"The Freshman" is the 45th episode of the CW

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

 television series, Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl (TV series)

Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...

. It was also the third episode of the show's third season

Gossip Girl (season 3)

The third season of Gossip Girl, an American teen drama based upon the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Airing on The CW from September 14, 2009 to May 17, 2010 with 22 episodes...

. The episode was written by Amanda Lasher and directed by Norman Buckley

Norman Buckley

Norman L. Buckley is an American television director and editor best known for his work on The O.C., Chuck, Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars.-Early life:...

. It originally aired on Monday, September 21, 2009 on the CW

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

.

"The Freshman" shows Blair Waldorf

Blair Waldorf

Blair Cornelia Waldorf is the main character of Gossip Girl, introduced in the original series of novels and also appearing in their television and manga adaptations. Described as "a girl of extremes" by creator Cecily von Ziegesar, she is a comical overachiever who possesses both snobbish and...

 (Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester

Leighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer. Meester first garnered attention for playing Blair Waldorf in the CW television series Gossip Girl...

) plotting to establish her 'Queen Bee' status in college as embarks on her first day at NYU, along with Dan Humphrey

Dan Humphrey

Daniel Randolph "Dan" Humphrey is a fictional character in the best selling Gossip Girl book series. He is the main male character in the television series of the same name and is portrayed by Penn Badgley. Daniel Humphrey is the son of Rufus Humphrey and has a younger sister, Jenny Humphrey. His...

 (Penn Badgley

Penn Badgley

Penn Dayton Badgley is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Humphrey on the CW television series Gossip Girl. He has also starred in the movies John Tucker Must Die, The Stepfather, and Easy A....

) and Vanessa Abrams

Vanessa Abrams

Vanessa Abrams is a fictional character in the book series Gossip Girl. She is portrayed by Jessica Szohr in the television series of the same name.-Novel series:...

 (Jessica Szohr

Jessica Szohr

Jessica Karen Szohr is an American actress. Szohr began her screen career starring on television shows such as CSI: Miami and What About Brian...

). Unfortunately, Georgina Sparks

Georgina Sparks

Georgina Sparks is a fictional character in the Gossip Girl novel series and a recurring character on the television series Gossip Girl. She is portrayed by actress Michelle Trachtenberg on the show...

 (Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Trachtenberg

Michelle Christine Trachtenberg is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl...

) turns up as Blair's roommate in the dorms, determined to make her a social outcast. Rather than depart for Brown

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

, Serena van der Woodsen

Serena van der Woodsen

Serena Celia van der Woodsen is a fictional character in the young adult novel series Gossip Girl and its television adaptation. Serena is featured on the blog of the novel series' mysterious "Gossip Girl" narrator...

 (Blake Lively

Blake Lively

Blake Christina Lively is an American actress and model who stars as Serena van der Woodsen in the television teen drama series Gossip Girl...

) decides to stay in New York

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 and moves in with Chuck Bass

Chuck Bass

Charles Bartholomew "Chuck" Bass is a fictional character in the Gossip Girl series of teen novels and the television series of the same name. He is portrayed by English actor Ed Westwick. Although he is a secondary, antagonistic character in the original book series, in the television series Chuck...

 (Ed Westwick

Ed Westwick

Edward Jack P. "Ed" Westwick is an English actor and musician, best known for his role as Chuck Bass in the main cast on the American television series Gossip Girl.-Early life and career:...

) until she incites a major falling out. Intending to get even, she recruits Chuck's enemy, Carter Baizen (Sebastian Stan

Sebastian Stan

Sebastian Stan is a Romanian-born American actor. He is best known for playing Prince Jack Benjamin on the television drama Kings and Carter Baizen on Gossip Girl.-Early life:...

). Meanwhile, Nate Archibald

Nate Archibald (Gossip Girl)

Nathaniel Fitzwilliam "Nate" Archibald is a character in the best selling Gossip Girl book series. He is portrayed by Chace Crawford in the television series of the same name...

 (Chace Crawford

Chace Crawford

Christopher Chace Crawford , better known as Chace Crawford, is an American actor. He currently portrays Nate Archibald on the CW television drama Gossip Girl.-Early life:...

) and Bree Buckley (Joanna Garcia

Joanna García

Joanna Leanna García is an American television and film actress. She is known for her portrayal of Cheyenne Hart Montgomery on The CW sitcom Reba...

) decide to explore their relationship further, knowing full well it could cause tension between their families who are political rivals.

Reception

"The Freshman" was watched by 1.97 million viewers and received mixed reviews.

Michelle Graham from Film School Rejects reviewed the episode. "Despite a low quality start to the season, this episode certainly went a long way towards redeeming that slip. Blair and Chuck’s move from unstable pair playing games to stay fresh to a couple that support each other through the rough patches was very plausible, showing a strength to the relationship that we’ve seen flashes of up til now." Graham praised Georgina's return, stating that how the character "brought some humour and extra life" to the episode. On reviewing other characters, Graham found Serena and Chuck's storyline "predictable and dull" and was not on par with other story lines in the episode. Graham continued on to negatively reviewing the relationship between Nate and Bree but was surprised by Dan's storyline. "Happily, Dan’s meteoric rise to the top of the college social food chain was unexpected and had some enjoyable results, not to mention shockingly stupid."