Getting a reboot to catch on with fans is no easy feat for a network. People might love the original, but a reboot can feel like a cheap cash grab in a hurry, which can sour people on a project from the jump.
Gossip Girl was rebooted last year, and opinions have been divided. Fans have had a lot to say about the reboot, with some believing that something went wrong, and others flat-out hating the teachers on the show. Despite the negative chatter, the show had people talking a lot, and those who loved it want a second season.
So, is the reboot coming back? We have all the details!
'Gossip Girl' Was A Hit Series
During the 2000s, teen dramas were everywhere on the small screen, and while many were able to become popular, few had the same type of following that Gossip Girl was able to achieve.
Starring a cast of performers featuring names like Blake Lively and Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl had it all during its time on TV. It was funny, filled with intense drama, and it had characters that people could both love and loathe from one week to the next. Simply put, it knew exactly what it was, and it never tried to be anything else.
For 6 seasons and over 120 episodes, Gossip Girl was must-watch TV. It was a huge success, and the lead performers from the show all took their careers to another level thanks to gaining a ton of fame and exposure from the series.
After being off the air for years, fans were stunned to learn that a reboot was on the way.
'Gossip Girl' Got The Reboot Treatment
In 2021, Gossip Girl made a comeback to the small screen, and there was a lot of anticipation from fans. The previews felt familiar enough, but it was clear that things were going to be different this time around.
One major change this time around was Gossip Girl's identity, and creator, Josh Safran, touched on this in an interview.
"It’s a be-careful-what-you-wish-for story. It’s a cautionary tale. We will be tracking not just what Gossip Girl does to the kids, but what being Gossip Girl does to them. And it is incredibly messy and morally compromised, obviously.”
While it could have been easy to just dust off the original characters with fresh faces, the reboot was interested in mixing things up. This, however, does not mean that there aren't some unavoidable similarities, which Safran touched on.
"I was like, well, there’s always a Chuck, there’s always a Max. In Oscar Wilde’s work and ‘Bright Young Things’ there’s the dandy. The Shakespearean characters, the Edith Wharton characters. They’ve existed throughout time in literature and in art. But I do think these characters stand on their own. I do think they are different. I think that any similarities were not intentional, but also unavoidable because those archetypes exist," Safran said.
All things seemed to be moving along nicely for the reboot, and it wrapped up its first season late last year. The season's conclusion sparked conversation about a potential second season coming to HBO Max.
'Gossip Girl' Is Returning For A Second Season
So, will there be a second season of Gossip Girl? Thanks to season one being a resounding success, the series will, in fact, be coming back for a second season.
According to Variety, "HBO Max has renewed the “Gossip Girl” revival for a second season, proclaiming “record viewership over its first weekend on the platform.” The 12-episode first season has been broken up into two parts, and its second six episodes will roll out in November. Using the vague language typical of streaming services, HBO Max called “Gossip Girl” its “best launch for a Max Original Drama series this year” in the renewal announcement."
Clearly, the first season had social media ablaze, and the cast and crew have got to be thrilled with what they were able to accomplish with the first season.
At this time, details about season two are sparse.
"A representative from HBO Max said Thursday that the number of episodes for Season 2, as well as when production will begin are still to be announced," Variety reported.
No matter how long it takes or how many episodes there are, HBO can rest assured that fans are going to be tuning in to see what happens with these characters during the evens of season 2.
Gossip Girl is off to a hot start, and a successful season two can give way to a third season and beyond.
