The last post of Gossip Girl

The CW aired the final Gossip Girl episode this week. Entitled "New York, I Love You XOXO," the episode wraps up the Bart Bass (Robert John Burke) storyline, reveals who is behind the titular character's website, and gives a glimpse into the future for all the main characters. It's an hour of cameos and romance.

Gossip Girl has always been scandalous and overly dramatic. And yet, I feel like some parts of this episode go just a little too far. One can be shocking without the plot holes, and this series usually is. The scene where Bart falls to his death is not helped by the hokey music, and making the finale A plot about some scheme to quickly wed Blair (Leighton Meester) to Chuck (Ed Westwick) so that she doesn't have to testify against him, when he did nothing wrong in the first place, is kind of ridiculous.

That being said, anything that gets a ring on Blair's ring, instead of around her neck, is good stuff. Fans of the series have been waiting for Blair and Chuck to finally get together for a very long time. Knowing they were promised to one another, but having to wait because of their careers, is sheer torture. "New York, I Love You XOXO" has to see them them walk down the aisle, and it did, with enough style to satisfy.

The wedding scene itself is touching. Do I wish the other drama wasn't forced upon it? Yes. But at least all of the characters pull together, and manage to make it happen before the police can show up to arrest Chuck. We get to see everyone celebrating and happy.

I also have mixed feelings on the outing of Dan (Penn Badgley) as Gossip Girl herself. He is a writer, sure, and has the talent and motivation to accomplish such a feat. However, there is a vague feeling that it doesn't quite add up. I would have to go back and re-watch the series to pinpoint when it doesn't work, and at some point, I will. But my first impression is, while this serves this particular point of the story very well, it may not add up in earlier seasons. And I think the flashbacks are mainly present in this episode to try to give a feeling of continuity.

The other characters' reactions to Dan's outing are completely in character and fantastic. Nate (Chace Crawford), who is already established as a good guy at heart, of course will forgive Dan when he is handing the story to Nate, saving Nate's beloved Spectator. Serena (Blake Lively) has also always been understanding, and her clear affection for Dan, at an all-time high after reading the nice things he wrote about her, make her susceptible to letting it slide. Chuck can appreciate a game well played, and Blair is, well, Blair.

Rufus (Matthew Settle) handles the news the best of anyone, because his concerns are real, and, I assume, the show's way of trying to address any past inconsistencies. Being mad at Dan about everything that happened with Jenny (Taylor Momsen) is exactly what Rufus should be, and allows someone to be angry, since Dan's friends can't be.

I love, love, love that everyone from Mayor Bloomberg (cameoing as himself) to Blair think that Dorota (Zuzanna Szadkowski) might have been Gossip Girl. After all, what fan hasn't suspected Blair's handmaiden is the guilty party from time to time, even though her apparent loyalty would make this the ultimate betrayal? And her wonderful bits that pepper the series continue through "New York, I Love You XOXO" when she has a very surprised Jack (Desmond Harrington) make her a drink.

The other reaction shots are great, too, as the secret is exposed amid a wave of appearances by past characters. These include Juliet (Katie Cassidy), Lola (Ella Rae Peck), Vanessa (Jessica Szohr), and even an almost unrecognizable Jenny. What a great way to fit the faces of earlier seasons in, without shoehorning them into a story in which they wouldn't fit! It's satisfying for the fans, makes sense for the series, and provides a great way to mark this major revelation.

One thing that is being talked about is the teasing cut scene where Kristen Bell, playing herself, delivers some of the same infamous phrasing she has been speaking for years as the voice of Gossip Girl, narrating Gossip Girl. It's fun little bit with another CW star, Rachel Bilson (Hart of Dixie), also playing herself, and a tongue in cheek reference for fans. This is all well and good, and I very much enjoyed it, until Bell turns and winks at the camera at the end. That takes it just a step too far, making what could have been an amazing scene only a very good one. We get the joke without the wink. No need for ham.

Then there's the ending, set five years later. There is a lot to praise this scene for. Knowing that it takes Dan and Serena five more years to get married is a bit disappointing, but not exactly surprising, considering. Given their track record, they probably broke up three times before getting hitched. I also greatly enjoyed seeing Chuck happier than he's ever been, glimpsing Dorota playing with the next generation, and Nate being successful, even if he hasn't found a girl yet.

The other elements of that scene, the ones that didn't make sense to me, such as Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) and Jack being invited (though I adore the thought of the evil duo as a couple), and Lily (Kelly Rutherford) ending up with William (William Baldwin), can be overlooked. After all, we know that relationships shift, and without seeing what happens in the intervening five years, these are plausible circumstances. They just aren't ones that are really telegraphed in the episodes leading up to "New York, I Love You XOXO."

Does anyone else want a two hour TV movie leading up to Dan and Serena's big day? Because I sure do!

Gossip Girl is a series that broke new ground, set trends, and was a highly addictive prime time soap for a good many years. I greatly appreciate the work everyone involved put in, and found the vast majority of it extremely entertaining. Even if the series finale stumbled a few times, it hit the needed emotional beats, and did not spoil my love of the show. For that, I thank it, and will definitely miss my Gossip Girl.

XOXO

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Article first posted on TheTVKing