Gossip Girl Review: Lies Wide Shut (Season 1 Episode 3)
Gossip Girl Season 1 Episode 3, “Lies Wide Shut,” ramps up the relationship drama developed in the prior two episodes. This week’s installment opens with Julien (Jordan Alexander) on the hunt for a new boyfriend following her split with Obie (Eli Brown).
Despite an international search for the right replacement, however, Julien is clearly struggling with her recent break-up. Her friends place even more pressure on her to find someone else despite claiming the label of “feminists.”
The episode mentions Luna (Zión Moreno) and Monet (Savannah Lee Smith) as feminists multiple times, contrasting it with their criticisms of Julien and eventually Zoya (Whitney Peak).
If “Lies Wide Shut” is attempting commentary on the hypocrisy of certain people claiming the “feminist” label, it doesn’t elaborate enough on the topic to say anything of relevance.
A feminist angle could be something the series explores, but it needs to dig deeper. As of now, most of its social discussions merely skim the surface of the issues they’re attempting to tackle.
To the episode’s credit, it gives Luna and Monet more time in the spotlight, even if it never delves deeper into their personalities. Gossip Girl seems steadfastly committed to keeping the pair as “mean girls, but it would be more effective to give viewers a reason to relate to them.
While Julien copes with the fallout of her relationship ending, Zoya is concerned Obie will grow tired of her. After all, she’s not one of the rich socialites he’s accustomed to being around, and it’s proving a source of insecurity for her.
Ironically, the real strain between Obie and Zoya stems from the latter’s attempts to fit in at Constance Billard. The advice she receives from Luna doesn’t help the situation.
Obie grows increasingly frustrated with Zoya’s obsession with her social media image and her attempts to squeeze herself into the school’s mold. Fortunately, Gossip Girl doesn’t let things boil over for the pair.
Obie confronts Zoya toward the end of the episode, emphasizing that he likes her because she’s not like everyone else in his usual social circles. It’s a sweet moment that serves to get viewers further invested in their blossoming romance.
The Zoya and Obie relationship feels very much like the one between Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) in the original series, just with the roles reversed.
It’ll be interesting to see if Constance Billard corrupts Zoya since she and Obie seem to be the show’s moral compass. That could prove an interesting turning point for the series, but it would also eliminate one of the genuinely relatable characters on the playing field.
While Julien and Zoya struggle with Obie-related issues, Gossip Girl lets the aftermath of Max’s (Thomas Doherty) flings with Aki (Evan Mock) and Audrey (Emily Alyn Lind) unravel side by side.
“Lies Wide Shut” comically sees Aki and Audrey freaking out about their cheating, none the wiser that they’re in nearly identical situations. Things really heat up when Gossip Girl starts posting about unfaithful romances.
Aki and Audrey’s relationship woes are a highlight of this week’s episode, and much of that has to do with the clever way of depicting their simultaneous guilt. Doherty plays the middle man in their relationship hilariously well.
The drama culminates at a play, where Julien and Max end up in the middle of their respective love triangles — literally.
While Julien is no doubt in an awkward situation, you’ll find yourself begging Max to expose them all. It’s clear he, Aki, and Audrey should just get together already.
Unfortunately, when Max finally snaps, a polyamorous relationship isn’t the go-to solution. It’s a great moment for Doherty’s acting, and it adds depth to Max’s character. However, Aki and Audrey both agree to forget about the whole thing.
This week’s Gossip Girl also drags the main characters’ parents into the mix, with Julien discovering her father has been hiding a new girlfriend from her and Max dealing with dad drama.
The parents are undoubtedly one of the weakest aspects of the new series, especially compared to the original. The adults here feel two-dimensional, and their storylines reflect that.
On the Gossip Girl front, things look bleak for the teachers at Constance Billard in Episode 3. When the higher-ups call a meeting, they address the subject of the school’s new gossip mill — and commit to quashing it.
That threat gets most of the teachers rethinking their choices, but Kate (Tavi Gevinson) remains dedicated to her latest project. This storyline is the other strong point of the episode, as watching Kate’s obsession grow is addicting.
The group of teachers eventually decides to scapegoat one of their own — a chilling development that promises more excitement for Team Gossip Girl.
The teacher subplot is shaping up to be the reboot’s most interesting, though it would be nice to learn more about their personal lives. Much like the parents, they currently feel underdeveloped.
Overall, Gossip Girl Season 1 Episode 3 builds on the promise of previous episodes and gives us a chance to see new sides of its main cast. There are still quite a few characters that need work, but there’s a whole season ahead of us.
With any luck, the drama and the character development will increase as time goes on.
What did you think of this episode of Gossip Girl? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Gossip Girl drops Thursdays on HBO Max.
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