Let me just start off by saying, I never thought I’d be the kind of girl to watch Gossip Girl, let alone to be the kind of girl who becomes obsessed with it. But I am.
It all started when I finished the show Bones on Netflix, and didn’t know what to watch next. Shows like Bones are my favorite. I’ve watched all of Blue Bloods, Hawaii 5-0, and the Mysteries of Laura. After finishing Bones, I decided I needed a break from all the murder investigation shows. In stepped my roommate saying, “You should watch Gossip Girl.” At first I was skeptical, and even in the first couple shows, I hated it. I thought the lives these characters lived were shallow, unrelatable, and frankly quite stupid. Then something happened. The same thing that happens to every girl who watches Gossip Girl…Chuck Bass stole my heart.
I know I know – that’s what everyone says when they watch the show. It’s true though. There is just something about the character of Chuck Bass. For me, I’ve always been a sucker for male characters who come off as jerks, but really are big softies. As for Chuck, he is always a jerk, except when it comes to Blaire, which I think is what got me. Soon, all I cared about was Chuck and Blaire. I could care less about the other characters. In fact, I found Nate to be the most annoying cry baby, Serena and Dan to be irritating, and don’t even get me started on Lilly and Rufus. At their age, they should be able to figure their crap out.
It got to the point, especially in season 2, where I’d tell myself after this episode once Chuck and Blaire figure out everything, I’d stop and do something else, like sleep. But then everything would explode in the last two minutes and I’d be forced to click “continue watching” at the bottom right-hand corner of my screen. Even when I had homework to do, I’d split the screen if it was on my computer or even just have it playing in the background. I watched it for fifteen minutes while I ate breakfast in the morning, played it while I spent three hours reorganizing my closet and room. Every free chance I had, it was on. I finally told myself I needed some separation from it. I started only allowing myself one episode a day during the week, and instead of watching it at the gym, I started bring books to read while I worked out.
Anyway, Chuck and Blaire finally figured themselves out, even if it did mean getting married to escape a murder charge…like I said, the show and its characters are completely unrelatable and I’d like to think unrealistic. But I think what appeals to a lot of people, is this unrealistic life. I mean who really has that many friends, and what kids at age sixteen drink on a regular basis and take their private jets to Europe every summer? At their age, I was lucky if my parents let me drive myself to movies to hang out with my friends. The show is good entertainment, but I’m definitely glad my life is not like the characters on the show. Sure, I’ll take a Chuck Bass any day, but I’ll leave all the lies, manipulation, and sleeping with everyone and their mother for someone else.