Move Over Gossip Girl, It's Red Hook High!

redhookhigh0908.jpgRed Hook is red hot right now! Just last year, obituaries were practically being written for the neighborhood, but then The Real World moved in, IKEA took over, and now The NY Times is reporting that a high school drama is being filmed there. Part Laguna Beach, part Gossip Girl, the show is titled Red Hook High and it's shining yet another, albeit grittier, spotlight on the community.

The show is being shot on location, and the characters include "the immigrant, the pregnant girl, the gay guy," earning it the title of the anti-Gossip Girl. All of the actors are local teens, most of whom attend(ed) South Brooklyn Community High School in Red Hook, and the episodes are unscripted (though the actors were given story outlines and character profiles).

Mr. Vu said the students were often acting out the dramas in their own lives. “It’s definitely skirting the line between drama and documentary,” he said, “but staying firmly on the line of drama."

"Red Hook is historically a rough neighborhood. The decisions these kids have to make are the kinds of decisions a lot of kids don’t have to make.”

The pilot will screen this week at the NY Television Festival, and the Village Voice is declaring this could be just the "grit" that the borough needs to balance out the "glamour" it'll be getting from that MTV show.

Email This Entry


Comments (7) [rss]

Why is there always a pregnant girl? Is that the poster child for the American teen?

@1

Why yes: see Bristol Palin, Jamie Spears and the recent films 'Knocked Up' and 'Juno' and 'Baby Mama'.

@2
me too.

"Red Hook is red hot right now! Just last year obituaries were being written for the borough,"

Huh? Get a copy editor.

yes & no #1..while having kids young is suddenly becoming a trend as #4 states..my guess is there's a pregnant girl b/c it's red hook.

Just like there's A LOT of pregnant teens/children in neighborhoods all around nyc with similar socio-economic demographics.

I hope they show all the youth violence thats the best part. MAybe one random playground shooting per season. I someone can come out and say " They killed Kenny"

Post a comment (Comment Policy)

Tips

Get your daily dose of New York first thing in the morning from our weekday newsletter, now in beta.

About Gothamist

Gothamist is a website about New York. More

Editor: Jen Chung
Publisher: Jake Dobkin

Newsmap

newsmap.jpg

Contribute

Latest Tip:

Saving Public Housing By Building Anew
[more]

Latest Photo:

Subscribe

Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Gothamist.

All Our RSS

Follow us