Episode 9
Gossip Girl S1E09 - Blair Waldorf Must Pie!
Leif and Steve do a spoiler free recap of the OG Gossip Girl, one episode at a time.
This week the guys break down Season 1, episode 9, titled, Blair Waldorf Must Pie!.
The TWoP episode description reads: Dan stupidly invites Serena and the van der Woodsens to Thanksgiving at the loft, creating madness all around. Blair's gay dad stands her up for the holiday, causing her to go insane. Nate's awkward cokehead dinner with his horrible parents also proves unfortunate. I don't know how you can say this show is unrealistic: isn't Thanksgiving hell for everybody? Rich kids -- they're just like us!.
Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.
Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.
The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.
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Transcript
Here at the non-judging breakfast pod, we like to keep things light. With that said, sometimes
Speaker:gossip girl and therefore our review will touch on serious topics. The following episode depicts
Speaker:disordered eating. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please seek
Speaker:help from the National Association of Anorexia, Nervosa and Associated Disorders at anad.org or
Speaker:get help through the National Eating Disorders Association at nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Speaker:Hey, I'm Bruce Sider and all you scandal loving listeners out there, you just tuned into the
Speaker:non-judging breakfast pod. Where the coffee is strong, the waffles are fresh and the gossip is
Speaker:hotter than ever. My name is Leif and I'm your Seizing Gossip Girl Veteran. And I'm Steve, the
Speaker:newbie, the greenhorn, the, I don't know, Leif, what do you call the new kid on the block in gossip
Speaker:girl terms? Well, I don't think you're quite ready to be Harold's sous chef yet, but I think they'd
Speaker:like to put you as a project, you know, a girl has a potential to be a Blairite. Well, then dress me up
Speaker:in an Eleanor Waldorf original and let's get started. Sounds good. Here's the deal, folks.
Speaker:Leif has been a fan of gossip girl since it first aired and I'm diving in headfirst and together
Speaker:we're your dynamic duo dissecting all the drama, romance and sometimes questionable fashion
Speaker:choices of this iconic 2007 series. That's right. Each week we're going to break down all the secret
Speaker:hookups, petty schemes and to our catastrophes and trust me, there are plenty of them. And since
Speaker:we're all about inclusivity here at the non judging breakfast pod, there's always room for
Speaker:you at the non judging breakfast table. So go ahead and grab your mimosa, a cup of coffee or some of Nate
Speaker:and Chuck's special medicine if that's how you start your day. And let's get started. Today we're
Speaker:going to be breaking down season one episode nine, Blair Waldorf must hide. Did you get the
Speaker:reference? I'm assuming it's a John Tucker must die reference. Correct. The 2006 movie with that
Speaker:pen vaguely a small but significant role. Oh, yeah. I forgot all about that. Yeah, he isn't. He's
Speaker:the good brother that you know she has a phone and love with the at the end. Mm hmm. But yeah, not a huge
Speaker:role, but yeah, it's significant. The television without pity episode description reads Dan
Speaker:stupidly invites Serena and the Vanderwitz is to Thanksgiving at the loft creating madness all
Speaker:around. Blair's gay dad stands here up for the holiday causing her to go insane. Nate's awkward
Speaker:coke had dinner with his horrible parents also proves unfortunate. I don't know how you can say
Speaker:this show is unrealistic isn't Thanksgiving hell for everybody. Rich kids. They're just like us.
Speaker:Wow. Original air date was on November 28 2007 so right around Thanksgiving time. Yeah. Yeah. Oh,
Speaker:seven. Yes. And episode was directed by Mark Piznarski's back. He was the director of the
Speaker:pilot. Oh, okay. And then a story by KJ Steinberg who most recently wrote the episode number seven
Speaker:Victor Victor. So right back after cup ups. Yeah. And a good episode too. I really enjoyed Victor
Speaker:Victor. In fact, this is yeah, this is two episodes here. So yeah, there's definitely a big episode in
Speaker:that gospel girl lore. And as you will see in the future, seventh episode of the season is always
Speaker:Chuck and Blair Century. Oh, that's like a. Yeah, there's there's definitely certain episodes
Speaker:that throughout the seasons like the numbers definitely they do parallels. That's
Speaker:interesting because you know, the writers are nerds. They're not the best writers, but they are.
Speaker:They do know the craft writing. Yeah, not the best writers, but great nerds. Right. Yeah. They're
Speaker:probably good teachers. Right. Yeah. That speaks to my heart. Like we go into the episode of the
Speaker:gospel girl monologue as per gossip girls Thanksgiving tradition. I'm trading my laptop
Speaker:for stovetop and for the next 16 hours, the only thing I'm dishing is seconds when this cats away,
Speaker:the mice will play have fights fun little rodents. Yeah. And so we don't hear from gossip girl the rest
Speaker:of this episode, do we? No. And I even you've been saying Chuck is gossip girl. And also. And he's not
Speaker:in this episode. That like there's a tradition of taking off and there's only one person not in this
Speaker:episode. Well, I weird. Kind of weird. And after the opening monologue, overviews of Central Park
Speaker:and fall episode opens with a flashback to Thanksgiving a year ago. Serena is clearly
Speaker:intoxicated walking the streets of Manhattan with Blair. Yeah. And, you know, for the entire
Speaker:eight episodes, we've had these hints of like, she was such a party girl and that how she used to be. And
Speaker:now for the first time, you're actually seeing her, you know, drunk in the afternoon, like early
Speaker:afternoon, maybe even morning of Thanksgiving. Yes, we've been hearing about party girl Serena
Speaker:and now we're finally getting to see it. Yeah, there's yeah. And and not only does she get drunk,
Speaker:but she can seem to stay drunk for a very long time. Without passing out. Yeah, without just passing
Speaker:out or drinking more. I think I think she like we see her like sneak and yeah, we see her try to like sneak
Speaker:some drinks here. So we figure she'll probably she probably is drinking more. Yeah. But she can put
Speaker:them back. Yeah. Yeah. That was some day long. So we also in the same scene, we see Dan picking up pies in
Speaker:the city and spots Serena about to walk in front of a car. Good guy Dan sacrifices the pies to save the
Speaker:girl. Blair misinterprets this quickly and usher Serena into a taxi. Yeah. Um, I love I love that she
Speaker:calls him Dave. My Dave. Hi Dave. And and yeah, I love that she's a mess and that he you can see that
Speaker:he's in love with her and just hey, here's my moment to talk to her. And it's like, no, it's not. Yeah. He
Speaker:mentions that he's met her before and she has still got no blue. And then as we see in the next scene when
Speaker:they talk in the presence, she still does not remember that. Yeah. And he said when when he says,
Speaker:yeah, I bet she's like, what was that? Nothing. So yes, back in the present Dan is talking on the phone
Speaker:to Serena and they plan to call between every course of the respective dinners. Yes. Um,
Speaker:adorable. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely high school thing. Yeah. And and you know, cute to like catch up
Speaker:and talk about their day and their food. Yeah, it's adorable. Man. All right. At the loft, the
Speaker:Humphries are preparing for Thanksgiving. Dan is still acting cold towards Alison, but backs down
Speaker:after Rufus threatens him with a knife. Yeah. I mean, Dan's struggling to forgive his mom still,
Speaker:which is acceptable, you know, and it makes sense. I don't think that Rufus was really threatening
Speaker:Dan. I mean, I, I feel like that was, have you ever held a knife to your kids like that? No, no. I'm
Speaker:slightly jaded because I have seen Matthew Kittle kill people before and in band of brothers. That's
Speaker:okay. There's that too. Yes. That psycho stare to him. That's fair. That's fair. And then Serena and
Speaker:Blair are preparing for a Waldorf Thanksgiving. Serena reveals she knows about Chuck and Blair.
Speaker:They argue about it and Serena and her family are uninvited from Thanksgiving. Yeah. Um, two
Speaker:things that I wanted to point out about this. And the first is that so we've had fairly smooth
Speaker:sailing between Serena and Blair for six episodes. Well, for five episodes now, there was a
Speaker:little rough during the modeling shoot and all of that, but it got smoothed out pretty quickly. So
Speaker:we've seen just them be best friends. But man, those claws come out fast for Blair that like just
Speaker:the mention of just the least bit, you know, off putting by Serena and it was just like boom,
Speaker:digging right at her like instantaneous. Yeah. Couple of things. So also interesting that Serena
Speaker:just thought they hooked up, but then Blair instantly reveals it. Oh no, she slept with them
Speaker:twice. Yeah. Yeah. And that's the thing that took Serena by surprise. And that's where she was like,
Speaker:wait, what? And as soon as she did, Blair just narrowed in and just like, it was like she just has
Speaker:like a mental roll of decks of the meanest fucking thing she can say to somebody at any given point.
Speaker:And she's just like, your Serena's boom. Yes. And then also at the end of the scene, I like Eleanor
Speaker:sort of like non-reaction. Like she's like, oh yeah, she's used to them just fighting like this.
Speaker:Yep, this happens. And Lily too in the next scene, which we'll get to. The other thing I did want to
Speaker:bring up is Blair mentions, oh, Nate gets a free pass about hooking up with Serena that we talked
Speaker:about way back in episode one or two. That Blair seemed to be giving Nate that pass. And now here she
Speaker:is being like, you know, hey, Nate got that free pass, but you know, you shouldn't have it seen. But
Speaker:it was brought up again that Blair recognizes that like, that both Serena and Nate did her harm. Was it
Speaker:about that or was it more than just the free pass about having sex? I think that's what it was. But
Speaker:that was what I think it was. But I think it was tied because it was with Serena that that was kind of
Speaker:tied in together. That was my take on it. All right. Serena, Eric and Lily are walking through
Speaker:Chinatown trying to figure out last minute Thanksgiving plans. Lily's trying to be a mom. You
Speaker:know, she's doing her best. Yeah, she's but like, I feel like this is the first effort we've really
Speaker:seen. And it's the first we've seen her with Eric, too. So I feel like she is at this point trying to be a
Speaker:mom to her kids and trying to be a family more than she had been previously. But Dan calls Serena
Speaker:again when he finds out about their situation. He of course invites her family for dinner. I mean,
Speaker:fantastic. I mean, first of all, I loved Threes Company and like this just had that that Threes
Speaker:Company misunderstanding written all over it. But like, yeah, I say that I say that like fondly for
Speaker:Threes Company. Like I like I love this kind of this kind of setup because it is plausible in
Speaker:everything that they've done. In all of the secrets the parents have kept from their kids. It
Speaker:has led to this. Exactly. And it is on them for doing it. And I and so I just absolutely loved this whole
Speaker:setup because why would Serena tell her mom that, you know, her boyfriend's mom like left and came
Speaker:back? Yeah. Yeah. Why would she care? Yeah. You know, why? And they hardly know that they know each
Speaker:other. You know, other than Dan, they know that they know each other enough for Lily to say Eric was
Speaker:missing from the from the from from the hospital. Yeah. But other than that, they don't know that
Speaker:there's any kind of relationship there. Yeah. And they've gone through great lengths to keep it from
Speaker:them. Yeah. Everything's coming home to Roos though. So yeah, Lily does seem excited though.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. And she makes that call. Well, I guess that's a little bit later, but she does. She does
Speaker:seem to have a very positive outlook on this. Another flashback. Serena is still drunk. We get a
Speaker:conversation between Blair's parents with two big reveals. First, Blair had previously sought
Speaker:treatment for an eating disorder and Eleanor clearly knew how it was gay and tolerated the
Speaker:street affairs. Nate arrives and takes Serena upstairs to sober up. I missed that. I don't know
Speaker:how I missed that, but I missed that. So like she mentioned something about Ramon, one of her
Speaker:models and like and how it's like, oh Ramon. And then she's like, not this one. Harold, I have to
Speaker:work with him. Oh, that's really good. You know, I know exactly why I missed it. It's because I was
Speaker:writing down the note of what happened, you know, because we don't, we're not revealed what she's
Speaker:been treated for at this point. We've just been, we know that there's something with her eating, you
Speaker:know, it's with food and that she's been fine for two months and the doctor says she's fine. Yeah. So
Speaker:it was, you know, there was that, you know, something was wrong with Blair and following
Speaker:everything else, all the other context, it is easy to put together what that is. But that's really
Speaker:funny that I completely missed the whole thing with Ramon. So now I need to watch that scene again.
Speaker:Yeah. So yeah. So it's definitely evident that, you know, Elrond knows Harold is gay and just kind
Speaker:of tolerates him having little dalliances. Yeah. And again, like going back to all of the royalty
Speaker:comparisons that it's about the image and it's about the, and it's about the, the illusions of
Speaker:power that you have in these couples, you know, they're supposed to be power couples. And
Speaker:although we also find out that they are like best friends. Right. Well, and, and, and there, I feel
Speaker:like even at that point that it's more of a, on Eleanor's part, that it would be more of a, that
Speaker:happens too, but we're together. So we have our, our own kind of love. Yeah. You know, and so yeah, it
Speaker:is, that is a lot to, to unpack. And that scene, and I'm really sorry I missed that. But yeah, the, also
Speaker:the big thing is, is Blair is eating the sword. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. And, and which ends up being a huge
Speaker:piece throughout this whole episode. Yeah. And yeah. So we, you know, we're finally kind of
Speaker:healing back the layers that is Blair. Yeah. And, you know, getting a sympathetic side of Blair.
Speaker:Yeah. Exactly. And, and especially after always being on the offensive, this is the first time,
Speaker:like even when Chuck would throw her on the defense for a flash in the previous episode and she got it
Speaker:right back. This is true vulnerability that you see in Blair. Yeah. Back in the present, Blair and
Speaker:Eleanor are doing last minute prep for dinner and Eleanor reveals that Harold isn't coming. Yeah.
Speaker:Um, and, and Blames Harold and says that he's probably too busy and has stuff to do. Yeah.
Speaker:Definitely a kind of sad. Yeah. And especially when she says why, you know, why didn't he just call
Speaker:and well, you know, he doesn't like to have those disappointing phone calls. Yeah. So, yeah.
Speaker:Pretty rough for Blair. Yeah. So at the palace, we find out that Lily lied about being sick to avoid
Speaker:going to the Humphrey Thanksgiving. Dan arrives and insists Lily come along. Dan and Lily's
Speaker:dialogue and their back and forth is fantastic. Like I love, I love them. I love his insistence. I
Speaker:love her, you know, her, her reactions to it. And, and then, you know, immediately she goes and makes
Speaker:that phone call. This is where she makes the phone call, right? To, um, yes. Yeah. She makes the phone
Speaker:call to, uh, she leaves with Waste of Alpha. For Rufus saying, you know, hey, Dan's very
Speaker:persistent and insisting I come. So I'll, you know, I'm, but I'm excited to see you. Yeah. Let me
Speaker:remind you that our kids don't know about our history, but I am excited. That piece that I am
Speaker:excited to see. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. She's, she's excited. Um, so we move on. Uh,
Speaker:Lily, yeah. So Lily gives Rufus a secret and flirty heads up that she will be coming to Thanksgiving.
Speaker:Yeah. My next note. Uh, Blair is getting dressed and Dorota tells her to ask her father why he isn't
Speaker:coming. Yeah. Um, good on Dorota. You know, for, for, for seeing through this, whether she was the
Speaker:one who made the call or whether she knew firsthand, but she, she wasn't, as you see there
Speaker:earlier, they're seeing her ears pick up when Eleanor and Blair are talking. Yeah, they do. So
Speaker:she, she just, she's around listening to every conversation that's going on. Yeah. Yeah. Which,
Speaker:which also just makes her a fantastic character on its own, you know, that, that, you know, those,
Speaker:those like, like varies, you know, like, you know, always has, you know, the know of what's going on
Speaker:behind the scenes. Yes. Dorota becomes more of a character and gets her own storylines later on.
Speaker:Oh, nice. She's definitely a fan favorite. Uh, and then so the Archibalds are eating a very somber
Speaker:Thanksgiving, very Mayflower of them. The family argues and Nate storms off. Yeah. And, and I love
Speaker:how Nate calls and out on this because now, now that everything's coming down on and now that she's
Speaker:getting kicked off of the board of that and removed from the museum of this. And yeah, yep. Now it's
Speaker:coming back on her. And it's like, Oh, well, I guess, yeah, he really did do these things because
Speaker:now I'm mad about it. And of course, and of course, the, the captain is still just in his own world
Speaker:about it too. And just like complete denial of everything he already knows he's done. Yeah. The
Speaker:Vanderwoodsons arrive at the loft and Lily and Allison smile through clenched teeth as they
Speaker:pretend not to know each other. So awkward. It is so awkward and it's so great. And I, yeah. Um, yeah, I
Speaker:loved it. Yeah. Uh, hello. Yeah. Nice to meet you for the first time. First. I hate that I hate. Uh,
Speaker:but at the same time, kudos to Allison and Rufus for although being shocked and especially Allison
Speaker:for keeping it cool at that point and not just being like, what the fuck is she doing here? Uh, yeah. Did
Speaker:I mean, did and the dance tell his mom in like the week or so that he's back that he's dating Serena
Speaker:Vanderwoodsons. Did you mention her last name? I don't think so. No, cause they didn't, cause he
Speaker:didn't really even talk to his mom. He was more talking to his mom about Jenny than he was his own
Speaker:stuff. Like he didn't even talk about his own stuff. Yeah. I don't, I don't know if Allison knows
Speaker:he has a girlfriend at this point. Cause Dan, cause I mean like the beginning of this episode, Dan
Speaker:still upset with her. He's still not cool with his mom. Yeah. So there's a good chance that she
Speaker:doesn't know he has a girlfriend at all. Yeah. Uh, so the episode is set up and once we move into act two
Speaker:at the loft a year ago, Dan tells his mom and Jenny about see saving his crush Serena. Yeah. Um, the,
Speaker:the mom saying, oh, you're like your father's son. Creepy. Like it's so creepy to be like, oh, you like
Speaker:blondes. You are your father's son. That's weird. Cause you're his mom and the blonde that you're
Speaker:talking. Oh, but then, but he, but he does. Yeah. But then it is revealed that it's not her that she
Speaker:was necessarily talking about. That it was another blonde. He likes dangerous. Yeah. That he
Speaker:likes dangerous. Wands the cut to the next scene where, where you have like the lively, like them
Speaker:talking and then dead silent cut into the next scene. Go ahead. Yeah. Well, the kids are doing
Speaker:place settings. The adults sneak a quick conversation to get on the same page and how they
Speaker:are going to lie to their kids. Yeah. Um, yeah. But that previous scene ends with, I didn't know there
Speaker:was anyone else. Boom. A cut to the three, the three of them standing there awkwardly standing there
Speaker:awkwardly. It is so great. And then, um, Lily's like, I'll just put the coats in Dan's room and I'm
Speaker:like, you know, that's Dan's room. What? How do you know that stands room? Have you been here before?
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. So back at the Waldorf's Blair and Eleanor argue about Harold and Blair takes the
Speaker:entire pie before storming off. Um, yeah. Seeing Blair and Eleanor in that power struggle and, and,
Speaker:and then for Eleanor to push did it. She took Blair's trigger and set it in front of her and said,
Speaker:go. Yeah. Like what the fuck kind of person are you if you are going to intentionally set your kid on a
Speaker:self harming binge? Yeah. Like you knew the dangers. You, you were the one that admonished
Speaker:your husband a year ago for letting her eat a fucking bonbon or whatever it was. And now you're
Speaker:going to tell her to pick up a pie and take it with her? Well, I don't think she said take a whole pie.
Speaker:She said, you know, choose one of these desserts and then have it with us. Well, but the, I felt like
Speaker:it was take it with you because she, because she said pick the dessert. It, the whole, but even
Speaker:still using food against your kid who has an eating disorder is fucked. Yeah. Like at any point, you
Speaker:know, that was just that was that really got me with Eleanor there. Yeah. So yeah, so Blair storms off
Speaker:and Blair is alone in the kitchen and gorges on the pie and we flash back to the pilot when Blair and
Speaker:Nate decide to stay together. And we see afterwards now that she kind of purged. Yeah.
Speaker:Immediately after that one. Yeah. They had that meal together and she went and purged then. Yeah.
Speaker:That, that we didn't see that in the pilot. We didn't see that until now. And which, you know,
Speaker:the, we, there's the idea that we had until this scene. We had the idea that she's been fine for a
Speaker:year, you know, that's his last Thanksgiving a couple months before then there's two months
Speaker:before last Thanksgiving. So September of, of the year prior, she was doing much better. But now we do
Speaker:see that she relapsed a couple months ago. You know, about two years or about a year to the date
Speaker:from when and, and I don't know. I mean, it doesn't say either way, but it could have been going on.
Speaker:Right. Yeah. We don't, we don't know that it's that that was the first time with Nate. But the reason
Speaker:that I made that assumption is that that was where they flashed to. But that was the beginning of this
Speaker:whole story was, was that was there. So a big piece of Blair's story is now this. And so I'm assuming
Speaker:that it, that this story took off at the same time. Yeah, you're probably right. Um, at the end of this
Speaker:scene, she looks into the refrigerator reflection and sees just a horrible, this almost
Speaker:disfigured looking reflection. This absolutely beautiful woman. Yeah. Sees this reflection.
Speaker:And, and, and it's so telling. It was such a powerful moment because of the way that we all look
Speaker:at ourselves in the mirror and we all have those moments where we look at our reflection and don't
Speaker:like what we see and we're horrified by what we see. And for her to look into such a distorted image and
Speaker:feel that shame. It was such a powerful cinematic moment. Yeah, definitely. Back at the loft,
Speaker:Serena gets a call and has to leave to go help Blair. Then because of a story, Lily, because of a story,
Speaker:Lily tells, we find out that Rufus might have some explaining to do when it comes to the true
Speaker:inspiration for some of his song lyrics. The kids learn that Lily and Rufus used to fuck. Yeah. Um,
Speaker:early in this scene, I was kind of like, hey, Allison, you could chill a little. Like taking
Speaker:little digs like, oh, I didn't know they had small ranches. They don't, you know, like just the
Speaker:little digs at Lily. It was like, OK, you could chill. Um, also that that moment where Serena
Speaker:answers the phone gets up. I have to go. This has nothing to do with you. This has nothing to do with
Speaker:us. This is something I have to do right now. Whispers to Lily. And I feel like a lot of people
Speaker:recognized what was happening. And it took me to this story that Robin often set tells of. She got
Speaker:the phone. She got a phone call that one of her good friends had relapsed. And, you know, such a, such a
Speaker:parallel. She was in the grocery store shopping, had her basket, got the call that her friend
Speaker:relapsed, she sat down the basket and turned and walked out of the store and went to the hospital.
Speaker:Like, you know, you it's those friends that it's like, I don't fucking care where we are in our
Speaker:friendship right now. I'm there. Yeah, it's a finally we're getting a look at their friendship,
Speaker:like, you know, how good of friends they really are. Yeah, yeah, we haven't really seen that yet.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. And and and I we've all had friends that we fight with it. How many times have I stormed out
Speaker:of a D &D game? Because I was mad about something, you know, like we all get mad at friends and we all
Speaker:storm off and we all have these things. And there are and there are those friends that you really
Speaker:can. But you don't need the I'm sorry's or or any of that stuff. It's I need you. Boom. Definitely. Oh.
Speaker:And we also didn't really talk about the sandalwood that, you know, Allison, you were
Speaker:right. You weren't an idiot. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't get roast without a sandalwood. But yeah. And but
Speaker:like also Rufus, man, poor form. Like, you know, yeah, I wrote it for you. Really? Really? And and
Speaker:granted, in Rufus's, I shouldn't really say defense, but like the odds of her ever learning the
Speaker:truth were probably a pretty long shot. It would have to be something ridiculous, like her son
Speaker:dating the daughter of the person that brings her home for Thanksgiving. Brings her home for
Speaker:Thanksgiving. But what would that happen? Yeah. And the other thing with that scene, Allison gets
Speaker:up and runs off, says, don't follow me. Dan goes after her. Dan is like, OK, Dad, you fucked up and
Speaker:runs after Allison, which is also huge because he has been struggling with his relationship with
Speaker:Allison. And for the first time now seeing, oh, my dad can fuck up too. Mm hmm. Yes. So we. The pots of
Speaker:boiling as we move into act three. A year ago, Nate is undressing Serena for a shower. What are fights
Speaker:in Sue? This is like, I mean, I know you want to hang out with your dad, but really sending your
Speaker:boyfriend to go give your best friend a shower. Yeah, that seems weird. Yeah. Yeah. And like and
Speaker:and. He's like pawing her and she's flirting with him. And it's like they're they're all over each
Speaker:other. But like, yeah, I won't play her like her leg is up on his shoulder. Yeah. And like what when and
Speaker:like, granted, Serena is, you know, blitzed. Right. Yeah. But like, again, who says, yeah, go
Speaker:help my super hot friend take a shower because she's too drunk and vulnerable to get there on her
Speaker:own. He has. And then you see if like, Blair Cubs, any think they're going to eat a fight
Speaker:immediately, but like, they have the water fight. Now. And then Robin's comment on this was no one in
Speaker:that room is going to have to clean up the mess they're making. Portoretta. Yeah. Those fucking
Speaker:those these fucking kids are making a huge goddamn mess in the bathroom and not one of them is going to
Speaker:lift a fucking finger to clean it. Yes. Back in the present, Nate contemplates calling Blair, then
Speaker:Serena, and that decides to call no one. Yeah, he's all. Yeah, he's bad luck. He has that joint in his
Speaker:hand at the very beginning of it. And he's and he has that like, which, which again, kind of good on Nate
Speaker:to just have that self-awareness of like, man, I just really want to get fucking tossed right now.
Speaker:But you know what? I'm going to call someone and see who I can talk to. Yeah, that one is all though.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. Which could move that to call either of them. Yeah. It's a shame Chuck wasn't in this
Speaker:episode. Yeah, he would have been really good to call Chuck. But yeah. And then Serena rise in
Speaker:Blair's room to comfort her. They have an honest discussion about Blair's bulimia. And I think
Speaker:we're finally getting a glimpse at the depth of their true friendship. The way that she says, I
Speaker:didn't mean for it to happen. Like she's apologizing and like she, you know, and it's like
Speaker:you don't mean for those things that and, and, you know, I'm not someone who has ever struggled with
Speaker:addiction or with an eating disorder or with those types of issues. But I've I've been around it
Speaker:enough and I've known of it enough that you never mean for it to happen. And and those triggering
Speaker:moments that just get you. Yeah, happened. And and she's so vulnerable. You know, it's you never see
Speaker:her like that. Yeah, it's heartbreaking. Dan and Allison are walking in Brooklyn and discuss her
Speaker:history with Lily. Allison mentions writing a series of one act plays with a character named a
Speaker:millie to work through her issues. I love that for Allison. Like I like I just think that is. Like it's
Speaker:just such one of those like. Artist ex girlfriend things to do or like artist girlfriend things like
Speaker:I loved it. I thought it was and I really liked this moment with the two of them being able to have a
Speaker:little bit more of a conversation. Like Dan saying, like, what is it that you didn't like about
Speaker:her? Was it her condescending eyelashes or like? Yeah. Yeah. So it's not overly important, but the
Speaker:whole Lily Millie thing is a kind of Easter egg that comes back to play later in the series. Oh, nice.
Speaker:Next day, we see Rufus and Lily are having a conversation about how they have been
Speaker:reconnecting in Allison's absence. And then Dan and Allison walk in with perfect timing right as
Speaker:Lily is mentioning the kids for Valorant Party. Um, yeah, you're going to talk about something
Speaker:private. Yeah, check around every wall. Close the door. Yeah, like, yeah, close the garage door in
Speaker:the bedroom. And and Lily is right. Like Allison comes back. You've been kind of talking to each
Speaker:other more. Hey, a text to see, you know, Allison's back. Like this is not how Lily should have found
Speaker:out. Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely inconvenient. We don't know the exact timeline of how long she's
Speaker:been back. So I mean, it's been like a week or so? Yeah, I kind of assumed it was about a week or so. So,
Speaker:I mean, they haven't talked and maybe even for a reason, it's just not a big extra. Maybe, yeah. I
Speaker:mean, at that time, yeah, 2007, who was? Kids. Yeah, it was for the kids back then. Yeah. So yeah,
Speaker:so yeah, he probably shouldn't let her give her heads up, but it's kind of somewhat
Speaker:understandable. Yeah. And then Nate arrives back at his house and finds his father passed out on the
Speaker:floor. Cinematically speaking, the way that this scene was shot, I thought was really cool. The
Speaker:empty house, you know, we know that they live in this huge house. So just to get that empty hallway
Speaker:of Nate yelling like, hey, have you seen dad? Oh, yeah, he's some, you know, like just the
Speaker:conversation. Then when you and you, you know, you pick up as it's happening, like, oh, shit, he's
Speaker:going to find his dad in some form right now. Yeah. And he does. And, you know, that's that that's
Speaker:something that's just really another one of those fucked up parenting things. Just the thought of
Speaker:one of my kids finding for being being the one to find me the one after I die is horrifying enough to
Speaker:put people in that position. Yeah. And that is just that I don't know if you really and someone in
Speaker:Howard's position and has a very a lot of selfish things happening with him right now in terms of and
Speaker:I'm saying that kind of from stuff will get to an a little bit from his flashback or we already cover
Speaker:the flashback with him and and and now that's coming up. So, you know, they're there, you know,
Speaker:he has something to prove to himself and he's failing in it. And he's consumed. When I'm saying
Speaker:selfish, I'm not trying to make a dig at the captain, despite all the bad things he's done. But
Speaker:he is very consumed with all of the things that he has done and not thinking about people other than
Speaker:himself because he is wrapped up in his own shit right now. But like your kid found you. Yeah.
Speaker:That's messed up. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I have very little sympathy for Howard. No, I have very little
Speaker:sympathy for Howard. I have a ton of sympathy for Nate. Yeah. And it really makes me angry that
Speaker:Howard was so wrapped up in himself that he didn't even consider his kid finding it. So we move on to
Speaker:the epilogue. Last year, Nate, Serena and Blair are still having fun and swirls the captain's
Speaker:balls in her wine glass. Yeah. This is where he like, he's like, oh, I have to go do this deal. And if
Speaker:I'm not there, I won't get credit. Yeah. And the commission on this is huge. Yeah. It's just like,
Speaker:I'll pay your commission. Yeah. Sit the fuck down. Yeah. Yeah. I'll pay the commission. And it's
Speaker:funny because Robin was like, that's so emasculating. And I get it. And at the same time,
Speaker:it's like, you really don't have anything to prove. You really don't need to do this. You're
Speaker:only, so that means that all of the shit that he gets himself into. She said at the end of the episode,
Speaker:yeah. All you have to do is put a suit on and go to the office. And he couldn't do that. Yeah. Which I
Speaker:thought that was really... My dad got us this house, got us our other house, and got you your job.
Speaker:All you have to do is show up and... Yeah. And you fucked that up. Yeah. And like, you know, you get
Speaker:the idea that this, that the embezzlement that he's under investigation for was starting or had
Speaker:just started or that, you know, we kind of get the idea that that was the beginning of that. At least I
Speaker:got that impression. Yeah. Like right after that, he probably was like, oh fuck, I got to do something
Speaker:to prove that. I'm, you know, worried me. Right. Well, and, and, and, or what my thought was is that
Speaker:this deal that he was really chomping at to get is the deal that put him in the hole, you know, is the
Speaker:thing that falls through. I don't know. I don't know what we see later. I just got the impression
Speaker:that he was running out the door because he's about to start his shady schemes that he gets busted for.
Speaker:I didn't really get that impression. I think he was just trying to do, it was just a big deal. Yeah.
Speaker:That, that, that, that makes sense too. Yeah. Like he was doing other stuff. It's a shadier. You get
Speaker:busted. Oh, okay. Yeah. I, well, and, and all back to the original point though of how Ann is just
Speaker:like, you know, I'll write you the check. Like this is Thanksgiving. Like sit with your family and how
Speaker:once again, like all anything that Howard is doing all of the end is not that Howard, the captain,
Speaker:Howard Howard. Yeah. Howard and Harold like, come on, come on. Why'd you do that? But the, to, but I,
Speaker:you know, just the back of that point of like, he didn't need to do anything. I also wanted to make
Speaker:the point of how everybody loves Harold. Like he gets along so well with Serena when he's like, I
Speaker:love that shirt on you and it's like, it's yours. Like that's why I love it. Like, you know, they, he
Speaker:was just so such a fun guy host and yes, just charming guy and such a nice guy and every, you
Speaker:know, such a great relationship with Serena and me. And all of them, you know. Yeah. Very
Speaker:congenial. Yeah. And back in the present, Ann is still swirling. Nate is now standing up for his
Speaker:daddy. Ann is in this weird limbo where she's either in complete denial or 100% in like on top of
Speaker:it. Like she knows everything that's going on. So it's like, Oh, you know, your dad, he just kind of,
Speaker:you know, must have forgotten. He took that medicine. Mom, I know what he did. Well, he's an
Speaker:asshole. It's not my fault. Like, like she, she starts to defend him. That just pulls that ripcord
Speaker:as soon as she gets it. Like, looks like it's going to go towards her at all. Yeah. Yeah. Nope. Uh, and I
Speaker:think this is also where she says that line. All he had to do is put on a suit and show up. Yeah. At the
Speaker:loft, Blair and Serena walk in on Rufus and Lily and Allison and still arguing. The kids walk in and
Speaker:they all kind of shut up and they have those cuts to the parents' faces. I think it's little, I think
Speaker:it's Allison first, then Rufus, then the kids, then Lily. And it's just like, it just, it felt,
Speaker:this is weird. Yeah. Yeah. It was, it was, it was such a great, great choice in the, in the shot
Speaker:choice. Yeah. In the shots. It was such a great shot choice because it really felt as awkward as it
Speaker:looked, you know, like it was choppy and awkward and, and, but felt exactly right. Just like that
Speaker:earlier, really awkward chop into this, into that other scene with these guys. It's funny. I've been
Speaker:listening to the, the audio book of the OC, welcomes the OC that came out a few months ago and
Speaker:Josh Schwartz refers to Mark Miznarski as the Piz. The Piz. All right. And so that, yeah, so Blair and
Speaker:Serena go into Chinese room to get the tea. Blair asks about the garage door and about the Cedric.
Speaker:Dan describes Rufus and Lily's relationship as thus, she was a groupie and he was almost famous.
Speaker:Yeah. I loved, I loved this scene. I, I loved Blair seeing Cedric and like pointing him out. Like
Speaker:Cedric has been such a great like set piece throughout this whole, this whole, you know,
Speaker:connection between Dan and Blair. Which, which one? Is Blair also as a, oh, right, right. Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah. She like noticed it right away. Yeah. Yeah. Every never seen the name. That's the, that's what
Speaker:I loved is that she came in and not only recognized the cabbage veg kid, but remembered the name too.
Speaker:There's a garage door in this room. She's just like Blair among the pores. It's just like at the end.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. And, and the dialogue in this scene is also like the dialogue and the pacing. Ignore my
Speaker:roots. Like every, like all of these really quick Aaron Sorkin like shots, like all of these one
Speaker:liners that just play off of each other. It was so witty and fun. A lot of insistence that they're not
Speaker:related. Yeah. Like, but we're not related. Ignore my roots. I don't know. Those roots look a
Speaker:lot very huffery. Yeah. Yeah. Have you seen my dad's roots? Allison gives a rufus in ultimatum
Speaker:not to see Lily anymore if he wants to rebuild their marriage. I just, I get it, but grow up. Like I mean,
Speaker:I, if she, I mean, if they're going to rebuild their marriage, she, Allison can't be right. I believe
Speaker:you. Yeah. But at the same time I've seen TV shows. That's huge shows that know that ultimatums are
Speaker:never going to work. Yeah. And that's really what, where I, where I, but in the real world, I support
Speaker:that. Yeah. I, I, I actually, there was a period of time when my marriage was falling apart that I had
Speaker:to, that I had a friend that had to stop coming around for a bit because we were going to try to work
Speaker:on things. I, this person is still one of my closest friends because, you know, they had no interest
Speaker:in, you know, harming me. But there was a period of time that was like, Hey, I got to like not talk to you
Speaker:for a bit because of how my ex felt, you know, and it was, it is what it is. And, and, and you're right.
Speaker:Like realistically, but also at the same time, realistically, if that's what you need for your
Speaker:marriage to work out, your marriage has bigger problems than the person, you know, if you're
Speaker:worried about this person being around, then your problems are bigger than your, the person isn't
Speaker:the problem. There's something in the relationship that's, that's the problem. Yeah.
Speaker:But that's like, yeah. I mean, they specifically say that, you know, Lillia's Rufus, the great love
Speaker:of yeah, yeah. And they do say that again, like I do understand and I do get where she's coming from.
Speaker:But I also, I guess there's, I, OK, cards on the table is that I'm rooting for Rufus and Lily
Speaker:anyway, because Allison has already annoyed me. Enough. Yes. From a TV show standpoint, yeah. You
Speaker:see, you see this is horrible decision by Allison. Yeah. I want that family broken up. Yes. At a
Speaker:dinner, the kids are binding at a diner. The kids are binding when Lily arrives. Blair, Dan and
Speaker:Jenny leave so the Vanderwoodsons can be alone as a family. Which member of the Jane's addiction do we
Speaker:think Lily's hooking up with? Well, I mean, I would assume, I would assume Perry is the one that would
Speaker:get you on the road, right? Like, I mean, if it's anything, but, but then again, because I mean,
Speaker:like she was a frontman guy, right? Wasn't Rufus the frontman? Was he just a guitar player? Now he's
Speaker:the singer. Is he the singer? Yeah. I mean, I would assume Perry and that date tomorrow. I try to
Speaker:forget about Dave Navarro. Which is that? I, I, I, or was it multiple? Yeah. Maybe it was Jane's
Speaker:addiction. Lily, what if, what if Lily one time they were all out and they were at a rest stop and
Speaker:she's like, Oh, I forgot my wallet and she goes to grab some slim gyms and she sticks them up into her,
Speaker:into her dress to sneak them out. But the security guard catches her. Jane's addiction sees it,
Speaker:writes the entire song, Ben Costeeland. Hey, you never know. Oh, it's a cannon. Yeah, they're,
Speaker:they're mentioning Eric's roots are like Rufus, but Rufus and Dave Navarro have similar hair. They
Speaker:do, don't they? Wow. Um, that speaking of, of this also, because there's in that scene where Blair
Speaker:says to, says to Serena, only a woman that got all of the, got it all out in her twenties would marry your
Speaker:stepdad. Yeah. It's a fully satisfied her ass. Yeah. Who fully satisfied her sexual appetite in
Speaker:her twenties would marry your stepdad. That's settle dads, plural. Yeah. She said step dads,
Speaker:which again, this is like one of those we've never heard them talk about her stepdads really. Like
Speaker:we, we, we've had very little mention of her, of any paternal figures in Serena's life. And so it was.
Speaker:So both of those. I mean, that line was fantastic. But now we also know that Lily has been married a few
Speaker:times since. And I guess that also calls into question. Are Blair and Eric half siblings? Or
Speaker:are, do they have the same dad? Uh, you mean, uh, Serena and Eric? Oh yeah. Yeah. Serena and Eric
Speaker:Blair. What? Where did that come from? I'm just rewriting this whole show. No, I mean, how else
Speaker:pretty that virile for being a game. He's got something to prove at that point, you know, back
Speaker:then. Um, but, uh, but the, the point I was saying is, is it possible that Serena and Eric are half
Speaker:siblings or do we know that? Or does it ever come up? So that's there. Yeah. And yes, that would never be
Speaker:discussed. Uh, far as we know, they're full siblings. Okay. We'll see. We'll see. We'll see.
Speaker:We'll see what happens. Yeah. Might, might find out something else. Oh, the other thing from that
Speaker:scene was Blair's exit. When she says to Serena, the sandwich was delicious. I'm calling the
Speaker:doctor tomorrow. Yeah. Um, that, that, that we had that closure with Serena and Blair and that Serena
Speaker:knew, that Serena knew exactly what Blair needed. She needed that sandwich. She needed the, the,
Speaker:the, the conversation. She needed all of those things. And Blair acknowledged that before she
Speaker:left, which was, uh, which acknowledging something like that in and of itself is
Speaker:vulnerability. And it really is again, the most vulnerable we have seen Blair this entire series.
Speaker:Yeah. Uh, definitely touching moments with their friendship in this episode. Um, we, yeah, we see
Speaker:that this Serena's really been there for Blair and they, you know, they, they were not, yeah, they,
Speaker:they just have unspoken bond. Yeah. Yeah. A, a drop everything I need you bond. And, and it doesn't
Speaker:matter how much they're mad at each other and how much they hate each other that day. It is a drop
Speaker:everything I need you bond. And that, that to me is just a beautiful friendship. You know, it's a,
Speaker:it's that beautiful part of a loving friendship, you know, Dan and Jenny have a conversation
Speaker:walking back to the loft and then they meet up with Rufus and now send for a game of family pigskin.
Speaker:Okay. It was cute, but it was all like, seems like this annual tradition of them playing football in
Speaker:the park. Yeah. Yeah. Cause Dan, Dan blames his performance last year on a bit on a shoulder. Yeah.
Speaker:Okay. Your cuff injury. Yeah. Cause Jenny refuses to play with them because he burner on his forward
Speaker:path. He couldn't fit it. Yeah. He couldn't hit her on his forward path. Yeah. Uh, yeah. Yeah. Cute
Speaker:family scene. Yeah. Yeah. They were, that was nice. And then back at the pet house, Eleanor and
Speaker:Blair have an honest conversation. Uh, the writing and Margaret Collins is a great acting or
Speaker:making me actually feel bad for Eleanor. They're, it's such a powerful scene. Yeah. Isn't it? Cause
Speaker:like, yes, she was shitty for everything she did and it was so selfish of her. But she had a good
Speaker:reason. Yeah. But like, yeah, cause she, she was not ready to face this guy who's her best friend for
Speaker:20 years. Yeah. And, and when, and, and not giving Blair, you know, not giving Blair the choice was
Speaker:wrong. Right. To be like, I uninvited him because I couldn't. And, and yet you, there's a sympathy
Speaker:there. You know, it was shitty to do, but there's that sympathy because, you know, she knew she
Speaker:would have been all alone, which then she says, which I was anyone. You know, like her, she kind of
Speaker:also recognizes that her efforts were, didn't pan out the way she had hoped anyway. Yeah. And, and
Speaker:also because of, you know, when she says like the, I couldn't not now, not the holidays. They were our
Speaker:happiest times. Yeah. You know, that, that really, that really pulled that me. She, she
Speaker:really shows glimpses of humanity here despite the selfishness, despite the, the lying. You
Speaker:really felt like she was a human. Yeah. And very Blair, like early in the episode, you can see the,
Speaker:you know, the parallels between Blair and Ella out, how, why she hit it and, you know, how she hit
Speaker:it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That, that scene actually got me choked up watching it. And, and
Speaker:yeah, Martin Collins did a great job. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was this episode, which we'll talk about
Speaker:very soon. It was flawless. Like this was just really great. And, and that scene was so powerful
Speaker:and just so meaningful between the two of them that it was, it was really well done. Nate has a
Speaker:conversation with his dad in the hospital and now Nate has a, has to hold his dad's hand so he doesn't
Speaker:try to kill himself because he's a shitty businessman whose wife bosses him around. I mean,
Speaker:I mean, that sums it up. And, and, and it's, and it's true. Like, I'm, I'm glad for Nate for putting his
Speaker:foot down, but it's like, like, dude, stop talking to your kid about how you want to kill yourself
Speaker:because that's fucked up. Like, dude, like, you know, go to fucking jail if you need to. But like,
Speaker:your kid is sitting here. Yeah. Well, and, and if Nate was ever, who was ever the captain's
Speaker:priority, then maybe that would be different. But Nate has never been either of their priority. He's
Speaker:only been the showpiece for them to build their future on. And then we get another flashback to
Speaker:last year. Nate and Ann leave the penthouse as Lily and Eric arrive to pick Serena who's passed out by
Speaker:late. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That whole episode, just from that morning until they finally get her down
Speaker:at the end of the night. Yeah. And then I have a note that says too much turkey denial and I'm not sure
Speaker:what I meant. But somebody says too much turkey. Oh, that was Lily. It was, yeah, it was Lily coming
Speaker:in and seeing her and saying too much turkey. And it's like, you can smell your kid. But like, if your
Speaker:kid has had as much to drink as they've, as they've showed, it won't take, you know, I'm curious where
Speaker:Lily and Eric were having Thanksgiving. Yeah, that's true. Why weren't they with Serena as well?
Speaker:That's all. Is that something that we find out or is that? Yes. Yeah. Which that's really interesting
Speaker:too. So, that mystery. Yeah. Who knows? Maybe, maybe Lily was married at the time. Possible.
Speaker:Yeah. In the present, we get a montage going from present to past and back again. The Vanderwitzers
Speaker:are having a much better Thanksgiving this year. The Waldorf is a much worse one. The Humphries and
Speaker:Archibalds appear fairly neutral. Yeah. Yeah. I mean. Wraps up. Yeah. Everybody kind of doing
Speaker:their thing. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think so we get the parallels between each family from last year this
Speaker:year. I think clearly the Vanderwitzers are better this year. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. They're
Speaker:together instead of Serena being passed down and Eric and Lily all who knows where. Even with that
Speaker:comparison where you have Lily a year ago in denial that her kid is passed out drunk and then Lily now
Speaker:who is finally taking time to talk in bond with her kid. Be honest about herself and her past. Yeah.
Speaker:And just being together. Yeah. Yeah. But the Waldorf's obviously, even though everything was
Speaker:fake, they worked together last year, but now they're all alone and kind of miserable. Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah. Howard might be having a great time off in France. Seems, yeah. Living his best life. Yeah.
Speaker:But yeah, that is, and then yeah. And the Humphries are kind of the same, I would say. Yeah. And the
Speaker:Archibalds are kind of, you know, I mean, well, the Archibalds, the big differences at last year, the
Speaker:Archibalds were invited to the Waldorf's. Yeah. This year they weren't. This year they were on
Speaker:their own. Disinvited. Yeah. Yeah. So they went from bad to worse, I must say, I guess. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker:But that is the end of the episode. Any predictions for what's gonna come next? I mean, we're, I'm
Speaker:expecting Chuck back soon, so I'm expecting more to develop between Chuck and Blair. I'm expecting
Speaker:eventually that to become more public, I would assume. And so far only Serena is. Yeah. So far only
Speaker:Serena Blair and Chuck know. Which Chuck doesn't know Serena knows, so Gossip Girl, if Chuck's
Speaker:Gossip Girl, he can't blow the lid because there's only one person that would know. But yeah, just,
Speaker:it's been really smooth sailing for Dan and Serena. So I'm waiting for a hiccup there at some
Speaker:point. I just feel like TVWise, we're getting due for a bigger hiccup between the two of them.
Speaker:Because they seem to have a lot of those, oh, we have a little argument, we communicate, we work it out,
Speaker:kind of things. Yeah, we'll see what happens there. Yeah. So let's go ahead and get into some
Speaker:segments. This week in fandom, as usual, I went back onto the Way Back machine to look at the
Speaker:Talisman Without Pity forums from back in 2007. And this week, people are glad that Blair's
Speaker:bulimia is being addressed finally. More praise for Leighton's acting. We get actually some
Speaker:praise for Chase's acting. And people are like, it made a little more after last week. We also have
Speaker:Serena, why didn't Serena tell Blair what Chuck did in the pilot? Yeah, she, well, they've never,
Speaker:that happened. They weren't friends. Like they weren't talking to each other at the time. So by the
Speaker:time they were talking again, that probably wasn't. But why didn't it come up this episode when
Speaker:they talked about, you know, Blair's, yeah, Chuck looking out. Yeah, I mean, it probably should
Speaker:have, but I've also gotten the impression through what you have said and through what we've been
Speaker:watching the past eight episodes that they're trying to run. That they're trying to soften
Speaker:Chuck, that angle of Chuck a bit. Speaking of Chuck, where is he? That people are wondering
Speaker:where he is. As he was not in the episode. And then of course, Allison universally hated. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker:Yeah, she's, she's terrible. Like, again, it's funny because like I get it. Like I really agree
Speaker:with her on most of what she says. But yeah, but I just can't stand her. Yep, we went on a roof fly.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Lilliface. All right, let's go ahead and get into some episode grades. I went
Speaker:first last time. So what do you, yeah, yeah. This, this is my first a plus episode. This is my first,
Speaker:yeah, like Chuck not being in it almost, but got it a ding, but it just, it didn't miss him because of
Speaker:everything else going on. This was my first day plus. Okay. Yeah. Um, I also really liked it, but I
Speaker:am going to knock it down a little bit. A minus. I think they kind of overused the flashbacks and the
Speaker:weird title cards were kind of just like a little goofy. So I knocked it down a little bit. That's
Speaker:fair. That's fair. I had fun with that, but you know, I like that. Yeah. I liked the storytelling
Speaker:aspect of it. So I get, but I can see why it's too much and intrusive. Um, moving on to stock watch, uh,
Speaker:what, uh, who do you have going up? Um, I have Nate going up, uh, first of all, cause you know, still
Speaker:standing up to his parents still, you know, now he's taking, you know, taking on the role of taking
Speaker:his care of his dad to even to an extent. So I really had Nate going up. Um, I had Serena going up, um,
Speaker:because, uh, aside from just having a good episode, her friendship with Blair, the, the, the
Speaker:way that she dropped everything for Blair. Um, that's, that's true friendship. That's true
Speaker:love. That's, um, and then also Blair for getting help and Blair for recognizing she needed it,
Speaker:reaching out to Serena and getting the help she needed. Um, something interesting, you know, we
Speaker:had to have the conversation of we know that she purged in the pilot, despite not seeing it, we know
Speaker:that she did. Um, she didn't have Serena to call. Yeah. She didn't have her, her ride or die who was
Speaker:going to drop everything for her. You know, she had no one and, and that, that, that happened. Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah. All right. Anyone else going up? So, uh, Nate Serena. Three going up. Who's the third one?
Speaker:Blair? Nate Serena, Blair. For me, I had, uh, Nate as well. Uh, Nate is the best parent in the episode.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. Nate, Nate actually has been the best parent for a new episode. Um, also Serena for being
Speaker:a great friend. Uh, and then Blair, even though she doesn't have a, it was a sad episode, but I think,
Speaker:uh, character development wise, she goes up just because she, you know, she becomes a more
Speaker:sympathetic character. Yeah. Yeah. And that positive trajectory of character too, of, of
Speaker:seeking and gaining help and, and I'm also going to give Elinor a nudge up for the same reason. Because
Speaker:she became sympathetic there and just the great acting. That's fair. That, that last scene was
Speaker:just great. Yeah. Uh, who do you got going down? So, so since you let it, since you ended with Elinor, I
Speaker:had Elinor going down, but that was because of the, the lying and the, and the, and just the selfish
Speaker:nature of I didn't want to be alone. So I lied to my kid. I didn't like, yeah. Um, uh, I, I really
Speaker:understand where you're coming from. Uh, I had her going down. I had Lily, I originally had Lily going
Speaker:down, but I kind of feel like she should be going up by the end of this. But so I'm just going to leave
Speaker:Lily out, but I am going to the rest of the parent, the parents like, wow, I actually wrote down Lily
Speaker:twice, but all of the parents for Rufus, yeah, Allison, Allison, Captain and Elinor. I'm, I'm
Speaker:changing my vote for Lily to, to probably going up because she finally starts because she has been
Speaker:trying to be a mom and everything that went wrong for her in this episode was thrown on her. Like she
Speaker:didn't do anything. She just kind of got shit deals throughout this whole episode and, and made the
Speaker:best of it. So I'm going to flip Lily do a, to a positive. Yeah. For my doubt, I also had just all
Speaker:the parents, including Lily. So Rufus, Allison, Lily and Howard. Uh, yeah, they're all just pretty
Speaker:bad. Uh, even though Lily does have a good moment at the end, I don't think it was enough to redeem her.
Speaker:Um, yeah, the whole, yeah, the whole line to her kids is what caused this whole situation. Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah. And then just, yeah, just being indignant about the whole, yeah. What, it's just still like
Speaker:basically be friends and hang out, even though, yeah, yeah. So yeah, um, yeah, so all the parents go
Speaker:down. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Who do you have for a best outfit? Um, Blair's flashback dress. It was the
Speaker:Nanette LaPour Smoke Pave Diamond Strapless, uh, Strapless Sweetheart dress that she wore in the
Speaker:flashback with the big bow on the front. And yeah, I love that. I shout out to Serena's purple outfit,
Speaker:but like that was, but yeah. Uh, for me, I actually like Lily's outfit. The black trench coat with,
Speaker:uh, oversized gold buttons and, uh, and then when she took that off, this is like a white lace top with
Speaker:a, uh, far like a deep forest green blouse underneath that and gray pants. Yeah. Yeah. Very
Speaker:cool. Lily's got some style. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like Lily, Lily tends to be the best dressed parent
Speaker:at all times. Eleanor always seems to dress like an Eleanor, you know, and, and, and her fashion stuff
Speaker:is very sort of almost old fashioned look, like a modernized old fashioned look to it. Yeah. Um, you
Speaker:know, a lot of like the lace collars and stuff like that, but I feel like Lily always has just really
Speaker:hit fashion. Yeah. Yeah. I almost gave it to Rufus for the leather jacket, but I just couldn't with
Speaker:that horrible dad shirt he's wearing underneath. Like the leather jacket and the tour jeans. Nice.
Speaker:Yeah. Rock. Nice rock look that button up shirt with like the weird swirls on it. It's such a dad
Speaker:shirt. Yeah. Almost famous. Yeah. He was almost a rock star. All right. Uh, anything you want to plug
Speaker:this week? Um, I don't really have much going on outside of my TikTok and Steve Dotmarshon and my,
Speaker:uh, Instagram at Steve Dotmarshon, M-A-R-C-H-I-O-N. And, um, I don't really have
Speaker:much coming up right now. So. Yeah. Yeah. So I just recently, uh, marathoned, uh, Sex Lives of
Speaker:College Girls. So I'll recommend that. It was a really funny show. Robin loves that show.
Speaker:Actually, I haven't seen it, but Robin actually. Yeah. I like that. And one of the characters is
Speaker:actually her name is Layton and she's from the Upper East Side. Oh, that's funny. That's
Speaker:probably, I would assume. Oh, definitely inspired. Yeah. Robin's a big Mindy Kaling fan.
Speaker:Her, to me, she, her stuff is kind of hit or miss. I feel like she, I feel like she does what she sets out
Speaker:to do all the time and sometimes what she sets out to do annoys me. But I, but I'm not, but that's not a
Speaker:critique on her. I think she's incredibly talented despite me not always being, it's sort of
Speaker:like Rush. I'm not always into Rush, but I know that they're one of like, I know how good they are. Yeah.
Speaker:Um, yeah. And you can follow me on Instagram at hotcapicola. You can follow the podcast at
Speaker:non-judgingbreakfastpod on Instagram and TikTok, on the social media formally known as
Speaker:Twitter at NGBpod. And also you can join us on the Facebook group, non-judgingbreakfastpod and
Speaker:take your seat at the non-judgingbreakfasttable. Yeah. And you can
Speaker:also send us an email at nonjudge, nonjudgingbreakfastpodatgmail.com. And we'd
Speaker:love to hear from you. If you have anything you would like us to, you'd like to say to us, we'd love
Speaker:to read your emails on air. If you have questions for us or anything you want us to address, please
Speaker:feel free to reach out and let us know how we're doing. Also give us a listen on, on Apple and
Speaker:Spotify and on YouTube and give us a like and follow and help us promote those videos. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker:Rating and a leave a review that definitely helps with discoverability special on Apple. Um, and
Speaker:then uh, next episode we are going to be talking about season one, episode 10, High Society, uh,
Speaker:the next episode description reads, Serena has no attention of attending the ball until it's
Speaker:announced that Serena must attend. All right. So next time you know you love us. XOXO. Bye guys.
