It’s been ten years since Gossip Girl first graced the television screens of millions. I don’t think anyone knew what a phenomenon it would be, but here we are a decade later still talking about the crazy, unpredictable, totally unrealistic lives of our favorite Upper-East siders: Blair, Chuck, Serena, Dan, and the rest of the dysfunctional gang.
I found the show on Netflix, about seven years after it first premiered and two years after the series finale. It was the summer before my senior year of high school, my first one with absolutely nothing to do. No performing arts conservatories, no job, nothing. I watched the World Cup, and when that was over, I decided it was time to try one of those Netflix binges everyone had been talking about. After watching an endless amount of pilot episodes that lost my interest within ten minutes, I stumbled upon Gossip Girl. I had heard about it, knew of its reputation, and decided to give it try. And boy, was it life-changing.
I was immediately sucked in. I loved everything about the show — the characters, the setting, the fashion, the forbidden love, the drama. It was addicting. Everyday, I watched at least six or seven episodes if not more. Chuck and Blair became my favorite couple (obviously), I absolutely loathed Dan, cherished Eric, was totally over Jenny, and could not get enough of Nate. Out of all the characters on the show, I would say that Blair Waldorf taught me the most. Gossip Girl is not a show that could teach you a ton of life lessons, as it’s more entertaining than anything. The rich, luxurious lives of the Upper East Side are difficult to relate to, as are the ideas of “summering” in the Hamptons, ushering for Ivy League schools, or building a business empire without a college degree. Most of the problems that the characters on the show have and the scenarios they live through are far-fetched for any regular young adult to go through today.
But Blair is different. Her strength, confidence, and ambitious personality are good for any young woman to look up to. Of course, she has her flaws. One would not say that meddling in people’s lives, scheming to ruin a friend’s reputation or going behind the backs of the people you love for personal benefit are recommended ways of dealing with certain things, but she learned the hard way. Blair lost Yale, Chuck, the respect of many, and a few points — but her road to redemption and endless perseverance is what sets her apart from the rest of the crew. In the end, however, she was definitely the most developed character with the furthest growth and most relatable problems. I still aspire to be like her one day in certain respects. Plus, that style was killer.
Much like other series with more than two seasons, the Gossip Girl writers definitely found their faults with plot. There so many unnecessary hookups (talking to you, S) and the fact that Dan was actually behind Gossip Girl the whole time was truly one of the most anticlimactic, terrible ways of ending one of the biggest television mysteries ever. But, despite the few (many) let-downs in terms of plot, there was always the glamour and drama of it all to pull any fan right back in. Gossip Girl has been over for about five years now, but its legacy lives on, especially thanks to streaming services like Netflix. The generation of Netflix bingers has accounted for a whole new fanbase for the show — completely different from those who waited week after week for a new episode and developed plot. The entire six season series is available to stream, so it’s easy to lose track of time while binging.
So thank you, Gossip Girl, for giving me a character to look up to like the graceful and strong Blair Waldorf, and an endless supply of entertainment to binge over and over again.
Photo Source