The Handmaiden's Tale (Gossip Girl episode)
| Industry | Television |
|---|---|
| Founded | September 19, 2007 |
| Founder | Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage |
| Products | Television series |
| Parent | The CW |
The inaugural season of the American teen drama Gossip Girl debuted on The CW on September 19, 2007, and concluded on May 19, 2008, comprising a total of 18 episodes. Adapted from Cecily von Ziegesar's book series, the show was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The storyline revolves around Serena van der Woodsen's return to Manhattan’s Upper East Side following a mysterious absence at boarding school, all while being monitored by the secretive blogger known as Gossip Girl.
The first 13 episodes were broadcast on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW; in Canada, every episode except for episode 12 ("School Lies") aired one day earlier via CTV. After the 2007–2008 Writers Guild strike, the broadcast schedule shifted to Mondays at 8 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 premiere, the pilot episode was made available for free on iTunes, with subsequent episodes offered for purchase following their original air dates.
Plot
This season focuses on Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) as she returns to her Upper East Side life, igniting scandals exposed by the all-knowing blogger Gossip Girl. Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) experiences upheaval when Serena’s secret affair with Blair’s boyfriend Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) is uncovered. This revelation triggers conflict and eventual reconciliation between the two young women. Meanwhile, siblings from Brooklyn—Dan (Penn Badgley) and Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen)—become involved in the elite social circle; Jenny becomes Blair’s mentee while Dan dates Serena, echoing a past relationship between their parents.
As Blair and Nate's romance deteriorates, Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick), a cunning socialite, wins Blair’s affection. The arrival of Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg), who impersonates Sarah, disrupts Serena’s world by revealing secrets that strain friendships and uncover Serena’s role in an accidental death. Blair develops feelings for Chuck but loses her bond with Nate; however, Chuck ultimately leaves Blair due to his own emotional struggles.
Dan reconnects with his childhood friend Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr), an outsider who challenges his feelings for Serena until he admits his true love for her. The Upper East Side group bands together to unmask Georgina and force her out of New York City. The season concludes with Serena and Nate heading to the Hamptons, Chuck leaving Blair heartbroken, Dan making amends with Vanessa and returning to Brooklyn, and Jenny departing 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 in the role of Alison Humphrey
- Amanda Setton portraying Penelope Shafai
- Dreama Walker as Hazel Williams
Guest
- Sebastian Stan in the role of Carter Baizen
- John Shea portraying Harold Waldorf
- Caroline Lagerfelt as CeCe Rhodes
- William Abadie playing Roman
- Linda Emond as Headmistress Queller
- Michelle Trachtenberg portraying Georgina Sparks
- Yin Chang as Nelly Yuki
- Jesse Swenson as Asher Hornsby
Episodes
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Casting
The first season introduced nine principal characters with leading credits. Blake Lively took on the lead role of Serena van der Woodsen, a former Upper East Side socialite returning after an enigmatic boarding school absence. Kelly Rutherford portrayed her mother, Lily, a socialite with multiple divorces. Leighton Meester starred as Blair Waldorf, the reigning Queen Bee and soon-to-be central character, who harbors resentment toward Serena’s comeback. Penn Badgley played Dan Humphrey, representing a middle-class perspective, alongside his father Rufus, a former rock musician turned art dealer, played by Matthew Settle, and his younger sister Jenny, a freshman striving to break into the elite circle, portrayed by Taylor Momsen. Chace Crawford appeared as Nate Archibald, Blair’s boyfriend who finds himself drawn to Serena. Ed Westwick embodied Chuck Bass, the notorious womanizer and 'bad boy.' Initially appearing as a guest star, Jessica Szohr was promoted to main cast status by episode fourteen as Vanessa Abrams, Dan’s childhood friend.
The voice of "Gossip Girl," whose blog shapes much of the Upper East Side’s social landscape, was provided by Kristen Bell. Recurring roles featured Connor Paolo as Eric van der Woodsen, Serena’s brother recently released from rehab following a suicide attempt; Margaret Colin replaced Florencia Lozano from the pilot to play Eleanor Waldorf, Blair’s mother and fashion designer; and Michelle Trachtenberg returned as Georgina Sparks, a figure from Serena’s past who also comes out of rehab. Nate Archibald’s parents were played by Sam Robards and Francie Swift. Blair’s close friends included Isabel Coates (Nicole Fiscella) and Kati Farkas (Nan Zhang), with Zhang departing to pursue neuroscience studies at Johns Hopkins University; her character was succeeded by Nelly Yuki (played by Yin Chang), who reappeared in season four. Additional members of Blair’s circle were Penelope Shafai (Amanda Setton), Hazel Williams (Dreama Walker), and Elise Wells (Emma Demar).
Other recurring guest appearances included Zuzanna Szadkowski as Dorota Kishlovsky, Blair’s loyal maid; Robert John Burke portraying Bart Bass, Chuck’s wealthy father; Susan Misner as Alison Humphrey, Rufus’s estranged wife; John Shea playing Harold Waldorf, Blair’s father; and William Abadie as Roman, Harold’s partner.
Crew
The season was developed through a collaboration between Warner Bros. Television, Alloy Entertainment, and College Hill Pictures. The executive producing team featured the series creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, along with Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. K.J. Steinberg and Felicia D. Henderson held roles as co-executive producers, while Joe Lazarov and Jessica Queller served as producers. Amy Kaufman acted as producer, Jonathan C. Brody took on co-producer duties, and Joshua Safran contributed as a consulting producer.
Among the writing staff were Schwartz, Savage, Henderson, Safran, Lenn K. Rosenfeld, Queller, Steinberg, and Paul Sciarrotta. The directing team regularly included Mark Piznarski, J. Miller Tobin, Patrick Norris, Norman Buckley, Tony Wharmby, and Michael Fields.
Reception
Based on a The New York Times bestselling book series, the show was highly anticipated entering the 2007–2008 television season. An OTX survey conducted in August 2007 placed it among the top ten new programs in terms of viewer recognition. The premiere episode drew an audience of 3.50 million viewers during its initial broadcast after being offered as a complimentary iTunes download. Viewership declined as the season progressed, falling to 2.48 million by episode two and reaching a low of 1.81 million by episode eleven. After the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, the series shifted from its Wednesday 9:00 p.m. slot to Mondays at 8:00 p.m., with ratings increasing to 3.00 million for the season finale. Strong digital video recorder usage and robust iTunes sales contributed positively to the show's financial success.
Author Cecily von Ziegesar expressed her approval of the adaptation, confirming that key plot elements were preserved in the pilot episode. The second installment received commendations from New York for its genuine portrayal of settings and character development, including believable real estate disputes and cultural nods such as Rihanna’s cameo. In April 2008, New York magazine crowned it the "Best. Show. Ever." Additional favorable critiques came from Variety, the Boston Globe, The Washington Post—which praised creator Josh Schwartz’s storytelling growth beyond his work on The O.C.—and the San Francisco Chronicle, which lauded its creative integration of a blog as part of the narrative structure.
However, the series attracted controversy over its mature themes targeting a teenage audience, particularly drawing criticism from the Parents Television Council (PTC). The PTC condemned its provocative "OMFG" advertising campaign and labeled "Victor, Victrola" as the worst program during its broadcast week. Their objections centered on perceived glamorization of casual sex and drug use among adolescents, alongside contentious storylines involving attempted sexual assault and underage relationships. Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret Morning News observed that although it was less explicit than much of MTV's content, parents should remain cautious due to scenes depicting teen sexual activity, substance consumption, and violence in the pilot.
Some reviewers questioned the plausibility of certain plotlines, suggesting that while entertaining as a guilty pleasure, the show might not be considered essential viewing for more discerning audiences.
DVD release
Warner Home Video issued the first season DVD in the United States on August 19, 2008, shortly after the series aired on television. This collection features all 18 episodes along with additional materials such as deleted footage, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and an audiobook available for download.
| Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season | ||||
| Set specifications | Bonus content | |||
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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 one episodes on IMDb]