For fans of late ’00s, slightly trashy TV, Gossip Girlreally represents a golden age. Set around the lives of a bunch of incredibly privileged and beautiful teenagers, the show followed their fascinating lives (and the huge amount of drama that seemed to follow them wherever they go).
Since it left our screens in 2010 (with one of the most bizarre final episodes of any television show, ever), we’ve been getting our fix on Netflix.
But now, that’s all set to change …
First hitting our screens in 2007, Gossip Girl quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Not only was it an absolute smash hit on television, but it also managed to take over the entirety of pop culture. It broke records and changed the way that we spread gossip online, forever.
The subject matter (annoyingly rich teenagers) wasn’t the easiest to sympathize with, but the melodramatic (and often unintentionally hilarious) storylines were enough to continue to draw viewers in.
The revelation of the true identity of Gossip Girl left an entire audience scratching their heads.
But last month, there was some exciting news for GG fans.
An official reboot was confirmed!
And, as you may expect, the internet had some pretty strong feelings about the announcement.
But there were also some major revelations about it – primarily based around the fact the original is still so well-loved.
The original writer and producer of the series, Jonathan Safran, will be consistent across both, as will the source material of the Cecily von Ziegesar novel of the same name.
But it seems like the cast will be all-new.
The reboot promises to star 8 brand new characters who are students at the same fictional prep schools of the original series.
But, for many, a Gossip Girl without Blair, Dan, Serena, et al is just unfathomable.
Though there is one aspect of the reboot that fans are excited to see.
Gossip Girl first looked at how technology impacts the world of gossip – but this was all done via text alerts and a weirdly antiquated looking website.
With the dominance of social media across our entire lives, the way that Gossip Girl operates will be totally different – and totally fascinating.
But maybe, done right, it’ll be just as good in its own right.
And the latest news seems to confirm this!
Gossip Girl has long been criticized for its incredible lack of diversity, with almost all of the characters white and straight.
“There was not a lot of representation the first time around on the show,” writer and executive producer, Joshua Safran, said at Vulture Festival last month.
And that wasn’t the only problem – what was seen on screen was also worryingly homogenized.
The only person of color in a protagonist role was Vanessa, Dan’s “bohemian” best friend.
Well, that came courtesy of Serena’s little brother Eric van der Woodsen – but his sexuality was never truly a major plot point.
“It is very much dealing with the way the world looks now, where wealth and privilege come from, and how you handle that.”
Alongside lamenting the “not as much representation for people of color and gay storylines,” Safran regrets “not showing Chuck finger Blair and the […] other sexual stuff.”
A much bigger presence of social media. Can you imagine the havoc Jenny could have wreaked with the power of Instagram?
Kristen Bell has been brought on board for her iconic Gossip Girl voiceover.
But in spite of the excitement for the reboot, there has been some sad news about the original – and fans are feeling distraught …
No reason has been given as of yet, but many suspect it’s due to a coming move to HBO Max.
Want some more Netflix news? Scroll on for the very exciting news about The Crown …
