Call it what you want - a guilty pleasure or a dirty little secret, but here's a confession: I love 'Gossip Girl'. Considering some of the elite shows I've dissed in my column during the year or so I've been writing, I'm sure it doesn't do my credibility much good to admit loving such a trashy, tasty little teen show. But under all the drama, designer clothes and inflated bank accounts, I maintain that this show is about an important relationship, one that's not often depicted honestly. And I'm not talking about Chuck and Blair.

The one thread that consistently runs through 'Gossip Girl' is the power struggle between Blair and Serena, best friends and best enemies. Season three saw this storyline take a back seat, but the season four premiere last week brought it to the forefront, and I'm glad. I imagine some fans of the show will think it's re-tread of old issues, but for me, it's an epic story, one that can never be finished.

The Costume: 'Gossip Girl' kids

What You'll Need: For Serena, you need lots of chunky rings and long necklaces, some bohemian-inspired clothes with a touch of sparkle, layered and mismatched just so, tall boots and long wavy blonde locks.

For Blair, put on something printed and prissy, with tights, sparkly flats and long brown hair. You can make the look more "high school Blair" simply by adding a headband. Target has Anna Sui's 'GG'-inspired line in stores now. Also, if friends have already claimed these costumes, say you're going as the kids from 'NYC Prep.' Same thing.

Serena, Blair Chuck and the gang look really good on paper! Maggie searches the Web so you don't have to ...

Sure the characters on 'Gossip Girl' seem a bit one-dimensional at times, but I never thought that actually seeing them flattened would make my day.

SOAPnet.com has managed to do just that with their weekly 'Gossip Girl' Finger Puppet Parody. While they might not be the same as watching the full episodes, it sure does make me realize the depth of the characters' issues.

What do you say: Am I the last one to know about these brilliant shorts? Are you loving them as much as I am? And what other show would you like to see dramatically recapped through puppetry?

When you want to conjure up some ratings magic, a special guest star always helps. And if you can get the star to commit for a few episodes during May sweeps, well that's even better. With that in mind, the CW has signed Michelle Trachtenberg for a multi-episode arc on Gossip Girl.