12 Lessons I Learned Watching 'Gossip Girl' The Second Time Around
XOXO, "Gossip Girl"
"Gossip Girl" has six seasons, 121 episodes, and each episode is about 42 minutes long. For the past two months, I have devoted an unreasonable amount of time to finish this series. I have finally achieved my goal.
Rewatching the series, I never realized how much I forgot happened in the show. Some may say it's the same drama for six seasons, but there are so many characters that get introduced, it can't be.
Here are 12 things I learned while rewatching "Gossip Girl."
1. Serena can get any guy in the Upper East Side.
GiphyI can't even begin to make a list of all the guys that fell for Serena. And honestly, it's not surprising. Blake Lively is a QUEEN. But, wow. Dan, Nate, Aaron, Gabs, Carter, Tripp, Colin, Ben, Steven, etc. And that is just the guys that fell in love with her. Now again, no one can argue the logic. But wow. What a tough life (not).
2. Despite the above, I would rather be Blair Waldorf.
GiphyAt the beginning of the series, everyone wanted to be Serena Van Der Woodsen. She is effortlessly perfect and again, every guy drops to their knees before her. But, by the end of the series, I'm sure I'm not the only one realizing that I actually wanted to be Blair Waldorf. Blair is somewhat of a wild card, but she is devoted to those she loves. She will fight for what she wants and take down anyone in her way (maybe not always in the best way possible but that's OK). Blair is also a hardworking business woman that takes over her mother's company and creates her own line inspired by herself. Blair may come off harsh, but she exhibits qualities we all hope we have.
Also, let's not forget, she was a princess at one point.
3. Dan Humphrey is the most judgmental character on GG.
GiphyThere was so much hope for Dan at the beginning of the series. He was untouched by the fame and fortune of the Upper East Side. He was innocent, adorable, unfazed. But by the end of the series, innocent "Lonely Boy" was not so innocent. His initial book, "Inside," had already burned many bridges that he barely fixed by the time his exposés of his friends were released. Dan literally roasted Serena in her exposé, yet she decided to accept it and still love him? Call me crazy, but I could not do that. I guess "Lonely Boy" was lonely for a reason.
4. Chuck Bass is the man everyone actually wants.
GiphyDo I need to say any more?
Chuck Bass is secretly the guy every girl wants when watching the series. Yes, Nate Archibald has the looks, and the smile, and seemingly everything going for him. Then why do you watch the show and find yourself wanting a Chuck Bass? It's unexplainable but true. Everyone wants a Chuck Bass.
5. Nate Archibald has dated almost every girl on the show.
GiphyThis is another one I have a difficult time arguing with. Chance Crawford is definitely a gift. Thank you, Chris and Dana Crawford, we owe you one.
However, Nate Archibald is another character who gets whatever (or I guess in this case whoever) he wants. Although the series includes an extended amount of time on his devoted love for Serena, he does make his way around. From Blair to Serena, to Vanessa, back to Blair again, then back to Serena again, to Bri Buckley, to Jenny, to Diana Payne, to a married woman, even to a 17-year-old, Nate doesn't really have a type!
6. Bart Bass is an actual VILLAIN.
Giphy... was NOT Bart. Unfortunately, there is no .gif of Bart Bass I could add in here. But honestly, good.
Bart Bass is a VILLAIN. I had forgotten how evil he actually is before rewatching the series. He is a self-centered billionaire who is only worried about his status and his earnings. He is ready and willing to have his son killed if it means preserving his reputation. His reputation that could've been ruined because of what he, himself did. Chuck Bass is a bigger man than Bart could ever imagine being.
7. Lily is an idiot for leaving Rufus.
GiphyRufus Humphrey. Oh, Rufus Humphrey. Besides the fact that he is a beautiful man, he has such a good heart. Lily consistently jeopardized their chances to be together and then finally they got what they always wanted--each other. Not for a long enough, though. I assume the writers had to rid away the Rufus-Lily relationship to allow time for Serena and Dan to get back together for good, but come on. Everyone supported the Rufus-Lily relationship. Personally, I supported it more than the Dan-Serena relationship. Yeah, maybe it's nice to see the show make a full circle, but I think they could've created someone perfect for Serena and Dan that weren't each other. Just saying.
8. Vanessa is actually annoying.
GiphyYes, Jessica Szohr is beautiful. No argument there. But her character is so annoying by the end of the show. Her entire agenda is essentially Dan (and you already know how I feel about him), and she is almost as two-faced as he is! She was likable when she wasn't a leading role, but as soon as she became one, she became annoying. I'm sorry, but I was happy when her character left.
9. We all want a Dorota.
GiphyBy the end of the series, Dorota becomes a major character in the show. She also is the most LOYAL and HONEST character. Dorota is funny, supportive, and will not let anyone hurt Blair. She is basically a second mother to Blair and takes care of her as her own (even though she gets paid to). I don't believe the series would be the same without Dorota. And let's face it, we all would like our own Dorota.
10. Everyone sleeps with everyone and no one bats an eye.
GiphyThe series starts with Serena sleeping with Blair's current boyfriend, Nate. The entire show escalates from there because after that incident, everyone sleeps with everyone. Dan with Serena, Blair with Chuck, Nate with Vanessa, Dan with Vanessa, Nate with Serena, Nate with Blair, Chuck with every girl on the Upper East Side (and Europe), Jenny with Chuck, Serena with ______ (you fill-in-the-blank), etc., etc.
All of this happens and no one bats an eye. If that many "relationships" happened within one friend group, I think there would be some conversation. But not in "Gossip Girl." It's just another episode.
11. Georgina is probably a witch.
GiphyOK, this may be a stretch. But if she's not a witch, she's pure evil. Her agenda the entire show is to sabotage and destroy everyone. She is basically playing on a one-person team: her own. She enters the show as Serena's crazy old friend, and leaves the show even crazier, with no friends. She shows up randomly, and whenever she does, something goes wrong. She is even Gossip Girl at one point, because she hacks into it. Boom. Witch.
12. It doesn't make sense that Dan is Gossip Girl.
GiphyI feel like by the end of the series, the writers had to decide who would be Gossip Girl. When I rewatched the show this time, I knew it was Dan from the beginning. I paid attention to all of the "Gossip Girl blasts" and what they said and who they affected. It didn't add up that Dan Humphrey was Gossip Girl. The last episode basically just throws it at the audience to try to make sense of it themselves. The big issue was with all of the blasts about his own sister, Jenny. How could someone be that heartless to destroy their sister via a gossip blog, especially when your sister is in high school? That's the most vulnerable time of a young girl's life.
Dan tries to explain to Rufus that Jenny approved all of the posts about her and that she wanted them to be posted so she could leave, but come on. No high school girl would want her deepest secrets to be posted for everyone to read about. I know Gossip Girl had to be one of the characters, but did it really? And was the right one Dan?
There you have it. 12 lessons I learned after rewatching Gossip Girl. This show took up so much of my time in the last two months, but now I feel like I'm missing a part of me. I am currently browsing new Netflix series to watch. Any suggestions are appreciated. And if you haven't watched "Gossip Girl" (which I hope you have otherwise I spoiled so much for you in this article so sorry), watch it! Great show. Great characters. Great drama.
That is all for now. You know you love me. XOXO, "Gossip Girl."