The Wild Brunch

Infobox Television episode
Series = Gossip Girl
Title = The Wild Brunch


Caption = Serena reenacting Dan's "wave".
Season = 1 (2007-2008)
Episode = 2
Airdate = September 25, 2007 (CTV)
September 26, 2007 (The CW)
Writer = Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage
Director = Mark Piznarski
Production = 102
Guests=Robert John Burke (Bart Bass)
Connor Paolo (Erik van der Woodsen)
Sam Robards (Howie "The Captain" Archibald)
Nicole Fiscella (Isabel Coates)
Nan Zhang (Kati Farkas)
Prev = Pilot
Next = Poison Ivy
Episode list = List of "Gossip Girl" episodes

"The Wild Brunch" is the second episode of the CW television series "Gossip Girl". Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage wrote the episode; it was directed by Mark Piznarski. It premiered on CTV, September 25, 2007, a day before The CW's premiere.

The episode relates the story a day after Blair's "Kiss on the Lips" party where Dan Humphrey discovers Serena van der Woodsen's past affair with Nate Archibald while his sister Jenny becomes one of Blair Waldorf's acquaintances. The relationship of Dan and Jenny's father Rufus and Serena's mother Lily is also brought into light.

The episode title is a play from the film "The Wild Bunch".

Plot

Jenny and Dan wake up from the events of last night where Jenny admonishes Dan for doing "the wave". Dan figures out that he should explain to Serena what "the wave" meant, while Jenny planned to go to Blair for help on Chuck. Serena on the other hand thought that Dan hated her when he did "the wave" and went to Blair's place to ask what the staredown meant at the party. Blair for her part did not want anything to do with Serena, and hopes she doesn't show up at Chuck's father Bart's annual brunch.

Blair candidly told to Serena what transpired in which Nate admitted his one night stand with Serena. Blair then ordered Serena to leave which left the blond hopeless. Meanwhile, at the Palace, both Nate and Dan encountered each other waiting for Serena. Chuck saw Dan and almost came to blows if he wasn't restrained by Nate as they left for Bart's brunch.

At the Waldorf penthouse, Jenny confided to Blair about Chuck, and the junior assured her that Chuck hasn't said anything yet. Thereafter, Jenny helped Blair dress up for the brunch, and as a reward, Blair gave her one of her mother Eleanor's old dresses. Meanwhile, Rufus met Lily at Brooklyn in which he told her that Dan "might be the guy Serena needs."

Dan and Serena met outside the Palace and after explaining about "the wave," he invited her to eat, just in time when Lily arrived and ordered Serena to proceed to the brunch.

Tagging Dan along, Serena went to the brunch, seeing Blair not too pleased to see her. While Dan was away, Nate gave Serena the key to his room. Blair and Nate enter his room occupied by Serena while making out, thus making Blair furious. Blair then rushes downstairs to tell Dan about Serena's past. Meanwhile, as Dan went outside, he saw Lily and Bart discussing their relationship; Lily caught Dan and chastised him not to tell anybody about what he heard.

Blair finally caught up with Dan which led to Serena to admit her past to Dan. A disappointed Dan was further enraged with Chuck insulted Jenny, causing the Brooklynite to push Chuck that led into a scene. Leaving the brunch, Serena tried to reason out with him but he left anyway.

Back at the Humphrey apartment, Dan related to Rufus and Jenny that "he found Serena, but then I lost her." Blair and Nate made up, and Jenny tried out her new dress as Serena throws away her cellphone that contained pictures of her, Blair, Chuck and Nate.

Reception

The episode received significantly lower ratings as compared to "Pilot" due to strong competition from other networks for the night. It garnered a 1.8/3 rating/share, with a total of 2.55 million watching it. [cite web |url=http://entertainmentnow.wordpress.com/2007/09/27/broadcast-tv-ratings-for-wednesday-september-26-2007/#more-2215 |title=Broadcast TV Ratings for Wednesday, September 26, 2007 |accessdate=2008-03-27 |format= |work= ]

The episode was criticized for having less-than believable storyline (such as there were no waiters during the brunch), but was seen as trying to "responsible" when it did not show teenagers smoking, although it showed alcohol and sex. [cite web |url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spotlight_columnists/article/0,2777,DRMN_23962_5721511,00.html |title=BORNSTEIN: Thank you for at least not smoking, Alas, 'Gossip' stars are no strangers to the other vices |accessdate=2008-03-31 |format= |work=Rocky Mountain News ] "People" also noticed that the series is "giving you major dramarama payoff in only its second week on the air" and that wasn't even the "the episode's biggest angst–y moment." [cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20108220,00.html |title=Gossip Girl: That Girl Is Poison |accessdate=2008-04-10 |format= |work=People ]

"New York" approves that there "there's no such thing as 'lunch' on the weekends", "that kids actually do venture outside of their neighborhoods" (since The New York Palace Hotel is at Midtown Manhattan), and "saying you live in Williamsburg makes much more sense... for real-estate emotional conflict", plus the fact Rihanna is played "in every situation." However, things such as Blair's unreal wardrobe choices while at home, the high number of trees, and teens, in Williamsburg, and "and every single thing that happened involving the plot" are disapproved. [cite web |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/09/gossip_girl_goes_straight_to_t.html |title=‘Gossip Girl’ Goes Straight to the ‘O.C.’ Place |accessdate=2008-04-10 |format= |work=New York ]

In the United Kingdom, where the show is also aired on ITV2, the show was met with good feedback, being dubbed the "New OC". Tabloid critics said that the show was "scandalous." and "...perfect for those lovers of the OC".

References