Poison Ivy
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[edit] General facts
Name Poison Ivy
Season 1
Episode 3
Production Number 103
Original Air Date October 3 , 2007
Writer(s) Felicia D. Henderson
Director J. Miller Tobin
[edit] Summary
It's Ivy week for the Upper East Side teens of Constance Billiard and St. Judes and the visiting representatives arrival brings more than just college applications. Cutt-throat rivalry is at it's sharpest this week as the students compete for prestigious positions. Blair discovers a shocking but juicy secret about Serena and plots to drop the bomb at the best possible moment. Dan is sure that landing the coveted usher position with the Dartmouth rep will either make or break his future at the school. Unfortunately, it's Nate who nabs the position, despite total disinterest in the school. Meanwhile, Jenny gets close to Serena's younger brother Eric and Rufus asks Lily for a favor.
[edit] Episode recap
It's Ivy Week and the Upper East Side teens from Constance Billard and St. Jude's are going to meet Ivy League representatives. As tradition has it, the Constance Billard's girls will be in charge of the Friday Night Mixer and the St. Jude's boys will provide the ushers for the visiting representatives. But life is harsh for Junior Elite; not only do they have to worry about Ivy League but they also have to deal with family issues. Blair and her absent mother; Dan and his fears that, when it comes to college, his cleverness won't be able to overcome his family's middle class background; Nate and his controlling freak father, who can't help but remind his son which are the keywords of his future plan: Dartmouth, law school, Blair. Nate tries to reply that maybe he has his own plan, but the Captain doesn't seem that interested in listening to it. Dan attends the interview in order to get the usher position for the Dartmouth rep; he claims Dartmouth is his dream and that he shares Dartmouth's principles of integrity, responsibility and consideration thanks to St. Jude's and his parents who sacrificed all to let him attend that privileged high school. Nate is definitely less focused. He admits to the interviewer that Dartmouth isn't his first choice; they should definitely let someone more motivated be in charge of the usher position. Who will be chosen? Nate, of course. Unfortunately, as Dan vehemently points out to Serena, it seems like... legacy rules. And it was really a tough day for Serena. After the umpteenth face-to-face with her mother - and Dan's outburst, as well - she has also to deal with Blair's hostility. From harsh words to a real fight during physical education: it's definitely war between the two it-girls. Blair fakes a leg injury and blames Serena, so the ref orders Serena to leave the field. However, Blair isn't satisfied yet. That's why she asks Chuck to uncover something juicy about her former BFF. And Chuck does see Serena while she is entering Ostroff Treatment Center. In the end, Chuck and Blair assume Serena was there so she could get over some unspecified addiction. Fresh news. Even though Lillian isn't exactly enthusiastic, the doctor gives Eric permission to spend some time out of the institution, so he is going to join Junior Elite at the Friday mixer. Someone else is attending the mixer: Dan. It turns out Rufus swallowed his pride and asked Lillian, the committee chairwoman, to let his son be part of the mixer. Yep, Dan will be the refreshment committee. Well, Humphrey Jr. is not that pleased about this, but that's it. "I did the best I could", claims Rufus. Mixer time and it's pretty clear that Serena and Blair's war is anything but ended. Serena is determined to get the Yale representative's attention since Blair has always wanted to attend Yale. Blair isn't that thrilled about Serena's move and neither is Dan, who harshly criticizes her behavior. In his opinion, Serena is just a spoiled brat. Meanwhile, Eric bonds with Jenny and talks to her about his tempted suicide. After an uneasy talk with the Dartmouth rep, Nate understands that he has no interest at all in attending Dartmouth. Then, Nate tells Dan to get the rep something to drink, so that Dan could have the chance to talk to the Dartmouth rep. And it turns out Humphrey Jr. does impress the guy. But guess who has just arrived? Doctor Donald Ostroff. And Blair is eager to heat the mixer up. After getting everybody's attention, she claims that as every year their fancy school has chosen to support one local institution. The Ostroff Center - what a coincidence. And this institution does deserve support, since it helped a student of theirs. Then, Blair asks Serena van der Woodsen to join her on stage. Everyone is stunned but the most stunned are definitely the van der Woodsens. Eric wants to tell the truth but Serena doesn't let him and, once on stage, she thanks the Ostroff Center for its precious help. Dan can't believe Serena is in rehab, but Jenny tells him about Eric. Unfortunately, one of the many unwritten laws of the Upper East Side world is that honesty might not be the best policy. Especially, when it comes to Ivy Week, since "'I was a teenage drug addict' is not exactly a winning college essay". Serena feels overwhelmed and storms off. Dan runs after her and says he knows she has just said those words because she wanted to protect her brother. Then, Dan apologizes to Serena for the way he has talked to her lately. Maybe he didn't have the right to judge her, or her world. At the same time, Lillian wants to take Eric back to the Ostroff Center but there is someone he wants to talk to first. Blair. And Eric's words leave her speechless. The next day, Dan thanks Rufus for helping him join the mixer. Meanwhile, another father is trying to spend some quality time with his son. The Captain and Nate. Yep, it turns out the Captain arranged a special jogging hour. He, Nate and... the Dartmouth rep. Jenny pays Eric a visit at Ostroff Center... it looks like a new friendship is blossoming. Elsewhere, Blair catches up with Serena, holding the letter she wrote to van der Woodsen Jr. when she left for boarding school. Blair's world was falling apart because her father left her mom for another man. And Serena was the only one she wanted to talk to but she was gone, without even saying goodbye. Serena assures Blair she didn't call because of the guilt she felt. Then, Serena claims she is very sorry. And maybe, she isn't the only one; Blair has something to be forgiven too. She says that Eric told her the real reason why Serena was entering the center, when Chuck spotted her. "I guess your family has been going through a hard time too". "Spotted in Central Park, two white flags waving. Could the Upper East Side piece of court be far off? So, what would it be? Truth or consequences? We all know one nation can't have two Queens. What happens next, only time will tell."
[edit] Memorable Quotes
Jenny: We're Humphreys Dad. Not exactly royalty uptown.
Rufus: You okay with that?
Jenny: No, but I'm used to it.
[edit] Dramatis Personae
[edit] Starring
[edit] Special Guest Stars
[edit] Co-Starring
[edit] Music
- "Glamorous" Constance Billard Choir
- "I Got It From My Momma" by Will.I.Am
- "Can't Be Happening" by The Marlows
- "Raise Your Hand" by The Lights
- "I Feel It All" by Feist
- "Dusk Till Dawn" by Ladyhawke
