Television can be good for you

Although this blog's title may suggest so, this is not going to be a descriptive essay about the benefits of watching television. Those of you who own a Little Brown Handbook (10th or 11th volume will suffice), might just know what I mean by that. For those of you who don't, it doesn't really matter, since I'm heading into an entirely different direction with this thesis statement.

I know my preference in television series leaves little to the imagination, but I must once again implore you to see first and then judge. For instance, a friend of mine hates One Tree Hill, which I find hard to believe, but then again, she hasn't even seen an entire episode. Prejudiced much? Now, as far as my personal taste is concerned, here is a little toss up of what keeps me hooked to the little screen:

- Fringe
- Desperate Housewives
- One Tree Hill
- Gossip Girl
- Lost
- Nip/Tuck
- Etc.

But the show that deserves my undivided attention today, has to be Gossip Girl. I know, I know: "What is a guy doing watching a show like that? Isn't that a show for girls?" I can totally see where you're coming from, I do. But didn't someone say once that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover? In more recent times, it was Christina Milian who said it, yet I doubt she was the mastermind behind those fabled words. But the girl was right, we shouldn't. And so I don't. And I hope you too will be able to keep an open mind. Who knows, you might just find yourself become hooked on the stuff. After all: babes, booze and New York... What more could you possibly ask for?

The true heart of shows like Gossip Girl lies in the relationships between people. Relationships, not exclusively for lovers, but for all surrounding parties. Because when you're in a relationship, you're never alone. Everyone comes with baggage, whether they're personal or actual persons. Call me crazy, but I like watching shows like that solely for the purpose of seeing how those relationships evolve and/or break apart. There's something truly captivating about the way two people can find each other, surpassing seemingly impossible odds, only to find themselves coming apart at the seams when they finally found bliss. You know you love it too.

Gossip Girl is no different. Take Dan and Serena, for example -now I know for those of you who don't know the series, all these names and events will probably seem rather foreign, so my suggestion would be to watch some GG, like, right now, that's what the Internet is for, right? And when you've watched an episode or have consulted Wikipedia, you can always come back, re-read it and fully understand- from day one of the show you know those two are going to end up together even though there is just so much stuff involved: Serena's upper-class, Dan's middle-class. Serena's uptown, Dan's Brooklyn. You might consider it a modern day re-telling of Romeo and Juliet and you wouldn't even be too far off the mark, and if it works, it works.

I know most of you probably still won't be convinced of the magic that is Gossip Girl, which is why I'm not giving up so easily. Sure, you can just walk away right now, go back to Facebook or YouTube or Messenger or whatever it is that you do, but you can also keep on reading this blog, and who knows, you might just find yourself strangely enthralled to go to sidereel.com and discover how the Dan-Serena fairy tale adventure is going to work out.

Hmm, I see I've been able to maintain hold of your attention. Don't falter now. Keep on going.

Let me give you a few of my favourite things about GG: first of all, there's the amazing voice-over work done by Kristen Bell. Yeah, that's right: it's What's Her Face and That Girl! But for all you anal Annies out there, she's the girl from Veronica Mars (in fact, she IS Veronica Mars), she's also the sparkplug from Heroes, otherwise known as Elle Bishop and she also waltzed around a couple of Hollywood romcoms such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Couples Retreat and When In Rome. But in Gossip Girl, you'll come to worship her for her quick lines and overall sexy voice. Care to find out? XOXO, I know you'll love her.

The second crowd-pleaser has to be the New York setting. Shows set in hick-towns like One Tree Hill or in flashy/snooty sun-scorched places like The OC are okay too. Still, it doesn't get any better than New York City. A personal far-off dream for me, home for them. Watching those girls and boys parade around NY's landmarks and signature geometrical city streets provides the perfect background for people who might seem equally perfect, but are just as flawed as the rest of us.

And then there is the safe bet: not only eye-candy for the men, but also for the ladies. While girls will talk about the fabulous clothes Serena & Co wear, the fellas will probably be more interested in the ones who're actually wearing them. It's a win-win for both really. Moreover, girls can gush over Dan, Nate or even Chuck (if you're into that sorta thing), while boys can stare their eyes out at Serena, Blair and Jenny's 'assets'. It's the perfect set-up for both sexes.

I know I could go on and on about it, but I might just safe something for the next blog, there's no rule against sequeling in the blog world, so sit tight, watch GG and let me know what you think!