I often wondered why they broadcast "Runaway" and "New York, New York" back to back.

Both episodes had similar themes with a trip to New York and a restaurant scene featuring the same restaurant set. The wallpaper of the set is the same in both episodes. The pay phone is in the same area. They just moved some things around.

Also it was odd that in Runaway, Blair was nervous about the streets of NYC while a week later, she is naive about the streets of NYC and is so trusting of strangers.

The producers hoped to build a spinoff around that restaurant, with characters like Kristy, the prostitute with the heart of gold who’s trying to better herself; her pimp Mike; troubled street kid Jessie; and crusty but lovable Bernice, who’s always there to give sage advice.

Well according to the production guide at this board, those two episodes weren't taped back to back. "The Affair" was taped between them. So maybe they weren't intended to air back to back?

The producers hoped to build a spinoff around that restaurant, with characters like Kristy, the prostitute with the heart of gold who’s trying to better herself; her pimp Mike; troubled street kid Jessie; and crusty but lovable Bernice, who’s always there to give sage advice.

:brent