In 2007, New York City's Upper East Side was the place to be—or so the writers of Gossip Girl would have us believe. Infamous It Girl Serena van der Woodsen has always had a flair for the dramatic throughout the show, but during an episode that aired titled "The Wild Brunch" Her drama reached a new level on September 25, 2007, when she tossed her phone into a New York City public trash can. But, honestly, after years of reflection, I realize this ridiculous move is...kind of relevant?
In case you forgot, this totally reasonable and not-at-all ridiculous moment happened in the second episode of Gossip Girl . After a heated feud with her best frenemy, Blair Waldorf, over a past fling, van der Woodsen strolled the streets of New York City she calls home— — in slow motion, no less — while scrolling through some photos of her in a chic navy outfit. LG flip phone. The photos reminded her of good times with her estranged friends Chuck Bass and Nate Archibald, but it was the photos of Serena and Blair that made her (and her phone) cross edge and thrown into the trash. But let’s be honest, isn’t a mobile phone just an easy-to-replace accessory?
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At first glance, this may seem like an exaggerated reaction, but if you look deep enough, there's actually a powerful metaphor at work. This act of defiance represents a new chapter in Serena's story, as she leaves the life she once knew and effectively "removes" her once closest friends from her life. It really is like Shakespeare...if Shakespeare had a cell phone. The grainy photo looks like it was taken at the Colosseum, which, if accurate, would make the whole ordeal all the more poetic. It feels very much like the decline of the Roman Empire. In true Gossip Girl style, though, B and S ended their feud the very next episode, meaning the over-the-top reveal was largely in vain.
Of course, "Gossip Girl" didn't miss the opportunity to rub salt in Serena's wounds. While she was having her starring role in EastEnders, Gossip Girl (the precursor to today's Deux Moi) sent a message to Serena to get out. It said: "Looks like the ultimate insider has become a complete outsider. Here's your move, Selena, and you know who's gonna be watching: Gossip Girl." Ouch. It's unclear if Serena held the phone long enough to read the message, but if she did, I wouldn't blame her for throwing the phone in the trash.
As if the scene wasn't dramatic enough, The Bravery's song "Believe" also underscores the moment, because this wouldn't be a mid-2000s teen drama if there was at least one pop-punk song on the soundtrack. If she had made the song her ringtone, maybe she would have managed to shake off her anxiety, but one thing's for sure: it definitely wouldn't be as iconic. Or maybe her phone needs an upgrade—the first iPhone came out just months before this episode aired.
