New York, I Love You XOXO
| Industry | Television series |
|---|---|
| Founder | Stephanie Savage (writer), Mark Piznarski (director) |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Television drama series |
New York, I Love You XOXO serves as the concluding episode of the American teen drama series Gossip Girl. As the tenth installment of the sixth season and the 121st episode overall, it was penned by Stephanie Savage and directed by Mark Piznarski. The episode premiered on The CW network on December 17, 2012.
The narrative of Gossip Girl revolves around the lives of wealthy young individuals in New York City. In this final chapter, the demise of Bart Bass prompts Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) to hasten their wedding plans, while the true identity behind Gossip Girl is disclosed. A flash-forward set five years later reveals Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) marrying Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively).
Critics responded positively to the episode, which achieved the highest viewership of the season, attracting 1.55 million viewers in the United States along with a Nielsen rating/share of 0.8/2 within the 18–49 age demographic.
Plot
After Bart Bass falls to his death during a rooftop confrontation with Chuck (Ed Westwick), Chuck and Blair (Leighton Meester) find themselves under police suspicion since Chuck is considered a key person of interest. Jack Bass (Desmond Harrington) suggests that marriage could grant spousal privilege; consequently, Chuck proposes to Blair, who agrees.
Serena (Blake Lively) uncovers an alternative chapter written by Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) about her, which motivates her to remain in New York and address the situation directly. William van der Woodsen (William Baldwin) supports Lily Bass (Kelly Rutherford) and confesses that he used Ivy Dickens (Kaylee DeFer) as a means to reconnect with Lily.
With Bart's passing, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), no longer under Bart's control over The Spectator, begins probing into Gossip Girl’s true identity. Meanwhile, Jack and Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) oversee preparations for Chuck and Blair’s wedding.
Prior to the ceremony, Serena questions Blair about her continued involvement with Dan following his disparaging chapter. Dan overhears their conversation and later hands Nate his final chapter, revealing himself as Gossip Girl. Despite police arriving to question them during the wedding, Blair and Chuck proceed with their marriage. Simultaneously, Dan’s exposé is published in The Spectator, confirming his role as Gossip Girl.
Characters such as Vanessa (Jessica Szohr), Juliet (Katie Cassidy), Agnes (Willa Holland), Lola (Ella Rae Peck), and Mayor Michael Bloomberg react to these revelations. Additionally, Kristen Bell makes a cameo appearance to conspiratorially disclose Gossip Girl’s secret to Rachel Bilson.
Dan elaborates on his motivations for creating Gossip Girl; it is revealed that Jenny (Taylor Momsen) had been aware of this for some time.
Five Years Later: On the day Dan and Serena marry, Chuck and Blair are shown as parents to their son Henry. Nate has transformed The Spectator into a successful business venture and contemplates running for mayor. Ivy has authored a memoir about her life as a con artist, which has been adapted into a movie starring Lola and Olivia Burke (Hilary Duff). Blair collaborates with Jenny on their fashion brand "J for Waldorf." Lily reunites with William while Rufus is dating Lisa Loeb. Jack Bass and Georgina are now a couple.
The finale concludes by depicting a new generation resembling Upper East Side elites, implying that there will always be outsiders eager to enter their world—suggesting that Gossip Girl’s legacy will continue.
Production
The script for this episode was crafted by Stephanie Savage and directed by Mark Piznarski. On October 31, 2012, TVLine revealed the finale's title: "New York, I Love You XOXO". Filming took place in New York during October 2012, featuring locations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the wedding of Blair and Chuck near Bethesda Terrace. The soundtrack included Great Northern’s rendition of "Bonnie & Clyde", Rihanna’s "Pon De Replay", Imagine Dragons’ "It’s Time", Release the Sunbird’s cover of Talking Heads’ "Road to Nowhere", The Mynabirds’ "Body of Work", Florence and the Machine’s "You’ve Got the Love", with The Pretty Reckless’ "Kill Me" closing the episode.
On October 5, 2012, executive producers Stephanie Savage and Sara Goodman confirmed that Gossip Girl’s identity would be unveiled during the final season. This choice, not originally planned, was prompted by narrative developments in season five. Later, on November 14, 2012, TVLine announced that the finale would include a flashforward sequence; Savage also confirmed the presence of a flashback.
Costume designer Eric Daman honored earlier seasons by styling Blair (Meester) with a headband and Chuck (Westwick) with a scarf in the flashback scenes. Blair’s wedding gown was an Elie Saab creation, while Serena (Lively) wore a dress by Missoni, with her bridal gown designed by Georges Chakra. Both Jenny (Momsen) and Blair donned Zuhair Murad dresses at Serena and Dan’s wedding. Georgina’s attire was designed by Robert Rodriguez.
Casting
Several returning actors appeared for the series conclusion. Desmond Harrington reprised his role as Jack Bass, Chuck’s uncle. On October 16, 2012, it was revealed through a photo posted by Kelly Rutherford that Connor Paolo and Taylor Momsen had returned to set. Additional brief appearances were made by Katie Cassidy, Ella Rae Peck, Jessica Szohr, and Willa Holland. The long-time narrator Kristen Bell appeared as herself, delivering lines alongside Rachel Bilson. Regarding Bell’s cameo, Savage remarked: "Filming with her was both humorous and special. She is an integral part of our family but rarely seen on screen. Including her in the storytelling felt like a fitting tribute to her contribution." She further added: "Having those two actresses together allowed us to highlight their talents. Kristen’s presence in the finale was fantastic, and Rachel joining her was just an added bonus." The episode also featured cameos from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and musician Lisa Loeb. Loeb, who had appeared in the first season, was scripted as Rufus’ final partner—a deliberate choice by writers to pair him with someone from “his world,” another artist.
Reception
"New York, I Love You XOXO" aired on December 17, 2012, on The CW in the United States. It drew an audience of 1.55 million viewers and achieved a 0.8/2 Nielsen rating/share among adults aged 18–49, marking its highest ratings since April 2011.
Sandra Gonzalez of Entertainment Weekly lauded the finale as “a flawless blend of nostalgia, mythology, wit, deception, and resolution.” She described the revelation of Dan as Gossip Girl as “bold, provocative, and likely inconsistent,” yet appreciated maintaining the secret within the main cast. She also praised the “endearing” flashbacks and called Chuck and Blair’s wedding “stunning,” noting the guest appearances positively. Verne Gay from Newsday found the unveiling unsurprising but regarded it as “a fitting kind of poetic justice.” Philiana Ng from The Hollywood Reporter commented that the episode served as a reminder of the show’s nature as a “soapy, cheeky guilty pleasure.” Courtney Morrison of TV Fanatic rated it 4.8 out of 5 stars, describing the finale as “epic,” commending Desmond Harrington’s return and the five-year time jump, while finding Dan’s role as Gossip Girl ultimately logical.
In contrast, The A.V. Club assigned an F grade to the episode, criticizing it for being “painfully dull” and questioning Dan’s motivation behind being Gossip Girl—highlighting the contradiction between using his platform to harm friends while attempting to impress Serena, a key figure in his prolonged campaign against stalking.
External links
- "New York, I Love You XOXO" available on The CW.com