Gossip Girl

Almost 8 years have passed since I finished watching Gossip Girl. Missed it since very much.

It was a fun ride where I got to see and witness beauty, loveliness, memorable moments, naivety, sophistication, devilish and mischievous acts brought to life by a hord of extremely talented actors and actresses. Every one of them shone and played with near perfection. They brought me happiness and sadness. They brought me smiles and tears. I had the pleasure to live with them.

Who doesn't love the Upper East Side, its everyday life, surrounding and sceneries?

Who doesn't like the glossiness of the show varnished with devilish plots?

Who doesn't like the opulence of their everyday life?

And who doesn't like Blair Waldorf AKA Queen B?

She is my favorite character of the show. Beautiful, funny, mean and sensible at the same time, ever complaining (so sweet), always plotting mischief after mischief in ways that only she can pull it with ease, beauty and glory. Played by the ultra talented, glowingly beautiful and award-winning Leighton Meester who dazzles everyone with her smile, brings the series to life, gives it embodiment and makes it an unforgettable experience for all viewers and fans.

She is the epicentre of the show around whom all the others keep rotating and gravitating.

She is the one without whom the series wouldn't exist.

If you haven't watched it yet, please do so. Embrace its life like it's yours, let its current take you to the confines of the Upper East Side with its beauty and mystery and fully appreciate it.

XOXO

I watched this show in 2019-20 and it did nothing but make me wish I became a fan back when the show was considered relevant. I am currently writing this review at 4:38 AM because I just sat in my bed and binge watched season 6. I have been watching Gossip Girl for months. Initially, I was just looking for a show to watch in my free time. I then spent months using whatever free time I had with my eyes pressed to the screen. Some say the show is boring, but it is far from it. I can't possibly fathom how a show with this much drama can be called boring. It can get annoying how they can't ever have a public function without a side of public humiliation, but it's so fascinating you can't help but wonder what comes next. Ed Westwick was my favorite character on the show and had THE best character development out of everyone! The only complaint I have is finding another show to watch after I have dedicated months to completing Gossip Girl LMAO!

It's 2020 and I finally got around to watching this series. From start to finish there is so much wrong with it and so much right it left me loving it and hating it. At one point during my binge I felt enough is enough is enough and almost stopped. But, and there is always a but, I just had to know how the series ended, having no fore knowledge. The first two seasons showed me why it was such a talked about series. Then the roller coaster ride started. Same old stuff over and over only with a make over. The scheming, betrayals, and back-stabbing was getting on my nerves. If not for the occasional surprise to breakup the predictability and add new characters I might have given up. Fortunately, the guys kept it together enough to keep me interested. Not that the young ladies were not fantastic in their collective rolls. It was just that their characters were getting soooooooo annoying. The concept alone was great and even the worst episode had it high points. In short my rating started with a 10, bounced between 9 and 5 and was saved by the ending with 8 as the result.

I binged this show on Netflix and found it quite addicting, even when it became increasingly farcical in the later seasons. While the characters and story lines could be silly at points I have to say the acting was better than on most teen shows. Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick, Taylor Momsen and Kelly Rutherford were particularly strong. I loved the fashion, the NY setting, and the music. I adored the copious film references as well. While the non-stop bed hopping and relationship merry go round got annoying, one of the main couples has the best chemistry I've seen on any television show in years. These two are reminiscent of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara, a touch like Bonnie & Clyde and very Beatrice & Benedick. This one relationship really carries the show emotionally and makes it worth watching until the end to see how it is resolved.

There are a large number of negative reviews on IMDb so I also feel compelled to offer some warnings: It's not a realistic TV show. It's hyper-realistic. A fantastical soap opera if you will. If you're the type of person that gets annoyed over characters traveling from Brooklyn to the UES in 15 minutes don't watch. You'll go mad.

It's not a show with warm fuzzy ethical teen show protagonists like Sandy or Seth Cohen. I was a big fan of The OC. This show has some similarities but is much darker and much more satirical. The characters on Gossip Girl that you expect to be the moral center (the "poor outsiders") end up being quite devious while the clearly wicked rich bad characters end up being the most emotionally compelling. Every lead character is gray. If you need a show with clearly delineated heroes and villains don't watch. You'll hate everyone by the end.

It's not a show with a moral code. It neither reflects traditional conservative values nor progressive liberal values. If you need a show that promotes "good values" of either kind, I'd stay away.

It deviates wildly from the books. If that matters to you, stay away.

But if you want a glossy glitzy glamorous guilty pleasure filled with beautiful people like Chace Crawford and Blake Lively, tons of drama, fashion, and some over the top but emotionally compelling characters and relationships? Give it a shot.

The show has nothing to do with reality nor common sense, but I still love it. It's a nice escape from my every day life but I sometimes am bothered by all the very unrealistic events and characters. All the characters for example, have an incredibly high tolerance for remixing, reworking and rehashing the drama in their own lives. There were times when I felt fed up with all the new characters and the drama which created disjointed mess but there still are high points within the seasons. I miss Jenny and Vanessa as characters, especially Jenny who was one of the most down to earth characters. I love how things go with Chuck Bass and Blair but somehow I have the feeling that the character of Dan is missing the point. I'm not sure if it's the actor who's playing him or the screenwriters who slowly but very certainly 'kill' Dan's personality. And of course, there's Nate whose existence on the show I still can't figure out. All the critics aside, like I said in the beginning, it's a really enjoyable show which does its job - it entertains us.