There were multiple times during the season five premiere of Gossip Girl that I felt as if I was trapped between episodes of Teen Mom and Say Yes to the Dress. The soap-operatic, or maybe reality television quality of the show has been lamentable, but there was also something refreshing about the show's reappearance after a long summer break.
The season started with a reunion of our favorite characters. Per usual, Chuck (Ed Westwick), Nate (Chace Crawford) and Serena (Blake Lively) came together - this season not in the Hamptons, or Paris, but in L.A. The factor uniting our little clique? No - not friendship - wedding invitations, making their way into the hands of each character regardless of his or her relationship with bride Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester).
Viewers were also treated to another Gossip plot twist - in the form of a literal piece of trash, a pregnancy test marked positive. Rather than attempt to untangle the love pentagon that has plagued our characters for years, it was best just to sit back and let Gossip Girl uncover the truth for us.
To be sure, there was a lot of redundancy of theme and plot relating to previous seasons. For one, there were several proclamations of intentions to reinvent oneself: Serena chose to stay in L.A. working as an assistant in the movie industry, Nate again remained guarded against those trying to take advantage of his trusting nature and Chuck decided to adopt a more positive outlook on life.\nThere was also one particularly interesting new addition to the cast: Elizabeth Hurley as a mysterious British cougar - literally, she was wearing animal print. Hurley's character thus far has been quietly plotting against Nate and simultaneously seducing him. Although we already saw Nate seduced by an older woman in season two, my interest is still piqued.
So after a 40-minute whirlwind of hopping from New York to Los Angeles and wedding plans to movie sets, with a healthy dose of "I'm Chuck Bass" thrown in for good measure, the truth about the pregnancy test came out. With the identity of the expectant mother no longer a secret, the next mystery confronting Gossip Girl's audience is the father's identity. Either way, the dress to which Blair "said yes" to is going to need some adjustments, and so too will her wedding. The next episodes promise more of what we love and have come to expect from Gossip Girl: drama.
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