TV is back!

[bop_radar]

I am so RELIEVED. This hiatus was rough--but I only have myself to blame really. Anyway... *makes handwavey motions onwards*

Wheee! GG is back! And everyone is still ridiculously goodlooking and I adore Blair as much as ever. My deep thoughts for this episode include:
- Nate and Serena look so perfectly matched, especially in white. Is it wrong to ship them on looks alone?
- I want to know how Dan pulled all those women. Was he secretly bribing them with chocolate? Really really good quality chocolate maybe? *headtilt*
- Nate's summer-as-a-toyboy amuses me greatly.
- Oh Chuck! Oh Blair! You win at melodrama.
- Blair really is so perfectly innocently cruel. 'You're kind of boring'?! Mwahahaha.
- Croquet! I love it! Yet I'm also looking forward to them being back at school.

I recently introduced a real-life friend to Gossip Girl and it was most interesting to rewatch it with her. She loves the show (I knew she would), but she likes Dan. What the...? She giggles at everything he says and finds him ridiculously endearing. Through her eyes, I am finding him more bearable, but still... it is oddness. I am yet to confess to her that Blair is my favourite character. The time is not yet right. ;)

I could not resist watching this, though I think it has not aired yet? I was very excited to have the show back, though as soon as it began I recalled all the problems I had with the end of last season, specifically the 'reset button' effect of having all Dexter's problems wiped out and Harry's code 'validated' again. It was clear that Dexter's denial mechanism and ability to avoid the difficult questions had kicked in massively again. And while I feared his exposure, I equally don't want his serial killings to be unproblematic. (What delicious tension!) So I was pleased to see the writers putting him under so much pressure so swiftly in season 3. To have him kill someone who does not meet his own code is a great challenging opening. And I find myself back with the same uncomfortable ambivalent feelings about Dexter that I used to have.

And my dear Deborah is back! With super-spunky haircut. It is gorgeous, and I like that she's trying to establish a new 'self', even if she's finding it rocky going at the moment. Her foot-in-mouth scene was ouchy; I so feel for her. I am such a loudmouth in the office. I'm sure my career prospects would be better if I STFU. *goes drinking with Deb*

I found the Internal Affairs woman pretty cool. Though it is a little lolarious that she is investigating the Very Obvious New Guy. But I can handwave that, I guess.

The end of the episode was a little WTF for me. How would you know from that that you were pregnant? And if you did suspect that, would you really blurt it out?! What if you were wrong? Still, it definitely packed a surprise punch. Will this season be about fatherhood for Dexter? I liked the scenes with Cody a lot. It would be interesting if being a parent himself makes Dexter rethink Harry's parenting and its consequences.

Comments

[shopfront.livejournal.com]

The end of the episode was a little WTF for me. How would you know from that that you were pregnant?

It was for me too! My housemate picked it right from the first Dexter/Rita scenes, and I was left blinking in shock at the end. I've put it down to her being a thousand times more maternal and family minded than me, but still, utterly wtf here too.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Huh. I am not very maternal or family-minded either. *links arms* Guess the clues went over my head!

[areasontofight.livejournal.com]

I loved Dan too at first. He seemed so sweet and normal. It took me about 10 episodes to realise he's actually just smug and completely irritating. On the other hand, I HATED Blair at first and now pretty much worship the girl. I don't think I'd love the show nearly as much if it wasn't for her and Chuck.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Ahh, good! It is still possible that she will have an epiphany about his smugness and irritating judgmental aspect! I will let things run their course... I have hope that she will come to love Blair too, because surely everyone does! :D I totally agree that without Chuck and Blair the show would be dull.

[redteekal.livejournal.com]

I loved the S3 opener for Dexter. Talk about launching in at the deep end...I can't believe how fast things deteriorated for him. New guy creeps me out bigtime...and Deb, still as impulsive as usual...sweet scene though between her and Dex when he says her haircut is beautiful. That made me go Awwwwww. And yeah Rita's pregnant statement felt very left of field to me. Good to see Matsuka is in his usual self involved form. The IA chick really did seem to be on drugs I totally agreed with Deb on that one. Stand out performance by Jimmy Smits though....I wonder if he's in it for the Season? (I have managed to remain relatively spoiler free for this season). Dexter is going to have to tread alot more carefully around him than he did around the hotshot agendt last season and I don't think he got away with his answer about the this death having touched him. Smits's character is much more with it and scary for it too. It's looking good for an excellent season.
Being a fellow Aussie I wonder if you have seen this hilarious promo (well maybe not so hilarious if you live in Adelaide)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCjRk9fzPLc
It apparently was yanked after a few screenings. Seems there was some protest from Adelaide's Tourism Commission. Can't think why *g*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I don't think he got away with his answer about the this death having touched him.
Yeah, I got the feeling he didn't. He's under scrutiny straight away--I like that. Dexter does suspense so well!

Is that the Adelaide trailer?! I heard about that! How brilliant/hilarious. :D

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

I want to know how Dan pulled all those women.

I looooooooove Dan and think he's really hot so have no problem believing this. *g*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Really? His magic does not work on me. Though I find viewing with my Dan-fan friend helps me understand a little better. I think there are things that could make me like Dan more... like him being slapped around by Blair. *evil*

[ashlynwashere.livejournal.com]

Was he secretly bribing them with chocolate? Really really good quality chocolate maybe? *headtilt*

*giggle* My thoughts exactly. I really don't like Dan. I did in the beginning, but after episode after episode of him being whiney and arrogant and resembling a stalker, I lost interest. I can't help but groan when he comes on screen now.

Loved the girls pouring their drinks on him though. That was priceless.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I found him likeable enough in the beginning too, but I didn't like his snap judgements about Serena, I don't like his moral high horse, and I got well and truly sick of him by the end of the season. I have to remember my friend has not seen all that yet. And once he came down to earth (aka had drinks poured on him) in this ep, he was a little more bearable.

[starryeyedmagic.livejournal.com]

I think your friend may change her mind about Dan. When GG first started I actually loved him. But then as the season progressed I just became more and more annoyed with him. And the opposite thing happened with Blair, lol. I didn't like her at all in the first few eps but eventually she grew to be my favorite character!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

This seems to be the majority opin! I agree. Blair and Dan swapped spots in my affections.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

OOOOOOO! Dexter is out already! Thank you so much for the tip!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

No worries. ;) I pounced on it soon as I saw!

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I used to like Dan at first heh. I don't dislike him as much as some do now even, but he does irritate me with the way that he tends to judge Serena and like the moral high ground. I was fuming at his outrage over Serena and Nate kissing when he had been entertaining more than one girl over the summer himself!

And Nate/Serena would be really cute, I was so disappointed when they didn't spend any time exploring them but jumped right back into boring Dan/Serena couple time. They could have left them broken up for a few episodes at least

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

*nods* It is the moral high ground thing I don't like about him. And yeah, I am glad Serena got some comeback in that scene, because he sounds like he's been a total slut--whereas she's been alone all summer!

They could have left them broken up for a few episodes at least
Ahh, yes, I see what you mean. Though I have hope that there will continue to be Serena/Nate subtext now that they've had that kiss. I'm rather fond of them but can wait a while before they get together. Still, I don't blame you for being annnoyed by the boring Dan/Serena.

That icon is fab!

[htbthomas.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pointing out the Dexter opener had leaked! I just watched it.

I knew from the beginning of the pudding cooking scene that she was pregnant (when she licked the drip from the stove), not before, but looking back - all the sex, the crying, the maternal feelings, the pudding cravings... it was all set up very subtly.

I think this will be a very good season!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

No prob!

I didn't realise that people got cravings that early in pregnancy. I also didn't realise pregnancy made them horny. And the maternal feelings and crying? Isn't Rita always like that? Evidently I'm just not clued in enough. Ah well. I have learnt something!

[htbthomas.livejournal.com]

I think it was all turned up a notch, basically. And since Rita is often that way, it was easy to slip it past our radar... :D

She may also have been pregnant a while. A lot of women don't have regular cycles, so she might not have even noticed until then.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

*nods* I'll be interested to see how far along she is. I'm not sure Dex is ready to be a dad, but I think there's no way Rita wouldn't keep the kid.

[fleegull.livejournal.com]

Purposely not reading the Dexter stuff.

Blair really is so perfectly innocently cruel. 'You're kind of boring'?! Mwahahaha.

Great line! It's good to have them back.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it really is. *happy sigh*

[juxtoppozed.livejournal.com]

I love GG because it is what is is what it is: a lot of fun. And the bitchier Blair is, the better.

Hey Bop, this is unrelated to your post, but I was feeling nostalgic about Clana and rewatched your "Samson" fanvid. Do you mind if I recc'd it on Facebook pages via the youtube link? For other fans who'll miss Lana? (I would refer to you as "bop_radar" unless you prefer something else)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I love GG because it is what is is what it is: a lot of fun. And the bitchier Blair is, the better.
Yes, ITA!

Your icon is perfect.

Yes, by all means rec 'Samson'! It's great to hear there's still a market for it. :)