Ep 2. The Wild Brunch

Blair is still reeling from her break-up with Nate. She declines Serena's invite to breakfast and instead opts to wallow around her penthouse estate in her silk robe. Meanwhile, Dan is attempting to join the ranks of the elite Upper East Siders by attending the infamous Waldorf brunch. He is in attendance to rekindle his friendship with Nate, who he shares a bond with due to their mutual heartbreak over Blair and Serena's absence from the brunch.

Serena, however, is holed up in a dingy hotel room with her brother Eric, trying to cure her hangover. Though she has a date with Dan later in the day, Serena is struggling to contain her misgivings about her and Dan's past together.

At brunch, Chuck bursts in with two Japanese models by his side, and all chaos ensues. Blair is unimpressed with the models, but her mind changes when she discovers they've already been invited to the Van der Woodsens’ party later that night.

Dan and Vanessa run into each other while Vanessa is working at a coffee shop. Vanessa, who has feelings for Dan, is less than happy about his relationship with Serena but is happy to see that Dan has ambition. However, Vanessa is increasingly upset throughout the episode due to her feelings for Dan and the knowledge that they will never be together.

Serena eventually gets over her post-breakfast feelings, and her and Dan manage to have an afternoon date. They spend the day talking and wandering around the city, but things go awry after Dan makes a disastrous move.

The episode ends with Chuck being forced to confront his past actions while Blair is dealing with the fact that Nate is starting to date a rival Queen Bee.

Overall, the second episode of Gossip Girl serves to deepen the character development and plotlines from the pilot. It also introduces new conflicts, love interests, and sets up much of the drama that will develop throughout the season. The episode is a thrilling commentary on the wealthy and their various idiosyncrasies. It ends with just as much intrigue and tension as the pilot and whets the audience's appetite for the next episode.