That’s right. Our Monday night CW fix will soon be filled as we approach the Sept. 14 season premieres of both Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill. We have a lot to look forward to—good and possibly bad—when it comes to both shows. So, let’s get into it.
I gotta say, I’m less-than-thrilled about the time slot switch. One Tree Hill will now be on at 8 p.m. with Gossip Girl in the more primetime spot at 9 p.m. I get it, I do. The network has spent ridiculous amounts of dough on promoting Gossip Girl—a show that was supposed to blow up upon premiere, but has since lost viewers. It’s seems like a bit of a slap in the face though for us One Tree Hill fanatics. The show has been chugging along for six years and has actually gone up in ratings over the last two—even surpassing Gossip Girl’s numbers despite the lack of promotional backing.
Don’t get me wrong, I like both shows. Well, I watch both shows. One Tree Hill is more of an addiction for me, filling a void left by my all-time favorite teen drama Dawson’s Creek (R.I.P 2003). But anyway, I guess I’m just more into the small-town stories with heart, rather than the snooty upscale productions plagued with scandal. Gossip Girl is like babysitting your little sister. You feel compelled to do it, even though most of the time you can’t stand it. But, every once in a while, there are moments that make you happy to have invested the time. Bad analogy, but you get the point. I have a love-hate relationship with that show. But, I do have some faith for this season.
Gossip Girl, for one, has to stop with the couple swapping already. It leaves no suspense. Every possible couple has already been together. Tsk Tsk. History shows that viewers tend to like the “will-they-won’t-they” aspect ( a la Pam/Jim of The Office or Jack/Kate of Lost). I’m happy to see Hilary Duff jump into a few episodes this season as a new love interest for Dan. Usually I’m against young Hollywood types making cameos, but for some reason I always liked Hilary. This of course means that we have to see Dan and Serena pretend to be friends again. As long as they aren’t together and putting me to sleep with their yawn-inducing antics, I’m okay.
As for One Tree Hill, we got some changes a-comin.’ As the news wires expel to us, Antwon Tanner aka Skillz probably won’t be around after the first few episodes. The actor admitted to selling social security cards, and pending his November hearing, could face serious fines, not to mention jail time. As far as I’m concerned, he got way too much screen time last year, so I’m not sad about this revelation. At the same time, I’ll be pissed if this causes me to fall witness to more Mouth storylines. Grr…
Sadly, we can’t ignore the fact that we have the worst possible scenario for a television show (in my eyes anyway)—main characters leaving. Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton (Lucas and Peyton or “Leyton”) have walked away from the show after years of being the “it” couple. This usually means suicide for a teen drama with a small ensemble cast (The OC anyone?), while other bigger productions can get away with it like Grey’s Anatomy.
Anyway, I am not looking forward to their absence. With no Lucas voiceovers or depressing diatribes from Peyton, I’m not sure I can enjoy One Tree Hill as I once did. But, we shall see. With their departure comes the introduction of several new characters including Haley’s sister Quinn, Nathan’s manager Clayton and a Clothes over Bro’s model named Alexis. I’m not sure about all these new additions, but I will say the show made a huge improvement last year when they brought Austin Nichols on full-time. He plays Julian Baker, Brooke’s love interest, and frankly the only guy she’s had chemistry with since Lucas. They finally got together for good in the season finale. Cue the new “it” couple.
We can’t forget about our married couple though. While they have had their boring patches throughout the seasons, you can always count on “Naley” to be the rock of the show. And from the looks of the previews, Nathan’s new-found NBA status could land him in trouble…or in bed with someone else. While I doubt they will ruin his character by having him cheat, it should cause for some definite drama (even if it is a recycled plot line).
While I’m skeptical regarding the upcoming fall season for these two shows, I am also excited to see how each show deals with the changes. See you in a few weeks!
Sharon Tharp is a freelance writer who has contributed to a variety of publications including Hamptons magazine and the Web sites of both Marie Claire and CosmoGIRL!.
