KRCW

Like Serena, we too thrill at the idea of starting a new school year. Maybe we just long for those heady days of simultaneously studying and socializing instead of the laborious nine-to-five daily grind, but it’s good to see the Gossip Girl gang preparing for a new semester and new chapter in their lives. Serena joins the college fold at Columbia where Blair also plans on making a fresh start in a prestigious semi-secret society. Officially over Serena, Nate parlays his sick-puppy-dog act on Juliet (does he ever do anything other than follow girls around?) while Chuck wows Eva with the bright lights of New York and tries to make amends with Lily and Rufus. Dan and Vanessa contemplate playing house with Milo until Georgina returns (after having an epiphany on the beaches of St. Barts) to take what is rightfully hers. And never once did anyone show up for class or break open a book. Ahh the college life. Here are some other thoughts:

Best upgrade: The Gossip Girl site was down for a bit of maintenance, but returned with a vengeance and the ability to stream live video. The wonders of technology never cease.

Best comeback: It¿¿¿s a tie between Dorota and Eric. Both are sights for sore eyes. Apparently Eric still has a boyfriend and a deep-seated hatred for Chuck, and Dorota watches too much “Law and Order: SVU” in her spare time.

Best ¿¿¿Pretty Woman¿¿¿ moment: Chuck taking Eva shopping and watching her try on expensively fabulous outfits. We didn¿¿¿t quite get a fashion musical montage, but it did the trick.

Best life lesson: Serena realizing that college, like life, is just high school all over again. It¿¿¿s a bitter pill to swallow, but people never change and the pettiness encountered on the steps of Constance Billard will follow Serena to her grave.

Best accessory: A key necklace from Tiffany & Co. to state to Columbia students across campus that you are better and more important than them. This pricey trinket found its way around Blair¿¿¿s neck and not Serena¿¿¿s thanks to a scheming Juliet. How can Juliet afford Columbia tuition when she can¿¿¿t even afford a nice suit? And isn¿¿¿t Juliet a redhead? Why did Serena refer to her as a blonde? We¿¿¿re slightly offended.

Worst excuse: Georgina got knocked up by a scary Russian and his wife hired three men named Boris to kill her, so she escaped to Dan¿¿¿s loft. With Georgina anything is possible, but this seems outrageous even for her.

Best catfight: We all know Serena and Blair have come to fisticuffs in the past. Hell, a mere two episodes ago, Blair pushed Serena into a fountain, so we were truly fooled by the fake hair-pulling, shoving, pushing and stinging verbal barbs they filmed to expose Juliet¿¿¿s manipulative ways. It¿¿¿s too bad Nate can¿¿¿t see through her fakery.

Worst insult: Poor Eva got slammed twice in this episode. First, Blair gave her a talking to while she was trying on dresses and then Chuck blatantly dismissed her in front of Rufus and Eric. Chuck had his reasons, as did Blair, but Chuck was trying to save the relationship in a misguided way while Blair just reeked of sour grapes. We understand that Chuck broke her heart, but she could have him back if she really wanted to put up with him.

Best living situation: Serena¿¿¿s new room at Blair¿¿¿s is to die for. Vanessa can schlep her stuff over to Dan¿¿¿s nifty loft and Eva can fill the drawers at Chuck¿¿¿s penthouse with her peasant girl blouses, but we choose Blair¿¿¿s not-so-humble abode.

Juliet meets a mysterious man in prison who seems to be both her lover and accomplice in this mission to take down Serena. Who is he? Have we seen him before? Men come and go on this show in such a way that it is hard to keep track. Did Dan dodge a bullet with Milo¿¿¿s exit or will he forever be after the baby that got away? Should Rufus and Eric forgive Chuck and welcome him back into the fold of their waffle-eating family? What do you think?