The CW's Gossip Girl tells the tales of teens in the elite world, and the nitty gritty details including sex, dtugs and underage drinking. Since its first airing, the show has received criticism for its provocative subject matter, and unrealistic portrayal of individuals. However, stars from the series had come to the show's defense, saying that Gossip Girl does not exactly emulate reality, but rather presents a number of issues relevant to the youth today.

"I think that our show takes place at a heightened reality a little bit? I think a lot of the realism is lost in the sparkle, and it's meant to. You need that for the entertainment and the grit," Blake Lively, who plays Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, said on The View. "But this stuff does happen and it's good that we get to address these issues. It does open the door for conversations for parents to have with their children."

Penn Badgley, who plays Dan Humphrey on the teen series also expressed his sentiments about the show, saying that the characters who are most engaged in the crazy elite lifestyle are the ones who have "the most shattered family lives."

"You see the repercussions of it at such a young age," Badgley said. "There's an element of it that's very realistic? It is heightened reality because it is television, but they did get it from somewhere."

Despite the criticism from the older crowd of viewers, Gossip Girl, which is based on the book of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar, has become a big hit among teens. In fact, it is one of the most downloaded programs on iTunes. Moreover, the show's success came as a surprise to Blake Lively, who isn't used to all the publicity.

"It's a little strange to walk down the street and see the big billboards" the young actress said.

Gossip Girl airs on Wednesdays, 9/8c on The CW.