The longest Gossip Girl roundtable ever, I believe, is below for episode 5.16 “Cross Rhodes,” in which Blair confessed to her feelings for Dan, Chuck was thisclose to ruining Dan’s reputation but then didn’t in the name of love, Serena was extra pouty, and the real Charlie and her faux counterpart met — and everyone found out the truth.
Oh, and also: CeCe died, but not before having three lines. So, there’s that.
(The general question after these is “What are your thoughts?”)
Heather | Let me just start out with this: jhsakdfjhsakdjfhadjkfhafdkljsalkdfjsldkfjslakf !!11!! Ok, now that is out of the way, I can move on. I thought it was sweet. I loved how they touched on her tendency to deny and then deny she’s denying, and then play dumb when anyone brings up the idea that she might be in denial. I had always thought that all it would take was a tiny crack in the denial wall, and things would start leaking out. I loved the scene during the play. It reminded me of Cher’s epiphany in Clueless. I am a big fan of Austen and romantic comedies, so the sudden wash of realization followed by a frantic search warmed my heart. It was sweet, touching, and simple.
Samantha | I thought it was a bit ridiculous how it all came about. Blair has always been one of the first people to point out the inaccuracies in Dan’s book, and suddenly she thinks the whole thing is truth? Also, I find it humorous that they throw in how Dan has “always loved her” and “always thought she is perfect” when there are numerous, CLEAR examples from the first 2 seasons especially that prove this is not the case.
Heba | Blair needs to decide what she wants! I love that she chose Dan, but she’s not over Chuck. There’s this Bair-y vibe missing about her. I don’t know, she’s different. But anyway, yay for Dair!
Jen | Blair realizing she has feelings for Dan and realizing that Dan loves her the way she has wanted to be loved made me of course really happy. I liked that Serena and Blair both pointed out that she’s big on denial when she has feelings for someone and tends to stick with what she already knows (think when she first started having feelings for Chuck). I LOVED that Dan finally made it clear what he wants in no uncertain terms. And also how he attacked her face when she was trying to demonstrate a meaningless kiss. Hehe.
Elodie | I thought it would have been better if she had had this realization last week in the midst of reciting the things he has done for her this season, but either way it was nice for it to finally eb acknowledged, although I’m a little pissed off at the “I’m married, but I still have feelings for the rest of the cast and my husband is a permanent absentee.” If they were going to put Blair through this painful marriage storyline they could have at least used it a bit after the wedding.
Camila | Well, I don’t like it, but Blair is being honest with Chuck and Serena, so it’s better than if she was going against their back. I don’t like the couple, but the real problem about it was the way it was written so far. I still don’t like the way Blair loved Chuck a few episodes ago and now has feelings for Dan.
Michael | Finally! They’ve been doing this one-sided relationship thing without any good buildup from the other side for too many episodes now. But I agree with Elodie… but I think she realized it in the last episode, she just didn’t want to admit it. However, I don’t see why they had to retcon the idea that Dan has always loved her? It makes no sense. They could have easily used something that happened onscreen or something that made more sense. Maybe that’s just me. Unless that was a competition in college. I don’t know. Anyway, the point is I’m glad the story is finally moving forward. Disregarding the annoying, nonsensical transition from “I love [Chuck] more and more everyday if it’s even possible to love someone that much!”
Heather | Finally! I was kind annoyed that everyone seemed far more angry with Ivy than Carol, but I am still hoping that Ivy and Lola can team up to take Carol down. I really like Ivy and Kaylee, but I don’t know how they are going to continue her story. I will definitely be curious about how this will all play out as the end of the season approaches. I am still hoping for some Chivy action too.
Samantha | I’m glad It finally came out, though sad it had to happen at the expense of CeCe! Hopefully this will move the plot along. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Ivy.
Heba | FINALLY. This is one season over-due. And by the way, I like the real Charlie way more than the fake one.
Jen | I actually felt really bad for Ivy in this episode. She is kind of messed up and super crazy, but I love that the real reason she continued the whole ruse was because she wanted to be part of a family. So although it made sense that they all turned their backs on her, I couldn’t help but feel sad for her. Her taking care of Cece was sweet. I’m gonna be a little bummed if she now turns around and schemes against them with Georgina.
Elodie | Aww, I feel so sorry for Chivy, especially as Chola turned out to be such a bitch! Remember when Chivy and Serena first met? That was cute and cousin-y and nobody said anything mean, they were both excited to meet one another. Chola was kind of mean and unnecessarily so, I was really disappointed that Blair didn’t make a snarky comment after the exchange.
Camila | When Carol said that Lola was her daughter, I thought Chivy was leaving today, which made me sad. Then, in the end of the episode, she picked Georgina’s number up and I was grinning. Imagine what these two can do together! But I thought that Carol would try to cover the whole thing somehow. She was too straight. We needed more manipulation, haha.
Michael | Thank god. Maybe this will make the real Charlie Rhodes interesting. But I fear it will make Ivy boring. And seriously, why were they mad at Ivy and not Carol?
Heather | I loved their scenes. I liked how it was clear neither was trying to hut the other, but was also trying to avoid hurting themselves. It would have been really easy to make Serena the villain in this story, but, surprisingly (for Gossip Girl especially), they avoided that. I hope this wasn’t a one time deal. I want more scenes where Blair and Serena talk about their problems like adults and find mature solutions. It was refreshing.
Samantha | It was brief, and a bit touching. I hope there is more to come, though even with Serena’s permission, it will still get awkward if Blair and Dan become a ‘thing,’ and there probably won’t be many of these moments.
Heba | This reminded me of the good ol’ days. It was sweet, but then there was this fleeting moment at the end of the episode when Blair kissed Dan and Serena wanted to kill her. So I don’t think the truce is gonna last for long. Bit Serena just needs to get over herself already.
Jen | I will be so happy if there is a lot of Blair/Serena for the rest of this season. I’ve actually thought that Blair and Dan being together opens up some really great opportunities to explore that friendship. I think back to the first season with Blair’s “you take everything from me!” and how that’s turned on its head when the man Serena thinks of as the love of her life is in love with Blair. Serena even accuses Blair of doing it just to take something that’s important to her. But at the end of the day Serena is a good person and a good friend, and I loved that she put her feelings aside and told Blair she wouldn’t get in the way. It will be really interesting to see how their friendship is impacted by this as we go forward. They have always been best friends with a lot of tension and jealousy, so this is a good opportunity to bring that back into focus. Also, when she said Blair’s picture with Dan was her way of apologizing…that was cute. The show is really at its best when their friendship is at the center of it.
Elodie | Also the Claire and Sabrina moment was pretty cute, just saying and quite funny. I think that drama group was basically the writers putting themselves in the gossip girl storyline. I thought it was a nice parallel to the way that Blair, Dan and Serena are invested in their own lives and the drama group mocked them and the way *certain* (you know who you are) fans are invested in the show and the writers like to mock it. Woah, tangental to the question much? In other news, I’m happy Blair and Serena made it up and as much as I had Dair feelings before, I don’t know, this episode kind of killed them a little after seeing Serena’s puppy dog eyes when Blair kissed Dan at the hospital (we’ve been here too much this season btw). I’m totally team Blair and I enjoy that this is now the Blair Waldorf Show, but I am a little angry that Blair would do that. I know Serena gave her her blessing (kind of) but still she’s your best friend you can’t just go around stealing your best friend’s first love/ stepbrother (like Serena did with Nate/Aaron) my point is, generally it’s not the done thing. Again tangental.
Camila | Blerena, yay! The scenes in the beginning of the episode with bitchy Serena were so funny. And Dorota locking them in that room so they could work it out was hilarious. But now to the real answer: I thought it was nice of the writers to make the “best friends” share scenes this season. No, but really, they finally worked their problems out and it was great. Blair trying to deny her feelings so that her friendship with Serena didn’t die was really sweet. And Serena saying that she wouldn’t be an obstacle in her friends’ relationship (sigh) was also sweet. I hope they continue to talk about their problems and relationships like best friends would do and how they did in the past.
Michael | I love a good “It’s okay if you steal my man… who cares if my grandma is freakin’ dying!” scene. But I’m weird that way.
Heather | I am so over this. Either make Chuck a fun, mustache-twirling villian, or make him yoda. I am tired of being told that he is “redeemed,” but being shown something completely different. I feel the writers backed themselves into a corner with Chuck, and now they are trying to have their cake and eat it too. It’s not working for me though. In a season with stranger and dodgy characterization, I think his has been the one that been the most confusing. Safran and Co.: PICK A CHARACTERIZATION AND STICK WITH IT!
Samantha | SCHEMING CHUCK = LOVE. I would love for him to revert to full season one and just start scheming against everyone but Nate (including Blair). That would be ideal, and perhaps it would bring back the bitch in Blair.
Heba | I don’t blame Chuck, honestly. That’s all I’m saying about this.
Jen | I LOVED Chuck scheming against Dan. It was so the Chuck way to react to being hurt. Dan’s observation that he is clearly threatened was spot on. I thought it was pretty despicable of Chuck to use Alessandra like that, but then in the end he tried to make things right and be a good person at Blair’s encouragement. It showed that he still has to fight his dark side but he IS trying. Much more believable than his insta redemption of earlier in the season and much more interesting in my opinion. All the same, I kinda want him to get in trouble for doing that to Alessandra. Disregarding her as a human being and manipulating her as a revenge tool is just as bad as trying to sabotage Dan’s career in my book, and it would be nice of the show to acknowledge on some level that that behavior is wrong. Ah, wishful thinking. 🙂 For the record, I love Chuck as a character and I love watching him battle his demons, so that made me happy. Oh, I agree completely that it would be awesome for Chuck to go into super scheming mode and bring out the bitch in Blair. But then I think they should at least acknowledge that he’s trying to be a better guy. I don’t know /torn.
Elodie | I think this has the potential to be the most successful scheme on Gossip Girl, topping even the Juliet take down and Carol’s Chivy/Chola scheme.
Camila | I loved it. It’s not because I’m a Chuckstan (I mean, I am but it’s not because of that), but because the scheming days were the best! Didn’t you love when everyone schemed against everyone but they were all still friends? Sure, they spent some time without talking, but it was the spark of the show. Gossip Girl needs its scheming. And Chuck was one of the biggest schemers so it’s fair that, hurt the way he was, he schemed a little bit. BUT I was also glad when Blair called him and made him do the right thing because it prooves that Chuck is a good person (not that I need proof but anyway). By the way, his scenes with Alessandra were hilarious.
Michael | I don’t think this did service to any of the characters — even Alessandra! Why would Chuck not think maybe Dan kissed Blair and Georgina snapped a quick picture but nothing else happened? And if something did happen, why try to ruin Dan instead of Blair who seemingly toyed him around? Anyone? Bueller? Whatever, at least it was fun and someone had sex. A plus!
Heather | Why didn’t she do that before? In a show built upon contrivances, this one really stands out as a bad one for me. How perfectly timed Georgina was with her email. Good try writers, but you can’t take me out of my happy-bubble with this mess of a plot line.
Samantha | GOOD. We need to move this plot along. And if Chuck doesn’t do something about that stupid video I will shoot someone.
Heba | I hate the fact that Dan sent the video. I hate it so much. When the secret’s out, he’s gonna be the bad guy and everything between him and Blair will be ruined. I’m loving all those sweet moments between them, and you know it’s gonna end because of the video.
Jen | Georgina picked the right time to send Chuck the video. I can’t wait to see how he’ll react to that and I’m super nervous about how Blair is going to react. Given that he said that until this episode he didn’t even believe he had a chance with Blair, and he told Blair he wanted to be more than friends under the assumption that she DIDN’T feel the same way, it’s pretty clear that he was trying to save her from a loveless marriage and he didn’t do it for his own ends. He probably assumed it would ruin the wedding and she’d go be happy with Chuck. So I don’t think it’s the absolute worst thing! But the show obviously does or it wouldn’t be such a big damn deal lol. And don’t ask me why he let her believe it was Chuck’s doing, I guess he just didn’t want Blair to be mad at him. Bad Dan.
Elodie | My Chair shipping heart got excited, but then worried. In my head Chuck would show Blair and they’d live happily ever after (as soon as Blair gets divorced), but the reality is probably that Blair won’t believe him or that he will do something stupid with the information. Like blackmail Dan, that would be a good idea!
Camila | Yes, Georgina, yes! Finally you’ve done something right! Now, after doing the right thing, he will be back to his scheming self. Again! Chuck’s made a lot of mistkaes and they always got back at him. Dan made one mistake and he was going to get away with it. That didn’t sound ok for me. Now Chuck can scheme with Georgie and people will see what Dan did. As much as I don’t want everyone to hate on Dan, he sent that video out of his free will and now come the consequences: An angry Chuck Bass and a Crazy Georgina.
Michael | This plot makes no sense. And I agree with you, Heather: why did she take so long! I don’t understand why the writers are basically making every character out of character in order for stuff to be shocking. As long as the secret actually comes out next week, because I’m ready for the real Gossip Girl to be back. Georgina sucks at it.
Heather | This wasn’t my favorite episode of the season, but I think it’s clear Amy Harris is a very talented writer. I thought the pacing of this episode was better than others, but at times it felt over-stuffed. I think there were too many separate story threads being used, and things weren’t tied together as nicely as I would have liked, but I think that is more symptomatic of the poor pacing of the over all season. We stayed, spinning our tires in place for about six episodes, and when they finally took their foot off the break, the story jumped ahead at dragster speeds. I also find it interesting that my favorite episodes/scenes this season have been written by newcomers, especially when it comes to the nature of the Serena/Blair relationship. I would like to see the veteran writers taking some of this fresh perspective into their stories, and remember: best friends don’t just share toilet paper, they share feelings and secrets.
Samantha | I want to know where Blair’s French babysitter is? I mean, they aren’t just going to let Blair run around kissing Dan now right? That would be a bit ridiculous. The nanny wasn’t just there to guard against Chuck.
Heba | So THAT’s what happened to the real Charlie Rhodes? I wanted something bigger! They made me expect something bigger.
Jen | The last couple of weeks have been really great for me, and not just because Dan and Blair are cute (not that it hurts). I just loved the high school theme, Blair scheming to get Serena and Dan together last week and Chuck scheming against Dan this week. I guess I like some classic schemes. Just…Blair needs a non-love interest SL. Loving Dan being really excited about his next book. Also, Blair has been looking gorgeous.
Elodie | Most of my thoughts on this episode were summed up in my Serena/Blair tangent. I think there needs to be a realization on the behalf of Serena that DAN IS HER STEPBROTHER and she no longer loves him, only as a brother and that she doesn’t care if he and Blair get together, because as long as she cares I feel a little uncomfortable. Then I will be happy with Dair (not to say that their kiss this evening… oh my god, I think I orgasmed, how cute are they?!!!!! When she just pecks him and then he just pulls her straight back in, n’aww!)
Camila | Did anyone noticed Chuck’s motorcycle at the end? Well, if not you’re blind. Kidding. But seriously, that can’t be a coincidence. I wonder what that means… That bruise he had was gone too fast, wasn’t it? Also, could Serena be more mean? Poor Chivy! Also, where is Blair’s creepy nanny?
Michael | So, I feel like a total asshole for not including CeCe’s death as a major question. But I will say that I feel as though CeCe’s will and testament has something in it that will move this story forward, so the writers needed to kill her off.
Heather | I think to be fair, I need to give this two separate grades.Dair-Shipping Heather gives this an A. I loved the nervousness and uncertainty in their scenes. I loved that things were finally out on the table, and that we over, at least, the first round of Blair-nial. I loved Dan knowing how to handle her flavor of crazy, when to be upfront with how he was feeling, and seeing when he needed to back off and let her figure things out on her own. I loved seeing Blair basically acting like a twenty-one year old girl with a crush. Their scenes in the hospital hurt my heart in all the absolutely best ways. Casual Viewer Heather gives this a B+. The dialogue was pretty strong, and like I said earlier, I think Amy Harris does a pretty great job of capturing the spirit of Blair and Serena and Blair & Serena. The directing was pretty generic, but the relatively steady pacing kept the episode feeling pretty light and fun. Gossip Girl is at it’s best when it center’s around the main characters and their struggles with themselves and their places in the world, and I think, for the most part, this episode delivered on that front.
Samantha | I’d say C. Everything that happened was VERY expected. We knew Blair and Dan were going to have more moments, we knew CeCe was going to die, we knew something was going to be come out about Lola/Chivy. I literally looked at my clock at least 3 times to see if the episode was almost over.
Heba | B, only because of the Dair scenes.
Jen | I’m going to give this episode…an A-. Why not? No major complaints. I was yelling at Chuck(/my TV like a crazy person) and my heart was warmed by Dair and Blerena scenes. I was actually really into the episode and not facepalming. I love Ivy back on my TV screen and I’m glad we can just call her Ivy now. Cece’s death at the end felt a little rushed. I will say that I don’t yet giveashit about the real Charlie Rhodes. And by extension…Nate. Come on, Nate…go back to taking down Gossip Girl or something? That seemed so promising. But I mean…for an episode of Gossip Girl this season, I call this success. Things are actually moving forward.
Elodie | A well deserved 8 – too much Lily to rank it any higher. Oh actually maybe 8.5 – the 0.5 being for the Rufus and jacket scene rofl rofl rofl.
Camila | A-. It was a good episode, but everything that happened in it was a little too expected. That’s the only complain I have. In my opinion, the show was way better this week than last week’s episode and I hope they continue that way.
Michael | Solid B, to be honest you guys. Everything finally started moving. And everyone knows that I’ve been bored with the non-stories they’ve been having. (My thoughts on this episode are lessened because this was already too long.)
ABC's detective hit Moonlighting was one of the best TV show's of all time —…
Previously Published on Fan Fest News... For six seasons on The 100, actress Marie Avgeropoulos…
Previously Published on Fan Fest News... It seems The 100 fans have gotten their own…
I was browsing Reddit after the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve (or what…
It's a little late, but I wanted to share a few shows I liked this…
Mark Hildreth is a jack of all trades, with an undeniable passion for entertaining. Viewers…
View Comments
I don't think the essay thing is about Dan always loving her is even a little bit what they were trying to say. They were just pointing out that has always seen Blair as more than a person who he could sympathize with b/c behind the rough exterior she just wants her mom to love and be proud of her. He has always managed to see the softer side of Blair, and it was to shed some light on the fact that the foundation for him to be the person to accept all of her was always there they just had to get their chance which they did in S4. Blair never really saw him as a person, even if he didn't like her he always did.
I am a Dair fan and I never thought they were trying to say he always loved her or whatever, just that he maybe always had a better handle on who she is and what goes on behind her head than anyone else has. I mean from 1.04 (finding out how inadequate she feels in regard to her mother and Serena), 2.08 (that she loves Chuck but is scared to tell him b/c then he can hurt her), 3.18 (that she feels like a horrible person and is ashamed of herself), and the S4 arc (pretty much everything with Chuck and her internship), he has always been the one to have moments where she would let her guard down and say what she was feeling.
To me Dair is not about someone finding Blair perfect or whatever, its about someone seeing she is NOT perfect and loving her anyways, accepting all sides of her from bitchy schemey Blair to supportive friend Blair to crying watching French movies Blair and of course LOONEY TOONS Blair which was on full display this episode. LOL
I would disagree mostly with that last part if it weren't for when Dan said "How could it be awful if it came from you?" or something in this episode.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say in the roundtable is that it makes no sense that the realization is that Dan loves Blair for her — and presumably always did. And, in fact, it doesn't degrade their story one bit if they just said what it was: they didn't understand each other but grew to love each other once they met their real selves. That's a perfectly nice, romantic story. It doesn't have to be as if Dan has ALWAYS loved her — or even that he ever regarded her "as a person." I just, I don't know, I think they could have made Blair's realization different… because this episode was about her figuring out she had feelings for him, not figuring out that Dan loves her for who she is. And if so, I think they could have used something that wasn't an essay competition (that we have no idea about).
That's what I meant to say, if it makes any sense.
I just think you are missing the point, it has nothing to do with "love" All the feelings were just developed last season. He loves her for her NOW because he has had 5 years of seeing her at her worst and her best, and like he said in 3.18 he never thought she was terrible, just not his type, which is not the case now. He always sympathized with her as a person who he felt acted the way she did for a reason.
I think they threw it in because they wanted to say that maybe the path was that he would always be the one to know her better than everyone else because he actually listens to her and picked out what her issues were before a lot of her current friends did. A lot of romantic stories have had this done, Pacey and Joey had her moms bracelet, Seth and Summer had their squirrel story, and Ross and Rachel had the prom thing. Was it necessary? No, but its a common story telling device.
As for the "it couldnt be awful, it's you", are you saying that you think he is trying to make her perfect in his head or is romanticizing her? I would say that is not likely considering she was annoying him the whole episode. He just wants her to know that all those things about her, her warped logic etc are yes annoying things but they are never awful b/c they are a part of her who he loves. I would hope whoever loves me accepts all the annoying less appealing sides of my personality. Blair's feelings for Dan were always going to be realized by seeing that Dan loves her for her, like she said in S4 Louis loved the light side, Chuck loved the dark side, she wanted someone who loved it all even the less appealing qualities she has. What she was looking for was always right in front of her, while she was going back and forth between Chuck and Louis, Dan was the one holding her hand all through it.
Unfortunately, I never watched Dawson's Creek or The OC, but at least with Friends… Ross WAS always in love with Rachel but more so, Ross had done something wrong (making a Pro and Cons list) and therefore the writers needed something to validate Rachel's feelings again. In this case, Dan has not done anything wrong (well not that she knows of yet…). Blair didn't need to realize that he loves her for her to admit her feelings for him, she didn't need her feelings validated because she knew that Dan loved her, she only needed to realize she had feelings for him. And having her realize he loves her for her NOW (or whatever the case may be) has no connection with that, is what I'm saying. Even so, it's kind of annoying that she would only like him (or rather admit to it) if he loves her.
What the writers should have done is make Blair realize that Claire was so obviously oppressing feelings for Dylan and then realize how she's doing it in real life because that's more organic. Anyway, those are just my thoughts.
I agree, but the problem is GG is plot & theme driven and they introduced this light/dark crap last season so I feel like this is Blair's arc to find the guy who loves the light AND dark so she can be herself. Its stupid and I can't believe I actually have to use things like light/dark to describe a teen drama relationship, but it is what it is. I think fundamentally what you wanted did occur but they had to fit it into the "Who loves Blair for her?" arc box. It also fits with the "Blair turns men dark" stuff, they emphasized her treating Dan kind of crappy but he has not went "dark" because of it. LOL so ridiculous, but I try to operate on their logic, and since the contrast was that Louis and Chuck both have turned dark on her, she needed to see a guy who wouldn't regardless of how they were treated.
I think based on the fact she was heavy on the you can stomp feelings out, they want us to assume she was feeling something for him since S4, but suppressed it. She told him to go to his princess Serena after their kiss in S4 as well like she did this season with trying to hook them up. She stayed in bed for a week after they kissed and avoided him, and her life changing revelation was that she LOVED CHUCK, lol no, she stomped those feelings right out of her system and chose who she thought she would end up with anyways and wouldn't bring up the Serena obstacle. Dan also played his role last time and told her the kiss meant nothing to him, this time he wouldn't lie to her like she wanted, he was honest and laid it on the table so she couldn't live in denial land anymore.
GG is just so clunky with dialogue and subtext that everyone sees things differently, I think they do it intentionally so shippers can fanwank how they want tbh. lol
getting in the middle of this (lol sorry), I don't think Blair liked Dan since their kiss. I mean, she liked him, yes, or she would have turned him down and said the kiss idea was stupid or something but, imo, she did realize who she wanted to be (at least at the time) with.
then, maybe when Dan became Blair's new bff, she began to have feelings for him that she didn't realize she had (neither did I lol) since she was acting normally around Dan and all of that. and, inspite what my opinion on last week's roundtable, she realized it then and accepted it now. that's just how I think it happened, I guess it makes more sense.
and imo Chuck loved her for who she was, light and dark parts, but I understand what you said about Blair turning men dark and the need to find someone who could stay in the light. I don't know what to think about this storyline lol.
and GG writers are mean, I think they do it on purpose too. they are somewhat responsable for the ship wars! xD
Oh goodness. That's so sad if it's true xD
About Light/Darkness… oy vey. The only problem is if they want Dan to be the only one that's light thanks to Blair, then why make him send in the Gossip Girl blast!? Anyway, I agree light/dark is lame xD
I agree about the suppressed feelings thing; I think they actually have been doing that well enough since their first kiss, actually.
Also, thank you for being the most awesome, civilized person I've had a debate with in the comments.
Awww thanks, I really love the site and enjoy the attempt to make everything civilized! I think what I hate most about this fandom is no one can have a honest debate, b/c no one will speak of what is onscreen in a honest way if it means their ship is looking bad. I will be the first to point out if Dan does something shitty or vice versa, but that is just me. I used to love Chair but I can't like a couple for the sake of liking a couple if they don't appeal to me, and the stuff they did with Chair is just....not good. lol
I am way to invested in this crappy for the most part show, but Dair kind of sucked me in (and I love Leighton Meester) so I try to make sense of it. They actually have really great ideas they just execute them horribly to fit plots and themes. Basically speaking I feel like Dan is meant to be her "center", he was referred to that in 4.17 right before their kiss, he can be ~light~ with her but he can also accept the ~dark~ which makes him the ~center~. whatever!
I have my own theory on the video but we will see if it pans out, I don't think he sent it tho. I have a bunch of reasons why I think this but I have typed enough tonight probably. lol
That's fine by me if you'd like to share your theories.
I actually think that "happiness" is more of the central theme this season and that light/darkness was something that was just said in passing. IDK, I think they've been trying to bring up happiness WAY too many times for it not to be important… and if they don't make it a THING by season's end, then I will sort of be disappointed.
Oh I think happiness is totally a theme, has been for Blair since S3, hell all series long. The light and dark stuff is an extension of that, b/c if she finds the guy who accepts all of her that will make her happy. I would love it so much more if loving herself and being confident is what truly made her happy, but GG is nothing without their relationships so I think they will use Dan to kind of accomplish all those things within Dair, i.e he will bring out the best in her where Chuck kind of brought out the worst on top of exacerbating all of her masochistic tendencies. Chair was such a huge part of her unhappiness, and it made me kind of like baffled when I was a Chair fan, they started tying her weakness to Chuck specifically, and I couldn't ignore it considering that is ALL they wanted to focus on with them, I mean does anyone remember the last time Chair had a light moment or a loving moment that wasn't immersed in their epic love dialogue. I mean considering most of us think Chair is an endgame couple why they would say he doesn't make her happy (or trade her for a hotel but that is a different discussion) and Dan does is like wtf to me but that seems to be what they are doing. Dan's main focus this season has been to try to make sure she is happy regardless of his feelings. Blair has kind of never had someone who is there for her, she is usually the savior and Chuck was usually the damsel in distress so I enjoyed seeing this dynamic I just wish it wasn't so overwhelmingly depressing with how kind of weak, lost and...pathetic she was.
Anyways, I could talk about all this shyt forever so I should stop!!
My theory basically is that Eleanor is the one who actually sent the video, and this is more of a reason the essay plot point was thrown in as a way to bring the callback to 1.04 when Blair told Dan about her insecurities with Serena and her mother, but also to reiterate that Eleanor hasn't always been the greatest mother and has some guilt about her contribution to Blairs unhappiness. I think the she might have thought the video would give Blair an out to be with Chuck who she assumed Blair wanted to be with, and it kind of blew up in her face. She had already bought Chuck to try to stop the wedding so I just have this feeling she did it. I also thought the scene at the end of 5.14 with Dan and Eleanor watching Blair leave with Louis was a little tip off. I don't know how Dan fits in, but this is what I have thought for awhile so we will see. I am probably dead wrong, but the way they have been portraying Dan just seems to weird if he sent the video.
I understand your point. The natural realization would haven been: "I love Dan." But the writers let her just realize feelings she needs to explore.
But it´s in character with Blair Waldorf. Blair never wants to be hurt and never opens herself fully to strangers. She has serious trust issues and tries not to get hurt. It´s logical for her to first realize the other persons for her before allowing herself to see her own subconscious feelings. She´s the queen of denial.
I didn´t like the writers taking an essay scene that happened off-screen to show it. When did it happen? Were feelings involved back then? Did Dan just use something he knew about her from S and changed history? It made no sense for the viewer.
Besides that I really loved Dair, and the whole episode, although Ifound the episode a bit rushed.
Looking back it the writers threw away big potential by making the Louis story line so damn long (& stupid with fake pregnancy, dowry, etc, and not giving him or Blair a POV for so long) and putting Chuck back in the game so early (they really need some time apart, and he needs something to do just for himself).
They often take to much time for silly stories and run out of time and have to rush the interesting ones.
How did you make me make sense in like one sentence? Craziness. And I agree, if I think about it more that way then maybe I wouldn't have been so irked by it. I think the worst is the retcon, for all the questions you listed in your comment.
Agreed about Louis story being TOO damn long.
Agreed. I wish Blair had had an epiphany about HER feelings rather than Dan's. Sigh! Well, if it was perfect writing we wouldn't be able to criticize it so I guess...
Agree with dwragon's points too...GG usually has so many SL's lying about that in chasing one or the other, a SL we're really invested in seems hastily done...
There's absolutely nothing wrong in Dan telling Blair "How could it be awful if it came from you?" Ever heard of lovers and their sweet nothings? It doesn't literally mean that Dan has never or will never find anything awful about Blair. God knows he's had to keep his love bottled up so long - he finally gets to say something to her - of course he will gush!
And we've seen enough of Dair's scintillating repartee in the past to know that Dan is well aware of Blair's foibles and can give her well deserved even scathing criticism. And Blair too does not stop from calling out Dan when he's being particularly sanctimonius. Dair seems like a very compatible couple.
As for the bit about Dan having ALWAYS been in love with Blair - I could copy and paste what Star says so well about that - but then that would be plagiarizing! ;)
LMAO I just have a problem with the cheesiness sometimes on Gossip Girl. Don't get me started on the epic love cries in every Chair scene this season. XD
:) to each his/her own I guess...sometimes a lil cheesiness is quite enjoyable! And haven't seen that between Dan and Blair so was digging it...Sigh! My romanticism will be the death of me!
On an aside, I really enjoyed reading the comments here - even the ones I disagree with...very civil...assertive and respectful. Found out this site existed only today, but am gonna be a regular visitor. That screen caps bit is truly hilarious. Kudos to you! :)
:) to each his/her own I guess...sometimes a lil cheesiness is quite enjoyable! And haven't seen that between Dan and Blair so was digging it...Sigh! My romanticism will be the death of me!
On an aside, I really enjoyed reading the comments here - even the ones I disagree with...very civil...assertive and respectful. Found out this site existed only today, but am gonna be a regular visitor. That screen caps bit is truly hilarious. Kudos to you! :)
One last comment on the civil language bit - I realize that I also need to keep my language more temperate and my temper more in check...
What is a motocicle?
A typo.
did I spell it wrong? :P if so, sorry, English is not my first language. I meant motorcycle.
Dan has not always loved Blair for her. Like someone else said, there are clear examples from the first couple of seasons (before Safran, what a coincidence!) that PROVE that is a lie. The writers are trying to erase the first couple of seasons of GG.
Serena "forgiving" Blair was too easy. Another fail on the writers part. Their "friendship" is so poorly writer, and won't bring them closer.
Chuck scheming against Dan is believable. Chuck can be redeemed and still have that part of him come out. Redemption takes times. Don't act like people are 100% this way or 100% that way. If Chuck hadn't of learned anything, he wouldn't have sent Dan's REAL proposal. Get over it.
The timing of Georgina sending Chuck the video isn't believable to dair fan, yet everything else is? I don't get it. It happened at the end of the episode, don't you think they might explain it next week, before you call it a mess of a plotline? Also, Dan sent in the video for purely selfish reasons. He blamed Chuck for something he KNEW he didn't do, and knew Blair would be mad at Chuck. If Safran has any say, if and when Blair finds out Dan sent in the video, she WON'T be mad at him, cause that would mess with his version of GG.
This episode was bad. My opinion.
Star in the comments above explains this better in perhaps a way we're under-thinking. But mostly, the retcon is awful.
I think Serena was able to forgive Blair so easily because it wasn't about Blair taking Dan away from her; I think she just wanted to know that Blair wasn't just using Dan to take something away from her. Hopefully, that makes a little bit of sense.
The only reason I don't think him scheming against Dan did him any favors is because I feel like everyone is living in a Blair Is Awesome bubble. Chuck should be mad at Blair, more so when she calls him and tells him that her feelings are changed and scheming is only going to throw her into Dan's arms. I want the characters to realize this, but whatever.
And the timing of Georgina's blast was sooo lame. She should have done it last episode… ugh, whatever. Previous seasons of Gossip Girl would know how to set up twists better in which they make sense.
Agreeing a million times over on the retcon. In order to make this romance even remotely plausible, the writers have had to retroactively change the history of the show and completely transform Blair and Dan's personalities. They used to be defined characters (and I really liked both of them); now, they're pretty much interchangeable with any other watered-down romance playing out on network television.
This is what happens when writers subordinate character to plot.
Also, I agree about Chuck. He SHOULD be mad. Blair told him she loved him and wanted to be with him forever and forever, then left him without a word of explanation, married another guy right in front of him, then ran off with Dan, and told him that they couldn't be together for a year because of her flipping dowry (?). And now she wants him to sit and twiddle his thumbs while she explores a relationship with Dan Humphrey? And warns him that if he tries to do anything about it, she'll just get closer to Dan?
This crap would try the patience of a saint. Much less Chuck Bass, however "reformed" he's supposed to be.
Are you serious? Remotely plausible? Dan and Blair are the most realistic thing Gossip Girl has going for them. Their personalities haven't changed, they've matured, thank god. Blair used to be the most shallow, petty, manipulative, unhappy character on the show, stuck in an abusive relationship that should never have made it onscreen. Blair is finally discovering herself on her own - Dan is just holding her hand as she does it. If she wants an equal, she's found it in him. I don't blame her for not wanting Chuck to "buy" her love after that shit he pulled with the hotel. He should have been sickened by the thought of anyone other than him being with her, and all his jealousy this season is too little, too late. He has no claim over her, and he shouldn't act like he does. I'm sick of Chuck stans defending his every action. He has not changed one bit. He is possessive, temperamental, he uses people for his own benefit and doesn't care about the consequences. Redeemed, my ass.
please, share your thought as much as you want, but be respectfull. whichever your opinion is, you can be polite, you know. but now I'll speak my mind as well.enough with the abusive relationship argument. we know it's not true. Chuck's sold her for a hotel and it was not ok, it was awful and wrong. we all know that. including Chuck, who is sorry about it.if when you say buy her love you mean wanting to pay her dowry so she could be free of an unhappy marriage even if he has to use all of his money to do it I don't know how this could be abusive. he only wanted Blair to be free, to be happy, however that's achieved, like he's said plenty of times. he didn't claim over her even once, he's just fighting for the woman he loves that up until last ep kept saying that she loved him too and now is pretty much messing with his head and heart.
he has made lots of mistakes but he has changed and he is redeemed. if you can't see it, ok. if you want to say what you think, ok. but, please, like I've said before, there's no need to be rude. we had a discussion here and it was so great. everyone spoke their minds and were nice to each other. if you didn't speak like this, we could've had another nice discussion. try not to be rude next time, ok? ;)
PS: I'm not trying to offend you or your ship at all. xD
Well, let's just compare: Dan wants Blair to be happy, even if it's not with him. He repeatedly helps her out with Chuck and Louis, even though he loves her. Chuck, on the other hand, tries to destroy Dan's entire career when he doesn't even know if Blair feels anything for him. He only wants her when he can't have her. He promised to let her go, and every single time she finds happiness, he crushes it. I mean, come on. Even Ed Westwick hates his character and admitted that Dan loves her more than Chuck does.
? Do you even watch the show when Chuck is onscreen? Dan has done far more to manipulate Blair this season than Chuck.
Chuck told Blair to go be with Louis last season, because he thought that being with Louis would make her happy. Afterwards he did not try to interfere with or sabotage her engagement in any way.Dan agreed to run away with Blair in the first episode of the season because she was having doubts about Louis....even though he knew that Louis was at that very moment trying to help him, on HIS request. Afterwards, Blair was like, what the hell is wrong with you? (Remember that?)Dan wrote a fanfiction...sorry, NOVEL...in which he and Blair's character had sex,which ended up causing a major fight between her and Louis.During the same episode, Chuck told Louis not to take "someone else's fiction [Dan's] instead of your fact," thereby encouraging him to remain with Blair.
Chuck kissed Blair to prove that he "hadn't changed" on Dorota's request, so that Blair would feel more confident about Louis and stop harassing the newly reformed Chuck Bass. (This was the stupidest plot ever, yes, but give him points for good intentions.)
When Blair pushed Chuck to tell her if he still wanted be with her, even if she were pregnant with Louis's child, Chuck told her that it was her decision, because he thought it would be selfish of him to tell her to break up her family.Then Dan realized that Blair wanted to be with Chuck, and he actually did try to bring them together. Good job, Dan! Except after Blair came up with the insane idea that God would kill Chuck unless she stayed away from her, Dan didn't even try to talk any sense into her. Instead, he enabled her insanity for several weeks, during which time Chuck was agonizing over the fact that Blair had promised to love him forever and ever and then abandoned him in the hospital without a word of explanation.And then, of course, Dan released the video to Gossip Girl of Blair declaring her eternal love to Chuck on her wedding day, trying to 1) sabotage her wedding to Louis and 2) blame the sabotage on Chuck, thereby knocking out both of his competitors for her love in one fell swoop. Then he walked around for the rest of the episode, saying "Wow, wasn't Chuck a jerk for releasing that video? I just can't believe it!"So, please, stop acting like Dan is a saint. He's not.
1) Chuck has done nothing but support Blair in every single decision she's made since last season's finale. I realize that some people decided a long time ago that they were going to hate Chuck forever and ever, but saying that he hasn't changed at all is freaking ridiculous.
2) The contradictory nature of Blair's character is the reason why so many of us fell in love with her during the first seasons of Gossip Girl. She was shallow, yes, but she also had deep and abiding attachments to her best friends and family. She was manipulative, but she also had a sense of right and wrong. She was petty, but she always knew when she'd overstepped her bounds and sought to make reparations for what she'd done. She put up a front of invulnerability, but she ached to be loved as just as she was. She was relentlessly ambitious, but deeply insecure. She was a stonecold bitch, but she had the tenderest of hearts.
I really loved that Blair, for all her imperfections. She was endearing and frustrating and hilarious all at once. And she was really, really fun to watch onscreen.
Nowadays, you could sub any Disney princess into Blair's role on the show, and no one would notice any difference. They've flattened out everything that was interesting about her character in order to make her palatable to Dan, who absolutely detested her for 4.5 seasons. He only started developing feelings for her when he saw her getting all weepy over Chuck...and then having doubts about Louis...and then getting weepy over Chuck again...and then getting weepy over Louis when he turned his back on her.
Being weepy and weak has been Blair's defining character trait for the past season. She has done nothing other than cry about some other guy on Dan's shoulder during their entire plot arc. And he's eaten it up. HE'S the one who likes her when she's weak. Not Chuck, who let her go while telling her that she was the one with agency, that she was the one who was powerful.
3) If Blair is "finally discovering herself"...and that self is a person who would promise to spend the rest of her life with one person (Chuck), only to marry another man (Louis) a few weeks later, and then start developing feelings for her best friend's ex-boyfriend (Dan) whom she's treated with nothing but contempt for the past 5 seasons...then I can't say this "self" of hers is one that I understand or empathize with in the slightest. That is not "realistic" behavior in the slightest.Finally, to close--this is my personal opinion of the show and my beliefs about the ways in which it's gone off the rails. If there's one thing that reading about Gossip Girl online has taught me, it's that I am not watching the same show as some of the other people commenting on this board, so feel free to carry on enjoying what you see as its successes and I see as its unmitigated failures. But please, for the love of God, don't get all high and mighty and pretend that you have some totally flawless, objective view of the show, and that people who see things differently than you are "crazy Chuck stans." You're watching it through shipper-tinted glasses too.
Despite very VERY different perceptions of the relationship Dan and Blair have had over the course of the show, I loved your description of Blair. :) She has always been my favorite. I like that she has matured some, especially last season. This season has assassinated her character, no doubt.
Just wanted to say something about the "Dan always had feelings for Blair" (or Dylan for Claire to be exat), it's just the novel, you know? Fiction. Blair knows that Dan hated her at some point, Dan knows Blair hated him too, so there's not a problem there at all. But yes, I love the way they learn to love each other, respect each other, became friends, and now, maybe something more for the look of things. I'm loving Dair, it's being so well written (most of the time), and it's rare for GG to have such a good story, with heavy background and build up. I think is awesome.
I agree, which is another reason I didn't like that realization that Blair supposedly had. We have no context for this essay competition and I want them to explain it but I'm guessing they're not going to. Whatever I'm going to wait until Monday to make anymore assumptions.
I love Dair-Shipping Heather. I know that probably sounds creepy. But I'm not one. A creep that is. I just happen to be ass backwards crushing on Dair and to have someone on the interwebs say the same, without any apology, made me feel a fondness towards Heather!
I was reading the bit from another writer on here about quitting the show etc. and that riled me up enough to type out a lengthy comment. Lately there seem to be many "fans" going ballistic about how rotten GG has ALWAYS been and how they will NOW stop watching it! Sure, I guess all the previous writing i.e. writing BD (Before Dair) was just sublime and on par with War and Peace! Then Dair happens and BAM, suddenly the writing becomes all kinds of crap! Oops no, according to them, being Chair shippers, and hating Dair has nothing to do with their new found hatred for the show. Grrr... So am glad I caught this write-up and some unabashed Dair luvvin' :)
It's been terrible for a long time; it's just that Chuck + Blair made it tolerable for us. I actually didn't like the finale of last season at all, despite the Chuck and Blair hook-up. (It didn't make any sense to me.) I haven't found the show to be satisfying since the Juliet plot ended in S4.
Enjoy your ship while it lasts! I mean that sincerely; the writers have been stringing Dair fans along for ages, just like they've been doing to us. But you'll likely feel the same way about the show being crappy once it's over, and with the heavyhanded way they've dealt with Dan sending that video to Gossip Girl (emphasizing it at the end of every single episode), there's likely to be trouble in paradise soon.
I just wanted to chime in and express my confusion regarding the interpretation of this episode. I totally disagree with those of you who think the writers are trying to retcon Dan having had feelings for Blair all along. That is clearly not what this episode implied. Dan going to that essay contest shows that he is and always has been a good guy and that he never quite hated Blair like he would have liked everyone to believe... that's about it. Clearly, Dan and Blair's relationship has changed over time, which is what makes it the best, most realistic thing GG has going right now. But Dan has not loved Blair since S1. In fact, a tweet from the GG writers:
Gossip Girl Writers
@GGWriters
@hannahjulielove Ugh, we can't keep saying this: D wasn't there cause he LIKED B. He was there because he is a good person and felt for her.
I hope that sets it straight for everyone.
Further clarification:
Star @underthestars88
@ggwriters
I got where yall were coming from with that moment, it wasn't to say he ALWAYS
loved her, just maybe understood & saw a diff side
Gossip
Girl Writers @GGWriters
@underthestars88
Exactly.
So Twitter is now the basis for the story the writers wanted to tell, but couldn´t because of the writer´s strike back in S1...
They killed Blair and Dan selling sausages together for a school event & Dan visiting Blair´s essay contest, just because he´s good at heart and felt sorry for Blair not having anyone there.
Damn, I would have loved to see this before some other storylines back than in S1, and before most of the storylines in S2.
But using it now out of context, out of screentime isn´t nice for the viewers. We deserve this scenes, as well as the first Dan & Blair kiss in 4x17. They set up interesting meetings at an episode end, only to start at a different point in the next episode. Or they decide to shorten or not show stories on screen, but don´t get them out of their head. So they are canon without the audience knowing about it. It seems the writersare mainly writing for themselves instead of for the viewers. (And by that I don´t mean any influence of the viewers in the plot, but showing the viewers all story parts that they need to know.)
In fairness, pre-tweet clarification that was the impression I had from the episode. I was confused to read complaints that they were saying he's always loved her because I never got that impression. People just perceive things differently.
I may need a rewatch. I didn't get the vibe that Dan has always loved her and I didn't really catch that the essay contest thing was something that never happened on the show...I didn't remember it so I just kind of assumed it happened. That is pretty lame. I liked the "Dan loves me for me" line because I feel like that's true. Dan seems to really get her and has seen all sides to her. That is something I like about them. But obviously I don't think he's always loved her and if that's what they're trying to sell they're missing what is actually awesome about them.
Sorry my responses were so freakin long guys. :P
No need to rewatch, as that's not what they were trying to sell. You got the point the first time around.
As for the writing, well, no one ever tried to claim that this show is top notch in that sense. I'll give them a pass on this one since it was a storyline sacrificed in the mess of the writers' strike. But the point is, the story is obviously not pointing to Dan always having been in love with Blair. A huge part of their charm comes from the fact that they've always been bickering frenemies, and watching their opinions of one another change as they actually get to know each other is what's so fun a out Dair.
Not the best episode of the series, but I think it's one of the best in this season. Probably because things actually happened and the plot actually moved somewhere!
Although like Heba, I'm wondering if THAT'S really what happened with the real Charlie Rhodes. Actually, did anything happen at all to the real Charlie Rhodes? I just get the feeling that the writers previously put that in as a shocker... and then forgot about it when Lola showed up. Maybe there's more to the story that'll be revealed later on.
The only other thing that got me scratching my head is when Dan said to Chuck that Chuck's attempt at sabotaging proves to Dan that he has a chance with Blair. But Chuck tried to sabotage/embarrass Dan during the Modern Royalty photo shoot, too, and Dan had no shot with Blair back then. That conversation didn't make sense to me. I like Chair, but I'm glad Blair is finally admitting to herself that she has feelings for someone else. Although like Camila, I didn't like how she just professed her undying love for Chuck a few episodes back, and now she has feelings for someone else. She really needs to stop jumping from guy to guy to guy.
I'm glad Chuck is back to his old conniving self; he's much more fun that way. Although I really don't think he'd stop and play nice just because Blair calls him and tells him to, even if logically he realizes it would push Blair and Dan together. The old Chuck would've schemed his way out of that as well.
Q1: To Samantha:
-- Blair has only pointed out the inaccuracies of them sleeping together, it would be impossible for her to have always pointed out the inaccuracies of the entire book because as we learned two weeks ago she hasn't even read the book. They aren't saying that Dan has always loved her, but that he's always been willing to give her a chance and always been willing to support her time and time again. That is what they were saying.
To Camila:
-- It could be argued that Blair had feelings for Dan two episodes again but hadn't realized how deep they ran yet. He'd never really put himself out there until last week so why would she even consider him as an option. Now that he has and she's had time to think about it she's realizing it's not all black and white. She hadn't been lying when she asked Chuck to wait for her, but she also hadn't realized that she had feelings for someone else.
I understand your point but imo it's all weird because when you have feelings for someone, even if you didn't realize it yet you, well, feel it. you act different around the person, your heart beats fast and all of that. Blair could've just realized now but deep inside she'd have known it for a while. only she was the same around him as she's always been since they became friends, she didn't show any recognition of any feelings and she walked around pratically screaming "I love Chuck!!". but yes, what you said makes sense too. (: I don't know, we'll have to wait to see. with these writers you never know...
Michael esta temporada NO ME GUSTA.