SPOILERS
* The Eyes Wide Chuck thing was extremely blatant, down almost to the last detail. Having Chuck refer to it as such doesn’t make it any less so. What the did the orgies of the rich and powerful look like before Kubrick introduced Venetian carnival masks into them, anyway? Still, points for making Chuck’s dad a member of the Illuminati.
* I was all set to complain about how unrealistic the student/teacher affair storyline was, how only a crazy unprofessional nutjob would meet with an opposite-sex student outside of work alone after hours, let alone with the student you’ve already been publicly accused of having an affair with, let alone on the night of the meeting at which your guilt or innocence in that affair is to be adjudicated. But then they fucked at the end of the episode, which was awesome and hot, and also revealed that she was, in fact, a crazy unprofessional nutjob just beneath the surface all along. So all is forgiven.
* This also means that maybe they can drop the Dan/Serena will they or won’t they business for a while. Haven’t they gotten together and broken up twice so far during this season alone? Enough already, esp. because doing so always requires one or the other of them to be needlessly shifty and stupid and annoying for the breakup to happen each time. Plus the show has other will they/won’t they stuff going on with Chuck & Blair and Lily & Rufus. Teacherfucking instead, please.
* I’m pretty sure Dorota is Gossip Girl.
Agree with you on all points profusely (I’ve never seen Eyes Wide Shut but will assume I would agree with you there had I seen it).
Particularly agree that they blew their load too early on the Dan/Serena reunion. Obviously they’re going to spend the bulk of the series together, so they need to be more careful about pulling the trigger. When they’re together, leave them together for awhile, but when they’re apart, keep them apart and make it work–this little four-episode reunion violated both those rules. I’m psyched to see Dan going Hot For Teacher and Serena finding something else to do for a bit (as long as it’s not another loser greaseball like that Aaron dude).
It’s a testament to both Blair and Chuck that their characters are smoking together, but can also totally carry arcs on their own as they are right now.
It was sad how not only did they totally shoehorn Nate and Vanessa into the episode in a boring as hell sideplot, but pulled the lamest bait and switch ever with it. Nate’s most interesting romantic relationship has been with Dan.
John Shea is just a dapper man.
Dan’s meta comment about Jenny’s skunk makeup wins.
Dorota as Gossip Girl would be fantastic, but I’m wondering at this point if they’re puzzling out whether or not a Kristen Bell guest appearance is feasible for a finale, season or series.
Great episode, great STC commentary. Your summary of the teacher affair is one of my favorite thoughts put into text in awhile.