(no subject)
Last night's Gossip Girl. Because I bet you've all missed my analysis of shows that like one or two of you actually watch. (Yeah, I've slacked on Dexter . . . because the last two episodes were leaked onto the Internet a couple weeks ago, and I watched them both at once, passed them on, and happily analyzed them to death with hoedogg already. Because he was probably the only one reading the entries about Dexter in the first place.)
* First up: I am a total Dan apologist. I like Dan. I like him because he is a well-written teenage boy, and I like him because his book counterpart is a heinously obnoxious douchebag who makes TV!Dan look even better. He acts like a jerk sometimes, as teenage boys do, and he has his awesome moments, as (nice) teenage boys do. The writers keep his character consistent, which is great, and he doesn't always magically know what to do or say, or behave poorly just to keep a plot going, like so many teenage characters. So even though I am about to complain here, it is not because I object to the writing or find it contrived; in fact, the scene in question was very much in keeping with Dan's issues about money and general young-male insensitivity.
But Dan. Way to be an ass to your girlfriend. When it comes to a relationship with such a drastic gap in economic situations for the people involved, I think a price limit on gifts is a great idea, especially with these two. Dan has definite issues about money, stemming no doubt from going to a rich school when his family is anything but. He has reacted to the money problem by becoming defiantly proletariat, looking down on the "bourgeoisie" holy SHIT you guys I spelled that right on the first try and telling himself that not having a lot of money makes him and his family better people. However, now he's dating a rich girl, who is so clearly not the kind of spoiled snob he's come to associate with lots of money, and his attitude about rich people means that sometimes he just doesn't know how to handle that. He's uncomfortable in Serena's level of society and resents her money sometimes, and yet on their first date he also tried to treat her to an expensive dinner because he thought it was what she expected. And when Serena saw right through him and discreetly paid for their meal behind his back, he was embarrassed, but he took it in stride. Later, though, he insisted on reimbursing her for her entree, and she let him, understanding that he needed to for the sake of his own pride. The watch was a panic gift after Vanessa's unmatchable (in Serena's eyes) one, and her nervous babbling made it clear that she was aware of Dan's issues - she even said that it was more for her than for him. It was a bit thoughtless, and so typically Serena, but Dan's handling of it was worse. She meant well and he made her feel bad about it. I said above that I thought the idea of a price limit was a good one, but the way Dan brought it up left much to be desired. It would have been kinder and more graceful to accept the watch, and assure her that her intention was appreciated (because man, she was dripping her need for him to love it and love her all over the place) but maybe they could discuss price limits for future gifts, because the price tag made him uncomfortable. Serena is such a sweet, insecure girl and just wants the people she loves to be happy and to accept her. She would probably have offered to take the watch back and try again anyway, because the last thing in the world she wants is to make Dan uncomfortable. Ultimately, the price limit was good for them and will serve them well in the future - it appeases Dan's own insecurity about his financial status, and it keeps Serena from having to worry about accidentally upsetting him with too lavish a gift. If they make it in the long haul, I suspect Dan will loosen up about money (really, he'll have no choice, because if he clings to his issues they will cause worse problems than awkwardness over gifts) and then they can re-evaluate the terms. For now, though, it's good, and it makes me mad that Dan was so assy in proposing it. It's totally in character and I love that the writers aren't shy about letting Dan look like a jackass sometimes, but - shut up, Dan. Be nicer to your awesome girlfriend. Her money and upbringing aren't her fault any more than your lack of money is yours.
* All that said, the Christmas tree? Oh, man. That was so sweet. I loved the similarity of their gifts to each other, and how each wanted to give the other something they couldn't have. And for some reason, what gets me the most was that Dan wasn't there to see Serena's face when she saw the tree. He probably thought he would be, but he wasn't, and you just know that's okay with him (and not just because he got laid), and that right there is the most selfless gift I've probably ever seen, at least in fiction, because it was completely for Serena and not at all for him. See what I mean by Dan balancing jackassery with awesomeness? The major thing working against him is simply immaturity, because at heart he's a good guy.
* I love Blair. She's so crappy at connecting with people emotionally in individual moments, but oh boy, don't you dare fuck with her friends or family. She will cut you. I loved how she saw Vanessa and Serena working on Dan's present, assessed the situation in about thirty seconds, and pulled Vanessa into the bathroom to give her some information. Vanessa, it is a good thing that your intentions toward Serena seem to be on the up-and-up, because Blair Waldorf may have the emotional maturity of a five year old, but if you screw with what is hers, you will be destroyed. Blair is fiercely loyal once you get into her heart, and will take steps to protect you without a second thought. She is all about control on every level, and that extends to bad things happening to her loved ones.
* And I loved that the episode showed the flip side of this, too. The scene where her father's boyfriend's ex showed up at Blair's invitation showed us all of Blair. We saw her conniving side as she watched the carnage unfold with great satisfaction . . . and then, because her parents are adults and not the teenagers she is accustomed to dealing with, they figured her out in about five minutes, and the cut back to her under three angry, disappointed stares was heartbreaking. She looked like a sad, scared little girl, which is what she is under all that manipulation and control. Leighton Meester played that perfectly, and carried it beautifully into the next scene with Blair's father, covering Blair's fear and misery not with icy bravado, but with a sullen sulk. Blair's behavior in this episode was appalling and kinda wince-worth to watch, but the fall-out was very satisfying. The show has built up her love and worship for her father so strongly that the way things played out was a great climax to that story. That she let go of her resentment on seeing proof that she is still very much a part of her father's life spoke volumes, and her sudden turnaround to accepting Ramón when she saw that he cared about her and not just her father did as well. She saw that he wasn't the enemy stealing her daddy, that he's really just a good guy trying earnestly to fit both himself and Blair into Harold's life. Blair is so terrified of being cut off and rejected that she's learned to make the preemptive strike, and all she needs is to see that she is included. It kills me that Blair is stuck with her manipulative bitch of a mother when it is so clearly her father who is the best parent for her. He's pretty clueless and kinda spineless, but he treats Blair with respect and honesty, which Eleanor couldn't manage if she tried.
* And speaking of Blair's gay dad: JOHN SHEA. How much do I love that casting? It is so freaking cool to see one of my very first actor loves show up in a show I adore as much as I did the other a decade later. Sort of a full circle thing.
* And because this isn't a spoiler, I shall say it here: Any show that can make me - ME - fall in love with not one, but two het pairings is capable of working some serious magic. Do I love Dan/Serena more? Or Rufus/Lily? I don't know! Every time Dan and Serena cute me into making up my mind, Rufus and Lily shatter my resolve and win me over with True Love Neglected. And then Dan and Serena are adorable some more. I just can't decide. So many reasons why I love both couples. The show will probably decide for me in the end, though, since Rufus and Lily are Meant To Be, which would make Dan and Serena stepsiblings, which I would imagine can put a certain strain on a relationship.
You guys, come on. Wednesdays. CW. Nine EST. Don't be lame.
* First up: I am a total Dan apologist. I like Dan. I like him because he is a well-written teenage boy, and I like him because his book counterpart is a heinously obnoxious douchebag who makes TV!Dan look even better. He acts like a jerk sometimes, as teenage boys do, and he has his awesome moments, as (nice) teenage boys do. The writers keep his character consistent, which is great, and he doesn't always magically know what to do or say, or behave poorly just to keep a plot going, like so many teenage characters. So even though I am about to complain here, it is not because I object to the writing or find it contrived; in fact, the scene in question was very much in keeping with Dan's issues about money and general young-male insensitivity.
But Dan. Way to be an ass to your girlfriend. When it comes to a relationship with such a drastic gap in economic situations for the people involved, I think a price limit on gifts is a great idea, especially with these two. Dan has definite issues about money, stemming no doubt from going to a rich school when his family is anything but. He has reacted to the money problem by becoming defiantly proletariat, looking down on the "bourgeoisie" holy SHIT you guys I spelled that right on the first try and telling himself that not having a lot of money makes him and his family better people. However, now he's dating a rich girl, who is so clearly not the kind of spoiled snob he's come to associate with lots of money, and his attitude about rich people means that sometimes he just doesn't know how to handle that. He's uncomfortable in Serena's level of society and resents her money sometimes, and yet on their first date he also tried to treat her to an expensive dinner because he thought it was what she expected. And when Serena saw right through him and discreetly paid for their meal behind his back, he was embarrassed, but he took it in stride. Later, though, he insisted on reimbursing her for her entree, and she let him, understanding that he needed to for the sake of his own pride. The watch was a panic gift after Vanessa's unmatchable (in Serena's eyes) one, and her nervous babbling made it clear that she was aware of Dan's issues - she even said that it was more for her than for him. It was a bit thoughtless, and so typically Serena, but Dan's handling of it was worse. She meant well and he made her feel bad about it. I said above that I thought the idea of a price limit was a good one, but the way Dan brought it up left much to be desired. It would have been kinder and more graceful to accept the watch, and assure her that her intention was appreciated (because man, she was dripping her need for him to love it and love her all over the place) but maybe they could discuss price limits for future gifts, because the price tag made him uncomfortable. Serena is such a sweet, insecure girl and just wants the people she loves to be happy and to accept her. She would probably have offered to take the watch back and try again anyway, because the last thing in the world she wants is to make Dan uncomfortable. Ultimately, the price limit was good for them and will serve them well in the future - it appeases Dan's own insecurity about his financial status, and it keeps Serena from having to worry about accidentally upsetting him with too lavish a gift. If they make it in the long haul, I suspect Dan will loosen up about money (really, he'll have no choice, because if he clings to his issues they will cause worse problems than awkwardness over gifts) and then they can re-evaluate the terms. For now, though, it's good, and it makes me mad that Dan was so assy in proposing it. It's totally in character and I love that the writers aren't shy about letting Dan look like a jackass sometimes, but - shut up, Dan. Be nicer to your awesome girlfriend. Her money and upbringing aren't her fault any more than your lack of money is yours.
* All that said, the Christmas tree? Oh, man. That was so sweet. I loved the similarity of their gifts to each other, and how each wanted to give the other something they couldn't have. And for some reason, what gets me the most was that Dan wasn't there to see Serena's face when she saw the tree. He probably thought he would be, but he wasn't, and you just know that's okay with him (and not just because he got laid), and that right there is the most selfless gift I've probably ever seen, at least in fiction, because it was completely for Serena and not at all for him. See what I mean by Dan balancing jackassery with awesomeness? The major thing working against him is simply immaturity, because at heart he's a good guy.
* I love Blair. She's so crappy at connecting with people emotionally in individual moments, but oh boy, don't you dare fuck with her friends or family. She will cut you. I loved how she saw Vanessa and Serena working on Dan's present, assessed the situation in about thirty seconds, and pulled Vanessa into the bathroom to give her some information. Vanessa, it is a good thing that your intentions toward Serena seem to be on the up-and-up, because Blair Waldorf may have the emotional maturity of a five year old, but if you screw with what is hers, you will be destroyed. Blair is fiercely loyal once you get into her heart, and will take steps to protect you without a second thought. She is all about control on every level, and that extends to bad things happening to her loved ones.
* And I loved that the episode showed the flip side of this, too. The scene where her father's boyfriend's ex showed up at Blair's invitation showed us all of Blair. We saw her conniving side as she watched the carnage unfold with great satisfaction . . . and then, because her parents are adults and not the teenagers she is accustomed to dealing with, they figured her out in about five minutes, and the cut back to her under three angry, disappointed stares was heartbreaking. She looked like a sad, scared little girl, which is what she is under all that manipulation and control. Leighton Meester played that perfectly, and carried it beautifully into the next scene with Blair's father, covering Blair's fear and misery not with icy bravado, but with a sullen sulk. Blair's behavior in this episode was appalling and kinda wince-worth to watch, but the fall-out was very satisfying. The show has built up her love and worship for her father so strongly that the way things played out was a great climax to that story. That she let go of her resentment on seeing proof that she is still very much a part of her father's life spoke volumes, and her sudden turnaround to accepting Ramón when she saw that he cared about her and not just her father did as well. She saw that he wasn't the enemy stealing her daddy, that he's really just a good guy trying earnestly to fit both himself and Blair into Harold's life. Blair is so terrified of being cut off and rejected that she's learned to make the preemptive strike, and all she needs is to see that she is included. It kills me that Blair is stuck with her manipulative bitch of a mother when it is so clearly her father who is the best parent for her. He's pretty clueless and kinda spineless, but he treats Blair with respect and honesty, which Eleanor couldn't manage if she tried.
* And speaking of Blair's gay dad: JOHN SHEA. How much do I love that casting? It is so freaking cool to see one of my very first actor loves show up in a show I adore as much as I did the other a decade later. Sort of a full circle thing.
* And because this isn't a spoiler, I shall say it here: Any show that can make me - ME - fall in love with not one, but two het pairings is capable of working some serious magic. Do I love Dan/Serena more? Or Rufus/Lily? I don't know! Every time Dan and Serena cute me into making up my mind, Rufus and Lily shatter my resolve and win me over with True Love Neglected. And then Dan and Serena are adorable some more. I just can't decide. So many reasons why I love both couples. The show will probably decide for me in the end, though, since Rufus and Lily are Meant To Be, which would make Dan and Serena stepsiblings, which I would imagine can put a certain strain on a relationship.
You guys, come on. Wednesdays. CW. Nine EST. Don't be lame.