Spend Labor Day in the Hamptons: "Gossip Girl" returns Monday

Unlike a real TV critic, I have not had the pleasure of seeing sneak previews of the second season of "Gossip Girl," but the five-minute teaser I found on YouTube is enough to have me yelling "OMG" to myself (with a slight modification, of course, that I'd get in trouble for saying on a family-friendly blog).

Episode 1, aptly titled "Summer Kind of Wonderful," picks up as summer is drawing to an end in the Hamptons, according to the Futon Critic (more spoilers, if you're interested). Serena is attempting to get over her breakup with Dan by traipsing around on the beach in a cloud of mope, while Dan apparently has moved on to brunettier pastures (in a library, no less). She's also helping Nate cover his fling wth an older, married woman. Somehow all the characters find themselves in the Hamptons -- how serendipitous -- and the backlash of the previous gossip-laden year of ups-and-downs, break-ups-and-hook-ups follows.

After the tumultuous last few episodes (did Serena really kill someone? Who is Georgina and why is she so annoying? Will Blair and Chuck be a real couple? Oh the questions!), I'm eager as ever to see the new developments in season two. Yes, I was ashamed to admit I watched the show at first, but the guilt associated with it has definitely passed. Sure, some of it feels tried and true, but "Gossip Girl" is tittillating without being too trite. For whatever reason, people latch onto the various characters (who are impossible to like) and eagerly await the next dose of backstabbing and intrigue, masking the show's generally low ratings with tons of online downloads and buzz.

So, put on those white shoes, grab a martini and dig into season Two of "Gossip Girl" when it premieres on Monday at 7 p.m. on the CW. Until then, here's a little sneak peek.



-- Malavika Jagannathan, mjaganna@greenbaypressgazette.com