Gossip Girl Review: "Dr. Estrangeloved"
On last night's Gossip Girl, family secrets were revealed, schemes were hatched, couples fought and were torn apart, and evil Jenny totally got hers ... it was great.
There were plenty of developments in "Dr. Estrangeloved," which set us up beautifully for an exciting final three weeks. Let's begin with Vanessa and Dan (yawwwn).
When Dan finds out Vanessa got the spot in the Tisch writing program he applied for,he complains to his friend Willa that she used a script based on his short story.
Willa’s dad happens to be on Tisch’s board, so she pulls some strings and gets Dan in, ousting V. High fives, right? Well, not so fast. She actually used her own play.
Dan frantically calls Willa to get her to reverse the decision, but the damage is done, as Vanessa, realizing Dan was okay with this to begin with, is ignoring his calls.
These two were actually pretty good in this episode, even if it paled in comparison to some of the other drama. We'll see where they take it in the upcoming weeks.
Serena's long-awaited reunion with dad wasn't quite as she'd hoped.
When we first see Lily and Serena, they are heading home to "explain everything" to Rufus. Explain what, we don't know, but Dr. William van der Woodsen will tell us.
He arrives first, and they all tell Rufus what Lily has been lying about. Lily has a "very treatable" cancer and William had been treating her, in secret, for some time.
Absurd as it is how Rufus is more or less okay with it, we actually can see Lily lying about such a huge thing for so long, seeing as she lies about everything anyway.
William Baldwin, with a voice that sounds like a mix of Chuck Bass and his brother Alec, was great as Dr. VDW. Charming and just shady enough to keep us guessing.
Looks like we'll keep guessing too - but only regarding what he's up to. Lily relapses, and then as the credits are about to roll, the night ends on an unsettling note.
"It’s not working exactly as I’d hoped," William says into the phone, blackmailing an unnamed person at the other end. "I need you to write Lily another prescription."
What sort of ruse do you think he's up to?
Now for the portions of the night that were vintage Gossip Girl, with Season One style machinations from both Chuck and Little J, who spent the night at Nate's place.
Nothing happened, but she's walking around in his shirt and no pants just wishing something did. She's clearly frustrated that Nate is still trying to work it out with S.
Since he wants his BFF back (?) Chuck is all too happy to help J hash a plan - make Serena jealous so she ditches Nate, as the reverse will never happen. Diabolical.
Chuck's real motives here are highly questionable, as he's wasted and getting ready for a threesome with some random girls. It's sad to watch, yet blissfully entertaining.
She takes Nate's shirt and drapes it in her bag for S to see. Jenny tells her that she and Nate "were just hanging out" and they just "totally lost track of time." B!tch.
Meanwhile, Blair had planned a "rebound brunch" for herself, but no eligible bachelors showed, leading her to conclude that Chuck has issued a "dating fatwa" on her.
She turns to Dan, awesomely, for help getting a guy to make C jealous and get on Gossip Girl, thus undoing the fatwa. Dan tells her about an "art party" in Brooklyn.
Chuck and Jenny hatch a plan to pry Nate from Serena.
There, she has her sights set on a hot Columbia dude, but Chuck, Nate and Jenny arrive as well, and the plan backfires. Denial is not the way to forget Chuck Bass.
Rather than trying to get back together with him, she genuinely tries to move on, feeding the ducks and taking some time alone just like Dorota suggested earlier.
As for Jenny's plan, Chuck accurately predicted that Serena's passive-aggressiveness drove Nate straight to her. Nate feels rejected by S and J tries to make a move.
She tries to kiss him, but he still resists, unaware that Serena sees the whole thing. Serena learns Jenny never gave Nate the message about going to see her dad.
Just like that, Nate gets the message through his man-bangs and Jenny's scheming is exposed. He orders her to get out and he and S have a heart-to-heart. Wow.
We did not see that coming, did you? Jenny's evil plan seemed destined to work, and we also thought Chair might end up back together after all the head-butting.
Where do you see Jenny's story going now that she's been exposed? Will Chuck and Blair reunite and how? Does Lily even have cancer and what is Dr. VDW up to?
All in all, a decent episode that was entertaining throughout and left us with a bunch of burning questions heading into May. Share your thoughts with us below!
What did you think of last night's Gossip Girl?
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Serena: Congratulations, you've officially joined the dark side.
April 28th, 2010 1:55 AM
I was not wowed either. However, it was one of the better Blair episodes we've seen in a while, thankfully! She seems to have sprung back to life, brains intact. I am really looking forward to seeing her in some dalliance with Dan. It will make for a collective audience gasp, since that's the only move that could be a true threat to Chuck & Blair. Dan can give Blair everything she lacked with Chuck, and Chuck knows it but will hate that more than anything. Chuck will want old UES Blair back, because she appreciates Chuck Bass, but the newly evolving more mature Blair might just decide there's room for Humphrey in her more confident, grounded future. I predict she will become an entertainment lawyer, due to her earlier and specific scorn for that job.
Chuck's stalkerish crap, though reassuring for us Chair fans, is not going to cut it. We need to see him do something impressive, and quickly.
The Nate/Jenny/Serena thing was going much better when it was Jenny's innocent, highsc
Rank: Recurring Character
April 27th, 2010 11:42 PM
This wasn't exactly the episode I was hoping to come back to. It didn't wow me at all.
The whole Serena and her dad was kind of touching at some point because come on, she hasn't seen him in 14 years, Overrall, I was kind of bored though with this love triangle thing Lily, Rufrus and William are in.
Dan and Vanessa are fight over the weirdiest things. A writing contest? Really, that was the best the writers could have came up with for them. Yawnnnn.
I guess the love triangle is over with Nate, Serena and Jenny seeing how Jenny got burn big time at the end. They were boring anyhow considering Serena wasn't even part of it half of the time. What happened to Carter? This guy needs to make a grand entrance and a grand exit. He can't just come in and walk out whenever.
*tears* This episode was sp disappointing with the lack of Chair. I loved how the picture Blair threw away was the promotional picture of them for season 3. I wanted to hit Chuck when Blair said to him she will move on on
April 27th, 2010 8:46 PM
By the way, Dandy:
Nate and Chuck both live in the penthouse together. They are roommates.
April 27th, 2010 8:45 PM
I think that Dr. VDW doesn't even have a medical license anymore, and that he has to blackmail other doctors to write his prescriptions. But other then that, I don't think that he has much of an ulterior motive.
I am probably one of the few watchers who actually like the relationship between Nate and Serena, and got bored of the Blair and Chuck romance. Blair and Chuck started acting like an old married couple way to soon, even though they are really only 19. Whereas Nate and Serena still act like their age for the most part by making mistakes.
I think that Jenny is trying to be like what Serena was at her age, the drinking and the screw ups, while she isn't taking the time to find herself. I agree with whoever said that she would be going to France to work with Eleanor. It seems like the most plausible reason for her leaving at the end of the season.
Dan and Vanessa were doomed to fail from the very start, and that once they actually break up Vanessa will hopefully be gone f
April 27th, 2010 7:17 PM
Honestly Jenny got what she deserved. Trying to steal your step sisters boyfriend is beyond sick. There are plenty of other decent guys you can date that arent already taken. Im glad Nate wasnt a total man whore for once and didn't kiss Jenny. But him and Serena are boring together and there realtionship has been pretty much doomed for the start, so just because Jenny failed at breaking them up doesnt mean something else wont.
April 27th, 2010 4:36 PM
im sorry GUYS but can u ansewer me this WERE DO NATE LIVE?
i mean i thought that was chuck penthouse
Rank: Guest Star
April 27th, 2010 3:14 PM
i thought this art party was so awesome!!!! and i felt really bad for jenny after nate ordered her to leave- yeah, she was acting like a total bitch but i still really like her...
April 27th, 2010 3:00 PM
Is Serena really buying that load of cr*p her father spun her? You can say all you want about Lily but at least she knows more about her daughter than what Ice cream place she liked when she was four. What kind of father doesn't even visit his children in 14 years? I know every little girl wants to know her Daddy but the way she was acting you would have thought he had been held captive not jet setting around the world. No matter what he was doing, a phone call is not that hard to make every once and a while. A doctor this man maybe but I think he is far from a saint.
On another note, am I the only one who finds Nate and Serena BORING? While I find Jenny difficult to stomach these days, she's the only one that makes them interesting to watch.
April 27th, 2010 11:33 AM
dr van der woodsen us definately making crap up. lily is probably fine now, he's just getting back at them and rufus. hes not as nice as he's playing. hopefully they wont find out to late. rufus and lily were amazing in this episode though
!!
April 27th, 2010 10:38 AM
i agree...writers DID ruin Jenny