"Gossip Girl" was loosely based on the series of novels with the same name. Both the book series and its television adaptation focused on New York's high society. When The CW decided to move ahead with a series, they enlisted two people familiar with the genre. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage had already brought "The O.C" to the world. Airing on Fox, "The O.C" showcased upper-class society, though in that case it was based in California.
For better or worse, "Gossip Girl" became an influential hit. The series featured cameos from numerous celebrities and was widely considered to be a trend-setter.
It was also the first major success for The CW. The network was still new at the time. Its biggest hits were the remnants of The WB and UPN, which had merged to create The CW. The success of "Gossip Girl" was a milestone for the new network. In late 2012, the series concluded. Now, it, or another version of it, may be returning.
Talks have begun about a reboot
Television reboots have become commonplace. Many old favorites have been the subject of a new vision. Soon, "Gossip Girl" might be among them. Mark Pedowitz, president of The CW notes that discussions about rebooting the show have begun, according to E! News.
But he also cautioned that it wasn't a sure thing. He indicated that he wouldn't want to go ahead with it without Schwartz and Savage being involved.
Both have remained active with The CW. Working with similar subject matter, they have been heading the reboot of the 1980s series "Dynasty." Also, according to Pedowitz, much of the decision is up to Warner Bros..
Also unclear is how much, if any, involvement the original cast might have. It would probably be a popular move to bring back some of the popular faces from the original series.
However, several of them are attached to other projects. Even if they would like to return, many of them may not be contractually available to do so. Disturbing allegations against cast member Ed Westwick would also make it unlikely for him to return.
Changes would likely have to be made
As Screen Rant indicates, it might make more sense to go with different characters.
The identity of the so-called 'gossip girl' is supposed to be a mystery. The unknown character tends to make people's lives miserable by posting their deepest secrets online. While the books left the identity to readers' imaginations, the TV series went the other way. In the finale, the supposed culprit is revealed. The decision of who was chosen as the 'gossip girl' has been heavily criticized since then. Reasons for this include that it would've been unrealistic, at times physically impossible, for the character to be behind it all. Going with new characters could make a new mystery and a chance for creative redemption.
That was far from the only controversy surrounding the series. Among others were the perceived positive portrayal of reckless behavior.
Another was the glorifying of the abusive relationship between Blair and Chuck. Even a number of cast members indicated a preference for a healthier romance of Blair and Dan.
In the years since "Gossip Girl," The CW has had controversies of similar and other natures. They may well want to avoid rehashing old ones.