Spotted: Upper East Siders back in Manhattan with more drama than ever before.
Thus goes the CW’s “Gossip Girl,” which has returned after an almost four-month hiatus. For those unaware, “Gossip Girl” is a show similar to “The OC,” “Beverly Hills 90210” or even “Dawson’s Creek” in how it glamorizes high school adolescence as overly mature and, of course, gorgeous. These Upper East Side, high school junior socialites can order drinks at any trendy bar or lounge in the city, have promiscuous sex, spend thousands of dollars on clothing and use vocabulary you haven’t seen since you studied for the SAT. Yet, despite its obvious absurdities, the show is sure to have any audience hooked immediately.
This week’s premiere episode introduced a slew of new dramas that will entice its viewers and continue its elite status. For instance, Blair (Leighton Meester) has become a leper, and the “A List” has officially exiled her after her loss of virginity scandal with Chuck (Ed Westwick), who is Sarena’s (Blake Lively) soon-to-be stepbrother. Blair’s old crew attempts to make her life miserable by dropping yogurt on her hair and standing her up to dinner at trendy Manhattan restaurant Butter, but throughout the episode, Queen Bitch B attempts to regain her status.
Furthermore, there is Jenny (Taylor Momsen), a Brooklynite who cannot financially keep up with her new Upper East Side friends. She is already in debt to new friend Hazel (Dreama Walker) from of a $120 brunch. Jenny crosses the line when she steals a $15,000 Valentino dress from one of the girls’ mothers to trade it in for a cheaper $800 Dolce and Gabbanna number. As a friendly gesture, Blair plans a surprise birthday party for Jenny, and the pink tablecloth, cake with a picture of Jenny and rice crispy treats produce one of the lamest events these Manhattanites have attended. Yet, Jenny’s new crew is even more surprised when she walks in wearing the Valentino gown she has stolen back from the store. I mean, “OMG!”
In the end, Blair temporally wins her crew back as they meet her back at Butter for cocktails. Momentarily it seems that Blair has regained her thrown, but Jenny is too smart to give up now. She shows up at the restaurant with Nate, a longtime crush of one of the girls, taking Blair’s seat at the table and once again pushing Blair out into the cold.
Serena’s new sibling rivalry continuously escalates throughout the episode as well. After receiving numerous inappropriate gifts — such as handcuffs, pornography, bottles of champagne at school (which she did not get in trouble for) and cocaine — Serena is convinced Chuck is trying to ruin her pristine reputation.
“Gossip Girl” portrays a group of wealthy high school teenagers who are completely over-the-top in their actions, yet for some reason, audiences can’t get enough of it. Ultimately, it’s a case of becoming victims to watching these high school dramas (case in point: “Mean Girls”). Before you know it, you will be calling your friends by their first initial and have adapted the vocabulary of “spotted” and “OMG.” Once again, I’m kidding.
4 stars out of 5