Gossip Girl What the Heck? with david Yontef | 27
Show Notes:
In the season 1 finale of Pop Culture Makes Me Jealous, David Yontef returns to discuss the first six episodes of the Gossip Girl reboot.
Transcript:
Julia: Hey friends. Welcome to pop culture makes me jealous. I'm your host, Julia. And this week, David from behind the velvet rope is back and we are breaking down gossip girls. First six episodes.
David, welcome back to the
David: show. What is going on? How are you today? Uh, I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm waking up. Well, you're on the west coast, right? Yeah. So it's earlier for you.
Julia: That's to be tired. And my dog was like, hi mom. It's I know it's 6:00 AM, but you need to pay attention to me right
David: now. You're like, I'm tired.
Let me go back to sleep. Leave me alone.
Julia: Pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She's really cute though. So it's hard to be mad at.
David: He gets a pass.
Julia: Yeah. She's she's fluffy. So, um, friends, if you'll remember, David was here for episode 13 when we talked about the Hills may beginnings and I'm really happy. He came back to talk about gossip, girl.
David: That's going to be good.
Julia: yes. And as a friendly reminder to all of you listeners, there will probably be spoilers. So you've been warned if you haven't seen the first six episodes and you're disappointed by the spoilers, I can't help you. It's not my fault. You had plenty of time to watch all these episodes
David: seriously.
We have to talk about it. There's gotta be some spoilers. Yes,
Julia: exactly. Okay. So let's dive in. So as a refresher for everyone to HBO, max released gossip girl on July eight, and the show is more of a sequel than a reboot with no one clearly being like a Blair or a Chuck or a Dan. However, each character does have elements of the original cast.
So when gossip girl first released all those weeks ago, the LA times ran an article or a review rather titled what made gossip girl a phenomenon is sorely missing from the reboot. And they said, and I quote to say the original was an implausible cornball, mellow drama elevated by the soulful charisma of its frenemy leads like lively, Serena and Leaton MREs.
Blair is only a dig. If something is only a dig, if you have something against corn bomb, mellow drama, But the gossip role is not as powerful a charm machine as its predecessor, even with the first serious writer and executive producer, Joshua siphon in charge, perhaps it's too aggressively glamorous expensive corn can seem like overkill where a more modest production can read as authentic, even when the story is ridiculous or perhaps it's the new show, which premieres Thursday too often seems to take itself as seriously as the characters take themselves.
One of the advantages of the original is that it's obviously a comedy and fun. So we've talked, we've watched the first six episodes and they've only released the first six episodes was stresses me out because I need to know what happens now. But do you agree with this LA times review? I feel like it made me feel
David: a little cranky.
I mean, I haven't read other articles on the matter. Now I know that the first weekend this was out, it broke. I don't know. I didn't understand the verbiage that I read. It said it broke all records, like for the first weekend for HBO. So I don't know if this is now the highest rated show that has ever existed on HBO max ever, or they mean like the first opening weekend, it's the highest ever.
It shows a little bit of a difference, but I don't necessarily disagree with that article. You're going to be like, really? I, yeah. I mean, here's the thing. I have an open mind for everything. Like I loved the original Dallas and then T and T rebooted Dallas. And I loved that. Like if I think about, oh my God, it was so good.
I mean, it got canceled. Of course. Yeah. I like if I think of all these reboots, like 9 0 2, 1, oh, not with the originals, but the other one would like Sinead Grimes. And when the cord and then Melrose plays with Ashley sense in which was like, I'm trying to think of a reboot and charmed. I watched two episodes and said, I, I can't even do that.
I didn't even
Julia: try the reboot of charmed.
David: I couldn't. I tried, I mean, I don't like the actresses. I'm like throw, throw someone in there, like if Alyssa comes and makes an appearance, I'll watch. But like, I can't think of any reboot and there might be one that I liked as much. They Hills is probably as close as possible.
That's not even as good. Right. At least I love the Hills. I think we're the only ones because no one's watching. I don't know, I don't necessarily disagree with that. I think you might like this incarnation of gossip brought more than may.
Julia: So my friend and I reviewed the first episode, uh, we did a recap and we were like, what is this trash?
But we're still gonna watch it. Like, that was the theme of that episode. And so it just kind of, to me, it felt like it took a really long time to get into the gossip girl vein into the gossip girl stride. Like I felt like episode three or four was when they were like, finally, you kind of got it. Like, oh, okay.
We needed three episodes of setup before we actually got the tone of gossip girl. Like that felt like a long time to get there
David: to me. I think it was more like maybe six episodes like this past the ending here. It will. There's so many things to iMac. Like I, I don't, I think for me, one of the main, right, there's no real.
Yes. They all have elements of characters. I mean, there's no real like Layton and Blake. Like you see why they're superstars, especially, but you know, blade Leighton's gray. She just doesn't have the career. Blake has, but it was so good. Like I don't like, or really care about the two sisters.
Julia: And I thought that was an interesting, uh, avenue, I guess, to try and explore because it feels,
David: yeah.
I mean, it's
Julia: that trying to make it relatable to gen Z because more kids have like that sort of like, you know, I have a half sibling and kind of situation. Like, I wasn't sure why that was the,
David: I mean, the whole thing is a statement to like, Hey world, we get it. There's diversity. We have. We'll get into all the sexuality that's being represented.
It's like, so I get it. They're trying to throw everything in the kitchen sink in there, which I'm okay with that. But I just don't like, I think it's the actresses. I just can't, there's nothing wrong with them. It's the oldest. And by the way, this shows you like how it's not grasping me. Like, I'm not going to try to know your name.
Like it just needs. It just needs to come naturally. So I don't know when I knew that, you know, that Serenas name was Serena. I think probably the first episode, I don't know, 99% of the people's names and their show. I ended. So then I'm like, is it me? Is it that I'm just busier and wife and there's so much going on in my life now because I do my podcast every day and like my threshold for UBS.
Like, but then I look at something like Emily and Paris, which was new. I talked to that within one episode, same dialing selling sunset. I took two within three minutes, like season
Julia: three of selling sunset ASAP,
David: please season four. You mean, or mean season
Julia: four? Thank you. Life's hard.
David: But even like younger.
Okay. Younger started many years ago, but I mean, I took to that in a second and I'm still obsessed with younger, even though it's over and we're in our final season now. So I don't know. I think it's just, I don't know. People's names really. I know they're not sticking in my mind. So that says something
Julia: I agree.
So another thing that bothered me
David: and there's too many people, there's too many characters. Firstly, getting of a shock.
Julia: Yes. There's seven main characters, which feels awkward for a show. That's not an ensemble cast situation because what made the original gossip girl work in my mind so well, is that you have the clear, like yeah, you had Chuck Serena Blair, Chuck three, and a Blair.
Dan were kind of like the inmate, we're kind of like the main focus and then everybody was an outlier, like sure. There was Dan sister, Jenny. Sure. There was certain his brother little J um, sort of the thing
David: is. You wanted more of them because they came, when you knew all about Serena and Blair and dance and shock and, and Nate.
So like you wanted more Eric and Eric explored his sexuality. Cause like, by the time you got there, you knew the key character. So you're like how interesting Serena's brother, Eric has more of a story. This is your great, like you almost welcomed. Do you know what I mean?
Julia: Yeah, totally. Cause the things that I got hung up on was they kept referencing like Zoya Jane and Julian Elizabeth.
And that has significance. Well, what's the significance. Like you keep recalling that there's significance, but you're giving us nothing towards that. So I felt like they kept dropping things into the storyline and granted there's still six episodes that haven't been released and will be released in November, but there's nothing.
Like that we didn't get a whole lot of understanding. It was like, okay. So they secretly have a relationship that their dads didn't know about. And PS, I love Luke Kirby. So him showing up as Julian's dad made me actually very happy, but, but it was just kinda like, there's a lot of things happening and I don't know where to focus.
Yeah. Like Audrey's mom having issues. Like there's just so many side stories happening that I'm just like, I feel like I'm having ADHD moments
David: and that's the other thing, like, yes. Okay. I mean, you had me at Kelly Rutherford because I loved Melrose place, but like Lily Vander Woodson, and then like, you know, Rufus.
And, but even then, like Blair's mother becomes more of a fit. And so it's like the parents were so dynamic in the first one and yet, I don't know. It's like, there's so many. Listen in some of these actors do rise to the top for me, that I find interesting to watch, but like even the parents are just bland to me here.
There's not anything drawing me to them.
Julia: It also really bothered me that we found out who gossip girl was in episode one. I really took issue with
David: that was I that's the, one of the things that I kind of like, oh, okay. I see now I don't like that. I liked that. You know that Joe not, I just like it because it's like, this is so different.
It does add a lot of this story now that like, there are plotting and scheming and like, you know, and you see, I don't know what they would do without it. That's like a huge part of, and that's where at the end, like the last episode and kind of half that's when it started coming together of like these teachers and the way they're handling, this is actually the humor.
I think it's now the most like, like the original, it's starting to have that flare to it where especially where she talks about how she always wants it to be famous and have her stuff like, and now she is like, this is it. Like, that's her thing. But even the funny, like when they were dividing it up and she said, you're on this duty, This is like one of the best funniest scenes so far.
So like if they just doubled down on that, like that has the feel of the original to me. One of the only times I actually like that kind of, well,
Julia: in the sense. By episode six, when they finally get into that a groove. I agree with you on that, because that was pretty entertaining. I think in the beginning, when you find out who it is, and they're fumbling through trying to figure it out, that was hard for me to watch because I'm sitting over here thinking you're baking, you're like creating these paper drills of what you're doing, and then you're going to get fired.
And this stresses me out. Like I,
David: yeah. I mean, I do like how, you know, what it is. It's just, they are making references the same way. The first one made references, but maybe I was just like at a different age and like, related to it, like in the first one, when they made all these references about like Gawker and this, and they are doing the same thing, it's social, but they're not as, I don't want.
It's those little nuances, like when they're like, oh, you know, you won't be unfold, you'll just be on pop sugar or whatever it is. Yeah. Like, but it's not the same for some reason, these little things about, you know, is that they are doing it. They are doing it. They're saying like, you know, and I'll post when I want to.
And you know, you know, you have to have schedule, so it is the same thing. They're doing the same thing. So is it what, like, I don't know. I don't know what it is.
Julia: Well, and in 2007 we were still sort of insular, right? Like we didn't really have the internet and the way that we have it now. So those types of like big get things were huge and totally strive for, you know, now you can have a million followers and nobody knows who you are.
And so it makes it a little bit like, yeah. Harder to not harder, but it's not, I don't know. It's. Yeah. I don't know how I'm trying. I don't know how to express this without sounding like with, with the words that I need, but there's so much more room in space now for somebody to be at some sort of influencer or celebrity in their own.
Right. That certain types of achievements don't necessarily do they still carry the same weight I guess, is what I'm trying to figure out. Well, I
David: know, I never thought about it like that, but that's a good point because like, back in the day, like, you really felt like Serena and Blair were, the elite felt like this school was elite.
And like, I don't know, like I live in New York, so it was so like Relic. It was very accurate. It was accurate. Like, I know people that went to all these private schools and like, they would say like, they would say like ed Westwick and chase Crawford, it was like would go across the street. Like one girl I know was in, I even did an episode on my podcast by this.
I had like a real life. Girl who I'm friends with, who cities? Right. She grew up on the upper side and she said like, ed Westwick and chase Crawford, like literally come over to our school when we were standing outside. And I'm like, just want information, like doing character research. Like it was an accurate portrayal of like the elite in York.
Like I got that feeling that like Serena and Blair were stars. Right. Because nobody was a star. It was more of the era of like, why is Paris Hilton on paid six? Now Paris is an icon. And we know why, but at that time you're like, why, you know what I mean? Like we had these people like that whole, like you're famous for not, you know, you're famous for being famous.
So when Blair and Serena were there, you're like, of course serene and Blair are superstars because they are, they're just talked about there, those Paris Hilton types that aren't don't do anything. And. Now it's like, yeah, I never thought of that, but that is true. Like, everyone is an influencer. You could live in like Iowa and have a million followers and be more of an influence or making money and elite or on Tik TOK, then anyone living on the upper east side of New York.
So it doesn't feel as a leader. Anyone could be in that category.
Julia: Cause with her struggle, like with Julian struggles, with like her presentation on her Instagram and losing followers and that drama between her and soya and Obie, because I've worked with influencers and have worked in influencer marketing, like to me, that felt real, but also that's literally millions of people's lives.
So why is Julian different and
David: special? Yes. And yeah, like I don't feel that she's as special. I think it's just like a sign of the, yeah.
Julia: And that final is that scene in the episode six where all these brands were coming to her, you know, and I, and uh, granted I didn't, I haven't worked with people who are in the millions of followers category.
We're talking like mid level influencer kind of stuff, but they're coming to her and pitching her. It was just kind of like, is that, is that, is that the level that you're at when you have millions of followers,
David: really, they come to you like that. I don't think so. I think when you have like a million followers, you take everything that comes to you and it's, you still
Julia: have to pitch and still have to make an effort to be like, here's what we can do together.
You know? It's not like I'm trying to get you because you're so famous kind of stuff. I don't know.
David: Yeah, no, I would agree with that. Maybe that's a huge part of why it doesn't work as much. You just don't feel like they are a lead. Right. Don't feel like it, right? Yeah. They have money and this and that. But even that you don't, you know, like, has it, cause we've seen it all before, like, you know, everyone has the family dinners and you know, this and that.
Yeah. Like with Blair and Serena, like you just felt like they were filthy rich and famous and a lead that whole and doing
Julia: all kinds of fabulous things. Like I love. So the references to the old, um, version make me really happy because they, it, I thought that was a good attempt to tie in. And you know, when they're D the teachers are deep diving on the original gossip girl, trying to figure out what this thing is, and they make reference to Blair having been a princess, you know, things like that.
It doesn't feel like those things could happen in this newer version. You know, there is no opportunity for that kind of like big. Because that was her thing. Blair, all she wanted was to become a princess and then it happens and then it doesn't work out. It's just like, what's our factors thing. Like what's their thing.
That's going to be their thing for the next seven seasons. If they have seven or six seasons, if they have six seasons, like that's not there now.
David: I feel a lot of all the people. Yeah. It's not, I don't know. There's something I really want to like it. So they teachers in the end, we're like, wow, now they are kind of standing out to me even like, All three of them and their own way are funny.
Julia: Maybe that's that's the direction they're heading in into the next six episodes is that it's going to be more about the teachers than the kids,
David: maybe. And like the fact that they're trying to keep this up and like they they're in over their heads. Like that's funny. And it bumps.
Julia: Um, Kate Keller tells when they get the video, we'll get to this in a little bit, but when they get the video of Rafa and one of the students, and then it's gone, I was, and then she's like, oh, I gave Rafa the login and me. Cause I work in social media now and everybody wants to log into the account. So I'm like, no, because that's just, that's, we're going to, that's a risk if too many people have the information to log in, that's a risk.
And then, oh, I was like, oh, well, anyway, we'll get to it. The last time you were here, we did kind of touch a little bit on the new gossip role speculated a little bit, the diversity of the cast, somebody wrote, wrote an op ed for pop sugar about the diversity. And she sort of criticized the show for not having more.
Um, she, she said, yes, thank you for the representation. But also you can basically, she was like, you couldn't find a dark skinned girl. And so. Me being a biracial human black parent white parent, I was like, oh, we finally have a lead in a show. That's a big deal on HBO. Who's mixed. And we're seeing her life sort of with her white parent played by Luke Kirby, as I mentioned before, who I love.
So I just kind of felt like which leads me. Yeah. It leads me to like, could they even have tried to cast differently because in my mind, all of the dark skin actresses that I could come up with, the only one that would be age appropriate was sky Jackson. And I, and she's like 19, I think. And, but everyone else I could think of was older.
So then I'm like, of course spiraling is not me. Just not being aware of all of the actors and actresses that exist in the world. But again, that becomes that conversation of you can have people be stars and have followings, but you don't know that they exist. And then it
David: becomes like. I mean, I just think you'll be criticized no matter what, why like, okay.
So if we got someone a little darker skin, it wouldn't have been enough. Like, I just think, I mean, you know, and I don't know that I'd have to really break this down, but just actresses that comes to mind, I'm not saying that they're dark stand, but like, okay. You have like a Yara Shahidi. Like I think, I think that Grown-ish is ending.
I think that's their lost Susan. So she'll go back to Blackish, which
Julia: Blackish is in it's last season too. They're starting that last season
David: was Grown-ish was great. And now I'm over it. I could barely watch it's like in the background, but Blackish is still to me, phenomenal. Like it's, I think it's so good.
Or like Zen day, all you could throw. I mean, you know, again, I'm making a lot of assumptions that Eddie of these people want to do a TV show
Julia: and that was huge for HBO max. Cause she. Was it the Emmy for best actress or the mean she won an award for it, but still, but still it's like HBO had their gritty high school drama already.
So gossip girl can't be that.
David: No, it cannot. So I don't know, but yeah, I find the whole like, and I don't know if this is just because I'm gay and it's hot, but I find the whole RA, I like that. Storyline is one. And I even think that that actor who's playing. I forget his name by now model in real life is the model.
Yeah. Well he was before this now, I guess it makes sense. Yeah. He, that like, at least, cause that does, I mean, come on, like sure. That that type of thing happens. So like that's interesting to me, I do, they really are trying to be as diverse as possible with all the sexuality. Like people are by Mary, which is huge because is represented.
Julia: Yeah. And that's huge because there's not a whole, like with the original gossip girl, Eric was kind of all we got in that regard. And I think that was because of the limitations of the time. And so to see so much happening, like with Aquino and just him sort of going through this self discovery and being confused.
I love seeing that because there's so much. For lack of a better word. There's so much like trauma porn, when it comes around like marginalized groups where it's like this horrific, like coming out story, and then they get thrown to the house and now they're homeless. Like we've had those stories, it's time to show positive stuff.
It's time to show like your life doesn't end just because you're not hetero kind of stuff. And I think that they are addressing that and handling it. I mean, I'm a straight woman, so I'm just from the outside. I'm not in the community, but from
David: the outside it looks like, I, I think they're doing a good job.
It's just, I don't know. I think it has potential, but like, well, I mean, like you look at like Melrose place in the beginning, it was horrible at first and they figured it out. Yeah. But this, and they said we have to change the whole show. I mean, we have no Heather lock by her nor Aaron spelling nor Darren star, but Josh wards, like, come on, figure it out.
Like, I feel like. I feel like they have the basic bones and they need to just say, we have to change this whole show because I do think you need to ship some people away to
Julia: yeah. And they need to focus on something, right. Like pick a lane. Cause I feel like right now they're in seven different lanes and that's really hard watching episode, the mid-season finale episode six, which aired on August 12th.
For those of you listening, I felt like it was the strongest episode so far, but I also felt like, okay, there's so many things about the first five episodes that we've sort of dropped off that we like. So I need you to focus. Like what is the focus who is going to be the principles of this show, the teachers or the kids, or like, I always felt that Lily, they did a great job with Lily and the Rufus storyline.
With the original gossip road that made it feel like it wasn't always a secondary storyline, some made you feel like they were such a strong part of the,
David: the cast. Like can it pair?
Julia: Yeah. And so with this one, I'm like, okay, I don't understand like Luke Kirby. Okay. So you're super famous music guy. Got it.
You're dating. You're lying to your daughter about dating. Got it. Like I understood when that part of the episodes happened. I related to that my child's 16, you know, you kind of his little speech about like, you know, I forgot, I forgot at some point that you were grown and you could probably handle it. I was like, oh, that feels like I have something a 40 year old parent was say to their teenager.
Cause I wouldn't say that to my teenager, but I'm not invested like Kiki, Kiki, what's going on, girl. Like people get left all the time. People's businesses. Go bust all the time. So like, what is the deeper issue? Are we going to get more of that? Like, there's just so many small little things happening that I'm just like, I need you guys to pick like four and focus.
David: Yeah. And like, is this important? Are we coming back to this ever
Julia: Audrey makes comments. Yeah, because Audrey makes comments about like her dad and it's, you know, is your dad coming to the parent teacher night or, you know, shit like that. And I'm just like, what's going on with her dad? What's happening with Audrey's dad?
David: It's all a little, I don't know. So I feel like it has potential, you know, it has potential, but I just, and I didn't even think of
Julia: that. The minion friends, Luna and Monet. I think that first of all, I love Monet. She gives no, I was going
David: to say like, that's like at least like a nod to the original that's kind of in your face that I like, like when I had on a Zuzana yes.
Julia: Oh my God. Everybody has to stop right now and go listen to that episode because it was so good. She's so fabulous.
David: I loved having her on. She said, you know, there's gotta be a hero to character's. Cause I see, you know, I asked her if she'll, you know, she's like, sure, like I'm here, Josh, pick up the phone and call.
But like where is the drone a character? Like I would actually prefer it to. And also these obscure references are going over my head. Now I am like, I didn't realize that that little Satan boy that devil's spawn boy that's Georgina side. I didn't realize that I read it somewhere. When Y when was that?
Maybe they mentioned it, but that went over my head. So like, I actually wish that there, like, I wish it was more it's
Julia: like, cause Duroda kind of grounded, not just Blair, but everybody, she really was the wise the wisdom because they're teenagers. So there's a lack of wisdom because you're new to the planet and your noodle life.
And here's, , who's got like all knowing eyes because she sees things and she hears things and she's very discreet, but yet, like she is such a guiding hand with all of them, Serena Dan Blair, all of them. And we don't have that in this one. So maybe that's why it feels like it's hurting cats.
David: Yeah. So I wish there was just more like, oh my God, that's the Serina of the group.
That's the, you know, I wish it was more of that actually, you know? And listen, I'm glad that, I mean, the sister that came, which to me is the equivalent of Dan. Like, I'm glad she's not gossip girl. So I'm glad it's not like that closely related, but some why would have been nice? I don't know. It's just me. I
Julia: wonder.
Cause they may have references. They dropped the little nuggets about like, oh, some of the original cast is coming back and isn't, it's exciting. So we got Nelly Yuki, which was X, which was fun to see, because I think that she was one of those characters throughout the original season. Every time she came back after high school, she had a new transformation that was just kinda like, get a girl like you, do you
David: like that?
You
Julia: know? Yeah. So bringing her back was fun to see. Um, but now I'm just like, is that the only callback we're getting? Or are you going to actually, cause they referenced Nate archable a couple times. And then they referenced Dan Humphrey a couple of times, but I know that Penn Badgley has made it very clear that he's like, thank you Dan Humphrey for this opportunity, but never again.
So I'm just like, are
David: you wait? Who said that? He said, thank you for Dan, but you will never happen again, Badgley that I believe because he didn't really like Torah.
Julia: I know because hello. He's so good in you. It's creepy. And I love
David: it. Yes. But
Julia: I'm curious if they're going to try and bring back some of the other folks too, like I know.
Doing other things, but we really, like I said, they never, they referenced the Archibald a couple times, but also Nate was my favorite and I love chase Crawford. So I could just be me selfishly, wanting to see Nate.
David: I mean, listen, Blake, Lively's not coming. Let's just, let's put that out there. And Penn is definitely not coming.
And I don't know if Leighton would come either, to be honest with you, her and Adam Brody are kind of serious when it comes to those things. So, I mean, I don't know chase Crawford is possible. Right. Like I don't think he's so I think he's, you know, like I've met like, uh, like a pen and he's pretty serious.
Yeah. Maybe add Westwick. Oh, I would love that. Yeah, that might be that's possible. Think about it.
Julia: I actually don't know what he's doing right now. I know, like everyone else
David: doing something and might be prime for this.
Julia: He's so cute. They were also cute
David: to watch. Did you watch his show on ABC that lasted for a minute about him being a serial killer?
It was great. And I say, well, when I say it lasted for a minute, I I'll Google it. I think it had like, like six episodes. I mean, it could have gotten picked up, but it was canceled. Yeah, it was, it was him. I don't think he was officially Jack the ripper. Oh, he was such like that. And he was a great serial killer.
Julia: Oh my gosh. Interesting. I saw
David: his going to be one of these where I'm like, oh, that's the name of it? Wicked city. It was really, it was with Jeremy. Sisto from Suburgatory. Yeah. Yup. Jeremy was one of the cops again, when I say this lasted, I think when I'm looking at number of episodes eight, do they show all eight?
Well, that's more than I thought they would have stayed. It was with, oh, and it was with taser for Migos, Vera, sister, Vera Nita, sister taser, Gabriel Luna. No. Oh, Evan Ross. Diana. It was, you got to watch Erica Christians and you gotta wash it, but it don't just don't get too into it. Cause it was, it was, it was not bad.
It was a good show. Interesting. And it was, the police were on the case of this killer and I think they knew ed Westwick. I think he was like, you know, he pretended that he was normal and like it was right in front of them, but he was a killer and I think it was geared towards winning.
Julia: Interesting. I watched the first couple of episodes of his show on Netflix, white gold to its place in the eighties.
And he's like a curtain sales, but I feel like if I remember correctly a couple of years ago now since I've watched it, but I feel like
David: it was canceled.
Julia: Um, I think there's, I don't know. I think that there's for sure, a full season. I don't know if there's a second season, but it takes place in the eighties in England.
So he gets to, you know, speak in his natural dialect, which is rural, sexy. And, um, he is like this blind salesperson, but also he like. I don't know, I, it didn't stick. I put it on when I would get ready for bed. So clearly, like it made an impact. Cause I don't really remember anything else other than the cars and the costumes and him speaking in his natural voice, which is again, like I said, rural sex.
I'm like, I'm here for it. I just watched, um, was it vanity a variety, did a thing that this or that with Thomas Doherty. And I was like, oh yeah, I forgot you have a Scottish accent. That's real cute.
David: He's like, oh yeah. And he's
Julia: just so beautiful. He like, first of all, I don't know if it's because I'm an old lady now, but all like for.
We did not grow up with that much sex on TV, which okay. Because of the era. Right. But also like these children, they're all grownups, but their children, because they were not born in the same decade as I they're so beautiful, but I'm just like, this makes me feel uncomfortable. I need to Google to make sure you're over 18
David: there's gossip, girl loves it's sex.
Yes. We've had three songs,
Julia: all the things, my friend and I actually in the beginning of
David: and sons, I mean, I'm telling you this, this teacher is going to sleep. I think the father slept with the teacher. I think he's lying.
Julia: Okay. So friends who are listening the mid-season finale episode six. So you have Rafa, who's a teacher.
You have max Wolf who is a student who's Thomas Doherty. Who's beautiful. That jawline. Oh my
David: God. It's gorgeous.
Julia: They develop a relationship, but then Thomas Doherty realizes, oh, he does this, this is his thing. Like, that's his mindset. Like you're the teacher who finds a student and has a relationship with them, which I feel like is pretty typical in Jason saffron, Josh Schwartz ask shows.
And then when max decides like, this is done, we're over because they tried to, for people who are listening, they try to, um, catfish him with Max's dad. So that's where that comes in. Right? Cause there's like, oh, we're going to catfish my, um, my dad with Rafa and then not realizing that they created a connection.
So then when max is like, I'm done, Rafa is like, cool, I got to hook. I'm going to go get your dad. I
David: think they slept together. Yeah, because he asked him in that scene, he said, what happened? And he said, you know, I went over. When he said, like, you know, just my teacher and he's like, I figured that out, he blah, blah, blah, and wants to talk about you.
And then I realized that it wasn't, we just had to, I don't, I'm telling you the way the camera pan to him, like one second. I'm like, no, Nope. I'm like, there's more the father. I think they'll flash back in the scene where he said, no, no, we're off. It can be very convincing. And then just was like, oh my God.
So I think the father and son through Rafa have now slept together. Yep. I think that's coming well, I think that's coming, but that's where this show goes. Like they showed him. Giving him a blow job in the school. Like this is, this is they want to push the boundaries with this. They're like, they really
Julia: do.
I, I had predicted in, um, our, uh, recap a few weeks ago that there was going to be a threesome between max and Audrey and Aquino, like, like that. They set that up very clearly, I think, from the job and. I was actually expecting it sooner than episode six. So when it happened, when it like the introduction to it happened in episode six, I was like, all right, there it is.
Finally, I
David: think it took you guys long enough. Uh, I'm telling you you'll remember. I said this, I swear that he slept with the father. I'm positive about it because they're like, just think it's going to be like sick on a different level. Third, they're going to go there. I'm telling you, they're going to go there.
Julia: You know, an HBO because it's not. So somebody was telling me that the re re airing it on the CW after the fact. And after watching episode six, I'm like, how is shit? Is this going to make it on network television? I cause some of the scenes, like the video that he sent, that, that max sends into gossip role of he and Rafa being intimate.
And then just like just there, I'm just, I just can't figure out how that would work
David: with no, I didn't realize they were going to show them the CW after that. Interesting thing. There's going to be a
Julia: lot of
David: editing. That seems to be the trend because that's what younger did, like younger is now back on TV, which I didn't realize.
I think they're back on the place they were before, like right. Under something. Although I think then it went to like paramount. I didn't realize all that, but like interesting.
Julia: Did you have any lingering questions after watching episode six?
David: So many I'm I'm, I'm confused about any of the references. I don't get any of the references to the original.
They all go over my head. And there weren't unusually good like that. Yeah.
Julia: The original was so good at tying in current culture and people and even throwbacks that made sense that everyone could grasp. Right. Like they D they handled that so well. And then this one I'm like, have there been, again, I'm an old lady have there been as many celebrity and granted there's only six episodes, but like, I feel like even in the first six episodes of gossip girl, we had some major celebrity,
David: like when they would say right.
Like when they would say things like, you know, oh, I was out all night. Like, you know, so knowing like Paris held in and like, not even I keep going back to Paris, but not even her, like they would do like the Lizzie Grubman. So like, whatever was of the moment in New York, they worked that in and they. Do they do it here?
More like, I think on a global level, I think, I don't know if it was, do a loop or whatever sync or they reference. Oh yeah.
Julia: Yeah. Her dad has more Grammys than do a Lipa and somebody else combined.
David: And then they were trying to get someone to play. Or maybe that was like a made up. I don't know. I just, I agree.
There's not as many like little nuances that are so New York specific, which I guess if you don't know the New York scene, it goes over your head, but it just makes it more authentic that
Julia: way. Blair being obsessed with fashion in the original and the way that they brought in so many people from the fashion industry, it just solidified the new in my mind being in California.
That makes me think. Oh, yeah, that's totally New York. Right? Because all the people are housed there. All the magazines are housed there. Right. All the HQ's are there. So of course, Blair Waldorf's mom is going to have a party and Rachel, Zoe is going to be there. And the editor in chief of Vogue is going to be there.
Like, don't
David: like, that's the thing, these people, so, right. Like there are people. So I don't know if it's cause this shot to this shoot mainly during COVID yet. Probably. I think,
Julia: I think they started shooting. Cause I think so I was watching, I got an interview with Tom with, um, Tom Doherty. He was shooting something in Atlanta in a year ago and he said that they, he found out they were gonna breed.
Gossip girl. And he was like, oh, I wonder if I could get it audition. And then here he is Maxwell
David: interest. So they did it
Julia: pretty quick. I think based on that interview, he did with entertainment weekly, that made, that leads me to believe that he, they, they pumped this out pretty good.
David: So maybe that's what they, maybe that's why.
Cause like, even when Susana was on my show, she was talking about that scene. She loved like she was in it with Cindy lopper. Oh my God.
Julia: That story was so good.
David: They need to throw in like guest stars. Right? Like did New York, so they're filming sex in the city now. Like, I don't know, just like you need to throw in famous new Yorkers to make it like they're really.
And that inner
Julia: circle and they referenced. Um, they made it a reference to HBO girls because she commented kit Keller commented about how she dropped out of Iowa and Iowa produce some amazing people like Hannah Horvath, which is, you know, Lena Dunham's character from girls. And for me considering, uh, and considering how problematic Lena Dunham has been over the last seven ish years, I thought that was an interesting, I thought that was, I'm going to say brave move to reference her.
David: Interesting. I didn't even catch that. Like, it was quick. I had to watch, I never got into girls really.
Julia: Yeah. And I feel like you're not missing much there, but it, it was. I watched the episode a second time and then caught it. I caught it the second time. So they're throwing in quick quips, but again, like if somebody has never watched girls, they're not going to know if Hannah Horvath is a real person or a fictional reference.
So they're mixing fictional references with real references and it's blurring that line of like what, what,
David: what they need to just, I don't know. I just don't. I think it has really, it has a lot of potential the dyes, but I'm not feeling it. Like, I don't want to sway you. I don't want to bring you down.
Like,
Julia: it's totally fine. Like I said earlier, my friend and I are like, the show is garbage, but we're still watching.
David: Yeah. I'm not, not going to watch it. I just, I would love to love it now. I don't know, as far as where it is now with ratings and if it's. But I can tell you that first week, I don't know if everyone watch it the first weekend and they're like, this is garbage I'm done.
Right. Or they're like, I will still keep watching it because if the ratings are good, I mean, I certainly doesn't matter. Yeah.
Julia: And I, I know. So when I was kind of trying to pull some more recent stuff, like what people were saying, I couldn't really find anything recently written, everything was written the week of, or the week after it released.
So no, one's really talking about it in the same way. I do know that the fan base online is still pretty strong though, because really? Yeah. Gossip. So for people listening, gossip, girls on Instagram, obviously, but then all of the characters themselves on the show are also on Instagram. And so. Uh, of course I followed the
David: gossip comments to her.
That's like the original.
Julia: And so we'll, they've revamped it to be, uh, the new one. So they reshare, but they don't really share a lot, but on Twitter, people are talking about it pretty heavy, especially when they drop the doom law reference. Oh my God, Twitter, the Twitter verse. Lost it.
David: Shit. Why? They just love that.
Yeah,
Julia: because they were like, oh, cause you know, everyone's talking about Hudu MAs the new gossip girl. And so Zoya makes a comment about somebody sending her Dubsmashes to do Y and so do mods response the next day or later that day was like, I would never do that to Zoia, but then everybody's commenting like, or making the original tweets saying things like hearing Dumas on gossip girls, like so Metta and like just shit like that.
And I was just like, I mean, yeah, it's great. But also. Come on constant crawl. That's what gets people talking is that you had to like, and I didn't even catch the reference to begin with. I had to watch the episode a second time.
David: That reference I caught, I don't know. I just don't know. I mean, you need to ship a bunch of people away.
Like it's not even like, I don't know. You have to get rid of a lot of
Julia: people does this show and I'm going to think that your answer is no to this sit, carry the same guilty pleasure vibe. The first one did cause in your interview with Susanna, she talks about how even like those broey type dudes would come up to her and be like, I love the show.
It totally helps me talk to girls and blah, blah, blah, blah, which like speaks to its universality of the original, right? Like so many of us watched it, it didn't have a demographic breakdown because we were all watching it. But. Does the new one have the same ability.
David: I mean, other than there's online community, are people talking about it?
I mean, is this a thing? Cause like I don't feel it and I know a friend or two watches it who they don't like it either because I'm like, maybe it's me. I mean, I have to say with all this though, maybe Josh Schwartz to just call it and revamp doc, we did a little Osei. I'm just putting it. Listen. I would love to have sex in the city is back.
Yeah, we try Melrose. I have 9 0 2 and old people coming up on my show. Two of them in particular and both of them were like, look, I mean, I asked questions. Like they were very vague and they're like, you know, They implied, like there might be something Vegas, good Vegas encouraging. Like, what is it? I don't really care what it is, but they implied, like there might be another incarnation of this chat, whether it's a one-off movie, but I was like, whatever it is, I'll take it.
I don't know. I think, can we just bring, listen, the OSI podcast with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clark is very popular. I don't get into it, but it does very well. So clearly people want it. We need it. Look, Melinda Clark would be on board. I don't know may Rachel Bilson possibly when she was at, she didn't watch all her.
I mean, I watched everything, heart of Dixie. I didn't
Julia: watch heart of Dixie,
David: but it was phenomenal. And then she had that ABC show, which lasts was there, but she was a private eye. Oh, right, right. Also listen, Rachel Bilson to me is I would watch her in anything. I think she's so good. Harley Dixie was literally her character.
Dixie heart was as good as some are Roberts as amazing, like phenomenal. I love very the show, but it was great. I loved the thing in it
Julia: and I love that had Rachel Bilson and the final episode of the original gossip probably thought that was a good little homage to their OSI life. Um, so,
David: so I don't know.
I just think like maybe we could talk to someone about bringing the OSI back. I love that Adam Brody is not doing it. And, um, what's his face then? McKenzie has made it very clear, like Dan Humphreys, that he's not coming back. I think maybe you could center it around Rachel Bilson summer didn't work out and Melinda Clark would do it.
Yeah. Kelly what's her face not kill whatever the mother's name was. I forget she would do it. I don't know about Peter Gallagher, but you know, maybe,
Julia: and I feel like maybe that was a missed opportunity to do something similar with gossip girl, because I'm so curious to, I know. Dan Humphrey and Blake lively will never come back to the show.
But I'm curious about like
David: she's a little J right class and she's basically like I have no interest.
Julia: Some other
David: secondary Kelly Rutherford is an actress who is great. And I think Kelly Rutherford wants,
Julia: and I think that would be a really good second edition of gossip girl because all of her storylines on the original were so interesting that I just, I felt like there wasn't enough.
Like we needed more Lily,
David: give me, I mean, and I forgot who played Rufus, but I'm sure he's available for all. And
he's
Julia: probably still handsome. Cause he was very handsome back then.
David: Right. And Vanessa, oh yeah. Although, I think she, she just got, she was just did something. I think she was in something kind of major reason.
I don't know if it did while she had some new shot that just came out. I forgot what it was and where it was, but she did. I remember reading it like, oh, good for her. I don't know. But like what else could they bring back and revamp? I mean, sex in the city coming back. I think anything's possible
Julia: without Kim control, but you know, I, I understand where she's coming from.
I
David: have, I have someone associated with the first sex in the city that I just recorded. That will be on my show. It's just somebody kind of major. That's all I'm going to say. Listen, I just think you've got to think of everyone. You got to think there's a lot of, not, not necessarily. There's a lot of people at someone.
Good.
Julia: There's a lot of people on that show. Would be totally worth listening to on a podcast episode, this is really exciting. You're making my life more difficult because I literally am like, okay, bookmark this one to listen to on Saturday when I cleaned the
David: house and I have been on my radar, I love it.
I forget that. I really hope this show turns itself around
Julia: and they're dropping new. They're coming back in November. So hopefully the next six seasons will
David: seasons. That's what it is. It's a six more,
Julia: that's my understanding from the internet reading I did because they announced it. HBO, max announced it on Thursday, it's coming back the final six episodes.
So I'm like, okay. I hope that's not a misquote because Newsweek had said, you know, they haven't announced specifically, but they're cut, but they will release six in November, but then hours later, um, somebody else I forget now who it was, was like, oh no, they're releasing on in November. So information's kind of spotty.
David: I think they're just going to have a short run. Yeah. Like all of, like, it either needs to come back with a bang or it's going to physical.
Julia: I think so, too, especially now with the way television operates and what we're willing to consume. Like, no, one's going to waste their time on a show that they don't have time for.
Like, we have infinite possibilities anymore and streaming has taught us that we can get through stuff quickly. And so if you're not going to keep dropping it linear in the linear sense, the way that they're doing with it, like if we're not going to, I'm not excited, like I'm not patiently waiting for Thursday for the next episode.
Like I was, you know, 20 years ago with TV,
David: it would have had to make much more of a bang, like for everyone to watch it in November. Yeah.
Julia: And that feels like you're gonna, people are gonna forget, right? Like who's going to pay attention in November for the.
David: And it's like, no matter how big the launch was this time, I don't know it's different.
Right. I really think people, even if you won't give up on it, like you and I will watch it, but especially people going to come back and flock to it, the way that like. I don't know if they
Julia: expected, I, after the first episode. And I saw that Luke Kirby is, and I was like, I told my friend, I was like, I will stick with the show if they give me Luke Kirby, every episode, because I kind of had a little celebrity crush there and I would love to see, cause I love him in marvelous, Mrs.
Maisel as Lenny Bruce. And so I'm like, I need him in real clothes, like modern. And then he does that in gossip girl. And I'm just like, oh, he's just so there's something about him. I'm just like, you're so
David: sexy. Even like, can't you bring back Georgina, Chapman, Georgina sparks. Yeah. That
Julia: would be a really fun spinoff to watch, especially now that we've seen her child,
David: the child is one of the most, I just, I don't know where I was that I missed that.
I was him, but yeah. He was, he was captivating to watch. Yeah, of course. He's like some demon seed. That makes a lot of sense. Yeah. Brilliant. So it was perfect or things like that need to
Julia: happen. And I guess that's why it felt like it started to get into the Stripe of gossip girl because they pulled in Milo sparks and he was very devious and knew how to do like the dirt digging the way that Georgina did.
And it was just like, yes, that feels right. And then it does.
David: Where did that go? And not enough for nothing bring in Jerome take it. She'll like you can't be looking for like a new housekeeper.
Julia: Right. Let's be honest. She was an amazing part of the original. She's such a, she was such a grounding force for the original.
I think
David: if like you're thinking of all these stunts, like pull them out now. Cause that's what we want. Yeah. Let's just
Julia: go there. Absolutely. I'm just getting very negative.
David: No, I love
Julia: it. I love it. I'm so here for it, because I had all these like moments of like, I really want to love the show and things that are keeping me.
You've got a mixed race lead. Thank you. Because that doesn't happen a lot. And then also, oh look, Kirby, Kirby, and then it's just kinda like,
David: I just feel I'm going to have to do, I love numbers and I just need to know like what the numbers have been over the past weeks. Listen, I was more positive about the Hills new beginnings.
Nope. Nobody's watching this watching it, but I left I still lunch. Yeah. It all added. I think Caroline who I interviewed, she didn't really do it for me. She didn't really jive with the group. Yeah. But I still was the end. Like I didn't realize that we were going to have like hardly any Whitney, like,
Julia: yeah.
I was a little bummed about that because I loved her in the original run. I thought that she was such a great presence and so cheerful
David: and by Kristen capillary is a fucking superstar. She comes back and steals like every, you just you're like, this is why you're a superstar. This is why like very capillary, which wasn't even like brilliantly, right.
Was like, so highly rated. I'm like you just, and I told you, I've met her so many times. She is literally shockingly the nicest person. I love that. She's really nice. So I am not so hopeful that the Hills will be back for a third incarnation, but I am here for it. If it comes back 100, I thought it was. I mean, what was there not to like about it?
I know, I know all the OGs. That's what you need. You need all the OGs with a couple of new characters. That's the way to do it. Yes,
Julia: totally. Totally. David, thank you so much for come
David: to think of something else for me to come back where I don't even know what else is, is coming back or what show we can be excited by.
I don't
Julia: know either. That's really
David: hard. You're going to have to be like, do you watch this? And I mean, yeah, I can't think of, I know, show that's really all think of wine. You don't watch like survivor. that's, that's a rumor to be coming back. Cause it's well, it's coming back, but it's like, it's been awful for so many seasons.
Like apparently they figured it out and the season's going to be like back to basics. I don't know. Listen, I used to be so excited by so many shows and I don't know. That's why I'm like, maybe I'm busy, but like I want a show like Emily and Paris where I just watch it and I'm like, I love this and I get it.
Yeah, yeah.
Julia: Yes. That's the great thing about TV and it, you know, that's what I think the fall drops for so wonderful from like 1988 through like not, you know, to well
David: amazing full drop to watch grace and Frankie. Yes. But I haven't
Julia: started
David: before, before they only, I never realized the only drop four, so it's four and then all the rest.
And I'm kind of like.
Julia: I'm kind of feeling like maybe I should wait until they're all drunk. Cause I hate cause I'll forget.
David: Yeah. And then you could, I had a moment yesterday and I watched all four of them, but you could easily wait, but you're getting more episodes this time. So it's 16 total. So that's kind of doing it like this, but of course they leave off on like a Patel, you
Julia: know, I'm just like, oh, I can't handle.
I don't, but we used to live that way when TV was linear and there was no streaming, the mid season, you know, finale was always the jaw-dropping moment where you're just like, I have to wait two months until like mid January or potentially February for this to come back.
David: No, thank you. Jane Fonda has everything.
Julia: She's amazing. I feel like I should do a Jane Fonda appreciation episode because she's done such amazing work and not just actress wise, but like everything on prime, one of her videos is free. One of her workout videos from like 1990, whatever. And I'm like, yeah, I want to do that workout video. Let's do this.
Jane Fonda.
David: She's amazing. So maybe when that comes back, we could do that show. Oh, I would love that. You know, Dolly Parton is coming for the final season. It's like,
Julia: feel like we don't deserve Dolly Parton ever. And that just makes me so
David: happy, honey. And please just make one reference to nine to five. Just work it in there somehow.
It's your final season. Just, just do it. But that's why they said to Dolly, like it's now, or she wanted to do it other seasons, just the schedules didn't work out. They were like, you have 16 episodes to choose from. And we got to figure this out because it's over it. They were like, okay, it's it's out there.
It's not like, it's a known fact. If you Google it, like Dolly Parton has stones. That makes
Julia: me so happy.
David: So just maybe we'll do that when it comes back, I would love that, but I'm going to keep an eye on the fall to see what's lurking coming. I appreciate it. Be something totally.
Julia: Please tell everybody where they can find you if they want to keep up
with
David: you.
At least listen to the Zuzana episode. If you listened to this, it really was. Great. Get on always like I've listened to it twice, really, because you're always just like, is this person going to really be, you know, look, you have a whole career before this and after this and like, look, she gets it. And she was just gray.
We, we went there, she talks about why her scenes with like, um, with Leighton were so great. And her favorite, she said she would agree with her. She said, chase was her favorite on the set to hang with. Like she really went there and talked to Val, like at all. And she told that Ryan Reynolds story, which
Julia: got a great
David: story.
Cindy Lobber so like, I don't ever want to listen to that, but it's literally every five day a week interview podcast behind the velvet rope and on Instagram app behind velvet rope, there is no, the Instagram doesn't like that long title. So at behind the velvet rope or behind the velvet rope, listen, check it out.
Tell me which interviews you liked the best. And I'm serious. I have 9 0 2 0.0, coming up and a little sex in the city, but two people from 9 0 2.
Julia: Oh, I need them now give them to me. Now
David: I asked the typical question. We got to ask everything, but really, I just want to know about Shannon, like sorry to go there, but how bad was shady,
Julia: you kind of have to expect that people are going to ask that question at this point.
You
David: know, I might assess for Shannon dowry and she's like, amazing. So. All right. Anytime you want me
Julia: to come back. Thank you so much for being here and as always listeners, you can follow us on Instagram at pop culture makes me jealous and things for tuning in young till next time.
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