‘Gossip Girl’: Dan and Serena are dunzo

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The see-saw saga of Dan and Serena ended (for now) on last night’s episode of ‘Gossip Girl.’ Though I’ve been a fan of this couple since the beginning, I was neither surprised nor sad to see this relationship run its course. They had become boring, and that is a death knell in teen drama land.

So many things were against a D and S coupling -- their parents’ relationship, a shared half-sibling, attending different colleges -- but the straw that broke the camel’s back was a Gossip Girl post that implied Dan was having an affair with Serena’s teacher, Rachel Carr. The rumor, naturally, was planted by Blair, whose act of vengeance eventually gets her expelled. That decision was swiftly revoked when Serena snaps a photo of Rachel and Dan having an intimate student-teacher conference at a coffee shop.

I didn’t quickly warm up to the idea of Dan hooking up with a teacher. After Nate’s affair with a married woman and Chuck’s dalliances with ladies clearly beyond high school age, sticking Dan with an older, forbidden love interest seemed a little forced. But on closer inspection, Rachel and Dan are almost perfect for each other. She’s mousy, from the Midwest, references Thoreau and looks even younger than he does. They’ve nailed the awkward encounter, and even when she breaks his heart (do you see it happening any other way?), it’s the experience he’ll need to stride down Yale’s commons with confidence.

Rachel may not be goosebump worthy, but she’s a slight step above Serena in terms of intrigue. S is back to her signature pouts and lame, unanswered phone calls. Writers, please make her more interesting. We know her dullness is retribution for her blond radiance, but give her a rocker boyfriend, an Adderall addiction, something! Either that or bring Georgina back, stat.

The rest of the episode was dedicated to Chuck’s discovery of a secret club in which his father was a member. After inadvertently accepting an invite meant for Bart, he finds himself in an ‘Eyes Wide Shut’-type masquerade party where he meets a nanny named Elle. She later warns him that he’ll be dealing with some powerful players if he chooses to pursue his curiosity, so of course, that piques Chuck’s interest even more. Didn’t they already address Skull and Bones in the Yale episode? Former presidents were members of that club, so any other elite secret society would be too second tier for Chuck.

What are your thoughts on the episode? Do Rachel and Dan get a thumbs up or down?

xoxo

--Enid Portuguez