TVSquad

I'll admit it upfront, Gossip Girl is one of my TV guilty pleasures this season. It fills in the void left after the ending of shows like The O.C. and Gilmore Girls. Now that all the episodes of this CW's new series aired (the show was picked up for a full 22-episode season but had time to complete only the original order of 13 episodes before production was shut down due to the strike), it's time to take a step back and analyze what we've been offered so far.

Having not read the Gossip Girl books, I didn't really know what I was in for (I try not to read too much about new series until I watch the pilot and decide for myself if it's worth it or not). The main reasons why I watched the pilot were that a CTV (a Canadian TV Station) aired the show at a time when nothing else was on and because Kristen Bell was going to lend her voice to the infamous and unknown Gossip Girl.

Even though this teen drama doesn't feature the most original storylines (we've seen similar stories on Beverly Hills, 90210 and the like), it is entertaining and has a crop of lovable even if sometimes devilish characters (Blair and Chuck, I'm mostly pointing the finger at you right now). As it was the case for The O.C., storylines revolve mostly about the teens but also features the parents from time to time, which allows the show to have a little something for everyone.

Most of the actors, even if not that experienced, give believable performances (Connor Paolo, who plays Eric, is probably the weakest one if you ask me...especially if Eric does indeed turn out to be Gossip Girl).

Gossip Girl may not be the best series out there, but the back-stabbing, the fashion, the romance, the gossip and Gossip Girl herself (or himself, if it turns out to be a guy), make this a fun guilty pleasure to watch weekly.

The series is currently in reruns on The CW every Monday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The second episode of the series is airing tonight (February 4) so you still have time to join the fun!