I’m aware that Gossip Girl, in its current fourth season, is a show much revered by tweens and is regarded as the new OC, a New York version of Beverly Hills 90210. Trashy, teen drama- little to no substance, no real value or worth. Mild entertainment, more vicarious rich kid melodrama. This is in many ways, incredibly true. Gossip Girl is, to be blunt, ridiculous. Chuck oozes on screen, playing unrealistic power games with Blair in which private detectives are hired, and private jets are used on a regular basis. Nate begins the summer of season two by sleeping with the stepmother of British Lord Marcus, who is Blair’s current boyfriend; until Blair and Nate discover that Lady Katherine and Lord Marcus, are in fact also sleeping together. The storylines have extended to include various sociopaths (Georgina, Juliet), princes, murder, jail sentences and presidential elections. The convoluted storylines become more and more obscene, until you find yourself not caring anymore, simply watching the show because it’s there. There is by no means appreciation for the character relations, the moments of supposed love, friendship and sadness, which we traditionally empathize with. You sit in front of the television/laptop thinking “WHAT!? Wasn’t Dan going out with Serena, and now he’s hooking up with Blair, but him and Serena are half brother and sister, and Jenny doesn’t seem to exist anymore, and what’s up with Serena’s cousin?”
However, if we return to the pilot episode of the first season of Gossip Girl, a disturbing revelation is to be had. Gossip Girl was once… quality? I’m not suggesting it by any means contains groundbreaking revelations on the human condition, or amazing performances by all actors involved, but what shocked me the most was the bittersweet revelation that the show had so much potential.
And by potential I mean, it had the chance to be beautiful. Gossip Girl could have been almost Gatsby-esque in its portrayals- it could have maintained the popular appeal it currently has due to its abundance of extremely good looking actors, and the instant allure of a ‘lifestyles of the rich and famous’ experience. But the first episode, there was attention to detail. There were gilt awnings, there were personal effects and bedrooms that looked like they belonged to someone- someone, who, despite being excessively wealthy and unfairly beautiful, you could have related to.
The show paid attention to the small details- the difference between something of substance, and something purely artificial, created for only mass appeal. The doorman's face when Serena entered Blair's Park Avenue townhouse, the cold clouds of breath that reminded you that it was winter in New York, the photo of Blair and Serena on Blair's antique bedside table. These details got lost along the way, replaced by bland sets, Serena's bedroom as impersonal as an Ikea Catalogue- as stale as the predictable plot twists the show now offers.
And the outfit Blair wore to her mother's party, an outfit I found incredibly memorable. Cross earrings, and a black lace dress with black sheer stockings. Channelling trends that were way ahead of the 2007 context.
Now the outfits on the show are forgettable- unrealistically opulent to the point of irritating.
Most importantly, the show has lost it's edge. When publicised in the U.S. the tagline for the show was "mind-blowingly inappropriate"- a PR technique that would have worked if the show lived up to the promise it displayed in the first few episodes. Gossip Girl had the chance to gain the edge and critical acclaim of Skins in that regard- it could have been a Beautiful and Damned portrayal, rather than something more Bold and the Beautiful.
The scene between Nate and Serena was dreamlike, hazy. Serena walked on the countertop of an abandoned bar, clutching a bottle of champagne. The camera seemed dizzy. Light reflected off her mane of blonde hair through the panelled church-like windows. She spilt champagne on Nate and then laughed, throwing her hair back as bubbles coated her dress.
Finally, some aesthetics that the title speaks of to be left with.
