The effort in assembling a more diverse cast is appreciated but they don't have solid character backgrounds. The whole gang isn't believable enough as close friends simply because their whole interactions are awkward and ingenuine. Audrey claims they're a solid group of childhood friends YET they only spend the first few episodes hanging out, they don't even look comfortable around each other in those limited group interactions. Julien is boring when she is supposed to be THE it girl of the Upper East Side. The sudden sibling rivalry between her and Zoya mid-season was also bland. Obie is by no means comparable to Nate but he's a strong contender to be the most annoying character against Dan. Audrey has the potential to be interesting but her character is kinda treated as an afterthought outside the thropple sub-plot, the same verdict goes for Aki. Max, Monet, and Luna should've been given more screen time because they're the only interesting characters in this half-baked show. Revealing who's the new Gossip Girl from the very FIRST ep is such a foul move.