Bad News Blair
| Company type | Television season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | September 19, 2007 |
| Founder | Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television series |
| Parent | The CW |
The debut season of the American teen drama series Gossip Girl premiered on The CW network on September 19, 2007, and wrapped up on May 19, 2008, consisting of 18 episodes. Adapted from the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar, the television version was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The storyline revolves around Serena van der Woodsen's enigmatic return to Manhattan's Upper East Side, closely monitored by the secretive blogger known as Gossip Girl.
The first 13 episodes were broadcast on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on The CW; in Canada, every episode except the twelfth ("School Lies") was shown one day earlier on CTV. Following the 2007–2008 Writers Guild strike, new episodes moved to Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. Warner Home Video released the season on DVD as Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season on August 19, 2008. Prior to its television debut, the pilot episode was made available for free download on iTunes, with subsequent episodes offered for purchase after airing.
Plot
This season centers on Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) returning to the Upper East Side amid intrigue and scandal, as narrated by the all-knowing blogger Gossip Girl. Her comeback unsettles Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), whose world unravels when it emerges that Serena had a romantic encounter with Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), Blair’s boyfriend and the area's celebrated "Golden Boy," before she left town. Nate’s persistent expressions of affection ignite a rivalry between Serena and Blair, though they eventually mend their friendship. Meanwhile, siblings Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) from Brooklyn are drawn into the lives of their affluent peers; Jenny becomes Blair’s apprentice while Dan pursues a relationship with Serena. Their romance parallels that of their parents, Rufus (Matthew Settle) and Lily (Kelly Rutherford).
As Blair and Nate's relationship deteriorates, Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) entices Blair. The scheming Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) arrives under the guise of innocent Sarah to wreak havoc in Serena’s life, revealing secrets including a presumed death Serena thought she caused. Georgina’s manipulations also lead to the breakup of Serena and Dan and publicly disclose Serena’s brother’s homosexuality. Blair develops feelings for Chuck but loses Nate’s friendship; ultimately, Chuck leaves her due to his inability to handle vulnerability.
Dan rekindles his connection with Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr), a longtime friend and outsider, complicating his feelings for Serena until he acknowledges his true love for Vanessa. By the finale, the Upper East Side group bands together to expose Georgina and drive her out of New York. Serena departs with Nate for the Hamptons; Chuck leaves a heartbroken Blair behind. Dan reconciles with Vanessa and returns to his Brooklyn roots, while Jenny exits Blair’s circle to begin an internship as a fashion designer at Blair’s mother’s company.
Main
- Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen
- Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
- Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey
- Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald
- Taylor Momsen as Jenny Humphrey
- Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass
- Jessica Szohr as Vanessa Abrams
- Kelly Rutherford as Lily van der Woodsen
- Matthew Settle as Rufus Humphrey
- Kristen Bell as the voice of Gossip Girl (uncredited)
Recurring
- Sam Robards in the role of Howard Archibald
- Connor Paolo portraying Eric van der Woodsen
- Nicole Fiscella as Isabel Coates
- Nan Zhang playing Kati Farkas
- Zuzanna Szadkowski as Dorota Kishlovsky
- Robert John Burke in the role of Bart Bass
- Margaret Colin portraying Eleanor Waldorf
- Michelle Hurd as Laurel
- Jill Flint playing Bex Simon
- Francie Swift as Anne Archibald
- Susan Misner in the role of Alison Humphrey
- Amanda Setton portraying Penelope Shafai
- Dreama Walker as Hazel Williams
Guest
- Sebastian Stan playing Carter Baizen
- John Shea as Harold Waldorf
- Caroline Lagerfelt portraying CeCe Rhodes
- William Abadie as Roman
- Linda Emond in the role of Headmistress Queller
- Michelle Trachtenberg portraying Georgina Sparks
- Yin Chang as Nelly Yuki
- Jesse Swenson playing Asher Hornsby
Episodes
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Casting
The first season introduced nine principal characters who received star billing. Blake Lively led as Serena van der Woodsen, a former Upper East Side socialite returning from a secretive boarding school experience in Connecticut. Kelly Rutherford portrayed her mother Lily, a socialite with multiple divorces. Leighton Meester took on the role of Blair Waldorf, the central figure and Serena’s envious best friend. Penn Badgley played Dan Humphrey, an outsider from a middle-class background, while Matthew Settle appeared as Rufus, his father, a former rock musician turned art dealer. Taylor Momsen was cast as Jenny Humphrey, Dan’s younger sister and a freshman striving to fit in at Constance Billiard. Chace Crawford portrayed Nate Archibald, Blair’s boyfriend who harbors feelings for Serena, and Ed Westwick played Chuck Bass, a notorious womanizer. Initially appearing as a guest star, Jessica Szohr was promoted to the main cast by episode fourteen as Vanessa Abrams, Dan’s childhood friend.
The voice behind "Gossip Girl," whose influential blog shapes much of the Upper East Side's dynamics, was provided by Kristen Bell. Recurring characters included Connor Paolo as Eric van der Woodsen, Serena’s brother recently released from rehab following a suicide attempt; Margaret Colin replacing Florencia Lozano from the pilot as Eleanor Waldorf, Blair’s fashion designer mother; and Michelle Trachtenberg portraying Georgina Sparks, a troubled figure from Serena’s past who escapes rehab. Nate’s parents were depicted by Sam Robards and Francie Swift. Blair’s close friends featured Nicole Fiscella as Isabel Coates and originally Nan Zhang playing Kati Farkas, who departed to pursue neuroscience studies at Johns Hopkins University; her character was succeeded by Nelly Yuki (portrayed by Yin Chang), with Zhang returning in season four. Additional members of Blair’s entourage included Amanda Setton (Penelope Shafai), Dreama Walker (Hazel Williams), and Emma Demar (Elise Wells).
Notable recurring guest appearances consisted of Zuzanna Szadkowski as Blair’s maid Dorota Kishlovsky; Robert John Burke in the role of Chuck’s wealthy father Bart Bass; Susan Misner portraying Alison Humphrey, Rufus's estranged wife; John Shea as Harold Waldorf, Blair’s father; and William Abadie playing Roman, Harold’s partner.
Crew
This season was developed through a collaboration between Warner Bros. Television, Alloy Entertainment, and College Hill Pictures. The executive producers and original creators were Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, joined by Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. Among the co-executive producers were K.J. Steinberg and Felicia D. Henderson, with production duties handled by Joe Lazarov and Jessica Queller. Amy Kaufman took on the role of producer, Jonathan C. Brody acted as co-producer, and Joshua Safran contributed as consulting producer.
The writing team featured Schwartz, Savage, Henderson, Safran, Lenn K. Rosenfeld, Queller, Steinberg, and Paul Sciarrotta. Directing responsibilities were regularly assigned to Mark Piznarski, J. Miller Tobin, Patrick Norris, Norman Buckley, Tony Wharmby, and Michael Fields.
Reception
Adapted from a The New York Times bestselling book series, the show entered the 2007–2008 television season as one of the most eagerly awaited new series. An August 2007 OTX survey ranked it among the top ten new programs in terms of viewer recognition. The pilot episode attracted 3.50 million viewers upon its premiere, following availability as a complimentary download on the U.S. iTunes store. Subsequent episodes saw a decline, with viewership dropping to 2.48 million for the second episode and reaching a season nadir of 1.81 million by episode eleven. After the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the series shifted its timeslot from Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. to Mondays at 8:00 p.m., resulting in a ratings recovery that brought the finale viewership back up to 3.00 million. Strong digital video recorder metrics combined with robust iTunes sales contributed significantly to the show's financial success.
Author Cecily von Ziegesar expressed her approval of the adaptation, confirming that essential plot elements remained intact in the pilot episode. The second episode earned commendations from New York magazine for its genuine portrayal of New York City lifestyles and authentic locations, including nods to Williamsburg real estate disputes and multiple appearances by Rihanna. In April 2008, New York magazine proclaimed Gossip Girl as "Best. Show. Ever." Additional favorable critiques came from Variety, the Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, which highlighted creator Josh Schwartz’s elevated narrative approach alongside Penn Badgley’s notable portrayal of Dan. The San Francisco Chronicle also praised the creative integration of the Gossip Girl blog as a storytelling mechanism.
However, the series encountered backlash due to its provocative themes aimed at a teenage audience, particularly from the Parents Television Council (PTC). The PTC denounced its "OMFG" advertising campaign and designated the "Victor, Victrola" episode as the worst television broadcast of its week. Their criticism focused on what they saw as glamorization of casual sex and substance use among adolescents, alongside contentious story arcs involving sexual assault and underage sexual activity. Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret Morning News observed that although less explicit than much MTV programming, the pilot contained scenes depicting teenage drinking, drug use, sexual encounters, and an attempted sexual assault.
Some reviewers also questioned the plausibility of certain plotlines, characterizing the series more as an indulgent guilty pleasure than a must-watch for professionals analyzing media trends or youth-oriented programming strategies.
DVD release
Warner Home Video issued the DVD for the first season in the United States on August 19, 2008, shortly after the series aired on television. This collection features all 18 episodes alongside additional materials such as deleted footage, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and an audiobook version of the original bestselling novel, narrated by Christina Ricci.
| Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season | ||||
| Set information | Bonus features | |||
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| Release dates | ||||
| Template:USA | Template:CAN | Template:UK | Template:AUS | |
| August 19, 2008 | August 18, 2008 | April 15, 2009 | ||
External links
- Episode guide for Gossip Girl season 1 on IMDb