Series Review: Gossip Girl

I can’t believe that I’m only just writing a review of ‘Gossip Girl’, as it’s a series I’ve been meaning to watch for so long.

‘Gossip Girl’ concentrates on a group of teenagers (and then young adults) as they go through life living in New York. The majority of them live on the Upper East Side- a place that is full of wealth, secrets, and scandal. Throughout the whole series, the anonymous website, Gossip Girl, follows their every move, posting scandalous news which leads to break ups and make ups throughout the series.

The main characters are really what makes the series, and whether you love or hate them, your opinion of each one is bound to change throughout the series.

My favourite character was Blair Waldorff. She is the ultimate socialite, ruling high school by keeping a strict social hierarchy, and making sure that everyone is in a position below ‘Queen B.’

I thought Blair’s various exploits throughout the series were really funny to watch. Blair’s scheming is fantastic, and she is constantly making plans to make sure she ends up on top. The fact that she is intelligent and strong just made her all the better, and I loved the episodes where she mobilised the other girls in order to enact some kind of scheme.

Another character I loved throughout the series was Chuck Bass, another extremely rich-kid living on the Upper East Side. When the series first started, I hated Chuck- he was so slimy. But as the series progressed, his softer side was exposed, and his character becomes more than just a spoilt rich-kid. He apologises for his disgusting actions, and his character development is really interesting to watch.

The friendship/relationship between Chuck and Blair is so much fun to watch, and their intense moments really made the series what it was. They made the ultimate pairing, and their characters- although not always the nicest- were definitely the best of the series.

The main ‘star’ of the series- and of Gossip Girl- is Serena Van der Woodsen, with the series starting with her return from boarding school, and the mysterious events leading up to this.

Personally, I really disliked Serena. At times, I would feel sorry for her, but for the most part, she came across as a spoilt rich-kid, with too much time on her hands to cause problems for people. For me, Blair was a much better character, and somehow her scheming and planning was much more likeable than Serena’s.

Serena’s love life drove me up the wall- she had so many men fall at her feet, and she just seemed to never realise when she had a good thing, which was frustrating to watch. While Blair was scheming, savage and blunt, Serena was just bitchy. However, I do love Blake Lively and she played the character brilliantly!

One thing I loved about this series, other than the characters, was the setting. The series is set mainly in New York, and the glamorous parties and wardrobes of the Upper East Siders made me want to be a part of their life- even if there was a lot of corruption behind it.

I also loved the Brooklyn aspect of the series, which is where the Humphrey family live. They are the “poorest” family of the series. New York just seemed so cool, and I would love to visit Brooklyn- and go to the high-class parties of the Upper East Side.

I liked the use of a class difference, particularly the struggles Dan faces when trying to get into college, for example, or the way in which Jenny is forced to stoop to low levels in order to keep up with the girls in her posh high school.

As much as the female characters in this series were obviously obsessed with dressing nicely and wearing as much make-up as possible, I think characters such as Blair could be seen as role models. She clearly has high hopes for a career in the fashion industry, and when she wants something, she stops at literally nothing to get it- even if that means scheming against her enemies in order to ensure she wins.

The women are definitely the focus of this series, and characters such as Georgina also appealed to me in the fact that they will do anything it takes to succeed, and they continue to bounce back.

They also often outsmart the men, and Georgina in particular is portrayed as a clever and cutthroat woman. I think that harsh and strong-minded women are often portrayed as devious or ‘bossy’, and while this is partly true for this series, this scheming is very often seen as intelligent.

The women of ‘Gossip Girl’ certainly do not take a backseat in the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. Yes, it is a light-hearted programme full of twists and turns, and it is clear that it was made by the producers of ‘Pretty Little Liars’- but I really enjoyed watching it. It mixed just the right amount of intrigue and glamour to keep me interested. The characters were constant and interesting, and well-portrayed by the cast. I fell in love with Blair and Chuck in particular, but all the characters really added something to the show.

Despite its reputation as a light-hearted teen series, I loved every episode, and I’m so glad I watched right to the end, and found out the truth of who Gossip Girl was. Spoiler- you don’t find out until the very last episode…

There are plans to remake this series, and I’m both excited and nervous to see what they come up with. It will be exciting to see the characters on a modern backdrop- but the original is a lot to live up to.

Did you enjoy my review of ‘Gossip Girl’? Would you ever give this series a try? What are you watching at the moment?

Let me know any thoughts in the comments below!

Happy reading x

Picture credits here