Gossip Girl Round Table: "Despicable B"

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Welcome to our weekly Gossip Girl Round Table discussion! Below, our panelists are here to break down Monday's episode (see our official Gossip Girl review from last night) in even greater detail.

In a Q&A session below, TVF CEO Eric Hochberger (Gossip Guy) editor Steve Marsi (Mister Meester) and staff writers Courtney Morrison, Christina Tran and Leigh Raines to discuss "Despicable B."

Weigh in with your take on the following topics after reading ours!

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1. What was your favorite quote or scene from the episode?

Courtney: Even though it was super obvious what Nate was up to when Diana walked in, I'm going with their bedroom scene. Nate in a suit is hot. Nate taking off his suit is even hotter.

Leigh: Courtney is tempting me to change my answer to Nate taking off his suit... but I'm still gonna go with the whole Lily VDW dinner takedown. Hell hath no fury like a Rhodes girl scorned, lied to, cheated, frauded, etc.

Christina: William: “Hello, sweetheart, you’re looking lovely as ever.” Serena: “Oh, thank you, I get it from my mom.” Oh, snap! As always, so subtle, S.

Eric: Lily's dinner party. I don't care how cheesy it was with people popping out from rooms, it felt very Gossip Girl.

Steve: It was never spoken, only printed: New York Magazine's hilarious (and accurate) zinger likening B to Kim Kardashian at the bottom of the Approval Matrix. 

2. Who were the most high- and low-brow characters of the week?

Courtney: Most High Brow: Rufus. It's about time the lead singer/guitarist from Lincoln Hawk takes a stand. He is not just a trophy husband and he doesn't need an UES woman to take care of him. Most Low Brow: Blair. Even if she redeemed herself at the end of the hour with Dan, the whole episode did not feel like her. It was actually kind of beneath her.

Leigh: Uh I suppose Dan would be in the high brow category if he had that kind of literary success at age 21. Was Blair's marriage shorter than Kim Kardashian's? I don't know but at least Kim still entertains me. Blair that is the ultimate diss.

Christina: Most high-brow: N/A. Most low brow: B. New York Magazine got it right.

Eric: High Brow: In this episode that's nearly impossible. By default it has to go to my solid as a rock Rufus. Dude didn't put anyone in jail and is willing to walk away from the UES $$$. (I assume Lily like a true Rhodes has an iron clad prenup in place) Low Brow: How is this even a choice with Lily on super evil mastermind mode? When did she go from manipulative mom protecting her children to evil super villain? 

Steve: High Brow: William. Sure he's a philandering liar who can't be trusted, but you got the feeling that he was really trying to do right by his kids and baby mamas this week, even if the circumstances made that impossible. Low Brow: Lily. There's materialism and vanity and then there's her. What an incredible display.

3. Who is more lost these days, Blair or Serena?

Courtney: Do I have to choose? Blair has jumped from one serious relationship to the next, one even ending in divorce. She is 22!!! Serena has had multiple jobs and has even resorted to being GG. Neither of them have jobs or college. They are both lacking in the friend department. At least Blair has Dan, Serena has pretty much no one. No wonder they are both so lost...

Leigh: Blair is. She even told Dan as much. Serena is actually guarded and not trusting everyone she meets for the first time in her life. Even if she's a bitch, after all she's been through over four seasons, she kinda deserves to be.

Christina: Blair has Dan and they should just go get lost together. Serena’s just not the same anymore. She’s job-less, boyfriend-less, and even cousin-less now. IT Girl no more, for sure.

Eric: S. She's really quick to judge Lola for failing to out her as Gossip Girl... after the terrible stuff she did to her own sister as Gossip Girl! Sorry, half sister. You might want to have some friends around S. B at least will always have her Double Ds. (Dortota and Dan you perverts).

Steve: Blair in the emotional sense. She's unrecognizable to herself and fans, which she finally realized this week. Serena also wins, however, in the sense of being abandoned by the writing staff for months.

Blair Cornelia Waldorf Photo

4. Dair: Boring or refreshing?

Courtney: They started as refreshing, now we're entering the boring territory. Seriously, a salon? PS. Can I just mention that if this party was in Dan's honor, didn't anyone in his family think it was important? How about his friends?

Leigh: Not that I was ever a Dair fan, but I kinda feel bad for Dan at this point. He seems to genuinely love Blair and she seems to be lost and leaning on the guy who can give her the most attention and TLC.

Christina: Snoozefest! Gone were the days when I watched every scene with B intently. Now, I’m still watching, but only casually as I’m playing Draw Something or Scramble.

Eric: Despite finding it refreshing they're a pretty low drama couple on GG, they're kind of turning into a yawn fest for me. Feel free to send me a Draw Something challenge, Christina. I need the points for some new colors more than another Dair scene.

Steve: I enjoy Dan and Blair's relationship, but I worry about the same thing Leigh summed up so well. When B does find herself, will Dan have the same appeal he does now? I hope so, but I have my doubts.

5. In honor of the show's only non-miserable character, discuss the awesomeness of Nate.

Courtney: Nate is completely awesome. For one, he has hooked up with pretty much, if not every, girl on the show. He wears a suit as well as the Basshole, is a great friend, and is loyal. I was skeptical about the Spectator storyline in the beginning, now it's become my favorite part of recent episodes.

Leigh: I mean... just look at him. He's sexy and he knows it.

Christina: Nate is total awesomeness. Editor by day, sleuth/prostitute by night. However, it’s become clear you should never tell Nate a secret because he will immediately tell the wrong person every single time.

Eric: So awesome he's willing to make the ultimate sacrifice: sleep with Diana / Elizabeth Hurley for his BFF. If that's not friendship, I don't know what is. Poor guy...

Steve: He may be a terrible secret-keeper, as Christina says, but Nate's been killing it lately with his suits, ties, morals and sexual mind games. I mean, the guy had to think this week! On his feet!

6. Dumbest move of the night: Ivy ripping up that check, Serena leaving Gossip Girl's server info out in the open, or Diana actually believing Nate broke into her apartment to seduce her?

Courtney: Ivy ripping up the check. I get it, she wants a family. But you can't have a family with people who don't want you. She could have used that money to start over! I wasn't really surprised at the other two.

Leigh: Ivy ripping up the check. That was just petulant and not a smart business decision young lady. I'm sorry a bunch of people you were paid to bond with don't want to hang out with you anymore, but they gave you a seven-figure severance so take it.

Christina: That was just so Serena! Diana is a cougar on the prowl. As for Ivy, seriously?! Idiot move.

Eric: I really, really want to take the computer bait, but there's a million reasons I need to yell at Chivy. Yeah, I'm that angry I'm bringing back the nickname. Girl you can go buy a new family with that money. You can start with me 'sis, so let's go grab that tape.

Steve: Fine Eric. I'll go there. The server. If she knows she's the only person with access to GG's site and how valuable that is, why leave it anywhere someone can gank it and steal her GG mantle? Never mind the fact that people not named Lola might also piece together that SERENA IS GOSSIP GIRL. 

Diana and Chuck

7. Is Jack really Chuck's father? If so, what's his angle for screwing him over all these years?

Courtney: I think he is, but I honestly have no idea why he would have screwed him over so many times. Maybe it has something to do with Bart? Maybe Bart took Chuck from Jack because he was a bad father? Regardless, the Basses are one hot bloodline.

Leigh: Chuck's maternity and paternity needs to be moved to the Maury show because I honestly cannot keep track. If Jack is his father and has been acting like a dick all of these years, it's because he slept with Bart's wife and Bart punished him by either pretending Chuck was his, or telling Jack this kid can never know you're his real father and I'm going to raise him.

Christina: I’m still not sure. If so, let’s not forget Jack also slept with Blair… will that be too weird for the someday reunion of Chair? Hey, a girl can and still should hope.

Eric: You kidding me? The second I saw that 'tat I knew who Chuck's pops was. The real question is why the heck Elizabeth is emailing Nate. Who isn't sleeping with that guy? 

Steve: It would make sense, in a twisted way, if Jack and Elizabeth were Chuck's real parents. Resentment at Bart as a motive for tormenting him all this time? I can buy that too. Why Diana would lie, and why she's even hanging around, is a different story. Will we ever find out? More importantly, do we care?

What do you think? Sound off in the comments!

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.

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