Review by Jennifer McKenzie
Stars Blake Lively, Ed Westwick, Leighton Meester, Taylor Momsen, Penn Badgley,
Jessica Szoh, Zuzanna Szadkowski, Michelle Trachtenberg | Created by Stephanie Savage & Josh Schwartz
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £39.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 935 minutes | Directed by Norman Buckley & others
I've been trying hard to figure exactly what it us about this show that makes it such a hit. That's not meant as a criticism; personally I’d never miss an episode. Most of the story lines aren’t particularly original or shocking yet I find myself compelled to watch it to the point where it’s become quite an obsession.
Serena (Lively) offers a fabulous wardrobe, wooden acting, no charisma and bland storylines. So you're dating a political hopeful and have daddy issues, am I supposed to care? I am glad her and the equally dull yet equally good-looking Nate got together though. Moving swiftly on…
Chuck (Westwick) shines this season with his usual Bass quips and obscenely outrageous outfits, and he actually has a few pretty good storylines. My heart skipped a beat when we found out his mother was still alive, oh but she's not his mother. Oh yes actually she is. I think. But she's plotting against him with his nemesis, though finally she realises where her heart lies just after she's destroyed Chuck’s Empire. Great characters, fantastic plot and the perfect amount of pressure pulling on my heartstrings. The only thing missing is what the show is famous for (perhaps why I love watching) - the incredible I-want-that-now wardrobe. Cue Blair Wardolf (Meester) and an oversized hairband.
This girl has it all - one-liners I desperately and unsuccessfully try to work into my everyday conversations (‘This is not like your wedding day, you only get one Cartilian’), acting ability, a seriously stunning wardrobe and she is the most popular girl in school. Well, except the last one. Poor old Blair's been struggling at NYU this season. I had nothing against this school to begin with, but how dare any of those girls think they are better than Blair? How could they all boycott her sushi and cocktail party? What could possibly have been better than that?! Big sigh of relief when she gets into Columbia, bring back the Queen B next series please!
Oh and little J (Momsen). Where do I begin? Her downward spiral was pretty entertaining, and I really liked Jenny the drug dealer, though I was cringing when she and Chuck... You know. No need to take advantage of the emotionally vulnerable, little J. I'm with Chuck on this one, the poor guy. Although I don't know what she was so upset about, Chuck's a catch. Jenny leaves to visit/live with her mum - let's hope they have decent hairdressers in Hudson who can sort out those horrific extensions.
Don't even get me started on Dan (Badgley) and Vanessa (Szohr). Why are they in it? They don’t have any connections to the rest of the cast - ok maybe they do with the whole Rufus and Lily being married, but they really aren’t ‘cool’ enough for the show. Danessa should stick to Brooklyn where they belong; their presence in the series just seems more and more unnecessary with each episode. And just because they had a threesome with Hilary Duff it does give them any Upper East Side cred.
Scene stealer: I want to say Olivia (Hilary Duff - openly a fan) or any of many other guest stars, but no one can beat Dorota (Szadkowski). Especially with her major side stories of marriage and having a baby. Not to mention the Blind Assassin episode - high-larious. Between helping Blair with her latest scheme and dating the doorman she still manages to steal all the best lines, and of course she stars in her own online mini-series.
Shocker: it's a pretty good finale for GG, they went for a good old shooting (no! Chuck can’t die!) and teen pregnancy (please don’t let there be a mini-Dan running around). Neither of which have been done before in this show, so hopefully it should prove for an interesting season four, and with the return of Georgina (Trachtenberg) to shake things up.
All in all, a great watch. The show knows it’s audience and caters perfectly to them – high fashion mixed with publicly aired dirty laundry aired, love, sex, OMFG moments, a gorgeous cast and insane parties we want to be invited to. I think the witty episode titles deserve a mention as well – The Hurt Locket; They Don’t Shoot Humphrey’s, Do They?; The Grandfather Part II; and The Debarted are among my favourites.
EXTRAS ★★★ The unaired scenes don’t really give you anything extra, I think there was a reason they were deleted. The "LOL" gag reel is pretty entertaining, especially Leighton Meester. A Gossip Girl Fabulous Affair – now this really is a great extra. It takes you behind the scenes of all the parties through the seasons, how they find locations and decorate etc… We also find out Gossip Girl shares a designer and florist with Sex and the City, oh and we learn the importance of feather boas on lamps and drapes at a party. Music videos – for fans of this Lady Gaga and The Plasticines, a brilliant bonus feature, with Gossip Girl clips and quotes intertwined to the videos.