t know if I’d like that theory but it raises the question I hadn’t asked since the first season: Will we ever actually meet the titular news hound? I know the character has been revealed in the books, but I doubt they go (hope they don’t go) the same route here.

While I doubt she’s Gossip Girl, her real motivations are still very much an open question. Her dismantling her “big board” leaving our favorite mug shot for last is very telling. She’s obviously gunning for Serena, and we know know she’s working either for, with, or for and with someone to take her down. Serena has pissed off many an individual, but who is grinding this particular axe?

Notes & Quotes

• I missed it last week (and didn’t follow the casting notices this summer) so Chuck’s dating of Fleur Delacour kind of blew my mind away a little.
• “How could you spend seven hours on a plane with a library of romantic comedies and not find clarity?” – Blair
  “Trust me I tried. I even made a list of pros and cons. Dan: Good shoulder to cry on. Nate: Good shoulders.” – Serena
• “We don’t need tickets. I’m Chuck Bass.” – Chuck Bass

Clacked by Ivey West
on Sep 21, 2010 @ 09:01 EST5EDT