Well, kiddos, last night was A Long Time Coming. For real. The much-anticipated return of Gossip Girl was all I hoped for and more. Let me open this post by saying that season 3 has already officially redeemed itself based almost purely on this one episode. Sure, I've been diehard all along, but I've had my doubts about S3 (understandably. How could seasons 1 and 2 be topped?) I was just worried J Schwartz/Steph Savage and co. were going to fall into the same traps that ruined season 3 of The O.C.-ridiculously overdramatic and/or depressing storylines, tons of extraneous characters we don't care about, no character depth/growth at all, none of the core couples together, bad lighting (let's get technical. It DOES make a diff) and more.
GG, on the whole, is by definition SUPPOSED to be more melodramatic than The O.C. ever was, so I can forgive the inclusion of ridonk characters like Druglord Damien (oh haaayyy, Kevin Zegers...haven't seen you since Air Bud!!); I can even say that Little J's Return to Raccoon makeup and witch outfits actually ADD intrigue to the show. Since The O.C. wasn't ridiculous from day one and it actually had, I think, more than anything, a family as its focus, I couldn't figure out WHAT the writers were trying to do when they made Marissa go psycho circa season 3, paired Ryan with Nikki Reed (seriously...what?) and invented some stupid storyline (the length of which seemed like the true Neverending Story) about a mopey, annoyingly puppy-faced surfer *NO ONE* cared about that DRAGGED THE SEASON TO THE GROUND, and then they just abruptly ended it and killed the kid off. And had a beach funeral set to Sufjan Stevens music for a character no one liked. Really?? COOP didn't even get a funeral!!!! Come on!!!
Wow...TANGENT. I'm working on getting my rambling under control, y'all. Anyway, my point is that GG's focus was never really on familial dynamics and Parents of the Year like Sandy and Kirsten. However many sweet shots they show of Humphrey family din, we all know that we're watching for the GG text blasts, Chuck lines, and general craziness. GG has been unapologetically drama-laden from the beginning, and that's why I'm not worried about ridiculousness bogging it down. Rather, I was worried about BLANDNESS bringing it down. Cue Bree Buckley and Olivia Burke from earlier in the season...ugh.
^This is completely unrelated to last night's episode, but come on.
Last night, though, assured me that at least for a while we have nothing to worry about on the blandness front. In the style of New York magazine (link included because they're funnier than me, y'all) I want to offer my own plus points/negatives on the episode.
+ Running joke about Cedric, Dan's Cabbage Patch doll who we've seen MAYBE once but have heard about (somewhat consistently) over the course of 3 seasons. Friends and lovers come and go, but creepy well-made dolls endure.
- I get that they were all attending a formal "Ambassador's Ball" (whatever that means), but why did all the girls look like Barbara Walters in witch attire? Not cute.
+ Lily's hair is down. She looked gorgeous, hence the plus sign. *BUT* if this is emblematic of her "loosening up," well, then ignore the plus sign because that's a giant NEGATIVE...we've already established that she at least kissed her ex while engaged to Rufus. She doesn't need to be any more "freed up."
++++++ for this text message I got from friend/loyal reader BEN CON (HEEYYYYY, SHOUTOUT) mid-ep:
(601) I HATE him, but love how J is holding her own. The only disappointment is B isn't wrapped up in any scandal.
Moments later....
(601) oh and official new hottest mack seshh ev on gg. Coat check room what's up
^I think that's pretty undisputed. However, I have to give a big fat MINUS for the fact that there was a couch (HA) conveniently situated in the coat check room just waiting to be Serenated. Seriously...even Upper East Siders don't need a couch in the coat closet. If they had been in the real world as opposed to the TV-fied Upper East Side there would have been injuries sustained from both coat hangers and racks on wheels. And no couch.
finally...
++++ for Blair's "diet" metaphor used re Nate and S's rekindled passion. Her advice was to take things slow and "not let him gorge on Sundays." I wish I knew the exact lines...tried Googling them but to no avail. Those are some Blair lines for the Best Of books.
More later. And a new, non-GG topic coming soon. Promise.
Oh, except I'll be in Haiti (!!!!) until March 22 so there won't be any SB posts. Anna Marg, that's your cue.
I wrote a super long excellent comment to this post. And this stupid school computer couldn't handle it. And I simply can't type all that again. So I'll parapharase.
ReplyDeletea- Can't believe I'll have to go a week with no posts. Devastated.
b- Diet ref was genius.
c- S&N are great. So happy this is finally happening. She better not screw it up.. (again)
d- Sometimes I just can't handle Jenny and her Makeup.
e- Chuck's Momma Drama?? your thoughts??
f- Bring it on March 15th.