The third person is always supposed to be a stranger.
The aftermath of GOSSIP GIRL’s much-buzzed-about threesome continued to pay unexpected dividends last night by quite frankly managing to do the unthinkable. Not only do we find ourselves in the somewhat embarrassing position of pining for the return of Hilary Duff (So much so that we’re hoping Olivia was serious and makes good on her promise to return in the fall), said ménage à trois managed to transform Dan and Vanessa — two of GOSSIP GIRL’s most notoriously uninteresting characters — into watchable ones. With bonus points for making the Parent’s Television Council look stupid by cleverly ensuring that last night’s flashback laden episode was far more revealing, shocking and scandalous than the PTC targeted episode prior.

A little Chuck Bass goes a long way.
Leave it to Ed Westwick to make the most of what little he was given on last night’s episode. Seriously, what Chuck Bass lacked in screen time, he more than made up for with his pitch-perfect line delivery (”Dude, I’m Chuck Bass. Even Europeans must know what that means.”) to the foreign ambassador’s son played by special guest star Kevin Zegers.

Kevin Zegers.
And speaking of fellow Canadian Kevin Zegers, we couldn’t help but feel bad for the actor. After-all, when you go from being Hollywood’s Indie darling in Transamerica to the Upper East Side, you know what that means. Three words: Career Trajectory Alert!

There is such a thing as too much makeup.
Look, we’re the first to admit that cosmetics are not exactly our area of expertise. That said, we couldn’t help but wonder what exactly is going on in the GOSSIP GIRL makeup trailer? Is making Jenny as pale as the moonlight part of some bizarre subliminal CW campaign to improve ratings by tricking audiences into thinking that she’s a vampire? And along the same lines, we’re fairly confident that if Chace Crawford’s cheekbones get any more definied, he’ll be indistinguishable from THE VAMPIRE DIARIES star Ian Somerhalder.

Lady Gaga WTF?!
While we’re not exactly in the CW’s target demo, somebody is going to have to explain to us the appeal of Lady Gaga. Honestly, what exactly was the deal with her performance that capped of a surprisingly solid episode?

Watch out Parents Television Council (PTC), from the looks of it, GOSSIP GIRL’s Dan, Olivia and Vanessa were just the beginning. For starting this January, the CW has pledged to air all-original episodes of three, count ‘em three series on Monday nights. With GOSSIP GIRL, ONE TREE HILL and the highly-anticipated new drama LIFE UNEXPECTED rotating on and off the CW’s Monday night sked thru May 2010. Sex (GOSSIP GIRL), Scandal (ONE TREE HILL) and the-next-best-thing to an EVERWOOD re-boot (LIFE UNEXPECTED) all together on the same night… PTC, can you handle it? If so, details from the CW’s hot-off-the-press (release) are after the jump.

The network’s new drama series, LIFE UNEXPECTED, will premiere Monday, January 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET), following the return of original episodes of ONE TREE HILL that night in the 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot. 

On March 8, LIFE UNEXPECTED will move to the 8:00-9:00 p.m. timeslot, followed by the return of original episodes of the pop-culture sensation GOSSIP GIRL from 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET.   On April 19, after LIFE UNEXPECTED has completed its initial 13-episode run, the Monday-night schedule will finish the broadcast season with ONE TREE HILL at 8:00 p.m. and GOSSIP GIRL at 9:00 p.m.

90210’s Shenae Grimes
What started out as an interesting way to handle a poorly conceived character that never really connected with viewers continues to get well less so, after yet another week went by with Shenae Grimes’ Annie Wilson on the outside looking in. Seriously, we can’t recall the last time (if ever) a character that started out the series front-and-center was pushed so far back into the periphery. Hey 90210 EP Rebecca Rand Kirshner, care to explain?

The handling of Barney and Robin
After a season of build-up, anticipation and hype, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’s  Barney and Robin are officially (spoiler alert!) no more. And while disappointment may not be exactly how we’d characterize the relationship that we believe is at least partially to blame for HIMYM’s somewhat less than stellar start to the season, we can’t help but be somewhat surprised that the same writers who gave us the genius that is the ’slap bet,’ ‘Robin Sparkles,’ and one of the cleverest sitcom hooks in recent memory (See: The mystery surrounding the titular mother) handled the pairing up of ‘Robney’ so poorly.

The controversy surrounding Monday’s GOSSIP GIRL
Popular USAToday Blogger Whitney Matheson took the words right out of our mouth when she tweeted, “I can’t believe folks are crazed over the ridiculous Gossip Girl threesome. Next to Skins, that show looks like Dora the Explorer.”

The People’s Choice Award Nominees
Yesterday’s announcement touting the nominees for January’s People’s Choice Awards which include Blake Lively for TV Drama Actress, THE HILLS and THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER for TV Obsession, HEROES for TV Sci-fi, THREE RIVERS and THE FORGOTTEN for New TV Drama, ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE, HANK and BROTHERS for New TV Comedy has this TV Addict wondering, People’s Choice or Network Marketing Executive’s Choice Awards? And by that we mean, HANK, seriously?!

2. Thursday’s season premiere of that other Shonda Rhimes medical drama opens with a not-so private funeral.

3. Get ready to Dial M… for Mode, when a loved one of a Mode employee finds themselves under investigation for murder.

4. Expect the unemployment rate of Metropolis to shrink this week when a familiar face finds themselves returning to work at The Daily Planet.

5. Gossip Guy Dan Humphrey will soon himself wishing he’d spent a little less time buried in his books and a little more time renting movies. Particularly the one about the girl, who stands in front of a boy, asking him to love her.

Did GOSSIP GIRL really expect us be buy those studious students?
We totally buy that college students would opt to watch Vanessa’s documentary over attending Blair’s cocktail party. Not. Sorry, but no matter how annoying the hostess, the first rule of college is “free booze is free booze.”
 

Was there a light shining directly in Wentworth Miller’s eyes for the entire duration of the LAW & ORDER: SVU season premiere?
That’s the only way to explain the fact that he squinted through the entire episode. If PRISON was his BREAKout performance, this one might have shown that he’s a one-hit wonder.
 
How long can actors really be expected to remain in high school?
THE VAMPIRE DIARES alone features both Paul Wesley (who, as Paul Wasilewski, was playing a teen on GUIDING LIGHT back in 1999) and Kayla Ewell (who was a FREAKS & GEEKS high schooler in 2000). That’s a long time for even the slowest of slow students to be held back!

 
Does EASTWICK seem determined to bewitch female viewers with a plethora of hunky eye candy?
That’s a rhetorical question, kids. Between Matt Dallas (KYLE XY), Jon Bernthal (THE CLASS), Johann Urb (DIRT), Christian Alexander (GENERAL HOSPITAL) and Paul Gross (DUE SOUTH), EASTWICK easily wins the title “sexiest show on television.”
 
Has DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES gone to the same well once too often?
The Applewhites. The Mayfairs. Orson Hodge. Dave Williams. And now, the Bolen family with the brooding son, the brutish dad and the literally-scarred mom. Here’s hoping the show doesn’t try to drag the “who attacked Julie”/new family mystery out for the entire season, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that this show hasn’t ever learned from the mistakes of its own past.

If there was one downside to attending last night’s FOX Fall Eco-Casino Launch Party (see above photo of your very own TV Addict ‘gleeking’ out with a few familiar faces!) it was that I missed out on some fairly important premieres. Which is why yet again I’m turning it over to you — my far smarter and better looking readers — to put your critics hat on and post away with your thoughts on last night’s premieres of GOSSIP GIRL, ONE TREE HILL and THE JAY LENO SHOW.

“I know what you did this summer… and who!” — Blair to Serena
 
“Oh my God, Dan Humphrey’s been seduced by wealth! It had to happen. Even Frodo eventually gave in to the power of the ring.” — Vanessa
 
“I’m good at secret relationships. I’ve had a bit of practice.” — Nate

 
“I’m sure Blair and Chuck will be there if the murder/suicide I predicted hasn’t happened yet.” — Vanessa
 
“We could never be boring.” — Chuck to Blair

Welcome to our morning round-up of big/interesting TV news that you may have missed over the past 24 hours because unlike us, there’s a fairly good chance that have a life outside of the small screen.

On the very same day Michael Ausiello breaks the news that has Chuck Bass going gay in GOSSIP GIRL’s sixth episode of the season, the CW released the above photo. Coincidence, we think not! [EW]

From his Emmy-worthy performance on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, to his extra-curricular TV Land, Tony and upcoming Emmy hosting duties comes yesterday’s news that Neil Patrick Harris was tapped by AMERICAN IDOL to guest judge during the show’s recent audition stop in Dallas. Begging the question, is their anything the legendary NPH can’t do? I mean, aside from the whole getting married thing. [LATimes]

Take that America, Paris Hilton can read! How else to explain this recent paparazzi shot snapped upon her arrival in Vancouver for an upcoming guest spot on SUPERNATURAL. [Splash News]

TV-Tie-ins 101: GREY’S ANATOMY branded Kleenex boxes just in time for the sixth season premiere. [E! Online]

Say what you will about Joanna Garcia, but one thing’s for certain, she’s a survivor. Which is why, fresh off the untimely demise of last season’s delightful PRIVILEGED (moment of silence please), the talented and beautiful actress now finds herself with a pretty good consilation price — arm candy to the GOSSIP GIRL’s Nate Archibald. According to Michael Ausiello, Garcia will be sticking around for at least four episodes playing Bree Buckley, “an irreverent, slightly evil Miss America-type who hails from a conservative Southern family.” More photos of whom can be found after the jump.

Photo Credit: Giovanni Rufino / The CW © 2009