GOSSIP GIRL Spinoff News…Finally

The XOXO will be spinning off and there are finally some details to share.  According to reports in The Hollywood Reporter (and more importantly from my girl Korbi Ghosh), the long awaited GOSSIP GIRL spinoff is finally just around the corner.  The new show is set to premiere as a backdoor pilot on the May 11th episode of GOSSIP GIRL.

The show will focus on a young Lily Rhodes, or as we know her, Lily van der Woodsen (insert a few other names from previous marriages) Bass. It seems that the new series is going to go back in time to the 1980s and show us Lily’s life way before Serena, Erik, and the not so dead baby she gave up for adoption.  After a young Lily has a tiff with her parents, she’s going to move to the the Valley with her equally rebuffed sister. From there we will see Lil as she gets caught up in the 80’s rock scene and eventually meets Rufus Humphrey.  Do they end up together?  Well for that answer I guess you’re going to have to keep tuning into GOSSIP GIRL.

I must say that I’m intrigued by the idea of a Lily spinoff.  I think it is going to be an interesting challenge to resist the obvious 80’s cliche (i.e. every girl walking around looking like Madonna wannabes).  I don’t know how old Stephanie Savage is (nor would I dare ask m’lady), but I know that Schwartz is only a few months younger than me (damn overachiever), and I wonder what their perspective is on the 80’s.  I can’t say that I remember much outside of Saturday morning cartoons, my Jordache purse and all things Rainbow Brite.  But then again I’m no Stephanie Savage or Josh Schwartz, so at this point it’s better to just sit back and see what happens.  Showing us what they collectively have done with CHUCK, THE OC and GOSSIP GIRL, I’m more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt because we all know they can deliver. Plus I do love me some Lily van der Woodsen.

I actually think it’s kind of cool that GOSSIP GIRL and its spinoff will have a level of interplay with the characters without even having them interact (unless of course some kind of time machine is thrown in the mix and they go all Marty McFly on us).  It makes the Lily and Rufus story presented in GOSSIP GIRL that much richer.

And come on, you know me…I’m a GOSSIP GIRL fiend, so the more the better.  Bring it on Lily Rhodes.

Are you excited to meet young Lily and young Rufus?  Is this the GOSSIP GIRL spinoff you were hoping for?