Gossip Girl: Why People Seem to Hate Serena but Relate to Blair

As a viewer who just finished watching Gossip Girl, I spent plenty of time trying to analyze why viewers view Serena and Blair so differently. It is a complex dynamic, which applies not only to viewers but also to the hearts of everyone who has gone through ups and downs in friendship, jealousy, and self-esteem. Here is my take on what made Blair relatable and why Serena mostly received frustration from the viewers.

Serena's Carelessness vs. Blair's Insecurity

From day one, Serena exudes this arrogant charm-she effortlessly navigates the social circuits, opportunities fall into her lap, and she is immensely popular because of her beauty and charisma. Blair, on the other hand, seems to work much harder to prove herself and, at times, often hides in the shadow of Serena's appeal, which any person would easily relate-when one has felt simply "not enough" near another person they look upp to.

Poor Serena-she often doesn't mean to, but she hurts people around her all the time. She doesn't really mean any ill, but the result of this is very serious. Blair, in contrast, is more straightforward and, at times, even vindictive. She knows her insecurities and struggles with them out loud, which makes her character very strong and harmonizes with this feeling of vulnerability. Her flaws are visible, raw, and relatable.

The Growth of Blair and Serena

Blair develops her character over several seasons: She learns not to let her insecurities take the lead and respect herself. This is an evolution that is quite a pleasing to observe; she realizes she deserves goodness around her and starts off setting Serena as a comparison within her mind. In the case of Serena, however, it was vice-versa. She becomes all sloppy in making decisions that hurt many around her without giving much afterthought. While that was somewhat bearable in the early seasons, it got less easy to look past as she continued committing many of the same errors over and over.

By the time the series ends, it actually feels like Serena and Blair have switched roles in some ways: the one who becomes more down-to-earth is Blair, while the once-innocent charm of Serena feels increasingly

annoying. This shift underlines why viewers can relate to Blair despite all her flaws- she develops, whereas Serena doesn't. 

Relatability vs. Perfection

What finally makes Blair appealing to the audience is that she is, in fact, relatable. Sometimes cruel, but in many ways, her actions are a direct effect of an inner, personal vulnerability. Serena, on the other hand, is someone who makes reckless choices simply because she can and willfully disregards consequences. Insecurities like those of Blair give some contextual background to the things she does and show her as human, flawed, and layered. The lack of introspection Serena expresses makes her seem nearly oblivious to the damage she causes.

It is not saying that Blair is completely forgivable or, at the same time, Serena should be hated. Both characters commit mistakes and, at times, are selfish. Still, maybe the reason we forgive Blair more easily is because we understand where her actions come from. Her vulnerability makes her more relatable, while Serena's carelessness-intentional can feel selfish.

Friendship Forgiveness – Too Much?

After all their ups and downs, Blair and Serena’s friendship endures despite betrayals and hurt. While I admire their ability to forgive and rebuild, it sometimes feels like they let each other off too easily. In real life, friendships can end permanently after the kinds of betrayals they’ve faced. But perhaps that’s part of the fantasy of Gossip Girl: a world where friendships survive anything.

In the end, they are each other’s “sunshine girls,” flawed but fiercely loyal. Watching them grow (and sometimes fail) is part of the joy of Gossip Girl. Despite everything, they’re there for each other in the end, reminding us that friendship, with all its complications, can still be a place of forgiveness and redemption.