TV catch-up post
Yeah, so I've been watching quite a bit of stuff over the past few days:
Glee:
I thought this episode got a lot right. The song choices were pretty spot-on (the mash-up of 'Heads Will Roll' and 'Thriller' worked brilliantly), it had a serious plotline that it actually managed to treat sensitively without becoming treacly over-earnest, and it maintained a lot of series continuity.
I actually thought most of the characters behaved pretty believably, even if the Finn/Puck reconciliation was a bit forced (also, given that they were laughing and joking in 2x10, a bit strange). I really liked the part where the girls volunteered to join the football team - sure, it was daft, but it was a nice sign of how much all of these people mean to each other now, and how they're all working together, whatever the scenario. And I liked that they didn't win the match just because they had the girls there, because that probably would've been fairly unbelievable, since the girls weren't actually playing (apart from Lauren), they were just making up the numbers.
Things that were less good: Kurt's appearances in the episode felt painfully forced. I still don't like Blaine. Schuester is still an utter douchebag. (I particularly enjoyed watching him sit there looking appalled while Sue ATTACKED A STUDENT. Nice pastoral care there, you smug, self-satisfied windbag. Also, way to basically steal your ideas from the internet, you cunt. Still, I can understand his thought process. "This routine was originally done by prison inmates. I treat my students like prison inmates. It's perfect!" Also, I really hope Karofsky isn't supposed to be good at dancing because he's gay, because that would be pretty awful. I guess we'll see where they go with that.
The Cheerios stuff was mad, but I rather liked it. Especially Sue quoting the Black Eyed Peas, and trying to trick Brittany into signing the waver by anthropomorphising the cannon (the crayon-drawn note was particularly winning). It'll be interesting to see what Sue does without her winning streak and three of her best cheerleaders. I hope she starts by punching Schuester in his smug, awful face.
********
Well, here's a turn-up for the books - a fun, entertaining episode with decent character development written by Ryan Murphy. I guess miracles do happen.
I liked this because it felt like a return to what I liked about Glee in the first place - the random developments that somehow make sense, and the attempts at earnest emotion mixed in with ridiculous OTT musical numbers. I enjoyed Finn momentarily becoming the school stud and setting up his kissing both, in particular the Peanuts shout-out. And as much as Finn's whole drama with Quinn and whether she should cheat with him or not was stupid, it sort of made sense in the sphere that they're in - silly teenage romances where no one's really got their proper thinking head on.
Also good: the Rachel/Kurt/Mercedes friendship becoming an actual thing. I love that, and can only wonder why it didn't come up sooner. Admittedly Mercedes still needs a storyline that isn't about food or how she relates to other people, but at least giving her this is a start.
The musical numbers were admittedly so-so - 'Firework' is a waste of Lea Michele's talents, and 'When I Get You Alone' was funny but outstayed its welcome. 'Fat Bottomed Girls' was funny, but didn't actually sound that great. But I didn't mind, because I'll happily take an episode of proper plot development where the songs aren't great to an episode of awesome songs that makes no fucking sense. Also, the more I see of the Dalton Warblers, the more I feel that their process of allocating out the solos makes that of New Directions feel varied and diverse. It seems odd that Blaine apparently doesn't have that much sway on the council since he seems to get the lead EVERY DAMN TIME.
I doubt that's it for Sam and Quinn - considering they rewrote his whole character based on their PHENOMENAL CHEMISTRY, it seems unlikely. But it gave Quinn some nice moments when she questioned both their relationship and herself.
And even Mr Schu wasn't that hateful this week. Result.
********
Well, that was a return to form for Ryan Murphy - some truly diabolical, lazy scripting, some shoehorned-in songs, and Will Schuester acting like an absolute shithead. Shame.
The whole everyone-goes-nuts-for-Bieber thing just felt like a poor excuse to justify spending so much of the episode on someone who has barely been around for five minutes. I mean, the songs aren't dreadful, but it just felt like everyone was responding to them because it said so in the script rather than because there was any innate power in the songs themselves.
As for Schuester, JESUS CHRIST. He was properly up on his high horse about Sue, despite the fact that he was all-too-willing to align himself to her in the past and has been every bit as spiteful and petty as she has (albeit on not such a grand scale, admittedly). Also, now we know that he goes to sing to paediatric cancer patients on a regular basis, I feel sorry for those poor kids. Like they don't have enough problems already without being patronised and probably rapped at on a regular basis. That's tantamount to child abuse.
That's not to say there wasn't some good stuff. Rachel attempting her "comeback" was funny, and the ways in which her attempts to enlist Brittany ended up backfiring were quite fun. And despite the pointlessness of Sue trying to break up the club from within yet again (and I refuse to believe that anyone would fall for that at this point), I liked the diva-off between Rachel and Mercedes. I mean, it's a shame that they did 'Take Me Or Leave Me' and basically stripped all the lesbianism out of it, but I guess this is still broadcast TV at the end of the day.
What else was there? Oh, Sam and Quinn. Bored. Although Sam and Santana could be fun, because Santana has enough of a personality for both of them. And the original song stuff could be interesting, looking ahead.
********
Gossip Girl:
I was really looking forward to having this show back, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed. I just wish it hadn't been yet another plot revolving around someone (usually Lily, let's be honest) lying to everyone around her for no apparent reason, even when the secret she's guarding really isn't that bad, and basically being honest with everyone would've made no difference apart from preventing the catastrophe that lying brings about, so the only real reason for the deceit is "because it says so in the script".
Aside from that, I enjoyed this episode. Serena and Chuck teaming up to take down Lily, especially when Serena tried to pass herself off as Lily. The resemblance was actually quite uncanny. Russell Thorpe seems like a good addition, though the stuff with his daughter-non-secretary was totally contrived. Dan is still an idiot. Nate's dad being hired for his (disgraced) connections was kind of stupid. Blair realising her calling in life was to be Anna Wintour was inspired - and I'm so looking forward to the Blair vs Dan internship arc.
********
I don't know how much they're paying Kevin Zegers to be on this show, but I hope it's a lot, because he's worth every penny. Damien is one of the show's best, most charismatic guest villains in ages, and I hope they keep him around for a bit - and that they don't ruin him like they have done some of the others. The reveal that Eric's been hanging out with him was a genuinely shocking one - and I rather like the whole concept of Eric going a bit off the rails because the rest of his family was too self-involved to notice. I mean, it's pretty believable, isn't it? Also, I love how the complete irrelevance of Eric's lovelife has become an in-show meme - to be honest, I'd completely forgotten that he'd broken up with Jonathan and was supposed to be with Elliot. It's not like we ever see them together apart from the occasional tokenistic scene.
I'm really enjoying Blair and Dan's growing friendship, and I loved the twist in their internship battle - that Blair's word actually meant something when she vowed not to sabotage him, and his didn't. Because Dan is an ass. God, I've missed saying that. Although he redeemed himself by sacrificing himself and saving her at the end, and while I'm sad that the internship wars storyline seems to be a one-episode only deal, I like what they're doing with these characters.
I'm not sold on Raina Thorpe yet. I wish the actress wouldn't keep tilting her head to the side quite so much - it's really distracting. Also, the saga with Nate and the Captain is moving at a snail's pace. Nate and his expressive eyebrows need something better to do.
Serena continues to make appalling dating decisions, and to have absolutely no idea why everyone else thinks they're such a terrible idea. She might be one of the dumbest people alive. I did think Ben was an impossibly dull character, though that scene at the end where he roughed up Damien was unusually interesting, so I'll give him a pass for now. I kind of hope he seriously fucks up Rufus's loft too. Rufus really sucks - he's a better parent than Lily, but he's so insufferable. Besides, being "a better parent than Lily" is like being "a better eco-warrior than Jeremy Clarkson".
********
Aw, dammit. I guess that's the end of Damien. Such a shame, because I was really enjoying him. He joins Carter Baizen and Georgina Sparks in the leagues of guest characters who are welcome back whenever the hell they like. Still, I guess it was better this way - burn brightly for a short while then disappear, and hopefully return with a vengeance later and kill Dan, or something.
The Ben takedown was fun - I maintain that it's nice to see Eric being the neurotic crazy one for a change, and plotting someone's demise. The look of hurt when Damien ditched him was good, and his little confession to Rufus that he has no friends any more was rather heartbreaking. It's also sad that apparently prior to this point his only friend was Serena. Jeez, Eric, get out more.
The sitch with Ben is interesting - evil or no evil? I'm guessing ultimately evil, but we're going to have to pretend that he isn't for ages to allow Serena to fall for him and for there to be an enduring "he's evil!" "no he isn't!" plotline at some point. Yay.
Hurrah for recognition of Nate being a total whore. And lol forever at his favourite movie being The Sound Of Music. Nate is such a homo.
The Chuck/Raina storyline was tedious. How many times must we sit through "at first I was being a manipulative trickster for my own ends but then I secretly fell in love with you in the process"? I don't even know if that was sincere or not, and I care even less.
And Blair...okay. She couldn't have just been an intern for a few episodes, they had to get her promoted right away? This show has no sense of pacing sometimes. Also, there's no way in hell she could do that job AND be a student, but at least the show recognised that, and we got the James Franco joke, and hey, it's not like we ever see these kids actually studying anyway. It's Gossip Girl, it's not like I'm watching it for social realism. (Also, writers, Oxford =/= London, just so you know.)
********
Well, that was unexpected. Not the episode itself but the fact that I came out of it quite liking Raina, having been ambivalent verging on dislike beforehand. I'm not really sure what changed my mind - maybe it was the fact that they humanised her a little by having her hang out with Serena and generally seeming like quite a nice person who doesn't actually want to destroy anyone. That's such a rarity on this show, I couldn't help but be a little enamoured.
So, let's thing about what else happened this week. Well, first of all, Chuck's business stuff continued apace, and I'm still slightly bored by the whole thing because it's moving so slowly and dear God, they really need to give Nate something to do other than turn up with his dad occasionally and move the plot along, but it's nice to see The Captain getting a chance to redeem himself by being a secret badass. Although frankly I question the security protocols of Russell Thorpe's business if he (a) cannot tell a gym keycard from a business keycard and (b) wouldn't have the access rights immediately stripped from a high profile employee who's just been sacked as a matter of course.
We had the usual case of "if only everyone had been honest, none of this would've happened" again, but this time Lily wasn't involved - instead it was Serena (taking after her mother) and Blair, over Chuck and Raina, but at least this time it made sense for Serena to keep this to herself. She was acting in Blair's best interests, or so she thought. And I like that the friendship between these two is so strong that it really didn't hurt either of them in the end - they both understood why the other one acted as they did.
And I never ever thought I'd say this, but I'm really getting behind the idea of Dan and Blair as a couple. I think Leighton Meester is doing a better job of selling it than Penn Badgley is, but they do have excellent chemistry and I quite want to see where they take it. Ew, not like that.
********
There was a lot of subterfuge in this episode, and I liked it. After so many episodes of people plotting to do the dirty on their nearest and dearest, it was so good to finally see them all plotting to take down a common enemy. Hell, even Rufus was quite fun doing it. Although not too much because, y'know, it's still Rufus.
I'm quite glad that the whole Blair Waldorf, Girl Editor thing came to an end, because I didn't like the idea of them prolonging it to a ridiculous degree and claiming that she could hold down a full-time job on a magazine while also trying to obtain her undergraduate degree and be queen of New York. And for once, the way it all came down around her ears was realistic - not because of scheming or plotting, but simply because she tried to do too much, and had a bit of a meltdown. And it was sweet to see everyone's concern for her, and Blair admitting that she's not "the Blair Waldorf [she] wants to be". That was a really nice character moment for me.
Kevin Zegers continues to go for the MVP award - my favourite part of the episode was where he'd just been up in the Van Der Humphrey apartment laying down the law, and then when he was on the street and Ben tapped on his shoulder, just for a second he flailed like a little kid. That was a lovely little detail from Kevin Zegers. Him going to Russell Thorpe at the end may have been a bit of a stretch, but from the perspective of the ongoing narrative, I approve.
Also: Vanessa! Is back, and still sucks, but now has important information. I approve of this also.
Dan and Blair continue to be sweet, although I'm not sure I want them as a couple for the long term. I do enjoy their chemistry, though.
And Nate babysitting Raina and getting stoned! Remember in the books when Nate was a pothead? Yeah, that was fun. I hope they go back there, but they probably won't. Still, watching them playing Just Dance and eating ice-cream was cool.
What else? The whole Danger-Ben thing is intriguing, now that we know he ordered a hit on the Captain, and Lily's reconciled with her kids - but for how long? And Chuck's got one up on Russell - but for how long? For once, the unanswered questions are all good ones. Kudos, Gossip Girl.
********
I'm not entirely sure that the whole "start at the end and then flash back" structure was entirely necessary - did it really add anything to the episode? I'd be inclined to say no. It didn't detract, admittedly, but I'm at a loss as to what it achieved that the usual "Gossip Girl here..." intro couldn't have done just as well.
So: Dan/Blair. THEY KISSED. It had to happen, right? I still think Blair's too good for him, but they're interesting as a team, and it'd be a bit of an own goal if the show didn't at least experiment with them as a couple. I'm willing to see how it goes, but I think the show needs to remember that Blair's reasons for getting with Dan seem to be fairly similar to the reasons she eventually hooked up with Chuck.
Lily's taking responsibility for her sins. That's novel. And it seems that there's more to come from that scenario, as Cece's gone and got William involved, so there should be some good drama of husbands past and present. And Vanessa actually did something useful, hooray! She sped the Ben plot along, though he seems to still be around to be a bit bland and annoying forever. Serena just has the blandest taste in men. Except for Carter Baizen, of course. *sigh*
And Chuck's going into freefall now that apparently his dad killed Russell Thorpe's wife - inadvertently, but still - and now Nate's run off with Raina, whom he's loved for like six minutes or whatever. He's going to want Blair back. But she's with Dan. Or is she? OMGDRAMA. Hurry back, Gossip Girl.
********
Supernatural
I'm like 99% sure that the inspiration for this episode was wanting to get Jared and Jensen to hold cute babies and see if they could get the fangirls' ovaries to explode, and then everything else came after. Not sayin' that's a bad thing. Just sayin'.
I liked this episode a little more than the premiere - it felt a bit more like the Supernatural of old, with the monster of the week and the two brothers against the world feel of it. I worried at one point that the baby was going to be an excuse for scatological jokes, but mercifully those were few and far between. I liked that it addressed the boys' own upbringing and how it's not something they want to subject anyone else to, but aren't entirely sure of how to avoid it.
The baby being a shapeshifter was a nice twist, and posed an interesting question of what to do with it, where to draw the line, nature vs nurture, etc. I'm not necessarily sure those questions were answered satisfactorily because for me the episode went a bit off the boil when we got back to Samuel's, much as the premiere did. I just don't like that plotline so far, it feels...forced. Also, Samuel's "family" are pretty annoying - although it sounds like most of them are dead now, so hooray! Shame Samuel still lives. I assume he's our Big Bad for the time being, and I hope they've got a decent plan for him, because right now it's just a bit too much of Sam thinking it's a good idea and not saying why, and Dean thinking it's a bad idea and not saying why, which is obviously going to lead to Brother Vs Brother again, and I'm not sure I want to return to that well just yet.
Speaking of which, I'm also slightly concerned about how both episodes this season have recycled monsters from previous episodes. Come up with some new ideas guys, eh? (Although I suppose the "Alpha" is a new monster of sorts, but it's still basically a variation on an old theme.)
Glee:
I thought this episode got a lot right. The song choices were pretty spot-on (the mash-up of 'Heads Will Roll' and 'Thriller' worked brilliantly), it had a serious plotline that it actually managed to treat sensitively without becoming treacly over-earnest, and it maintained a lot of series continuity.
I actually thought most of the characters behaved pretty believably, even if the Finn/Puck reconciliation was a bit forced (also, given that they were laughing and joking in 2x10, a bit strange). I really liked the part where the girls volunteered to join the football team - sure, it was daft, but it was a nice sign of how much all of these people mean to each other now, and how they're all working together, whatever the scenario. And I liked that they didn't win the match just because they had the girls there, because that probably would've been fairly unbelievable, since the girls weren't actually playing (apart from Lauren), they were just making up the numbers.
Things that were less good: Kurt's appearances in the episode felt painfully forced. I still don't like Blaine. Schuester is still an utter douchebag. (I particularly enjoyed watching him sit there looking appalled while Sue ATTACKED A STUDENT. Nice pastoral care there, you smug, self-satisfied windbag. Also, way to basically steal your ideas from the internet, you cunt. Still, I can understand his thought process. "This routine was originally done by prison inmates. I treat my students like prison inmates. It's perfect!" Also, I really hope Karofsky isn't supposed to be good at dancing because he's gay, because that would be pretty awful. I guess we'll see where they go with that.
The Cheerios stuff was mad, but I rather liked it. Especially Sue quoting the Black Eyed Peas, and trying to trick Brittany into signing the waver by anthropomorphising the cannon (the crayon-drawn note was particularly winning). It'll be interesting to see what Sue does without her winning streak and three of her best cheerleaders. I hope she starts by punching Schuester in his smug, awful face.
********
Well, here's a turn-up for the books - a fun, entertaining episode with decent character development written by Ryan Murphy. I guess miracles do happen.
I liked this because it felt like a return to what I liked about Glee in the first place - the random developments that somehow make sense, and the attempts at earnest emotion mixed in with ridiculous OTT musical numbers. I enjoyed Finn momentarily becoming the school stud and setting up his kissing both, in particular the Peanuts shout-out. And as much as Finn's whole drama with Quinn and whether she should cheat with him or not was stupid, it sort of made sense in the sphere that they're in - silly teenage romances where no one's really got their proper thinking head on.
Also good: the Rachel/Kurt/Mercedes friendship becoming an actual thing. I love that, and can only wonder why it didn't come up sooner. Admittedly Mercedes still needs a storyline that isn't about food or how she relates to other people, but at least giving her this is a start.
The musical numbers were admittedly so-so - 'Firework' is a waste of Lea Michele's talents, and 'When I Get You Alone' was funny but outstayed its welcome. 'Fat Bottomed Girls' was funny, but didn't actually sound that great. But I didn't mind, because I'll happily take an episode of proper plot development where the songs aren't great to an episode of awesome songs that makes no fucking sense. Also, the more I see of the Dalton Warblers, the more I feel that their process of allocating out the solos makes that of New Directions feel varied and diverse. It seems odd that Blaine apparently doesn't have that much sway on the council since he seems to get the lead EVERY DAMN TIME.
I doubt that's it for Sam and Quinn - considering they rewrote his whole character based on their PHENOMENAL CHEMISTRY, it seems unlikely. But it gave Quinn some nice moments when she questioned both their relationship and herself.
And even Mr Schu wasn't that hateful this week. Result.
********
Well, that was a return to form for Ryan Murphy - some truly diabolical, lazy scripting, some shoehorned-in songs, and Will Schuester acting like an absolute shithead. Shame.
The whole everyone-goes-nuts-for-Bieber thing just felt like a poor excuse to justify spending so much of the episode on someone who has barely been around for five minutes. I mean, the songs aren't dreadful, but it just felt like everyone was responding to them because it said so in the script rather than because there was any innate power in the songs themselves.
As for Schuester, JESUS CHRIST. He was properly up on his high horse about Sue, despite the fact that he was all-too-willing to align himself to her in the past and has been every bit as spiteful and petty as she has (albeit on not such a grand scale, admittedly). Also, now we know that he goes to sing to paediatric cancer patients on a regular basis, I feel sorry for those poor kids. Like they don't have enough problems already without being patronised and probably rapped at on a regular basis. That's tantamount to child abuse.
That's not to say there wasn't some good stuff. Rachel attempting her "comeback" was funny, and the ways in which her attempts to enlist Brittany ended up backfiring were quite fun. And despite the pointlessness of Sue trying to break up the club from within yet again (and I refuse to believe that anyone would fall for that at this point), I liked the diva-off between Rachel and Mercedes. I mean, it's a shame that they did 'Take Me Or Leave Me' and basically stripped all the lesbianism out of it, but I guess this is still broadcast TV at the end of the day.
What else was there? Oh, Sam and Quinn. Bored. Although Sam and Santana could be fun, because Santana has enough of a personality for both of them. And the original song stuff could be interesting, looking ahead.
********
Gossip Girl:
I was really looking forward to having this show back, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed. I just wish it hadn't been yet another plot revolving around someone (usually Lily, let's be honest) lying to everyone around her for no apparent reason, even when the secret she's guarding really isn't that bad, and basically being honest with everyone would've made no difference apart from preventing the catastrophe that lying brings about, so the only real reason for the deceit is "because it says so in the script".
Aside from that, I enjoyed this episode. Serena and Chuck teaming up to take down Lily, especially when Serena tried to pass herself off as Lily. The resemblance was actually quite uncanny. Russell Thorpe seems like a good addition, though the stuff with his daughter-non-secretary was totally contrived. Dan is still an idiot. Nate's dad being hired for his (disgraced) connections was kind of stupid. Blair realising her calling in life was to be Anna Wintour was inspired - and I'm so looking forward to the Blair vs Dan internship arc.
********
I don't know how much they're paying Kevin Zegers to be on this show, but I hope it's a lot, because he's worth every penny. Damien is one of the show's best, most charismatic guest villains in ages, and I hope they keep him around for a bit - and that they don't ruin him like they have done some of the others. The reveal that Eric's been hanging out with him was a genuinely shocking one - and I rather like the whole concept of Eric going a bit off the rails because the rest of his family was too self-involved to notice. I mean, it's pretty believable, isn't it? Also, I love how the complete irrelevance of Eric's lovelife has become an in-show meme - to be honest, I'd completely forgotten that he'd broken up with Jonathan and was supposed to be with Elliot. It's not like we ever see them together apart from the occasional tokenistic scene.
I'm really enjoying Blair and Dan's growing friendship, and I loved the twist in their internship battle - that Blair's word actually meant something when she vowed not to sabotage him, and his didn't. Because Dan is an ass. God, I've missed saying that. Although he redeemed himself by sacrificing himself and saving her at the end, and while I'm sad that the internship wars storyline seems to be a one-episode only deal, I like what they're doing with these characters.
I'm not sold on Raina Thorpe yet. I wish the actress wouldn't keep tilting her head to the side quite so much - it's really distracting. Also, the saga with Nate and the Captain is moving at a snail's pace. Nate and his expressive eyebrows need something better to do.
Serena continues to make appalling dating decisions, and to have absolutely no idea why everyone else thinks they're such a terrible idea. She might be one of the dumbest people alive. I did think Ben was an impossibly dull character, though that scene at the end where he roughed up Damien was unusually interesting, so I'll give him a pass for now. I kind of hope he seriously fucks up Rufus's loft too. Rufus really sucks - he's a better parent than Lily, but he's so insufferable. Besides, being "a better parent than Lily" is like being "a better eco-warrior than Jeremy Clarkson".
********
Aw, dammit. I guess that's the end of Damien. Such a shame, because I was really enjoying him. He joins Carter Baizen and Georgina Sparks in the leagues of guest characters who are welcome back whenever the hell they like. Still, I guess it was better this way - burn brightly for a short while then disappear, and hopefully return with a vengeance later and kill Dan, or something.
The Ben takedown was fun - I maintain that it's nice to see Eric being the neurotic crazy one for a change, and plotting someone's demise. The look of hurt when Damien ditched him was good, and his little confession to Rufus that he has no friends any more was rather heartbreaking. It's also sad that apparently prior to this point his only friend was Serena. Jeez, Eric, get out more.
The sitch with Ben is interesting - evil or no evil? I'm guessing ultimately evil, but we're going to have to pretend that he isn't for ages to allow Serena to fall for him and for there to be an enduring "he's evil!" "no he isn't!" plotline at some point. Yay.
Hurrah for recognition of Nate being a total whore. And lol forever at his favourite movie being The Sound Of Music. Nate is such a homo.
The Chuck/Raina storyline was tedious. How many times must we sit through "at first I was being a manipulative trickster for my own ends but then I secretly fell in love with you in the process"? I don't even know if that was sincere or not, and I care even less.
And Blair...okay. She couldn't have just been an intern for a few episodes, they had to get her promoted right away? This show has no sense of pacing sometimes. Also, there's no way in hell she could do that job AND be a student, but at least the show recognised that, and we got the James Franco joke, and hey, it's not like we ever see these kids actually studying anyway. It's Gossip Girl, it's not like I'm watching it for social realism. (Also, writers, Oxford =/= London, just so you know.)
********
Well, that was unexpected. Not the episode itself but the fact that I came out of it quite liking Raina, having been ambivalent verging on dislike beforehand. I'm not really sure what changed my mind - maybe it was the fact that they humanised her a little by having her hang out with Serena and generally seeming like quite a nice person who doesn't actually want to destroy anyone. That's such a rarity on this show, I couldn't help but be a little enamoured.
So, let's thing about what else happened this week. Well, first of all, Chuck's business stuff continued apace, and I'm still slightly bored by the whole thing because it's moving so slowly and dear God, they really need to give Nate something to do other than turn up with his dad occasionally and move the plot along, but it's nice to see The Captain getting a chance to redeem himself by being a secret badass. Although frankly I question the security protocols of Russell Thorpe's business if he (a) cannot tell a gym keycard from a business keycard and (b) wouldn't have the access rights immediately stripped from a high profile employee who's just been sacked as a matter of course.
We had the usual case of "if only everyone had been honest, none of this would've happened" again, but this time Lily wasn't involved - instead it was Serena (taking after her mother) and Blair, over Chuck and Raina, but at least this time it made sense for Serena to keep this to herself. She was acting in Blair's best interests, or so she thought. And I like that the friendship between these two is so strong that it really didn't hurt either of them in the end - they both understood why the other one acted as they did.
And I never ever thought I'd say this, but I'm really getting behind the idea of Dan and Blair as a couple. I think Leighton Meester is doing a better job of selling it than Penn Badgley is, but they do have excellent chemistry and I quite want to see where they take it. Ew, not like that.
********
There was a lot of subterfuge in this episode, and I liked it. After so many episodes of people plotting to do the dirty on their nearest and dearest, it was so good to finally see them all plotting to take down a common enemy. Hell, even Rufus was quite fun doing it. Although not too much because, y'know, it's still Rufus.
I'm quite glad that the whole Blair Waldorf, Girl Editor thing came to an end, because I didn't like the idea of them prolonging it to a ridiculous degree and claiming that she could hold down a full-time job on a magazine while also trying to obtain her undergraduate degree and be queen of New York. And for once, the way it all came down around her ears was realistic - not because of scheming or plotting, but simply because she tried to do too much, and had a bit of a meltdown. And it was sweet to see everyone's concern for her, and Blair admitting that she's not "the Blair Waldorf [she] wants to be". That was a really nice character moment for me.
Kevin Zegers continues to go for the MVP award - my favourite part of the episode was where he'd just been up in the Van Der Humphrey apartment laying down the law, and then when he was on the street and Ben tapped on his shoulder, just for a second he flailed like a little kid. That was a lovely little detail from Kevin Zegers. Him going to Russell Thorpe at the end may have been a bit of a stretch, but from the perspective of the ongoing narrative, I approve.
Also: Vanessa! Is back, and still sucks, but now has important information. I approve of this also.
Dan and Blair continue to be sweet, although I'm not sure I want them as a couple for the long term. I do enjoy their chemistry, though.
And Nate babysitting Raina and getting stoned! Remember in the books when Nate was a pothead? Yeah, that was fun. I hope they go back there, but they probably won't. Still, watching them playing Just Dance and eating ice-cream was cool.
What else? The whole Danger-Ben thing is intriguing, now that we know he ordered a hit on the Captain, and Lily's reconciled with her kids - but for how long? And Chuck's got one up on Russell - but for how long? For once, the unanswered questions are all good ones. Kudos, Gossip Girl.
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I'm not entirely sure that the whole "start at the end and then flash back" structure was entirely necessary - did it really add anything to the episode? I'd be inclined to say no. It didn't detract, admittedly, but I'm at a loss as to what it achieved that the usual "Gossip Girl here..." intro couldn't have done just as well.
So: Dan/Blair. THEY KISSED. It had to happen, right? I still think Blair's too good for him, but they're interesting as a team, and it'd be a bit of an own goal if the show didn't at least experiment with them as a couple. I'm willing to see how it goes, but I think the show needs to remember that Blair's reasons for getting with Dan seem to be fairly similar to the reasons she eventually hooked up with Chuck.
Lily's taking responsibility for her sins. That's novel. And it seems that there's more to come from that scenario, as Cece's gone and got William involved, so there should be some good drama of husbands past and present. And Vanessa actually did something useful, hooray! She sped the Ben plot along, though he seems to still be around to be a bit bland and annoying forever. Serena just has the blandest taste in men. Except for Carter Baizen, of course. *sigh*
And Chuck's going into freefall now that apparently his dad killed Russell Thorpe's wife - inadvertently, but still - and now Nate's run off with Raina, whom he's loved for like six minutes or whatever. He's going to want Blair back. But she's with Dan. Or is she? OMGDRAMA. Hurry back, Gossip Girl.
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Supernatural
I'm like 99% sure that the inspiration for this episode was wanting to get Jared and Jensen to hold cute babies and see if they could get the fangirls' ovaries to explode, and then everything else came after. Not sayin' that's a bad thing. Just sayin'.
I liked this episode a little more than the premiere - it felt a bit more like the Supernatural of old, with the monster of the week and the two brothers against the world feel of it. I worried at one point that the baby was going to be an excuse for scatological jokes, but mercifully those were few and far between. I liked that it addressed the boys' own upbringing and how it's not something they want to subject anyone else to, but aren't entirely sure of how to avoid it.
The baby being a shapeshifter was a nice twist, and posed an interesting question of what to do with it, where to draw the line, nature vs nurture, etc. I'm not necessarily sure those questions were answered satisfactorily because for me the episode went a bit off the boil when we got back to Samuel's, much as the premiere did. I just don't like that plotline so far, it feels...forced. Also, Samuel's "family" are pretty annoying - although it sounds like most of them are dead now, so hooray! Shame Samuel still lives. I assume he's our Big Bad for the time being, and I hope they've got a decent plan for him, because right now it's just a bit too much of Sam thinking it's a good idea and not saying why, and Dean thinking it's a bad idea and not saying why, which is obviously going to lead to Brother Vs Brother again, and I'm not sure I want to return to that well just yet.
Speaking of which, I'm also slightly concerned about how both episodes this season have recycled monsters from previous episodes. Come up with some new ideas guys, eh? (Although I suppose the "Alpha" is a new monster of sorts, but it's still basically a variation on an old theme.)