On Sept. 17, Gossip Girl’s pilot, appropriately titled “Pilot,” turns 10. A lot has happened since viewers met Serena van der Woodsen and her squad on The CW. In real life, Blake Lively and Penn Badgley dated and broke up. Blake went on to have a thing with Leonardo DiCaprio, have cute babies with Ryan Reynolds, and star in one of the best shark movies of all time. Leighton Meester got together with Seth Cohen from The O.C. And Ed Westwick still has no clue who the real Gossip Girl is.
To celebrate the 10th birthday of “Pilot,” I could have retraced Serena’s steps to the Met on Fifth Ave., taken a ride on the Metro North, or ventured off to Williamsburg to watch a forgotten band of the ‘90s featuring someone's hot dad. Instead, I watched “Pilot” for the first time in 10 years and wrote down a few things. Below, my thoughts compiled in a list that’s probably too long but listen, Nate’s hair deserved better.
1. OMG Pete Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks.” Yes, this opening shot is everything. I wonder what PB and J are doing now?
2. Damn, NYC looks SO good.
3. “melanie91” sends proof of Serena’s arrival at Grand Central. This shot is so iconic.
4. Does LG still make phones?
5. JENNY IS SO YOUNG. BB JENNY!
6. And Dan’s hair is unfortunate. Yeah, we should’ve known from this haircut that he was Gossip Girl.
7. She’s far too excited to read her blast.
8. OK we’re at the Waldorfs and everyone else is reading up on the blast. It’s so weird to think these kids didn’t have Google Maps, Snapchat, or Instagram.
9. Nate talking about colleges is such a joke. I’m sorry. Not a joke: his beautiful eyebrows.
10. Wow not even three minutes in and we’ve met all the necessary characters, even Chuck, who’s on the couch making silly “Hey Nate let’s be bad and go smoke” faces.
11. Aaaaand we have our second song to remind us of the late ‘00s – Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around,” playing as Serena arrives to say hi to B.
12. Lily van der Woodsen is such a goddess.
13. Lily would arrive at the perfect time to offer to buy Eric a croissant. And Lily would pronounce croissant in the most elegant way.
14. Look. At. Her. Oversized. Sweater.
15. Speaking of breakfast, I love a good breakfast bar scene at the Humphreys. Rufus can cook me breakfast, lunch, or dinner any time. He can lose that choker though. What is it with Humphrey men and style?
16. It’s so rude of Serena to show up at the Palace wearing yesterday’s clothes. What if Blair saw that? Or Dan? I mean Gossip Girl? (Sorry, it’s just so funny 10 years later.)
17. This is the last time you'll ever see anyone on this show riding the bus. Probably.
18a. Ah yes, the classic Metropolitan Museum of Art shot. I too would love to enjoy my yogurt on the steps with plenty of time left before work. A girl can dream.
18b. Serena's loose tie over her school uniform is giving me so much life.
19. Aw, little J asking her big bro for fashion advice is so cute. Her love of sewing is also adorable.
20. Chuck just said “Nathaniel” and even though he’s gross in this episode, I am deceased.
21. I’m really glad Chuck got an upgrade as the show went on. This season one look is not great.
22. Yes. More hits! This time we have Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” playing over S and B’s catch up/UNDERAGE DRINKING sesh at the Palace.
23. Serena finishing Blair’s martini is kind of icky but honestly I would’ve done the same. Why waste a drink when it’s mostly still full?
24. I WOULD LOVE A GRILLED CHEESE WITH TRUFFLE OIL, CHUCK. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
25. Chuck watching Nate and Serena do it at the bar in this flashback is disgusting. I forgot how bad S was to B. (S’s dress is very pretty though.)
26. OK. Right, we’re back in the kitchen with that grilled cheese. This montage is so, so bad. Chuck is assaulting Serena after paying off the kitchen staff to go away. Ugh.
27. Hold up - Nate has different hair in this running scene with his dad. I dig it. He’s so hot here.
28. MUSIC BREAK. You know what’s a good song? “Hang Me Up to Dry” by the Cold War Kids.
29. Oh look Nate’s hair is different again while he’s having sushi with Blair. It’s split down the middle. They must have filmed these out of order. I know it’s the pilot but Josh Schwartz, come on.
30. “Oh my god, my daughter’s a woman. You look like your mother.” Rufus is SO sweet. Dad of the Century.
31. Wait – I JUST REALIZED BLAIR’S MOM IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WOMAN.
32. I just checked Imdb – this woman is Florencia Lozano, soap opera star. But episode two onwards, the great Eleanor is played by Margaret Colin. Phew.
33. “Put some product in your hair. The ends are dry” – words my mother will never say to me.
34. God, imagine being young and going out for a night on the town with Chuck Bass, Nate Archibald, and champagne in a limo and yet you still can’t vote.
35. Remember Timbaland’s “The Way I Are?” It’s playing at the Kiss on the Lips party.
36. Kiss on the Lips is more beautiful than my own wedding.
37. Shit. I know what’s about to happen. Why did Chuck have to be so gross in the pilot? This scene with him and Jenny is so rape-y. Make it stop.
38. Wait, so Dan traveled from Brooklyn to the UES to bring Serena back to Brooklyn for Rufus’ show? A bit much, no?
39. I can’t believe Jenny sewed that dress by herself.
40. Dan got into the party and didn’t even have an invitation. So I guess no one needed a fancy invitation after all, BLAIR.
41. “MY NAME IS DAN HUMPHREY AND THAT IS MY LITTLE SISTER.” YES ,WHAT A PUNCH. I’m sorry, Chuck, but this is everything.
42. I LOVE THIS SCENE.
43. If this wasn’t on The CW, this would be a really great time for Chuck to say “FUUUUUUCK.”
44. I give this outro 10 out of 10 because it just reminded me Angels and Airwaves, Tom DeLonge’s other band besides Blink-182, was a thing.
45. This show is so good.
