The young people of New York's Upper East Side are the Downton families of their day. Rich beyond measure, powerful, and used to luxury, the teens at an elite prep school throw grand parties and get caught up in romantic intrigues at every turn. Their biggest problem is "Gossip Girl", an anonymous but frustratingly accurate gossip blogger who reveals everyone's secrets at every turn. As these friends (and frenemies) try to figure out who is spilling all their secrets — and why — they also deal with messy families, love triangles, college decisions, and more than a few shady business deals and criminal dealings.