Based on the teen novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, the show doesn't present any new ideas (the richer the parent, the worse the parenting, etc.), but the snappy dialogue and pop culture name-checking are perfectly delivered. Most intriguing are the power struggles to be "queen bee," a title Blair relishes, as Dan's freshman sister Jenny (Taylor Momsen, a.k.a. Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch) learns the hard way the price of joining her clique. While the high-school series of the '90s (Beverly Hills, 90210, Saved by the Bell) had the popular gang scolding each other for drug use and embracing nerds and outcasts alike--a well-intentioned but unrealistic premise--Gossip Girl, like The O.C. before it (both shows were created by Josh Schwartz) features grittier storylines with drugs and alcohol flowing freely in the background and the cliques making no apologies for snubbing anyone who doesn't summer in the Hamptons. Meester is the standout of the cast, with strong support from the rest, but if you're looking for teenage role models, these kids ain't it. For everyone else, to quote Gossip Girl's signature line, "You know you love me. XOXO." --Ellen A. Kim
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