Last time we hung out with the kids from Gossip Girl [1], it was Thanksgiving and things seemed to be mellowing out [2]. Jenny stopped with the divorcing of the parents and moved back in with Rufus, Serena and Aaron settled in to an exclusive relationship, Blair got to see her dad, and Chuck and Nate made nice.

But now that the mini-break is over, the drama's starting up again, and this week's episode is basically a slow build to the annual Snowflake Ball, where everyone eventually turns up one way or another. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little bored with this one — but I think next week will be really good, so it's probably worth it. There's plenty to chat about so let's get started. Just .

• I'm really glad the other girls get to do some serious talking this episode. Penelope, Hazel, and that other one are deliciously mean and seem to pull off scheming pretty well with or without Blair, it turns out.
• I loved Penelope's run-in with Vanessa. Penelope says something like, "Oh, hello, weird camera girl," to which Vanessa responds, "Hello, sad Blair wannabe."
• OK, raise your hand if you pulled out the dictionary when Blair said, "I like an intelligent man. He'll whisper mellifluous nothings in my ear." I did. It means "filled with something that sweetens." It feels like less of a guilty pleasure when I can argue Gossip Girl makes me smarter.
• Hmmm, how do we feel about Aaron's ex/Dan's new flame, Lexi? I found her kind of annoying. And I kept thinking of Lex Luthor (or Lexie Grey [3]) every time they say her name.
• Serena on Dan dating Lexi: "It's a little When Harry Met Crazy."
• Dan and Serena are starting to weird me out with how open they are with each other now that they're "friends." Is it normal to devote that much time dissecting the new people you each are about to sleep with?
• Regardless, ew. I don't want to hear Serena talk about having sex with Aaron. He's still not cute to me at all.



• I really love it when Blair gives Serena advice, because she's so blunt and doesn't tolerate silly ideas. Like when Serena thinks she should "warn" Dan that Lexi sleeps with guys on the first date —"Oh absolutely, guys hate to be caught off-guard with sex."
• So Blair and Chuck come up with a little bet to find each other dates for the ball. If Blair wins she gets Chuck's limo and if Chuck wins, he gets . . . Dorota! Ha! Poor Dorota. I hope she addressed being a pawn for these kids in one of her webisodes [4].
• Hilariously, Blair and Chuck's doppelgangers (Chuck's was so funny!) hit it off, which only depresses Blair. Are you getting bored by the round and round with Chuck and Blair? I feel like something big and crazy needs to happen with these two.
• I might be alone on this, because I know people get irritated with Vanessa, but I'm glad she's the one who ended up with Nate. Jenny still seems like a little kid to me.
• How'd you like Nate's moral relativism? I love when people on this show explain what counts as a nasty thing to do and what's not so bad. So Vanessa lied and backstabbed her good friend, but according to Nate, Jenny exposing Vanessa's undies to the entire ball was worse and unforgivable. That seems like a crappy-friend tie to me, but what do I know?
• And then there's Lily and Rufus! Aw, I like them together and their little dance made me feel nice inside.

Bart Bass is in an accident! Things are going to get really crazy! What did you all think? Sound off below, and to check out all the clothes, head to CelebStyle [5]!

Photos courtesy of The CW [6]