This television season?s biggest mystery: Who is Gossip Girl?

Savvy fans will recognize Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell, as the all-knowing voice behind Gossip Girl?s biting narration. Based on the best-selling series by Cecily von Ziegesar, the identity of Gossip Girl is never revealed, while she spills all the secrets of the most popular students at a posh Manhattan prep school on her web site.

Helmed by the acclaimed creators of The O.C., Josh Schwartz and Canadian Stephanie Savage, Gossip Girl promises to be every bit as fresh and juicy as viewers came to expect from The O.C., with some Sex and the City flair and a hip soundtrack.

But Gossip Girl?s drama is on a whole new level than the Cohen family ever dealt with. The pilot, airing at 8 p.m. ET tonight, focuses on the sudden return of Serena Van der Woodsen (Blake Lively, Accepted), whose self-imposed exile to boarding school was at the centre of a falling out with her best friend, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester, Entourage). While Blair has enjoyed her time as reigning social queen, Serena?s arrival threatens to take away her spotlight – and the affections of her boyfriend, Nate (Chace Crawford, The Covenant).

One person who is pleased to see Serena is Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley, The Bedford Diaries), an outcast at school because of his middle-class background who only has eyes for her. His freshman sister, Jenny (Taylor Momsen, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), is desperate to be accepted and is thrilled by the attentions of bad boy Chuck Bass (Ed Westick, Children of Men).

And of course, every last scandalous detail is provided to the members of this elite and vicious circle via Gossip Girl?s up-to-the-minute messages to their Sidekicks.

You know you love it.

Gossip Girl will settle into its regular timeslot next Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.






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