Chuck’s Scheming Goes Down in Flames: Chuck really wants Blair, but can’t take her to the ball in order to hide their pairing from Nate. Assigned by Nate to find out whether Blair has met someone new, Chuck gives up Carter, who Cecelia trucked in to be Serena’s real escort to the ball. Of course, Nate is still angry about Carter’s bilking him in that poker game a few weeks back.

It looks like Chuck’s plan is working masterfully, when Nate punches Carter and gets thrown out of the ball. Chuck swoops in heroically to become Blair’s savior. Only he forgets that she’s much more worried about her image than romance. Showing even more brains, Blair figures out Chuck’s ruse, isn’t happy with his romantic effort and runs back into the Nate’s bed.

A distraught Chuck skips town, presumably to Las Vegas for some despondent whoring.

Dan and Serena – The True Romeo and Juliet: Very romantic reconciliation, basically Romeo and Juliet didn’t kill themselves. Juliet was secretly bought off by Grandma Capulet, but they then had children, who a generation later became great lovers.

Then again how romantic is the notion that attraction’s all in the genes? If Jenny and Eric get together, too, it's going to be really creepy.

Blair’s Coming Out Is Going To Be In The New York Times? I haven’t read it in a while. Has it become TMZ? This is almost as stupid as when Andrew McCarthy bedded Ally Sheedy in St. Elmo’s Fire and almost immediately had an essay called “The Meaning of Life” published on the front page of the Washington Post. I agree that bedding Ally Sheedy is the meaning of life. I just don’t see the Post putting it on page one.

The Band at the Ball: Wow, that seemed a bit racy for a debutante ball. Two chicks in short dresses singing a song that sounded like Portishead’s “Sour Times.” I’ve heard “Sour Times” at strip joints.

Blair Forgives Jenny:   She still sees Jenny as nothing but one of those mice that sewed Cinderella’s dress, but Jenny's back in the loop.