Earlier this week, HBO Max released a premiere date for part 2 of the Gossip Girl reboot season 1, and all GG fans collectively went, ‘WHY?!’. The first part of the series debuted in July, and honestly, no one missed the other half of the series. Some things are simply pop culture iconic, and we need to learn to leave those alone.
The original Gossip Girl was over the top, and that was the point of the entire show. No one expected Serena van der Woodsen to worry about rent or Blair Waldorf to take public transport to work; GG gave us a window into a different world—where 16-year-olds could stay out on a school night—and despite its (many) flaws, we loved the escape.
When the reboot was announced, we all expected the same absurdity but with a 2021 upgrade. Think IG stories, early-bird access to iPhones, homegrown yet exclusive brands and eco-conscious diets! The makers also made a bunch of fabulous decisions. For one, they got Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (co-creators of the original show) to be a part of the reboot. Tavi Gevinson, who is considered by many as the OG influencer (she got famous at the same time that the original show started gaining popularity), was also a part of the show. The rest of the cast was diverse and inclusive as well. It all seemed right.
What went wrong, however, was that the show could never establish an identity. GG was out and out extravagant, with zero consequences for any of the characters. The new show, however, tried to toe the line between paying tribute to the earlier show while being critical of the original storyline. Which basically left it in limbo.
Set in the same schools, this takes place nearly a decade after the first show ended, and while the characters are new, each of them had some version of the original characters. Julien was the new Blair with a hint of Serena’s cool-girl vibe. Her half-sister, Zoya, made for a perfect Dan. Max was a woke version of Chuck. The reboot had characters that tried too hard to be real and noble; they are probably better people, but hey, we don’t watch GG to see niceness!
The beauty of the original show was also on its sheer focus on being a series for teenagers: you got over-the-top plotline, fights, heartbreaks and a lot of tantrums. All of it made it real and very, very honest.
The second part of the season will probably tie a few loose ends together. But apart from that, there’s no point to the show. Thank you, next, please!
