The juiciest story right now is what happened way back when.
Putting the longstanding (and not-happening) rumors to rest, the CW has ordered a pilot for a Los Angeles-set Gossip Girl spinoff, E! News confirmed Wednesday.
The new venture from Gossip Girl creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage is not, however, going to be a by-the-book look at Taylor Momsen's rebellious character, Jenny Humphrey, as was speculated for several months.
Instead, they have opted for an original story about Lily van der Woodsen and surely scandalous teen years growing up in the 1980s.
Gossip Girl's May 11 episode will reportedly serve as what is referred to as a "backdoor pilot" for the spin-off, introducing the younger Lily via flashbacks.
A new hot-young-thang will play Lily (maiden name Rhodes), who moves in with her black-sheep sister after a falling-out with her folks, going from a ritzy Montecito, Calif., boarding school to a public school in the San Fernando Valley.
Per the CW's release, "Caught between two worlds, Lily dives into the fast-paced Sunset Strip and the Hollywood lifestyle of the 1980s, journeying over the hill to a world of wealth and excess that used to be her own."
Eventually she'll meet a young Rufus Humphrey, who will at some point impregnate her.
"We didn't want to upset the chemistry of our cast — all of whom are crucial to the show," Savage said of creating a show that won't require the presence of the main Gossip Girl cast. "Nor did we want to dilute New York City as a character."
"We are inspired by the opportunity to tell overlapping stories and introduce characters that will appear in the past and the present, and hopefully enrich both shows," added Schwartz.
"We love exploring fashion, pop culture, music and a heightened world that's just a little more fun than the one we actually live in. L.A. in the '80s totally fits the bill."
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40 Comments
January 15th, 2009 8:12 AM
omfg, teenager's life at...20 years ago??
beverly hills 90210 was enough,
that's 70 shows was enough,
dont thinks is really good idea,
i better to have archibald spin off, poor nate,
January 15th, 2009 8:19 AM
Definitely a bad idea. Lily and Rufus are dragging the GG story down enough as is; we don't need to have their backstory brought into focus. Better to let them just fade into the background and let the younger cast members do what they have been doing so well. When the group goes to college, I hope we see a lot less of Rufus and Lily.
I suspect the new show is going to be a flop.
January 15th, 2009 8:24 AM
Ugh. Bad idea. Do. NOT. WANT.
January 15th, 2009 8:36 AM
omgg, despise all teh negative comments
it will be intresting to see who plays who
and the script and etc.
January 15th, 2009 8:44 AM
Bad idea ! I really love GG but I wouldn't watch that spinoff. Because I hate Lily and Rufus so much ...
January 15th, 2009 8:58 AM
Who can resist a show set in the 80's, even though it is about Lily and Rufus. surely, i can't.
January 15th, 2009 9:12 AM
Can someone please explain this to me? Is Gossip Girl still going to be a show? or are they cancelling GG to make a spinoff about two unimportant characters? or will their be gossip girl and a spin off at the same time?
January 15th, 2009 9:21 AM
I don't think that this is a very good idea...They should first consider how many from the gg audience would be intrested in watching a spinoff with young Lily&Rufus!There better be a hot stuff & loads of drama for me to watch it!!!
January 15th, 2009 10:19 AM
Two of the (many) things I like most about Gossip Girl are the current fashion, and the setting in NY. This show will have neither. I especially am not interested at all in another show set in CA. I typically like Lily and Rufus, but don't think a spinoff will do anything for me.
January 15th, 2009 10:21 AM
I don't really like the idea, but I think that a lot of people will end up watching it, whether they like the idea or not, bcz its a spinoff of gg. But I don't really love the idea.