#there's so many christmas movies that are iconic it was hard to narrow down but these are personal/make my heart warm and/or make me laugh | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

scoundrels-in-love · 6 years

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Oooh the 80's songs asks are SO GOOD. Gimme billie jean, uptown girl, born in the usa, take on me, footloose, i want candy, eye of the tiger, and karma chameleon. Tried to keep a short list but so good!

Thank you so much for asking, darling. This is under cut because I got very lengthy about ‘what is your home town like’ question.

Ask me 80′s iconic song ask?

billie jean: what do you notice more in a song - the drums or bassline?

Definitely the drums, I still have hard time distinguishing bass in most music. I know it’s there and if it’d go away, I’d terribly miss it, I appreciate it, but it’s like a caretaking spirit I can’t see for most of the time.

uptown girl: what’s your favourite book trope?

Same as fics, honestly? Good enemies to friends to lovers (foes to bros to hoes), for example. In a lot of ways, I don’t differentiate books from fanfictions that much, especially the romantic/tropey books...

born in the u.s.a.: what’s your home town like?

Hoo boy. This is such an invite to picture fest, but I’ll spare my followers, lol. My hometown is truly just a town, just some 25k people here. Nonetheless, it’s one of the biggest in the country, so there’s that. My town is someplace riddled with memories, someplace that I pass certain places with relief ‘ah, that store is still here, 20 years later’ or with twine of sadness if it is not. I draw comfort from the constant things and learn to accept the changes - the fixed roads, the bike trails, the truly prettified and taken care of small parks and mill pond area. For, yes, we have a mill pond with many ducks and a fountain, and lot of nice benches and trees.

And three parks, though only one is well maintained now and we, as community, rallied so more old trees wouldn’t be cut down unnecessarily - and won. It’s right next to the cinema, nice cafe and one of the banks in town, near our shopping mall and our local government building just a bit further which sits right next to almost 800 year old church and castle ruins. Across the street, there is bookstore, community center and clinic and now there’s a small concert hall in itself. That is how tiny and compact the heart of my city is, with young trees planted along the streets, with huge flower tiered flower bed in the center that in late November/early December becomes the standing spot for a towering Christmas tree, twinkling slightly into January.

But of course, there is much beyond the immediate reaches of this center. The marketplace. My actual favorite park near it, next to fire depot, with old trees that are weary from being forgotten and creaking swings, where benches rest under Jasmines, Lilacs and Linden that smell so sweetly in Spring. It’s near one of the schools (we have some 5, all over the city), the marketplace and the Millpond, the street surrounds it from both sides, yet it is a quiet place that the noises don’t reach, where the wind comes to sit on top of the swings and hum softly.

Our country’s biggest native river runs wide and steady through it, overlooked by three bridges of which one was recently rebuilt. I still remember crossing it and feeling the boards creak underneath my feet, as it was being rebuilt/reworked. As you come off of it, on your right there is part of our University and our big library in same magnificent building, something that was built some 10 years ago, and sometimes I miss the winding stairs of Children’s library, the wooden board walls and another level of tiny, narrow stairs that took you to pillow riddled room where you could participate in events. But the new library is beautiful and light and holds some beautiful memories for me, too. One day, I’ll test VR out there!

And a bit ahead, on left, there’s the huge bus station central, also recently, just last year or so, rebuilt. Then the main street splits in two, the barrier area leaving space for some old buildings and some newer ones. One of the streets runs right by an old creek, now overgrown - once home to bunch of beavers that have now returned to the main part of the river and only ducks stop by here now.

There is train station, little used now, that end of the town generally quiet and with a sense of going to sleep, like someone might before the End. On the other end of city, many new huge shops for cars and furniture have sprung from ground, along an uneven road to the hospital that can never be fully repaired because it is the only way to access the compound, hidden among the trees. The main cemetery is also there, the Orthodox one more in the center of city, but on the side.

And, oh, trees and flowers. There are many of those, all over the place. And many small streets that I have not explored. Little glimpses of peace and magic, in that one specific moment I sometime manage to catch them in my photographies. There are gaping spots where half finished buildings used to lay and gaze at passerby with empty windows, while some have finally seen completion. One becomes vacant time and time again, they say a spirit there is uneasy. My mom felt it was Her Home.

There are huge, burly apartment compounds all over the city, built after the town was burned down at the end of the World War 2. No one knows who did it, both Russian and German allies are blamed, seen to help start the fire... The buildings are built with hands of war prisoners and in that, remind me a lot of our truly old buildings, the church and castle ruins who, too, had unwilling builder hands used. Only few pre-war buildings remain. Now, many of the bulking apartment complexes are being renovated and given fresher look.

I belong here, and I don’t. I belong to the memories and the glimpses of something I catch sometime, I belong to the bus routes I took with her that do not exist anymore, I belong to benches that have been moved, I belong to the lilac bushes that were ruined carelessly in renovations or just chopped down, to trees that always burn red, just different shades, over a river-bend seen from bridge nearest to our house. To the way daffodils turn our apartment yard yellow and then white. To the bookstore that has not even lost most of its old employees, but have gained a cat in the years I have lived in this town.

I could go on and on, more and more things come to my mind. But I will finish it now, simply like this: My home town is the definition of a changing yet constant spot. An anchor that is covered with rust but also wrapped up with a pretty ribbon.

take on me: could you reach the high note?

Pretty sure I could not!! My voice is rather low naturally and I can’t really sing, so nope. I’ve not specifically tested, but I don’t think so. I do have high pitched laughter at times, though. Hmm.

footloose: favourite musical?

I do not have one, oops. Never seen musical, other than one very vague memory of our version of Cats when I was 7 or so. I was not impressed. Do Disney movies count??

i want candy: chocolate or sweets?

Is it not the same thing?? I could understand cookies vs sweets... Okay, anyway. Chocolate. I don’t eat candy much and so much of candy is... actually chocolate?? Honestly, if you pick chocolate, you can get away with eating most things, like cakes, etc. (Why am I treating this like a question ‘if you can have only one for rest of your life?’? LOL) And there are so many flavors and fillings!!

eye of the tiger: favourite 80s movie?

I have no idea what counts as 80′s movie, to be honest, so I am not sure, I think I am more of early 90′s baby. I googled and from options presented, I have seen and enjoyed The Karate Kid, Back to the Future, of course the Star Wars movie.... Oh you know what? Neverending story. I was upset it didn’t show the book as I wanted, but I still enjoyed. So, it’s sort of toss up between that and Star Wars ones, though, tbh I was... not that big on the movies, ever.

karma chameleon: what do you like most about your appearance?

My eyes. They have a beautiful color, both my mom and other people have described water-like, both in the blue-gray color itself and how it changes, depending on light and my mood. They have a darker circle around them and my pupil is over-sensitive to light (but not only). I also do like my hair color, as much as it is always in state of darkening or lightening. If only my hair wasn’t so frail and damaged from nothing else than existing. (Hey, if that doesn’t sum me up in general...)

#ask games answered #this got FUCKING LONG #about me #lovely people #putting up with my bs #diaphonie #sent on a cloud

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andythelemon · 7 years

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if you could only watch 5 anime series/movies for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Omg the fact you narrowed this down to movies AND seriesmade this super hard lmao but ok here goes:

1. Castle in the Sky – I’d have to include at leastONE Ghibli, right? This is an old favourite, it’s really charming andbeautiful. Every Ghibli film is iconic in its own right but this one isspecial to me because it’s also my dad’s favourite, and I love the soundtrack(Carrying You…aaaa). The depiction of genuine platonic love/affection betweenthe two leads is SO GOOD like that shit is my jam I s2g. More guys and girlsbeing good friends without any annoying romantic subplot please and thank you! (Also, Sheeta’s high-waisted floaty pants outfit is my favourite thing ever)

2. Kids on the Slope – this series is SO timeless Iwill watch it again and again and fall in love with these children all over? Myfavourite stories are actually those with no fantastical or dramatic element tothem, that don’t try to do too much or be anything more than they need to be,you know? It’s about a small cast of highschoolers in 60’s Kyushu trying tonavigate their way through school, friendship, romance and figuring out whatthey want to do in life. It’s so moving and heartfelt but not overdone andreminds you to cherish the times you spend quietly in your youth with peopleyou love. :’)

3. Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans – lmfaook I just said my favourite stories are quiet, small-cast, low-key andundramatic but this is THE TOTAL OPPOSITE. It really surprised me! I didn’tthink it’d be my thing at all but DAMN LOL I GOT SO SUCKED IN for some reason. Technicallyit’s amazing (the character/mecha/background design is WOWOWOW) but thecharacters themselves are SO GOOD. They’re filthy, despicable and socorrupted because of war, but you see their human sides and realise they’veturned out that way through no real fault of their own. Legit everyone has blood on their hands omfg…it does a great job ofportraying people believably despite the fantasy setting, particularly thechildren? They’ve had to grow up far too fast, being child soldiers, but thereare moments that remind you they’re still kids. It also impressed me w/ the way it addresses polyamory/bisexuality/queerness without being fanservicey? The relationships are soincredibly fucked up and make me bite my nails hahaAnyway this series is a godless hellride but reminds me that well-done design, soundtrack, (and most of all) characters and worldbuilding will win me over regardless of premise. It also made me realise some veryimportant things when I was considering giving up drawing and wondering whetherI even liked anime/animation anymore, so it’s special for deeply personalreasons too.

4. Kuroko no Basuke – DON’T LOOK AT ME LOL I had tothrow at least ONE sports series in here and I pick one of the trashiest, butdamn I love Basuke?! SO MUCH?! It’s hugely self-indulgent but you know what,fuck it I LOVE SELF INDULGENT STUFF life is too short to be serious all thetime! It’s so silly but makes me laugh and root so hard for my boys, plus um??ALL THE LADIES IN IT COULD PUNCH ME IN THE FACE AND I’D THANK THEM.

The soundtrack is amazing and honestly…it’sridiculous on the surface but also a Very Good Time and my favourite life mottoever is a quote from one of the characters during a tough training arc.

5. God I should probably put a Makoto Shinkai filmor an old classic like Akira in here but you know what. SAINT YOUNG MEN LOL it’sjust so unbelievably pure and funny and feel-good I watch it every Christmasseason and laugh out loud without fail each time. Jesus and Buddha beingroomies in Japan for a year whilst they take a break from heavenly duties,being mistaken for Yakuza in the hot springs, shopping for their flat andtrying to convince the landlady that they’re not actually NEETs…please watchit it’s SO FUNNYAnyway there you go! I love so many series though that are wildly different so it was hard to choose but I think I picked a good variety were I stranded on a desert island…you probably didn’t want a small essay but I actually like when people explain a little bit about why they like things heh (also so I could procrastinate on freelance lol)

#replies #anon

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followingmywanderlust · 4 years

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Taking A Bite Out of The Big Apple

I have never been a city person. As a kid the tall structures and heavy population made me anxious and I always preferred the countryside. I was intimidated by the honking of the cars throughout the night, the narrow sidewalks filled with people, the dozens of different scents from the restaurants that lined the streets, and the sounds of various street performers. Going to the city was a sensory overload for me and I often left a little bit spooked.

My recent trip to New York City, however, changed my mind. NYC is an excellent place to travel to and there are activities and beautiful spots that are always within walking distance of you. I am fortunate enough to have friends who share a passion for travel and adventure, but as college students we often find ourselves limited by money. We found plenty of activities to do to fill our three days in the city without spending hundreds of dollars. NYC is an enormous city and I only got to experience some of it, but based off of what I saw, the Big Apple is a place you should add to your bucket list. Below I have outlined the highlights of my trip, and things you should know before you take on the city.

JERSEY CITY

We started our journey in Jersey City which is where we stayed overnight. After sleeping two nights in this city, I realized it is a great place to both escape and experience NYC. Many younger people who work in Manhattan often stay in Jersey City because of cheaper rents. Just across the street from the apartment complex we were staying at was a beautiful view of the city. The streets in Jersey City were a lot quieter, and only a trolley would pass every once in a while. In comparison to NYC's crowded sidewalks, Jersey City is a lot quieter. Those individuals who are out seem to be heading to the subway to get to the city and are not looking to walk around. NYC is just a short subway or ferry ride away, so if you need to escape the busy city life at night, Jersey City is right next door.

TRANSPORTATION

During our trip we only took the subway and walked in order to save as much money as possible. The subways were usually very crowded and at one point we had to run along the platform to find a car that the three of us could fit into (we made it though!). The subways were fairly affordable but after going back and forth to Jersey City every day and other locations in NYC, the costs added up. A one-way fare from Jersey City to Manhattan is $2.75. We bought our tickets at the station's PATH vending machine with both cash and cards and only ran into trouble when one of the vending machines didn't work (to learn more about the PATH fares click here). The subways are very clean and efficient and we took one in every day from Jersey City to The Oculus. The Oculus houses the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in Manhattan for the PATH system. The Oculus is located right next to the 9/11 Memorial, and subways depart from and arrive at The Oculus from multiple locations. Of course in the city in addition to the subway there are taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts, but we opted to walk instead.

THE MOST ICONIC SPOTS

THE OCULUS

Opened in 2016, The Oculus has the most interesting architecture I have seen. The Oculus is located in lower Manhattan next to the 9/11 Memorial and serves as a hub for Manhattan. I took the subway into The Oculus from Jersey City every morning and departed from there every night, so I got to experience a lot of the cool features that the building has. The subway ride between the two cities took around 7 minutes and flew by. It is a very open concept with beautiful lighting at night. It is entirely white which felt like the train station straight out of the last Harry Potter movie. The Oculus has a variety of small stores for visitors to go to. For the most part, my experience with the building was getting in and out so I didn't get the chance to shop, but I did take the stairs to the top level of the structure which provides a very beautiful view of the building's entirety. From the outside, the building looks even more unique as it contrasts against the black, tall buildings that surround it.

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

At over 1.1 miles long, the bridge makes an excellent walk with a view on both sides of the city as it leaves Manhattan and crosses over the East River to Brooklyn. The bridge is typically very crowded as it is a tourist attraction, so be aware that there will be people on either side of you at almost all times. Don't be like me and wear heels to walk across this bridge, as you will be much more comfortable in sneakers or tennis shoes. There is the option to bike across the bridge as well but it may be difficult considering the amount of people walking on the bridge. Make sure to bring your camera because along the bridge are some beautiful views - you can even see the Statue of Liberty if you look closely (it looks tiny from the bridge). While walking the bridge you'll see almost everyone stopping for photos and climbing (safely) on the rails to get the best pictures. Just be aware of your surroundings so that you do not bump into anyone!

Once off the bridge there are plenty of spots that make for excellent views from afar -- all you have to do is walk around! We found Soho House, a tall brick building near Main Street Park, where we climbed to the top floor where we discovered an outdoor space with beautiful brick arcs that framed the bridge perfectly. In front of the house is a picture-perfect walkway with a stunning view of Brooklyn Bridge on the water - a great spot for photos without crowds of people in the background. There are various parks surrounding the bridge such as Main Street Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park that have carousels and gorgeous views of the city and bridge.

STATUE OF LIBERTY

I did not get the chance to actually go to the Statue of Liberty, but while crossing the Brooklyn Bridge I was able to see it. I used my camera to zoom in on the statue to get a better view and I was able to take the photo below. Next time I go to NYC I will be sure to visit the statue as it holds such historical significance for our country.

DUMBO

One of the best photo spots for the Brooklyn Bridge is at a place called Dumbo; and no, it has nothing to do with the elephant that can fly from Disney. Dumbo is actually short for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass" - cool, right! Dumbo is located in Brooklyn, and the iconic photo spot is located at the intersection of Washington and Front Streets. Influencers, bloggers, and tourists all love this spot for the perfect framing of the bridge between two brick buildings. Your photo may not come out picture perfect as there are crowds of people and cars, but it still is a great spot to see.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER

I visited New York City right after Christmas which was the perfect time to visit the Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center is located in Midtown Manhattan and has many places to shop, eat, and see the city. Because of the time of year, the center was packed with people almost everywhere. The Christmas tree is bigger than any Christmas tree I have seen before - It's hard to miss! Additionally, right near St. Patrick's Cathedral there was a light show that lasted only a few minutes but went along to different songs. We grabbed Ben & Jerry's ice cream at a complex located right next to the tree for a yummy desert before we headed back to Jersey City.

ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL

I was astounded when I first saw this cathedral because the beautiful architecture and color stood out in the midst of black skyscrapers and the dark sky. St. Patrick's Cathedral is one of the most interesting buildings I have seen and I was only able to experience it from the outside. The white, rigid structure has beautiful sculptings and patterns within the windows, and archways exaggerated the older yet polished exterior. The cathedral is very long and its brilliant design is not just visible in the front. I was able to walk along the outside of the cathedral and though I did not get the chance to go inside I can only imagine that the inside matches the beauty of the outside.

TIMES SQUARE

Despite only experiencing Times Square from afar, I could tell that it was a hub of the city. Times Square is only an 8 minute walk from the Rockefeller Center and even from afar you can see that people are crowded everywhere. Electronic billboards and neon signs lined the streets making for some great photographs. We didn't go to the center of Times Square, but I was able to experience it at a glimpse at the intersection of W 49 St. and Broadway. I plan to return to Times Square in the future in order to truly experience the beauty of all of the buildings and shops that surround the area.

FOOD

CHICONNIS

Located right off of the Brooklyn Bridge and outside of Main Street Park in Brooklyn sits Cecconi, a higher-end restaurant that has a beautiful view. The interior of the restaurant is extremely luxurious with white brick walls, different colored comfortable seating, and beautiful art that lines the walls. We were given the brunch menu and I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try something new. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana which was delicious, but also super filling - I couldn't finish it! I also decided to treat myself and get a juice as well (which was on the pricier side), but the customer service that came along with it was excellent. A waiter came out with a glass and opened the juice and poured it in for me, and gave me the rest in the bottle for later. I got the watermelon juice which had a very strong gingery taste which I could only drink a little at a time, but for experienced juice-drinkers (if that is a thing!) I think this juice would be delicious. I am not a coffee drinker, but my friends absolutely adored their lattes, and they even came with a little biscuit on the side. Overall, this restaurant had great customer service once we sat down and our food was made swiftly. The only issue we had was our wait time even after making a reservation; the restaurant was incredibly busy when we went and even though we made a reservation we had to wait around a half hour to be seated. I think the food and quality customer service made up for it though! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone for a nice meal in a beautiful spot as long as they make a reservation ahead of time.

THE STANDARD GRILL

The Standard Grill is attached to The Standard hotel in the Meatpacking District which is located in the west side of Manhattan. We went to the grill for brunch and we were met with a surprisingly extensive menu which can be seen here. We struggled to pick our food with so many delicious options, but we were able to make some good choices in the end. While we were waiting for our food we were able to admire the beautiful space that let in a lot of natural light and was lined with green plants that made the atmosphere welcoming and comfortable. I got the Smoked Salmon Platter which was TO DIE FOR. The food was so yummy that we couldn't fit in room for dessert. My platter was arranged very nicely as I was able to construct my own sandwich, and the customer service was excellent as well. In the downstairs of the grill (where the bathrooms are) there was a small photo booth that we felt like we had to take advantage of and we were even sent a digital copy afterwards. I'm no restaurant connoisseur, but this restaurant was a little more on the pricey side for a brunch meal, but the quality of the food definitely lines up with the price - you get what you pay for! The grill wasn't nearly as popular as the Cecconi restaurant so we had no wait time at all which was a huge plus especially after walking a few miles through the city and wanting to sit down.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

ROOFTOP VIEW

While walking around the Meatpacking District, we stumbled upon this perfect rooftop view located in Restoration Hardware, an interior design store. We walked through the store and saw some stunning furniture (which we definitely couldn't afford) and we climbed the stairs to the top level where there are sliders that open up to an open view. We weren't even sure if the sliders opened, but we decided to give it a try. No one else was on the overlook giving us the freedom to enjoy the view and take photos on our own. This store was a great place for some classic city photos without the crowds. Remember to keep your eyes open for spots like these when you're exploring the city, you never know what you will find!

COLORED WALLS

During my visit we stumbled upon a bunch of very artistic walls located outside of The Oculus that made for some excellent photos. There were neon colors, different patterns, black and white, and overall a great place to snap some pics with a cool backdrop. These walls were a part of The Reflection Project by Yoko Ono in which the walls aim to invite people off of the streets to engage with their "personal reflection."

WALKING

Because we wanted to save some money, we walked almost everywhere through the city. Every day we walked at least 5 miles (one day we walked 7!) which was totally worth the sore feet. If you choose to walk, make sure you dress comfortably with sneakers that can help you get to your destination painlessly. We got to see the city from the ground level and walking allowed us to find some great photo spots along the way. During our stay we totally lucked out with the weather being almost 50° every day which made my experience so much better. Traveling on your own two feet gives you the ability to adventure a little bit and go off the roads to find some pretty unique spots. Now, you don't have to walk 5 miles, but make sure to walk around when you're in the city to find some great places for pictures with stunning views.

CONCLUSION

New York City definitely surprised me. I was able to walk throughout the city freely and I saw some pretty amazing art, views, and architecture all the while getting some great exercise. The child who was once scared of skyscrapers and crowds had disappeared. I found myself in the crowds looking at all of the families trying to scramble together and take a picture, couples that were hugging underneath the christmas tree, and photographers yelling out to strangers trying to take their photos. I was able to see all different types of people and rather than anxiously pushing through crowds to get some fresh air as I had when I was a kid, I took a step back and observed my surroundings. Instead of getting dizzy looking at tall buildings, I glanced inside the windows and saw beautifully arranged apartments, people partying, and individuals looking out telescopes. As a photographer I found the city to be photographable at almost any location, but I realized the importance of retracting my eye from the viewfinder of my camera and taking in the city life. Being with my two best friends made this adventure infinitely better as I had people I could trust and make memories with for the duration of my stay. I highly recommend traveling to NYC to experience the stunning architecture, unexpected discoveries, and delicious food. Now go find some friends and schedule a trip to NYC!

for more content visit: https://kyliebreenphotography.com/2020/04/18/taking-a-bite-out-of-the-big-apple/

#newyorkcity #nyc #travel #blog #travelblog #blogging #review #nycreview #statueofliberty #jerseycity #timessquare

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getyourgossip0-blog · 6 years

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10 Casting Decisions That Hurt Gossip Girl (And 10 That Saved It)

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10 Casting Decisions That Hurt Gossip Girl (And 10 That Saved It)

by Katerina Daley

– on May 12, 2018

in Lists

The early 2000s was truly the time to be a television watching teen. Formative high school hits such as Dawson’s Creek, Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, and The OC dominated the airwaves.

By the late ’00s, however, a noticeable shift in teenage media consumption occurred — and, as a result of it, teen dramas became less about high school and more about excessive wealth and destructive behavior.

Enter Gossip Girl. Premiering in 2007, the series challenged the way teens had been entertained, offering a view of a wealthier world — but also a more technologically savvy one, too.

The series was a soap opera, to be sure, but it was also a mystery and a thriller all along the way, no matter how mind-boggling and, truthfully, stupid a resolution to the mystery the series would eventually offer.

For six melodramatic seasons, Gossip Girl followed the lives of the residents of New York’s Upper East Side, including the members of the Non-Judging Breakfast Club – Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass, Nate Archibald, and Serena Van Der Woodsen – as they found themselves plagued by an anonymous gossip blogger known only as Gossip Girl.

Just as the residents of the Upper East Side found themselves addicted to every juicy secret, viewers were hooked on the lives of these characters, too.

However, in the long run, how many of those casting choices really worked in the show’s favor?

Here are the 10 Casting Decisions That Hurt Gossip Girl (And 10 That Saved It).

20 Hurt: Penn Badgley (Dan Humphrey)

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When Gossip Girl began, Dan Humphrey was your stereotypical outsider who longed to be part of the exclusive inner circle of rich kids and experience the wealth and luxury that was their everyday lives.

By the series’ end, not only was he marrying one of the innermost members of that circle, he had spent six years tormenting each and every member of it by assuming the online identity of Gossip Girl.

He began as a character of modest means and earnest intellect and feeling – but, as a result of existing in so warped and wealthy a world, became a monster who never really faced any consequences for his blackmail and gossip. Instead, he was rewarded with the girl of his dreams, because logic.

It’s not exactly an easy task to play someone who transforms from rags to riches.

However, it’s an even more difficult task to portray someone who goes from innocent bystander to manipulative mastermind – especially when it’s clear that the show never really intended that outcome to happen.

Penn Badgley never really had a chance, due to the volatility of the writing and the clear lack of planning put into it.

However, beyond that disadvantage, he was also never particularly convincing as Dan, the series’ ostensible romantic antihero.

He worked better as Dan, down on his luck, than he ever did as Dan, social climber. But since social climbing proved to be the point of his character, it’s safe to say that the series could have done a better casting job on that one.

19 Saved: Robert John Burke (Bart Bass)

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In a series ostensibly about the world of teenage wealth and luxury, it comes as a surprise that some of the most magnetic characters are, in fact, the adults.

Ostensibly removed from that world of teenage foolishness, the parents nevertheless find plenty of ways to get themselves into soapy messes of their own – and perhaps none of them more than the series’ villainous Bart Bass.

A ruthless businessman, Bart’s contentious relationship with his son, Chuck, is one of the series’ central conflicts, resulting in Bart meeting his demise in the final season as a result of a heated argument that puts Chuck under scrutiny due to the compromising nature of their situation at the time.

It would be easy to turn so imposing and singularly evil a character as Bart into a caricature, a glorified mustache-twirling villain with a narrow view of only his dastardly deeds and nothing else.

However, thanks to the gravitas afforded to the role by veteran actor Robert John Burke, Bart’s threatening nature is never one that can be taken lightly.

His presence onscreen looms large, especially opposite his son, and his performance is captivating in each and every dynamic scene.

A veteran of series such as Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Rescue Me, Burke has more than shown his dramatic power over the years, and it’s not at all wasted in the role of Bart.

18 Hurt: Blake Lively (Serena van der Woodsen)

Serena Van Der Woodsen just may be one of the most spoiled characters in television history. In a world full of privileged and selfish characters, Serena’s behavior is consistently the worst of them all.

She rarely ever thinks of anyone but herself, stealing significant others from so called friends and spreading rumors to enhance her own image.

She’s framed as the girl everyone wants to be or wants to be with, and over the course of the series, she racks up quite the impressive list of exes and enemies.

By series’ end, not only has she not grown in any way whatsoever, but she goes on to marry the man behind the monstrous Gossip Girl moniker, showing that there was never any real depth to the character either.

Blake Lively may be a red-carpet mainstay, and an aspiring lifestyle icon, but in the role of Serena Van Der Woodsen, she couldn’t have been more woefully miscast.

A more capable and talented actress could have found a way to imbue the overall unlikable princes of privilege with moments that garnered potential sympathy.

Instead, Lively spent much of her time as Serena gaping and pouting, over exaggerating emotion for the sake of soap opera theatrics. In recent roles, she has shown herself to be a stronger actress.

However, the years have not been kind to her performance as Serena – or to the character in general.

17 Saved: Kelly Rutherford (Lily van der Woodsen)

As yet another one of the adults who is far more interesting and sympathetic than the teenagers, Lily Van Der Woodsen is everything that Serena Van Der Woodsen could have been.

Over the course of the series, Lily perfectly dances the line between privileged but down to earth. Her romantic relationships are well-written and captivating, particularly with her first love and eventual (ex) husband Rufus Humphrey.

By allowing her to navigate the world of falling in love with someone of a lower socioeconomic class than Serena ever did, the series undercuts its own message of attempting to depict Lily’s daughter in a flattering light.

Lily is effortlessly graceful and unrestrainedly sympathetic, a hard balance to find in the world of so many callous Upper East Siders.

The world of the wealthy and dramatic is one that had long been familiar to actress Kelly Rutherford, who spent much of the 1990s starring on glitzy soap operas including Generations and Melrose Place.

Given her past experience, she brought the necessary poise and grace to the role that a matriarch such as Lily Van Der Woodsen required.

She was able to shift from maternal Lily to self-interested socialite Lily at the drop of a hat, always convincing and able to work well off any costar she was paired with for a plot, no matter how divisive response to the plots themselves may have been.

16 Hurt: Taylor Momsen (Jenny Humphrey)

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Dan Humphrey had a difficult enough time fitting in the world of the Upper East Side from the very beginning.

However, if he thought he had it bad, it was nothing compared to what younger sister Jenny Humphrey went through, including attempted assaults, falls from social grace, and spirals into edgy depression that the show tried to convey with the overuse of black makeup.

The character was once promising – a smart and enterprising outsider shows real potential in fashion and her prestigious school – but over time, the series lost the point it was trying to make with her character.

After she spiraled further, the show soon gave up on trying to do anything with her, and actress Taylor Momsen decided to leave the show.

Momsen leaving the show may have been one of the best things to ever happen to it. While she was a perfectly adorable little kid as Cindy Lou Who in the Jim Carrey movie version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Momsen’s work as an adolescent actor never came across in a particularly believable way.

Jenny was often criticized by fans for being whiny and annoying, always getting in the way of characters they felt deserved more screen time.

Much of that criticism can perhaps be directly tied to Momsen’s poor acting choices above anything else.

Following her departure from the series, she focused more so on music with her band The Pretty Reckless; and since departing Gossip Girl, she has not acted at all.

15 Saved: Katie Cassidy (Juliet Sharp)

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Every good teen soap series needs a whole bunch of characters who are allowed to be truly mischievous villains, and if there was one thing Gossip Girl did well in its twisty run, it was that.

The series had male and female villains alike in spades, most of them embittered socialites who were envious of all that the main group of characters had.

Take, for example, Juliet Sharp – a Columbia student with a vendetta against Serena Van Der Woodsen who will stop at nothing when it comes to bringing her down.

She wins over Serena’s onetime love, Nate, spreads as many rumors about Serena as she can, and generally sabotages her entire public image for some time with incredible ease and accuracy.

While Katie Cassidy may be a divisive actor within the world of the Arrowverse, there is no denying how spot on her portrayal of a scorned wannabe socialite is in the world of the Upper East Side.

Each scene is masterfully acted, whether she is being coy and manipulative as she strings along the likes of the dimwitted Nate Archibald, or whether she is admitting her villainous intentions to the likes of Vanessa, Jenny, or Serena.

Juliet may have struggled to find her place in the scene of Columbia and the New York elite, but Cassidy fit perfectly into a cast that truly could have benefited from her in a larger role.

14 Hurt: Kaylee DeFer (Ivy Dickens)

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In the absence of characters such as Jenny and Juliet, Gossip Girl was forced to quickly scramble and find a replacement amoral character who would be able to stir up trouble and get into ill-advised relationships.

Enter the beyond-annoying Ivy Dickens.

As part of an elaborate and aggravating scheme among the Rhodes-Van Der Woodsen family, Ivy first enters the series posing as Serena’s cousin, Charlotte.

When the truth about her identity is revealed, and the wealth she had deceptively inherited is stripped from her, Ivy assumes the role of a true villain, setting out to ruin the Van Der Woodsen clan in any way she can.

Ivy is an original character within the television series, which puts her at a character development disadvantage from the get go.

However, what makes her character most insufferable of all was the choice to cast Kaylee DeFer in the role.

Prior to starring on Gossip Girl, DeFer appeared in a few small movies and roles in low viewed television series; and following Gossip Girl, DeFer hasn’t done much else, even officially announcing a break from acting in 2013.

Based on the generally tone deaf and emotionless performances she turned in during her time as Ivy, that’s perhaps for the best. We’re not sure anyone could have made Ivy an enjoyable character – but DeFer certainly did the character no favors.

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13 Saved: Margaret Colin (Eleanor Waldorf)

Eleanor Waldorf is a hard character to get a handle on. She is at times alternately maternal and cruel.

Over time, she grows a considerable amount, becoming closer to her daughter in her times of need and eventually developing a healthy relationship with her.

However, in the earlier parts of the series, she is downright destructive to her daughter’s sense of worth and self, encouraging her eating disorder and criticizing her body image at every turn.

Thankfully, the series begins to see the error of its ways over time, especially with Cyrus as a mediator among the strong-willed Waldorf women.

Just as Kelly Rutherford’s performance in Gossip Girl was strengthened by her past in the world of soap operas, Margaret Colin was such a standout due to her own soap past.

In the early 1980s, she starred on As The World Turns for three years, originating the role of yet another strong-willed female character, Margo Hughes.

In her tenure as Eleanor Waldorf-Rose, even in her most unlikable moments, Colin was always convincing, providing the perfect amount of grace and composure and gravitas in every scene she shared, whether with her onscreen daughter or her onscreen love.

12 Hurt: Chace Crawford (Nate Archibald)

Nate Archibald isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed or the brightest bulb in the box, but most of the time, he really does have a good heart.

Sure, he can be pretty selfish, as are all of his friends, but he makes the most earnest efforts over the course of the series to put the needs of others before his own.

While that often gets him into trouble – as he gets manipulated easily by seasonal villains, love interests, and friends alike – it also makes him one of the most forward-moving characters in the series.

He has some of the clearest development out of the teen cast, as he transforms from aimless high school student, to newspaper editor, and all the way to candidate for the mayor of New York City.

Nate’s character may be particularly interesting, and overall, he has a pretty compelling narrative on paper. But unfortunately, the interesting aspects of his character are owed entirely to the writing, and not at all to the portrayal by actor Chace Crawford.

Crawford is better taken in small doses. In comedic moments, he’s stronger, and is often quite boyishly adorable.

However, in serious dramatic moments, he always falls flat, never living up to the strength of his onscreen partners.

Nate is shown time and again to be a perfectly malleable character – but perhaps some of that was unintentional and can instead be attributed to the wishy-washy portrayal by Crawford.

11 Saved: Wallace Shawn (Cyrus Rose)

In a show full of so many cutthroat people who are only looking out for themselves, there has to be a character or two who truly represent all things good in the world, even if they’re hard to find within the series’ setting. For Gossip Girl, one of those characters is the adorably affable Cyrus Rose.

As a lawyer to the stars, Cyrus had every reason to let fame and fortune go to his head. However, he never did, instead remaining one of the most down to earth characters in the entire series.

As Blair’s step-father, Cyrus was constantly a source of support, love, and warmth. And with all the positive warm and fuzzy feelings came a little pinch of comic relief, too.

After all, it would be impossible – if not unforgivable – to have the comic genius of the one and only Wallace Shawn in the role of Cyrus Rose and not make him a truly humorous character.

Shawn’s comedic timing and generally adorable old man demeanor make him the perfect choice for a role that was considerably expanded – and softened – from the Cyrus Rose in the Gossip Girl book series.

Shawn provided a welcome veteran talent source to the cast of mostly rising young stars, strengthening their work whenever he shared a scene with them.

10 Hurt: Connor Paolo (Eric van der Woodsen)

The Van Der Woodsen family is a truly dysfunctional bunch, whether you’re considering refined but emotionally complex matriarch Lily, generally disastrous wild child Serena, or any of the number of father figures that have come in and out of their lives.

Among them all, Eric Van Der Woodsen may have been the strongest, despite being the youngest.

Realizing at a young age that he identified as gay, Eric struggled with others’ criticism of him, even briefly being institutionalized due to his identity.

He consistently has a strong sense of himself and is proud of who he is, but later in the series finds himself getting caught up with the wrong crowd, before being written out as attending school in Europe with Jenny.

In many ways, Eric was a revolutionary character at the time, one of the first gay male characters to feature prominently on a popular teen drama series.

However, no matter how innovative and progressive his character itself may have been, the fact remains that his portrayer – Connor Paolo – was never very skilled in his portrayal of the complex emotions and traumas that Eric faced over the course of his young life.

Eric’s strength was portrayed more through the writers’ intentions than through any of Paolo’s interpretations.

9 Saved: Matthew Settle (Rufus Humphrey)

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Besides the second season introduction of the recurring Cyrus Rose, Rufus Humphrey is possibly the closest thing Gossip Girl ever offered in terms of a strong, kind father figure.

While he made his fair share of mistakes, and especially in the romantic department (do we really need to relive that Ivy experience?), he always had the best of intentions with his children.

Then again, they did both turn out to be problem children in different ways – with Jenny spiraling into self-destructive behaviors and depressive episodes, and Dan being, well, Gossip Girl.

So maybe, despite having their best interests at heart for the most part, Rufus is perhaps also a cautionary tale about parenting in this world.

Part of what makes Rufus such a strong character is the boyish warmth and charm brought to the role by the incredibly likable Matthew Settle. He plays well on screen opposite both his children, no matter Badgley’s and Momsen’s own limited acting talents.

He also shares considerable chemistry with his on again, off again love interest, Lily, as played by the wonderful Kelly Rutherford.

He is the series’ best representation of the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum (as far as the series is concerned to display, at least) and shows the potentials of social mobility and integration, all while maintaining his own self and integrity all throughout.

8 Hurt: Desmond Harrington (Jack Bass)

The Bass family truly caused more problems than they were worth throughout the entire run of the series.

However, if you thought Bart Bass was bad, you really hadn’t seen anything at all until you encountered his younger brother, Jack.

Yet another criminal member of the family tree, he runs the portion of the family business in Australia, but frequently visits New York to cause as much trouble for his brother and nephew as he can.

Perhaps what he is most infamous for, however, is an agreement he arranged with his young nephew – in which he would sign over all rights to The Empire to Chuck, if the teenage Blair agreed to spend the night with him.

It would be pretty hard to make Jack a remotely likable character, given how despicable and disgusting he is.

However, by casting the ever reliably cast as a villain Desmond Harrington in the role, Gossip Girl never once gave audiences the chance to wonder what Jack’s intentions would be.

To be fair, he was quite effective in the role, domineering and threatening just as his brother was.

Harrington took his villainy to an over-exaggerated level, though, leaning too heavily into the soap opera-esque nature of the character, while Robert John Burke’s portrayal of Bart never once did.

7 Saved. Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota Kishlovsky)

In Gossip Girl, few characters are genuinely, truly good and kind at heart.

The world of the Upper East Side is so focused on ambition and power and financial gains that it’s hard to find someone who truly puts the needs of others above their own needs, or someone who is willing to stand by your side through thick and thin.

For the Waldorf family, they were lucky enough to have not only Cyrus Rose among them, but also their faithful maid Dorota Kishlovsky.

As Blair’s constant supporter and confidant, she was often the mother that Blair lacked, whenever she and her mother were on the outs.

She also proved to be quite the mischievous and reliable ally when the time came for fun schemes to be enacted.

It would have been easy for this series to turn one of its primary maid staff workers into the butt of a joke, or to keep her as a stereotyped, cartoonish character.

However, through the casting of the Polish-American actress Zuzanna Szadkowski, Gossip Girl was lucky enough to avoid falling into those tired tropes.

Szadkowski made Dorota into one of the series’ most iconic characters, full of heart and humor and warmth, and every bit as vital a member of the cast as any of its regular characters.

6 Hurt: Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina Sparks)

As we’ve already mentioned, Gossip Girl knows how to make a good villain. If anything, the series’ success depends on the need for the core characters to have villains they’re trying to defeat.

Maybe it’s a bit of a laughable concept for a show about spoiled elite teenagers in New York, but nevertheless, villains are lurking at every turn.

One of the show’s earliest of them is Georgina Sparks, a dangerous party girl who arrives in the Upper East Side intent upon causing trouble and danger wherever she goes.

At various points throughout the series, she is alternately fixated on each core member of the group, though her fixation on and twisted joy in tormenting Serena are perhaps the signatures of her character.

Michelle Trachtenberg has a long history of playing polarizing characters who are, more often than not, passionately hated by their series’ respective fan bases.

After spending years as Buffy’s annoying younger sister Dawn on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Trachtenberg once again got the chance to annoy teen television viewers everywhere as Georgina Sparks – a role so laughably over dramatized in its conception, but one that Trachtenberg still managed to overact in each and every scene.

If there was a female equivalent of mustache twirling cartoonish villains, whatever Trachtenberg decided to do with Georgina Sparks would be it.

5 Saved: Kristen Bell (as Gossip Girl)

The role of Gossip Girl herself – or, as the series finale reveals, himself – is perhaps the most crucial role in the entire series.

As the voice behind the longtime anonymous blogger intent upon wreaking havoc within the Upper East Side, Gossip Girl’s witty commentary keeps both the viewers and the characters within the universe on their toes at all times.

Gossip Girl is uncensored, attacking any and all citizens of the Upper East Side with equal opportunity, and revealing all the dirty little secrets that the public both wants to know about and wishes they never even had a clue about.

Of course, it’s eventually revealed that Dan Humphrey has been Gossip Girl all along, which makes the voice only embodiment of the gossip blogger more than a little confusing when you realize the voice belongs to none other than Kristen Bell.

However, logical leaps aside, the series absolutely hit the jackpot with the casting of Bell.

Having previously spent years offering wry and insightful narration of her own light noir series Veronica Mars, Bell is a pro at the dramatics of narration, making even the most bizarre of situations fascinating as long as she’s the one reading the update.

When Gossip Girl allowed Bell the opportunity to finally appear onscreen in the series finale, that was just the icing on the cake.

4 Hurt: Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams)

In a universe filled with annoying characters who are painfully not self-aware, you’d be hard pressed to find a more obnoxious, ultimately useless characters than the perpetual waste of screen time Vanessa Abrams.

Vanessa offers more of a look at the world of the socioeconomically average, which is something the show struggled with all along.

But while the show tries to portray the insanely wealthy in a positive light, Vanessa is almost constantly viewed negatively, existing as an obstacle or distraction in countless plots that are bogged down and slowed down due to her presence.

Her wit and honesty make her a unique presence within the series, but beyond that, her main function seems to have been to aggravate characters and viewers alike.

Adding to the unbearable nature of Vanessa’s character is the way in which she was so terribly miscast.

Jessica Szohr brings absolutely nothing to the table in an already weak cast of young actors and actresses.

Her delivery of lines alternates between gratingly over-acted and aimless, as though she is barely trying at all.

She never comes across as having any chemistry with the many characters Vanessa is forced into having relationships with. However, thankfully, she exited the series after season four, allowing for a reprieve in the final two seasons much as Jenny’s departure did.

3 Saved: Sebastian Stan (Carter Baizen)

Initially introduced as a grungy gambling college student with a secretive past, Carter is then revealed to have become a humanitarian.

When he’s framed as having stalked Serena, it turns out that he spent the summer with her and supported her through a rough time in her life.

When it’s revealed that he once took advantage of a fellow socialite and her family for the sake of paying off gambling debts, he does everything in his power to make amends and repay them.

Yet since he is so briefly recurring a character, he never gets a full arc or the attention in the narrative that so richly layered a character deserves.

Perhaps part of what makes Carter Baizen such a successful character is the fact that Gossip Girl was ahead of its time in realizing the star power of a young Sebastian Stan.

Riveting and mysterious in each and every scene, Stan’s Carter always has a slight edge to him.

While the show may delight in the illusion of him being an untrustworthy character, only to reveal his many good sides in the end, it’s through Stan’s masterful juggling of emotions that this entire feat is accomplished.

2 Hurt: Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass)

It’s hard to watch Gossip Girl and not walk away without any sort of passionate feelings regarding Chuck Bass.

Some viewers walk away feeling devoted and protective, considering themselves proud Chuck girls who think he’s tortured and misunderstood. Other viewers walk away seething with rage and wondering how a predatory, selfish, cruel man could be portrayed as a suitable romantic hero.

Regardless of what your feelings about him are, it’s clear that Gossip Girl succeeded in creating a character that stands out among the rest of male leads in the genre of 2000s teen television – for better or for worse.

At the time of the series, Chuck’s popularity could be largely attributed to the strength of actor Ed Westwick’s performance.

Skilled at emotional manipulation and genuine emotional displays in equal measure, it was easy to fall sway to Chuck’s charms all while being aware of how despicable he was.

However, recent revelations have now cast Westwick’s performance in an entirely different, harder to stomach light. Within the last year, as a result of the #MeToo movement, multiple women who were once part of the industry have come forward to accuse Westwick of assault.

Any potential enjoyment once derived from Westwick’s performance is therefore fundamentally ruined.

1 Saved: Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf)

What would Gossip Girl be without its Queen B? We don’t even want to think about it.

Fundamentally fascinating and wonderfully flawed, Blair Waldorf is the true center of the Gossip Girl universe.

As brave as she is brilliant, she overcomes so much in her time on the series, including repeated betrayals from her so-called best friends, betrayals from the so-called love of her life, betrayals from her family… We’re starting to notice a theme here.

However, at the end of the day, Blair is the strongest and the very best of them all.

Inspiring in her independence and commitment to pursuing her dreams of becoming part of the fashion industry, Blair is one of the only characters to emerge from the series as a true icon worth revisiting.

However, as strong as Blair may be on paper, she would have been nothing without the flawless, near effortless portrayal by Leighton Meester.

Arguably the most talented of the young cast of actors whose careers were launched by the series, Meester has long gone overlooked and underappreciated for her work in the series.

In recent years, she has had roles in smaller sitcoms and movies, but that does nothing to dim the brightness of her stardom. She alone made Gossip Girl worth tuning in for. The thought of anyone else filling Blair’s always stylish shoes is the definition of unthinkable.

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Where do you think Gossip Girl went right or wrong with their casting choices? Let us know in the comments!

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