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.