Gossip Girl just dropped on Netflix again, and the 2000s teen drama is nothing short of iconic. From the New York City backdrop to the fashion and BlackBerry mobiles, it's one of those shows that everyone knows and loves. Well, apart from me.
While I am, of course, familiar with the hype around the series, I've never actually sat down and watched the show. I'm of the age where I refer to Penn Badgley as Joe from YOU rather than Dan from Gossip Girl. Sorry, millennials!
So, now the series is back on Netflix, I, as a self-describing member of Gen Z (I'm 23 and born in 1999. I definitely count, OK?), decided to sit down and binge-watch the first season. From the positives to the 'how the hell was this allowed to air', here are all of my thoughts on Gossip Girl.
What happened when I watched the original Gossip Girl for the first time
First of all, I love the aesthetic. This show is enough to make anyone want to book a flight to New York and have lunch on the steps of the Met. I like the escapism of the glitz and glamour of the lifestyle of the ultra rich (especially now we're in a cozzie livs!), with characters like Dan adding an element of much-needed realism. He's right, no 16-year-old needs that much of an attitude and that many designer clothes (yes, Blair Waldorf, I'm talking about you).
Speaking of ages, and like with the majority of teen dramas, I'm confused that these kids are meant to be around 16 or 17. No one can convince me that Nate isn't in his twenties and how are they being let into clubs and are that sexually active? I just hope they're getting proper sex education at their fancy school.
Also, I'm surprised to see that the series is a bit more diverse than I thought. There's a few women of colour but, so far, they're just the trusty side kicks or background characters. As usual. Considering the show was set in one of the most diverse cities in the world, you would have hopes that they would have thought of adding more people of colour to the cast. There has been improvement over the years regarding diversity in TV, but we still have a long way to go, it seems.
My biggest and most blazing thought is how the hell do people like Chuck Bass?! In two episodes, he's assaulted two different women is so creepy and sexist, I cringe every time he comes on my screen. Seriously, how was him saying "there's something wrong with that level of perfection, it needs to be violated" about a woman allowed to air? I'm confused how they manage to redeem his character and make him and Blair become the pop culture icons they are now (yep, even I know that.)
As well as that, it's interesting to see other elements of the show that would be deemed more problematic now. It wouldn't be the 2000s without toxic diet culture, for example, with Blair's mum telling her she'll never be as thin again in the first few episodes. Plus, the slut-shaming of Serena, Blair bullying and peer pressuring people like Jenny, and the general bitchiness between the female characters.Women being pitted against each other is so 2007.
On the positive side, I love Blake Lively's character, Serenas, and would say her and Dan are my favourites in the series so far. I can see how this character catapulted Blake's career, and rightly so. Plus, I love Dan's one-liners, dry sarcasm and cynicism!
So, will I be watching the next five seasons of Gossip Girl? Maybe! I'll admit that I've always wanted to be able to understand the references people make about the show and can now see how its earned its legendary status as one of the ultimate teen dramas. But, with current shows that are more diverse and try their best to speak about real life issues in comparison, I might spend my spare time binge watching them, instead.
One thing I will be implementing into my everyday vocabulary since watching, though, is 'XOXO, Gossip Girl'.
Gossip Girl is streaming on Netflix now.
Furvah Shah is Cosmopolitan UK’s junior entertainment and lifestyle writer. She covers everything from TV and films to music and books, plus lots of celebrity news. Furvah has previously written for The Independent, BBC, gal-dem and Amaliah and she is super passionate about highlighting diverse talent and projects, having interviewed the likes of Halle Bailey, India Amarteifio, Iman Vellani and more. She's been interviewed for Times Radio and BBC Asian Network, graduated with a First in BA Media and Communications from Goldsmiths University and is an NCTJ-qualified journalist. In her free time, you can find her at an arts or culture event, eating Middle Eastern or Asian food, searching for modest fashion inspiration on Pinterest, binge-watching a Netflix series or cuddling with her cat. You can follow Furvah on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
