The Grandfather: Part II (2 Nov. 2009)

Olivia says something she regrets during her appearance on Jimmy Fallon's TV talk show and tries to keep Dan from finding out. With the local election day around the corner, Nate suspects ... See full summary »

Director:

Mark Piznarski

Writer:

Lenn K. Rosenfeld

Stars:

Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Blake Lively	...	Serena van der Woodsen
Leighton Meester	...	Blair Waldorf
Penn Badgley	...	Dan Humphrey
Chace Crawford	...	Nate Archibald
Taylor Momsen	...	Jenny Humphrey
Ed Westwick	...	Chuck Bass
Jessica Szohr	...	Vanessa Abrams
Kelly Rutherford	...	Lily van der Woodsen
Matthew Settle	...	Rufus Humphrey
Hilary Duff	...	Olivia Burke
Holley Fain	...	Maureen van der Bilt
James Naughton	...	William van der Bilt
Deanna Russo	...	K.C. Cunningham
Aaron Tveit	...	Trip van der Bilt
Simon Miller	...	Patrick Roberts

Storyline

Olivia says something she regrets during her appearance on Jimmy Fallon's TV talk show and tries to keep Dan from finding out. With the local election day around the corner, Nate suspects that his grandfather will stop at nothing to get his cousin Trip elected to congress. In the midst of another feud with Serena, Blair befriends a new "it" girl and takes her to an election night party at Chuck's hotel, hoping to make Serena jealous.

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Plot Keywords:

upper east side manhattan new york city | new york city | manhattan new york city

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 2009 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

College Hill Pictures Inc., 17th Street Productions, Alloy Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

42 min 42 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the end of the episode, when Sebastian and Serena are talking at the bar Serena's hand is at her forehead. then in the next shot it's not then again.

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Quotes

Dan Humphrey: [to Olivia and Serena] Well, as much as I enjoy my current girlfriend talking to my ex-girlfriend about a fake boyfriend who is also my current girlfriend's ex, you could probably get us a copy of that Fallon interview, right?

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Connections

References The Godfather: Part II (1974)

User Reviews

Gossip Girl 'The Grandfather: Part II' Review

Gossip Girl has resorted to political drama, celebrity gossip and child play in order for a good story to have its punchline. All they manage to achieve is constant chaos and overachievers that just grew up too quickly.

In this case, politics and celebrities does equate the vile drama and disarray with the touch of gossip somewhere in the middle, but I got lost to the point where Gossip Girl kept narrating the lives of the tarnished and the only text message received was to Dan's phone about Olivia's personal spill on live television. I think Gossip Girl has lost her touch, her witty remarks are effective enough to bring about a smile, but at the same time (she) has lost her target audience. The scores of her targets have lost interest in her material and she has yielded to reusing circulated gossip.

The life of a celebrity can be complicated and engaging, which leaves me wondering how Olivia would have time to cuddle up with her boyfriend and play boardgames for five hours just to keep him from seeing her 'bathroom boy' slip in a Jimmy Fallon interview. Olivia and Dan's relationship is rendered like any ordinary relationship. There seems to be a struggle when it comes to separating the lives of teens to that of adulthood.

Nate's ability to portray himself as an eligible political idol seems unlikely. In a matter of a few seasons Nate jumped from being a seventeen year old ladies man to an incisive mid-twenty year old playing eighteen. Too much responsibility is placed in Nate's hands. It may seem that he has potentially raised himself all his life and took care of his mother by playing the 'father role', but Nate's character still lacks the necessary development needed to be appreciated.

The center around his grandfather should give cause to wrap up last Season's Part one. He was given the strong corrupt role last season, but it seemed like he was dethroned by an unsuspected rivalry within the family - a wife who always felt out of the loop and controlled by 'Grandfather'.

Vanessa was once on the other side of the struggle when she was with Nate and he chose and internship over her. I believe that Vanessa is given too much credit; she sweeps in and out of plots and she is always with this camera in her hand - she surely likes recording stuff. There is a fine line producers may cross when it comes to delivering believable story-lines and making characters the heroes in plot lines, but Vanessa's filmography felt fabricated. The fact that she was around to capture Tripp's hero moment was slightly touching that line, but being the 'Only' one to capture the whole thing may have crossed it.

Gossip Girl has reached a point where the reason we fell for it in the beginning is being washed away with drama we might get from other shows. There was always something that separated 'Gossip Girl' from all of that.

Blair has gone into official spoiled mode, even though she recognized that she has to focus on NYU, she still manages to throw cheap shots Serena's way. Serena's herself has lost her significance, her storyline is far-fetched and almost useless.

Jenny herself falls into the shade and I can't even point out one scene I may have appreciated seeing her in this season.

I have no idea where they would spin this series, I am almost certain most fans feel lost in the wilderness. While the producers are picking at straws the only thing I feel eager to see is Chuck and Blair together. At least they managed to get something right. Chuck's character feels fallible at times; especially since he seems mature for his age, but I enjoy Ed Westwick's contribution and his ability to pull off a convincing accent besides his own.

Olivia and Dan are too much the Hollywood couple you don't really hear about and I expect a bit more drama with their relationship, but maybe I'm just pulling at straws here. Still waiting for the punchline.

Lexa Reviews

http://lexabuti.blogspot.com

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Three and a Half Stars

Grade C+

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