OMFG XOXO GG!

We'll get to my love (make that "obsessed adoration") of Gossip Girl in a minute, but first, I have to start off with a shout out to my dear mother, who makes my Gossip Girl experience all the more enjoyable.

Every night, my mom adorably asks if there's anything new on TV. It doesn't matter how many weeks in a row the same shows air on the same nights, she hasn't a clue IF there are any new shows to watch, let alone what those shows might be. As evil as it is, I tease her about it every time. It generally goes a little something like this:

Mom: Do we have anything new tonight?
Me: I don't know, you tell me...
Mom: Oh, I don't know!
Me: Huh, me neither.
Mom: Is it... House?
Me: Maaaaaybe.
Mom: Is it!
Me: No. I see that pesky Alzheimer's is settling in nicely...
Mom [starting to giggle with whiny desperation]: I don't know! Project Runway? Grey's Anatomy? Gossip Girl?
Me: Ding! Ding! Ding!
Mom: Gossip Girl?! Really!?
Me: Yes. Just like last week. Annnd the week before that. You worry me sometimes, you know...

But by that point in the teasing, my mother is so happy she guessed right (and even happier that the correct answer was Gossip Girl), that my taunting has little effect. It doesn't sound as much fun on paper as it actually is. My favorite is when she'll start guessing shows at random and end up listing shows that have been off the air for ages. I kid you not, the other day she guessed Alias (among other goners) and then somehow Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip made it into her random list of cancelled shows... Fine shows to be sure, but they ended a few years ago. Precious.

Anyway, this all brings me to tonight's delightful festivities when yes indeed, the correct answer was Gossip Girl. We got home around 6ish and my mom was delighted to hear that the show would start at 7. "Oh good, only and hour to wait!" It's hilarious to see her so excited, you have no idea.

So no more than a half an hour rolls by when my mom comes into the room, all exasperated, "Has it started?! Am I missing it!?"

"No Mom, it's only 6:30."

"6:30?! Geez, is this just the longest hour ever or what?!"

Indeed. Longest. Hour. Ever. Oh, Mommy. You crack me up. You should see the devilish grin she gets on her face when the show starts. Classic.

Anyway, on with the show. And what a show! Okay, peeps, if you aren't watching Gossip Girl, you are seriously missing out on one of the greatest shows ever produced. It's fabulous, in every conceivable sense of the word.

To wit, tonight's episode was off the hook! I sat giddily at the edge of my seat for every minute and then the second the commercial break would start, the clapping and cheering and bouncing up and down would begin.

"Best show on TV! BEST-SHOW-ON-TV!!!" [That was intended to be read with the enthusiasm and cadence of Homer saying, "Football in the groin! Football in the groin!"] Solid gold.

Tonight's episode had more than a few delectable moments, but I'll be focusing on the true standouts (all of which seem to include Chuck and Blair... go figure...).

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Serena and Dan and Nate of it all, but when compared to the sadistic poetry of Chuck and Blair, everything else just seems like filler. Especially Rufus and Whatsherface... Geez, I really can't remember her name... Last name is Abrams, yes? Oh dear lord, the Alzheimer's appears to have spread. What the crap is her first name?! ...pause... ...pause... Vanessa!!! Ah, yes, Vanessa. I can see where I blocked that out. Yeah, uh, clearly she made an impact. Let's just say she wasn't exactly missed last week...

Anyway, so yeah, Serena and Dan are back together: Meh. Nate is sleeping with Sherry Tinsdale: Meh. Blair is dating a British lord and it's driving Chuck crazy: HELL YES! (Which can I just say? Most outrageously fabulous storyline on any show, ever.)

The power struggle between Chuck and Blair is what makes the show for me. They have both put on so many fronts and facades that neither can be vulnerable without losing the game. And it is a game. The both of them live in a world where they get what they want and control the things and people around them by retaining control and holding more power than those around them. It isn't some whiny, lame, teenage drama for them. It's war. And it's art. And it's FABULOUS!

Blair came out of top during last week's battle royale, so Chuck obviously had to retaliate. Blair is feeling out of her league (dating a lord and all), and Chuck tries to exploit this by getting Blair in hot water with the Duchess. Blair, trying to be someone she's not, let's some of her power slip away for a while, but in the end, Queen B comes back with a vengeance.

The scene in the library made my day, my week, my month, and possibly the whole season. Blair at her absolute best. She had won and she knew it and there's just nothing in the world more fun to watch. She holds all the cards and realizes that she is truly never out of her league (at least not when it comes to evil). The look on her face and she puts the last nails in the Duchess' coffin, that little sadistic, sinister smirk of hers, is so devilishly satisfying that you always want Blair to have the upper hand. Fantastic. She plays the Duchess (and everyone else) like a fiddle--which means she's pretty much equally matched with Chuck, who does exactly the same thing. They are playing a zero-sum game and I'm hoping to hell neither of them ever truly wins or loses. Awesome.

With Chuck and Blair, even the most seemingly irrelevant, ostensibly meaningless conversation is completely captivating to watch because they know, and the audience knows, that in actuality, there are always about 15 layers of meaning going on. It makes their every interaction fascinating and utterly squee-worthy.

Honestly, just tonight, a seemingly simple exchange between the two, with each saying goodnight to the other is 100 times hotter and more intriguing than all the Dan and Serena hook-ups and Nate and cougar affairs in the world. Chuck and Blair had more chemistry in that brief conversation than Dan and Serena did all last season. Or ever will. Sorry Dan, you're annoying. It's time you came to grips with that. You're also dull. Although not as dull as Nate (who, to his credit, really is trying very hard to be more interesting... only time will tell).

Anyway, I'm so psyched for next week I can hardly contain myself! I'm hearing it's going to be insane, so pretty much par for the course for this show.

My mommy will be so excited. Assuming she can remember to be excited...

Okay, I just watched a couple of clips from next week and I'm simply beside myself! So awesome! XOXO, indeed!