Ok, Gossip Girl, I'm ready for round 2. The HBO Max reboot is coming back with a brand new batch of episodes this Thanksgiving, and after seeing the Gossip Girl Part 2 trailer, I can say with absolute certainty that this is going to be a mess.
In case you forgot, Part 1 of Season 1 ended with Julian kissing Obie at a protest as his relationship to her estranged sister, Zoya, started showing a few cracks. Meanwhile, Aki's dad outted him to the entire world before he had even declared his own sexuality for himself, and Monet declared war on Julian. It's a tangled web of lies and sex that is only about to get even more twisted.
As you can see, there is A LOT going on here. Between the Zoya/Obie/Julian love triangle and whatever the hell is going on with Kate Keller and her band of gossiping teachers. It's a lot to keep track of, but here are some of my main questions.
Are The Teachers Giving Up Control Of Gossip Girl?
With Gossip Girl getting more attention in the press, it looks like Kate might be having some second thoughts on starting an anonymous Instagram account to spread gossip about her students. Who would have thought playing with underaged teenagers' lives could end in badly? In the trailer, some new guy (a fellow teacher? a former student? a gossip columnist?) suggests he'll take over Gossip Girl, and there's a shot of what appears to be Kate handing over her phone. This, as we know, is not how Instagram works, but, there's also a shot in the trailer of someone receiving what looks like a burner phone in the mail. Maybe, after what happened with Rafa talking over the Gossip Girl account, Kate and the other teachers decide to keep GG logged in on one phone only, that way they can control the narrative.
Who Are All The Newbies?
In addition to the mystery man offering to take control of Gossip Girl, there are plenty of other new faces that pop up in the trailer, and they're definitely all here to cause some trouble.
A New Love Interest For Audrey
Audrey might be enjoying threesomes with Aki and Max, but it looks like she'll be getting yet another male suitor in Part 2. She's seen walking on the Brooklyn Bridge with this hottie, who appears to work at a restaurant (this is what I am getting from the apron/tie combo here). Audrey dating outside her tax bracket? Thrilling.
A New Love Interest For Aki
At the end of the trailer, Aki is seen making out with some blonde guy, which I love for him. Aki deserves to explore his sexuality and his options outside of Audrey and Max. The only thing that concerns me about this potential lover is the other blonde mystery man in the trailer.
A New Love Interest For Luna
Earlier in the clip, Luna is also spotted getting close to a blonde guy, and I'm just hoping that it's not the same person making out with Aki in the backseat. Let Luna and Aki be happy!
A New Ally For Zoya
Zoya is clealry going to be on the outs with Julian and the rest of the group in Part 2 of the season, which means she's — gasp — going to have to make actual friends! Zoya deserves to have some people in her corner that are truly her own, not her sister's BFFs, and if she has to be exiled to do it, then so be it!
A New Love Interest For Max
I really don't understand this ballerina girl's deal. It appears that she shows up a few different times in the trailer, as a temptation for Max (seen here), as a student at a rival high school, and pushing a blonde into a table at a fancy party.
I'm not 100% sure it's the same girl every time, though some Twitter users certainly think so, but I will say that the girl getting physical at an event looks like the wannabe Blair from the Halloween Ball.
Why/How is Zoya Going Full Euphoria?
There's a really intriguing shot of Zoya, with new hair and some very Euphoria-inspired makeup, yelling out of a car window, and I can't help but think...how is she doing this? One of the main plot points of Gossip Girl is that Zoya isn't as rich as the others and, thus, isn't able to party and let loose like they are. So, how exactly does she find herself all glammed up and enjoying a night of expensive debauchery?
Why Are The Teachers Invited To This Massive Thanksgiving?
I'm so confused by this Thanksgiving dinner, which appears to be hosted by Zoya's dad. In this photo, I spy Aki and his mom (random), Audrey and her mom (I think), Max and one of his dads, Julian's dad and his girlfriend, Julian, and what looks like Kate and Jordan. So, Julian and her family being present totally makes sense. Zoya and Julian's dad vowed to try to help foster their relationship as sisters, so family holidays are expected.
But why would Zoya/Zoya's dad also invite Audrey, Max, and Aki, three people who aren't especially good friends with Zoya? And why, dear god, WHY, are two random teachers from their high school present? Yes, I know that Zoya's dad, Nick, clearly has a thing for Kate, but this is just weird.
Why Does Everyone Have Bangs Now?
Did Monet and Luna watch Bridgerton during this hiatus? What's going on with these new bangs? They don't have them in every scene of the Part 2 trailer — thank god (not that they can't rock these looks, but I do not need to be tempted into trying this for myself, thanks) — but it's pretty a pretty noticeable change from Part 1. It could just be a random change, or could the bangs signify a greater shift in the dynamics of the group?
We all know Audrey had those bangs first. Maybe this is a sign that Julian getting "canceled" (a plot point that is also teased in the trailer), leads Monet and Luna to replace her as queen bee with Audrey. And, as an act of loyalty to show that Audrey is the new trendsetter now, they change their hair to be more like hers.
Gossip Girl Season 1 Part 2 premieres on Thanksgiving, Nov. 25.
Image: Karolina Wojtasik/HBO Max