Blair Waldorf, Je T'aime

Gossip Girl is seriously one of the greatest shows on TV right now. You may dismiss it as simply another teenage soap opera a la Beverly Hills, 90210 or One Tree Hill or The O.C. (which was actually amazing, but that's for another time), but nearly every week it rises above the standards and expectations the doubters have placed on it. Not only are the storylines juicier than any other show on cable (has there even been a cable show that dared to show a teenage man basically prostituting himself to save his family's financial status?), but the show is, on occasion, one of the most beautifully shot shows on TV (that blackout episode was more visually interesting than half of the movies from 2007) and it always has excellent performances from its young cast. The best in show, however, is Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf, the bitchy, manipulative mastermind (who sometimes has a heart) who runs the Constance School for Girls like a dominatrix. Every week, she gets to deliver deliciously bitchy one-liners, manipulates every one around her to get exactly what she wants and Meester does it all with the ease and brilliance of an actress twice her age. Last night, however, she did what was perhaps the most vindictive thing she's ever done on the show. Here's the backstory: frenemies Blair and Serena are in another one of their petty fights. They both end up at a weekend tour of Yale for prospective students and are given the opportunity to speak with the Dean. Serena sparkles, of course, and is given an invitation to the Dean's ultra exclusive party later that night for students whom he's really serious about. Blair, who's been planning to get into this party for years, doesn't get an invitation and blames Serena for making her look lame in comparison. Apparently, there's this parlor game at the party in which the Dean asks everyone "If you could invite any one person, living or dead, real or imagined, who would it be?" Blair has the perfect answer already lined up, according to Chuck, and he tells Serena the answer (Georges Sand) since Blair won't be going to the party. Serena doesn't feel right stealing it, until Blair manipulates her way to the party and sends Serena over the edge. She writes down Blair's answer and reminds her that the Dean asks for answers in alphabetical order and van der Woodsen comes before Waldorf. When the game starts and the Dean comes to Serena, he reads her answer out loud: Pete Fairmond. Serena is shocked and Blair is smitten with herself. If anyone was like me, they had no idea who Pete Fairmond was, until Blair was kind enough to remind us.

The Dean: Who is Pete Fairmond?
Blair: Oh, that's the man she killed.

Oh my God! The lengths this woman goes to take revenge on and embarrass the people who have wronged her. I seriously could not believe that Blair had gone there. I was in a state of mixed shock and elation right through the commerical break. All in all, after this batshit crazy episode, I want to be frenemies with Blair Waldorf more than ever. She certainly makes life a hell of a lot more interesting.