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Episode Recap: "Blair Waldorf Must Pie!"
As Blair, Serena and their circle of family and friends celebrated Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, we Gossip Girl fans had a lot to be thankful for: flashbacks, fights and reconciliations. Though not yet Christmas, we got the ghost of a holiday past sprinkled in between scenes of the present. And before I get too deeply into discussing the plot, let me complement how well this show handles details: I loved how the flashback scenes were shot with a slightly grainy look. And the slightly changed, but not drastically different hairstyles in the scenes of the past were a nice, realistic touch. Plus, these scenes let us see things we probably could never witness otherwise: Serena, Nate and Blair clowning around as good friends; the three Waldorfs together as a happy clan.
Now on to Thanksgiving past, where so much was confirmed, such as the fact that Serena was not merely a wild party girl, but a pretty serious drunk. The kind of drunk who almost gets killed walking absentmindedly in traffic (thankfully "Dave" was there to save her). We also learned some new info about Blair: She was bulimic. I don’t think this had been alluded to on the show yet (though I do remember Eleanor once told her to eat some low-fat yogurt instead of a pastry), but I believe some of you book fans have mentioned this eating disorder in your comments.
Also revealed: Blair was a daddy’s girl who was very close with her father, so his absence at Thanksgiving this year was especially painful to her. The notion of a poor little rich girl is such a cliche, yet out of all the characters on this show, Blair is the one I find myself feeling bad for the most. First, there was the argument with her mother at the dinner table about Eleanor disinviting Blair’s dad – and then giving away his pie! (I think it’s obvious where Blair gets her controlling nature and bossiness from – and for a minute there, I thought Blair was going to throw that other pie in Eleanor's face). Following that, there was the scene of Blair alone in that big kitchen, thinking about Nate and her dad and realizing that her Thanksgivings were never going to be like they were in the good `ol days...when she starting tearing into that pie, it was really heart wrenching.
I was glad she was able to call Serena for help, even after their nasty fight. (And what a good fight that was! "Nothing hurts more than sleeping with the best friend, right S.?...Are you jealous? You didn’t get to sleep with him first? There had to be somebody left on the Upper East Side." – I love Blair and her knack for cutting deep with her words.) As much fun as their catfight was, I was worried that it would put another end to their recently renewed friendship, but thankfully their bond is too strong for that.
Actually, a lot of bonds proved to be strong last night, including that of the Archibald family. The Captain had a non-accidental overdose, but Nate found him in time to get him to the hospital. Here we learned the Captain married into money (perhaps that’s why he married her?), but then over time he resented his wife for this safety net. As Nate’s mom explained, "All he had to do was put on a suit, sit behind a desk and not get arrested, and he couldn’t manage to do that." No, he couldn’t. It seems that getting things too easily over the years emasculated the Captain. He needed to feel worthy of something, to see that he was more than a mere placeholder, and Nate’s words on his hospital bed were exactly what he needed to hear: "It may not always seem like it, but we need you."
It was a rough Thanksgiving for fathers all over town, as one of Rufus’ worst nightmares came true: His old flame Lily attended his family dinner, just as he and his wife were starting to reconcile. While we got no flashbacks to the ancient `90s, we did learn that "She [Lily] was a groupie, and he [Rufus] was almost famous." Oh, and she was his first great love. And he named a song after her horse Rosewood (uncovering the true origin of that name make me think of rosebud from Citizen Cane). But to summarize, dinner at the Humphrey's did not go well. Their kids all now know about their past together and as expected, they found this information icky. (You know what I find icky? Any scene between Alison and Dan – I just cannot buy her as his mother. She looks too young, and he acts way more mature than her. It’s at the point where I find their scenes distracting.) Anyway, this parental triangle culminated with insecure Alison making a juvenile ultimatum: It’s her or me, specifying that Rufus would have to cut Lily out of his life completely if he wants to save his marriage. Is a person who left her family and cheated on her spouse really in a position to be making this kind of demand? Maybe not, but it worked in her favor.
Actually, despite some pretty dramatic Thanksgiving dinners, everything seemed to work out for everyone in the end. The Humphreys were playing football; the van der Woodsens were chowing down on French fries; the Waldorfs (minus gay dad in Europe – can’t wait to see more of him!) made up and chatted over tea; and the Archibalds survived a near-fatal tragedy, all while music with lyrics about fairy tales played in the background. It was all rather sweet...while it lasts.
Was anything missing? Oh, right – Gossip Girl herself. She spoke only in the very beginning, explaining she was taking the holiday off. Also MIA: Chuck. Him I missed, Gossip Girl – I like her witty comments, but I have to admit I didn’t really notice her absence until the very end of the episode, when she usually provides a closing comment. Perhaps she’s most effective in small doses.
Next week: The debutante ball, which I’m sure it will make all this Thanksgiving drama look like a relaxing stroll through Central Park.
Until then, check out clips from Gossip Girl in our Online Video Guide.
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Nov 29, 2007 1:34 AM
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i really thought I was not going to enjoy this episode because chuck was not in it...but GOSSIP GIRL suprised me again
this has to by far one of the BEST EPISODES so far (actually isnt any episode of gossip girl excellent???)
really started to get the feel of the characters
serena, blair, nate flashback scenes were SO CUTE...definitely warming up to nate and blair
and the way the handled the bulimic blair scenes were AMAZING
OMG this episode was great
and can't WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK!!!
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Nov 29, 2007 1:42 AM
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I really don't like Allison. I agree with Jenny-she shouldn't have asked her to come back. She is childish, and does she honestly think they're going to avoid seeing Lily when Dan is in love with Serena? Please.
This show gets better and better. I originally checked it out because I look at all new shows at least once, and this one has become one of my favorites. Loved the flashback scenes. I love any show that has flashbacks. Loved when they were talking about Eric's roots (and he had dark hair in the flashbacks-that was a really nice touch).
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Nov 29, 2007 7:57 AM
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Another great episode. And I completely agree that Blair's poor little rich girl thing def. has me feeling sorry for her but it looks like next week she'll be back with Nate now that the pressure from his parents is gone. I've commented previously that Nate is too blah for me but this week we got to know him a little better. Thought he's still got a long way to go to be as interesting as his friends. His mother, on the other hand, what a horrible woman! She's almost worse than Blair's mom. I'm also in agreement that Mama Humphrey is childish and her return was a mistake but as I stated in the last blog, I don't think she'll be around for long.
It was great to see how much things have changed for these people in just 1 year. Drunk Serena was fun to watch and I was expecting Blair to get pissed when she found S on Nate's lap in the bathroom. And Eric seemed really happy when we saw him a year earlier. I wonder what got him so down that he tried to end his life. I'd like to see more from his character b/c this, along with the ep. where Jenny breaks him out of the center have been 2 of my favorites.
Also, did anyone else catch Mama Waldorf's comment to Blair's dad telling him "not to go for this one, I've got to work with him!" That was a big reveal that she knew he was gay before he ever left her for a man. I'm sure they'll explore that when he comes back into town.
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Nov 29, 2007 9:32 AM
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LOVED IT
IT WAS FANTASTIC
I WAS BULIMIC MYSELF
SO I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE
IT MAKES ME LOVE BLAIR MORE THAN EVER
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Nov 29, 2007 9:33 AM
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Also, did anyone else catch Mama Waldorf's comment to Blair's dad telling him "not to go for this one, I've got to work with him!" That was a big reveal that she knew he was gay before he ever left her for a man.
I totally noticed that comment from Eleanor to her husband and thought it was a great touch. All the flashback scenes were really terrific. It's the little details, like hairstyles, that made them very realistic. Jenny, especially, looked so much younger
Excellent episode.
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Nov 29, 2007 10:31 AM
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I had to wait until 11 p.m. to watch this (after a KU b-ball game) and it was so worth it. I could certainly watch it again to catch the little things I missed. Good job and good recap.
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Nov 29, 2007 1:06 PM
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Campy, touching, sexy, bitchy, funny- This episode had it all!!
Who knew that a teen soap on the CW would turn out to be one of the most reliably entertaining shows of the season?
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Nov 29, 2007 1:09 PM
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I'd be curious to know how much the Gossip Girl comes in to play in the books. As much as I loved Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars, I find the narration on this show annoying and pointless. As this episode proved, they don't need it at all to be a good show.
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Nov 29, 2007 1:54 PM
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I couldn't agree more about Kristen Bell. Having her on Heroes is enough for me. Unless the Gossip Girl blog is gonna play more into the show and they are gonna attempt to figure out who she is...it's just not necessary.
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Nov 29, 2007 2:20 PM
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I missed Chuck too!!! GG is cool, but I didn't really take note of her absence...Chuck's I did...
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Nov 29, 2007 2:34 PM
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I really didn't "miss" gossip girl but, I felt like something was odd. I totally didn't remember she had said she was taking off the holiday and wasnt there until the end. I MISSED Chuck though bad...good other than that!
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Nov 29, 2007 2:42 PM
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Thanks, Jennifer!
I missed this episode...I used to watch GG on Sunday at 6 pm in NY but they no longer re-air it.
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Nov 29, 2007 5:24 PM
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Can't believe that no one mentioned the fact that Mommie Dearest Waldorf instigated her daughter's relapse with bulemia!!!! I'm I the only person who caught that? She told her to pick another dessert and in my mind knew full well what the repercussions would be. Or did I dream that sequence??? No wonder poor Blair acts the way that she does!
Tonights episode was amazing! The right amount of everything, except Chuck of course. I did not like Alison making Rufus choose between her and Lily! And although I haven't wanted them to be romantically linked just yet, it was a touching moment when they discussed what they had meant to each other recently. Of course Alison had to walk in at the very moment when the kiss was mentioned. I can't say I blameAlison for asking him to choose. Seriously with their chemistry and history?? I sure wouldn't want my man around that ... but at the same time, if you have to force an issue like this, then maybe there is a reality you need to face.
I have to say, I am beginning to dig Nate. I was kinda hoping he'd call Jenny, not because I want them together but I like the friendship they have. He needed to go home though and it was obviously a good thing that he did when he did. I enjoyed the exchange in the hospital between Nate and the Captain. Very touching and tender moments between dad and son like that are rare to see. It's a shame that his mom couldn't have been in on that moment and they could have shared it as a family. OF course, that might mean the ice queen would need a heart! Not sure she has one ....
Love this episode, love this show and I know I say it every week but it just gets better and better for me!!!
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Nov 29, 2007 7:59 PM
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I sooo thought that Blair was going to shove that pie in her moms face when she had told her to pick another dessert. When she went back in the kitchen, I knew she was trying to hold herself back & not eat the whole thing. I totally missed Chuck. Weird that everybody missed him & he was the one that came off really creepy & pervy in the first episode. He seems to really like Blair, why on earth I'll never know.
I do not get Rufus & Allison, they don't mesh at all. She does seem a little young for him, which might be the reason she gave him an ultimatum. Course, why he didn't throw up you were sleeping with someone during our "break" I'll never know.
Did anyone notice that Blair's dad was Lex Luthor from Lois & Clark? I was cracking up when it showed him & he was gay acting. I loved when the mom told him to not fall for this one meaning the guy, funny, he's still with that guy.
I thought that when Nate was sitting outside on the bench & scrolling thru his contacts that he was going to call Jenny. Of course, I really don't remember if I saw her name in his list though. I do remember seeing Chuck & Serena & some guy named Charles.
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Nov 30, 2007 8:21 AM
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