Gossip Girl’s big twist in the identity of the title character has been a subject of discussion among fans for years, but the original plan for this would have been even worse. The 2000s were the peak of teen drama on TV, with shows likeThe O.C.and others likeDawson’s Creekending during this decade, and one of the most popular ones isGossip Girl. Created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage,Gossip Girlwas based on Cecily von Ziegessr’s novel series of the same name, and it took the audience to the Upper East Side of New York City.
There the audience met a peculiar group of privileged teenagers in a prestigious high school, led by on/off best friends Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester). The drama in their lives didn’t just come from their troubled family dynamics, but also from the so-called “Gossip Girl”, who exposed their scandals and intimate details on a blog. At the end ofGossip Girl, the identity of this character was revealed, and as controversial as it was, the original plan would have been way worse.
Gossip Girl Was Originally Going To Be Eric Van Der Woodsen – Why It Changed To Dan
The Original Gossip Girl Would Have Been A Much Bigger Shocker
At different points throughoutGossip Girl, Serena and the rest tried to end the title character’s website and discover her identity, but they never achieved it. It wasn’t until the series finale ofGossip Girlthat the character was revealed to be Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), who made this big reveal in his own words, published inThe Spectator.Despite all the damage he caused as Gossip Girl, Serena still chose to stay with Dan, which ignited controversy around the big reveal.
Gossip Girlbeing Dan was disappointing and in some parts nonsensical, more so as he also revealed that his sister, Jenny (Taylor Momsen), knew it all along, but the identity reveal could have been worse. Speaking toVarietyin 2021, executive producer Joshua Safran revealed the identity of Gossip Girl was changed as,originally, Eric van der Woodsen (Connor Paolo), Serena’s brother, was going to be Gossip Girl.
Nate was even considered, as someone pointed out that he never sent a tip to Gossip Girl.
According to Safran, the character’s identity was changed because Paolo became a series regular on another show and became a recurring character onGossip Girl, so they started looking at other options (including Dorota and other, very minor characters from the school). Nate was even considered, as someone pointed out that he never sent a tip to Gossip Girl, and along with his rocky history with Serena and Blair, it would have made sense.They ultimately chose Dan, which, to Safran, makes sensewhen looking back at the series.
Eric Being Gossip Girl Would Have Been Way More Brutal For Serena & Jenny Than Dan
Eric’s Gossip Girl Reveal Would Have Created Even More Controversy
Dan Humphrey being Gossip Girl is already bad and controversial, but if it had been Eric, it would have been a lot worse for the audience and the characters, particularly Serena and Jenny. Despite being younger than Serena, Eric was very mature for his age, though that doesn’t mean he didn’t go through many problems himself, mostly due to loneliness and instability at home.Eric was very supportive of Serena and Jenny, and a source of kindnessamid the drama and cruelty at school and with their friends.
Gossip Girl’s attacks were the complete opposite of Eric’s kind and understanding nature.
On the other hand, Gossip Girl’s reveals and attacks were pretty brutal and created a lot more problems for Serena and the rest, ruining their lives at different points in the series. Gossip Girl’s attacks were the complete opposite of Eric’s kind and understanding nature, and knowing that the same person who supported them and gave them comfort was also the one ruining their lives on the internet would have been devastating for Serena and Jenny. Plus,the reasons for Eric being Gossip Girl are unknown.
Who Voices Gossip Girl As The Show’s Narrator
Throughout Gossip Girl’s six seasons, one well-known actor lent their voice as the narrator of the show’s most shocking and dramatic moments.
Dan created Gossip Girl to blend with his wealthy classmates and get Serena, who he knew was out of his league. And yet, after learning all this and after everything he did to her and the rest as Gossip Girl, Serena stayed with him, which is problematic.Gossip Girldid well in changing Eric for Dan, but this had many, many flaws.
Source:Variety.
Gossip Girl
Set in New York, 2021’s Gossip Girl chronicles the lives of a new generation of private school teenagers who navigate social dynamics and scandals. Through the pervasive influence of social media, their secrets are exposed, while the anonymous titular blogger reveals the complexities of their intertwined relationships.
