I have a love/hate relationship with the CW Network. On the one hand they provide me with some very enjoyable fantasy shows such as Smallville and Supernatural. No other network would provide airtime for such wonderful weirdness. On the other hand, they cancelled one of my all-time favourites, Veronica Mars, and replaced it with the Search for the Next PussyCat Doll. So rather than give the critically acclaimed Veronica another season, they have decided to invest major bucks in a rehash of every vacuous, rich kid, teen drama we have ever seen. And yet, it will be huge. Viewers, I give you the commercial genius that is Gossip Girl.
The CW targets young viewers so it is perhaps unfair of me to criticise them for giving the kids what they want. But I do believe that good TV can transcend demographics. There is no age limit on good drama, smart scripts and great performances, and there are many examples of shows set in high schools have provided some great TV for all ages. Buffy, Veronica Mars, and Friday Night Lights, for example, even the first year of The OC, which, although as corny as hell, was loaded with quick humour and meta-semiotic referencing. I tried to be open-minded about Gossip Girl, and in truth, it does what it's supposed to do and it does it well. It's set around a bunch of privileged kids in New York and, specifically, the return of popular it-girl after a sudden and unexplained absence. Other members on the scene include the bitchy ex-best friend, the ex-boyfriend who hasn't quite moved on, the playboy-in-the-making with taste for virgins, and the nice, not-so-loaded guy with a childhood crush way beyond his social status.
The titular girl is a never-seen voice-over who writes a popular and timely blog, tracking the movements and scandals of this elite set. And this is where the commercial genius of the show clicks in. Every character has a Blackberry, Sidekick or equivalent mobile email device which they regularly check on screen (with highly visible logos), in order to update themselves with the latest tittle tattle. From a product placement viewpoint, this show can't lose. Telecoms are some of the biggest spenders in advertising and here they are, not only reaching their primary target market, but a pivotal tool of the story. Even with moderate ratings this show could be one of the biggest money-spinners of the season.
But I doubt I'll keep watching. It's mildly diverting but it has few values that are relevant to anyone but a vapid, socially aspiring teen who values status over smarts. That's not to say it doesn't have broader appeal. It's flashy and shallow and there's always room for that on a TV schedule. One plus I'll give it however, is its unashamed and realistic portrayal of teenagers' indulgence in sex, drugs and alcohol. They do it all, a lot, and this show seems, from the pilot anyway, unconcerned with imparting any moral lessons from this behaviour. Which is realistic, brave and refreshing. It is rare to see TV characters, particularly teens, drink a few martinis and not get enrolled in AA.
http://www.cwtv.com/shows/gossip-girl
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