Love, lust, scandal and, of course, a weekly dose of gossip are usually provided by the racy The CW series "Gossip Girl." The season three finale's dramatic shooting of a major character and departure of two others on a Parisian romp left fans wanting more, and the premiere of season four seemed like it would be a sure−fire hit. But despite the much−anticipated return of the hit series, the season opener of "Gossip Girl" fails to live up to its reputation. The character development is over−simplified, and the Parisian setting of Serena van der Woodsen's (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf's (Leighton Meister) adventure overwhelms any potentially juicy storylines.
Shots of elite Parisian boutiques and Manet masterpieces are highlighted more than the heartbroken Blair and her struggle to overcome her feelings for Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick). Even her love−hate, jealousy−ridden relationship with Serena seems lost against the Parisian backdrop. To make matters worse, Blair's characteristic wit and sass are replaced with hormonal high school paranoia, making her little more than a tween dressed in couture.
The severe lack of character development in season four's premiere does not do the episode any favors. Chuck Bass and Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr) play tangential roles. Their characters are banished to the episode's outskirts, and despite the fact that an entire summer has passed since the last episode, there are no details of how these characters spent their time. Vanessa's limited appearance mostly serves to again highlight her unwavering loyalty to Dan (Penn Badgley), providing him emotional support while he adjusts to his new role as a father.
Chuck's absence is far more significant than Vanessa's, though. Suspense builds for loyal viewers waiting to find out if Chuck has survived the gunshot wound he incurred in the third season's finale — or at least an explanation as to why he was shot. None of the characters have heard from him in weeks. When he does finally pop up in the premiere, it becomes clear that he has gone to extreme measures to try to escape his past, yet more mysteries arise: Is Chuck reacting extremely to the state of his relationship with Blair, or is there more to his sudden self−reinvention? Frustratingly little is revealed, and although this keeps the audience hooked, it seems as though a little more could have been revealed to keep the plot more complex and less gimmicky.
That being said, the first episode of the fourth season, sadly bereft of scandal though it was, did offer its fair share of "oohs" and "aahs." One shocking revelation is that Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) and Dan are now shacking up, united by a baby that, according to the rarely reliable Georgina, is theirs. Badgley's usual wry portrayal of Dan has been abandoned in light of his newfound fatherhood. While the situation certainly demands sensitivity and seriousness, viewers will miss the comic relief that Dan generally provides as he stumbles through social and romantic gaffes; hopefully, this character's troubled times will end quickly.
The episode primarily focuses on Dan's struggles with young fatherhood, Serena and Blair's therapeutic retail adventures in Paris and Nate Archibald's (Chace Crawford) emotional rollercoaster. Though this plotline would seemingly provide ample room for scandal, the scatterbrained attempts of writers to include pans of the Parisian skyline dilute the shock−factor.
Despite a weak premiere, "Gossip Girl" still finds itself head and shoulders above the rest of the major network's fall offerings. "Gossip Girl's" consistent delivery of a suspenseful and exciting rendition of the lives of our favorite Upper East Siders should bring hope to disappointed fans everywhere.
Overall, "Gossip Girl's" failure to deliver a steamy follow−up to the finale of season three disappoints. Hopefully, however, the rest of the season will quench audiences' thirst for more juicy gossip from their favorite blogger.
