THIS GUY weighs in on Gossip Girl

I was going to say Gossip Guy but I decided against it.

Listen, for all of you OC fans out there (and to be honest, Oliver probably scared a lot of you off, as did Ryan being a cage fighter), THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO BE WATCHING!
Gossip Girl has the best of The OC's world with none of the bad stuff. No Oliver. No Charlotte. No doe-eyed lead female. It was kind of like The OC was the dress rehearsal for Gossip Girl. Work out all of the kinks to get it right.

You want a good guy father who you'd actually want to be your dad? Enter Rufus aka Sandy Cohen version 2.0

You want a witty fun to root for even though you probably shouldn't, peel back the first impression and you get a rootable character...Enter Chuck (remember how Seth Cohen seemed like a whiny nerd, then became the best character on the show? That's chuck!)

You want a fish-out-of-water that actually isn't a big puss? Enter Dan Humphrey (Ryan Atwood). For some reason Dan seems more comfortable than Ryan did and he has more than one expression.

You want the former interracial girlfriend? Enter Vanessa (Teresa). But I don't mind Vanessa like I did Ryan's Chino ex

If you want a Summer Roberts look-a-like, enter Blair.

You want a young, attractive lead character that has just one facial expression and doesn't like being rich? Enter Nate (Marissa)

You want the hot girl that fish-out-of-water goes after with problems before she meets said-fish, but gets over...enter Serena (Marissa). But the difference is, the show seems centered around Serena moreso than it did with Marissa and Serena is capable of this. She has more than just "act surprised" and you DON'T want to see her end up in a firey crash. Although if she continues to NOT open her mouth to speak, I might start rooting for it.

You have some of the same themes of The OC, but these kids seem to be better actors and I don't see an Oliver coming along to knock this thing off. (Maybe I will before the end of Season One. I mean, I am only 12 episodes in), but the writing is Season 1 OC quality and when Lily picked Bart over Rufus, that was tugging at the old heart strings. Christmas episode was great with Serena and Dan. BEST. GIFT. EVER.

My only suggestions: I liked the catty Blair and hope she comes back. And any scene involving Chuck is dynomite. He needs more airtime.

Bottom line, this show gives me another teenage soap opera to watch and you know what...it is nice to have one back in my life.