The Grandfather

Season 2, Episode 19, Aired
EDIT

Episode Summary

Blair explores her dark side!!! ''''Devastated by her current situations, Blair turns to her wild side, causing Serena and Chuck to have serious concerns about their friend. Vanessa convinces Nate that it may be time to forgive and forget when it comes to his mother's Kennedyesque family, The Vanderbilts, who abandoned Nate and his mother when they needed them most. In an effort to be completely honest with each other, Lily and Rufus agree to share lists of their past lovers.moreless
7.6
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Good
273 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Watch Online

Netflix
Subscription
Amazon
Buy
iTunes
Buy
VUDU
Buy/Rent

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

See All

  • 219

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Canogaparkcindy, Apr 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    I'm surprised I'm saying this but this was another "good" episode of Gossip Girl. Now I couldn't care less about the Rufus/Lilly scenes, nor the Nate scenes considering he's done virtually nothing all season.

    Another thing I didn't like was the partner swapping. At least the very tired Nate & Vanessa relationship is over. I just really didn't like where they went with Nate & Blair. Guys, this isn't The Secret Life of the American Teenager. You know the show is going downhill when everyone begins hooking up with each other for shock value.

    Minus some annoyances, you can't deny, this was a well-done episode. The Dan/Serena scene was the light-hearted fun I'm sure we were all seeking from this show and got that. Her reaction to Dan sleeping with Rachel was hilarious. I liked the Serena/Chuck interactions here. Overall, good episode.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • ...

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By iewuxis, Mar 29, 2009 Report Abuse
    Well, this was one pretty amazing episode, especially after previous one or some of the last episodes. It was more like 1st season's "Gossip Girl", which I'm still missing because it was amazing. In this episode Blair is just awesome. Leighton was at her highest. In fact, it seemed to me that Blair was on the same path as Chuck after his father's death. I expected that there would be more Blair - Carter interaction to make Chuck jealous, but it was kinda poor. I like that Serena and Chuck are acting like siblings, it's sweet and untypical. There was only one thing that I can't get it - why Dan all the time took part in the Vanderbilts' family activities? For Vanessa it was OK, she's Nate's girlfriend, but Dan? Is he too?? lol. And in the second review in row I could say that I really like how Nate and Vanessa are included in all storyline.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    3 1

  • An episode that makes you want to yell NO!!!!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By happydays24, Mar 28, 2009 Report Abuse
    This episode annoys me so muchK. Theres just no amount of words that describe how annoyed I am. Blair and Nate Boooo! Nate is so mean making Vanessa feel stupid when he chose that silly internship whatever over a pretty awesome sounding vacay. And then Chuck not telling her something comforting and of course not saying those three words I LOVE YOU~ God why cant he just say it to make her feel good and plus its the truth so that helps. Also I refuse to swallow the next promo Chuck and Vanessa kissing holding hands ewwww we see that enough of screen dont bring them lovers on screen. Imoreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    0 0

  • Return to the old.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By addict666, Mar 27, 2009 Report Abuse
    As is the problem with Gossip Girl,some of the characters are very flat and when an episode has too much Nate in it it gets very boring very quickly. Nate and Vanessa are a good idea conceptually, but the two actors have no chemistry and have a story line that could not be more cliched. Despite all of my criticisms of Nate are he was very likable at the end of this episode. The vintage Nate and Blair moment was really well done and very sweet, I was so happy when I saw it at first and they didn't make it into something sexual, but just showed them as friends. This, of course changed by the end of the episode which at first was angering, but I think will be a very good plot point for the next couple of episodes. Chuck and Blair's moment in this episode was really hot as well, I do think that they should of pushed her descent into darkness a little further, but I guess it wasn't a legit because of the Sarah Lawerence thing. Something that I thought was kind of a failure in this episode was the voice- overs which are normally really good but in this episode had some really cheesy and unclever moments.
    Speaking of cheesy, Lily and Rufus in this episode were on the fine line between being unbearable as always and cute, but I think they ended up on the cute side.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0

  • This was a surprising turn for Gossip Girl.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By lexacliche, Mar 24, 2009 Report Abuse
    Gossip Girl came out with a different twist in 'The Grandfather' which worked out far better than last week's 'The Age of Dissonance'.

    We welcome back Lily and Rufus after a long break. I'd anticipated a bit juicier storyline between them, though there were a bit of funny moments between them.

    Lily and Rufus squabble over their past relationships and the fact that Lily's list was a tad longer (okay that's an understatement), but making a list of past lovers only spells disaster.

    This was the first time where and episode revolving around a 'Nate and Vanessa' made sense. Nate bonding with his grandfather was trendy, though I often find myself wondering where he was when Nate sunk to the bottom. Probably watching Nate from the distance, hoping he would 'man-up' and take responsibility, like his grandfather stated he was proud of. I smelt something fishy with Nate's cousin after all began to cave in on Vanessa and she realized that the slight shove she gave Nate to reunite with his family, might have led to a tight squeeze and their inability to let him go. Nate got a taste of his grandfather's persuasion and ended up choosing the internship instead of a summer get-away. Still the internship does sound like an interesting way to spend your summer; a couple get-away could be done anytime I don't think Vanessa and Nate should split because of it.

    I definitely did not expect a Blair-Nate reconnection. From the moment Blair and Nate got a one-on-one scene together I knew they were going to initiate something between them. When he gave Blair his coat and she gave him back, I actually thought Blair was up to something; probably remembering how happy she used to be with him, her first boyfriend.

    The heart of this episode was watching Blair go into the lowest of lows, from welcoming an overnight guest into her home, to degrading herself in public and taking down some others with her. This was a side of Blair we haven't seen before. Degrading her image and lowering her inhibitions so that even an untamed Chuck could take her in his arms; but even that didn't work out as he threw away the opportunity in Blair's weakened state with a "It's not you" liner. Who felt a bit sorry when Blair had to beg her way into another school, let alone in front of Chuck and Serena? Sadly enough they could help her out of her depressing state.

    There would be a triangular struggle between Blair, Nate and Chuck next episode Remains of the J and somebody might get hurt in between... or everyone might get what they want, who knows how it would go on Gossip Girl? Let's just hope it uses the same formula and mix it up next week.

    Bonus

    *So Serena finds about Dan and Rachel from a drunken Blair, which ended as quickly as it began. She slaps him and they have a laugh off? not what i expected, it was a bit amusing, sort of pictured hr making a scene though.

    *Jenny was way underused here. It was a good thing for Vanessa and Dan otherwise we wouldn't have seen her at all. What happened to her clothing line? All in time I guess.

    *I hope they spruce up Lily and Rufus' relationship; I liked them in the earlier stages when things were 'complicated', now they are getting a bit dull.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • In this episode there are some references to Poland. Vanessa and Nate eat pierogi, traditional polish dish. Chuck says Looks like Polanski is in town which refers to great polish director, Roman Polanski. Also, Dorota says some words in polish: Zwariowales gówniarzu?! Ja pracuje dla miss Blair, nie dla ciebie. Co ty sobie wyobrazasz? which means: Are you crazy little sh*t?! I work for miss Blair, not for you. What are you thinking?. What's interesting, Zuzanna Szadkowski who plays Dorota was born in Poland. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Potíže s dědečkem (Troubles with Grandpa) Edit
    • International Airdates: Latin America: April 22, 2009 on Warner Channel Norway: May 20, 2009 on TVNorge Greece: June 7, 2009 on Star Turkey: January 12, 2010 on CNBC-e Poland: February 7, 2010 on TVN7 Czech Republic: April 11, 2010 on Prima COOL Australia: May 25, 2010 on GO! Slovakia: June 27, 2010 on Doma Edit
    • When Lily makes her ex-list, we do see all names, including Bart Bass and Rufus Humphrey. It's chronologically listed. It's likely that Lily's last man before Bart was Mr. Van Der Woodsen, yet we do not see a name reference here. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Gossip Girl: Springtime. A season for rebirth and new beginnings. For some it's a chance to turn over a new leaf. For others, it's the surprise of seeing something bloom. But for yours truly, it's a reminder that on the Upper East Side, everything old can be new again. XOXO -Gossip Girl Edit
    • Gossip Girl: Call your travel agent, kiddies. Looks like Nate Archibald traded in a summer of love for a one-way ticket to his legacy. Edit
    • Nate: Do you remember when you used to make us watch your favorite movies over and over again? Like Tiffany's and Holiday. You used to drive me nuts. Blair: This is a pep talk. Nate: I finally asked you why you like watch movies you've already seen? And remember what you said? Blair: I like knowing how things are gonna turn out. Nate: Exactly. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Nate: Do you remember when you used to make us watch your favorite movies over and over again? Like Tiffany's and Holiday. You used to drive me nuts. Tiffany's is allusion to Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), a story, written by Truman Capote and directed by Blake Edwards, about young New York socialite who lives in Upper East Side. Portrayed by Audrey Hepburn. Holiday (1938) is a movie directed by George Cukor. Story about free-thinking Johnny Case (Cary Grant) and his wealthy fiancée (Katharine Hepburn). Edit
    • Vanessa: The only thing Nate's ever voted for was American Idol. American Idol is a TV show/reality contest between potential new solo musical talents. Edit
    • Serena: Slash? Seriously?! Slash is Saul Hudson's stage name. He's a well-known lead guitarist, formerly was playing in Guns N' Roses, currently in Velvet Revolver. Edit

Show Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Watch Gossip Girl Full Episodes

See All

Related Shows

Season 2 Episodes

See All
Ep 25
The Goodbye Gossip Girl
Ep 24
Valley Girls
Ep 23
The Wrath of Con
Ep 22
Southern Gentlemen Prefer ...
Ep 21
Seder Anything
Ep 20
Remains of the J
Ep 19
The Grandfather
Ep 18
The Age of Dissonance
Ep 17
Carnal Knowledge
Ep 16
You've Got Yale
Ep 15
Gone with the Will
Ep 14
In The Realm of the Basses
Ep 13
O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
Ep 12
It's A Wonderful Lie
Ep 11
The Magnificent Archibalds
Ep 10
Bonfire of the Vanity
Ep 9
There Might be Blood
Ep 8
Pret-a-Poor-J
Ep 7
Chuck In Real Life
Ep 6
New Haven Can Wait
Ep 5
The Serena Also Rises
Ep 4
The Ex-Files
Ep 3
The Dark Night
Ep 2
Never Been Marcused
Ep 1
Summer, Kind of Wonderful

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use