And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell.

If you don’t recognize that iconic introduction to one of the best selling dramas to ever grace television screens anywhere, allow me to enlighten you. Gossip Girl, originally airing in 2007 based on the book series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar, is one of my all-time favorite shows.

The series follows the drama-packed life of New York City’s elite, specifically teenagers that live on the Upper East Side. Upper-class students at Constance Billard-St. Jude preparatory school must deal with their lying, cheating “friends” and find their lives constantly wrought with scandals, which are blasted throughout the student body by an anonymous blogger called “Gossip Girl.”

Teenage it-girl Serena, her frenemy, Blair, her boyfriend, Nate, and the frequently manipulative Chuck Bass seem to rule the Upper East Side. However, their lives are further complicated with the introduction of Dan Humphrey, an outsider and aspiring writer from the Bronx who marches to the beat of his own drum. Dan soon finds himself immersed in the world of privilege the others enjoy when he begins dating Serena.

Other conflicts in the show occur family drama, as the kids are either constantly subject to intense nitpicking from their overbearing or completely ignored by them. As a result of complicated relationships with their parents, students at Constance Billard-St. Jude are certainly no strangers to rebellion and often participate in activities that would land most people in jail.

The students are also plagued with high expectations of attending top schools, marrying into the right families, and making the right connections. The nearly impossible standards they are expected to live up to create a sense of competition that results in lots of back-stabbing and manipulation.

I binged watched Gossip Girl the summer before my senior year of high school. How I managed to avoid spoilers up to that point I’ll never know, as the show has been out for quite a while. I finished the show in only a few short months; it was just so addicting that I couldn’t stop watching! Many of the episodes end on a cliff-hanger, so of course I had to know what happened next!

I love the high suspense of some of the episodes, especially in later seasons. It’s so interesting to see a show about a world most people know nothing about, even if a lot of it is dramatized and exaggerated. Sometimes the show seems a little unrealistic, and there admittedly are some plot holes, but that’s kind of what you expect when you watch a teen drama. Plus, some of the relationships in the show are totally adorable (and some are just awful).

All in all, I recommend Gossip Girl if you’re looking for a long-term show to watch. With six seasons, it’s definitely a commitment to watch, but one that’s worth it if you love some good gossip.

I know you’ll love it! XOXO

Barbara