I'm 32 today. It's strange though because based on the majority of the shows on my DVR, you'd think I could be 13. My 17 year old cousin and I have eerily similar tastes in our TV shows. Most recently, I have gotten her into Gossip Girl. Have any of you out there been following this show? It's a completely ridiculous yet intriguing cast of actors posing as high school students (and their gorgeous, young looking parents) who are among the extremely rich and elite residents of the Upper East Side.
Now as a current Upper East Side resident, let me first say - that the penthouse apartments and endlessly spacious bedrooms these people have are definitely the exception. Of course I don't hang out with Vanderbuilt descendants too often and I'm not related to the Waldorf Astoria hotel. That said, these high schoolers all attend a private school, prance around in the most expensive labels and have scandalous love affairs, drug habits and drama only seen on shows featuring 30 year olds (maybe this is why I can relate to this show). This is no 90210!
The premise of the show centers around two best friends - Serena Van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), the blonde, tall, slim who had a major drug and partying problem but has now transformed into a Betty type and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). Always scheming, bossing her housekeeper, Darota, around, Blair is the ringleader of all of the evil rich girls at school. Blair is the Veronica to Serena's Betty. The Brenda Walsh to Serena's Kelly Taylor. Why are all brunettes pitted against blondes? In any event both girls could have a modeling career aside from just being in high school. The guys love them. Speaking of guys - there's the handsome Nate Archibald (Chase Crawford) who looks like a slightly older Zac Efron. Nate's father had some boring scandal and is now in jail. Nate is dating Vanessa, who is the Bohemian Brooklyn chick that just doesn't fit in with the rich crowd. Her childhood friend is Dan Humphrey, another Brooklyn resident that has an on again, off again thing with Serena, the woman of his dreams. Dan is the richest poor kid I know. A 3 bedroom loft where he lives in Brooklyn would cost his family about $4-5 million, but they pin him as the pauper victim. He just got accepted to Yale University early admission. He's a writer and most recently is famous for having sex with a teacher at his school in the drama closet. Dan's younger sister, Jenny Humphrey was the most annoying character on the show. I'm not sure if it was her whining, the trouble she always unnecessarily got herself into, or her horrible razor haircut - but the fact that she's been given less air time in recent episodes makes me like her more. Dan and Jenny's father, Rufus (worst TV name ever) is currently dating Serena's mother, Lily, who is a recent widow after her husband, Chuck's dad, was killed in a car accident. If you are still following this, that makes Chuck and Serena ex step siblings. Serena also has a younger brother Eric that is gay on the show, but they barely show him do anything.
My favorite male character is Chuck Bass. This guy is awesome. And not because he dresses like Pee Wee Herman in every episode and flares his nostrils, but because he is really British and I like to watch him change his accent for the show. Chuck always seems to be able to do absolutely anything he wants - travel internationally at the drop of a hat, pick up high class strippers to mill about his home, run Fortune 500 companies, etc. He has a firey relationship with Blair which at times verges on absolutely ludricous - and could mimic the relationship of people twice their age.
I watched Monday night's episode last night and am wondering whether anybody else has noticed how almost unwatchable this show has become. Here are the things that I question a bit:
1. Why on earth would Lily and Rufus make a list of all the people they have "done" it with? Isn't that just asking for it? And isn't this something you do when you're maybe 25 or 26, not late 40s like them? Like we didn't see it coming when Rufus pulled out the "real" list of Lily's from her purse. I was just waiting for him to find it. No surprise there. Lily's a ho. A beautiful one. Leave her alone.
2. Vanessa and Nate break up at least once an episode. It's getting really old. And you knew Nate would ditch their summer back packing trip plans in Europe for a stuffy government job. But it just doesn't make sense. What normal 17 year old would give up a back packing trip for that?
3. Why did they call Nate's grandfather, "Grandfather?" How about Pops? Grandpa? Poppy? Grandpop. No. It's "Grandfather."
4. Why is Serena constantly babysitting Blair?
5. The fact that Serena saw her mother's list of lovers is definitely creepy. No child should ever have to see that.
6. The fact that Blair can't figure out a way to get into Yale, is just creepy. How much you want to bet she somehow finds a way to get in there after all?
7. What happened in Santorini with Carter? Why is Serena's hair so straight?
8. As The Boyfriend said, "Why are they always sitting around their apartment in bridesmaid dresses?"
Ok, if you watch this show - would love to hear your thoughts. If you don't, I am sending you a piece of virtual birthday cake. Enjoy!
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