The first installment of the television series based on the popular books by Cecily von Ziegesar premiered Wed., Sept. 19 on The CW. The teen drama offers a relative smorgasbord of glitz, glamour, seduction and deception set against the backdrop of Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
A devout fan of the recently canceled Fox series, The O.C., I had high hopes for Gossip Girl, produced by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, former producers of The O.C. Far from the pristine beaches of Newport, Gossip Girl is filmed in New York City, a character in itself, lending a hip, sophisticated atmosphere to the show.
Having read the first few books in the Gossip Girl series, I was less than excited to see that Blake Lively would be playing the central role of the beautiful it-girl, Serena Van der Woodsen. But Lively takes a swift departure from her role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, revealing a likable character who is both edgy and mysterious. She plays her part effortlessly and shows a compassion and maturity far above her fashionable friends.
One of these such friends is Blair Waldorf, played convincingly by Leighton Meester of Entourage. Another privileged it-girl, Blair has been best friends with Serena since childhood yet has never managed to escape her shadow. At the heart of this friendship is Blair’s insecurity, which has left her bitter toward Serena. After Serena mysteriously leaves Manhattan to attend boarding school on her own accord, Blair takes advantage of her opportunity to become top girl in their sophisticated circle. The show begins with Serena’s return to the Upper East Side, leading to a reunion fraught with bitterness and competition.
It is implied Serena has changed her ways a bit from the alcohol-ridden party girl she once was, yet she is still just as charming as ever. Throughout the show, I find myself feeling immensely sorry for these privileged, superficial teens who constantly live in fear they will lose their status in the social circle. This deception within the circle is exemplified through Blair’s boyfriend, Nate, played by Chace Crawford of The Covenant. Nate has a long-term relationship with Blair, yet he feels conflicted with his father’s ambitions for him and even with Blair, it seems. But wait, why does Nate seem so excited when Serena returns? Let’s just say Blair might have a legitimate reason to be jealous of Serena.
Throughout the show, I find myself fascinated by this world so different from my own. Sure catty girls are everywhere, but something about these high-fashion friends who club hop and steal each other’s boyfriends won’t let me take my eyes off them. Call it the fascination of the abomination, if you will.
The anonymous “gossip girl” narrates throughout the show, giving her fans front row access to the drama unfolding. While this concept is important to the plot, adding mystery to the identity of one who knows everything before anyone else, it comes across as a bit cheesy. “Gossip girl” constantly comments on each character and her activities, using cliché lines.
But one can overlook this flaw, when the character of Dan played by Penn Badgley of John Tucker Must Die comes into play. Dan is a middle-class teen who, along with his sister Jenny, has just moved in with his dad, a divorced ex-rocker. Badgley delivers what he does best, playing a sweet, unpopular guy who falls for the hot, popular girl — in this case, Serena. I love the interactions between Badgley and Lively and am excited to see their relationship unfold.
While Gossip Girl fails to replace The O.C., my all-time favorite teen drama, it provides an entertaining plot along with the mystique of “gossip girl,” which keeps me begging for more. It might not be what you would call “edifying,” but after a long day of classes, I rather enjoy losing myself in this world of glamour and debauchery for an hour.
