Gossip Girl - Why Chuck and Blair Deserve Each Other 

Chuck sold blair for a hotel… they had the most toxic relationship ever

I love it! It’s funny how she idolized Audrey Hepburn’s characters but she’s Scarlett O’Hara the whole time. 😂

Chuck Bass is easily one of the most toxic people in tv history

I'm glad you guys called out that they both are horrible people, because the show used their relationship to "redeem" both of their horribleness. By pairing Blair with Chuck nothing she did ever seemed as bad because he was always worse, and by having him love Blair it gave viewers hope that there was some good in the bad, and that he could change to be better every single time he tried.

I don't think anyone was under the impression that Chuck and Blair were actually good people. Their popularity sprouted from the fact that we saw two HORRIBLE people with amazing chemistry achieve a happily ever after. Those components don't often mix onscreen and it made their "will they, won't they" entertaining and different, which kept people (including me) addicted and invested. The showrunners wrapped up a toxic relationship with such a pretty bow, we didn't end up caring what was in the box.

I just can’t get over how the show completely glossed over the fact that Chuck assaulted Jenny. Never addressed or even apologized for it which is why I could never like his character and kept rooting for his downfall

The romanticizing of toxic and abusive relationships in teen shows really needs to be looked at 😏

I’d love to see a video of you guys talking about “why are we so addicted to toxic couples on screen?”

In an ideal universe, Blair and Dan would have been together. Nate and Serena would have been together. Lily and Rufus would have been together. Chuck would have ended up in therapy. Oh and Jenny, Dorota, or Georgina would have been Gossip Girl

I dont mind evil couples falling in love but this relationship was extremely one sided with blair doing everything for chuck amd chuck treating her horribly

THE TRUTH is that the two already deserve each other in the worst ways, EXACTLY THE TRUTH

Blair definitely did not deserve Prince Louis. She cheated on him multiple times, lost the baby (which was his baby too) while running away with Chuck. She lied to him and manipulated him into marrying her. And HE WAS STILL LOYAL AND READY TO MARRY HER. They made him look like a jerk when he was just done with being treated like shit.

How do you guys put out such consistently good content almost daily? It's insane

The Gone with the Wind references are spot-on. I've always felt that Chuck & Blair's relationship mirrored Rhett & Scarlett's, but even more toxic.

The 'Gone With The Wind' comparison genuinely never occurred to me... and fits so perfectly I'm mad it never made that connection.🤯🤯🤯 Damn

Just saying I was not a fan of the Blair and Dan train at first, thinking it was a cheap way for views. Because they were so “opposite”. But by a few episodes I saw how similar they were and brought the best out of each other. Plus I traced back at how the show set them up from the beginning. It was INGENIOUS! Dan didn’t try to “save” Blair like Serena. He knew Blair was strong but needed help to see who she was. Not a second fiddle to Chuck or Prince Louis.

The Blair and Chucky as Scarlet and Rhett gives me absolute life because it’s so true

Notice how Lily and Blair have the same love life? Lily married Bart Bass and Blair had a long-term relationship with Chuck Bass, but both eventually went on to be with Humphrey men for a short period of time until they ultimately got back together with the Bass men. 🤨

They did not deserve each other, he straight up abused her. Blair was awful, but Chuck was worse and irredeemable.

My toxic trait is watching the entirety of a show like Gossip Girl, hating each and every single character, Chuck especially, and still wanting them to end up together 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

Pretty interesting to find the connection between these two and Rhett and Scarlett. They embody that trope of matching each other in dark and cunning traits rather than soft and emotional affection.

I guess I'm the only Gossip Girl fan who preferred Blair being with Dan. And Serena with Nate.

I personally don’t think that Chuck and Blair not becoming better people and their relationship being built on destruction is not a bad thing, it’s bad that people are trying to idealise it. “Gossip girl” is not a series about good people or about people who are trying to become better versions of themselves - it’s a cautionary tale about New York’s elite and normal people like Dan and Jennie selling their souls for money, status and “love”. Chuck and Blair are manipulative, selfish, horrible people who can’t be bothered to think about the way they hurt people and that’s who they are supposed to be. People need to stop demonising series like “Gossip Girl” for having morally grey characters. These stories also deserve to be told.

Don’t know how I managed to watch 6 seasons of this show, chuck and blair were unbearable 😖

Back in High School, every girl was obsessing over Chuck and Blair, and I never understood why. Years later, I picked up some later seasons (that I haven't seen before) and was surprised at how compatible Dan and Blair were. Fans would never have allowed Dair, though, and so Chair it was. However, as you very nicely put it: people wanted drama and toxicity, not healthy, logical relationships. GG 2.0 is not as toxic, and thus not as dramatic, and is very unwatchable as a consequence.

I believe the narrative that makes Chuck and Blair possible as end-game is the original drive for Blair: Feeling that she's second to Serena in front of others. So, the key difference between Chuck and Dan -and the reason why, to Blair, Chuck is her soulmate- is that in the eyes of Chuck, she is "better" than Serena. That's why, besides the first season, the only couple that the show never tries is Chuck+Serena. Because the thing that Blair values the most is that Chuck is not attracted nor impressed at Serena's charisma... she doesn't have the same effect on him that she has on other men (f.ex. Dan), and that to Blair, seems to be a sign that he's the only one for her.

The show ruined Louis and Dan so that Chuck and Blair could be end game, not only was this very boring but Dan becoming an ass kinda ruined the show. Ironically chuck and Blair became the only entertaining thing because barely any effort was put into other characters, if you go back to season 1 and 2 Serena Dan and Jenny are all so much more interesting than by the end of the show

So one thing I learned recently: GG changed showrunners after the first season, which is why the rest of the show seems to be an echo of itself.

I can understand where the title comes from. In one way they do deserve each other because they are both toxic and problematic and have way too much fun scheming people. They both lie and cheat, also. However, Blaire got way too deep in playing games when under chuck’s influence. Sometimes, it seemed she only did these things to please chuck. Honestly, their relationship was based off lust and nothing else and maybe at one time, there was love on both sides. I believe, in a positive way, Dan and Blair deserved each other. They were both intelligent, loyal to their loved ones, and brought out the best in each other. They had a strong foundation to start with. Also, the enemies to friends to lovers trope (in a good way) always intrigued me. I believe these two were set up from the beginning. In the episode where Serena models for Blaire’s mom, Dan did not console Serena, he consoled Blaire. He can talk ti Blaire about things he can never discuss with anyone else. I din’t mean the deep things, but about the same books, films, interests. They had intellectual and physical attraction to each other. I did not see this with chuck and blair.

Blair being a high school bully did not make her deserving of repeated instances of abuse. Love them in season 1 and 2 but by season three there was such a huge power imbalance and it seemed like she would let him off the hook for anything.

More toxic than ross and Rachel

Lmao I forgot how melodramatic this show was. And I can’t believe 15 year old thought all of these 25+ year old actors were in high school 🤦🏽‍♀️

I hate the fact that Blair could have had such amazing development where she became less elitist and pursued her career or found a healthy relationship. It’s unfortunate the writers squandered her potential…

I've always loved Dan and Blair. While Chuck and Blair bring out the worst in eachother, Dan and Blair bring out the best. In my mind they ended up together.

You say people like them despite the destructiveness but that's literally the appeal lol

I love this couple only because the actors were so charismatic and their lives looked fabulous, but NEVER because i thought they have a healthy relationship. They aren't even good people.

Unpopular opinion: Dan and Blair were the best couple on the show. Their progression felt natural and Dan actually cared for Blair. They had a common ground (love for movies and books) and despite being from two different worlds, they're shown to put work in their relationship, instead of everything falling in place naturally. By far, the least toxic relationship in the show But alas, the writers just can't do the right thing and instead succumbs to the fans

Super happy for this video! I also think an video about Jenny Humphrey and her trope (the girl that dethrones the queen bee) would be interesting, especially because of other exemples in fiction (Cady Heron for exemple) and why that girl has the tools to replace the queen, and how they serve as foils for each other (new order vs old order).

If they managed to mistakenly put their animosity towards eachother aside, they would be like the Underwoods from house of cards

You know what hurt more? The fact that they actually did SUCH a good job with Dan & Blair's developing relationship showing new sides to both of those characters and what's most important in telling a story - GROWTH. They were both maturing, especially Blair, and then they just ditched that in the final season for fanservice and romanticised abuse??? It's gross, not to mention sad and forced because the matured Blair would NEVER suit Chuck anymore. So they had to REGRESS her and turn her into s1 Blair which is in my book absolute character assassination. Not to mention turning Dan into Gossip Girl just to try and paint Chuck as the "better option"... Ew. You don't build up something to just make them go back to square one. And the fact that Jenny, a minor, was villainized by the show for being taken ADVANTAGE of by a Teletubby looking rapist... Double ew.

FINALLY!! The recognition Dan and Blair deserve. I always thought that they brought out the best in each other and it felt like a natural evolution for both their characters to be together. It’s unfortunate how the show decided to forgo all of that in favor of cementing her as a toxic mess.

I was pleasantly surprised when watching Gossip Girl, due to the fact that the third seasons sees Blair and Chuck happily together for one whole season. That is very rare in television when you think about, as many shows rely on the constant potential of romantic missteps, which gets super boring. Of course, certain aspects of Blair and Chuck trying to ruin each other go too far, even for Gossip Girl standards, but somehow, they manage to work. Dan, however, was better as Blair's friend, which is also why their actual relationship lasted like three episodes before she literally ran of to be with Chuck and by the next season, she practically forget she ever had anything to do with Dan aside from going to the same school as he did.

I LOVE BLAIR AND DAN TOGETHER. I SAID IT!

That's exactly why they're an amazing guilty-pleasure fantasy never to be taken seriously haha. I enjoy the over the top obviously terribly fake romance. Escapism at its purest. It's great for that purpose and that purpose only.

Dan and Blair are genuinely my favourite fictional couple of all time, I would love if The Take did an entire video on them and expanded on what was said here

Tbh I don’t think Chuck deserves Blair, Blair is beyond him

The reason everyone hated Dan and Blair together is because it was zero chemistry between the two. The fact that you share interests is a good foundation for the friendship not necessarily for being a couple

Funny how the love triangle between Nate, Blair and Chuck is a mirror of Ashley , Scarlett and Rhett. And the love triangle between Dan, Blair and Chuck is the dramatic version of Barney, Robin and Ted. 😄

the thing about GG is that its about awful people being awful. that was the marketing and it reflected on the show. the show never pretended that these people are morally good and created at a time where the writers cared more about shock value than the consequences of actions. people like chair because of their onscreen chemistry and watching two villains have an unexpected romance. there's no 'good' couples on this show other than cyrus and eleanor. i don't get the love for dair considering blair only used him for her emotional needs and NEVER supported him and dan would constantly manipulate situations so he could be her white knight since he has a thing for damsels in distress. it was too one-sided and dan (who i hate) deserves better than that

I really wanted Chuck to end up with the French girl who saved him. I liked that amnesia/ redemption arc. He seemed like he was finally turning into an ok person.

I think we were drawn to Chuck and Blair because they were honest about who they are unlike Serena that caused most her drama and literally got everything handed to her and Dan that was just as toxic them. Blair and Chuck are terrible couple but to most of us that is better than an annoying couple like Serena and Dan. Looking back yeah Blair and Dan were better for each other, but I just couldn't get pass my hate for Dan to give to them a chance.

Lol ya'll don't come for me, but Chuck and Blair were my obsession. I was blown away by their chemistry. I agree that they're both toxic, yet there was this great synergy between them.

You guys doing amazing work. Could you consider a video essay on the popular Netflix series YOU? In which you not only delve into Joe’s psyche but the recurring motif of The Cage? Joe and eventually Love repeatedly utilize it to resolve increasingly difficult matters whilst falling into increasingly warped patterns whereas Cary and Sherry conquered and addressed theirs

I don't think viewers are rooting for toxic love, I think a lot has to do with on-screen chemistry. Even from the pilot, it is easy to see Chuck and Blair's similarities. It absolutely makes sense for them to be endgame from the perspective of their character and from a writer's perspective. I don't think it romanticizes their love because it repeatedly shows how deeply flawed they both are. There's something admirable about how they are always unapologetically themselves. They are my favorite couple because they are the most fun to watch. Chuck and Blair are 99% of why I continued watching the show (the other 1% is the clothes). 🤗❤

The problem with Chuck as a character is that you can't make him a better person without ruining what made him interesting and entertaining. So instead they kept beating him down emotionally and physically to the point where you have to root for him whether he like him or not.

I respectfully disagree.I don't believe that Blair deserves Chuck. He sexually harassed and assaulted Serena and Lil J. He is also a murderer. He sold Blair. Blair is vindictive, but she does not deserve this man. Most of the gossip girl characters are terrible people. Blair and Dan are the best couple. They brought out the best in each other, learned to respect and help each other. They could depend on each other. They would have a fight, but later talk it through and admit that they aren't perfect, so they could do better.

Bad characters are just more entertaining to watch and a love story between villains is just captivating. I really just avoid any sort of analysis or moral critique about these characters and just focus on the entertainment . And they really do deliver on that front.

When I first started watching GG (season 5 was airing then), I read on the Internet the Chuck and Blair are the "Heathcliffe and Cathy of modern television". Whoever wrote that hit the nail on the head. They are soooo unhealthy but soooo addictive - like French Fries 🍟 🙈

I actually really liked Dan and Blair. It was the best relationship for each of them.

I'm so happy that you guys made a video about this! My friends and I used to love this show when we were kids, and now I can't believe that I used to see Chuck and Blair's toxicity as "sexy." 😖 We literally saw Chuck try to S.A. two girls in the pilot, and just pretended like it didn't happen for the rest of the series. 🤦🏾‍♀️

Dan and Blair were not the equivalent to Joey and Rachel. To me, they were the spiritual successors to Jackie and Hyde.

Dan + Blair forever. The best and most sensical couple on the show that couldn’t be endgame because teen shows always have the characters end up with the first people they dated 😭

Can we get a take on the healthiest and most genuine relationship on the show: Lily & Rufus? They have an odd past (whatever happened to that random love child they gave up for adoption and who came back for like 3 episodes and was never heard from again🤔) but while they were together I had hope that there were some people who actually loved one another in the Upper East Side😅

i don’t like chuck and blair, but i really wish that they showed us atleast an entire season of development in their relationship. it could’ve been much better than the whole plot of them murdering chuck’s father and then getting married as an attempt to get away with it.

I knew people sucked when they shipped Chuck and Blair. They were the worst couple I’ve ver seen. Blair and Dan were the best couple. She was genuinely happy with him and they actually had things in common.

People only root for Chuck cause he’s hot, seductive and charming

I have always thought that this relationship was the major catastrophe for Blair's character development, which was awful to watch. After what happened at the end of season 3, I was no more invested in Chuck and Blair as couple. Chuck literally took advantage of her everytime and constantly blamed her for his horrible actions. I never understood why the writers of the show thought it was a good idea of giving him a redemption arc. He didn't deserve it at all. Blair was also an horrible person, but she always had the potential to be better, because her mean facade hid her insecurities. Unfortunately, this potential was completely wasted by ruining her marriage with the prince and especially her friendship with Dan, which was healthier and unexpected for her, in order to justify Chuck and Blair as couple.

Can The Take make a “Lonely Boy-Queen B” trope? That would be interesting.

this was the perfect show to watch as a teenager, how shallow and superficial the storylines of this show are and how much of it is about relationships and social reputation and all that stuff is very relatable to a teenager, plus the upper-east side/manhattan side it ads a lot of mystery to people like me who've never been there.

Can you guys do an episode on Brooklyn nine nine and the healthy, non-toxic relationships , (yes, more than 1!), including the platonic friendships and lack of toxic masculinity?

they were a lot more abusive than toxic

Oh yeah, they absolutely deserved eachother, and they were incredibly enjoyable to watch!

Love this! this episode does the world justice. I never liked gossip girl and NOW the world sees why. Of course I couldnt phrase this so eloquently like you wonderful ladies, but I thought something like this. lol. hugs

Now I need a Gone with the wind video🧍🏻‍♀️

I think Nate Archibald deserves his own video analysis.

I liked chair the first couple seasons but I thought it extremely dragged afterwards. But when Dan and Blair were a thing I really loved their chemistry and storyline.

As someone who shipped Dan and Blair back in the day... VINDICATION

Another romanticization of a toxic relationship is Jessica and Hoyt from True Blood.

"One of the most infamous couples", the analysis started with a sharp knives out

They are definitely super toxic - but they were fun to watch, most of the other characters were just plain boring. And pairing the only two exciting characters? Hell yeah Nobody should really aspire to be in a relationship like that

Actually in the original GG books Chuck and Blair never got together in the first place . It was a triangle between Nate, Serena and Blair. I think the fact that The writers and the TV audience saw amazing chemistry with Leighton and Ed, that they literally changed the story around. I remembered reading that Chuck was supposed to be a short term character in the tv series originally.

Weird to see clips of pilot Blairs mom, so easily forgotten and mourned by no one. Real Blairs mom was definitely an improvement

More gossip girl analysis please 💖

I’d love to see a Take on the Gossip Girl reboot lol

I think a lot of people know they’re an evil destructive couple but love that

You guys should do analysis of wealth and aesthetic in gossip girl 2007 and do compare and contrast with wealth and aesthetic to gossip girl 2021

I never understood why people loved Blair she was just mean and had a lot of issues or admired Chuck he was a hedonist.u r right they were bad people deserved each other

My two favourite characters in the show, really talented and funny actors! Loved their scenes 😍

Favorite TV Couple hands down

2012: "Ahwn Chuck and Blair are perfect!

Lol Gossip Girl is playing in the background on my Laptop right now

I’m glad to know I wasn’t crazy for liking Blair and Dan together 😂😂

I do believe Blair was the love of dans life. But chuck was the love of Blair’s unfortunately. And that’s how it’s like in real life for some people.

i loved watching them, but i was always aware that no one should have that kind of relationship in real life

The intro got me for a second. I really believed Kristen Bell was brought on for this episode.

Let me just say that I love evil couples and I wish we saw more of them done well in modern media. The best thing about Chuck and Blair as a pairing is that they became good to each other and take their thrones at the top of their society. So, yes, they are awful people but they learned to treat those they love well as opposed to with toxicity and manipulation and accept themselves for who they are- elitist trust fund kids. Unlike Serena or Nate, they were able to claim their villainy.

Like i loved Chuck and Blair when i first watched gossip girl but upon rewatch years later, i was blown over by how insane they were. But looking back at it, if two people who are horrid are going to fall in love, it might as well be with someone who is your equal in every way. Like why put that on other people who aren't going to understand and judge you all the time? Let's not idolize this couple but be grateful that they found their perfect other half (who is not you).

Watching the show, I knew that Dan and Blair would probably not end up together, even though they were by far the best and healthiest romance of the series. In real life, most people would root for those two because of the set up of their 'slow burn' relationship: Blair the ultimate snobbish insider and Dan the ultimate judgmental outsider who go from strangers to enemies to bickering rivals to friends and finally to boyfriend and girlfriend. Their relationship was based on a real, genuine friendship and mutual respect and love of culture as well as a palpable chemistry. And they both clearly brought out the best in each other. Dan and Serena's relationship never evolved beyond a childish high school romance and Chuck and Blair's was perhaps passionate but incredibly toxic and borderline abusive. But it seemed that those two "iconic" pairings were set early on even though they really didn't make sense in season 6. But what was worse was that the writers reverted Dan and Blair back to the way they way treated each other in the earlier seasons, essentially undoing all their character development. In my heart, I'll always be for DAIR!

More on gossip girl pleaseee

Watching this with no prior knowledge, this relationship looks WILD lol.