HBO Max’s Gossip Girl: A Cliche Yet Promising Reboot
Growing up, I caught many glimpses of the original Gossip Girl and I skimmed through the first book more times than I can count. After spending many years binging the first half of the series only to start over again, I decided to watch the show in its full entirety, two years ago. Honestly, I dreaded finishing the series because it was one of a kind. There was something truly special about GG. It captured the overly privileged lives of the ultra rich in a way that felt glossy, fun and witty. When I heard the series was returning, I immediately renewed my HBO Max account to see how GG transformed in the socially-conscious meets social media influencer era of the 2020’s.
Seconds into the new HBO original, gorgeous cinematography and prestige skylines immediately caught my attention. Alas, played out clichés and predictable archetypes made its way into the reboot. It’s almost like the script was on the cusp of something deeper, but missed a few marks. The new queen bees, Monet de Haan (played by Savannah Smith) and Luna La (played by Zión Moreno) are Mean Girls on steroids. At times, the level of mean girl bitchiness took a page out of a Lifetime movie script or 2008’s The Clique. Nonetheless, I couldn’t stop watching.
What took me by surprise was the new origin story of Gossip Girl. Instead of lonely boy being an insider, a squad of fed-up teachers (cough, cough, underdogs) decide to recreate their own version of the anonymous gossip blog. The teachers versus students angle is sort of new for the show. It’s a good angle with promising yet dangerous territory, given the power dynamics of full grown adults intruding on the lavish, intimate lives of minors.
Towards the end of the episode, I was almost thrilled with the pinches of betrayal. So, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the cast dive deeper into their nastiness and deception. Because, well, that’s what made the O.G. Gossip Girl. We loved to watch Serena and Blair mend together, tear each other apart and make up again. So, it will be quite the ride to see the frenemy dynamic of half-sisters, Julien Calloway (played by Jordan Alexander) and Zoya Loft (played by Whitney Peak).
Another thing to note is that there is definitely duality with this new cast. While most of them pass as twentysomethings with corporate careers, on the verge of paying mortgages, there is a level of freshness. Almost naivety—especially from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s Whitney Peak. This cast is also more diverse. I’m hoping more identities and narratives will be highlighted within the revival.
Although there will never be an O.G. Gossip Girl, I think this one will be promising. I cannot misjudge the full potential of the new series based off one episode. I'm ready to watch the drama unfold. Will I be tuning in next week? Certainly!
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