Gossip Girl Round Table: "The Kids Stay in the Picture"

at .

Welcome back to the weekly TVF Gossip Girl Round Table, where our panel breaks down the previous night's episode (see our review from earlier this morning).

Below, TV Fanatic Managing Editor Mister Meester is joined by our esteemed President Gossip Guy for an in-depth discussion of "The Kids Stay in the Picture."

Our colleague DANdy is off partying with Jack Bass on a multi-nation tour of Southeast Asia and currently unavailable, so it's a two-man show this week ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What was your favorite Gossip Girl quote from last night?

Gossip Guy: Absolutely goes to Dorota for correcting Blair and identifying Dan as more of a Labrador than a toad.

Mister Meester: Blair defending Dan and putting Chuck in his place. She may have been too quick to dismiss what she has with Dan, but at least she recognizes him for the standup guy he is, and tore Chuck a new one for involving Dan in his "plot."

2. Focus on Lily's relatives and husbands: Fun change of pace or boring filler?

Gossip Guy: Oh those were here relatives? Seriously, I was wondering who that old lady was. What happened to the fun sister we met in the flashback!? B O R I N G. Hopefully, Charlie will prove to be fun and not just a weird incestual love interest of Dan. Wasn't her cousin / your step-sister enough for you? I saw that look you were giving her...

Mister Meester: I'm not writing this off yet because there are still four episodes left, and there MUST be more to Carol and Charlie than meets the eye, but this was not an exciting episode largely for this reason. The writers have been obsessed with Lily's back story ever since the spinoff that wasn't. I just hope they came up with something good this time and that it ties in with the larger narrative. Also, Dan had better not hit that.

3. More random, out of place confidant: Eric (for Dan) or Epperley (for Chuck)?

Gossip Guy: Please, Eric is so awesome I'd buy him as anyone's confidant. Plus, he's at least been paired up with Dan in previous episodes. Bringing back Epperley, and just explaining her complete change of character in one line? Pff.

Mister Meester: Epperley. Eric felt a tad forced but he's family, which is never too big a stretch. Besides, it's Eric. That kid rocks. Chuck and Epperley plotting - unnecessarily, no less - and sending clandestine texts just felt silly to me.

Circling the Wagons

MEN OF LILY: The Rufus-Will drama felt a little ... unimportant.

4. Do you like Nate and Raina as a couple?

Gossip Guy: Yes, the scenes between them in Nate's bed were absolutely riveting. Much like my sarcasm.

Mister Meester: Hey, the guy needs someone something to do. No, really, I like seeing him as the supportive boyfriend and hope the producers give this relationship a chance to really work (even though I have a hunch it won't happen).

5: Rate last night's episode on the Vanessa Uselessness Scale (1-10).

Gossip Guy: This is why I logged in to my inbox to answer this round table. Holy crap. We've always joked about Vanessa being useless before. And unfortunately, I feel like the boy who cried "Vanessa is Useless" because I wasted all my ridiculous numbers. No number can really express just how useless she's become. She literally hides in shadows and comes in too late with advice via voicemails... MULTIPLE TIMES THIS SEASON. Just kill off her character already. Fine, you forced me to give a number: 7,248.

Mister Meester: 9.9 / LMAO at Gossip Guy.

6: Team Dair, Team Chair or Team Prince Louis?

Gossip Guy: Team Dair. They were too nice to each other this week with all that prince/princess crap. Bring back that witty Dair banter from the real Queen and her toad Labrador that I crave. Leave Chair for end game.

Mister Meester: Dan and Chuck sure left the door open for a third suitor, didn't they? Neither stepped up and Louis is going to make them pay the price. The question is whether either Chuck or Dan will fight to win her back - next week's promos sure look like the donut is back in the picture, but things aren't always what they seem. In fact, they usually aren't in Gossip Girl promos. To actually answer the question, I really miss Dair - at least the chemistry and the wit, the connection and them spending so much time together - but ultimately, romantically, I'm hoping for a Chair engagement at season's end.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments!

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.

Show Comments
Tags: ,

Gossip Girl Season 4 Episode 18 Quotes

Nate: You okay?
Raina: It's surreal. Everything happening to Lily is because of my dad, and I kind of feel like it's all my fault.
Nate: Look. It probably woulda happened sooner or later anyway.

Blair: Turn that off! And leave me alone, Dorota. I've taken to my bed.
Dorota: I thought hearing someone has life worse than yours would help.
Blair: Well your job isn't to think, it's to serve. So if I need your help I'll ring the bell.