The Blair Bitch Project (Gossip Girl)
| Company type | Television season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | September 19, 2007 |
| Founder | Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage |
| Products | Gossip Girl (TV 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 concluded on May 19, 2008, comprising a total of 18 episodes. Adapted from the book series authored by Cecily von Ziegesar, the television version was developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The storyline follows Serena van der Woodsen as she returns to Manhattan's Upper East Side after an enigmatic absence at boarding school, all while being monitored by the anonymous online persona known as Gossip Girl.
The first 13 episodes were broadcast on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on The CW in the United States, with most episodes premiering a day earlier on Canada's CTV. Following the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the show’s schedule shifted to Mondays at 8:00 p.m. Warner Home Video later issued the season as a five-disc DVD collection entitled Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season on August 19, 2008. Prior to its television debut, the pilot episode was made available as a complimentary download on iTunes, while subsequent episodes were offered for purchase after airing.
Plot
This season highlights Serena van der Woodsen’s (Blake Lively) return to the Upper East Side amidst intrigue and scandal, chronicled by the all-knowing blogger Gossip Girl. Before her departure, Serena had an affair with Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), who is Blair Waldorf’s (Leighton Meester) boyfriend, igniting tension and competition between the two young women. Despite their disputes, Serena and Blair temporarily mend their friendship. Simultaneously, siblings from Brooklyn—Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen)—find themselves drawn into the lives of their affluent peers; Jenny becomes Blair’s shrewd apprentice, while Dan embarks on a romantic relationship with Serena, echoing a past connection between their parents.
The relationship between Blair and Nate becomes strained when Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) seduces Blair. The arrival of manipulative Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg), masquerading as "Sarah," unravels Serena’s hidden past—including a death she thought she caused—and disrupts several relationships by revealing that Serena’s brother is gay and causing a breakup between Dan and Serena. Blair develops feelings for Chuck but loses Nate’s friendship in the process; however, Chuck distances himself from Blair when she shows vulnerability.
Dan reconnects with his childhood friend Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr), who challenges his affections for Serena until he finally acknowledges his true feelings for her. By the season finale, the Upper East Side community bands together to expose Georgina and force her departure from New York. Serena leaves with Nate for the Hamptons; Chuck leaves a heartbroken Blair behind; Dan reconciles with Vanessa and returns to Brooklyn; Jenny parts ways with Blair’s circle and begins 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 portraying Howard Archibald
- Connor Paolo as Eric van der Woodsen
- Nicole Fiscella in the role of Isabel Coates
- Nan Zhang playing Kati Farkas
- Zuzanna Szadkowski as Dorota Kishlovsky
- Robert John Burke cast as Bart Bass
- Margaret Colin embodying Eleanor Waldorf
- Michelle Hurd performing as Laurel
- Jill Flint in the character of Bex Simon
- Francie Swift portraying Anne Archibald
- Susan Misner as Alison Humphrey
- Amanda Setton cast as Penelope Shafai
- Dreama Walker playing Hazel Williams
Guest
- Sebastian Stan appearing as Carter Baizen
- John Shea in the role of Harold Waldorf
- Caroline Lagerfelt portraying CeCe Rhodes
- William Abadie as Roman
- Linda Emond cast as Headmistress Queller
- Michelle Trachtenberg reprising her role as Georgina Sparks
- Yin Chang playing Nelly Yuki
- Jesse Swenson as Asher Hornsby
Episodes
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Casting
The first season showcased nine principal characters with leading credits. Blake Lively took on the role of the central character, 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 van der Woodsen, a socialite with multiple divorces. Leighton Meester played the role of Blair Waldorf, the reigning Queen Bee and eventual lead, who harbors resentment toward Serena’s comeback. Penn Badgley appeared as Dan Humphrey, an outsider from a middle-class background, while Matthew Settle played his father, Rufus Humphrey, a former rock musician turned art dealer. Taylor Momsen portrayed Dan’s sister, Jenny Humphrey, a freshman striving to gain acceptance among Constance Billiard’s elite. Chace Crawford was cast as Blair’s boyfriend, Nate Archibald, who finds himself drawn to Serena. The role of womanizing 'bad boy' Chuck Bass was filled by Ed Westwick. Initially introduced as a guest star, Jessica Szohr joined the main cast from episode fourteen onward as Vanessa Abrams, Dan’s childhood friend.
The voice of "Gossip Girl," whose influential blog impacts the Upper East Side social landscape, was provided by Kristen Bell. Recurring roles included Connor Paolo as Serena’s brother Eric van der Woodsen, recently discharged from rehab following a suicide attempt; Margaret Colin replaced Florencia Lozano from the pilot as Blair’s mother and fashion designer, Eleanor Waldorf; and Michelle Trachtenberg portrayed Georgina Sparks, a figure from Serena's past who reemerges after rehab. Nate’s parents, Howard and Anne Archibald, were played by Sam Robards and Francie Swift. Among Blair’s devoted companions were Nicole Fiscella as Isabel Coates and Nan Zhang as Kati Farkas; Zhang departed to pursue neuroscience studies at Johns Hopkins University, leading to her character relocating to Israel. Nelly Yuki (played by Yin Chang) took over as part of Blair’s circle and made a return in season four.
Other members of Blair’s group included Amanda Setton (Penelope Shafai), Dreama Walker (Hazel Williams), and Emma Demar (Elise Wells). Recurring guest appearances featured Zuzanna Szadkowski as Blair’s maid Dorota Kishlovsky; Robert John Burke in the role of Chuck’s billionaire father Bart Bass; Susan Misner portraying Rufus’s estranged wife Alison Humphrey; John Shea as Harold Waldorf, Blair’s father; and William Abadie playing Harold’s partner Roman.
Crew
The production companies behind the season were Warner Bros. Television, Alloy Entertainment, and College Hill Pictures. Executive producers included series creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, along with Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. Co-executive producers were K.J. Steinberg and Felicia D. Henderson, while Joe Lazarov and Jessica Queller served as producers. Amy Kaufman held the producer role for the season, Jonathan C. Brody was co-producer, and Joshua Safran contributed as consulting producer.
The writing team consisted of Schwartz, Savage, Henderson, Safran, Lenn K. Rosenfeld, Queller, Steinberg, and Paul Sciarrotta. The season's regular directors included 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 generated significant anticipation for the 2007–2008 television season. According to an August 2007 OTX poll, it ranked within the top ten new programs in terms of viewer recognition. The premiere episode was viewed by 3.50 million people during its initial broadcast, having also been offered as a complimentary download on iTunes. However, viewership dropped to 2.48 million by the second episode and reached its lowest point at 1.81 million by episode eleven. After the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the series shifted from its Wednesday 9 p.m. slot to Mondays at 8 p.m., with the concluding five episodes airing post-strike; the finale attracted 3 million viewers. The series’ financial success was bolstered by strong digital video recorder usage and impressive iTunes sales figures.
Author Cecily von Ziegesar expressed her approval of the adaptation, confirming that essential plot elements were preserved in the pilot episode. The second installment received commendation from New York for its genuine portrayal of environment and social interactions. In April 2008, New York magazine proclaimed it "Best. Show. Ever." Additional positive critiques came from Variety, the Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, which particularly highlighted Dan (Penn Badgley) as a compelling character. The San Francisco Chronicle praised the creative integration of the show's titular blog as a narrative tool.
Controversy emerged regarding provocative content aimed at a teenage audience, especially from the Parents Television Council (PTC), which criticized the "OMFG" advertising campaign and episodes featuring mature themes such as casual sexual encounters and drug use. The PTC labeled "Victor, Victrola" as the worst television program during its airing week, accusing it of promoting problematic teen behavior. Although some commentators remarked that the content was less explicit than programming on other youth-oriented channels like MTV, warnings about mature scenes in early episodes were frequent.
The series also encountered criticism for unrealistic plotlines and has often been regarded more as a guilty pleasure than a must-watch show.
DVD release
Warner Home Video issued the first season DVD in the United States on August 19, 2008, subsequent to its television run. The collection features all episodes along with additional materials such as deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a downloadable audiobook.
| 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