Gossip Girl season 1
| Company type | Television season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | September 19, 2007 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Gossip Girl (TV series) |
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, comprising a total of 18 episodes. Adapted from the book series authored by Cecily von Ziegesar, the television adaptation was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The storyline follows Serena van der Woodsen as she returns to Manhattan’s Upper East Side following an enigmatic absence at boarding school, all while being monitored by the anonymous online persona known as Gossip Girl.
During its initial run, the first 13 episodes were broadcast in the United States on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on The CW, with most episodes airing a day earlier on Canada’s CTV network. Following the 2007–2008 Writers Guild strike, the show’s schedule shifted to Mondays at 8:00 p.m. Warner Home Video issued the complete season as a five-disc DVD collection titled 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; subsequent episodes could be purchased after their original broadcast.
Plot
This season centers on Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) as she makes her return to Manhattan's Upper East Side amid swirling rumors and intrigue, all narrated by the omnipresent blogger Gossip Girl. Her arrival unsettles Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), whose life begins to unravel when it is revealed that Serena had a romantic encounter with Blair’s boyfriend, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), prior to her departure from town. Nate’s fluctuating loyalties fuel a rivalry between Serena and Blair, though they eventually mend their friendship.
Siblings Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) from Brooklyn become captivated by the affluent lifestyle of their classmates. Jenny rises as Blair’s determined protégé while Dan dates Serena, reflecting the past relationship between their respective parents, Rufus (Matthew Settle) and Lily (Kelly Rutherford).
Meanwhile, Blair and Nate’s relationship deteriorates as Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) pursues Blair with seductive intent. The arrival of manipulative Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg), who masquerades as "Sarah," threatens Serena by revealing dark secrets—including involvement in a death she thought was behind her—and disrupts her social connections. Blair develops feelings for Chuck but loses Nate’s friendship; ultimately, Chuck leaves her due to his inability to handle emotional vulnerability.
Dan reconnects with his childhood friend Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr), who challenges his feelings for Serena until he finally admits his love for her. By the season finale, the group on the Upper East Side exposes Georgina’s deceit and forces her out of New York City. Serena departs with Nate for the Hamptons; Chuck leaves a heartbroken Blair behind. Dan reconciles with Vanessa and returns to Brooklyn, while Jenny breaks away from Blair’s circle to pursue a fashion internship 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 portraying Alison Humphrey
- Amanda Setton as Penelope Shafai
- Dreama Walker in the role of Hazel Williams
Guest
- Sebastian Stan as Carter Baizen
- John Shea portraying Harold Waldorf
- Caroline Lagerfelt in the role of CeCe Rhodes
- William Abadie as Roman
- Linda Emond playing Headmistress Queller
- Michelle Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks
- Yin Chang portraying Nelly Yuki
- Jesse Swenson in the role of Asher Hornsby
Episodes
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Casting
The first season introduced nine principal characters credited as main cast. Blake Lively took on the lead role of Serena van der Woodsen, a former Upper East Side socialite who returns after a mysterious period at boarding school. Kelly Rutherford portrayed her mother Lily, a well-known socialite with multiple divorces. Leighton Meester starred as Blair Waldorf, Serena’s rival and the series’ eventual central character. Penn Badgley appeared as Dan Humphrey, an outsider from a middle-class background, with Matthew Settle playing his father Rufus, an ex-rock musician turned art dealer, and Taylor Momsen as his sister Jenny, a freshman eager to fit into high society. Chace Crawford was cast as Nate Archibald, Blair’s boyfriend who also shows interest in Serena. The character Chuck Bass, a notorious womanizer, was portrayed by Ed Westwick. Jessica Szohr, initially a guest star, became part of the main ensemble mid-season as Vanessa Abrams, Dan’s childhood friend.
The voice behind the influential "Gossip Girl" blog was provided by Kristen Bell, whose narration fuels much of the Upper East Side drama. Several supporting roles had recurring appearances: Connor Paolo played Eric van der Woodsen, Serena’s brother; Margaret Colin replaced Florencia Lozano as Eleanor Waldorf, Blair’s mother and a fashion designer; Michelle Trachtenberg appeared as Georgina Sparks, a figure from Serena’s past; and Nate’s parents Howard and Anne Archibald were played by Sam Robards and Francie Swift. Blair’s close friends included Nicole Fiscella and Nan Zhang as Isabel Coates and Kati Farkas respectively; after Zhang departed to pursue neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University, Yin Chang joined as Nelly Yuki, returning in season four. Additional members of Blair’s group were Amanda Setton (Penelope Shafai), Dreama Walker (Hazel Williams), and Emma Demar (Elise Wells).
Recurring guest roles featured Zuzanna Szadkowski as Dorota Kishlovsky, Blair’s maid; 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
The season was developed through a collaboration between Warner Bros. Television, Alloy Entertainment, and College Hill Pictures. Executive production was led by the series creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, together with Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. Co-executive producer roles were held by K.J. Steinberg and Felicia D. Henderson. The producing team featured Joe Lazarov, Jessica Queller, and Amy Kaufman, while Jonathan C. Brody acted as co-producer and Joshua Safran contributed as consulting producer.
The writing staff comprised Schwartz, Savage, Henderson, Safran, Lenn K. Rosenfeld, Queller, Steinberg, and Paul Sciarrotta. Direction was regularly handled by Mark Piznarski, J. Miller Tobin, Patrick Norris, Norman Buckley, Tony Wharmby, and Michael Fields.
Reception
As an adaptation of a bestselling novel series from The New York Times, the show ranked among the most eagerly awaited new programs for the 2007–2008 television season. According to an August 2007 OTX poll, it was among the top ten new shows recognized by viewers. The pilot episode initially drew 3.50 million viewers during its premiere broadcast and had been previously accessible on iTunes. Viewer numbers declined over time, falling to 2.48 million by the second episode and reaching a low of 1.81 million by episode eleven. Following 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., which corresponded with an increase in ratings to 3.00 million for the season finale. The program's profitability was further boosted by strong digital video recorder viewership and robust iTunes sales.
Author Cecily von Ziegesar expressed support for the television adaptation, affirming that key plot elements remained faithful in the pilot episode. The second installment received acclaim from New York for its genuine portrayal of characters' lifestyles and authentic settings such as Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In April 2008, New York magazine dubbed Gossip Girl as "Best. Show. Ever." Additional positive critiques came from Variety, the Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle, all commending creator Josh Schwartz’s enhanced narrative approach and innovative incorporation of a blog as a storytelling element.
The series attracted criticism due to its provocative content deemed unsuitable for teenage viewers, notably from the Parents Television Council (PTC). The council specifically targeted the show's "OMFG" advertising campaign and identified certain episodes as among the worst aired because of themes involving casual sex, substance use, and contentious storylines. Nevertheless, some reviewers observed that it was comparatively milder than similar shows on networks like MTV while advising parents to be cautious about explicit material.
Additional critiques focused on occasionally implausible plotlines, with some commentators categorizing the show as a guilty pleasure rather than essential viewing for those interested in teen drama genres.
DVD release
Warner Home Video issued the complete first season DVD in the United States on August 19, 2008, subsequent to its television run. This release features all 18 episodes along with bonus materials including a downloadable audiobook, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes.
| Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season | ||||
| Set details | Special 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
- Compilation of Gossip Girl Season 1 episodes available on IMDb