Gossip Girl's Mid-Season Finale was SPECTACULAR (spoilers)

It became clear Serena and Nate belong together.

That Dan's climb out of Vanessa's friend zone isn't as smooth as it looks.

That Jenny is F*ING badass (I love the growth of this character over the coarse of the three seasons!). And Eric really has lost her.

That Rufus is just as much of a boor and Lily a slut as before. Which is actually kind of refreshing--it's about time people's parents started being bad again, instead of drippy, rich fairy godparents.

My only problem:
The writers (so far, anyway) seem to have no idea what to do with Chuck and Blaire.

Blaire trying to find herself in college could be/started out as a fascinating storyline, and a surprisingly relateable one. But the show has since pulled back, I suspect because someone didn't know what they'd find when they scratched beneath her East Side persona, and were scared to experiment, seeing as she's the heart of the show. BUT it's ridiculous to think she *wouldn't* change, and frankly, everyone else has--she now seems like an artifact of season one. Though in season one, they actually gave her a fair amount of depth.

Chuck is apparently now Mr. Good Guy, which I hate. No, he doesn't have to be on drugs constantly. And yes, it's interesting (in theory) that he basically gave up the drinking once his dad died. But his "growth" hasn't seemed at all organic. For one, nobody has ever asked him about his drinking, which I'm sad about--set up, set up, set up, and yet no punch. And for another--why has his personal philosophy of life completely changed? They attempted to answer it last night--he was trying to become his father--BUT he also wasn't acting at all like his father, in any way other than being into business.

He seemed like a pile of wasted opportunity for much of the season, but the last couple episodes have really turned my stomach:

1. when he kicked the diplomat's son out of the hotel and "rescued" Jenny from him, because the son was a drug dealer. COME ON! For one, *kicked him out*?! Even if Chuck's not into drugs anymore, that seems like a ridiculously indiscreet business move. And it wasn't handled ironically, like this is something an overcompensating kid would do--no, it was handled as though it were the correct move!

2. He basically tells Jenny to just say no?! THAT was a lost opportunity--here's a character who is famously inarticulate about himself, but who gave up drugs apparently cold turkey just a few episodes ago, and he doesn't tell Jenny (of the vastly complicated step-sibling relationship) WHY?! Why drugs might be a bad idea for her, why she should be careful with that guy, why it's retarded to sell drugs at a bar instead of in a private residence? NO INSIGHT?!

And at the end of the episode, it turns out HIS MOTHER IS ALIVE? On the one hand, yes could be interesting seeing his eternal quest for a parent continue...but on the other hand, it feels SO cheap.

If the writers are interested in the parent thing re: Chuck, maybe they should deal with that in his relationship with Blaire. God knows they don't know what else to do with the two of them! Actually, Blaire being really into control and Chuck being super insecure and constantly looking for guidance COULD be really interesting...though I don't know how deep this show would be willing to go into its characters' inner lives.

So, all goes well except for my two favorite characters. It seems as though the writers are at loose ends with those two, though I don't know why. Otherwise, the show is so incredibly taut and well structured, it's always a little intimidating to watch.

But I'll keep doing it somehow :P