Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is like watching a modern younger version of Friends only the characters drink illegally, participate in drug deals and commit adultery. This series is based in New York. Most of the characters attend NYU. This is one of those soap opera-esk shows.

A little background information: Dan and Jenny live Brooklyn, there Dad is a washed up band member of Ethan Hawk. Dan and Jenny attend a private school in the upper east side of Manhattan. Dan falls in love with Serena Vander Woodson who is best friends’ with Blair Waldorf both of which are socialites. Blair dated Nate Archibald member of one of the wealthiest families in Manhattan. Blair later comes to the conclusion that her deceitful and manipulative way is better suited for Chuck Bass and equally manipulative and powerful entrepreneur whose father is killed, but not before marrying Lilly Vander Woodson Serena’s mother who eventually remarries again, but this time to childhood sweetheart Rufus, Dan and Jenny’s father.

Sound confusing? Well it is. To the average viewer just looking for a good show to watch periodically this is not it. Gossip Girl is the type where you miss an episode you are completely lost. Only the more dedicated viewer who plans to watch the show religiously should attempt this series, and after a couple episodes this won’t be a task too difficult.

The most recent episode was rather controversial with its college age characters having a three-some. This episode did however have a moral hidden beneath the subtext, but in this case it wasn’t be careful about who your friends are or don’t drink and drive as you’d expect from a teenage sitcom, the lesson seemed to be when you have a three-some, given that all college students apparently have three-somes, the third person is always someone that you don’t know. In this one episode other than the promiscuity, the viewer also witnessed the downfall of a high school student into the drug world and marital lines being crossed with a politician just elected to office.

Another helpful lesson learned in this episode was you can manipulate people and get what you want. If you persevere and use blackmail, lie and pull some strings you’ll win. What are we teaching our kids?!

This episode was almost pulled before it was aired because of the bad message it might be sending to its young viewers, but why this sudden moral boundary, that line was crossed a long time ago.
The acting in the series is great. None of the actors had major roles before this series but some have started to branch off because of it. Many guest stars appear fairly often. Hilary Duff guest starred for a few episodes and last episode Lady Ga Ga performed.

This show is a great way to get to know New York on a personal level. The scenes take place all around the city really depicting its true beauty.

This show is an inside look at Manhattan’s elite, and it really makes you wonder, do people really act like this?

This was an entertaining show, but I would defiantly say is at least PG-13, there was no message at the beginning of the show warning about adult content. Maybe that’s because it airs at 9pm? Do kids really go to bed that early? Parents, Beware!