Image via HBO
It’s really happening. Gossip Girls is back! And no, we’re not talking about Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, and the gang. In case you’re not caught up, the popular series from the 2000s is making a comeback with 10 episodes featuring a brand new generation of rich and famous private school students.
Nine years after the finale, the spin-off is returning at just the right time in this age of social media influencers. This time, a group of elite teens is forced to navigate gossip and rumours driven by the socials.
Echoing the original Gossip Girl, this new clique of rich kids have known each other since childhood. But the drama happens when one of them welcomes a new girl into the group.
So how has Upper East Side changed over the years? Whether you’re a millennial who remembers gushing over Dan Humphrey and Chuck Bass, or a Gen Z who’s wondering what’s so addictive about this show, here’s why you need to watch the new Gossip Girl.
#1 The original showrunners are back
Joshua Safran, who was the showrunner of the original series and staff writer, is part of the Gossip Girl universe once again as creator, writer, and executive producer. He’ll also be working with original creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who are now the executive producers. So you can bet there’s a sense of familiarity when you watch the reboot!
#2 The young and fabulous cast
Sadly, Blake Lively and Penn Badgley are no longer attached to the new Gossip Girl, but this bunch of young actors are just as hot and desirable!
First on the list is Jordan Alexander who plays Julien Calloway, a popular teen influencer on the ‘gram.
Even Mock plays Akeno “Aki” Menzies, a skater and model for designer brands like Calvin Klein, Saint Laurent, and Superdry.
Monet de Haan, played by Savannah Smith, is said to represent the “power” of the group.
Actress and musician Emily Alyn Lind is Audrey Hope, whose mum is an athleisure designer. She's also besties with Julien and dating Aki.
The new girl stepping into a whole new flashy world of the Upper East Side, Zoya Lott, is played by Whitney Peak.
Eli Brown plays Otto “Obie” Bergmann IV, the rich and charitable one. He also happens to be a German import.
Max Wolfe is played by Thomas Doherty.
We also have Zión Moreno playing Luna La.
Last but not least, Tavi Gevinson plays the mysterious Kate Keller.
#3 You’ll hear Kristen Bell’s voice again
The all-time favourite Kristen Bell returns to narrate the reboot with her sinister yet memorable voice. You can’t deny that she’ll always been the voice of Gossip Girl.
#4 From blogs to Instagram
Yes, Gossip Girl is on Instagram! We’re ditching the gossip blog and turning this rumour mill into a whole social media platform, something we’re all totally familiar with today because aren’t we all a Gossip Girl in our own way? Similarly, it’s still an anonymous poster doing the dirty work this time around.
#5 They’re attending the same schools
Remember the prestigious Constance Billard girls’ school and St. Jude’s boys’ school? The new Gossip Girl is taking you back to the same schoolgrounds attended by the original characters. How much has the school changed more than a decade after the first episode? We’ll soon find out.
#6 Drama, drama, drama!
It’s not an American high school teen drama without the actual drama, right? This group of friends will also see a love triangle or two. In the teaser, we see Max Wolfe, Audrey Hope, and Aki Menzies tangled in a web of romance. So who gets who this time?
#7 The fashion is to die for
Emmy Award-winning costume designer Eric Daman, who’s been fitting the cast since the original Gossip Girl, is once again behind the scenes. He has incorporated looks that are more edgy—spot Aki’s pink hair! We’ll see how rich kids dress up in their prep school style. And he’s also taken inspiration from modern-day celebs like Bella and Gigi Hadid, among others.
Image via Astro
That’s more than enough reasons to catch the brand new Gossip Girl series, premiering today (8 July) exclusively On Demand at 5pm (same time as the U.S.). New episodes drop every Thursday, same time, same place.
Astro customers can stream Gossip Girl via Ultra Box, Astro GO, and HBO GO, as one of the many feature titles in ‘Bingeathon’.
Image via Astro
So, ready, set, and start your Binge-athon!
Filled Under :
*We reserve the right to delete comments that contain inappropriate content.