Gossip Girl: 1-5 “Dare Devil” Review

I liked this episode. It had some cute moments. And Jenny shows what she's made of.

Blair’s house: Tons of dress racks with nametags are wheeled around. Makeup is neatly laid out. Six beds are made up in two rows. Yep. Blair is preparing her annual sleepover.

Dan breaks his piggy bank for his date with Serena. He tells his dad that he’s heading to the bank and he’ll take the check for his mom’s painting. Rufus doesn’t admit that the painting was returned. Instead he tells his son that he’ll take it himself.

Serena pumps Jenny for details on what Dan has planned for their date. Jenny tells her that jeans and a tee shirt are a safe bet. Serena’s answers her cell. Eric is coming home for the weekend.

Blair reminds Serena of the Waldorf soiree (sleepover). Serena bows out for her date with Dan. Blair invites Jenny to the sleepover. Jenny happily accepts the invitation. Blair and her friends take bets on how long Jenny lasts at the sleepover. So she invited Jenny to torture her?

Lilly gives Eric excuses as to why he’s not going home for the weekend. He is understandably upset.

Dan shows up for date with Serena. Serena is dressed in jeans and tee (as per Jenny’s suggestion). She’s severely underdressed. She goes to change as Dan waits.

Lilly walks in and asks Dan what he has planned for the night. Dan has a sudden case of verbal diarrhea. He sarcastically answers something about walking underground with the mole people. He apologizes and says he’s not sure why he said that. Serena comes out. Lilly takes offense at the purse she’s wearing and gives her a more appropriate one. Hey, when Lilly’s right she’s right.

Outside Serena sees a Vespa and assumes that that’s their ride. She oohs, aahs and gushes over the Vespa until the driver of a parked town calls Dan. Dan leads her to the car. Serena sheepishly gets in. Serena is wearing a beautiful mini dress and Dan is in a suit. Why would she want to ride on a Vespa?

Jenny shows up with a sleeping bag at Blair’s sleepover. The maid takes the sleeping bag from her. Gossip girl says “The faster you rise the harder you fall”. Jenny is so out of her element.

At a super fancy restaurant, Dan awkwardly orders chicken (he settles for chicken after the waiter explains that lapin is rabbit). Serena orders the lobster bisque like a pro. Serena goes to freshen up. Dan asks the waiter how much does the dish Serena ordered cost. When he’s told $78, Dan cancels his main dish and asks that the appetizer be his main. Why is trying to impress Serena by taking her to a restaurant she’s probably been in many times before? He can’t possibly hope to compete in that world.

Jenny tries on one of Blair’s dresses at the sleepover. Blair offers her gin. When Jenny refuses, Blair tells her to drink or leave. Jenny takes the glass and drinks.

Rufus calls his wife, Alice. A guy answers. He says his name is Chester. When Chester calls Alice to the phone, Rufus hangs up.

Back at the restaurant, Dan finds out Serena paid for supper. Serena tells him she wants to date him. Dan agrees to take Serena on a real Dan Humphrey date. You know, it’s kind of out of character for Dan to pretend to rich to impress Serena. In fact, I think on of the reasons Serena is attracted to him is that he doesn’t pretend to be someone he’s not.

Back at the sleepover, Blair looks takes Jenny’s cell phone. She reads an S.O.S. text message Eric sent Jenny. Blair starts a game of truth or dare. Blair dares Jenny to break Eric out. Jenny doesn’t hesitate. Whoa, Jenny’s got a Blair streak in her.

At the center, Blair distracts the nurse while Jenny goes to Eric’s room. Blair pretends to be high. The nurse buys it and calls a code yellow on floor 6. She leaves. Huh? Why would she leave a drunk, stoned, whatever Blair? Eric, Jenny, and Blair sneak out. Eric’s mom gets a call that her son has left with a young pretty blond. Lilly assumes that it’s Serena that sprung him.

Serena and Dan are at a pool hall. That’s a typical date with Dan? He’s either trying too hard or not trying at all. Oh, well, Serena is okay with it. She challenges Dan to a game of pool.

Lilly calls Rufus for Dan’s cell number. Rufus refuses to give it to her (Lilly doesn’t mention that Eric has left the Ostroff Center).

Blair has brought Jenny and Eric to a party. Continuing the game of truth or dare, Jenny dares Blair to make out with a guy. Blair doesn’t hesitate. She walks up to him and kisses him. She takes the guy’s cell and dares Jenny to call the guy’s girlfriend, Amanda, to rat him out. Jenny calls Amanda. She tells her that she, Claire, was making out with her boyfriend.

Back at the pool hall, Dan wins the pool game. Serena asks him to show her how to play. Dan obliges. They almost kiss but Dan’s cell vibrates. Rufus asks Dan whether Eric is with them.

At the Humphrey house, Lilly shows up to argue with Rufus. He apologizes for being rude and tells her that he called his son and Dan and Serena are going to look for Eric and Jenny.

Dan and Serena end up at the party looking for Eric and Jenny. The irate girlfriend, Amanda, asks Serena if she’s Claire. Amanda spots her boyfriend and asks him where’s Claire. Boyfriend sees Blair and asks for his cell phone back. Jenny admits that Blair is the one that made out with the guy but that she (Jenny) called Amanda. Blair explains that it was a dare. When Dan mentions the sleepover to Jenny, Amanda angrily asks if they’re children. Dan tells them that yes they are; Jenny is 14. The guy makes an inappropriate remark which, of course, sends Dan after him. They are escorted out of the party. Man, I hope Amanda ditches that loser.

Back at the house, Rufus and Lilly are preparing supper. They appear quite as ease with each other. They talk about the kids. Lilly tells Rufus that Eric left the Ostroff Center. She admits Eric tried to kill himself. Rufus apologizes. Just then Dan calls to tell them every one okay.

Serena berates Blair for getting Jenny to take Eric out of the center. Eric intervenes and says Blair didn’t force him; he walked out of his own free will. Dan wants Jenny to go home with him, Serena, and Eric. Jenny convinces him to let her go back to the sleepover.


Blair dares Jenny to steal a jacket from a Waldorf store. Blair gives Jenny the keys to the store. Five seconds later the alarm goes off. Blair and her friends run off leaving Jenny trapped in the store. Pretty mean of them.

Rufus and Lilly are reminiscing about the past. Allison calls and Lilly picks up the phone. Allison hangs up. Lilly thanks Rufus for being a good friend. Huh? They’re friends now?

Back at the store, police are asking Jenny for I.D. Jenny lies smoothly. She says her name is Blair Waldorf and that she’s at her mom’s store to retrieve a jacket she forgot there. The cop wants to call her mom. Jenny lies that her mom is in Paris. The cop wants proof that Jenny is who she says she is. She shows him the keys to the store. Smart girl.

Dan and Serena talk about Jenny and Eric. Dan says that he worries about Jenny. Serena tells him that Jenny is right to want to make friends with people from their school. She adds that if he’d made the same effort Jenny had, he and she would have kissed a long time ago. They kiss...

Lilly visits Eric at the center. She tells him they’ll talk after he spends a good night in his own bed. Eric is happy he’s going home.

Back at the sleepover, Blair is stunned to see Jenny walk in. Jenny throws her the keys. Blair tells her she earned her place at the sleepover. Jenny says she’s going home but she’s keeping the jacket. Blair tells her no one leaves her sleepover. Jenny, completely unfazed, replies she’s the first and she’ll meet Blair at school on the steps; Blair smiles. I’m torn between liking and disliking Jenny. On the one hand, she’s acts like a 14 year old brat (who’s going to end up in serious trouble if she’s not careful). On the other hand, she’s gone head-to-head with Blair and came out on top. Ha!