by Jessica Ham

Gossip makes the world go round. We all gossip, read gossip magazines, or listen to gossip on TV. It’s addicting and so is the show all about gossip, Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl follows the lives of teenage Upper East Siders Serena Van Der Woodsen (Blake Lively), Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford), Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick), and Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgely). An online blog, Gossip Girl, recalls the events in their lives and the hottest gossip. The author of this blog is unknown but we do hear the voice of the author because she is the narrator of the show.

The show is set in New York; Manhattan and Brooklyn mostly. Most of the episodes take place at their high school, Dan Humphrey’s loft, Blair’s Upper East Side penthouse, and later on, the colleges they attend. Serena, the main character, has just arrived home after spending several months at a boarding school in Connecticut to escape her dirty past.

Blair Waldorf, Serena’s ex-best friend, is not happy about this because Serena betrayed her by leaving so suddenly without even a note or phone call. Nate, however, is happy to see Serena because it is rumored he is in love with her. Chuck Bass, Nate’s best friend, is just along for the ride and tries to cause as much trouble as possible, all the time. Dan Humphrey, or “lonely boy” as Gossip Girl calls him, is a poor boy living in Brooklyn with his little sister Jenny and his father Rufus.

Dan soon gets swept into this dramatic Upper East Side world by Serena after they go on their first date. Blair and Serena struggle to stay friends because of boy trouble, Chuck and Nate struggle to stay friends because of girl trouble, and Dan is just along for the ride.

I was hooked on Gossip Girl after the first episode. The drama is both addicting and heartbreaking. Through time the characters mature and grow, and it so much fun to watch them change over time. I am always rooting for the characters to get through a tough time, find true love, get into their dream college, and land the best job they could possibly get.

These people feel so real to me, I love them. Now, the Gossip Girl books are very different from the show, but I assure you that it is still just as great. Gossip Girl airs every Monday night at 8 on the CW. Don’t miss out on the most addicting show on television.

(New Episodes start back on Monday, January 16 at 8)

Jessica Ham is 18 years old and an ongoing contributor to our Teen Talk section; with dreams of being on Broadway, she’s right at home covering Entertainment.