SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18

"GOSSIP GIRL" � (6:00-7:00 p.m. ET)

"Seventeen Candles" (TV-PG, D) (HDTV)

IT'S BLAIR'S SEVENTEENTH BIRTHDAY PARTY! � Devastated by the current state of her relationship with Nate (Chace Crawford) and still dealing with the guilt from her recent indiscretion, Blair (Leighton Meester) puts on a happy face for her 17th birthday party and attempts to hide the truth from her friends. Hoping to ease the tension between Serena (Blake Lively) and Vanessa (guest star Jessica Szohr), Dan (Penn Badgley) takes Vanessa to Blair's party so the girls can have some bonding time, but this only ends up making Serena more uncomfortable. Jenny (Taylor Momsen) brings her mom (guest star Susan Misner) home for a surprise visit, but Rufus (Matthew Settle) may not be ready to forgive and forget. Nate's parents (guest stars Sam Robards and Francie Swift) ask him to make a huge sacrifice in an effort to salvage his father's business as he faces charges of embezzlement and fraud. Ed Westwick and Kelly Rutherford also star. The episode was directed by Lee Shallat Chemel and written by Felicia D. Henderson (#107).