Gossip Girl + One Tree Hill
Gossip Girl 2x01: "Summer, Kind of Wonderful"
The good:
1. Serena and Nate. I loved their easy rapport; even the fake-makeout session didn't faze them, and their scrunched-up giggly faces were so cute!
2. Eric, who was all-around awesome this episode. He got the funniest line in the episode ("I know that face. That face is not your friend!"), had great sleuthing Google-fu, and croquets like a mofo. WIN.
3. All the one-liners! The pacing and characterisation might have been off, but the zingers were still there. For my favourites, see the poll below.
The boring:
1. Who is Catherine? Why should I care?
The ugly:
1. So, apparently Chuck and Blair are sniffly crybabies now? The hell? I realize that they can't be conniving backstabbers all day, every day, but they spent almost every moment gazing soulfully at each other and mouthing platitudes at each other. Plus, I don't for one second believe that Chuck would have given up so easily at the White Party, nor that Blair would have let her guard down enough to beg Chuck for an emotional response. Everything about them felt off.
2. Ah, the dubious joys of Dan and Serena 2.0! Dan rails, Serena apologizes! Totally different! And yet not at all. Why, show? Why?
Poll Summer, Kind of Wonderful
One Tree Hill 6x01: "Touch Me, I'm Going to Scream, Part 1"
This was actually a lot of fun, as I have a whole different set of expectations for this show than I do for Gossip Girl. And you know what? callmesandy reminded me about what I love about this show: cheese and all, it passes the Bechdel test. All the women get fantastic bonding moments, and they have careers and aspirations that have nothing to do with the men in their lives. Rock on!
The good:
1. Haley and Jamie dancing around their living room. She's a pretty cool mom, and it was flat-out hilarious.
2. The dream sequence outlining the different scenarios between Lucas and the women in his life. I liked how the show signalled how his relationships with Brooke, Peyton and Lindsay serve different functions, though he loves them all; Brooke's his support system, and he's hers; Peyton's never easy (unlike Lindsay, whose relationship with him is "the easiest"), but he can't let go of her; and Lindsay offers him no complications (but neither does she offer grand passion), only affection and competence. Nicely, and subtly done.
3. Luke and Peyton: when on earth did they get funny? Where's the angst? This is great! Keep them like this, not staring soulfully at each other, or having shouting matches.
The boring:
1. Victoria: the only way that this ridiculous storyline could pack any emotional punch was when Brooke was still conflicted between Victoria's role as mother and partner, and now that Brooke seems have divested herself of emotional attachment, this story is way too black-and-white, and therefore boring and seemingly never-ending.
2. Mouth and Millicent: thank god they're leaving. I like Mouth on his own, but lately all his plots have to do with Millie and his career; he seemed so disconnected from the rest of the gang last year, and if his storylines don't intertwine with the rest this season, I'd rather that he and Millie go off together.
The ugly:
1. Nanny Carrie? Again? Really? Why, show? Whyyyyyyy?
2. The assault on Brooke. Really, show? Attack the one woman (or indeed, ANY WOMAN) on the show who has always shown independence and agency. Epic fail, show. EPIC FAIL.