Most Monday nights at 8:00pm you are glued to the TV watching our favorite Upper East Side princes and princesses further entangle themselves in their web of lies; but while Gossip Girl has been on hiatus, you may have been looking for something else to fill that time slot.
Thanks to the execs at ABC Family every Monday night at 8:00pm there is a Gossip Girl alternative just as entertaining. GREEK is a series about college life as a member of a sorority or fraternity. Although MTV did reality shows on this topic, I don't believe there has ever been a GREEK sitcom.
ABC Family's creation follows the lives of a very interesting and diverse group of characters, all students at Cyprus Rhodes University. At the center of it all are Casey and Rusty Cartwright - sister and brother. Casey is a senior and former president of her sorority (ZBZ). She lives in the house with her best friend Ashleigh (current ZBZ president), and dates a graduate student Max (played by the ever so sexy Kostas from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants). She also used to date Evan and Cappie, presidents of two rival fraternities. She's making the rounds.
Rusty, Casey's little brother, is a sophomore. He has just become an active member of Kappa Tao, the fraternity lead by Cappie, his sister's first college boyfriend. Cappie is lazy and unmotivated, but could charm the pants off anyone (and does), while Rusty is an engineering student who walks the fine line of awkward and endearing (see Friday Night Lights' Matt Saracen).
Rusty is usually hanging with one of his two best buddies - Calvin, who is in the rival house Omega Kai, and Dale, his freshman year roommate who is an uber religious Christian and has some of the best lines in the show.
The supporting cast of characters rounds out this fantastic ensemble: Ashleigh (Casey's perky roommate), Evan (president of Omega Kai and Casey's most recent ex boyfriend), Rebecca (the trouble maker at ZBZ), Frannie (former ZBZ president who left to start her own sorority house), Max (sexy Kostas mentioned above) and the newest member . . . Andy! A pledge for Kappa Tao played by the one and only pop star Jesse McCartney.
Despite the show's vapid premise, it is cleverly written with witty banter and spot on pop culture references and jabs. On top of the funny factor, its easy to root for all of these characters.
This week's episode had some particularly exceptional plot lines:
1) Fisher's arrival to ZBZ. Sure, he dusts, he mops, he vacuums and . . . he woos all the ladies? Ashleigh tells all the girls he has herpes to keep them away and winds up falling for him herself! Very cute first kiss scene. Also loved the cupcake tank top Ashleigh was wearing! Must locate!
2) The Rusty-Andy-Jordan love triangle. Of course Rusty would meet a girl, blow the first several chances to ask her out, and then find her kissing his pledge Andy. According to next week's previews Andy officially becomes Rusty's little brother for the rest of pledging. This is going to get awkward.
3) Evan's mysterious new hobbies. Is he cheating on Frannie? Is he doing drugs? (All signs point to yes) And where is the Iron Man car?
Grab a red solo cup and stay tuned for more GREEK every Monday night at 8:00pm on ABC Family.
Already a fan? Want more dish? Follow the show on Twitter @greekshow.
