‘Gossip Girl’: Season finale says, ‘I love you too’

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Ahh, high school graduation. The season finale of ‘Gossip Girl’ reminded us that we can leave the awkwardness and angst of those four years behind, but will they ever really leave us? Gossip Girl was right: We’re all Gossip Girls. It’s why we’re all so addicted to this show! Graduation time always make me a little anxious about the future of my favorite teen dramas, but I’ll talk about that later. The showdown must go on!

We began the episode with the gang dressed in caps and gowns (except for Serena, who is clearly too cool to wear a cap or close her gown), preparing to embark on the ceremony that will officially relieve them from the bonds of high school. But before they get to turn their tassels, Gossip Girl goes on a rampage. No one is exempt, especially the soon-to-be-irrelevant Serena. S, who whines about the tabloid attention yet secretly fears a life without it, decides enough is enough; it’s time to take the elusive Gossip Girl down.

We all know there’s no show if the mystery of its namesake is revealed, so consider yourself fooled if you thought that secret was coming out. We did, however, get some hints as to who she (or he — loved how they tried to make us think it was Eric’s boyfriend Jonathan) could be. After scouring through her archives for, oh, five minutes, Serena, Blair, Nate and Chuck were able to deduce that GG is likely their age and had attended either of their schools. Those guesses hold even more weight now that we know GG will be following them through college. Whoever it is clearly has the wits to outsmart Serena, which really isn’t saying very much.

While Serena was busy saving the world from the wretched hands of Gossip Girl, Blair was on a mission of her own. After her last attempt to pry those three words from Chuck’s mouth, one would hope B would hang her headband and call it a day. Her relentlessness is admirable, but after attempt No. 5 went unrequited, I was ready to gag her with those German stockings. My ill feelings did wash away with that last scene, where a very effective soundtrack by Shiny Toy Guns ushered in a new era of Chuck and Blair. Was that a smile on Chuck’s face? I was seriously beside myself.

So what stories do we have to look forward to next season? Rufus and Lily’s engagement and the merging of the Humphrey and Van der Woodsen-Bass households will be interesting, as will the appearance of the couple’s long-lost son, Scott. Georgina’s enrollment at NYU along with Dan, Vanessa and Blair (who, by the way, I don’t believe for a second would ever live in a dorm) should shake things up. Serena’s search for her father could also reveal some juicy secrets about her family’s past, and lastly, let’s not forget about the reign of Queen Little J.

As I mentioned before, the thought of the ‘Gossip Girl’ gang graduating gave me some anxiety about the future of the show. Post-West Beverly, the 90210 crew enjoyed seven more years on the air, all of which were filled with mediocrity and melodrama. ‘The OC’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek’ couldn’t stay afloat after the caps were tossed, and ‘One Tree Hill’ had to flash forward four years to keep things interesting. Need we even talk about ‘Saved by the Bell: The College Years’?

My point is that the show’s writers and producers have quite the daunting task ahead of them. Outside the cloistered confines of high school, these characters can go a hundred different ways, most of which have led their predecessors toward repetitious and lazy story lines, bland-new love interests and the clichéd ‘shocking death.’ The ‘Gossip Girl’ gang has already bedded teachers, avoided jail time and mastered the art of ordering a martini — what else is left to learn in college? We know these kids can’t stay young forever and another guilty pleasure will eventually pop up in its place, so until then, we’ll bask in the colorful wardrobe, the bitchy one-liners and, of course, the never-ending gossip that it has graced us so far.

Were you satisfied with the season finale? Who do you think is the real Gossip Girl? What story lines are you looking forward to next season?

It’s going to be a loooong summer.

xoxo

—Enid Portuguez