In this Gossip Girl season 5 review: Rufus’ new career trajectory, who looked like a pastel bird gone rogue, and why Max makes us laugh.

Gossip Girl Season 5 Review “Riding in Town Cars with Boys”

What I liked about Gossip Girl “Riding in Cars with Boys”

  • In the Gossip Girl books, Chuck is fairly gay. (I admittedly didn’t read them all, so I’m not sure if that was confirmed or if he was bi-curious or what.) It’s nice when we see any sign of that from the TV version. And we did with the Chuck quote, “That’s a bold move, Nathanial. I’m almost aroused.”
  • Serena van der Woodsen doesn’t need scrapbooks when she can just visit Gossip Girl anytime she pleases.
  • Rufus and his earnest face causes spontaneous confesses. That makes me laugh. He just looks so trustworthy, you know? He should be a therapist. Or a lawyer. Does he even have a job right now? We need to get him into a meeting with a career counselor because being a washed up 90’s band member isn’t the best he can do. What are The Gin Blossoms all doing these days?

More after the jump.

  • Scenes with Lily and Chuck always warm my heart. And my heart is always frost-bitten to start with.
  • Louis made it seem like he was in some sort of Gossip Rehab when he talked to Serena. “I’m not looking at the gossip sites, not reading newspapers!” Oh, you silly French man that no one cares about.
  • “Who doesn’t keep a silk blindfold in their bedside table?” – Blair. Some people have no sense of standards, I tell ya!
  • Chuck started wearing suits in like, season 2. Blair and Serena have always dressed the same way. But Nate, at least, has managed to show progression in his fashion. He really looks older now and you can tell he’s matured. I, too, have matured. I used to never wear hoodies and I’ve regressed in age so that now I do. I heard that’s what happens to most Capricorns – aging in reverse. It’s a total inner Benjamin Button thing.
  • “I’m okay adjacent.” – Dan (Reminds me of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer quote about being fray adjacent. “And, you know, with the pain and the death, maybe you shouldn’t be leaping into the fray like that. Maybe you should be… fray-adjacent.” – Buffy to Xander)
  • Charlie’s dress was the best dress of the night. And she’s totally arrived into society now that she can confidently pronounce Badgley Mischka.
  • “How do you kill a feeling?” – Dan, I wish I knew!

Do You Agree? How Gossip Girl Season 5 Disrespected Princess Diana and her Death

What I disliked about Gossip Girl “Riding in Town Cars with Boys”

  • “These stories are invented to sell papers to women who collect ceramic cats.” – Chuck. It’s a low blow for a show about a website that invents stories to get visits from vapid and self-obsessed teenagers
  • “I’m so lost I wound up in Brooklyn,” complains Blair. But this would have more impact if she didn’t often end up at Dan’s place these days.
  • Max says he’s sick of being pushed around by “these people.” My notes say “ha” next to this, because Max has been in town for like a week. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be pushed around – yet. I totally want Charlie/Ivy to get justice on him. He may be telling the truth, but he’s only doing it to make money.
  • Serena, once again, got all petty and meddlesome and tried to mess up Dan’s chances with Blair. Can’t we have one of these girls be nice? The show even ruined Jenny and Vanessa, then kicked them away. Charlie’s here, but she’s started off with a pretty huge lie.
  • I hate that Dan and Blair has only been a roadblock along the way for Chuck and Blair. We didn’t need it when we had stupid Louis. Ugh.
  • We just got rid of Diana and now she’s back?
  • Blair hammers home the idea that once you’re knocked up, you’re supposed to be with that guy even if you don’t love him. Not a very empowering message… “Louis is the father of my child so he is the only ending to this fairytale.”
  • I made up my own script during part of the party. Serena is slumped at the bar with Dan and she says, “I’m wearing this ridiculous dress with a giant bow over my boobs and I look like an Easter themed Ostrich, can you please pay attention to me!?” The fact she didn’t say it is sad.

The CW airs Gossip Girl on Mondays. It stars Leighton Meester, Blake Lively, Ed Westwick,  Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley.

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