The fourth season of the American teen drama television series Gossip Girl premiered on The CW on September 13, 2010, and concluded on May 16, 2011, consisting of 22 episodes. Based on the novel series of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar, the series was developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The CW renewed the series for a full fourth season on February 16, 2010. Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Taylor Momsen, Ed Westwick, Jessica Szohr, Kelly Rutherford, and Matthew Settle all return as series regulars.
It was later announced that the show would stay in its Monday 9:00 p.m. timeslot as a lead-out to 90210. The season premiered on September 13, 2010, to a 1.0 Adults 18–49 rating and 1.84 million viewers. The fourth episode achieved a 1.1 Adults 18–49 rating, the season's highest-rated episode, while episode 11 was the most watched with 2.06 million viewers tuning in. The season concluded on May 16, 2011, with 1.36 million live viewers tuning in. On Metacritic, the season has a 75 out of 100 rating, indicating generally positive reviews by critics.
Synopsis
Blair and Chuck try to end their on/off again relationship, but their plans are thrown for a curve when new international love interests for both come into the picture. Dan becomes a father when Georgina Sparks leaves her son Milo with him. Blair and Serena begin at Columbia but face challenges at their new school. Nate begins dating Juliet Sharp, who has a mysterious vendetta against Serena and Lily. Lily tries to sell Bass Industries, but the Bass family is in for a loop when an old enemy, Russell Thorpe and his daughter Raina come to town.Serena lands in legal trouble for something Lily did years earlier. Serena and Eric's secret cousin, Charlie Rhodes comes to Manhattan; but is she who she says she is?
Cast and characters
Main cast
Blake Lively as Serena van der Woodsen
Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf
Penn Badgley as Dan Humphrey
Chace Crawford as Nate Archibald
Taylor Momsen as Jenny Humphrey
Ed Westwick as Chuck Bass
Jessica Szohr as Vanessa Abrams
Kelly Rutherford as Lily Humphrey
Matthew Settle as Rufus Humphrey
Kristen Bell as Gossip Girl (uncredited)
Recurring cast
Hugo Becker as Prince Louis Grimaldi
Katie Cassidy as Juliet Sharp
Margaret Colin as Eleanor Waldorf
Michelle Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks
David Call as Ben Donovan
Connor Paolo as Eric van der Woodsen
Amanda Setton as Penelope Shafai
Zuzanna Szadkowski as Dorota Kishlovsky
Alice Callahan as Jessica Leitenberg
Sam Page as Colin Forrester
Sam Robards as Howard Archibald
Aaron Schwartz as Vanya
Francie Swift as Anne Archibald
Kevin Zegers as Damien Dalgaard
Michael Boatman as Russell Thorpe
Tika Sumpter as Raina Thorpe
William Baldwin as William van der Woodsen
Kaylee DeFer as Ivy Dickens/Charlie Rhodes
Nicole Fiscella as Isabel Coates
Nan Zhang as Kati Farkas
Melissa Fumero as Zoe
Guest cast
Clémence Poésy as Eva Coupeau
Jayne Atkinson as Dean Reuther
Marlyne Barrett as Martha Chamberlain
Tim Gunn as himself
Robyn as herself
Luke Kleintank as Elliot Garfield
Caitlin FitzGerald as Epperly Lawrence
Florence and the Machine as themselves
Sheila Kelley as Carol Rhodes
Caroline Lagerfelt as CeCe Rhodes
Joanne Whalley as Princess Sophie Grimaldi
Desmond Harrington as Jack Bass
Wallace Shawn as Cyrus Rose
Jan Maxwell as Headmistress Queller
Episodes
Production
The series was renewed for a fourth season on February 16, 2010. It continued to air Mondays at 9/8c following 90210, and premiered on September 13, 2010.