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gossip girl
the complete second season
Studio: Warner Bros.
Original Airing: 2008-2009
Length: 25 Episodes (1063 minutes)
Genre: Teen Soap Opera
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Color/B&W: Color
Audio:
English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French, Chinese and Thai
Rating: Unrated (Sexuality, Suggestive Language)
Release Date: August 18, 2009
Rating: [COLOR= red]3[/COLOR]
Starring: Blake Lively,LeightonMeester,Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Taylor Momsen, Ed Westwick, Jessica Szohr and Kelly Rutherford and Matthew Settle
Executive Producers: Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage
Based Upon the Books by Cecily von Ziegesar
Directed by: Various
Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season is a 7-disc DVD set encompassing the second year of the CW network’s adaptation of Cecily von Ziegesar’s bestselling series of teen soap novels about the romantic ins and outs of upper class teens in New York. I can’t say I’m a fan of the series, but I must disclose that my roommate is hooked on it. From what I can see, it’s handsomely produced (albeit on HD, not on film), and it benefits from innovative costume design and appropriately sumptuous-looking production design. The teen cast is all attractive and fresh-faced, and the adults sprinkled in all complement them nicely. I confess that back in the day, I was a fan of the old Dallas series, and I can see a lot of the same hooks here, which is why I resisted them in looking over this set. If you don’t watch out when looking at this show, you could easily get sucked in...
The DVD set includes all 25 episodes in anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 sound, with some deleted scenes included along the way, as well as some other goodies sprinkled between the 3rd and 7th discs, including a reading by Christina Ricci of the book “Gossip Girl: You Know You Love Me”, and, in the packaging, a few opening pages from the upcoming book “Gossip Girl: I Will Always Love You.” Fans of the series likely already have this set and are wearing it out in anticipation of the upcoming premiere
VIDEO QUALITY[COLOR= red]3/5[/COLOR]
Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season is presented in a 1.78:1 Anamorphic transfer that nicely displays the series’ HD photography. The New York locations come across well (particularly some snowy scenes in Episode 20), and flesh tones are accurate, including the near-porcelain features of Taylor Momsen.
AUDIO QUALITY [COLOR= red]3/5[/COLOR]
Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season is presented in an English Dolby Digital 5.1 mix that pretty much puts the sound in the front channels, but uses the subwoofer and the surrounds sparingly for the pop music that fills the score.
DISC BY DISC:
As I have done with other series, I’ll account for what can be found on each disc, in order. To save time, I’ll note here that all episodes and the deleted scenes are presented in anamorphic widescreen, and while the episodes themselves have the 5.1 sound mix, the deleted scenes are presented in 2.0.
DISC ONE:
Episodes:
Summer, Kind of Wonderful – Season Premiere, with the characters enjoying their summer in the Hamptons. A deleted porch scene (0:47) is included for separate viewing.
Never Been Marcused
The Dark Night – The couples go through one of the first change-ups of the season. A deleted scene (0:30) is included separately.
The Ex-Files
DISC TWO:
Episodes:
The Serena Also Rises – A deleted scene (0:27) is included separately.
New Haven Can’t Wait – The teens visit Yale. A deleted scene (0:28) is included separately.
Chuck in Real Life – Someone makes the mistake of trying to blackmail Blair...
Pret-a-Poor J – Little J steps out.
DISC THREE:
Episodes-
There Might Be Blood - A 15 year old wants to lose her virginity.
Bonfire of the Vanity – A deleted scene (0:49) is included separately.
The Magnificent Archibalds – Thanksgiving comes to the Upper East Side.
It’s A Wonderful Life – Deleted material (2:12) is included separately.
This disc also contains:
Jenny’s Fashion Music Video (3:18, Anamorphic) – The music video featured in There Might Be Blood is included here in its entirety.
DISC FOUR:
Episodes:
O Brother, Where Bart Thou? – A funeral of a Bass is the centerpiece here. Deleted material (2:39) is included separately.
In the Realm of the Basses
Gone With the Will.
You’ve Got Yale – Admission e-mails from Yale begin to arrive at the school. A deleted scene (0:48) is included separately.
DISC FIVE:
Episodes:
Carrnal Knowledge – Blair decides to destroy Miss Carr. Deleted material (1:55) is included separately.
The Age of Dissonance – We see a school production of The Age of Innocence, which these kids certainly aren’t. A deleted scene (1:48) is included separately.
The Grandfather – A deleted scene (1:05) is included separately.
DISC SIX:
Episodes-
Remains of the J - Jenny’s Sweet 16 party turns into a massive event. (This is the episode with snowy scenes in Central Park)
Seder Anything
Southern Gentleman Prefer Blondes
DISC SEVEN:
Episodes-
The Wrath of Con – Serena gets arrested.
Valley Girls – This is actually a spinoff pilot for an 80’s version of the series about Serena’s mother back in her teen years. It didn’t sell, but you can see some interesting ideas here, and a cameo by No Doubt. A deleted scene (0:35) is included separately.
The Goodbye Gossip Girl – The season finale sees the gang (other than J) graduating high school. Serena goes on a search and destroy mission to find out who Gossip Girl really is. A deleted scene (1:05) is included separately.
This disc also contains:
5th Ave. Meets Gossip Girl (Anamorphic) – This special feature presents a map on which viewers can click various icons to trigger brief video clips discussing the various sets and locations seen in the series.
Gossip Girl: Faces Behind the Design (17:04, Anamorphic) – This featurette includes interviews with art department and wardrobe designers about the look of the series.
Gossip Girl: Chasing Dorota (6 webisodes, 3:05 each, Anamorphic) – Six webisodes featuring the supporting maid character of Dorota are included here.
LOL: Gag Reel (10:40, Anamorphic) – Over ten minutes of bloopers are presented here.
Audiobook of Gossip Girl: You Know You Love Me – (2:28:00) On the seventh disc, an mp3 of Christina Ricci reading the bestselling book is included as either a downloadable file or as an audio feature that can be accessed on the DVD player. Instructions for this are included in the packaging. (Not listed in the packaging is Maria DeLuca’s contribution, since she reads the Gossip sections.)
Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Thai for the. Standard chapter menus are included for quick reference.
IN THE END...
Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season will be a lot of fun for fans of the series, particularly with the extra features available on the final disc. More casual viewers may be more wary, but like I said, if you start watching this stuff, it’s very easy to get hooked. And the third season kicks off in less than two weeks...
Kevin Koster
September 4, 2009.
