Okay, confession time: growing up, I was a huge fan of young adult book series. I'm talking about "Sweet Valley High", "Sunset Island", and "Freshman Dorm", just to name a few. There was even one called "Boyfriends/Girlfriends" with was eventually renamed "Making Out." Oy. I've always harbored a secret desire to write the things, so I still troll the young adult section at Barnes & Noble sometimes, just to see what's currently popular. So I was doing that a few months ago, trying not to look creepy as I bumped into 10-year-olds, and I saw a series called "Gossip Girl." So I flipped through a few, and honestly, I was appalled. The jailbait girls on the covers were scantily clad, the characters seem spoiled, unlikable, and two-dimensional, and each book revolved more around sex and drugs than the last. After leaving the store, I actually called my bewildered mother to treat her to a scathing diatribe on young adult literature's contribution to the oversexed, irresponsible youth of America.
Little did I know I'd be recapping the television adaptation six months later
.
But don't worry. While I may irrationally overreact to trashy books, I LOVE trashy TV. And from what I saw of those books, this show is going to be pure sleaze, which is phenomenal. Bitchy, insecure hotties? Check. Questionably attractive pretty boys? Check. Underage drinking? Check. Allowance-bought narcotics? Check. Statutory rape? Check. And don't forget its premise: the daily lives of rich teenagers at a Manhattan Upper East Side boarding school, as reported via blog and text messaging by the all-knowing Gossip Girl, whose identity remains a secret. Yep, we've got a winner. And it's on directly after the crapfest of America's Next Unheard of Model. Excellent. Let's meet the players, shall we?
Serena
Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants): Our main character, Serena is rich and beautiful, as only people with last names of van der Woodsen can be. Serena is back in Manhattan after disappearing mysteriously a while back, and not even her best friends know what caused her to leave or what prompted her to finally return. I'm guessing her parents exiled her to have a b-a-b-y in some cottage in the Swiss Alps, like all knocked up little rich girls. Although, judging by this outfit she may have been taking time off to be a Hanes Her Way model. Serena 2.0 is different, and is sure to make waves with her old crowd, especially her BFF Blair...
Blair
Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester, Entourage): Serena's supposed best friend, meaning Blair will be spending most of her time seeing just how deep a knife can go in someone's back. Blair has been Head Plastic in Serena's absence, and is not too eager to relinquish that position. Cat fight! Not only will Blair be fighting to keep her loyal minions in line, but potentially her boyfriend Nate as well...
Nate
Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford, The Covenant): Eww, seriously? This guy? Gross. I don't know why the hell Serena and Blair are going to be fighting over Miami Vice here, but that's what the previews have been suggesting. Nate is evidently uneasy with all the privileges he's been handed by his rich daddy. Like, it's so hard to be rich, guys. We should totally give back to those less fort--HEY! You! Get your ass off my Lamborghini, you dirty bum! God, you smell like piss, and I just got this detailed! ...Now, what was I saying?
Chuck
Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick, Children of Men): In case the mussed hair and insolent gaze weren't clear enough, Chuck is our resident bad boy and a good friend of Nate's. Meaning either Serena or Blair (or both) will be sleeping with him soon, and it'll be a huge scandal. Can't wait, I love the bad boys. And this one's hot. And British. And legal, so I'm not a perv. Well, at least not as much of one.
Dan
Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley, John Tucker Must Die): This Justin Chambers/Elijah Wood lovechild is a <gasp> middle class kid there for the "quality education." Because of his financial shortcomings (I mean, omg, he only like drives an Audi, ew), Dan is on the fringes of the inner-circle. I'm sure one of the female leads will be slumming it with him in no time, while the rich boys try to kick his ass. He's the suburban version of Ryan Atwood. As I greatly prefer my Ryan Atwoods to wear wife beaters rather than North Face, I'll withhold judgment for now.
Jenny
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Comments (16)
I read these books a while back when there were only a couple and I thought they were pretty good. This show is going to be such a guilty pleasure, I can't wait for Wednesday!
1 of 16 | Posted by KiwiKerry4eva | Posted on September 17, 2007 7:00 AM
Are you sure you didn't accidentally put a picture of Jimmy Fallon instead of Chuck?!
2 of 16 | Posted by lizzypants | Posted on September 17, 2007 9:26 AM
OMG Lizzypants! You're so right. Now he's ruined! Noooooo!
3 of 16 | Posted by LoLo | Posted on September 17, 2007 9:30 AM
I read one of these books when I was housesitting at a house that has teenaged daughters...total trash. But I will probably take a peek at it.
4 of 16 | Posted by photochild | Posted on September 17, 2007 10:49 AM
Rufus is a "dad????" He looks so young!
Remember Girls Club? After only 2 (or 3) episodes it was canceled. It was so great! They pretty and they were lawyers dammit.
Hopefully this could fill a small a small part of a large void Girls Club (and Temptation Island) left.
5 of 16 | Posted by gnomecorp | Posted on September 17, 2007 6:15 PM
Holy crap! This show looks like craptastic, sleazy fun. However, if I start watching I may be legally required to turn in my penis.
If I can watch this show without my wife finding out and ridiculing me, I'll me checking it out. Otherwise, LoLo I will just read your recaps, which I can already tell will be hilarious.
Looks like "Cruel Intentions" reincarnated. Sleazy fun for all.
6 of 16 | Posted by JasonR | Posted on September 18, 2007 7:14 AM
Oh, and lizzypants as I read the preview and saw that guy's picture I was all excited to make the Jimmy Fallon joke, but you beat me to it. Hilarious.
7 of 16 | Posted by User Name | Posted on September 18, 2007 7:17 AM
i am a big fan of these books. and am very disturbed by a few things. first of all, chuch bass is gay in the book. not the resident bad boy who sleeps with all of the girls. and second, jenny is supposed to have HUGE breasts. she's supposed to be like 5' tall with double d's. i am already disappointed in the casting choices.....
8 of 16 | Posted by sweetjane | Posted on September 18, 2007 8:12 AM
Sweetjane-
Yeah, I had read somewhere that several of the characters would be different in the show than in the books, which might anger fans of the books. I'm sure it's the result of some focus group telling CW to make so-and-so nicer, meaner, funnier, etc. TV/movie adaptions of my favorite books are always somewhat of a letdown as characters/scenes inevitably get changed.
Although, I'm shocked that Jenny's supposed to have huge boobs. What focus group in America said no to huge boobs?
And remember, try to avoid posting spoilers from the books, because you never know if the TV show will work that in at some point. Thanks doll :)
9 of 16 | Posted by LoLo | Posted on September 18, 2007 11:13 AM
Whee! Glad this is being recapped. I'm all for trashy book adaptations. That guy playing Nate looks like a low-rent Ian Somerhalder :)
Lolo, if you like the YA books, might I suggest "Uglies," "Pretties," and "Specials" by Scott Westerfeld? They are legitimately good though, not trashy or sleazy.
10 of 16 | Posted by bevo | Posted on September 18, 2007 8:54 PM
I watched the premiere of Gossip Girl last night (airs on Tuesday's in Canada) I won't give anything away but I was kind of disappointed. I had higher expectations. Hopefully it will get better. It will introduce you to the characters and you quickly become either Team S or Team B. For the record: Team S!
11 of 16 | Posted by luna | Posted on September 19, 2007 6:13 AM
I watched it on tuesday, and thought it was pretty good for what it is - brainless dramatic sleeze. The first episode was a let down to me only because of the extended trailer they showed in the summer time, which was basically all the good scenes of the pilot.
12 of 16 | Posted by t-im | Posted on September 20, 2007 12:24 AM
ok- so i post again. despite the fact that there was a LOT that is different than the books, there's also a lot that is the same. i mean, verbatem lines from GG's website. so i liked it.
3 new things that bothered me though. 1- rufus is supposed to be a beatnik poet in the books, not a musician. although i guess i can live with that one. 2- rufus and lily don't have a history in the books. not sure i like that at all. and 3- eric is actually older than serena and off at college. which in the books is important. i won't say why on the off-chance that they somehow manage to use that as a storyline in the show. just know that i will not be happy now if they do.
and i was wrong about chuck- he actually does start out in the books as sexually aggressive towards the ladies (ie attacking jenny at the party). anyhoo- i will continue to watch the show until it just completely diverts from the books beyond all recognition!
13 of 16 | Posted by sweetjane | Posted on September 20, 2007 2:04 PM
when i was still a teen (i'm only 20 lol), i saw the gossip girl books at barnes&noble and always wanted to get one, but never ended up doing so... now i wish i had.
i'm in south america and episode 3 will be airing here next week so i'll be enjoying your recaps on this craptastic series behind most readers!
this series might just fill the void The O.C. left in my heart! LOL
14 of 16 | Posted by waternymph | Posted on November 24, 2007 2:34 PM
Welcome to the Gossip Girl party, waternymph! I'm sure B and S would say there's nothing wrong with a fashionably late entrance.
The show has really picked up in the past few weeks in my opinion, and is definitely filling my OC void. I hope you enjoy it as well!
15 of 16 | Posted by LoLo | Posted on November 24, 2007 3:20 PM
The girl who plays Jenny, Taylor Momsen, actually only lives like 3 miles away from me, and goes to a rival school. She does actually have big boobs, they just try and cover them up i guess in the show, and shes also apparently a huge bitch.
16 of 16 | Posted by preppyboy | Posted on February 5, 2008 9:42 AM