GOSSIP GIRL
APRIL 21 · 8 PM · THE CW
EPISODES LEFT: 5
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Upper East Side's social hierarchy was thrown for a loop after ambitious Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) usurped Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) as queen bee. Dethroned and depressed, Blair attempted to skip town, but BFF Serena (Blake Lively) managed to stop her at the helipad.
UP NEXT: ''I would say one of the big headlines on the next five episodes is definitely the Blair-and-Jenny power struggle,'' says creator Josh Schwartz. Look for the newly manipulative Jenny to even attempt to seduce Nate (Chace Crawford), although he'll find comfort in GG's resident outcast, Vanessa (Jessica Szohr). It's just the beginning of what Schwartz promises are five ''explosive'' episodes. The fireworks come courtesy of Georgina Sparks, a visitor from Serena's past who reveals the true reason why Serena left town. (Hint: It wasn't because she slept with Blair's ex-boyfriend Nate.) The role, yet to be cast, was originally offered to Schwartz's former O.C. bad girl, Mischa Barton, but ''we made her an offer and she was busy.'' While Serena once again shows her rebellious side, costar Penn Badgley wants his character, Dan Humphrey, also to take a turn straddling good and evil. ''I wish he would let things go a little bit more,'' says Badgley. ''Dan holds people to such high standards and it makes him very flawed, which is necessary. I'd just like to dirty him up a bit.'' Don't fret, Penn — there's always season 2. —Tim Stack
