Sex, Drugs, and Limousines: The NY Times' Take on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl continues to generate lots of press in the final week before its premiere, thanks to its buzzworthy plotlines and Manhattan setting. Today's New York Times article says the show, which is filmed entirely in New York, depicts the city as a "playground of temptation." Check out this description of the premiere's opening scenes:
"Within 20 minutes the characters, privileged Upper East Side private schoolers, are downing martinis at the Palace Hotel. There is some pot smoking in Central Park, and more sex, at the Campbell Apartment bar, and more pot smoking, en route to Queens. Forget the No. 7 train: this gang travels to the outer boroughs via limo, with bottles of Champagne in hand."
Wow. Makes our Friday nights spent schlepping around on public transit seem downright lowbrow. But we digress.
Other noteworthy Times tidbits:
*Penn Badgley's character is compared to Seth on The O.C. -- the "darkly comic observer."
*Josh Schwartz is taking a more hands-off approach to Gossip Girl than The O.C. because he's busy working on NBC's Chuck at the same time.
*The teens' scandalous lifestyles aren't meant to represent they way ALL teenagers behave. Dawn Ostroff has this response to concerns about the promiscuity, drinking, and drug use: “Everybody approached this with the understanding that this was a heightened reality. It wasn’t teenagers as we know them throughout the country.”
We have the premiere in our hot little hands, and we're watching it tonight (perhaps getting to see Gossip Girl early merits popping a little bubbly of our own!). Look for our take next Monday in the second of our weekly new show previews -- and be sure to check out this week's preview of Reaper if you haven't already. We'll weigh in on what we loved and loathed about the premiere.
Gossip Girl fans, what are your hopes for the premiere? Think it'll live up to your expectations? Better question: will it live up to the books? Those of you who aren't into the book series -- will you be giving the show a chance anyway?
Comments
i'll watch the priemere. It's good timing now that the OC recently ended and kids are looking for another teenage show like that. but I just don't think it will be anywhere near as good
Posted by: Anonymous | September 14, 2007 6:26 PM
this is to answer juls comment =]
i have read every book of the Gossip Girl series and couldn't get enough. You have no idea how excited i am for this premiere. The books are something you read and almost want to see it lived out in a movie or something because of how good the drama and reading is. I'm sure there are some small tidbits here and there that aren't exactly like the book...for example I already saw a mistake just in the commercial -_-.
but heyy...no surprises ruined here...it'll be fun to see all the craziness played out and actually have a face to match to all of the characters.
I really suggest reading the books if you love the show, even if there is no point =p
Posted by: Jessica | September 14, 2007 4:10 PM
Kind of funny how Leighton Meester played a 21 year old woman on 7th Heaven back in the May 2004 season finale (as the girl Chandler moved away with) and now - over 3 years later - she's in high school!
Posted by: Katie | September 13, 2007 3:53 PM
I have some questions for those who have read the book.
Having read the book, do you think it will ruin any "surprises" or "mystery elements" the show may contain because you already know what is going to happen?
Also, do you prefer the program stay true to the book? If it strays, would you be disappointed?
Just curious.
I'm the type of person who cannot see a movie if I've already read the book.
Posted by: juls | September 13, 2007 1:28 PM
I'll watch the premier... we'll go from there... I can't watch Reaper afterall... just out of spite for Supernatural=p
Posted by: anneabell | September 13, 2007 9:52 AM
sounds like 90210, with all the spoild brats and their lives
Posted by: sandy | September 12, 2007 8:17 PM
I really hope GG does well. I for one love books and shows about spoiled rich kids. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. Also, the shows gonna give me an excuse to stare at Chace Crawford for and hour. That's always good.
Posted by: Amanda | September 12, 2007 5:23 PM