At last the infamous Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) has hit the Upper East Side, and frankly I'm anxiously waiting for the Upper East Side to hit her back! I knew that I was going to love to hate Georgina, but I haven't quite mustered the love just yet. OK, maybe a little.

All photos by Giovanni Rufino/The CW

In this week's Gossip Girl episode, "Desperately Seeking Serena," Dan spends his time looking for Serena, who is not showing up where she's supposed to (like her college exams). Once again, Serena has desperately been trying to find herself, and when all the dust clears, the SAT review board is going to be desperately searching for Serena, too. Heh.

In contrast, Georgina — who I thought might be the one desperately seeking Serena — seemed to spend no time in looking for her, and what little searching she did appeared to be more calculated than desperate. She just sort of supernaturally appeared out of nowhere at Serena's school as if this episode were a spinoff of Buffy.

See, that's just it: Evil just shows up. And evil is never desperate. … continue reading

Some TV shows you love. Some TV shows you hate. It's pretty simple. But then there are those shows you love to hate, and others you hate to love! Well, dang it, I hate to love Gossip Girl. But I do. I have fallen for it.

Photo credit: The CW/Andrew Eccles

I'm sure it'll break my heart, though. I know that Gossip Girl could so easily slip and slide into the trite and predictable vortex of suck that has swallowed up many of its teen drama predecessors. But the show, in its first year, is still trying to find its way, and it's actually doing it with much more skill and poise than I would have ever imagined after watching the pilot.

But rather than be concerned about the future, I will live in the now and simply say Yay! to the return of the show tonight on the CW on a new night (Monday) and at a new time (8:00 p.m. ET). Yes, I have a show crush!

There are five new episodes in store, and I'm as joyful about this as a 14-year-old who's been given an iPhone with a free unlimited text plan! The show stars Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Taylor Momsen, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick and the voice of Kristen Bell as Gossip Girl. Oh, and for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, you may like to know that Michelle Trachtenberg is hitting the Upper East Side of Manhattan soon for a few episodes, and it should be fun to see what damage she may cause. … continue reading

Anyone (if there is anyone) who has been following my blog regularly over the past few weeks might have noticed that there have been, well, rather a lot of references to the totally trashy teen soap Gossip Girl.

Now, I will readily admit that a large part of my interest in this show comes from the relationship between the main two female characters, Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen (played respectively by Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, pictured below in a shoot for this month’s issue of Vogue).

But even if it wasn’t for all the chemistry between Blair and Serena, there’s a reason I might still be watching. Sarah and Lori may have declared themselves in favor of Blake, but for me it’s all about the lovely Leighton (who, although she plays a teen on the show, fortunately turns 22 in April): … continue reading

Ah, the chick flick. Much maligned. Often contrived. And, every now and then, downright satisfying. To be perfectly honest, I like a good chick flick — emphasis on good, of course. For me, the appeal is built right into the name. Chick: Well, I am one, and I like them. Flick: Well, movies; who doesn’t love movies? Two upcoming releases seek to find just the right chocolate-and-peanut-butter formula that results in the good kind of chick flick we all love to watch on lazy Sunday afternoons when we should be paying bills or regrouting the tub.

Both also fall into what is usually my favorite of the chick flick subgenres: the female bonding movie. Sure, romantic comedies are the more popular subgenre, but you just get more estrogen for your buck with bonding pictures. The films are Bonneville (opening Feb. 29 limited and March 21 wide) and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (opening Aug. 8).

Bonneville, which stars 50-somethings Jessica Lange, Joan Allen, Kathy Bates and Christine Baranski, centers on a cross-country road trip taken by three friends when one of their husbands dies. The trip is done in — you guessed it — a big old convertible Pontiac Bonneville.

Is anyone else getting a decidedly Thelma & Louise feel from that photo? I just hope it doesn’t end the same way. Though, from the trailer, it looks like the ladies have their automotive high jinks in the Utah salt flats, not the Grand Canyon. … continue reading

Responding to requests by readers Bex and FilmGrrl, Lori and I discuss Life (NBC), Pushing Daisies (ABC) and Dirty Sexy Money (ABC), plus Blood Ties, the third-season debut episode of Dante's Cove (here) and the new MTV drama series Kaya, debuting next week, about a teenage girl dealing with the unexpected pressures of fame when she becomes a big pop star. I also throw in a plea for you to watch Friday Night Lights (NBC).

This week’s “Best Lesbian Couple That Isn’t” designation is easily won by Serena and Blair from Gossip Girl (The CW), and Lori rolls out the new "She's Hot" bunny for Blake Lively. I can't say I disagree.

… continue reading

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