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Gossip Girl Reboot; What is so different from the OG?

  • Writer: Sana Asher
    Sana Asher
  • Apr 8, 2024
  • 4 min read

Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. As summer comes an end, I’d like to share a few things I’ve learned about fun in the sun. Gossip Girl Summer Tip #1: Don’t fall asleep on the job. The best hookups are free of morning breath and awkward conversation. The only thing harder than making up is waking up. You know you love me... XOXO


spoilers ahead


As of today there are 4 episodes of the Gossip Girl reboot released and let's just say they are quite scandalous. The news of the reboot came about 2 years ago making every OG Gossip Girl fan skeptical about it. Every fan being afraid of the reboot ruining the vibe of the original. 


The reboot has a new take from the OG Gossip Girl being there goal isn't to reveal who Gossip Girl really is but just how much social media—and the landscape of New York itself—has changed in the intervening years. 








Nearly a decade after the conclusion of the original series, a new cast of Manhattan private schoolers takes the lead under the watchful eye of Gossip Girl, while demonstrating how much social media – and the landscape of New York City itself – has changed in the intervening years. Gossip Girl is slated to feature more adult content than the original on The CW, owing to the relaxed standards of the HBO Max streaming service. The series is also slated to be more diverse, with non-white leads and LGBT characters. (source; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip_Girl_(2021_TV_series)


The OG had a perfect ending with the line "You may be rid of Dan Humphrey, but you’ll never be rid of me.” Making it an opening for a new reboot or revival. 


After the pandemic hit, an anonymous Instagram blogger had an idea to post about celebs. According to the New York Times, the woman behind the account said “I think it was March 18. I just sort of threw out a question: ‘You guys have any celeb encounters that you want to share?’ And that’s literally how it started.”

The account has around 1 million followers on Instagram. The bio states,"statements made on this account have not been independently confirmed. this account does not claim any information published is based in fact."


All I'll say is someone was definitely inspired by the show! 


The new Gossip Girl series stars Jordan Alexander as Julien Calloway, Whitney Peak as Zoya Lott, Eli Brown as Otto "Obie" Bergmann IV, Thomas Doherty as Max Wolfe, Emily Alyn Lind as Audrey Hope, Evan Mock as Akeno "Aki" Menzies, Savannah Lee Smith as Monet de Haan, Zión Moreno as Luna La, Tavi Gevinson as Kate Keller, and Kristen Bell as the voice of Gossip Girl. 


Many of the characters feel similar in many ways to the original characters. Eli Brown's character, Otto "Obie" Bergmann IV, is similar in many ways to Dan Humphrey from the original, Thomas Doherty as Max Wolfe is similar to Chuck Bass, Emily Alyn Lind as Audrey Hope is similar to Blair Waldorf and Serena Van Der Woodsen, Savannah Lee Smith as Monet de Haan & Zión Moreno as Luna La are similar to Blair's minions like Penelope Shafai in many ways. 


The interesting part of the reboot is that they have made Instagram handles of the characters giving the audience a peak into the lives of the characters. Almost all the characters have a IG account except for Obie. 



Here are their Instagram Handles:


In the first episode of the reboot, they mentioned several characters from the Gossip Girl (2007-2012). Nate Archibald, Chuck Bass, Serena Van Der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf and Dan Humphrey. Dan Humphrey was mentioned by Rebecca Sherman, a classmate from the OG, now a teacher at the now-merged Constance Billard St. Jude's School. She overhears her colleagues talking about the disrespecting students at the school. When another teacher, Kate Keller says the school produced great people, among them Nate Archibald and described him as a saint. Rebecca blurts out he wasn't one back then. She also notifies the teachers that the students like her lived in constant fear of an entity known only as Gossip Girl, who kept tabs on everyone, knew their secrets and kept all accountable. She mentions how people thought it was her, but it was one of her classmates, Dan Humphrey, now a famous novelist to his fan Kate's shock. Kate and the teachers dig deeper into the now-unused blog about the scandalous lives the students led back then. Unintentionally, Rebecca Sherman inspires Kate and the other teachers to restart the era and fear of Gossip Girl to get the students in control. They first start a Twitter account but not having the desired results they come to realise that it would be more useful to switch to Instagram. 


There's a subtle nod to Serena Van Der Woodsen, as Kate Keller a teacher at the Constance Billard St. Jude's Schooldresses up and how the first scene is shot by her sitting in a train looking out of the window like how Serena did in the pilot of the original. 


The recent episode, Season 1, Episode 4, mentions Georgina Sparks. However, her son Milo Sparks returns for the first time since his infancy in Gossip Girl. He is now a ten-year-old freshman at Constance Billard St. Jude's School who brilliantly orchestrates online movements for the popular kids at school. Photographs of North Korean dictator Kim Jung-Un, Russian president Vladimir Putin, billionaire Elon Musk, and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran are shown. They are pictured alongside Georgina Sparks. There also a large portrait of Blair Waldorf, a nod to the original show. 


Ngl, the reboot has it's own charm, but it definitely can't compare to the original. The original felt more authentic as it was something new back then in 2007. The reboot has already revealed who Gossip Girl is, so it kinda kills half the interest. The reboot gets creepy on many levels like the teachers spying on 14 and 16 year olds and capturing pictures of them. 


If I had to choose between the two, it would definitely be the original Gossip Girl (2007-2012). Nobody can beat Queen B's scheming, It-Girl's style, Lonely Boy's writing skills, The Golden Boy's charm and Chuck Bass's power. 



Who is you favourite from the OG Gossip Girl? Comment down below!!!




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