The answer is: NO.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Blair and Dan. And I love the fact that she’s with someone she loves who loves her and respects her back. But, she’s not the same Blair Waldorf we all idolized in season 1 anymore. She’s a different person. I get character development, I do. But character development basically means evolving your character, broadening their prospects — not transforming them to someone else.
Back when Gossip Girl started 5 years ago, somehow, Blair Waldorf became the center of show, not Serena Van Der Woodsen like everybody had expected. She wasn’t the protagonist of the show when GG started out, but because of her immense popularity, she became the lead character of the series.
She was sneaky and mischievous, but she had wit like no other. She would scheme against and for characters we’re supposed to love (Serena!) and we’d cheer for her because her schemes were too smart, and basically, too good. On the other hand, she had so many ambitions, we all thought she was crazy but we couldn’t help but admire her. She wanted to have a family and marry someone from a prestigious family (Nate, at the time) but simultaneously wanted to become a powerful woman in her society (even if by being a socialite).
We idolized her because she was a paradox character we’d never seen before, one of the most complex characters at the time. She was bitchy and yet had a heart of gold. And even though she was battling demons on the inside, she was a queen. A strong, breathtaking queen. She was her own self, unique. Girls around the world wanted to become her, dress like her. They wanted to talk like her, head held up high and words chosen so delicately. They wanted to dress like her, classy yet attractive.
I’m not saying I want her to a “bitch” again or scheme in an evil way. (Let’s face it, she was never evil, per se) I understand that characters mature and somehow they let go of these “childish” characteristics. But that doesn’t mean she can’t scheme to help her friends and family. And that’s what ALL we used to love about her.
Jenny: “You might be privileged, Blair, but you work for every single thing you’ve achieved.”
But somewhere, just like the show, she had lost herself. Blair no longer became a character with utter determination and incredible intelligence. She became an object. She became a part of this shipping war called Dair vs. Chair. The war doesn’t exist solely between fans. It exists in the minds of the writers themselves. Lost between whom Blair belongs with, they forgot to write a story about her. They just wrote a story about who she’s with.
The show used to center about her insecurities with herself, her fears that she wouldn’t live up to the expectations she had set for herself. Even though she was always with someone, her storyline revolved around her. It had revolved around her dreams to go to Yale, her friction with her mother, her adorable friendship with Dorota, her insecurities with the way the world perceived her.
And then all of a sudden, she became this woman who only wanted to be with a man but has no idea who. First, it was Louis. She was in love with him, or at least we thought so. And then she slept with Chuck, and we were sure she’s in love with Chuck. And then, out of nowhere, she became in love with Dan. (I squealed very hard, though.) Blair was never so unsure of herself the way the show has been making her out to be this season. She has lost her identity and become a shipping magnet to fans.
She no longer had this ambitious drive that made her different from the many girls in teen shows on TV. We were told she was intellectual many times this season, but they have never managed to show us that. I know that college years don’t exist in most TV shows, but we didn’t get to see what Blair wanted to become. Other than a lover to numerous men, Blair’s nothing anymore. I mean, even Nate and Serena have careers right now. So it makes no sense at all that the one person who seriously and genuinely wanted a career simply forgets it.
The writers didn’t know, though, that this pawn they have been creating to lure fans to the show have made people lose respect for Blair. I bet none of you see Blair the way we all used to see her before. And every episode, that makes me love the show less. I never used to watch the show to see who Blair’s with this episode. I used to watch it because I wanted to see Blair kick ass in the episode. I wanted to watch her scheme her way out of things or find her way to her best friends.
Where’s the relationship between Blair and Serena, by the way? For years, Blair and Serena had a beautiful friendship we have all envied. They argued and betrayed each other but, every time, they’d find their way back to each other. Their friendship made the show and the two characters better. And now, just like the characters themselves, this friendship no longer exists. It has transformed into something else, a 2-minute interaction per episode.
If you forget about your OTP for just one second and think about Blair as an individual, a character worthy of a decent storyline just like the rest, don’t you think she deserves better? Don’t you think that Blair has dissolved so much into those two pairings that she’s no longer there?
UPDATE: After reading the comments and replying to them, I realized that Blair’s perfect season (after one & two, of course) was the fourth one in which we got to see all sides of her. She had matured into this intellectual beautiful woman who trying to find a career: “dictator of taste” (Which we loved.) She had a personal life (an adorable flourishing friendship/crush with Humphrey and a lingering love towards Chuck). The writers should have evolved THAT Blair.
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I so agree with everything you said. (except I like Blair with Chuck, not Dan, but whatevskies) Regardless of who she has been with in the past, Blair has been awesome, my favorite character!! But now, I don't get her and I don't like her. It sucks. I can't even watch this show anymore and it's not just because of Dan/Blair. It's that every single thing I used to love about GG is gone, and Blair Waldorf was the last straw. If she comes back, let me know.
I really hope she comes back, too!
Thanks for reading :)
I think Blair definitely lost sight of herself when she was obsessed with marrying a prince, and then again when she thought she belonged with Chuck because of their history together. Now I think that she's finally coming into herself, but for that to happen, she has to let go of the dream she had of becoming a princess. When you think about it, she's matured into a much better person who's still intelligent but less manipulative. She's matured into someone who can be truly happy with Dan Humphrey and not care that he's not from the Upper East Side.
I totally agree with everything you just said. Being with Dan proves that she's as intellectual and kind as the show has made it her out to be. But still, something's missing her about her. You know?
I knew you shipped Blair and donut. Explains everything.
Explains what exactly?
I hear where you are coming from and I do feel that most of this season has been nothing about what Blair wants and who she wants to become. Even last season she was pursuing something, attempting to make a career out of her being a dictator of taste as she was so perfectly named. I can only hope that now that things are less up in the air on the shipping front that the writers will follow through with what they've been hinting about Blair stepping back into her own for this third and final part of the season. I am crossing my fingers that Blair begins to reevaluate what her life goals are, and that she becomes the perfect mix of vintage Blair and the current happy Blair. I think there is a way for both parts of her to co-mingle. :]]
I really do hope they find a way for her two sides to "co-mingle" (I like the word, lol). I feel like if they did return that part of her, THAT would be character developement. She would be with someone she loves and have an individual life just to herself. She would be envied by Season 1's Blair.
Thank you for reading :)
Thank you. So much word I can't even. This is basically why I quit this show. I can sit through shitty storylines and nonsensical pairings (which sorry to me is Dan/Blair). BUT THE POINT IS WHATEVER I CAN WATCH DAN/BLAIR IF IT WAS BLAIR ON MY SCREEN. WHO THE FUCK IS THIS CHICK? Seriously when Safran said in interviews that he viewed her scheming and manipulation as a phase and also thought that the episode "I am Number Nine" where Blair cartooonishly yells at minions was vintage Blair...I knew she was never coming back. Season 1 Blair specifically was my fucking favorite character of all time. THe "crazy bitch around here" scene forever my favorite. Even though Season 2 is still quality, they soften Blair considerably in that season. Like you said Blair is one of the most complex characters for a teen show I have ever seen. She was a fucking bitch who did terrible things...but like you said had a heart of gold. Loved her family and friends fiercely and would go to bat for them. Also from a superficial level her clothes pwned and it was great entertainment to see her kick people's asses. She was so confident in so many ways, yet so insecure. And it really made sense the way it all tied together to make Blair.
In fact Season 1 as a whole had this dark vibe to scheming that the seasons following lacked. After season 1 it felt like they made Blair's scheming comic relief. THis has slowly morphed into making the character of Blair herself comic relief. Her schemes used to be funny on their own with her tactics and witty one liners. Now its just Leighton Meester yelling in a high pitched voice. That's another thing idk if anyone else noticed Leighton plays Blair differently...though I'm sure that's a result of writing.
Basically, sadly Blair is never coming back because the people who created that BLair are no longer closely involved with this show. Which is why I haven't watched since 5x13.
Lastly Serena/Blair is who everyone watched for because they were awesome on their own and had awesome friendship scenes together in every episode. IT DIDNT MATTER WHO THEY WERE DATING. IT ALL CAME DOWN TO THEM. THE CORE COUPLE IF YOU WILL. GOd forbid this regime wrote a 1x13 like episode it would not be Serena coming to stop Blair but a love interest. Actually they kinda did that this year with Dan/Blair...having a weak ass Blair run to Brooklyn every five seconds with her problems. WTF? I mean I get you like Dan/Blair as do other people sorry not trying to be mean. But objectively can you see how unBlairlike that is. why wasn't she going to Serena. ACTUALLY why was Blair even with the Prince OLD BLAIR WOULD have peaced out when he started acting shady....
SOrry this was longer than I intended. Basically I'm so tired of this shipping bullshit. The true tragedy here is the death of BLair and Serena/Blair.
Thank you for your long comment. It’s basically everything I wanted to say (except for the Dan part, obvouisly.)
The thing is I understand why the writers have toned down Blair’s
scheming, but as you said, I don’t get why they have made her a comic
relief. There was a dark side about her that was conveyed through those
schemes. And the writers have forgotten about that. (By the way, her
one-liners? WORD! I miss them terribly.)
That said, I love seeing Blair happy. And I love seeing this
light-hearted part of her we’re seeing lately, but it’s like the writers
do not see that they have eliminated her other sides. All her other
dimensions have been replaced by this one character, one personality.
And I’m sure season 1 Blair wouldn’t like that about 5 years older
version.
Thanks for the reply. The stale one liners is just icing on the cake to this crapfest. Season 1 EVERY CHARACTER had awesome one liners every episode. Blair had bitchy comments to the girls at school and funny advice for Serena anytime she needed help. Chuck was just a snarky asshole (I mean this in a good way). Dan had funny lines every episode about the ridiculousness of the UES life. EVEN Serena always had fresh things to say. Yet even through all this Season 1 as a whole had a dark edge to it.
This speaks more to how absolute shit the writing is in terms of dialogue. The dialogue throughout season 5 has been embarrassing. Idk who the hell these new writers are, but even episodes penned by Josh Safran himself (who despite my loathing of him as a showrunner wrote good episodes in season 1 and 2) are horrendous. All the dialogue is either expository, OTT drama, or OTT try hard comedy. And its all blatant. blegh.
Full disclosure: I am CB fan, or at least I was before Blair's personality disorder this season. And the DB storyline whether friendship or romantic didn't make sense to me and it still doesn't. But that's besides the point.
Shipping preference aside, I liked or disliked characters on this show independent of who they were with. And I used to love Blair's character because of the complexity. As many have pointed out, I liked Blair when she was w/ Lord Marcus or Nate or Carter or even the two seconds with Cameron, or was single, so my dislike of Blair this season goes far beyond. Of course, the romantic decisions she's made this season is absolutely a reflection of her personality disorder, but it's her character and conduct that I am concerned about in the first place.
I agree with both (Heba and Adey) of you on the complete destruction of Blair's personality this season. I can't stand it and to be honest I don't want this Blair to end up with Chuck. But what distresses me the most is that everything Blair's done this season has made me think she's stupid (as opposed to grown up and mature). She's indecisive, she's unreliable, she's immature, her lines are atrocious. She's either being whiny or being over-the-top melodramatic or just being clownish. All she cares about is which of the multiple men interested in her is she should be with or not be with. The hell with ambition or career aspirations or finding oneself. And I agree with Adey completely that even her one-liners sound idiotic rather than fresh or witty. And I've felt the same way about the sound of Leighton's voice and delivery. Thanks for pointing that out, because first I thought it was all in my head. But then I watched clips from previous seasons to compare to season 5 clips and Leighton sounds really girly, baby-voiced, and at times grating and she delivers her lines as if she just wants to regurgitate the lines she memorized as quickly as possible (perhaps she's sending an SOS to us for being trapped in this season-long horrible arc, ha, ha, ha ...). It's just sad that from a character I used to love, she's turned into a character I can't stand and want to see as little as possible on my screen.
Why do I even bother watching GG anymore, you say??? I need closure, perhaps. Although, it's probably an "unattainable goal" as Chuck once pointed out, lol.
OMG THANK YOU. Listen Leighton is by far my favorite actress and I think she is incredibly talented (So much so that I have watched all her shitty movies just for her), but she has srsly phoned it in. In season 1 her voice was lower much much lower. And what I mean by that is idk...Blair had a dark edge to her. When she spoke it wasnt a high pitched baby voice yelling of the lines really quickly. It was slow and deliberate. THANK YOU FOR NOTICING. I TOO HAVE FELT IT WAS JUST ME. But I can't blame Leighton one bit...if I was given that shit to act out I'd do the same thing.
I feel like I should point out that the Blair high-pitched baby voice has made appearances before, always when Blair is having a borderline nervous breakdown. Back in season two when she was in freefall and hooked up with Nate again that baby voice drove me up a wall. I feel like Leighton is trying to throw in hints that Blair is going through something but the writers might not agree.
I agree that it has made appearances before but only sparingly, and not throughout an entire season. For example, in the Grandfather in season 2, that kinda-girly voice made an appearance but not even through the entire epi. I think we saw a range that included the annoying girly pitch but had more of her usual range too. So it wasn't as noticeable as it's now.
But this season it's been a season-long phenomenon. Also, this season it's not only that it's high pitched/girly/baby voiced, but that when she's delivering her lines she seems to be speaking too fast, almost as if she can't wait to vomit out the words out of her mouth in rapid succession. Ugh.
I think we all agree that her free fall this season, rather than make her sympathetic, has made her annoying and dislikable to a lot of people who used to love her. It's of course a reflection of the writing, but for me at least, the acting is showing it too.
Correction: I haven't really watched GG after the royal wedding fiasco, but I am still interested in finding out what happens to the characters. And I still hope that I'd be able to enjoy the storylines and characters one of these days. But that's probably a lost cause, sigh!
I agree with so much that you have written and it is nice to hear something like this from a DB fan. (I am a CB fan) I feel slowly Blair has been losing herself but she was still there up to the end of season 4 but this season she is no longer recognizable. The writers have openly told us that they wanted the Royal wedding storyline for the 100th and than this season they were always going to do Dair and of course they had to put in the usual CB hang in here for them as well but all this happening has destroyed the Blair that ALL of us loved just to justify these storylines. I get annoyed that people think fans are whinging just because of DB but it's not. It's what they have done to Blair and Blair and Serena. I don't want to be disrespectful to the DB ship but the writers took all of Blair and Serena's scenes and gave them to Dan and Blair and with them doing that they have destroyed that friendship and the core relationship of the show. That didn't have to because when they were developing DB in the second half of season 4 SB were still close and still shared a lot of scenes so I just don't understand why they had to take all that away this season. It is frustrating and sad. Thank you for your insight and your thoughts.
To be honest, I think the perfect season for Blair was season 4. She was trying to find happiness (with both Chuck and Dan) and still trying to be a "dictator of taste.". Her love and professional lives were in sync which made her seriously awesome.
Anyway, I think the writers are too consumed by Serena's "career" and Blair's love life to enrich their friendship, but I do not think it's Dan's fault. The relationship between Blair and Serena and Blair and Dan is very different. The things that Dan and Blair do together and enjoy together are very much different than what S and B do together.
Your argument is good but I don't agree with them entirely.
I like the Blair now more than ever. She's still witty, still smart, fashionable and she still schemes. However, she may not be as scheming or bitchy as before as you call it. i think it's because she has grown and matured into this woman that she is now.
regardless of the ships, her life is not dictated by the men around her, it's the other way around.
Don't get me wrong. Seeing her so happy with Dan lifts me up to the seventh cloud. I LOVE them together.
But I feel like the writers have purposefully forgotten that Blair is about more than just being with a guy. And I have a feeling that by the end of the season, they're going to ruin Blair and Dan's relationship thus entangling in her mess all over again.
Le sigh. Blair has been a big ol' softy for a long time, now. The show has been off since season 3, or at least that's when I stopped enjoying it because it became boring as hell. And then the writers started writing their beloved ridiculous in-your-face drama into the show and that shot everything to hell. I have stood through all the atrocious things that Gossip Girl threw at us: all the ridiculous storylines, all the useless guest stars, all the annoying Vanessa screen time. With every new episode, with every interview in which we were promised a 'light' and 'fun' season, I've loyally stuck to the show and hoped for a Blair Bitch come-back, for Chuck's snark to come back, I've hoped for Nate to finally have a storyline and for Serena to stop sleeping with every guest star on the damn show. ( I have been let down every single time, and I have masochistically kept watching. But I've come to realize that I cannot take it anymore.
Blair used to be everyone's favorite character, and now no one can stand her anymore. And it's not about Dan or Chuck. I never used to care who she was with before. When she was with Nate, when she was with Chuck, with Lord Marcus or whatever the hell his name was, she was still Blair, people still rooted for Blair, not for the pairing she was currently in. Even when she went through that crazy phase with Carter after she got rejected from Yale, and Chuck turned her down, because 'it wasn't her', she was still more Blair than she is now. At this point, it doesn't really matter who she's with, because it will be equally boring and cringe-worthy. The truth is, I can't stand to watch Dair, and for a long time I thought that it was because of Dan, but actually, it's because of Blair.
I don't think I have anything to say about your comment because it's kinda perfect. :)
I lost respect for this show a long time ago.
Totally agree! Great post! Except I totally love Chuck and Blair!!
Haha, fair enough.
Thank you.