Definitely slated to be the best sitcom of this season, this is a creative and funny show. Two geeks have a beautiful girl (Penny) move to the apartment next door. The two geeks have two friends that are even geekier. Here is the many ways in which this show excels: the geeks are lovable and funny and human, not pathetic, you feel for them, the neighbor girl is a very sweet girl, and for once the characters are educated and thoughtful, not the usual "dumb" people we see on TV. The dynamics and the dialog between the four friends is fast paced, funny and rich with detailed observations. This is a comedy by Chuck Lorre, the guy who has created Dharma (from Dharma & Greg) so I am fully expecting Penny's character to bloom into far more than what meets the eye. The four male leads establish their personalities in the pilot with such ease that it's clear we are watching a very well written and well acted show. Kudos to the whole cast and the writers. I hope this funny, smart show stays around. We need a comedy with wit and heart, and for a change - lovable geeky brains too.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Gossip Girl
(2007–2012)
Josh Schwartz might be a one-trick pony
8 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Josh Schwartz, the brains behind "The OC" (which I loved even when it went south in the 3rd season) seems to be in Orson Welles territory: one great achievement, and the rest - just a rehash of that one great success. Gossip Girl has all of his bad mannerisms without any of the wit and warmth of The OC, not to mention that all the OC characters appear in this show, only with different names. The 17-year old kids all look 25, the parents look 30, all the bad people are rich, all the poor people are good, the poor dad is a socialist and a saint (like Sandy Cohen) who's idea of parenting is being buddies with his two children, Serena is the beauty with the golden heart (like Marissa Cooper), Dan is witty and chivalrous (imagine Ryan Atwood and Seth Cohen in one body), Blair just wants to be loved (like the early Taylor) etc etc. The kids drink alcohol while their parents are around, they smoke pot in public places, almost everybody wakes up with a hangover, and in every episode there is an event where everybody dresses up and somebody gets punched. All the rich parents are cold, unloving, and conniving, and the most "touching" scene occurs between two 15-year olds (Dan's sister and Serena's brother) who act like seasoned 35-year olds - kind of like Joey and Dawson all over again. I'm sure that Mr. Schwartz feels like he is exposing the dark underbelly of the rich and ritzy in New York, but the kids seem to be having so much fun going to school with hangovers that I think his message is getting lost among the 3500$ dresses, the bottles of champagne, and the limousines. This show, with it's poor acting, poor script, poor characters, and the borderline-noxious smart-alecky voice-over of Kirsten Bell (Veronica Mars) should be put out of its predictable misery; hopefully sooner than later.
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