S3E2 The Freshmen

Jessica and Zuzanna dig into the crew’s first days of college life, and touch on Leighton Meester’s incredible music career, Nate and Bree’s Romeo and Juliet story, and of course the Dan and Georgina of it all. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Welcome back, listeners, do your one and only source into
all things gossip crowl you know you'll love it. X
O x o oh Man, Hello, Hello, Um, you were
just telling me that it's sixty degrees in New York
right now. It's literally been like yesterday was high sixty eight.

(00:39):
Today it's right like sixty two right now, and it's
just not right. You know. It's like we're over here
wearing our fall jackets and just sweating our faces off.
So it's beautiful weird. It's super weird because I feel
like any time in around you know, November, you're like

(01:00):
almost getting your winter jackets out. Yeah, Like I already
had my scarf out. Yeah. And I feel like anyone
that lives in New York or is from there and
it's sixty eight, they're like in T shirts. Oh yeah
st in l A. And people have full blown, like
no outfits on. Oh. I love it and I love
My favorite thing about l A is when it rains
and everybody just like gets just frozen. Nobody nut cars,

(01:22):
can't drive and no one knows how to drive. I'm like,
you're not even from here, You're literally from a place
where it rained all the time. Like no one is
from l A, but no one can drive in the
rains out people's sensibilities. It's fifty five here, and so
you go outside in Scottsdale and it's so cold out too,

(01:44):
you know, because you're so used to this heat here,
and now I'm like going back, Like now I have
my sweater and I'm sweating. Anyways, it's still beautiful. But yeah,
I'm like, let's just figure out the temperature somewhere. I know.
It's just a weird Yeah, something's going awry, well know
it is, but you know, we just have to live something. Yeah,
something is for sure. We just have to do it.

(02:06):
It's very freaky. It is kind of freaky. This is true. Um, okay,
so we are. We are in season three now, Season
three episodes of Yes, Episode two The Freshman, which is
this movie with Matthew Broderick. Is that what the title
is based on. I think it is that one, right,
And then it's like here it makes perfect sense too,

(02:29):
because we have a group full of freshmen and it's
funny because it's like, uh, you know, we're anticipating this
move to college and then we get it here finally,
so it's like I remember this episode. Remember, like, actually
have some memories of filming this one, so it's good. Yes,
things definitely pop back in my in my head and
my mind in my heart. There was definitely moments where

(02:49):
I'm like, oh my god, I remember that roof. There
was definitely moments where I'm like, I don't remember the
bookstore and Georgina, but all the shots in between of
like New York City and the streets going up with
all the cabs, and like, oh, I really like how
this director did that. And I sometimes have to go
back and be like, Okay, wait, this is whose episode again,
and it was Norman's, So I'm like, I clearly love

(03:10):
the way he shoots things, obviously. Yeah, his style and
his his visual sensibility, his style is dope. Yeah, I
love it. Um. I also think Good Girls Go Bad
by COVID Starship featuring Layton was awesome and I forgot
that it was in this episode. Oh it's so crazy
that we got Like I remember when she when her

(03:30):
music was popular and we were filming when it was
I was hearing it everywhere, you know, I was hearing
it in taxis and every store, and it was always
got such a kick out of it because it's like
so hard when you know her and how like mellow
she is to like connect her with like pop star,
rock star person, you know. But it was But it's
so funny that we had that that song was featured here.
It's so cool. Yeah. Also, when we get to that

(03:53):
part in the episode, I'll tell you my thoughts on
it because it's I think the irony of all of
that was was quite interesting to me. But there was
like a fan question that wanted to know about Layton
doing music while shooting the show, how she was like
juggling at all. I mean, that's a question for Layton,
So I don't want to like words in anyone's mouth
or speak for someone. I would say I don't really know.

(04:14):
But she obviously handled it and juggled it well because
she was shooting a show and had hit songs come out,
and we didn't really know that anything was stressful or
too much or anything at all, because she showed up
to work as professional and fun and cool as Layton
always was. And then you would like go anywhere in
the city or anywhere all over the world and her
song was playing. So the fact that all of that

(04:34):
was going on and we you know, she never complained
or anything like that. I would say she I would
have to imagine that she was enjoying and it went well,
because that's a lot, right, She definitely juggled it well.
But also, I mean, the one thing I know, and
I mean not to speak for Laton, but I remember,
it's always so interesting because she has such a like
a musical heart that that's like a passion of her.

(04:56):
I wouldn't say it supersedes being an actor, but it's
definitely up there. So I know that whether she was
producing albums or doing shows or not, she was probably
always making music. So I think it's like that was
her outlet, you know. So it's interesting when somebody wears
all the hats and she's so good at it, right,
And there was times like I remember she went on

(05:16):
a tour and I went to a couple of her
shows where she was just like singing and playing guitar
and yeah, and such a different side or vibe that
I think most people, especially listening to this and watching
the show, you get from her because it's so different
from Blair. And I always really enjoyed that. So I
don't know if we're answering your question, I'm very sorry.
I would guess that she just she she handled it

(05:38):
great because we never really heard a complaint or new still,
but a great actor. She is too, like Blair. Imagine
it's incomprehensible to imagine Blair Waldorf playing a guitar and yeah,
it's that's lat exactly. Like she really has a lot
of range, you know what I mean, because she's able
to personify this human being who's so not that and

(05:59):
in fact, in this epiod, so there are some moments
where Blair is is kind of confronted with like pop
music and she's like, turn off that noise. I mean,
it's like she's so it's like her in her world.
It's a very different vibe. So I feel like that's
interesting to imagine that. You know some of that music
was actually made by Laton, Right, Well, that's what I
was gonna say when earlier, when the song is like

(06:20):
a part of the roof top party, I didn't even
realize that she said that with that song. Well, the
iron need to me was when the roof deck party
is happening and all the stuff with Georgina is that
when Blair is looking so alone and now this is
the first time, she's feeling like an outsider in this world.
And then this song hits and there's like such a
vibe and it's on this roof deck in the city,

(06:42):
and then the song comes and it's late in the song,
so all of it right, so multi level? Yeah, so meta, Yeah,
that's pretty cool. So meta. Um. This was another question
when we started season three, like we're all kind of
dialed in out, like where we know all the crew members,

(07:03):
it's you know, we're you know, are a lot of
the same locations, you know, like that was very popular
by that point, so it's like everything was established. Yeah. Yeah,
do you feel like it was a different feeling going in?
That was someone's question. How was the how was it
going into season three? I don't I was always learning
as the show went on, like about everything when because

(07:23):
the show kept getting bigger, so that changed the way
we lived our lives. But I feel like as the
show went on, I was always excited to get back
to see everyone and to be back in the city
because a lot of the times I would leave. But
that's that's I can only speak for myself. I don't know, well,
I was always still here, but I remember that like, yeah,
by the time it was season three, I think I
told you earlier. I had that sensation always that you know,

(07:45):
I would never be in another episode, and I was
always nervous I would I know, I know. So it's like,
I think by season three, I started feeling a little
bit more like, Okay, this I'm on this show. UM,
so I think that um A lot of my best
row to storylines come up in season three, So I
think I'm really started feeling a little more comfortable and

(08:06):
just kind of happier to go to work because it
wasn't so it didn't seem so fleeting, like I was
able to trust it a little bit. So I I
know for me, you know, it's not that you relax,
but you just enjoy maybe a little bit more and
it's just like a little yes, there's a little bit
more of like a I don't know how to say comfort,
but maybe I feel like I know what you mean. Well,
you know, I think it's fun because like when you're

(08:26):
working on a TV show, especially when with so many
episodes and then you kind of get in the groove,
you also get that kind of work routine. It's the
fact that it's actually a job that you go to Yeah,
you have you know, you know how long the van
ride takes, and you know what the day looks like
and and you know, so it's like it kind of
becomes a part of your life in a different way
because I feel like as actors, we always have such unstable,

(08:47):
you know, like irregular schedules, and so it's nice to
get the vibe to be like, well, this is where
I work and I go to work. So yeah, I
think by season three we got that. Yeah, definitely, Yeah,
we were in it to win it. Okay, So here
is where we left off. Despite Rufus's best efforts, Serena

(09:07):
continues her plan to use the paparazzi against her father. Meanwhile,
Carter isn't taking Serena's rejection well and he continues pursuing
her despite a restraining order. This isn't the only stormy relationship, however,
as Vanessa butts heads with Dan while Chuck and Blair
do their best to keep their relationship interesting. Right, that
is where we left off, ladies, and a lot of

(09:31):
groundwork was laid, and that will been that first episode
of the season. So here we are in episode two
and Blair, who is determined to maintain her queen be
status in college, of course, embarks on her first day
at n YU along with Dan and Vanessa. Georgina turns
up and plots to make Blair a social outcast. As
Serena prepares to depart for Brown, she and Chuck have

(09:52):
a major falling out, so she recruits one of his
old enemies to help her get even. Meanwhile, Nate and
We decide to explore their relationship further, knowing full well
it could cause tension between their families who are political rivals.
So we got a little bit something with everybody as usual,
a little a little bit of something with everyone. Okay, Well,

(10:15):
first of all it opens up with you and Blair
that we got the pearls going on, the red dress,
very structure. I feel like the look, even it's obviously
very Blair, but I feel like the look is like, Okay,
she's like trying to grow up a little bit, you know,
like right, and she's well, you know, it's interesting because
I don't know if you had this feeling in your
life too, but you know that feeling when you're entering

(10:36):
a new phase of life and you kind of can
redefine yourself or be like who am I going to
be in this iteration? And you always it's always that
extra effort at the top to say, like what did
you learn forward want to be better at? Yeah? So
I feel like with her, she's definitely attempting a certain maturity,
a certain like non high school vibe, even though she
could still you know, still that she can't get away

(10:57):
from it. And I mean, we have that fantastic moment
later in the episod where um Dan says no headbands
in college and he like rips her head band off.
But she's trying, I think, to be a more grown
up version of herself, which is funny because like all
these characters are already so kind of grown up in
a way in terms of their style. It's sweet to
watch her get ready, and you know, I remember a

(11:20):
little bit of these storm room scenes from filming. I
mean I remember filming that stuff and then y U stuff,
And I really liked the scene where Dorota sort of
helping Blair get dressed and ready, And it was so
funny to me because like my face, like as Deronda,
like I was so like in love with Blair was insane,
Like I'm like looking at her to my long lost

(11:42):
puppy and like like that. It was like it made
me laugh out loud because I was like, wow, Dorote
is like really proud of miss Blair for this starting
n y U. And so I really liked the start
of this episode. I thought it was really kind of
a lovely look into Blair's psyche. When you two are together,
it just feels good because you know that you have
that Corota has Blair's best interest and really says the

(12:04):
best in her, which is great because not everyone does
with Blair as you see in this episode, you know,
and even when you try to, she still sometimes gets
in her in her own way. Um. And then I
just felt like the whole conversation with her and Chuck,
he goes fluorescent lights, communal showers, public school girls, like
that's what the dorms are gonna be like, and She's like, listen,

(12:24):
I just need to live there to be queen. Like
this bitch is still just trying to be queen be
I'm like, get over it. Yeah, it's so amazing, but
it's all such a part of Gossip Girl that we
need to have that or like what are we doing
right right? And I think it's an interesting question actually,
because like, do people who are super popular and like
kind of rule the roost in high school? It's got

(12:46):
to be a nerve racking moment and they transition into
a college world because that's how you identify yourself and
then all of a sudden you have a new, bigger pond.
So it kind of is relatable. I think to a
lot of people. Are people that don't really care what
you were in high school, and people really different sense
of what's cool. Aren't going to be bossed around? Right
when I went to college, because I went from I
went high school Indiana in a public high school, and

(13:08):
then I went to Barnard College here in the city
um Columbia, and all of the girls I went to
school with they were from the East coast. They had
gone to private school. And I remember feeling really out
of my element because not even in a cool girl
Queen Bee way, but in terms of I just felt
really really vulnerable in the beginning. I remember that feeling.

(13:28):
So I think that you know that growing pains of
transitioning in life, they're certainly relatable in this Blair storyline
in this episode, you know for sure, and that goes
again not to be redundant. But like what Norman said,
just about the emotions, like what she's going through, whether
it's this whole Queen Bee Blair, Upper east Side, Lower Manhattan, right,

(13:52):
I think a lot of people do what on neither end. Yeah,
like meeting new people, not having your Serena, They're not
having your Chuck there with you, not having your Deroda
there with you, even though Deroda is right there handing
out these gift bags to make the girls it's okay. Um.
There was a lot of funny moments in here. But
even like at the ny U when Georgina moves in

(14:12):
on Blair, was Garota in the dorm room when Georgina
first comes in. I can't remember exactly what I think.
There was definitely a moment when things start going down,
and there's like a moment I really enjoyed where Garroda
just like just backs out, just leaves, and like just
but she leaves in this like really funny way. It
was almost like she was moonwalking her way out because
it was Georgina all of a sudden appears and she's

(14:37):
like high roomy or high roommate, and it's like, thats
just way too much and then Vanessa is there. So
now all of a sudden, you have three people that
don't really see eye to eye, don't really get along,
that are all going to be living within not on
the same floor together. Right, that is like Blair's worst nightmare,
And to be honest, Vanessa's too, Yeah, no kidding, Yeah,

(14:58):
And it's like Vanessa is I only in a place
where like she's the like she's kind of the cool
Queen Bee type vibe. Yeah, but then you're all of
a sudden she's facing off with her biggest nightmares. Yeah,
these two. And then and then of course Blairs like
I need a party, We need a party, so right

(15:20):
here goes to rote a planet a party. That was
a funny thing because I threw it against Hales a
taxi cab, which I know for a fact I must
have been excited about because I loved shooting on the
street because I didn't get to do it as much
as everybody else, you know, because I was always inside, right,
And so I'm sure I enjoyed that, and I'm sure
it was fun and getting in the cab and everything,
but I have no memory of that. And I was like,

(15:40):
you know, when you watch yourself and you don't have
any memory. Almost feels like out of body because quite awesome.
That's definitely me. That was not a stunt double or
a stand in. It was me. Yeah, it's very crazy.
Do you remember apparently we did cross paths I guess
in that dorm room interchange. Yeah, but I don't remember that,

(16:02):
or I mean, I know we were in the n
y U world. We were circling around the same Yeah,
but I don't think. I don't think I saw you.
We definitely didn't speak or like have coverage together up clearly. Yeah,
I don't think so. But that's probably as close as
we got. Yeah, and I don't really remember. The dorm

(16:23):
rooms were on stage correct. We weren't at m y U.
Those were on silver at Silver Cup, right, Yeah, they
built those. I remember they built them because they had
because it was most of this season. Because I do remember,
because I went in and there was like a couple
like things where I'm like, oh, this is so cute.
I kind of want to like take this from my
own place, and so it was definitely decorated from Yeah.

(16:44):
Well that's another thing that was cool in this episode,
was like the decorating of the rooms, like the fact
that Blair commissioned, you know, deroded to basically like recreate
her home space in the dorm. There was you know,
we've talked before about taking things from the set, and
I always remember that the one thing that Layton got
was that there was a little tiny china plate with

(17:06):
a bee on it, and that plate was just on
the wall of Blair's room, and then I happened to
notice in this episode that it made it to the
dorm room too, So it was like this little bee,
like a little initial be like a decorative plate, and
it's it's like those little things that I remember that
just totally take me back. And she had the Mary
Antoinette kind of painting in a room that also made

(17:26):
it over remember that, But then I love that the
fact that Georgina crashes in on her and brings this
like not to be a judgmental, but this kind of
ugly tapestry that she wants to hang on the wall,
and you know it's like part of terrorizing Blair. I
was going to ask you, did you find like, when
you were watching this episode unfold, did you kind of

(17:47):
immediately see where Georgina was going with this plan? Did
you see that she was there to sort of dethrone
Blair or to keep her from socially. You know, I
didn't to me. When Chuck went to see Georgina at
the end of season two and she finds out that
Blair was there, her reaction of like, oh Blair, and

(18:08):
then like she changed everything, left the you know, Christian camp.
She's had some like thing this whole time. Obviously, um,
but I just don't know where she's going, Like does
she really like Dan? Does she not? Why do you
want to so much? Like you're you were away anyway,
You're coming back to ask for trouble or give trouble,
So why are you doing that? Just stay away then,

(18:29):
you know what I mean. So, especially because Georgina she
pulls ship out of thin air, I'm like, you're this
one day. I mean even in this episode. The next
part of this episode almost Vanessa and Danna at this
bookstore and Georgina's sees them. Did she run into them? No,
you knew where they were? I mean, are you following them?
I don't, I see, I don't know what Georgina there's

(18:49):
just so sneaky. But then but then she also plays it,
plays her heart strings a little bit like in this
with Dan and Vanessa, I was like, wait a minute,
she actually it kind of made me feel sad for
her when they were like unable to fully go there
with her. When she's like, would you like to have
a coffee, it's like you don't know, because you know,
I'd bet money that she was manipulating them. But then

(19:12):
there are these little slippers of like, oh, maybe she
does feel lonely now and now she wants forgiveness, and
then maybe she's starting or wants to start start fresh.
It's convincing, it's it was interesting, and Vanessa even says
that to Dan, like she wants to start start new
and fresh and we want to fresh start Why why
can't write? And I'm like, see that's Vanessa being real

(19:35):
sweet again, giving people a chance again. So yeah, so
then again, like then then this is a scene that
comes up after she like walks into Blairs, you know,
she goes into Blairs. Then she's trying to see if
she can have coffee with Dan and Vanessa. And at
this point I'm like, I don't know what this bitch
is trying to do, but like I'm not mad at
her right now, but I don't know what she's pulling, Yeah,

(19:55):
but you know you will be right. Well, it's interesting
because it's like we have like basically Blair desperate to
make her mark at n y U, all of a sudden,

(20:16):
faced with her biggest nightmare, Georgina as a roommate. We
don't know exactly what Georgina has planned, and we see
kind of Dan and Vanessa already thriving in the n
y U scene. We see the sort of beginning of
this new chapter, and then it's like, on the other
side of town, you have Serena in this kind of
complicated situation with Chuck where basically like she never got

(20:38):
in the car or whatever, she never went off to school,
she decided to bail on Brown, yeah, and she ends
up staying with Chuck. Um. So you know, there's this
kind of total opposite thing happening over there, which is
like Serena's in trouble or is she or what's she doing? Yeah?
And I like I would have never imagined that when

(20:59):
she was is not gonna go through with going to Brown,
that She's going to Chuck, right, So that was like, whoa,
this is nuts that Serena wants to go to Chuck
for like, yeah, support kind of shelter basically shelter. Yeah.
And then it seems like it's gonna be okay for
a minute, and then we realized that Chuck has a
business plan. He's in the works business meeting going on. Yeah,

(21:23):
that's like high intensity where he has these plans. I love,
like this is not even just a gossip rol but
I love like television in general, where um, he's like, oh,
I have this plan for this restaurant space, and then
of course the plans are just all laid out right
in front of them and then they look at the
pictures and you know, I love that part but it's
perfect yeah. Yeah, And he wants to do a speak

(21:44):
easy right, so it's going to be like a respectable
place up top, but then like a really down in
dirty speak easy downstairs right with like debauchery. Right. Is
that is that the idea? I guess? And he basically
is he's he's like telling Serena that she actually genuinely like, whoa,
this is a great idea, Chuck. Then she accidentally messes

(22:05):
up the deal. Is it an accident the first time
that she does? I think that the first time was
definitely not intentional, right, and then but throughout the course
of the episode, she starts to sabotage him purposefully, right,
That's what I was like, what was her intention there?
So it's like she basically like accidentally slips up in
front of the investor and says that, like Chuck is

(22:25):
planning to speakeasy, and that's like not in his business
plan that he's pitching. So he's like, already, she's already
messing things up for him. But then all of a sudden,
but then it gets worse and worse and out of hand,
and she starts kind of purposefully tanking this for him. Yeah,
it's it's she gets like dirty, she gets almost like
grudge hearing at the point, like the scene with her

(22:46):
and Carter and Chuck, I'm like, whoa Like even the
look in Serena's eye and stuff, I'm like, what where
what are you doing? Like? And then it felt bad
for Chuck when he gets up. This is later in
the episode, but when he gets up and he's like,
I genuinely like I was concerned for you're not going
to school. That's why I went to rufus, Like he
wasn't trying to be manipulative there is that why I
guess that's why she gets mad at him. I see, yes,

(23:08):
and and Serena is nervous, I think because she doesn't
want Lily to know she's not going. She doesn't want
to upset her mom, which I think a lot of kids, teenagers,
young adults you know that are in these kids shoes,
like leaving one chapter, leaving high school, and going to
their next chapter, going to college. I think a lot
of times people are very concerned that they're making their

(23:32):
parents proud and making sure they're making the next right
choice in the next step. But the expectations, I don't
know that. I feel like that's got to be a
very tough, tough thing for someone that's also not really
quite sure what you want to do with the rest
of your life, especially if she had such a crazy
summer and she's been disappointed by her dad. She can
you get her dad to pay attention to her when
she was seeking him out overseas. You know, she's growing up,

(23:54):
but she doesn't know which direction to turn, and she
doesn't have any kind of solid moorings, you know, because
Kelly Rutherford is still on maternity leave in this episode,
and so Lily's character is away still, so Rufus is
the paternal figure, you know, that that she has to
turn to. So it's like, in a way, she's a
little bit unchecked and untethered. And now she's staying with

(24:14):
Chuck and she doesn't know what she's doing next. And
I think Blair, at least on the surface does. Everyone
else kind of has their path, So she's you know,
feeling a little bit direction lists maybe, so then she
kind of gets a little like snippy or nasty, you know,
with Chuck. And it's I mean, it makes sense because
I feel like people get reactive, you know, when they're
not sure, not failing, supportive. Yeah. Well, and she's in

(24:38):
a situation where she's like trying, she's crying out for
attention for her father. Then this other father figure that
cares about her so much, is a wonderful dad to
his kids. Rufus is trying to protect her without letting
anyone really know or throwing Serena under the bus. And
then her mom. We have Lily who's kind of having
to play the mom and dad for her since her

(24:59):
dad was absent all the years. So and I think
sometimes even if it's not consciously maybe it's subconsciously that
she feels this disconnect with her dad and then he,
you know, didn't want her an even Carter, he throws
some low blows like with that, like you know, like,
are you crying out because your your daddy didn't want you?
Like I'm like, whoa. That's like, oh, yeah, there's some

(25:19):
between them and this. Yeah. And it's like when Rufus
finds out about that she basically lied and didn't didn't
go off to school, he's kind of forcing her hand
and saying, I'm gonna get a car here, you're gonna go,
or I'm gonna tell your mom, And there's a moment
where she says, He's like, I mean, this isn't your
best interest since she says this is how you're gonna
do it by by threatening me or something like that,

(25:41):
And she's like, I think you're more scared of my
mom than I am. I'm like, yeah, which I don't
think she's that wrong. This is a little terrified of Lily. Yeah,
but you know what I was like thinking when you
were just talking about how Lily is still gone, even
though obviously this wasn't planned because it was her pregnancy

(26:04):
and we didn't know when she was going to have
the baby, And ironically it works out because of the
situation that Serena is has going on, and then it's
kind of forced that she has to talk to Rufus
because Lily's not there, and Dan's like, listen, he's the
best guy out there, dad out there for dad advice
or so it almost like ironically worked out because really,

(26:24):
why wouldn't really be talking to Serena she's around, do
you know what I mean? Yeah, totally. It's like she
almost needed the lack of the maternal figure here in
order to like come to face this um instability or
insecurity that she has going So, yeah, it makes total sense,
and and it's nice because we also kind of see
Rufus like it's almost like the most concentrated version of

(26:46):
like what he's really facing, which is being with Lily
means being a father figure to all these people, you know,
even yeah, just wild and like he's got a uh
you know, it's like they're they're really adjusting. I mean,
I guess it was the last so where they were
kind of adjusting to basically living a different, more lavish lifestyle,
and it's like we're still seeing the sort of continuation

(27:07):
of that with him and now he has to deal
with like how does he put down his foot with Serena.
You know, it's interesting to watch him navigating that certainly totally.
And there was something that like stood out to me
in this episode with Serena. She's for some reason, just
doesn't feel like she's in high school to me, and
I when I was thinking back about other episodes, she

(27:29):
just seems Serena just seems I don't know why. I
don't know if it's because she's going off on private
jets or dating. You know, there's a ton of people
she's dated that are not in high school. The artists,
the director of the play, Um Gabriel, like, there's a
lot of people that she's dating that are nowhere near

(27:50):
their age. She just like there was certain things and
then I'm like, even at school and stuff, she really
only has Blair as much as like she's in with
the kids. She doesn't have any kind of cesn't really
But there was just like a moment where I'm like,
I just like, you just feel older than all these kids, right, No,

(28:13):
that's true, And I don't know, I mean, I do
know why. I just told you, Yeah, she seems a
little older, but she's also kind of lonelier, you know,
And it's like, what I need to think of it
because she's so because she's such a fabulous, glamorous character,
but then you know, sometimes she's just like a little lamb,
you know, and like this is an episode where that happens. Meanwhile,

(28:33):
back on the n y U campus, they're a similar
kind of opposite thing is playing out, which is the
Blair who really has a very clear idea of what
she wants and how she wants it to be, is
kind of it's like swipping through her fingers. To me,
the storyline is, you know, kind of moving and exciting
in terms of like the development of that character because

(28:54):
it's like she does what she knows best, which is
to throw kind of like money and fabulousness at things.
So she is like gets Garroda to do the sushi party,
and I love all the jokes about like the fancy
toro and the you know, why did she say to
the girl, She's like he's up on the toro? Yeah,
And then like later she kept saying but there was

(29:15):
and I was like, also, I mean it makes me
want some I was like, oh, I want to yeah.
So it's like she kind of throws all the everything
she knows how to do at this situation, and then
you have Georgina, who is much better manipulator and the
kind of in her own right and is able to
get her where she's weak, which is like really kind

(29:38):
of listening to people. So like the fact that Georgina
sets up this watch party for Vanessa's documentary or you know,
or whatever it was, and I mean, like, you know,
it just speaks the fact that it's like Blair's kryptonite
or like Blair's weakness is that she doesn't she can't
relate to everyone, and she's you know, she has that

(29:58):
kind of wall in that distance. And so Georgina is
able to manipulate that by like you know, role playing
that she's like carrying open, cool person who can be
the normal college chick. And then meanwhile, she's also like
including Blair. She's like, oh God, join us, or I'll
do this, like I like this. Yeah. The fact that
she undercuts the sushi party by like everyone sitting around

(30:20):
watching Vanessa's what what is what was the movie about?
I don't even I don't remember either, because then she
says they were doing another one about something about someone
in jail who had was it a carrot for the
first time? I think at for Halloween. Oh my god.
There was something where she was like, then he came out,
he got out of prison and he had this for

(30:41):
the first I was like, what is she talking about?
Remember anyways, but that was, Yeah, it's fun to see.
And then she's like and then she said a total
los She's like, how can these people think this is cool?
And like how can she be cool? In n y U?
I mean, who knows? Right, It's like and it's hard
to watch her, you know, kind of flail around there.
So of course that you know immediately sparks in her

(31:05):
this some passion to like take action and turn the
tables right. But there's something in that where it's like,
you know, you you hope that's something that Blair or
you know, that she starts to learn or understand that
that it's not all about like money and people being
enamored with you, because you can throw a sushi party
and you have yours like lifeing about that anymore? Yeah,

(31:30):
like maybe eating a slice of greasy pizza and watching
a cool movie by someone who has a big heart
isn't so bad Blair, you know what I mean. But
then you have in that puzzle, then you have Georgina,
who You're like, You're not quite sure what's up for sleep?
So yeah, but by the way, the party looked great, Road,
I know, the party looks fantastic. I love throw it ahead.

(31:52):
What was the restaurant Masa on speed dial? So that
was like, oh yeah. But so then Georgina throws a party,
oh man, like a roof party kind of. And when
this goes on, the good girls gone bad. This song
is going you see in New York City, you see
like the sunset setting kind of. You can tell the
light on everyone's faces looks beautiful. That was one of

(32:13):
those moments where I'm like, oh, the DP was loving it,
like yes, everyone's just like low to them. It was
like Vanessa skin looks good. Also. It is another example
of how Norman is such a great director, because it
was such subtle things that made that party feel entirely
different from any constance party that they had had in

(32:35):
high school. Like you just knew you were downtown n
y U college, different style, different vibe. It just was
shot that way. Subtle thing. Yeah, that worked. It was
so cool and he were like and and and Blair
looked like she came from Mars. I mean she was
like a little alien walking around there. Yeah. And it
was so well done because you just saw that she
was totally incapable of being chill and just like being

(32:56):
at this party. Yeah, she was uptight, not through what
to do, not sure where to turn. And then there
was so much going on at this party. We got
you know, Georgina there. Then we have the girl Katie
who goes up to Dan in the beginning of this episode.
I think her character's name was Katie. Yeah, and I
remember her Elena in real life. It's a really real life. Yeah.

(33:19):
She was just sorry we had we those that those
scenes were long days up on that roof deck because
there was just a lot to get done. But Scott
gets nervous for a minute because she says something about
why did you tell Vanessa about this professor? So we
like again, I'm like, oh my god, is this the
time where we find out that he's lying about everything?
Out of it? Kind of a clever wife, Yeah, he did.

(33:41):
And Blair, there's just a lot going on. But um,
there was a moment where Dan goes up to Georgina
and says something like, I've been the I've been in
her shoes kind of like I've been on the other
side where I wasn't invited to parties. I'm not going
to do that. And that's what I like about Dan
and Vanessa like comes up a couple of times in
this episode where it's like she's like, you know what,
we want to start fresh, and so does Georgina. Let's

(34:02):
give her a shot. And here Dan sticking up for Blair.
A season ago. You would have never thought that would
come out of Dan's mouth. I like that they're both
willing and open to do that for people that were
both really shitty to them. So for them to like
swallow their pride be open to like being nice and
and moving forward and starting fresh, I think that's rad.

(34:23):
I think that's like the maturity that's dope. I like that. Yeah, totally.
I love that too. Yeah. And it's also like their
friends what connects them to as friends. It's like you
get to see what you know, why they're friends, right, yeah,
but lo and behold, all of a sudden, then we're
you know, he's sticking up for Blair. And then Blair
invites the Christian camp back Christian camp that Georgina was

(34:43):
at to the roof and says that she's trying to
convert the freshman. She's like, this is a conversion party.
I'm like, and when they come in and singing the
songs and so it was this was the last thing. Yeah,
was it the asked thing you expected? Yeah, and I
didn't see it coming. I mean, the only thing about

(35:03):
that that makes sense is Blair planning it right, and
its Yeah, it shows what strong adversaries they are because
they're like really on the level with each other. Because
like Georgina was besting her, but then she came out
with something surprising and was like watch this Georgina and
like smacked her with the cringe, you know, and it's
like so um smacked her with the like laughing about it,

(35:24):
because I mean it was funny and and awful at
the same time. And you know, and it's also it's
like both of them using the other ones weaknesses to
kind of bite them. But so it's like the fact
that Georgina went off into that world and used it
or didn't or was honest about it, who knows. And
then the kind of dropped those you know, her Christian

(35:45):
camp high and dry and came back to the city.
And it's like, now she has to kind of face
that consequence because now here they come back and they're like,
we missed you, we love you, come back right. It
was such a crazy scene, but it funny and also
really got right to the point. And then you see
Dan all of a sudden having this fantastic hero moment

(36:06):
where he gets to save the day get on stage. Well,
you know, Vanessa says to him, just because someone has
to be on top doesn't mean it has to be Blair,
and he's right, ding ing ing ing ding. Oh yeah,
that goes and takes the mic and he gets up there.
He's basically just calls Blair out. I can't remember exactly what.
He basically explains that she she went ahead and called
out these people from from Georgina's past to embarrass her

(36:28):
and and you know, would you rather go and party
with that person or eat pizza and drink beer with us?
And it's like such a great moment. And then poor Blair,
but at the same time she kind of gets her
medy and has to take her medici. Yeah, it's it's
and if Dan says something up there, he says something
like we all have a past. This is from the past,
which I there's something in this episode where they keep

(36:50):
bringing that up, like start fresh in the past. And
I like that because I really do think when you
start a new chapter in your life, whatever that thing
is is, it is a new start. It's something knew.
It's going to be new people in your life that
you're gonna meet. There's gonna be certain things that you
took from your last chapter that, Hey, I didn't really
like when people made me feel like this, I'm gonna
stay away from those types of people. Or I didn't
like how I felt when I was like this, so

(37:10):
I want to change that about me. So I like
that they were dropping little things like that. It's like
everyone has a past and it's true, and to hold
that against someone for their past, especially if they're trying
to change, Not that I think Georgina is trying to change, right,
because I don't know what who knows, I don't know
where it's going, but right, And your point is so
well taken, because like there are other shows that kind
of were teene shows or whatever, and I'm thinking of

(37:32):
like Stay By the bell or something you know, back
in the day. But you know, there there was always
a tendency for any show that was kind of secured
at younger people to teach a lesson you know, her episode.
And in this show, there are themes that kind of
recur because they're sort of organic to the characters and
kind of truthful, and we can get that feeling after

(37:53):
watching this that we kind of take something away, but
it's never like wrapped up with a tidy bow. So
it's like kind of what I think the Gossip Girl
writers did well, which was they talked about real issues
and it was relatable. But they didn't you know, lecture
us or or or make a thesis every episode and
be like, well, and that's why friendship is important. You know.
It's like it's not it was never quite resolved, which

(38:15):
was fun. I like that. One thing I do want
to talk about is we've we got to remember the
Bree character coming in. They were kind of light in

(38:36):
this episode because I do think there's so much that's
probably about to go down with them. But Bree and
Nate decided to go to her family's apartment and she
said something, you and me this apartment let's get sick
of each other. Oh that's really cute. I know. I
was like, that's cute. She's like, hand me your pants.
I want to go through your wallet. Okay, by the way,

(38:59):
that's the gangs her move. Yeah, let's just say, like
I don't know, like there could be things that like
would could turn someone off like totally. But yeah, I
mean there's like a list of things I could say
bold with him, right, No, I know she is. And
even like even Nate's reaction was a little bit like,
oh well, it's just like normal stuff. And I'm like,

(39:21):
oh God, like Blair, like, is there a note from
like Jenny, like what's going on? Is there still money
from the cougar that you had the affair with? It's
and then it's the it's his boarding pass that he
met her on, which is so cute Nate. And it's

(39:42):
funny because she says, are you still wearing the same
pants or whatever is you were that day? And I
was like, if it was in my life, it would
be like, oh yeah, last time my head. But I
was like, oh no, of course, because I thought, oh
she caught him. He did he double He wore his
pants more than once. But no, it was truly a
sweet moment and I saved that boarding. It was cute.

(40:03):
I was really cute. Yeah, I like them together. And
how like effortless and cute is she she? First, she's stunning. Yeah,
she's lovely, and she has like I mean, they have
like a good chemistry and you know, but she's also
like she's playing one of these characters that could be
kind of two dimensional, but she's already really lovable and
you know, because you know, you're a rich kid of
this Buckley family or whatever, but in fact, she's totally

(40:27):
an interesting, um fleshed out human beings. She's like already
one of the characters you want to know more about. Yeah,
and you just even like their chemistry and vibe on it.
And that's how it has to be. You have to
cast someone who's going to come in, bring their a game,
do it make it feel you know, right, And but yeah,
their whole thing is just like cute. Yeah, they're very

(40:48):
Chasa got to work with really beautiful women, a lot
of a lot of fantastic stars, sexy, hot, all different ages, like,
all different looks, right, because Nate is one of the
characters that never gets like tied down for a really
long the long run. He yeah, he goes on a
lot of adventures, if you will. It like like Chuck

(41:12):
hooks up with a lot of ladies, but they're like
kind of like they come and go other than Blair really,
you know what I mean, there's never really yeah, and
they're all beautiful and stunning and hot, don't get me wrong,
But Nate really has like these like little like moments
with a lot of women. Think you know, they're all

(41:32):
these like meeting people on planes and having affairs in
the Hampton's. It's like, Okay, Nate, that's the guy. Yeah,
so that's going on. And she's on a phone call
with her mom and here's like again, how they set
this up. I'm like, oh god, she's gonna say something
where where Nate's gonna hear it and be turned away
or turned off. And really they threw me. It was yeah,

(41:55):
but mom, I really like him, oh you know. And
then her mom hangs up on her and it comes
there to comfort her and there's just something I'm really
liking them right now together and they're really going after
their feelings because being in their shoes, I could imagine
would be very difficult when it's politics and different families
and different sides. Imagine how it is when it's politics
and different sides in your own family when you have

(42:16):
nothing to do with politics, right right, and when your
family is then your family and is I mean that's like, yeah,
that's got to be a difficult thing of you know
how to handle it. It sort of relates to what
you were saying earlier, Serena, kind of when not wanting
to disappoint Lily. And there's another layer here too, which
is that do you want to disappoint your own family
because you're into somebody and you want to like, where

(42:37):
do you follow your heart versus where are you a
loyal family member? Kid comes to play in different ways
here because for them, what they're doing has has consequences. Yeah,
totally little Romeo and Juliet situation, less dramatic ending, but

(42:58):
although I don't remember exactly what happens, so we'll find out.
I know, I gotta watch that movie again. So that's happening.
And then Rufus and Serena do they figure it out? Yeah,
they have an apology. She goes to the loft and
he finds her there, and so I think it's touching
to him that she finds it, that it's a safe
space for her, or that she feels a part of
the family to go to the loft. So I think

(43:19):
that's the start of the sort of apology, mutual apology.
And it seems like, you know, he wants to sort
of help her, you know, figure things out. So it's
like she has allies, she has people who want to
help her to sort of chart her path, but she
has to let him in, right. I wonder if what's
going to happen is she's gonna get close with Rufus,

(43:40):
rely on him for you know, some father figure tips
and comfort, and then her father is going to come
in and probably pull some ship that's probably not great
for Serena. Something's gonna go down, and she's going to
choose her dad, who had nothing to do with her.
We're getting a stable father figure, right, because since Rufus
is being established, that makes sense. It's setting us up

(44:00):
for some kind of complications. Again, how the irony of
Kelly having her baby. It doesn't feel like sometimes I
think when someone's out for pregnancy, you can kind of
feel like, oh, they had to shift this, or do this,
or do that, like for a reason, I don't feel
like that, Like I forgot. I had to look it up.
I'm like, why isn't really in this episode? Oh? Because
she had a baby. But it just feels like organic, right,

(44:23):
you know, the storyline is so deeply embracing it. I mean,
I don't know how what their timeline was like when
they were writing, you know, how far ahead they were
conceiving of plotlines, but certainly having her absence here is
allowing for a lot of character development with Serena and
Rufus and everyone. So it's like, you're right, it's like really, um,

(44:45):
it feels organic and truthful and just a bit yeah yeah,
yeah it fits. But she's supposed to be with CC,
right right? And I kind of like that because because
like when we last saw them together, they were so
troubled and then they kind of had that lovely moment.
So then the idea that CC is sick and Lily
kind of gave up everything to be with her is

(45:05):
actually sweet too, Like I feel like that's works too, right, No,
it does? It all works? Yeah, And then in this
episode we have this um idea that Carter is still around,
and Serena kind of uses him to just thinking about Carter.
Serena kind of employs Carter to help embarrass Chuck in
this with his business partners, and then Carter, I guess,

(45:26):
realizes that he's been used and they have a little
bit of a blow up and then they resolve it.
She says something interesting to me. She's like, you know,
you're there with me all summer. You are the only
one that knows really what I was going through with
the whole situation with her father, and she can trust him.
I feel like, she says trust, which I'm like, the
whole thing that you're telling your friends is that he's
like this psycho right right right? So yeah, but do

(45:51):
you kind of feel like that they're going to still
stay together? And he kind of says, you have to
find someone else. Basically they had a kiss and that
sort of makeup scene where they kind of come clean.
So I don't know, I don't know where that's going.
It's like it keeps some sort of creeping out. Yeah,
and you know, and you don't know with them too.
It's also like that conundrum in life where sometimes someone's

(46:13):
there in the right time and place and you kind
of need that relationship to help you through something, but
then would it stand on its own merits? I kind
of fill certain voids, So that's kind of a curiosity
of that. But then we have m Blair arrives to
Chucks and have him and you're just like, oh, she

(46:34):
like climbs in the little ben. She's like, maybe you
were right about the dorms. It was like Blair, He's like,
sound asleep. How cute was it when she got in
bed with him? Not it was very sweet. I'm like,
Shock and Blair, you're so cute. They're so cute. And
also it's that in terms of people waking up in
the morning the best reveals at the end of the episode,

(46:54):
which I just like got such a kick out of,
and it's like I saw it coming a bit, but
oh you did a little once it was once the
shot was established I saw. I was like, oh see,
I didn't and I didn't feel like there was any
kind of like I think when Dan got up and
kind of stuck up for Georgina, when Blair pulled the
whole thing on the roof deck party, I kind of

(47:16):
didn't see, like, oh, I thought it was kind of
like Vanessa kind of made something trigger in his head right,
it doesn't have to be that. It doesn't I just
figured he was like, okay, it doesn't have to be nasty,
Like Georgina really was trying here. And then Scott shows
up at the bookstore telling Vanessa here's like a list
of you know, the professors, again proving himself. Now I'm like, wow,

(47:37):
he's really going for it. Here's a list of professors,
was full on details grades, and like I was like, okay, Scott, Yeah,
it's a little scared. And she's like, should I call
Dan to see if he wants to? I don't know
what they were gonna do, talk about all the epic nous,
she says, because I'm like an epic nous, Vanessa, that
doesn't okay, all the epicness from last night. And he's like, nah,

(47:59):
I'm hungover whatever he's doing. And then it cuts to him,
and he well because the fact that it cuts to
him and he's like still on the roof deck in
this morning, and he's like and then the but then
when the way he sits up, I was like, oh,
he's got he's got somebody in his lap. I just
like and then I was like, it's gotta be Georgina.
So that's like, that's what I meant when I said
I stopped coming, but only right then in that second,

(48:20):
right before they panned down reveal her. Um, I still
was like what it was wild? And then she's just
like laying on his chest and it's and then they yeah,
they kissed. But it was a very fun kind of
Gossip Girl ending to a very um gossip Girl episode.
You know, it was like this episode had all the
good you know, yeah, Um, I just had a question.

(48:44):
So Chuck Steel is like dead, like it can't happen,
Like I think Serena ruined it, right, I believe. So
I'm kind of irritated about that. You know, me too,
And you know, you know, I forgot to mention this
when we were talking about that. There was one small
thing that reminded me about how this show is now
kind of a piece of history because when they're talking

(49:05):
about the speakeasy and he's showing Serena the plans she
they talked about how the last time there was a
market crash was like back in the days of prohibition. Basically,
they say that back in the day when there was
a market crash, it was you know, prohibition was a
different time and the speakeasies reminiscent of that era. And
then because this was like around two thousand eight, that

(49:25):
when this episode was shot, and that's when we had
the huge market crash and the whole mortgage bubble and
everything burst and it was like tremendous downfall. Find all
the financial institutions were crumbling. So this like Glamor and
Wealth of the Upper east Side and Gossip Girl, like
they had to address that as in the writer's room

(49:46):
because it was like, so, uh, that was the world
we lived in at the time. So it was funny
because I forgot about that context and so seeing that
little moment where you remember like, oh, this is a
show that happened in its time, as we know, with
the self owns in the technology, but also with what
was happening in the world. So that was one little
funny moment for me. Yeah I noticed, Yeah I didn't.

(50:08):
It was by very quickly, but I was like, oh, yeah,
it was when the world, you know, it was exploding. Um,
absolutely wild. There was another thing that I liked, and
I can't remember where where the line was. Somebody said, oh,
it was Georgina. I guess she said I got my
meds right. Finally was Georgina, and it was potentially the

(50:28):
best Vanessa face I've ever seen, Like it has to
be like a GIF out there somewhere, because like Vanessa's face.
It was just like the reaction of just like that
side I like this girl, this world. Yeah, yeah, it
was so good. You know where that was? That was

(50:49):
in the bookstore because it was something she kind of
said because she kind of keeps walking away and then
she comes back Georgina and she's like, I mean I
did this, this and this, but I don't remember what
Vanessa did. But you know else I realized in this episode,
just the total change of style of Carter basin car
squeezing and season in the beginning of season two or
season one, maybe is wearing like huge, really cute looking

(51:12):
like sweaters. I remember when Sebastian was on. I think
he was like maybe like a rug looking thing. I'm like, god,
I thought it was cute. But now he's in full
blown suits looking very DApp like great, but he is
not wearing a rug or No, he's he's not like
chic fluffy sweater. No, that's true, that's really true. Yeah,

(51:35):
I thought that it was fun to see, um where
these characters begin this episode and then end this episode,
so you have like all the hope, all the hope
for poor Blair and then it's crushed and then you
have all of this uh you know, you don't even
know Georgina is around, and by the end she's cuddling
up on Dance. So this episode really takes us a
good long distance. And I noticed Michelle Michelle Trachtonburg is

(51:58):
going to be the new season of two of the
New Gossip Girl. So I saw some pictures on social
media and she looks fantastic and like so conniving. So
I was like, I can't wait to see the return,
the return of the return of Georgina. So yeah, I'm
excited to see that. Well, that wraps up the freshman

(52:19):
the freshman. Can you imagine what what were the sophomores,
juniors and seniors of Gossip Girl doing? If this is
what the fresh memory do? I know, no, imagine Poppy
pops up Poppies not in college either though, right I
don't know where's Poppy Ariel. It would fun be fun
to have like one little capsule episode or spinoff episode
that just tracked all of the characters who have like

(52:40):
sort of disappeared from Gossip Girl, you know, and see
what they're up to now, and they're totally you know.
But also question where when is Nate not starting school?
He referenced it in the beginning that I can't remember
he said he said something about his internship, but that
he gave up and that he was doing a business
thing instead. I think we'll find out which direction here

(53:03):
we'll find out. Yes, um, I love this Gossip Girl quote.
You want to do it? Um, sure, I'll do it.
Let's see here. Yeah, I think it's a good one.
Apparently higher education doesn't make for smarter decisions, So take
out your notebooks and sharpen your pencils. Kids, Gossip Girls
going to college and this class has a lot to learn. Wow,

(53:31):
I'm very excited to see just all the things, all
the things. Um yeah, well this was super fun. This great.
We have season three, Season three, episode three next week,
the Lost Boy. Um, we have someone fun coming on
to do that. And just want to say thank you
listeners for tuning in. We have so much fun and

(53:55):
thank you so much. Until next time. X O x
O y x O XO is produced by Propagate Content

(54:15):
and Met Jessica's Or. Our show is executive produced by Lingley.
Our producers are Diego Tapia, Christin Vermilia, Emily Carr and
Hannah Harris. Original music by Moxie and Luke m