The Word On... Gossip Girl season 2, ITV2

"'Gossip Girl' is the heiress to the Claire Standish fortune. Creator Josh Schwarz makes no secret of his debt to John Hughes; the queen bees buzzing through the show are homages to 'The Breakfast Club' and Molly Ringwald's high-school princess. That type is an American classic, but this show turns the princess into a camp queen." - Troy Patterson,www.slate.com

"Dan and Serena are like Ryan and Marissa of 'The OC', who became the series' least interesting aspect as they stumbled through break-ups and make-ups, while supporting characters grabbed the attention. 'Gossip Girl' could follow the same arc: a sizzling first-year phenom that flames out." - Kirsten Markson,www.popmatters.com

"Of course it is silly and superficial... but it's perfect if you're looking for a distraction, and a pretty one at that." - www.metacritic.com/tv

"Although 'Gossip Girl' is littered with nastiness, pranks, misunderstandings and other easily sidestepped foolishness, it's one big, silly party from start to finish. The writers of Josh Schwartz's show, unlike those on his first hit 'The OC', crafted characters who are unabashedly smart and sly and occasionally demonic." - Heather Havrilesky, www.salon.com