Preview: Gossip Girl is all new tonight with "Petty in Pink"

     The following contains minor spoilers about tonight's episode of Gossip Girl, but will not ruin any major twists.

     The CW's Gossip Girl has a new episode on tonight. Titled "Petty in Pink," the episode continues arcs from previous episodes. Lily (Kelly Rutherford) is sentenced to nine months house arrest, not unexpected, considering she is a main character. Chances are, with good behavior, she will be released by early fall. Because she cannot leave the loft, she is cut out of her charity work. Her family attempts to save her face by (what else?) blackmail. But is that ever a good solution?

      Nate (Chace Crawford) decides to help Raina (Tika Sumpter) look for her mother, whom her father has always told her ran off with another man. But he has told Chuck (Ed Westwick) a different story, and although Raina seems to have moved on from Chuck to be completely devoted to Nate, a good choice, Chuck still has worries about what she may find. Will it bring Chuck and Raina closer to know that her father covered up Chuck's dad being responsible for Raina's mother's death? Or did he lie to Chuck, and Raina's mom is still out there somewhere? Both Chuck and Raina will be looking to learn the truth.

      Meanwhile, Serena (Blake Lively) finally takes notice of the inordinate amount of time Dan (Penn Badgley) and Blair (Leighton Meester) have been spending together, so she sits them down and confronts them calmly like an adult, to which they respond openly and honestly and all three become closer from the experience. Just kidding! That would be far too easy. Instead, Serena has her cousin Charlie (Kaylee DeFer) spy on her erstwhile friends, and Charlie uncovers what is really going on. But not before a bit of mixup and mud slinging.

     To make matters more complicated, a former suitor of Blair's, one whom she considers very much worthy of her time and station, has returned and would like to be with her. Unfortunately, his family is against it, and with Charlie and Serena getting involved, it's hard for him to know if Blair is even available. You'll have to tune in to find out what happens.

     Finally, Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) makes yet another attempt to make amends with Dan. Will he be ready to listen, or is she too far gone?

     Watch Gossip Girl tonight at 10 p.m. on the CW.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Gossip Girl demands "The Kids Stay in the Picture"

      The CW's Gossip Girl just returned tonight from a six week hiatus, but unfortunately, unlike many earlier episodes this season, tonight's has quite a few problems and disappointments. Gossip Girl thrives on drama, but it is not known for letting exciting stories peter out without a satisfying conclusion. Yet, that is exactly what it seems like is happening between Blair (Leighton Meester) and Dan (Penn Badgley).

     When last the show aired, Blair and Dan were sharing a kiss, their first. The feelings that have been bubbling up between them all season come to a head, and they decide a smooch will determine if there are real feelings between them, something more than friendship, or not. But tonight's episode is set a week later, and Blair is not returning Dan's calls. In fact, she has already moved on, and is back to wanting to be with Chuck (Ed Westwick). Did all her quality time with someone who shares her interests mean nothing to her? Blair has become a character with real feelings, not just motivated to get ahead at all costs, as she used to be, and that seems to vanish suddenly.

     At the time Blair and Chuck originally split, it was beyond disappointing. Every episode brought another frustrating bout of 'why won't they get back together already?'. And then Dan comes along, completely unexpected, and the years of hate between he and Blair begin to cool. Spending time one on one together, with no ulterior motives, allow them to really reveal who they are, and learn just how much they have in common. Now, Blair and Chuck barely seem compatible. While Chuck changes first, Blair changes more, and now she belongs with a man of substance, like Dan.

     It is acceptable, of course, for Blair to have reservations about committing to Dan. He is below her station, and it may affect her career. However, the effect will be minimal and temporary. Looking around, there are other powerful women who married men from lower income upbringings and have managed to still succeed with flying colors. Blair's hesitation should be only temporary. Worse, the series teases, with Blair calling the kiss life-changing. But the change she refers to is a reversal. Good characters do not backslide so completely.

     Lily's (Kelly Rutherford) family is in town, supposedly to support her in her time of need while she faces criminal charges. William (William Baldwin), CeCe (Caroline Lagerfelt), and even the never-before-seen-as-an-adult Carol (Sheila Kelley) arrive. They are not there just to offer moral support, however. In fact, their main purpose seems to be to have a picture taken. This is important to Lily, which is understandable, given the upheaval her life is going through. But did none of her relations care enough to stay beyond that?

     It is nice to finally see Carol, Lily's sister, who was previously introduced as a teenager in flashback for a spin-off that never happened. However, once Carol and Lily reconnect, and a small secret slips out, she really isn't that important to the plot. Carol's daughter, Charlie (Kaylee DeFer), who will be sticking around, is even more uninteresting. An attempt to give her a mysterious back story falls flat, and unlike many other supporting characters who drift in and out of the show, she is completely forgettable. Only Rufus (Matthew Settle) is the slightest bit interesting in this plot, as he and William begin to make a sort of peace.

     Will Charlie end up adding anything to the show? It's unlikely, given what she has contributed so far. The problem is, a generic actress who easily fades into the background is portraying her, and what little she has been given has not been punched up to gain attention. This could be writing or acting or a combination, but it's just not working. Instead, she is a mousy girl who will be eaten alive by the upper east-siders in no time. If she is going to be a fixture for any length of time, changes need to be made fast.

     Why is Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) still on the series? She skulks in the shadows, barely popping up, except in some half-hearted attempts to reconnect to the other characters. She can't decide whether she should apologize or cause trouble, as she keeps doing both, so neither work very well. Either Vanessa needs to make her presence felt and fight for her place in the group, or she should just go away. Szohr could be doing better things with her life.

      Despite an unsatisfying episode, the series, and the season, overall have been plenty good enough to retain viewers through the rough patches. Gossip Girl airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. on the CW.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

Article first published as TV Review: Gossip Girl - "The Kids Stay in the Picture" on Blogcritics.

Gossip Girl Begins Beautiful Friendship

     Everyone is frequently switching romantic partners on a show like the CW's Gossip Girl. Serena (Blake Lively) has dated at least half a dozen guys alone. So it should come as no surprise that Dan (Penn Badgley) and Blair (Leighton Meester) are suddenly getting chummy. In fact, their intense animosity for each other since day one would have made them the predictable couple in a romantic comedy. Yet, their hatred was so intense, no flirting undertones were ever in sight, that I was super surprised at this season's development. They aren't anywhere close to being love interests... yet. But in the last few episodes, they have began a very sweet friendship.

     It was born out of necessity and mutual caring for Serena. Pitted together on a road trip just before the show took a winter break, fans were surprised at the chemistry these two had, as they'd never had more than a few moments to show it before. What came out of that story was surprising and fun, something very fresh in a four year old show, which admittedly, had already been having a stellar season. I think it might have been a one-shot episode if it hadn't been so magical. But it continued last night, as Blair and Dan reluctantly headed to the movies together. How reluctantly? It did feel like their protestations were only show, but it wasn't a date. I am extremely interested in how this will develop, more so than any other recent plot on Gossip Girl.

     I am sad to see the apparent end of Dan and Serena's will they or won't they, at least for now. As much as I love this new path with Dan and Blair, I was always a Dan and Serena fan, and I really enjoyed their renewed attraction lately. Last night, they said they'd only get one more chance, but they weren't ready to take it. It's really making the two of them echo their parents, who had a long, broken courtship, including whole years out of each others' lives, before ending up married. But if Dan and Blair get serious, and I hope that they do, that will likely make a Dan - Serena reunion near-impossible. As I am rooting for a new couple, it is with bittersweetness that I watch Dan and Serena end, perhaps for the last time. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain it's not the last time, but this is really the perfect place to end it. Serena turning more and more into her mother won't do the two any favors.

     I am heartened by the return of Penelope (Amanda Setton) as one of Blair's minions. I admit, I did miss her snide looks. But I'm not sure she's a good fit for Blair anymore, and I feel her time back may be limited. Blair has grown so much, showing real maturity at times, even if she sometimes resorts to her scheming ways. In last night's episode, Blair's sneakiness got her into trouble with her mother (Margaret Colin, who should be a main character already!), but her new attitude allowed her to apologize and share a very, very cool scene later with mom. It was the best demonstration of the new Blair we could ask for, and I hope we see more of it.

     Lily (Kelly Rutherford) has been treated far less kindly. Once my favorite character, she was pretty much demonized when it came out that she sent an innocent man to prison, and intended to see her stepson Chuck's (Ed Westwick) company. In last night's episode, she backpedaled madly, as the writers tried to give her good excuses to do the things she had done, and attempted to right any wrongs. She only partially succeeded, and that's from a viewer satisfaction standpoint as much as a character arc one.

     It's hard to root for someone who has done some pretty horrible things, and Lily has. Even if she was just trying to protect Serena, getting Ben (David Call) locked up for all these years, and the very negative affect we saw it had this fall on his family, was really, really terrible. Lily has come back from having done bad things several times. I feel like, for once, several of the other characters are more willing to forgive her than I am, and that's weak writing. If they wanted to villanize Lily, then do it something more than halfway. They could pull her back from that brink eventually, but as quickly as they've tried to just isn't working.

     Related to that, what has put Rufus (Matthew Settle) in such a forgiving mood? Lily's husband has been much angrier with her for far less. It seems completely weird that he would stick by her so faithfully when she ruined a man's life. I just don't buy it. It seems like he's a whole other man; a whipped puppy. That's not Rufus. Compassionate and (eventually) forgiving, sure, but never castrated.

     Luckily, Lily's is the only questionable story right now. Last season was a little rocky as the show adjusted to many of its characters being high school graduates, but this year has been as strong as ever. I hate to say it, but a character not being present may be as responsible as the elements that are there. Jenny's (Taylor Momsen) extended, and now indefinite, absence actually helped the series, which is a shame, because once upon a time I really liked her. Momsen's behind the scenes drama got her benched, but her on screen tantrums made Jenny hard to like, too. I'm not anxious to get her back.

   Perhaps the most matured character is Nate (Chace Crawford), who has taken in his just-paroled father (Sam Robards). Nate has often had his own things going on apart from the other central characters, and sometimes it feels a stretch to tie him back in. However, this arc has been fantastic, showing a son's struggle to forgive his father for wrongs, see a role model as humanly flawed, and be a caregiver to a parent. What's more, last night's brilliant little move of linking the Captain to the man determined to ruin the Bass family name will entrench the two of them into other plots, keeping the show tightly written instead of sprawling as the rest of the season plays out. Nice move.

     Who are these new villains the Captain is getting involved with? Well, there's a new love interest for Chuck, appropriately, since his pairing with Blair, while amazing for a long time, seems done. And a familiar face in the form of Michael Boatman (Spin City, The Good Wife). We haven't learned hardly anything about him, except that he was screwed over by Chuck's father, but Boatman introduced the guy with such smoothness, charm, and a hint of vindictiveness, that he seems a well cast baddie for the second half of the season. The fact that his daughter, Raina (Tika Sumpter, One Life to Live) has taken a shine to Chuck, is delicious.

     If I could change one thing about this season of Gossip Girl, other than the small critiques above, because, as I said, it's been a truly awesome season, best since the first, it would be upgrading Eric (Connor Paolo) to a main cast member. He has been at the fringes of the show since the beginning, frequently there, but never getting much story of his own. With Jenny gone, there's room for him. Please give him the promotion.

     In a like vein, Dorota (Zuzanna Szadkowski) is irreplaceable, and always, always shines when she gets any story at all. She can take a small bit and really make it memorable. A larger Dorota presence would not be unwelcome.

     More than a guilty pleasure show, the series has great acting, writing, directing, and other elements. I can't recommend it enough. Gossip Girl's fourth season continues on the CW Monday nights at 9 p.m.


Article first published as TV Review: Gossip Girl Begins Beautiful Friendship on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Gossip Girl "Gaslit"

     The CW's Gossip Girl seems to have raised the stakes this season. Long gone are the high schools days of the show's first two years, and here to stay seem to be adult consequences for the decisions the characters face. Luckily, almost all of them have matured enough to handle it. Notice, I say almost.

     The past few episodes have followed Juliet Sharp (Kate Cassidy, the Melrose Place reboot) as she enacts her mission of revenge against Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively). Why Juliet hates Serena is still unknown, though it seems to have something to do with her brother, Ben (David Call, Mercy, Rescue Me), who is in jail. However, after Juliet teams up with Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) and Jenny (Taylor Momsen) to alienate Serena, Juliet goes up a step further and druggs her enemy, leaving her in a motel room surrounded by pills. Even Ben is shocked at how far Juliet has gone, leaving our main cast with quite a conundrum.

     Perhaps most impacted by Serena's supposed actions, is her mother Lily (Kelly Rutherford), who doesn't seem to know how to handle Serena's slide. Though Serena insists that she doesn't remember what happened, and has not returned to the mistakes of her youth, her mother doesn't believe her. But an interesting confrontation between Lily and Dan (Penn Badgley) in last night's episode, "Gaslit," seems to imply that Lily's reticence to deal with Serena may be more about herself than her daughter. It's hard to argue that Lily has been a better than average mother, and shutting Serena up against her will in rehab is just one more bad idea. Lily is turning more into her own mother each season, and that's not a good thing.

     The question now is, how will Serena possibly clear her name? She has suffered so much recently, as Juliet has sabotaged her school career, her love life, and her friend and family relations, that it may take Serena a long time to claw back to what she worked so hard for. Dan is fully on Serena's side, being the only one who is willing to believe her unlikely claims of innocence. After a confession from Jenny, it looks like Serena's best friend Blair (Leighton Meester) is climbing onto the revenge train. But Juliet has fled town, and with Gossip Girl (Kristen Bell) having trashed Serena so hard publicly, it will not be an easy time. I'm not so much worried about her personal life, as I don't see Columbia accepting her back as a student, even if her name is cleared.

     I am thrilled that Serena and Dan are heading for a reconnection. Dan's original pursuit of Serena is a big chunk of season one, and I have never liked her much with any of the other many men she has been paired with. Similarly, Dan doesn't click as well with any other girl. Should the series continue with a Dan/Serena couple, I would ask them to please, please, please make it long lasting. I know this show thrives on drama, but drama can be had in a relationship. Enough already. These two belong together. In my opinion. I'm sure many people disagree.

     Of course, with Gossip Girl, the drama is not just happening on screen. Lately, Taylor Momsen has been created plenty of her own angst with a reportedly diva-like attitude. She has barely appeared on the show this fall, and it was announced that she will be taking an undetermined continued absence. Now, of course, most of the information floating around is rumor, so it's hard to be sure exactly what's going on. But it sounds like she's throwing a tantrum, and the people working on the show are giving her a time out.

     The other couple still dancing around each other are Blair and Chuck (Ed Westwick). The two were red hot and together for much of last year. They had some rough times, and seem to have settled into an uneasy friendship. It's clear that neither are satisfied with the arrangement, Chuck telling Blair directly in this week's episode that he can't be her friend right now. These two are much more likely, in my opinion, to be in a stable relationship than Serena and Dan, as much as I like them. In fact, I would not be surprised if Chuck and Blair are reunited no later than February sweeps, and hopefully this time it sticks.

     It's not unheard of for a Gossip Girl couple to end up permanently attached. Lily and Rufus (Matthew Settle) had been will-they or won't-they for a long time, Lily even marrying another man. But now their marriage seems solid, despite many difficulties, and it doesn't look like they will be breaking up anytime soon. Sure, those two are much older than most of the cast, but I'm ready for at least one pair to last longer than half a season in the younger group, too.

     Lastly, Nate's (Chace Crawford) parents are suddenly back in the story. Early in the series, Nate's father, known as "The Captain," (Sam Robards) went to jail. Nate visited him earlier this fall, though the elder Archibald had not been seen on the show in two years. In last night's episode, Nate discovers that his mother, Anne (Francie Swift), is filing for divorce. Nate truly believes his father has changed, and so has worked to reunite them. All had gone well, until Nate discovers that his father just may be putting on appearances for a parole board hearing. This plot, though so far fairly small, is likely to pull more focus in coming episodes.

     Generally, while I have always liked this show, it's good to see such high stakes drama after a period of small tiffs. I'm glad to report that in its fourth season, Gossip Girl is as strong as ever, and has grown out of its high school pettiness. Though some aspects of that will never end. Thankfully.

     Gossip Girl airs Monday nights at 9pm on the CW.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional tv news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Article first published as TV Review: Gossip Girl - "Gaslit" on Blogcritics.

Gossip Girl spends two hours in the City of Lights

(If you're memory of the season finale is blurry, here's my review from last May.)

    Gossip Girl, now entering its fourth season on the CW, has never been better than in these first two episodes of the new season. Titled "Belles de Jour" and "Double Identity," the show picks up a few months after season three left off and, as advertised, large portions of each episode are set in Paris, France. As GG always brings the culture, it the feel of the show in Paris isn't all that different from when in New York. I can't write a review of the first two hours without spoiling a few things, but I'll spoil as little as I can and save the big twists for you to enjoy.

     Serena (Blake Lively) and Blair (Leighton Meester) hopped a plane out of NYC last spring, both wanting to escape from boy troubles. As season four begins, Blair is trying to enjoy herself, but her feelings for Chuck (Ed Westwick) have led her to waste most of the summer, leaving her boy-less.  Serena has chosen the opposite tack, throwing herself into the food, shopping, and men that Paris has to offer. She doesn't appear to have even thought about whether she wants to choose Nate (Chace Crawford) or Dan (Penn Badgley) when she goes home. She also has a secret she doesn't want to share with her best friend, B. This is classic S and B, with a bit of fighting, and plenty of friendship. It's so nice to see the two in their element, and it really allows both actresses to shine with the characters they have perfected these last few years.

     Meanwhile, Nate has put Chuck's little black book to good use, partying it up in the Big Apple. It's sad, really, that a character that has grown so much takes a gigantic step backwards. He has his reasons, but then he meets Juliet (Kate Cassidy, formerly of the Melrose Place reboot), and she pulls his interest away from casual sex. Of course, this being Gossip Girl, there is more than meets the eye to Juliet, and although she gets a little scheming done in the first couple of episodes, her true motives are still a secret. While I'd like to see Nate happy and am a bit tired of him getting played, Juliet is surely bringing some juicy drama in the future.

     Dan ended last year facing a very pregnant Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg, Mercy). Poor, trusting Dan has yet to have asked for a paternity test, but has been shacking up with Georgina and taking care of the new little tyke, Milo, all summer in Brooklyn. He hasn't told his family or Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) about the baby and he hasn't exactly been hanging on pins and needles for Serena either. Again, like Nate, I want Dan to be happy, so it's hard to watch. But anything that keeps Georgina on the show will be worth it.

     Chuck was shot in the finale, but it's been no secret on the Internet — and is just common sense — that Mr. Bass is alive and mostly well. You'll have to wait for the end of episode one to get a glimpse oh him, and when he returns he'll have a "friend" (Clémence Poésy, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the Deathly Hallows) in tow. It will be even longer until he and Blair have one of their best moments of the series near the end of episode two. Both actors play it fantastically. Ol' Raccoon Eyes a.k.a. Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) is also M.I.A., and word is that we won't be seeing her again until late October. Against popular opinion, I like Jenny and I cannot wait for her return. But, there is enough other stuff going on that I didn't feel her absence in the double-episode premiere.

     As for Rufus (Matthew Settle) and Lilly (Kelly Rutherford), they've got too much drama between Dan and Chuck's problems to have their own plot yet, but I look forward to seeing it when they do (but Rufus does get in a fantastic line about his daughter's eyes).

     Gossip Girl returns this Monday at 9pm on the CW.


Article first published as TV Preview: Gossip Girl Spends Two Hours in the City of Lights on Blogcritics.

Gossip Girl returns with more scandal

It’s been since a long wait since we last saw life on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, but last night Gossip Girl returned with the first of ten new episodes.  When we last left them, Dan (Penn Badgley) was falling for his best friend, Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) after having a threesome with her and his girlfriend.  Of course, the relationship quickly fell apart, and he realized he had feelings for Vanessa, while she may have gotten over the torch she had been carrying for him.  Vanessa was nowhere in sight in the first episode, and not returning Dan’s phone calls.  Hmm.  Poor Humphrey.
The other new, but long anticipated, relationship is between Serena (Blake Lively) and Nate (Chace Crawford).  Though they had been friends forever, they decided to take things up a level.  Last night’s episode featured a few missteps, but nothing so bad as to threaten the new fling.  Could this be GG’s big romance?  The other two established ones are certainly falling apart.  Though Blair (Leighton Meester) stood by her man, Chuck (Ed Westwick), the fact that he lied about the woman at the grave in the first place could spell doom.  Or perhaps not.  Blair certainly rose to his defense.  And Rufus (Matthew Settle), who had finally gotten with the woman he’d loved for decades, Lily (Kelly Rutherford), appears to be throwing it away because of a lie she told, and last night found Rufus seeking comfort in the arms of another woman.  It was so hard to get them together, and it felt so right, their dissolution would be highly disappointing.
Much is in store in the next nine weeks.  ***SPOILER ALERT!!!***  Serena’s father will finally show up, played by none other than Billy Baldwin.  Eh, he’s not Alec, but at least he’s not Stephen.  The season finale will also feature the return of my favorite character, Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg)!  Though the actress is currently starring in Mercy on NBC, she was given time to pop in on some more juvenile drama, and really, we would miss her deeply if she stayed away too long.
In other news, Leighton Meester will be starring in a romantic comedy with Hugh Laurie (House), which is awesome, because she played his little teenage stalked on his show for a few episodes years ago.  Should be great fun.

Catch up on the Gossip (Girl)

    CW's Gossip Girl has already gone off the air, unfortunately until March, but its not too late to catch up on what has happened with everyone's favorite East Siders in their third season.  So far, it has been quite the roller coaster, and the fall finale left plenty of unanswered questions and flitting rumors to keep us guessing until its return.  Despite the fact that most of the main cast graduated from high school last spring, all have remained in Manhattan, and the show has lost none of it's zeal that made it a guilt pleasure triumph.  In case you missed it, let's review who's doing what and what's coming up next.

     Let's all breathe a sigh of relief that Serena (Blake Lively, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Blair (Leighton Meester, who seems to be trying to launch a singing career now) have finally set aside their differences and cemented a fast friendship.  Watching S and B go back and forth could be fun, but they have both matured into more adult characters.  Sure, Serena was involved with a married man, and Blair still gets involved in school politics, but they both seem to have finally passed the point where they will be at war with each other.  Speaking of Blair, her settling down with Chuck (Ed Westwick) has done both of them a lot of good.  Chuck has finally become a respectable adult with real emotions and left behind most of his childhood tantrums.  It's nice to see some genuine character development among the leads.

     Nate (Chace Crawford) has returned to family roots, and seems to be seriously in love.  While Nate was almost always above the backstabbing and manipulating, the other characters starting to rise to his level makes him feel more a part of the ensemble than he did before.  He has ceased to become an extraneous character and matters to the overarching plots now.  Same goes for Vanessa (Jessica Szohr, What About Brian?).  After her threesome with Dan (Penn Badgley) and Olivia (Hilary Duff, Lizzie McGuire), resulting in their breakup, it appears that a happy ending for her won't be too far down the line.  The only holdout in the growing-up group is Jenny (Taylor Momsen, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), who, not coincidentally, is the only one still left in high school.  Jenny's balancing act between decent human being and queen of mean is finally finding a balance, but hopefully the correct side of her will win out in the end.

     The only major concern for the show is the always too fragile bond between Rufus (Matthew Settle) and Lily (Kelly Rutherford, the original Melrose Place).  The took so long to make it to the altar, the threat that it may fall apart so soon is too much to bare.  Either they need to be left alone to grow old together, or break them up and get them out of the cast.  The back and forth has become too frustrating.

     All in all, though, the show has only gotten stronger with time, and it is shaping up to be something much more than what it started as.  If it continues on this track, there is nothing but blue skies ahead for the whole gang.  Unless Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mercy) comes back again.