Leif: Hello.

Here at the non judging breakfast pod, we'd like to keep things light.

However, sometimes the show and therefore our recaps touch on some serious topics.

This episode contains discussion about sexual assault.

We avoid getting into any graphic detail.

However, we understand that this is a sensitive topic for many people.

Additionally, if you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual violence or may be a victim of sexual violence, the national Sexual assault hotline can be a valuable resource.

They offer 24.

7 live chat and other information.

Just visit www.rann.org.

that's Rainith twons.org.

they also have a phone the hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

Now we're gonna need a montage.

hey Upper EastSiders and all you scandal loving listeners out there, you just tuned into the non judging breakfast pod where the coffee is strong, the waffles are fresh, and the gossip is hotter than ever.

My name is Leif and I'm, your season Gossip Girl veteran.

Steve: And I'm Steve the rookie, the newbie, the greenhorn, the.

What are we saying now, Leif?

We're wrapping up season three.

Leif: labels are for the religious, the superstitious, and the lower class.

I don't believe in them and neither should you.

Steve: Well, you can tell that to my Louboutins in my coach bag.

So here's the deal, folks.

Leaf has been watching Gossip Girls since it first aired and I'm diving in for the first time.

And together, we are your dynamic duo, bringing you all the drama, romance, and sometimes questionable fashion choices of this iconic 2007 series.

Leif: Bring your magnifying glasses, because each week we're dissecting every juicy detail of the show one episode at a time.

We'll connect the dots, uncover those sneaky little Easter eggs, and of course, serve up some piping out behind the scenes tea.

And expect some iconic fandom moments too, because what's a deep dive without a little drama?

Steve: And since we are all about inclusivity here at the non judging breakfast pod, there is always room for you at the non judging breakfast table.

So go ahead and grab a mimosa cup of coffee or some a chuck special medicine and let's get into this.

Leif: Well, let's get into this.

But before we get into the episode, we got some, more tips coming in.

Steve: What is it now?

Leif: Mal once again commented on Spotify and said wow.

Thanks for reading my comment.

I've been a Gossip Girl fan Since I was 12 and I have always thought that Jetney is definitely the one character who most deserves to get the fuck out of this toxic environment that is the Upper east side.

Steve: No doubt.

Leif: And thank you again for WR again.

Steve: Yes, thank you so much.

We really appreciate it.

And also, man, we're gonna get into how the writers did Jenny dirty, but Jenny never had a shot.

And we're gonna get into that today.

Leif: And we also got an email from friend of the pod, Jadeen.

I'm not gonna read the whole thing, but here are a couple highlights.

I do hate how progressively worse Jenny, Nate, Serena stuff got.

Especially 19 when Chua involved.

The whole plot was unsettling to watch because it furthers the Jenny character assassination and also heavily damaged her relationship with both Nate and Serena.

And then, she also goes on to say the way people say Jenny ruined chair by sleeping with Chuck is incorrect.

When Chuck and Blair weren't even together.

And it was Chuck's choice to fuck the first person he saw when he thought he lost Blaire forever.

When he could have literally waited 10 minutes or Blair could have called saying that she's got toa be late.

But no, we have to be this overdramatic.

Steve: Yeah, yeah.

And again, we're gonna talk about that and I wanna talk about it when we get to it.

Leif: And then she also wrote so Blair telling Jenny no one loves her in defense for Serena, Nate's crumbling relationship she deems as mythic, just as really gross and misogynistic.

Blair's internal misogyny on the show is incredibly overlooked and de'ey iconic putting other women in their place.

Meanwhile, characters like Jenny Orvesssa do it.

They are pies and are not girls girls.

And it's a double standard when everyone on the show is awful and writing is mostly misogynistic.

Steve: No lies.

Leif: And she is also excited to hear Steve's reaction to the Georgina pregnancy.

Steve: Yeah, we'll get to that.

We'll get to that for sure.

I'll try'you.

know what?

I'll actually, I have my reaction, so I'll make sure that that's posted next week.

At some point you can have my literal reaction to this.

Leif: And then more casting spoilers on Dexter resurrection.

They brought out some, big name talent for the fourth episode.

Oh u with Thurman.

Oh, who actually was in the first episode, but she gets a little more explained this episode.

Peter Dinklage.

Steve: No kidding.

Leif: Kristen Ritter.

Steve: Christian Ritter.

Oh, I love Christristian Ritter.

Leif: Neil Patrick Harris.

Steve: Okay, okay.

Leif: And David, Dastmachian.

Like he's in a bunch of stuff he would recognize.

He'like he's an opp.

Openheimer.

Yeah, he's been a bunch of stuff.

Steve: It's one of those people that I would recognize where I.

All of them.

Yeah.

Although I do really quickly want to throw out a quick rip to Ozzy Osbourne.

I'm a huge metal fan.

I'm a huge Sabbath, and I love Ozzy.

Leif: And Backco metal is actually good.

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, he.

It's.

He created it, you know, and granted, like, so much of it happened by accident.

And my big thing with Ozzy.

Ozzy was a phenomenal performer and he had a unique voice for the time, which those two things made this, Along with the Tony Ayami needing to tune down, to be able to play with his.

With his prosthetic fingertips, then you have this incredible basis and they get together and record this iconic music.

They really revolutionized music and created a.

Launched a branch of music.

Not alone and not in a vacuum.

Of course, you also had Deep Purple happening and you also had Led Zeppelin happening.

But Black Sabbath was something else.

And I'll never say that Ozzy was the best singer.

He was really good at what he did.

He wasn't a great singer.

He was an iconic singer with an iconic voice.

Dio was a better singer.

Dio was a better vocalist, but he wasn't the energy and the embodiment of that.

That darkness that we all have inside and not all of us know how to get it out.

And Ozzy helped us do that.

So, so long, Ozzy.

And thank you for, all the music indeed.

Yeah.

And fuck off all'call him.

Leif: I wasn't even gonna even menion him.

Steve: O Malcolm Jamal Warner, though.

Leif: Yeah, that's sad.

Steve: Yeah.

Sad about Theo.

Leif: Yeah, it looked like he was kind of turning his life around, but I guess it did not soon enough, unfortunately.

Steve: Yeah, that.

That was a real shame.

Leif: But on to Gossip girl.

season three, episode 22 Last Tango Then Paris original air date was May.

Steve: 17, 2010 huge missed opportunity.

A blare to remember.

Leif: You said that last week already.

And I still say this is better.

Steve: Yeah, okay, I did say that last.

I thought I said it to Robin.

Leif: He said it here.

Steve: Tip.

okay.

Leif: And yeah, but I still think this was better and also more revealing of where the writers were going with this, despite fandoms.

Please.

Steve: That.

No, you know, you're right.

That it really does.

It really does summarize the last five minutes of this episode or last ten minutes of this episode.

Leif: It is based, of course, on last tangle in Paris.

1972 film with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider.

A young Parisian woman meets a middle aged American businessman who demands their clandestine relationship be based only on sex.

The film's raw portrayal of rape and emotional turmo led to international controversy and through various levels of government censorship in different jurisdictions.

Steve: That's really interesting too.

Leif: And yeah, I don't know how much you know about the making of it.

There was actually a documentary or not documentary, like a biopic of Maria, Schneider that came out fairly recently.

But she said this about around the time of the release of that, biopic.

She remembered what happened on the day of filming that scene in which her character was raped by Brando using butter as a lubricant.

That scene wasn't in the original script.

The truth is, it was Marlolin who came up with the idea.

They only told me about it before we had to film the scene.

And I was so angry.

I felt humiliated.

And to be honest, I felt a little raped both by Marlon and Bertollicci, who'the director.

After the scene, Marlon didn't console me or apologize.

She said, Marlolin said to me, maria, don't worry, it's just a movie.

But during the scene, even though what Marlon was doing wasn't real, I was crying real tears.

Steve: God damn.

Yeah.

Leif: And I think that was very intentional, the writers to use that title.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Despite fandom, even to this day, arguing about the consent of Jenny, which.

Yeah, if it's not enthusiastic, it's not consent.

Steve: Yeah.

And yeah, it's.

Yeah, it is a real troubling scenario.

Like, it really is messy.

yeah.

And we'll talk about it.

Leif: Episode was written by Josh Saffron and Stephanie Savage.

Saffron's highlights include Bad News Blair, High Society, New Haven Can Wait, the Magnificent Archibalds, and the Treasure of Serena Madre.

So both season two and season three.

Thanksgiving episodes.

Steve: Yeah.

And finales.

Right?

Leif: No, he did not do any finales.

Oh, I thought this is his first finale.

But Savage also, her highlights were, the Wild Brunch.

Oh, brother.

where Bart Thou and the Debarded.

Leif: Directed by J.

Miller Tobin, who previously did Poison Ivy, the Blair Bitch Project, Summer Kind of Wonderful, the Grandfather and the Reversal of Fortune.

Steve: Yeah.

Some solid directing credits for sure.

Leif: Yeah, definitely.

Steve: Yeah, definitely some solid directing credits for.

For those episodes.

Leif: And I thought very good in this episode too.

Steve: Yes.

I don't know how much it's scripted or from direction itself, the way that this episode cuts sometimes and weaves the storytelling together and weaves scenes together was different from a lot of the typical pacing of Gossip Girl.

Leif: Yeah.

Steve: And really made the episode more special in how it was delivered because both.

Leif: At the beginning when they get everyone gets the blast, and then also, near the end where, like, Blair'going to the Empire State Building.

Steve: Yes.

Yeah.

Leif: There's like two little montages in the episode.

Steve: Yes.

Leif: One other thing to note.

I don't know if you noticed that every song in the episode was a cover song.

Steve: I didn't put that together because I did notice some of the COVID songs.

Like I.

The one thought that.

I thought the one was terrible.

I thought Under Pressure was terrible.

That if you're gonna cover Under Pressure, you better.

You better fucking now.

If you'renn cover.

If you're going to cover Freddie Mercury, you have to be able to do Freddie Mercury or at least do something really special.

And I haven't heard that whole song and it cut out before certain parts of it, but I was not impressed.

Leif: I thought it was a good song choice, though.

And they were clearly going for a covers motif, so, they had to do something.

Steve: It was a great song choice.

All the song choice was really good.

But yeah, I didn't realize they were all covers.

Especially the one with Jenny in the end where Robin was like, where did they even find this song?

And now to know that it's a.

Leif: Cover of a song even when she's crying.

Steve: No.

Well, no.

Before they get into bed, the I for you saw that skinny little girl like you're.

It's basically about losing virginity.

Leif: Why don't you give us that vulture recap?

Steve: Most episodes of Gossip Girl carry strains of the DNA of great works of literature.

The young adult novels of Cecily von Ze Zeer on which it was based, which will one day assume their rightful place in the canon, for one.

And Pierre Cordolis de la, epistolary novel Le Liaison Drousness for another.

And last Night'season finale was clearly influenced by the Russians.

And we're not just saying that because of the, prostes that appeared in the third act to fondle Nate's soft, young chest hair, dark, sophisticated, ambitious.

We imagine Last Tango, then Paris might one day be taught alongside Tolstoy's War and Peace.

So painstaking was the period detail, so epic was the scope.

Indeed, in this episode, the entire cycle of, life was represented in all of its joy and suffering.

We had the sweaty, grunting birth of Anastasia.

Jenny experiencing the terror, pain and regret of being deflowered by a man she does not love.

Blair, cruelly resolving never to have her heart broken again.

Dan, hopeless and in shock as he realizes that he may have fathered a half demon, half emo child, may now be trapped forever with a woman he does not like.

And the, still faintly smirking resignation of Chuck Bass, lying on the cobblestone streets of a ridiculously smoky soundstage, Prague, alone and breathing what may be, but are probably not his final breaths.

Because that last thing just wouldn't be realistic.

A, fact we're sure the Czech tourism board will point out as soon as they are alerted to this attack on their fair country.

Leif: That's definitely one of the better ones.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Yeah's pretty funny.

Steve: Yes.

Sorry for fucking up the French.

If you're listening, Les lisison Deus.

Deus.

Leif: Act one begins with a Gossip Girl monologue.

You rep put, you sow.

What goes around comes around.

No matter how far you run, you can never truly escape.

Everything catches up to you in the end, and when it does, it usually kicks your ass.

We get a quick shot of Georgina being spotted at Grand Central Terminal before shifting to Lillian.

Rufus eating breakfast.

Rufus is lost in thought, worrying about Jenny.

Lily just shrugs it off as typical teenage rebellion.

Lily doesn't want to separate Jenny and Eric, but Eric walks in and says to send her crazy ass away.

Steve: That shot of Georgina, at first I thought it was Jenny, because I didn't.

You see her with long blonde hair from behind.

So I was like, oh, is that Jenny?

And then you see her look down and it's o.

Georgina's back.

Also, Eric just.

Leif: He starts the dog pile at the beginning of the episode.

Steve: Yes.

Leif: Very first scene.

Steve: Yeah, go ahead.

After.

But also, again, I feel Eric is the only one who really recognized the full weight of what Jenny did to his mom.

I feel like everyone is like, oh, you lied.

Speaker C: Oh, you sold drugs.

Steve: And Eric's like, you could have killed my mom.

Like you were gonna let her keep being poisoned by this man.

Leif: Well, in the morality of the show, they were all fine with William just leaving.

Steve: Right.

Right, they were.

Leif: Except for Nate.

Steve: Except for Nate, which when later on when Serena's like, that wasn't your decision.

Was it yours, Serena?

Was it your decision?

Leif: But also, EDNT said, Eric is the first one to start the dog pile, but he's also the first one at the end of the episode to recognize that she's really hurting.

Steve: Yes.

Eric is a great brother, and he's mad at her right now with every right to be mad.

And also, he doesn't say, I hate her.

He Says, no, she's out of control.

And after what she did, if you need to send her away, I get it.

Leif: You know, before she hurts anyone else.

Steve: Before she hurts anyone else.

Leif: Nate wakes up to find Jenny sitting in her his bed.

Nate reaffirms that they are just friends.

Chuck walks in with a drink tray and teases the pair for falling asleep together again.

Jenny leaves to get dressed, and Chuck warns Nate to be careful about rocking the boat on his already shaky relationship with Serena.

Steve: And we see, instantly, Once again, Nate isn't having it with Jenny.

It was.

We were led to believe that maybe something would.

But Nate fell asleep listening to her talk.

And then you have Chuck coming in and once again verifying nothing happened and setting up the rest of his day and everything.

Yeah.

Leif: A very pregnant Doroda is struggling to carry a drink tray of her own at the Waldorf's apartment.

Deoda subtly encouraged Claire to reconcile with Chuck.

Blair pulls Drod aside and tells her that she isn't going anywhere near the Emperor State Building and that she has a day with Cameron to prepare for her.

Steve: Eleanor threatens Dooda by saying, I'm gonna get you help.

Doesn't seem like a threat.

De Roive, you don't have that baby soon, I'm gonna get you some help.

Leif: I mean, she already bought him a house.

Steve: right.

Exactly.

Although I feel like.

I feel like coming from Eleanor, that's more of a threat of your replaceable.

Yeah, no maternity leave.

E rota.

Leif: Yeah.

Pop it out and get back to work.

Steve: Yeah.

Yup.

We'll strap a bassinet to the vacuum cleaner and you can just keep on working.

Leif: Georgina shows up at the Empire looking for help.

Seems Georgina has the Russians after her.

However, Chuck is unsympathetic and escorts Ger Gina out of the suite.

Steve: And it's great when she walks in and she's standing there and you actually, for a second see behind Chuck, you see the painting over the bed of Georgina.

And so that was a really cool pairing there.

And for Chuck, there's not really been anything between Chuck and Georgina that we have seen.

Leif: he was definitely part of the lore.

Steve: no, I mean, in the show, all of the beef that Georgina has started has been with Blair.

With Serena, it has been with the girls.

She's never openly on the show, beefed with Chuck, but Chuck just being like, nah, I'm not getting involved with this shit.

Get out.

Chuck just not wanting to have anything to do with it.

Leif: Well, Georgina stole his virginity.

Steve: Oh, that's right, that's right.

They did tell us that.

Leif: Yeah, that's what I was referring to.

Steve: Yes, you're right.

Leif: Jenny returns to the loft to find first Serena's hat and then sees Serena herself in bed with Dan.

Little Jay snaps a quick photo and sends it off to Gossip Girl.

Steve: Jenny, I know you want Nate.

I know you don't want Serena in the way.

And I know you're beefing with Serena.

It's your brother now.

Now you just fucked with Dan.

Now you just fucked with Vanessa.

Not that you wouldn't eventually tell Vanessa, I would think, because they are kind of close.

But to fuck over Dan like that, to not even talk to Dan and is just fuck him over.

I don't feel like Dan deserved that.

No.

Leif: Oh, well, I mean, he kinda.

Steve: Did, but from her, I don't believe he deserved that from Jenny.

Leif: Yeah, true.

Steve: He deserved to be outed.

Leif: Classic teenager.

Not acting and not thinking.

Steve: Yep, very much.

Jenny's never out of teenager character again.

She's the best acted on the show and the most teenager like on the show.

Leif: Dan wakes up to a call from Nate, which he ignores.

Serena also wakes up and they both state regret for what happened last night, which is, in the words of the killers, only a kiss.

They both agree to keep things on the DL since nothing really happened.

However, as they say their re goodbyes, they nearly kiss again.

Steve: Yeah, the gravity.

The gravity kiss.

I was unsure if it was Nate calling Dan or Dan checking Serenas.

Leif: Yeah, I was unsure to.

She grabs it off of her side, but then he puts it back on his side.

Yeah, that was kind of.

Steve: But ignores the call too.

Leif: So.

Steve: Yeah, I wasn't sure where it ah.

Whose it was.

Leif: Whose phone was.

Yeah, I woned that as well.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Yeah.

So this is the first montage here.

A disappointed Blair gets a Gossip Girlow blast that reads spotted a family reunion only Faulkner would approve of.

We see Nate and Chuck also getting the blast, which continues.

I used to think S and Lonely Boy were the most boring couple on the Upper east side, but what makes them actually great together is when they're supposed to be with other people.

Dan also gets the blast and sees Jenny's coffee cup on the table and puts two and two together.

Serena gets in a cat to head for home, but immediately changes her destination to the Empire when she reads the.

Steve: Blast and quick to the cab, Dan.

It's funny cause Dan ends up going to Brooklyn or going to the Upper east side to look for Jenny.

And then they're there and Rufus is like.

She's most likely Going toa show up at home.

Oh, I was just there.

But anyway, yeah, Dan sees this.

We have everybody catching the blast.

And a very classic everyone catching the blast scene.

We don't see that a lot this season.

Gossip Girl has sort of taken a step back this season.

She's been used definitely a few times, especially the Jenny thing last week.

But here we're seeing a big blast that actually has major consequences.

Leif: And then Gossip Girl's final lineie before we go to the break is.

Steve: Good.

Leif: Luck talking your way out of this one.

S And we go to act two.

Serena calls Blair.

Blair mocks and derides Serena for backsliding into old habits.

Serena also tells Blair Jenny is likely the one who sent the photo to Gossip Girl.

Seems like Blair is going to use a Jenny Humphrey takedown to distract her from Chuck's ultimatum.

She tells Cameron that their date is moving off the island when he's.

Steve: He looks so annoyed too.

Like, do you mind if we take a little detour?

How little?

Like, are we doing this again?

Am I going on one of your schemes again?

Leif: It was interesting the first time, but yeah, yeah, I'm over it.

Steve: Yes.

I think I've got rugby practice.

Leif: Dad is entering the penthouse and takes a call from Serena.

And they reaffirm their plan to tell everyone that nothing happened.

As they hang up, Rufus comes downstairs and askes Serena is wearing his Lincoln all T shirt.

Dan, channeling his inner Rufus, says, Jenny is out of control and she has to be stopped.

Steve: That was so funny that Rufus has seen the Gossip Girl blast and comes down like, is that my Lincoln Hawk shirt Serena'wearing it's perfect.

Yeah.

And Dan would just be like, fuck.

Leif: You'Re reallying Gossip Girl now, dad.

Steve: Yeah, I loved that.

Leif: And yeah.

But again, Dan jumping on the Chenny hate train.

Steve: And now Dan jumps on the Jenny ha train.

Although indirect retaliation.

It's one of those things where Dan all along is like, give her a chance.

Give her a chance.

Oh, she's fucking with me now.

Get her out of here.

Leif: But I think it goes back to what Nate said at the end of the episode where Dan knows he's in the wrong here.

Steve: Yep.

Yeah.

Leif: Serena shows up the Empire looking for Nate, but meets Chuck instead.

Chuck says he doesn't want an explanation, but instead gives her some brotherly advice.

Just to be honest and upfront with Nate.

Steve: Chuck just stopping her.

And whatever line you have prepared, just, do you want this or not?

That's go at it from that angleuse that's what matters.

Stop with this.

Oh, I can explain.

You don't tell me I'm Chuck fucking Bass.

You don't tell me what you did.

I don't care.

Especially if all you did was kiss.

Leif: Well, just that.

Nate also exits the elevator, and instead of immediately following Chuck's advice, Serena goes on the defenseensive.

Attack Nate for calling the cops on Dr.

Daddy.

She then tells Nate that she loves him.

It looks like Nate is buying a story that nothing happened with Dan.

Steve: That's where it the line that really annoyed me when that Nate also doesn't push back, which I understand him not pushing back, but when she's like, it wasn't your decision to make about calling the cops.

It's not your decision whether or not the guy that tried to kill your mom to move in and try to get closer to her should be.

That man should not be a medical doctor anymore.

Serena.

At least the man should be disbarred, not arrested.

Okay?

If Lily doesn't want to press charges, that's her decision.

That man should be disbarred.

Minimum.

Leif: Yeah, I also took Collin.

Steve: Sorry.

Leif: So I looked up the Empire Hotel, and there are 11 floors.

I'm assuming Chuck s suite is on the top floor.

Steve: Yes.

Yeah.

Leif: There was 24 seconds from the ding from Serena getting off the elevator to the ding for Nate getting off the elevator.

Steve: So in 12 seconds, it went back down.

Got.

And then 12 seconds right back up.

Like Nate was, like, leaning on the door so he could just fall in and it would take him up in the next 12 seconds.

U.

maybe there's two elevators to the penthouse.

Leif: Maybe Blair shows up to the loft and gives Jenny a verbal smackdown.

As Blair leaves, Rufus walks in with his disappointed dad face.

Steve: He's such a disappointed dad face in.

In this whole episode.

at the end, I thought he was some of his better acting, but there's a lot of this that it.

Matt looked disappointed.

Leif: And just like you, Blair just can't resist taking a shot at Vanessa.

Steve: No.

No.

In fact, I feel Vanessa is mentioned enough in this episode that.

That she gets to show up later in this episode too.

I feel like she's losing out on some stuff here for sure.

Yeah.

Leif: Dan is looking at the ultrasound pictures with Deroda in the street when Blair exits the building and gives Dan a physical and verbal smackdown.

Dan pulls Blair away from Tooda and Cameron and gives a rambling speech about following the signs that life gives you.

As Dan continues to babble, the Empire State Building comes into focus right at Blair's eye line.

Steve: The way this scene was shot was just perfect with the blurred background that if you're not.

I wasn't paying attention the first time.

I was just watching the scene.

So the second watch through, seeing that it was sitting there the whole time in the background waiting for you to notice it.

Yeah, I thought that was so cool.

I really thought that this was.

But also, like, what are you doing with.

What are you doing with Cam now that you're like, oh, man, these signs.

I'm gonna have to go to the Empire State Building now.

And, like, Cameron's still, like, there at this point.

You're just gonna abandon him in Brooklyn because, well, did.

Leif: We're not there yet.

Chuck is on top of the Empire State Building with a bouquet of, peonies.

And Gossip Girl says, spotted atop the Empire State Building, that is a boy billionaire, flowers in hand.

Oh, Chuck, if you could only see to Brooklyn, you might turn that frown upside down.

Steve: That was another one of those cuts between scenes that were unusual for the typical pacing of Gossip Girl.

Leif: Yeah.

Cause then we see Blair says goodbye to Can.

But before she can head to her deadline, de rta's water breaks.

And Blair and Dan put her in a town car headed to the hospital.

Steve: Something else that I.

All of this brings together is yet another pairing of Dan and Blair as well, that we have them paired up together.

And we have Dan saying to Blair, you can't ignore the signs.

Leif: Yeah.

Steve: And now we're seeing these signs again.

So I, am, And I have more thoughts by the end of the episode.

Leif: And you get the first little hint of Dan being kind of baby crazy where he's looking at the pictures with Deoda.

Steve: Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yeah.

Leif: so Gospiel takes us to the break with.

Then again, maybe you should guard your heart.

Dooda's water might not be the only thing breaking tonight.

Act three begins at the loft.

Rufus explains to Jenny that he has already spoken with Allison.

Jenny is going to spend the summer in Hudson and then finish high school there in the fall.

Jenny says the city is all she has, and without it, she'll have nothing.

Rufus ignores his daughter's plea and puts his foot down.

It says it's already done.

Steve: I feel for everybody in this because Jenny has been spiraling recently, and getting her away from all of this mess probably wouldn't be a bad idea, especially for the summer.

And graduating from a school somewhere else might be good for you, Jenny.

A fresh start might be good.

I can't imagine how hard that is for Rufus.

I know when my daughter chose to Go back to living up with her mom.

It was heartbreaking.

So to have to make that decision for her, that's heartbreaking.

And I feel for her, but I.

Leif: Mean, he should have seen here that Jenny needed more than just to be sent away.

Steve: Yeah, she needs help.

Like, some real help.

And they're not doing anything to help her.

Leif: Vanya rushes into dooda's hospital room, A much more reserved Eleanor and Cyrus also enter.

Cyrus offers his expertise as a lamaz coach.

Doroda tells Blair that she has plenty of help now and that Blair should go meet Chuck at the empire state building.

Steve: No, the chunk Ruth baby.

Okay, Deotta.

Yeah.

There's a lot of people in this, there's a lot of people here.

Your boss just showed up for you to have your baby.

Your boss and her husband just showed up for you to have your baby.

Leif: I mean, we've already established that they're basically family.

Steve: We have.

And I always.

I will never see.

Leif: Yeah, I won't complain about Eleanor o Cyrus, but wired Nate and Serena.

And yes, I guess Dan soord asked excuse because he was with them when it happened.

Steve: Right.

Leif: But yeah, everybody is coming to even.

Steve: Like later Lily show up.

Leif: I mean, I guess, like, bringing their friends food is I guess a kind of friendly kind of gesture, but.

Steve: Yeah, and I could.

Yeah.

But Rufus has hardly interacted with dooda.

Definitely not friendly.

Leif: Well, he did throw them their free wedding party.

Their traditional russian polish game night.

Steve: Yes.

Which all polish Russian weddings I'm sure have.

Yes, the game night.

Leif: Also, I think, the new york city tourism board has slipped Josh Schwartz.

It's a little something something.

All the mentions and shots of the empire state building this episode.

Steve: Oh, yeah, for sure.

Leif: On her way out of the hospital, Blair rushes past and arriving Serena.

Serena finds Dan, and he wants to come clean about the kiss.

Serena, of course, wants to continue to lie, but too late, because Nate walks up from behind them to overhear the conversation.

Steve: Perfect.

And you know it's happening.

You know, when they're sitting here talking about it, they like, you're gonna turn around and Nate's going to be there.

and he needed to hear it, and Dan wanted him to.

And Dan doesn't want to hide this stuff.

And Dan isn't saying, I want to be with you.

He's saying, we can't be dishonest.

Which is very Dan.

Leif: Yeah.

Steve: And the no, I need to have this secret and hold on to it longer is very Serena.

Leif: Blair isn't able to just blow past geino though.

Georgina Followed Cyrus and Eleanor from the apartment and once again begs for help.

Just like Chuck, Blair doesn't have time for her.

But even if she did, dot, dot, dot.

Steve: Even if she did, yes, I do love the peppering of Georgina throughout this episode.

And everyone basically telling her to fuck off.

Because why wouldn't they?

Although there is the.

My biggest thing is that why would she go to Chuck and Blair first?

Other than the fact that they are probably the ones that have the most resources, aside from Serena, but, well.

Leif: Yeah, I guess they was that Calper get away from these mysterious Russians, right?

Steve: Sure.

Leif: Serena and Nate are arguing about the nature of a kiss, and Dan tries to stay out of it because, like Nate points out, Dan knows he fucked up.

Nate also threatens to tell Vanessa and Nate.

Steve: Nate's whole thing of like, first of all, Dan being like, I can speak for myself.

And when Serena's like, well, you're being awfully quiet.

And it's likeuse he knows I'm right and he is Nate.

Nate is not wrong here.

And it's not something that can't be worked out or talked through, but he's not wrong.

Leif: Yeah, stop lying, Serena.

Steve: Yeah, stop lying and stop lying to yourself, Serena.

It meant something, Serena.

Because you always want everyone to be in love with you as much as you are now.

Leif: We're gonna need a montage first.

Dota is in the final stage of labor.

Blair gets out of her town car and runs into the Empire State Building.

Nate uses his cutting edge Windows phone to send pictures of Dan and Serena to Vanessa.

We shift back to the birth of Tooda's daughter.

Then on to Blair at the top of the Empire State Building.

She finds the bouquet alone in the trash.

Steve: At this point, there are a lot of people looking at Dooda's lady bits in this sceneus.

There's a lot of people in that room watching this happen.

And at this point, also, I will say Cyrus and Eleanor.

Inappropriate.

Maybe you shouldn't be there for the delivery of the baby.

Leif: I mean, Cyrus is around, like, delivered random clients babies.

Steve: He said apparently not enough.

Leif: Not, not enough, not enough.

So this cover of the Bob Dylan song Don't Think Twice.

It's all right.

it was done by a band called the Eastern Conference Champions.

So I saw the name, I had to look him up.

And it turns out, according to the wiki, they're from Philadelphia, but their first EP was called the Southampton Collection.

Steve: Interesting.

Yeah.

So I wonder if East Eastern, Conference.

Eastern Conference Champions.

Leif: They were formed in 2005.

Steve: I was gonna Say, which is funny.

Which is the year we were not eastern, conference champions.

05 was the year that we tanked after the Super Bowl.

Right.04 went to the Super Bowl.

Leif: But if they formed early in 05, I mean, the Super bowl itself took place in 2005.

Steve: Yeah.

So if they formed before February of 05.

Leif: before.

Before, like.

Steve: Oh, I guess they.

Leif: Before, like bas before, like November.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Late.

Because they were actually good at the beginning of the season.

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah.

Leif: They fell apart even though they had issues.

That's Ray cap.

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah, they.

Well, that was the to season that t was.

Leif: But also I don't even think it was about the Eagles because you don't really say eastern.

That's more of either basketball or hockey.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: So I'm not.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Forget what those teamens were doing those years.

Steve: And it definitely was not the Phillies that year, Philly.

It was like two years o.

Leif: They're not Eastern Conference either.

They're.

Yeah, they're the NL East.

Steve: N East.

Yeah.

Leif: But, you don't really hear Eastern Conference.

Steve: No, no, no, you don't.

Leif: It's definitely a basketball or hockey.

Steve: Yeah, like more college even.

Yeah.

Leif: Jenny enters the Empire suite and finds Chuck alone in the dark.

Chuck invites Jenny to stay, but only if she does what he does.

They find common ground in the emptiness.

And as the scene ends, they lean in and kiss.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: Yeah, they've been hinting at it,

Steve: They'Ve been hinting at this.

And Chuck has 'definitely shown that he's attracted to Jenny many times.

And they've definitely hinted at this pairing a few times.

And they have grown closer to each other with things like him and Jenny finding out with the drugs and those sorts of things.

And now you have these two people who are at their lowest.

Really.

I don't.

Has Chuck been lower than this?

That he thinks Blair is gone and that it's done and Jenny here and you know, yeah, you can hang out here, but you're going to do it.

But if you're going toa hang with me, you do what I do.

Like, I don't play video games.

I drink.

So here's a drink.

And the kiss, it wasn't a one sided thing here, you know it was.

And she wasn't drunk at that point.

I don't know how much she drank in the next between scenes, but at this point she wasn't drunk.

No.

Leif: You know, she was depressed.

Steve: Yeah, she was depressed and Chuck was there.

Leif: And so, there is a certain psychology.

Obviously not all people who are sexually Assaulted.

But there is enough that it's a pattern that psychologists recognize of people going back to their abusers to, quote, unquote, regain the power.

Steve: Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah.

Leif: And we move into Act 4.

The scene has shifted from to Cheuckk's bed.

Chuck gives Jenny the option to leave, but Jenny says she doesn't want to be alone.

And Jenny blows out the candle.

Steve: and Chuck says he doesn't want to be alone either, that they're doing this because they don't want to be alone.

And yeah, this is.

It's really messy because Chuck doesn't hear no in this.

Jenny is trying to, It's almost like she's trying to find that rock bottom and is looking for this one person to maybe be the one to be like, no, that's the bridge too far.

And he's not gonna do that.

But that's not the person who'snna do that.

You know, he's gonna hear you say yes and he's gonna act on it.

Which is an upgrade from their first encounter when he didn't hear yes and tried to act on it.

But here he's hearing it and feeling like he is going through the same thing she is.

Leif: Well, I want to clarif.

She doesn't actually say yes.

She just doesn't say no.

Steve: Yeah.

and all she says is, I don't want to be alone.

And it is that recognition to her that if she doesn't want to be alone, this is what it has to be.

Leif: Which to me falls under coercion.

Steve: Yes.

Yeah.

yes.

Yeah.

It's really fucking sad.

It's really sad.

Yeah.

Leif: Georgina eavesdrops on a conversation between Serena and Dan looking at all the newborns.

Steve: Yeah.

They kind of take these little shots at each other, these very playful, cute shots.

He's gonna grow up to be so smart that he's an outsider.

And you know, this one's going to grow up to be really, really nice.

But, you know, she's got these daddy issues that are really going to make her impossible to trust anybody.

Leif: Yeah, thatinitely a cute little scene.

Steve: Yeah.

And it's funnyuse like, she says the thing about Dan and he laughs.

He says the thing about her and she's just kind of like, u, like her face is not one of laughing.

But then she's like, can we take a walk?

But you could see that, like what Dan said.

Dan can hurt Serena better than maybe, anyone but Blair.

But Dan knows her.

And I think it comes from Dan putting her on Such a pedestal for the year or years before episode one.

And then having all of the glass break over and over again to discover who this person really is.

That every one of those things is more impactful to Dan.

Leif: I think that's part of it.

But also I think it also you mentioned Blair and I think it says more about Blair and Dan's people.

Cause they just.

They cut to the bone when they la out.

They just cut to the bone?

Steve: Yes.

Yeah, they do.

They stab deep.

They go for the kill every.

And it's funny.

Dan, I feel goes for the maim.

Blair goes for the kill.

I think that's the only difference.

That like in hunting, you know how dogs don't have the whole.

That many dogs don't have the whole hunting prowess to do the entire thing.

It's like Dan doesn't have the kill function.

He has the shake and rattle you function, but not the kill.

Leif: Deoda asked Eleanor and Cyrus to be that their daughters godparents.

Steve: Of course, Robin's reaction is Jews don't do godparents.

And mine was Cyrus.

Would you like to be this baby's father in Christ?

However, it is very sweet.

And again making them more family.

Leif: And make sure that kid gets a lot of presents.

Tuition fade.

Steve: Yeah, Yeah.

A trust.

Leif: Dan and Serena are now on a bench talking about the difference between dating a stranger and dating someone you've known your whole life.

They almost kiss, but are saved by the bell when Dan's phone goes off.

Steve: Did we already see Nate send the.

Leif: Yeah, that was part of the montage.

Steve: Oh, that's right.

Okay.

Leif: Was this cutting edge windows phone?

Steve: Yes, yes, I had that phone.

Actually.

I didn't have it set up like that though.

I didn't have it all cool like that.

I did want to say I'm not mad at Nate.

I know it's shitty.

It's shitty, but I'm not mad at him.

It's public knowledge.

It is out there.

Like you're gonna see it too.

But Dan had the same reaction.

Dan saw that Vanessa realized that she had seen it and was not blaming Nate.

You know, how could he do that?

How could he not?

So I really loved how Dan handled himself this whole episode.

Leif: Chuck and Jenny are cringing from the afterglow when the elevator dings.

Steve: It was just uncomfortable.

Leif: Chuck goes out of the bedroom and Blair has shown up at the suite with a bouquet in hand.

Blair declares her love for Chuck and the two kiss.

Over Blair's shoulder, Chuck sees Jenny'silhouette through the glass wall.

Jenny quickly Extinguishes the candle before Blair can turn around and see her there.

As Chuck lures Blair away to the bar, we see Jenny stripping the bloody sheets from Chuck's bed.

When Chuck returns to his room to get his ipod, Jenny is already gone.

Yeah, that was rough.

Steve: Yeah.

Oh my God, that was so rough.

This whole bit and Chuck just being thrilled to see Blair and then having the.

Oh fuck, you know, keeping her back to it and the silhouette of Jenny and then Jenny having the realization of like, I need to get out of here.

And Jenny could have blown their whole thing up.

Right then and there.

Now she does later, but she could have done it right then and there and chose to protect Chuck.

There's that alternate way things could have gone that Chuck could actually have been there for her in so much better of a way.

And everything here is just the bed that he made for being Chuck.

It's just, you feel so bad for Jenny.

Leif: We move into Act 5.

Eric finds a sobbing Jenny sitting in the chapel.

Eric softens his stance, but Jenny is in a misery spiral.

Jenny reveals that she slept with Chuck, but not with Damian.

Steve: Eric, who is like send her away but is never going to sit there and see his sister crying and not go to her.

And Eric of course, just always being quintessential Eric of being there to help.

My only thing that I didn't like in this scene was when Jenny is like, don't touch me to Eric and she.

I forget what she says immediately after.

But then Eric gets up to leave to go get Dan.

That on my first watch, his.

The acting in that the acting of Eric was portrayed to me as okay, well then fuck off and not wow, this is out of my league.

I got toa go find Dan.

So my first watch, it was like Eric just was like okay.

I didn't really.

I didn't get the.

I found it more the second time through to recognize Eric was just more of a.

This is out of my league.

I need Dan.

I need to call in the real Rutther.

Leif: Eric findies Dan and tells him he needs to talk to Jenny.

Steve: And Dan starts off with his quips and Eric shuts that shit down.

He's like, no, no, no.

Is't.

This isn't your little sister, the brat.

This is.

Your sister needs you right now.

And I can't tell you anything that she's gonna tell you, but she needs you.

That's all you're getting from me.

Go.

Which is also.

It's so mature of Eric.

I could tell you all of her business because I'm really concerned about her, but it isn't mine to tell.

So all I'm gonna tell you talk to her.

Yeah.

The number of times on this show that people could have said this isn't my business to tell and which is what I love about Eric.

Leif: Serena and Nate, ah, are talking.

And while Nate is ready to forgive Serena, Serena wants to take a break.

Nate isn't willing to wait for her to figure things out.

And Serena admits that's fair but that she does love him.

Steve: So going to Jaiden's email and the writing from a patriarchal view, the reaction that Nate has when Serena says I want to have this space, I forgive you and you break up with me, it's not, it's not transactional.

You can, if you forgive somebody and you should forgive them whatever they're going to do next.

But that entitlement that, that I feel, I recognize that reaction in a younger version of me that I had it in my heart to forgive you for the shitty thing you're doing.

So you're not going to still do whatever I want from you to.

That's not how forgiveness actually works.

And I felt like that was a really one of those moments of entitlement.

And especially I see that through Jadeden's perspective of the.

When she's talking about the patriarchy having the backbone of this show.

I think that was another example of this.

Leif: I would agree with the title.

I don't think that's necessarily patriot because I've seen that exact situation reversed in other TV shows and media.

Steve: Yeah, I've seen that too.

I've seen it too.

Leif: It's definitely a little bit of entitlement.

But yeah, I don't really think it's defcessitely a male female thing.

Steve: I guess I kind of often as much of a Nate Stan as I am, I do view him as very much a traditional patriarchy.

he's literally like in this giant patriarchal family.

Yeah.

So I do see him embodying that a lot.

Whether he intends to or not or whether the writers intended.

I don't believe the writers intended it.

I believe the writers are writing what they're looking at and that's what they see.

Leif: Outside the hospital, Chuck is about to propose to Blair when Dan shows up and drops Chuck with a punch.

A shocked Blair wants to know what is going on.

Dan points to Chuck and demands that he tell her.

Blair sees a teary Jenny behind Dan and the connections are made.

Blair banishes Jenny from Manhattan and Dan Again blames Chuck.

A clueless Rufus walks up with Lily, and Jenny runs to Rufus, and he and Lily usher her away.

Dan offers to walk Serena.

Steve: just this whole chain of events.

You're too young to get married.

First of all, Chuck, that part.

You're too young to get married.

Stop.

Stop it.

Stop.

Leif: did you catch that earlier in the episode, one of the things that Blair says she does love is Harry Winston.

Steve: No.

Leif: And it was definitely a Harry Winston ring.

Steve: Oh, yeah.

I didn't.

I didn't put that together.

This whole chain of events with Dan punching Chuck, and man, of all people, that you could sleep with Blair right now.

If Blair would have walked in and Chuck was in there with a prostitute, I think she would have been like, okay, get rid of her.

We'll figure this out.

If Chuck was in there with almost any human being except Jenny Humphrey, Blair probably would have been like, you thought I didn't love you.

Okay, I get itus.

She has that in her.

Yeah.

Very much like Lily has that in her.

To be able to be like, okay, let's just compartmentalize these things.

We've seen Blair do that.

Leif: Yeah.

Everyone kind of leaves it.

Like, Dan, like.

Like, Serena shows up.

She's like, what the fuck's going on?

Dad's like, I'll walk you on.

And let that be alone.

Steve: Rupus comes in with, who wants tacos?

Leif: Bagel chips.

Steve: Yeah, bagel chips.

They'll bring bagel chips to the hospital for a baby.

Leif: But also, before we go into the next scene, in the pilot episode, Dan punches Truck.

And then in the next episode, he has a black eye under his right eye.

And he says to Chuck that one black eye looks lonely.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: This time he punches him on the left side of his face.

Steve: Oh, that's really funny.

Leif: Caus you could tell by the way he spins away that he punched on the left side.

Steve: Yeah.

So is this his third time punching Chuck, or does he just shove him in?

Leif: I think a second.

I think it's only a second time in theuse.

Steve: In the brunch, he doesn't punch him.

Yeah.

Leif: But then here's where we get Chuck trying to make excuses for what he did.

Blair is over it.

And once again, m breaks up with Chuck.

Steve: Yeah.

And like I was saying, if it was anyone else in the world, except maybe Georgina, think, even Georgina.

I think Blair would have been like.

Leif: Well, I think the only other other one would be Serena.

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah.

Honestly, I think that would be the only other one that would really bother her.

But Jenny Humphrey, man, Like the nemesis.

You did the.

Yeah.

Best friend and the nemesis are probably the two unforgivable people.

Leif: Yeah.

Like Jadeen said, it was a lot of internal misogyny from Blair.

Steve: Y.

Leif: To blame Jenny more than Chuck.

Steve: Yes.

Yeah.

And to, kick her out and threaten her.

It's almost like they really needed to make Jenny's going away a bigger deal, give her more reason to stay out of Manhattan following this.

And Blair really is internalized misogyny to the core.

Starting with.

With the eating disorder that is really sent brought down by her mom, who works in a very misogynistic industry.

Leif: Yeah.

Steve: Who has made this reputation of being a dominant force in a male driven industry.

So you, see, that kind of boiled down into Blair quite a bit, so.

Absolutely Jadeden.

Leif: And we move into the epilogue.

We get the traditional season finale Flash forward one week later.

Jenny is magically happy again and ready to leave the city for Hudson.

Rufus, Lily, Dan, and Eric say their goodbyes, and they all share a group hug.

Steve: I want to shout out Matthew Settles'acting for the first time that I felt like he really portrayed a man losing his daughter, a man conflicted by it.

It was the first time that I really felt.

There were other times that I felt like he did a good job, and there are other times that I felt like I really identified with Rufus, But I liked him here.

Leif: It's almost like he knew he wasn'tn to see Taylor bumps so much anymore.

Steve: Y.

Yeah.

It was almost as if it had felt very real in this moment.

And I also loved that Eric was like, I'll Skype you every day.

Well, they said to each other, I'll.

Leif: Skype you every day.

Steve: And they had their little banter, and Eric's like, you know, I love you forever.

It was.

I thought it was a very nice send off for Jenny, considering what she has been through this episode and the last several.

Leif: Blair is packing for a summer in Paris, and she invites Serena to come with her.

At first, Serena is hesitant, but Blair convinces her how great it would be.

Steve: Another finale of running off to Europe.

That seems to be how Gossip Girl seasons end is with Serena in Europe, to wonder.

And Blair, has she gone to Europe?

Leif: She did the first season.

Steve: She and Chuck didn't do a trip at the end of the.

Oh, I'm thinking of Nate.

I'm thinking of Nate and Serena.

Oh, also with Jenny.

Jenny walked down the thing to catch her train at the end of that, Right?

Leif: Yeah.

Steve: And we never see that actor again.

Just checking.

Leif: we see her again in A couple seconds here.

Steve: Oh.

Leif: So Blair and Serena packing.

Then Dan and Aate are on the phone and the two apologize to each other.

They just can't fight their chemistry.

Dan is talking about trying to get Vanessa to forgive him.

However, when Dan finds out Nate is spending his summer with Chuck's little black book rather than with Serena, he gets other ideas.

Steve: I'm glad Dan has decided not to work it out with Vanessa.

Good on that.

But dude, does he open the laptop here or no, no, that hasn't happened yet.

Never mind.

But dude, I'm just gonna end there.

Leif: Dan calls Serena talk, but is disappointed to find out she is going to Paris for the summer.

They hang up and Dan goes back to his laptop and closes the email to Vanessa and starts booking flights on Air France.

He is interrupted by a knock on the door.

Georgina comes in and reveals she is pregnant with Dan's baby.

And Under Pressure plays as Gossipel girl begins her closing remarks.

Steve: First of all, Dan, it's a little Joe Goldberg of you to be booking a flight.

The second after Sena's like, oh, I'm going to Paris.

Just felt a little Joe Goldberg there.

We did finish the first season of you, by the way.

And the other thing, the Georgina being pregnant thing, it's like, oh godd damn it.

Oh, godamn it.

Gossume girl, what are you doing?

Leif: We get a shot of Jenny on a train.

Very reminiscent of the first scene in the pilot with Serena.

Steve: That's where we see Jenny on I forgot that we saw her on the train leaving out.

But again, like you said, very much like Serena on the train coming into the city.

Now we have Taylor Mumpseson exiting, and I'm assuming we never see that actor again, but maybe they'll do a cameo.

Leif: Blair and Serena are toasting in the back of a town car on their way to the airport.

Steve: I'm happy for them.

They need this trip, Dan.

Say the fuck home.

Let these girls go.

Have a good summer.

Leif: Well, looks like he's got some other stuff to take care of.

Steve: Yeah.

Yes.

Although right now, if I'm Dan and Georgina just showed up, I'd be like, gotta go.

I'm going to Paris.

Leif: Nate is following threesome protocol by having not one, but two strangers.

Or maybe Nate is the stranger.

Steve: It's always gotta be a stranger.

There's always, a.

The third has to be a stranger.

Leif: Chuck is stumbling around Prague's red light district in an alley, and he is grabbed by two men.

Chuck is willing to give up everything except the ring box.

When Chuck struggles.

One of the muggers shoots him in the gut.

The thieves run away, and Chuck is left on the ground bloody and motionless.

Steve: All right, Ed act dying.

it was so bad.

Leif: They, I mean, they've been teasing, Chuck death for a while too.

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah.

I cannot imagine they'd kill off Chuck.

I just can't imagine it.

I feel like he's here to the end.

And honestly, I feel like I would have known that by now.

I feel like I was like, spoiled on Jenny leaving.

I knew that Jenny was going toa make an early exit.

I've known that for.

Since season one.

Outside of that.

And there was another.

Oh, you know what?

I think Bart's death was spoiled for me.

I knew he was going to die.

I didn't know when.

so I thought it was way later in the series, but that was the other one that it was.

When Bart died, it was, wow.

So, like, the two characters that have left permanently, I knew.

So I can't imagine them.

I can't imagine him being dead for half the series.

Leif: Gossip Girl ends the episode with the monologue and all.

In an instant, everything changes.

We leave the past behind and speed towards the unknown.

Our future.

We've set out for far off places and try to find ourselves or try to lose ourselves.

Exploring pleasures closer to home.

The problems start when we freeuse to let change happen and cling to old habits.

But we hold ono the past too tight.

The future may never come.

Till death do us part.

Xo xo Gossip Girl.

That is our episode and season.

Steve: That's our season.

Yeah.

Leif: What is coming next?

Steve: Either she's not pregnant or it's not Dan's.

One of those two things.

She has a scheme.

Regrina has a scheme.

She always has a scheme.

There's something up Gerina's sleep.

I don't think Chuck is dead.

I think that we will see Chuck in Prague getting healthy or something.

I don't know.

Serena and Blair are going toa come back.

One of them is goingna come back with a new bow and they're going to hate each other.

I feel like we're going to start off the season.

Those two cannot go on a trip and be happy the entire summer.

No way.

They're in a fight when we get back and I'm curious about what's going to be going on with Nate.

I feel like we're going toa have another stupid, boring, dumb Nate love story or love storyline coming up because now Nate is pretty single, so I feel like there's gonna Be another boring Nate.

Maybe Nate Vanessa relationship or some stupid shit like that.

Leif: Well, let's get into some segments this week in fandom.

that tellv you without pity.

Forums are back.

So we jumped into the Wayback Machine.

Hello there, Peabody here.

And this is the Wayback Machine.

We're traveling through time.

And this is my boy, Sherman.

Steve: Speak chairman.

Hello.

Good boy.

Leif: They hated this episode.

They said Gossip Girls officially jumped the shark.

Steve: Well, I mean, by definition, they did, but they twice in one episode with the same shark that they jumped a baby.

Bringing on a baby is jumping the shark.

So having both Georgina and Deoda's babies's kind of jumping it twice in one episode.

Leif: Plus having a character shot as well.

Steve: Oh, they had a character shot.

Was Ted McGinty in this?

Was Ted McGinty in this episode?

Somewhere?

Leif: Lots of angs that were Chuck getting shot, but they don't think he's actually dead.

Steve: No, of course not.

Was Ted McGinty in an earlier episode?

Did he make a cameo before?

Okay, do you know who I'm talking about?

No.

He is on the list of things that are jumping the shark.

He is Jefferson Darcy from Married with Children.

Leif: Okay.

Why did so many people show up for Deratis birth?

Steve: Yes.

Yes.

Leif: I don't think anyone liked the Jenny Chuck hookup, but the reasons for disl likiking it were varied.

Steve: Yes.

And I'm gonna go as far as to say that in the concept in morality and world of Gossip Girl, that it made sense, that I thought it was gross, and that I think a lot of the pairings are gross.

I feel like in the morality of Gossip Girl and in the realm of Gossip Girl, it did make sense.

By the laws of everyone's gonna bang.

It made sense.

Leif: there's a lot of random slesh.

Steve: Shaming of Georgina, which that is pretty ridiculous too.

Leif: Praise for Blair shaming Jenny.

Steve: Yeah, they always do that.

The forums love Blair and they love taking her side, especially against Jenny.

And again, in the context of.

Of the Gossip Girl universe, I feel like they want you to be team Blair here.

I feel like the Gossip Girl writers really wanted you to back Blair in hating both of them in going after both of them.

Leif: But then why name the episode that the last reference to the last hang of Paris.

Steve: Yeah, yeah, that's true.

Leif: I have to believe that meant something.

At least someone recognized.

Yeah, yeah, probably not Stephanie Savage.

There were people aware that the pretty relekless were curly doing the warp tour and kind of recognized this as an opportunity to get Taylor less screen time.

Steve: Oh, so Pretty Reckless had already.

Had they dropped an album yet at this point?

Leif: I believe so, yeah.

Steve: Oh, see, I didn't realize.

I thought that she left, then started a band and then it took off.

Leif: She was like working on her music career the whole time, essentially.

And like recording in her free time.

O I she le felman and go to the studio.

Cause this is when they started actually going on tour.

Steve: Cause that first Pretty Reckless album, you hear a lot of her.

Her feelings about being shoehorned into.

Into something she doesn't want to be doing.

When she just really wants to tell everyone to fuck off and go do what she wants to do.

That's a big theme of.

In the songs of that first album.

So I actually thought it was.

Oh, I'm done with that now.

So it's.

That's really interesting.

I'd like to see what year that their albums were actually released.

Leif: after we're done recapping.

Go girl.

You should go back and listen to her interview on Pod Crush.

But there are spoilers who can'ten to it now.

But she does talk about how she discovered her love of recording Phil being the Grinch.

Cause she had to go out to the studio to record a song for that movie.

Steve: Oh, that makes so much sense.

Yeah.

Cindy Lu.

Leif: Who Dan and Serena.

Felt more natural than Nate and Serena.

Steve: Yes.

Although I feel like that's because they're who we knew in the beginning.

I feel like it's because we knew they were the couple in the beginning.

Because I think that Dan.

I think that Nate and Serena make more sense as a couple.

As I've said all along, handcuff them together and they'd be perfect.

But no one wants to handcuff them together so they end up doing this stupid shit.

Leif: Fans wanted more of Chuck's perspective.

Steve: On what?

Leif: On, Just like what he was thinking, I guess.

Steve: Yeah.

But I mean, I don't know what more there is to tell Chuck in this episode with what goes down with Jenny.

I don't believe Chuck is in a place to reflect on what he did wrong.

I think Chuck is always a manipulative person and that Chuck is always trying to get one over on whoever he's up against.

And so I believe that Chuck's perspective was.

I think that Chuck was drunk and lonely and wanted to sleep with, And saw an opportunity to sleep with Jenny and told her that she could sleep with him or she could go somewhere else.

And if she wanted to be with someone, that's the price of being with some, not Being alone right now.

I don't know what more perspective you're missing.

Leif: And the final note that I took was that people were actually calling out Ed's weak acting, specifically the mugging scene, and trying to hide Jenny from Blair.

Steve: He was terrible.

He was really bad in this episode.

Leif: But they don't normally call him out.

Steve: No, they don't.

His accent.

His.

His wrangling of the accent when he was trying to hide Jenny was just he.

Because his voice goes out of the Batman range and into regular speaking, and you just hear him, like, wrestling with those vocal cords.

Leif: Well, that is it for this week in fandom.

moving over to episode grades.

So my internal character biases didn't really like where the characters went.

This episode, however, they did get there in a way that was well written, it was well directed, the music choices were on point, and acting was very good for the most part.

So I ended up giving it an.

Steve: A.

Yeah, I gave this one an A.

I felt like this was a solid season finale.

I felt like it really brought a lot together.

It brought, And, you know, when it brought the gang together in moments, it was in unconventional ways for it.

It was really good storytelling.

So I also gave this.

I gave it an A.

Leif: Moving to Stockwatch.

Going up, I had Serena Blair.

I mean, Serena going up.

Cause we know she was lying.

I like that she's taking time for herself and she's gonna work on herself and gets to go to Paris with Blair.

So I gave her an up.

I had Deroded and Vanya going up because they had a kid.

And Eleanor and Cyrus go up because they have a God kid.

Steve: I have a much smaller list than you.

Well, not much smaller.

I have Doodta and Vanya as well for having a kid.

And I also had Eleanor and Cyrus for being godparents and having this great relationship with them.

But that was the only ones I had going up.

Leif: And, then, because I don't really know what Georgina's motivation is currently, I had her neutral.

So I don't know if she's going up or down, but even she was.

It feels like she should be going one way or there because she was in.

In the episode quite a bit.

But I don't know where head's at, so I can't really say.

But going down.

I have Chuckuse.

Yeah.

Yeah, he hit rock bottom and got shot and might be dead.

Yeah, Jenny.

Cause she hit rock bottom.

Steve: Yeah.

Leif: And she's leaving Manhattan.

I also had Cameron.

Cause he got dumped in the middle of a date.

Yeah, I have Nate going down.

Cause he also got dumped.

Vanessa going down.

Cause she's also kind of getting dubbed even though she's not aware of it.

Steve: Yep.

Well, and she was like pseudo cheated on and got this, She got this blast while she was in.

Ha.

Leif: And then I also had Dan going down.

Cause yeah, he was a shitty boyfriend.

And then, yeah, he was not good to Jenny early in the episode.

And also like just immediately jumped on the Serena band.

Yeah, he like, he's about to try and make things up with Vanessa, but then he's like, oh, Serena's single or let's do it.

Steve: Yeah, I literally had.

Other than the four that I said, Lily stayed neutral.

Everyone else went down for me.

So Rufus went down for sending his daughter off.

I feel like even if it's the right thing to do, that's super hard and super sad.

And so Rufus goes down, Blair loses out on Blair, spends the whole episode saying how she'll never do anything for Chuck, and then ends up letting him break her heart again.

So Blair goes down, Serena's an asshole.

Serena goes down.

Vanessa's an asshole.

Vanessa goes down.

She.

She's getting.

She's getting pseudo dumped after being pseudo cheated on.

First Serena and all of that.

Dan goes down because he's chasing after Serena and now this Georgina shit is popping up.

I actually gave Georgina going down because Georgina got all pregnant and now we don't know what's going on with it.

But she's up to something and I don't trust her.

So I sent her down.

Cameron Stock goes down because Cameron got dumped in the middle of a date.

As you said, Eric Stock goes down.

Cause he was on the shitty bandwagon, with Jenny as well.

No, you know what?

Switch that Eric will go up.

Eric actually did come through for Jenny in the end.

Did I forget anyone?

Chuck's shot.

Nate got dumped.

Leif: Did you say Jenny?

Steve: O.

Well, Jenny, Jenny, Jenny.

Everything that happened to Jenny in this episode.

Jenny's dog went down.

And I think that is everyone that was in the episode.

But here's the best outfits from M.

The last episode we seen.

Leif: Moving to best outfits for me, I had Blair's date outfit.

The purple flower print dress with, the black tights, the yellow Louis Vuitton pumps, and the green overcoat.

And the dress was by Saraya Yavvanaa.

Steve: And actually that this week was my pick as well.

I thought she looked fantastic and I loved how it was an outfit not for Chuck.

I thought she looked really good in it.

So yes, I was with you on.

Leif: That even though it was purple?

Steve: Yeah.

Yeah, I guess.

Wow.

She fucking knew from the start.

She left that day.

She knew.

Leif: Well, that is it for segments.

What are you plugging for right now?

Steve: I think it is still just my instagram and TikTok.

Steve Maran M a r C H I o n Give me a follow and also please check out my Spotify.

You can find me the same way, hear some of my music and check out my songs and I am available to play if you are looking for someone to set up and play some music at your next event.

Leif: If you wantna follow me you can find me on Instagram or blueky Hotapricola that's H o t c a P I C o L a You can follow the podcast on Instagram threads and TikTok nonjudging breakfastpod and you can find links to our discord and our subreddit and our patreon on our website nonjudgingbrefastpod.com.

Steve: And if you would like to get in touch with us, we would love to hear what you have to say and read your email right here on the show.

You can send us a message@nonjudgingbr breakfastpodmail.com and you can also, while you're listening, give us the subscribe a follow, hit that like button and please leave a comment on the episode that really helps our visibility in Apple, Apple podcasts and on Spotify.

And while you're at it, go ahead and let your friends know what you're listening to.

Fill them in on the Nonj judging breakfast pod and get them listening so we can be your water cooler Talk.

Leif: Next week and we will be back September 1st to talk about Season 4 Episode 1 Belle de Joour.

The episode description reads, after having spent her Parisian summer alone and in Serena's shadow, BL Blair hopes to change things up when she meets a handsome young man who may be a real prince.

Steve: O boy have we done this already.

And I fucking called it that she was not gonna be able to be okay with Serena in Europe.

A year I love.

I love it so much I can't wait.

Leif: Well, until next time.

You know you love us.

Steve: Xoxo Every time you walk away I.

Speaker C: Run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away I run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away and run away you take a piece of m me with you there oh it seems I'm walking right to your door.

Steve: My heart's still resting looking for something more.

Speaker C: Are you ever gonna see everything you mean to me I'm trying really hard to believe every time you walk away or run away you take a piece of me with you there every time you walk away I run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away or run away you take a piece of me with you there never feels right when I'm out here on my.

Steve: Own.

Speaker C: I left last night and it feels like way too long are you ever gonna see everything you mean to me I'm trying really hard to believe every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there.

Steve: Come.

Speaker C: Back to me smile and you'll make my life complete every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away or run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of meat with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there Every time you walk away run away you take a piece of me with you there.