This week on Non-Judging Breakfast Pod, Leif and Steve break down Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 17: “Empire of the Son,” an episode packed with daddy issues, secret affidavits, emotional implosions, and one very frozen kiss. From Bart Bass’s legacy of trauma to Serena’s worst decision-making instincts, the guys unpack one of the most pivotal episodes of Season 4.

With corporate warfare at the Empire, friendships tested, and a romantic line crossed that can’t be uncrossed, this episode marks a major tonal shift as the show heads into a long hiatus.

1. Is Bart Bass really dead… or just Gossip Girl dead?
2. How long can Dan and Blair pretend this was “just curiosity”?
3. What happens now that Lily has turned herself in?
4. Is Serena about to pivot straight back into old patterns?

1. Steve: B+
2. Leif: B (upgraded to a B+ emotionally once Ben exits the chat)

“Empire of the Son” is a turning-point episode—emotionally heavier, more character-driven, and finally rewarding long-term tension (even if it leaves us painfully blue-balled). With major reveals, evolving dynamics, and the promise of chaos ahead, this is peak Gossip Girl momentum heading into hiatus.

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

This week on The Non-Judging Breakfast Pod, Leif and Steve dive into Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 16, “While You Weren’t Sleeping.” With nonstop Rolling Stones references, drug-filled tulips, and a chaotic Upper East Side birthday party, this episode packs in classic Gossip Girl excess.

The hosts break down Blair’s unraveling at W, Dan accidentally becoming a drug mule, and Eric’s $100,000 birthday problem. They also unpack Chuck and Lily’s corporate espionage scheme, Nate’s accidental seduction of Raina Thorpe, and Serena once again choosing family over logic.

Plus:

1. A behind-the-scenes shoutout from director Norman Buckley
2. Why Dan & Blair’s chemistry is the emotional core of the episode
3. Damien Dalgaard’s final, audacious play
4. Vanessa’s perfectly timed (and deeply annoying) return
5. Rolling Stones Easter eggs you probably missed
6. Episode grades, Stockwatch, and a trip to the Television Without Pity forums

Is this the episode where Dair truly begins? And is Ben… actually terrifying? Grab a mimosa and settle in.

XO, XO—Non-Judging Breakfast Pod ☕🥐

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

☕️ The coffee is strong, the waffles are fresh, and the Gossip Girl discourse is heated.

This week, Leif and Steve recap Season 4, Episode 15 of Gossip Girl, originally aired on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2011. Loosely inspired by the classic film It Happened One Night, the episode sends Serena and Ben on the road, Blair into full social-climbing overdrive, and the rest of the Upper East Side into various states of romantic confusion.

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

Episode Summary

Spotted: our favorite pod hosts breaking down Panic Roommate, where Blair and Dan get a little too comfortable crossing enemy lines, Serena’s love life crashes harder than a Constance Billard laptop, and Chuck spirals into classic Chuck chaos. Meanwhile, the roommate situation? Let’s just say panic wasn’t optional.

What We Cover

• Dair chemistry that no one ordered (but everyone’s watching)

• Serena’s latest romantic disaster—bless her heart

• Chuck making choices… questionable ones

• Roommates behaving badly

• The hosts’ hottest takes, shadiest comments & most dramatic predictions

Episode Vibes

• Secrets rising. Tempers flaring. Drama guaranteed. XOXO.

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

In this episode of The Non-Judging Breakfast Pod, Leif and Steve tackle Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 13 — “Damien Darko.” As the holiday season rolls in, the drama heats up on the Upper East Side. Serena's life gets tangled with the return of Ben, while Eric grapples with his own choices and friendships. Meanwhile, Blair and Dan's rivalry takes an unexpected turn as they navigate their internships at W Magazine.

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

In this episode of The Non-Judging Breakfast Pod, Leif and Steve dive into Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 12 — “The Kids Are Not Alright.” Buckle up: it’s a corporate-soap-opera fever dream.

Looks like the Upper East Side is done playing nice. Deals are struck, betrayals are brewing, and one little Bass is caught in the crossfire. When business turns personal, even our favorite insiders can’t predict who will rise, who will fall... and who’s about to lose everything. XOXO.

We unpack:

• Chuck vs. Lily vs. Russell Thorpe — the Bass family business meltdown no one asked for but we all enjoy.
• Serena’s latest crisis, featuring questionable decisions, an unreliable Dan, and a whole lot of miscommunication.
• Blair’s big-girl career moment and whether her internship ambitions are inspiring or delusional.
• Nate and Raina, workplace romance edition, and why Nate is somehow always employed despite being Nate.
• Every wild twist, petty move, and Upper East Side power play that made this episode a chaotic delight.

Plus: fashion notes, unhinged quotes, and plenty of Lincoln Hawk slander/appreciation (your mileage may vary).

00:00 – Intro & Lincoln Hawk agenda

03:10 – Where everyone stands after last week

07:45 – The Bass Industries corporate war

14:30 – Serena, Dan, and… consequences?

22:40 – Blair vs. the career ladder

32:50 – Nate, Raina, and Thorpe drama

40:00 – Episode superlatives & chaos rankings

49:20 – Final thoughts & predictions

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

Leif and Steve dive into Gossip Girl Season 4, Episode 11, “The Townie,” where Serena and Blair go full detective mode in search of Juliet. From boarding school mysteries and shady family secrets to Chuck’s questionable schemes and Dan’s unexpected hero moments, the boys break down every chaotic twist in this mid-season thriller. Buckle up, Upper East Siders — this one is messy.

• Serena & Blair’s road-trip investigation
• Juliet’s backstory and the Ben reveal
• Chuck's drama… because of course
• Dan stepping into his savior era
• Vanessa’s involvement and why everyone forgot she exists
• Predictions & iconic quotes from the episode
• NJBP’s signature fan theories + unhinged tangents

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.

💋 Episode Description:

Spotted: Serena van der Woodsen waking up in a hospital bed with no memory and a needle’s worth of deception in her veins. As secrets spread faster than a Blair Waldorf text blast, loyalties crumble, truths twist, and Thanksgiving turns into a full-course serving of manipulation. Looks like this holiday, no one’s giving thanks — they’re just giving alibis. XOXO.

⏱️ Show Notes & Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome Back, Upper East Siders

Leif and Steve dive straight into the chaos, recapping where we left off and teasing the emotional fallout to come.

02:40 – Serena’s Breakdown: Victim or Villain?

The hosts unpack Serena’s shocking overdose setup — is she naïve, or just another casualty in Juliet’s long con?

07:25 – Juliet’s Master Plan Unraveled

A deep dive into Juliet’s manipulation game: from Ben’s wrongful imprisonment to Serena’s drugging, Leif and Steve explore how this arc cements her as one of Gossip Girl’s most ruthless antagonists.

13:40 – Blair’s Crisis of Conscience

Blair tries to balance loyalty with her trademark scheming. The pod discusses her moral conflict — does she finally grow, or just pivot her power plays?

18:55 – Chuck Bass: Savior or Strategist?

The boys debate Chuck’s motivations in rescuing Serena and confronting Juliet — has he evolved since his darker arcs, or is this just another redemption performance?

24:30 – Rufus and Lily: Parent Trap, UES Edition

Rufus’s judgmental spiral and Lily’s guilt take center stage. The hosts break down the adult drama and how it mirrors Serena’s own fall from grace.

30:50 – Nate’s Family Drama: The Archibald Redemption Tour

Nate’s storyline collides with his parents’ scandal. Leif points out the parallels between Nate’s family facade and Serena’s unraveling.

36:20 – Thanksgiving on the UES

The pod dissects how “Gaslit” reinvents Gossip Girl’s iconic Thanksgiving chaos — this time replacing turkey with betrayal and cranberry sauce with consequences.

42:00 – Fallout and Forgiveness

The episode ends with Serena leaving town and Juliet disappearing — or does she? Steve predicts the ripple effects heading into the next episode.

47:10 – Final Thoughts & Stockwatch

The hosts crown their MVP of the episode, debate who gaslit best, and rate the Thanksgiving drama on a “Pumpkin Pie to Full Chaos” scale.

🥂 Episode Takeaway:

Deception may be the main course, but guilt is the dessert nobody ordered.

----------------------------------

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.

📱 Follow us on Threads, IG & X @NonJudgingPod

🧇 Leave a review if you love waffles and wild plot twists

🔗 http://nonjudginbreakfastpod.com

🔗 http://njbpod.captivate.fm/discord

----------------------------------

Produced by Leif Capicola and Steve Marchion.

Edited and mixed by Leif Capicola.

The Gossip Girl Theme Performed By Steve Marchion.