Gossip Girl says "The Wrong Goodbye"

     Like almost every season, the CW's Gossip Girl chooses to its major plots a little early so the various characters can scatter for the summer. Also like every year, a few major bombshells must be dropped before they go. In Gossip Girl's finale, "The Wrong Goodbye," Chuck (Ed Westwick) saves Blair (Leighton Meester), and they reconnect. Blair is willing to leave her fiance, Prince Louis Grimaldi (Hugo Becker), for Chuck, but in a rare moment of maturity, Chuck steps aside, giving the couple his blessing so that Blair can be happy. Dan (Penn Badgley), Serena (Blake Lively), and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) search for Charlie (Kaylee DeFer), who isn't who she says she is. And Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) makes yet another appearance on the Upper East Side, ready to start even more trouble.


     Season four has been a tumultuous one for Blair's love life, as she struggles to move past her long standing, destructive, animalistic attraction for Chuck, but also isn't crazy about settling for her intellectual equal Dan, who sits far below her on the social ladder. Prince Louis, returning from nowhere, seemingly to save her from that choice, and yet, Blair cannot really escape her heart. Sure, she is happy with Louis, but how much of that is because she genuinely cares for him, and how much is because of the status being with him affords her? Blair has always dreamed of being a princess, but as she has matured, especially lately, those dreams are being replaced by real feelings. Which is why she probably won't still be with Louis come next season.

     Which leaves Blair a choice: Chuck or Dan? That decision is made as Blair and Chuck reconnect after he saves her from Russell (Michael Boatman). There have been signs for weeks that the two aren't finished, with Chuck mourning deeply every piece of news he gets about Blair and Louis. But Blair isn't done with Dan, either, as evidenced by the fact that they talk movie queues just before she takes off to spend the summer with Louis. Both men are a part of her life, and neither is going anywhere. Both are able to step aside for Blair's happiness, but that only makes them more worthy for her.

     Of course, while Chuck has eyes only for Blair, Dan has other options. Serena admits that she never made a choice between Dan and Nate (Chace Crawford), and while she still is not ready to think about that decision as she heads off for a season abroad with her grandmother, it is also clear by its mention that she hasn't forgotten either. Serena has to learn about herself before she is ready to be with someone else in a serious fashion, something she never really manages to do. But rest assured, the day will come when Serena will chose either Dan or Nate, likely right when one of them is ready to move on with someone else.

     Poor Nate has no prospectives on the horizon. With the departure of Raina (Tika Sumpter) after her evil, homicidal dad is sent to prison for twenty years, Nate is alone once more. While he never manages to stay by himself for very long, Nate is the most comfortable character with being alone. Perhaps that is what attracts women to him. Well, that and good lucks, genuine sweetness, and money. Nate, more than any other character, embraces who he is. Despite all the drama going on in "The Wrong Goodbye," Nate still shows real friendship to both Chuck and Dan, marking him as a good person. Whoever Nate ends up with had better deserve him.

     Many questions remain about Charlie. She came to town as Serena's long-lost cousin, but viewers now know, even if none of the characters do, that it is merely a plot so that Lily's (Kelly Rutherford) sister, Carol (Sheila Kelley), can get her hands on the real Charlie's trust fund. While Carol despises all of the scheming and drama that comes with life on the Upper East Side, she shows she can resort to some of her own to get money she thinks she deserves. However, does that mean that the real Charlie will inevitably show up on Gossip Girl?

     And what of Ivy, the girl who went by the name Charlie these past months? She obviously really enjoys the life she pretends to have, and armed with Georgina's phone number, it seems like only a matter of time before the devious faux cousin makes her return back into the lives of the popular characters. Will any of them be able to accept her, or will they treat her like a crazy girl? Were Ivy's feelings for Dan the slightest bit real, or all part of the act? It almost feels like when Ivy asks Dan to call her Serena while intimate that that moment is authentic Ivy, and she would do anything to get Serena's life. If so, there will be one wild ride.

     The last big cliffhanger is Vanessa turning in Dan's satirical look at life for the Upper East Side to a publisher. It's a goodbye present of sorts, as Vanessa is moving to Spain, and Szohr (along with Taylor Momsen) will not be returning to the cast next season. Dan's book contains scathing tear downs of many people he considers friends and family, which is why he wants it hidden away. However, enough people are close to Dan that surely his writing will be recognized, even when put out anonymously. Dan has managed to stay in everyone's good graces, more or less, over the years. It looks like it's finally time for him to experience life on the outside.

     All that, and a brief cameo by Gossip Girl book series author Cecily von Ziegesar!

     With so many hanging threads, the fifth season of Gossip Girl promises to maintain the high level of melodrama and juicy guilty pleasure that has made it must-see for the past four seasons. Hearts will be broken, relationships will end and start, and above all, people will scheme, scheme, and keep scheming until no one will be able to forgive anyone anymore. Which is the destiny of anyone who lives like the characters on Gossip Girl do. Should be exciting!


     Gossip Girl has been renewed, and will return to the CW next fall.

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

     To buy Gossip Girl DVDs, books, and streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Gossip Girl - "The Wrong Goodbye" on Blogcritics.

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 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.