JR LATE NIGHT TV SHOW REVIEW OF THE MONTH:
GOSSIP GIRL
JR's TV Buzz Rating: tuvwxyz{|}s
LIST OF BLOG CONTENTS:
JR's FEATURED SHOW VIDEO9.1 Gossip Girl: While You Weren't Sleeping Episode Preview
9.2 Does Ed Westwick Prefer Blair or Serena?
JR's TV SHOW REVIEW10.1 JR's Rating Breakdown
10.2 TV Show Title and Introduction
10.3 TV Show Format / Concept
10.4 Performance of the Cast
10.5 Public Popularity Hit
10.6 Use of Comedy / Drama
10.7 JR's General Perceptions and Suggestions
TV SHOW DETAILS
Name of the TV Show: Gossip Girl
Date of TV Premiere: 19 September 2007
Format: Romantic Teen Drama
Executive Producers: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, Bob Levy, Leslie Morgenstein, John Stephens
Show Creator: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage
Original Channel: The CW
Metacritic Rating: 54
TV.com Show Score: 8.5 - Great (out of 10,201 votes)
Running Time: 39-42 minutes (1hr with commercials)
Debut TV Rating: 3,500,000 Viewers
Official Website: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/gossip-girl
Show Opening Theme: Transcenders
Sources:
1. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl)
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to New York's Upper East side where the wealthy and connected mingle at benefits and try to deal with their always dramatic love lives, not to mention picking colleges. Blair Waldorf is the so-called toast of adolescence in her world; she and her friends, Kati Farkas and Isabel Coates, go to a prep school and fancy parties with their rich parents. Blair is envied by her adversaries because she is thought to have the perfect life, not just because of her gorgeous boyfriend, Nate Archibald, but because she's also planning on getting into her dream college, Yale. With everyone worried about college(or procrastinating on worrying, which everyone seems to be doing), and senior year dragging along, her seemingly perfect life is interrupted by her ex-best friend, the beautiful Serena van der Woodsen, coming back into town after getting kicked out of boarding school. Serena comes back into her life...
Sources:
1. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl)
CAST
1. BLAKE LIVELY (as Serena Van Der Woodsen)
Nickname: S
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Birthdate: 7 July 1991 (age 19)
It girl of the Upper East Side and best friend of Blair Waldorf. Recently returned from a Connecticut boarding school for reasons unknown to her friends, as was her departure from Manhattan a year prior to the show's beginning. Serena van der Woodsen comes across as down-to-earth for someone from the UES, but things, relationships (Dan, Nate) and opportunities (fashion shoots) seemed to be handed to her on a silver platter. Serena's past as the partying and whoring as 'it girl' causes her to leave Manhattan for mysterious reasons. Even more mysterious, she abruptly returns to the high society world of Manhattan. She is described as being breathtakingly beautiful and tall with blonde hair.
2. LEIGHTON MEESTER (as Blair Waldorf)
3. PENN BADGLY (as Dan Humphrey)
Nickname: N
Age: 19
Torn between Serena and Blair – both of whom he has romantic histories with, the so-called golden boy also frequently finds himself making life decisions. His closest friend is Chuck Bass.
5. TAYLOR MOMSEN (as Jenny Humphrey)
Nickname: Little J
Birthplace: presumably New York
Birthdate: 30 March 1993 (age 17)
Introduced as a freshman at Constance Billiard with a desire to carve her own place in the in-crowd, Jenny is impressionable and quickly becomes the pawn of several characters. She, amongst other girls, harbors a crush for Nate Archibald. She also has a tight-knit relationship with her brother, Dan, which proves handy as she finds herself in frequent need of help due to her bad judgment.
6. ED WESTWICK (as Chuck Bass)
Nickname: Chuck
Birthdate: 19 May 1991 (age 20)
Cynical, world-weary, handsome and suave, Chuck has no qualms about living life on the edge. The childhood best friend of Nate, his reputation of womanizing and a patron of baser habits make them complete opposites. He is the only son of Bart Bass, and his mother is thought to be deceased (died in childbirth). Portrayed firstly as the 'bad boy' of the group, Chuck demonstrates a nicer side in the succeeding episodes when he lends Nate $10,000 to get out of a shady poker game, falls in love with Blair, and acts as a surprisingly supportive stepbrother to Serena and her brother Eric.
7. JESSICA SZHOR (as Vanessa Abrams)
Nickname: V
Age: 19
The childhood best friend of Dan Humphrey. Prior to Dan's relationship with Serena, she and Dan were inseparable, and the two developed a mutual attraction that was dashed when she moved to Vermont. Unlike most of the cast, Vanessa is home-schooled, and thus has the free time to man a café she added to Rufus's art gallery during his summer absence.
8. CONNOR PAOLO (as Eric Van Der Woodsen)
Nickname: E
Age: 18
The troubled younger brother of Serena and heir to the Van Der Woodsen fortune, his suicide attempt becomes the catalyst for Serena's homecoming. Revealed his homosexuality later on in season one to everyone, after his boyfriend Asher pretends to have a relationship with Jenny Humphrey. His friendship with Jenny is repaired after she apologizes in the beginning of the second season. They soon become best friends through the second season. This once again falls apart during Season 3 after Jenny accepts her role as Queen Bee but soon, Eric makes amends with her after Serena's accident. He then begins to date Jonathan Whitney but their relationship falls apart due to Eric's once obsessive need to "teach Jenny a lesson". In the next season, he begins dating a bisexual named Elliot.
20 MUST-WATCH EPISODES
(based on the Top Episodes listed on TV.com)
1. "Empire of the Son" (Season 4, Episode 17 - 28 February 2011)
4. "Gaslit" (Season 4, Episode 10 - 29 November 2010)
9. "The Witches of Bushwick" (Season 4, Episode 9 - 15 November 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 149 votes)
-- Chuck throws a masquerade. Serena is told to choose between Dan and Nate. Jenny comes back and helps Vanessa and Juliet try to screw Serena over.
10. "Double Identity" (Season 4, Episode 2 - 20 September 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 176 votes)
-- Living her fairytale in Paris, Blair finds a handsome young man named Louis, who she suspects is part of Monaco's royal family. Lily asks Serena to help her find Chuck. Meanwhile, Chuck is adjusting to Paris perfectly with his new woman, Eva at his side. Meanwhile, on the Upper East Side, Juliet offers Nate help getting Serena back, suggesting trying to get Dan and Vanessa back together and breaking the Dan-Serena-Nate triangle.
11. "Panic Roommate" (Season 4, Episode 14 - 7 February 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 74 votes)
-- Chuck wants to make Raina in love with him to save Bass industries. Blair wants Nate to help her boss by making her sleep with him. Ben moves in with Dan. Damien wants to get rid of Ben so he lies about Ben to get rid of him.
12. "Goodbye Columbia" (Season 4, Episode 5 - 11 October 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 129 votes)
-- On this episode of Gossip Girl, Juliet is doing whatever she can to destroy Serena. She started a vicious rumor on Gossip Girl that Serena has an STD. Now she has Vanessa worrying that Dan may have slept with Serena since they started dating. Juliet frames Vanessa into taking the fall for an email that nearly gets Serena expelled. But Juliet isn't the only one trying to sabotage some of New York's elite. Chuck wants to avenge Blair for making his girlfriend Eva leave him. He plans to take away the one thing that means most to her, just like she did to him. He's going to get her kicked out of Columbia.
13. "Damien Darko" (Season 4, Episode 13 - 31 January 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 80 votes)
-- Blair is really excited when she lands an internship at W Magazine, but the emotion fades quickly when she learns that Dan also got one of the coveted positions as well. Meanwhile, Chuck has meet his match in Russell and his daughter Raina. Nate receives bad news about his father's business prospects. And a secret Eric has been keeping for a while comes out while he mysteriously hangs out with Damien Darko.
14. "While You Weren't Sleeping" (Season 4, Episode 16 - 21 February 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 77 votes)
-- It's Eric's 18th birthday and there is plenty of drama in the Upper East side. Blair decides to speed up her plans for her future as a powerful woman, but goes too far. Serena has to choose between her family and Ben. Chuck and Lily's relationship remains icy after Lily's betrayal.
15. "The Ex-Files" (Season 2, Episode 4 - 22 September 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 439 votes)
-- Blair and her 'Posse' interview different girls to decide whether or not they would be inducted into their 'clique'. Dan bumps into new student Amanda and they form an instant bond however, Blair and her 'posse' attempt to sabotage Dan and Amanda's friendship by inducting her as the new girl in their 'clique' meanwhile, Serena meets a new lust interest and Vanessa meets with the Duchess.
16. "The Undergraduates" (Season 4, Episode 3 - 27 September 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 160 votes)
-- Blair and Serena attend their first day at Colombia, and they quickly realize that the drama in New York is no short of the drama in Paris. Blair tries to join an ultra-exclusive secret society Hamilton House. Meanwhile, Serena starts to suspect Nate's new friend Juliet may have an enormous agenda against her. In addition, Rufus takes matters into his own hands with Dan's new situation.
17. "Juliet Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (Season 4, Episode 8 - 8 November 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 122 votes)
-- Nate discovers that Juliet is hiding more from him than she already is and ropes in Vanessa with his plans. Serena and Colin make an important step in their relationship. Meanwhile, Chuck and Blair engage in their continued loathing of each other in their unique way.
18. "It-Girl Happened One Night" (Season 4, Episode 15 - 14 February 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 77 votes)
-- With Russell Thorpe trying to takeover of Bass Industries, Chuck makes one last effort to save his families company. Blair gets an challenge at W Magazine with the promise of a promotion. Meanwhile, Serena struggles with her feelings for Ben.
19. "Woman on the Verge" (Season 1, Episode 17 - 12 May 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 501 votes)
-- Serena slips back into her old habits because she is ashamed of her secret. She eventually reveals it and her friends Blair, Nate and Chuck have to put their differences aside, in order to help her. Unfortunately, Serena is too ashamed to share the truth with Dan, therefore he assumes the worse about his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Rufus is excited when his band is invited to perform at a Rolling Stone-sponsored concert, but Lily is the last person on earth he expects to see at the performance, especially since her wedding rehearsal dinner is the same night
20. "School Lies" (Season 1, Episode 12 - 2 January 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.1 Great (based on 516 votes)
-- Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck and the rest of their friends break into the school swimming pool for a night of fun, but when someone nearly dies, the school threatens to expel the person responsible for the break-in. Everyone agrees to keep silent, but this creates major problems between Serena and Dan, because Dan is not ready to take the fall for someone else and risk his future. While working on a documentary project about private schools, Vanessa accidentally captures Blair and Chuck discussing their affair. Meanwhile, Lily tries to tell Rufus how she really feels about him.
Source:
1. TV.com (http://www.tv.com/gossip-girl/show/68744/episode.html?tag=list_header;paginator;Top%20Episodes&season=Top%20Episodes)
***No copyright infringement intended, all images used in this part of the blog still remains to be owned by The TV.com.
SHOW TRIVIAS
Was originally pitched as a feature with Lindsay Lohan as Blair Waldorf. When that fell through, its backers (who had the rights to the stories) approached Josh Schwartz about turning it into a series. Originally, Georgina Sparks was offered to Mischa Barton, who turned down the role. Michelle Trachtenberg was then cast as Georgina Sparks. Every episode title is a word play on the title of a movie. The Gossip Girl TV series is based off of the Best Selling Novels "Gossip Girl" written by 'Cecily Von Ziegesar'. The name of Rufus' band, "Lincoln Hawk", is also the name of Sylvester Stallone's character in the movie Over the Top (1987). That movie is mentioned several times as being a cult-classic in "The O.C." (2003), the previous show from Josh Schwartz, the creator of this series. Leighton Meester had to dye her naturally blonde hair brunette merely to audition for the role of Blair Waldorf. The show's beginning date took place, chronologically, after it was aired. The show aired in Canada on September 18, 2007 and aired in the US on September 19, 2007. The show starts on Wednesday September 23, 2007 and ends on Saturday September 26, 2007, thus all dates in the Pilot fall after their air date. Blair Waldorf lives at 1136 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10128 in the penthouse. Chuck Bass and Serena van der Woodsen live in suites at 455 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 - otherwise known as the Palace Hotel. The character of Lily van der Woodsen was originally named Darla, until the writers changed it at the last moment. The series has become so popular that a tour of Gossip Girl sites has been created in New York City, by the same people who created the "Sex and the City" (1998) Tour.
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
SCENES FROM THE SHOW
Source: http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20090203/425.meester.crawford.lc.020309.jpg
Source: http://www.tvguide.com/images/pgimg/gossip-girl57.jpg
Source: http://cdn.purseblog.com/images/gossip-girl-on-steps.jpg
Source: http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2000000/Gossip-Girl-gossip-girl-2024112-1024-768.jpg
JR's FEATURED SHOW VIDEO
Video #1:
GOSSIP GIRL: WHILE YOU WEREN'T SLEEPING EPISODE PREVIEW
by: cwgossip (15 February 2011)
Video #2
DOES ED WESTWICK PREFER BLAIR OR SERENA?
by: itn (3 May 2009)
JR's TV SHOW REVIEW
RATING BREAKDOWN:
TV Show Title and Introduction = 17/20
TV Show Format/Concept = 16/20
Performance of the Cast = 18/20
Public Popularity Hit = 15/20
Use of Comedy/Drama = 19/20
TOTAL TV SHOW BUZZ RATING: 85/100
tuvwxyz{|}s
GOSSIP GIRL
5. 
>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397442/trivia
6.
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4ER6YMZ6s
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKbofV0i8E0
7. Blog Post Images Sources
>> http://kvwong.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/10.jpg
>> http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20090203/425.meester.crawford.lc.020309.jpg
>> http://www.tvguide.com/images/pgimg/gossip-girl57.jpg
>> http://cdn.purseblog.com/images/gossip-girl-on-steps.jpg
>> http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2000000/Gossip-Girl-gossip-girl-2024112-1024-768.jpg
1. BLAKE LIVELY (as Serena Van Der Woodsen)Nickname: S
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Birthdate: 7 July 1991 (age 19)
It girl of the Upper East Side and best friend of Blair Waldorf. Recently returned from a Connecticut boarding school for reasons unknown to her friends, as was her departure from Manhattan a year prior to the show's beginning. Serena van der Woodsen comes across as down-to-earth for someone from the UES, but things, relationships (Dan, Nate) and opportunities (fashion shoots) seemed to be handed to her on a silver platter. Serena's past as the partying and whoring as 'it girl' causes her to leave Manhattan for mysterious reasons. Even more mysterious, she abruptly returns to the high society world of Manhattan. She is described as being breathtakingly beautiful and tall with blonde hair.
2. LEIGHTON MEESTER (as Blair Waldorf)Nickname: B
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Birthdate: 10 November 1990 (age 20)
Queen Bee of the social scene of Manhattan and Constance Billard High School. An only child, she is introduced as the daughter of a divorced fashion designer mother and a homosexual father and the longtime girlfriend of Nate Archibald although she also fell for and is dating Nate's best friend Chuck Bass. Blair is often portrayed as haughty, shallow, intelligent, and scheming. Despite her uptight, frivolous nature, she "works for everything she's ever gotten", in contrast to Serena, and despite her snobbish ways, she is a good friend and constantly looks out for those she cares about. She is described as a stunning and beautiful brunette of medium height.3. PENN BADGLY (as Dan Humphrey)Nickname: Lonely Boy
Age: 19
A loner, he is the son of a rock musician turned art gallery owner, Rufus Humphrey, his absentee mother Allison Humphrey, and the elder brother of Jenny Humphrey. Dan is an aspiring writer who dedicates his first poem to Serena and later becomes an assistant to a popular writer. He initially dreamed of attending college at Dartmouth, but decided to pursue Yale, believing it to have the better English faculty.
4. CHACE CRAWFORD (as Nate Archibald)
Age: 19
Torn between Serena and Blair – both of whom he has romantic histories with, the so-called golden boy also frequently finds himself making life decisions. His closest friend is Chuck Bass.
5. TAYLOR MOMSEN (as Jenny Humphrey)Nickname: Little J
Birthplace: presumably New York
Birthdate: 30 March 1993 (age 17)
Introduced as a freshman at Constance Billiard with a desire to carve her own place in the in-crowd, Jenny is impressionable and quickly becomes the pawn of several characters. She, amongst other girls, harbors a crush for Nate Archibald. She also has a tight-knit relationship with her brother, Dan, which proves handy as she finds herself in frequent need of help due to her bad judgment.
6. ED WESTWICK (as Chuck Bass)Nickname: Chuck
Birthdate: 19 May 1991 (age 20)
Cynical, world-weary, handsome and suave, Chuck has no qualms about living life on the edge. The childhood best friend of Nate, his reputation of womanizing and a patron of baser habits make them complete opposites. He is the only son of Bart Bass, and his mother is thought to be deceased (died in childbirth). Portrayed firstly as the 'bad boy' of the group, Chuck demonstrates a nicer side in the succeeding episodes when he lends Nate $10,000 to get out of a shady poker game, falls in love with Blair, and acts as a surprisingly supportive stepbrother to Serena and her brother Eric.
7. JESSICA SZHOR (as Vanessa Abrams)Nickname: V
Age: 19
The childhood best friend of Dan Humphrey. Prior to Dan's relationship with Serena, she and Dan were inseparable, and the two developed a mutual attraction that was dashed when she moved to Vermont. Unlike most of the cast, Vanessa is home-schooled, and thus has the free time to man a café she added to Rufus's art gallery during his summer absence.
8. CONNOR PAOLO (as Eric Van Der Woodsen)Nickname: E
Age: 18
The troubled younger brother of Serena and heir to the Van Der Woodsen fortune, his suicide attempt becomes the catalyst for Serena's homecoming. Revealed his homosexuality later on in season one to everyone, after his boyfriend Asher pretends to have a relationship with Jenny Humphrey. His friendship with Jenny is repaired after she apologizes in the beginning of the second season. They soon become best friends through the second season. This once again falls apart during Season 3 after Jenny accepts her role as Queen Bee but soon, Eric makes amends with her after Serena's accident. He then begins to date Jonathan Whitney but their relationship falls apart due to Eric's once obsessive need to "teach Jenny a lesson". In the next season, he begins dating a bisexual named Elliot.
Sources:
1. Gossip Girl Wiki (http://gossipgirl.wikia.com/wiki/Gossip_Girl_Wiki)
2. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Gossip_Girl)
***No copyright infringement intended, all images used in this part of the blog still remains to be owned by The CW Network.
***No copyright infringement intended, all images used in this part of the blog still remains to be owned by The CW Network.
EPISODE FORMAT
Each episode begins with the blog page of the Gossip Girl blog with Serena's picture from the pilot episode. Afterward, a recap of events relevant to the upcoming narrative is shown, which ends again with the blog page, only this time with a picture from other character(s) with a text about a recent event connected with the picture. The narrator is Gossip Girl, voiced by Kristen Bell. She begins the recap with the sentence "Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite," and ends the recap with whispered voices saying "Where has she been?" "Serena" then the voice of Gossip Girl says: "And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me, xoxo, Gossip Girl." Some episodes end with Gossip Girl saying "You know you love me. xoxo, Gossip Girl."
Each episode begins with the blog page of the Gossip Girl blog with Serena's picture from the pilot episode. Afterward, a recap of events relevant to the upcoming narrative is shown, which ends again with the blog page, only this time with a picture from other character(s) with a text about a recent event connected with the picture. The narrator is Gossip Girl, voiced by Kristen Bell. She begins the recap with the sentence "Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite," and ends the recap with whispered voices saying "Where has she been?" "Serena" then the voice of Gossip Girl says: "And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me, xoxo, Gossip Girl." Some episodes end with Gossip Girl saying "You know you love me. xoxo, Gossip Girl."
Source:
1. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl_(TV_series)#Episode_format)
(based on the Top Episodes listed on TV.com)
1. "Empire of the Son" (Season 4, Episode 17 - 28 February 2011)TV.com Rating: 8.6 Great (based on 91 votes)
-- Ben's mother comes to the city, forcing the issue between Ben and Serena. Meanwhile, Russell Thorpe tries to destroy Chuck's family legacy, but then he has to risk his daughter Raina, in the process. Also, William van der Woodsen returns to the Upper East Side. Also the tension between Dan and Blair rises to an all new level.
2. "The Handmaiden's Tale" (Season 1, Episode 6 - 24 October 2007)
TV.com Rating: 8.6 Great (based on 667 votes)
-- Dan finds himself caught between two girls when his childhood friend, Vanessa, returns to Manhattan and declares her feelings for him, just as he and Serena are trying to figure out what they mean to each other. At the masked ball, Blair sends Nate on a scavenger hunt, but Nate is distracted by his feelings for Serena. Although Blair said that outsiders were not welcome to the party, a disguised Jenny and Dan sneak into the ball. Finally, Lily asks Rufus to accompany her to an Eleanor Waldorf event hoping to make Bart Bass jealous.
3. "War at the Roses" (Season 4, Episode 7 - 1 November 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.5 Great (based on 165 votes)
-- Blair is surprised and not in a good way by the guest at her birthday party. Having had enough from Chuck and Blair's game, Serena and Nate decide it's time to do an intervention.
4. "Gaslit" (Season 4, Episode 10 - 29 November 2010)TV.com Rating: 8.5 Great (based on 122 votes)
-- Chuck, Blair and the Humfrey family find themselves in a crisis when a family member is hospitalized. Meanwhile, Nate attempts to get his parents back together.
5. "Victor/Victrola" (Season 1, Episode 7 - 7 November 2007)
TV.com Rating: 8.4 Great (based on 654 votes)
-- Serena and Dan finally accept that they are crazy about each other, despite that they come from polar opposite worlds. Chuck thinks of investing in a club trying to make his father Bart Bass proud of him. Nate confronts his father, about the drugs he found in his house but he denies having a problem. Jenny discovers a secret that her parents have been keeping from her. Finally, Blair is devastated by Nate's actions when Jenny reveals that Nate kissed her by accident thinking she was Serena. At the end, Nate admits to Blair that he no longer loves her, therefore, causing Blair and Nate to break-up. Blair then goes to Chuck's party at Victrola, a burlesque house, and hangs out with Chuck. After a little persuasion from Chuck, Blair decides to get up and dance on stage and does a striptease in front of everyone, including Chuck. At the end of the episode, Jenny visits her mother's house, pleading for her to come home, Serena and Dan have sex for the first time, and Chuck and Blair also have sex for the first time, in the back of Chuck's limo.
6. "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1 - 19 September 2007)
TV.com Rating: 8.4 Great (based on 818 votes)
-- Filmed entirely in New York and based on the popular series of young-adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, "Gossip Girl" revolves around the privileged prep school teens on Manhattan's Upper East side and the anonymous blogger, Gossip Girl, who provides them with the latest rumors about their highly exclusive inner circle. In the series premiere, Gossip Girl is busy spreading the news that "it girl" Serena van der Woodsen has returned to Manhattan after a mysterious and self-imposed exile to boarding school. Serena's best friend, Blair Waldorf, has conflicted feelings about her friend's return since she has enjoyed being the Queen Bee during Serena's absence and might not be ready to relinquish her new position on the social ladder, not to mention the fact that she has always suspected there may be unspoken feelings between Serena and her longtime boyfriend, Nate Archibald.
7. "Poison Ivy" (Season 1, Episode 3 - 3 October 2007)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 600 votes)
-- It's Ivy week for the Upper East Side teens of Constance Billiard and St. Judes and the visiting representatives arrival brings more than just college applications. Cutt-throat rivalry is at it's sharpest this week as the students compete for prestigious positions. Blair discovers a shocking but juicy secret about Serena and plots to drop the bomb at the best possible moment. Dan is sure that landing the coveted usher position with the Dartmouth rep will either make or break his future at the school. Unfortunately, it's Nate who nabs the position, despite total disinterest in the school. Meanwhile, Jenny gets close to Serena's younger brother Eric and Rufus asks Lily for a favor.
8. "Hi, Society" (Season 1, Episode 10 - 5 December 2007)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 612 votes)
-- Serena has no intention of attending the upcoming Debutante Ball, until her grandmother, CeCe, announces that she simply must go. Unfortunately, Dan isn't exactly who CeCe wants as an escort for Serena, and she makes her opinion heard loud and clear, causing a rift to form between Serena and Dan. Although they are officially broken up, Nate asks Blair to go to the ball with him. She accepts but only as friends. Then a jealous Nate begins to suspect that Blair is seeing someone else. Meanwhile, social climbing Jenny finds herself faced with the decision of either attending her mother's art opening or following her dreams to the Debutante Ball, even though her parents don't want her to go.
9. "The Witches of Bushwick" (Season 4, Episode 9 - 15 November 2010)TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 149 votes)
-- Chuck throws a masquerade. Serena is told to choose between Dan and Nate. Jenny comes back and helps Vanessa and Juliet try to screw Serena over.
10. "Double Identity" (Season 4, Episode 2 - 20 September 2010)
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 176 votes)-- Living her fairytale in Paris, Blair finds a handsome young man named Louis, who she suspects is part of Monaco's royal family. Lily asks Serena to help her find Chuck. Meanwhile, Chuck is adjusting to Paris perfectly with his new woman, Eva at his side. Meanwhile, on the Upper East Side, Juliet offers Nate help getting Serena back, suggesting trying to get Dan and Vanessa back together and breaking the Dan-Serena-Nate triangle.
TV.com Rating: 8.3 Great (based on 74 votes)
-- Chuck wants to make Raina in love with him to save Bass industries. Blair wants Nate to help her boss by making her sleep with him. Ben moves in with Dan. Damien wants to get rid of Ben so he lies about Ben to get rid of him.
12. "Goodbye Columbia" (Season 4, Episode 5 - 11 October 2010)TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 129 votes)
-- On this episode of Gossip Girl, Juliet is doing whatever she can to destroy Serena. She started a vicious rumor on Gossip Girl that Serena has an STD. Now she has Vanessa worrying that Dan may have slept with Serena since they started dating. Juliet frames Vanessa into taking the fall for an email that nearly gets Serena expelled. But Juliet isn't the only one trying to sabotage some of New York's elite. Chuck wants to avenge Blair for making his girlfriend Eva leave him. He plans to take away the one thing that means most to her, just like she did to him. He's going to get her kicked out of Columbia.
13. "Damien Darko" (Season 4, Episode 13 - 31 January 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 80 votes)
-- Blair is really excited when she lands an internship at W Magazine, but the emotion fades quickly when she learns that Dan also got one of the coveted positions as well. Meanwhile, Chuck has meet his match in Russell and his daughter Raina. Nate receives bad news about his father's business prospects. And a secret Eric has been keeping for a while comes out while he mysteriously hangs out with Damien Darko.
14. "While You Weren't Sleeping" (Season 4, Episode 16 - 21 February 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 77 votes)
-- It's Eric's 18th birthday and there is plenty of drama in the Upper East side. Blair decides to speed up her plans for her future as a powerful woman, but goes too far. Serena has to choose between her family and Ben. Chuck and Lily's relationship remains icy after Lily's betrayal.
15. "The Ex-Files" (Season 2, Episode 4 - 22 September 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 439 votes)
-- Blair and her 'Posse' interview different girls to decide whether or not they would be inducted into their 'clique'. Dan bumps into new student Amanda and they form an instant bond however, Blair and her 'posse' attempt to sabotage Dan and Amanda's friendship by inducting her as the new girl in their 'clique' meanwhile, Serena meets a new lust interest and Vanessa meets with the Duchess.
16. "The Undergraduates" (Season 4, Episode 3 - 27 September 2010)TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 160 votes)
-- Blair and Serena attend their first day at Colombia, and they quickly realize that the drama in New York is no short of the drama in Paris. Blair tries to join an ultra-exclusive secret society Hamilton House. Meanwhile, Serena starts to suspect Nate's new friend Juliet may have an enormous agenda against her. In addition, Rufus takes matters into his own hands with Dan's new situation.
17. "Juliet Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (Season 4, Episode 8 - 8 November 2010)TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 122 votes)
-- Nate discovers that Juliet is hiding more from him than she already is and ropes in Vanessa with his plans. Serena and Colin make an important step in their relationship. Meanwhile, Chuck and Blair engage in their continued loathing of each other in their unique way.
18. "It-Girl Happened One Night" (Season 4, Episode 15 - 14 February 2011)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 77 votes)
-- With Russell Thorpe trying to takeover of Bass Industries, Chuck makes one last effort to save his families company. Blair gets an challenge at W Magazine with the promise of a promotion. Meanwhile, Serena struggles with her feelings for Ben.
19. "Woman on the Verge" (Season 1, Episode 17 - 12 May 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.2 Great (based on 501 votes)
-- Serena slips back into her old habits because she is ashamed of her secret. She eventually reveals it and her friends Blair, Nate and Chuck have to put their differences aside, in order to help her. Unfortunately, Serena is too ashamed to share the truth with Dan, therefore he assumes the worse about his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Rufus is excited when his band is invited to perform at a Rolling Stone-sponsored concert, but Lily is the last person on earth he expects to see at the performance, especially since her wedding rehearsal dinner is the same night
20. "School Lies" (Season 1, Episode 12 - 2 January 2008)
TV.com Rating: 8.1 Great (based on 516 votes)
-- Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck and the rest of their friends break into the school swimming pool for a night of fun, but when someone nearly dies, the school threatens to expel the person responsible for the break-in. Everyone agrees to keep silent, but this creates major problems between Serena and Dan, because Dan is not ready to take the fall for someone else and risk his future. While working on a documentary project about private schools, Vanessa accidentally captures Blair and Chuck discussing their affair. Meanwhile, Lily tries to tell Rufus how she really feels about him.
Source:
1. TV.com (http://www.tv.com/gossip-girl/show/68744/episode.html?tag=list_header;paginator;Top%20Episodes&season=Top%20Episodes)
***No copyright infringement intended, all images used in this part of the blog still remains to be owned by The TV.com.
Was originally pitched as a feature with Lindsay Lohan as Blair Waldorf. When that fell through, its backers (who had the rights to the stories) approached Josh Schwartz about turning it into a series. Originally, Georgina Sparks was offered to Mischa Barton, who turned down the role. Michelle Trachtenberg was then cast as Georgina Sparks. Every episode title is a word play on the title of a movie. The Gossip Girl TV series is based off of the Best Selling Novels "Gossip Girl" written by 'Cecily Von Ziegesar'. The name of Rufus' band, "Lincoln Hawk", is also the name of Sylvester Stallone's character in the movie Over the Top (1987). That movie is mentioned several times as being a cult-classic in "The O.C." (2003), the previous show from Josh Schwartz, the creator of this series. Leighton Meester had to dye her naturally blonde hair brunette merely to audition for the role of Blair Waldorf. The show's beginning date took place, chronologically, after it was aired. The show aired in Canada on September 18, 2007 and aired in the US on September 19, 2007. The show starts on Wednesday September 23, 2007 and ends on Saturday September 26, 2007, thus all dates in the Pilot fall after their air date. Blair Waldorf lives at 1136 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10128 in the penthouse. Chuck Bass and Serena van der Woodsen live in suites at 455 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 - otherwise known as the Palace Hotel. The character of Lily van der Woodsen was originally named Darla, until the writers changed it at the last moment. The series has become so popular that a tour of Gossip Girl sites has been created in New York City, by the same people who created the "Sex and the City" (1998) Tour. AWARDS
I. Teen Choice Awards
***1. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Show Drama - 2008
***2. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Show - 2008
***3. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actress Drama (Blake Lively) - 2008
***4. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Female (Blake Lively) - 2008
***5. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Male (Chace Crawford) - 2008
***6. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Villain (Ed Westwick) - 2008
***7. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Show Drama - 2009
***8. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Chace Crawford) - 2009
***9. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actress Drama (Leighton Meester) - 2009
***10. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Villain (Ed Westwick) - 2009
***11. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Show Drama - 2010
***12. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actess Drama (Leighton Meester) - 2010
***13. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Chace Crawford) - 2010
***14. Teen Choice Award: Choice Female Scene Stealer (Hilary Duff) - 2010
II. Young Hollywood Awards
***1. Young Hollywood Award: Breakthrough Performance Male (Ed Westwick) - 2009
NOMINATIONS
I. People's Choice Award
***1. People's Choice Award: Favorite New TV Drama - 2008
***2. People's Choice Award: Favorite TV Drama Actress (Blake Lively) - 2011
***3. People's Choice Award: Favorite TV Drama Actor (Chace Crawford) - 2011
II. Teen Choice Awards
***1. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actress Drama (Leighton Meester) - 2008
***2. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Chace Crawford) - 2008
***3. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Penn Badgley) - 2008
***4. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Female (Leighton Meester) - 2008
***5. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Female (Taylor Momsen) - 2008
***6. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Breakout Male (Ed Westwick) - 2008
***7. Teen Choice Award: Choice Music Soundtrack - 2009
***8. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Penn Badgley) - 2009
***9. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Parental Unit (Matthew Settle) - 2009
***10. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actress Drama (Blake Lively) - 2010
***11. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Actor Drama (Penn Badgley) - 2010
***12. Teen Choice Award: Choice TV Villain (Ed Westwick) - 2010
III. Casting Society of America, USA
***1. Artios: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Pilot - Drama - 2008
IV. ASTRA Awards
***1. Astra Award: Favourite International Program - 2008
***2. Astra Award: Favourite International Personality of Actor (Blake Lively) - 2009
***3. Astra Award: Favourite International Program - 2009
V. Costume Designers Guild
***1. CDG Award: Outstanding Costume Design for Television Series - Contemporary (Eric Daman) - 2009
VI. Prism Award
***1. Prism Award: Drama Episode ("Woman on the Verge") - 2009
***2. Prism Award: Performance in a Drama Episode (Blake Lively) - 2009
Source:
1. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl_(TV_series)#Accolades)
Video #1:
GOSSIP GIRL: WHILE YOU WEREN'T SLEEPING EPISODE PREVIEW
by: cwgossip (15 February 2011)
Video Description:
How does Eric celebrate his 18th b-day? Executive Producers Stephanie Savage and Joshua Safran give a preview of episode 416 entitled "While You Weren't Sleeping." Don't miss Gossip Girl Mondays at 9/8c on the CW!
Video Category: Entertainment
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4ER6YMZ6s
Video #2
DOES ED WESTWICK PREFER BLAIR OR SERENA?
by: itn (3 May 2009)
Video Description:
British Gossip Girl actor Ed Westwick - who plays Chuck Bass - answers our quick fire questions.. Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/itn_on
Video Category: Entertainment
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKbofV0i8E0
RATING BREAKDOWN:
TV Show Title and Introduction = 17/20
TV Show Format/Concept = 16/20
Performance of the Cast = 18/20
Public Popularity Hit = 15/20
Use of Comedy/Drama = 19/20
TOTAL TV SHOW BUZZ RATING: 85/100
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I. TV SHOW TITLE AND INTRODUCTION (17/20)
Gossip Girl has a very impressive title. Its title has really an impact especially with teen TV viewers. Teens would get really curious about what the series really is. The show's intertitle is also an inspiration. Considering Glee for example, its intertitle is in a pure black background with its title positioned in the center. Though Gossip Girl brought up that kind of intertitle in the past decade, that type of intertitle has already been used in the 20th Century. What is unique though is that Gossip Girl's Intertitle has a bit of simple animations forming the word Gossip Girl in a black background.
II. TV SHOW FORMAT/CONCEPT (18/20)
Basing from what JR have researched on how the plots of each show are formed, Gossip Girl is actually based on the book series with the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar. But according to Janet Malcolm, the TV series was not completely based from the book series, only the name of the TV show and the characters. What I like in the series is the story sharing by Gossip Girl herself about "The Elite" in New York. I actually am curious at first who she really was, but the power of the internet is really great since there I knew that it is no other than Kristen Bell (the actress from Forgetting Sarah Marshall). In addition, I am also interested with the two Van Der Woodsen's in the show, Eric and Serena. I am curious on their individual stories.
III. PERFORMANCE OF THE CAST (19/20)
Teen is the new in on TV. Teens are some of the most powerful TV viewers in the world. They are the ones who control what TV producers and directors would place in their creation's plot. They are also the ones who try to find new games, movies and even shows that they may try to see. What makes it better is the characters in those entertainment categories. Teens make up most of the TV Shows nowadays from Glee, One Tree Hill, 90210, Hellcats and Skins. Gossip Girl though is made up of "Elite" teens. The characters in this show became much more famous because of this show, considering that Chace Crawford, Penn Badgly, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively are now huge stars in Hollywood. I am looking forward for more of them in their upcoming shows.
Teen is the new in on TV. Teens are some of the most powerful TV viewers in the world. They are the ones who control what TV producers and directors would place in their creation's plot. They are also the ones who try to find new games, movies and even shows that they may try to see. What makes it better is the characters in those entertainment categories. Teens make up most of the TV Shows nowadays from Glee, One Tree Hill, 90210, Hellcats and Skins. Gossip Girl though is made up of "Elite" teens. The characters in this show became much more famous because of this show, considering that Chace Crawford, Penn Badgly, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively are now huge stars in Hollywood. I am looking forward for more of them in their upcoming shows.
IV. PUBLIC POPULARITY HIT (15/20)
Gossip Girl is somewhat high in ratings in terms of teen TV show viewers. However, it only attracts an average of 13% of the average TV viewers of Glee. It is surprising though that JR compared both the shows in this movie review as it can be seen that Glee is the Top Rated Teen TV Show nowadays. Gossip Girl is a great and popular show too but not that much popular compared to Glee, Wizards of Waverly Place and iCarly. Gossip Girl must have much and much TV advertising as well as Internet exposure to grab the people's attention. What makes it popular are the fans who keep on supporting the show. The show was said to end last 2009 / 2010, but due to the fans appeal in a particular website to continue the show, the show still continued.
V. USE OF COMEDY/DRAMA (19/20)
Romance Drama is hugely exemplified in this show. I really like how they blend the teens real-life character in in the plot of each show. It keeps getting better and better as each show is really interlinked. If only it was made into a movie, then it might grab high bucks. Gossip Girl is what I believe to be the Teen Drama Show of the Decade.
VI. JR's General Perceptions and Suggestions
The show is what I think as one of the best teen drama series in TV since reality and drama are the newest teen favorites. JR is a fan of drama and reality, so it is great we have TV shows like this. Though it is not as popular as Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush, Disney's Shake It Up, and ABC's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, it grabs the hearts of a lot of teens. The show is very dramatic and very true to life. One thing that grab my attention to this show is the quote, "3 Words, 8 Letters, Say It and I'm Yours". It is a very great romantic quote that every girl and guy should know to impress their dates. I am already excited for some shows which would come up in the future. The titles of the show really excited. Maybe the next show would be Not Another Romance Movie, or maybe Monday the 14th, or it might be Van der Woodsen Redemption, wait wait wait Eric Late Night Note, we never know. ;)
Romance Drama is hugely exemplified in this show. I really like how they blend the teens real-life character in in the plot of each show. It keeps getting better and better as each show is really interlinked. If only it was made into a movie, then it might grab high bucks. Gossip Girl is what I believe to be the Teen Drama Show of the Decade.
VI. JR's General Perceptions and Suggestions
The show is what I think as one of the best teen drama series in TV since reality and drama are the newest teen favorites. JR is a fan of drama and reality, so it is great we have TV shows like this. Though it is not as popular as Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush, Disney's Shake It Up, and ABC's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, it grabs the hearts of a lot of teens. The show is very dramatic and very true to life. One thing that grab my attention to this show is the quote, "3 Words, 8 Letters, Say It and I'm Yours". It is a very great romantic quote that every girl and guy should know to impress their dates. I am already excited for some shows which would come up in the future. The titles of the show really excited. Maybe the next show would be Not Another Romance Movie, or maybe Monday the 14th, or it might be Van der Woodsen Redemption, wait wait wait Eric Late Night Note, we never know. ;)
You know you love JR's TV Show Review, XOXO
DATA SOURCES:
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397442/trivia
6.
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp4ER6YMZ6s
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKbofV0i8E0
7. Blog Post Images Sources
>> http://kvwong.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/10.jpg
>> http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20090203/425.meester.crawford.lc.020309.jpg
>> http://www.tvguide.com/images/pgimg/gossip-girl57.jpg
>> http://cdn.purseblog.com/images/gossip-girl-on-steps.jpg
>> http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2000000/Gossip-Girl-gossip-girl-2024112-1024-768.jpg
UPCOMING TV SHOW REVIEWS
12 March 2011 (1AM)
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