Where some shows make a tradition out of Christmas or Halloween episodes, Gossip Girl‘s Thanksgiving episodes were always the standouts — full of over-the-top drama, secrets coming to light, and more than a few brutal revelations — and the 2021 reboot was no exception. “Once Upon a Time in the Upper West” is the reboot’s one and only Thanksgiving episode, but it left an impression. Like the best Thanksgiving episodes of OG, “Once Upon a Time in the Upper West” reaches a point where nearly everybody, including Gossip Girl herself, are sitting around the same dinner table despite all the interpersonal drama going on: Julien and Obie have just hooked up again despite their breakup, Max is parent-trapping his separated dads into getting back together, Julien’s dad is keeping a few secrets of his own, and Aki is dealing with the aftermath of being outed by his dad on TV. Dinner — and a heaping side of drama — is served, and that’s when, in perfect GG fashion, all hell breaks loose. The result is a chaotic ten minute long scene where friendships are tested, threesomes are revealed in front of everyone’s parents, tensions between sisters in a love triangle come to a head, and a few pivotal secrets are finally let out. It’s a Thanksgiving to remember, in a way only Gossip Girl can provide.
Photo: Karolina Wojtasik/HBO Max
