The fifth season of Gossip Girl premieres September 26.

After a lackluster, up-and-down fourth season that felt lacking for direction at times, that date cannot come fast enough. Executive producer Josh Safran recently previewed the new season - one he promoises will be "lighter, poppier, and a lot more fun."

Some excerpts from his interview with TV Line:

On Blair's royal wedding, a decadent affair in the making: “There’s the shower. There’s the dress. There’s photos. There’s seating charts. There’s cake tasting.”

“Planning a wedding, even a non-royal one, can be a pain. They are definitely feeling those pains, and the joys, that come both as a couple and independently.”

On the new, focused, driven Serena: “Serena is lost no more. She has taken the job that was offered to her at the end of last season, and we see just exactly how that has panned out for her ... Serena’s goals come very clearly into focus.”

On Vanessa's goodbye present of publishing Dan’s book: "A season-long arc will propel Dan into a new world for which he may not be ready ... his maturation process is going to be sped up, because this is not a decision that he made for himself ... it is very much like a bullet from a gun that somebody else fired.”

On what it means for Dair: “It affects things very much.”

On Dair's connection progressing: “We knew from Season 1 that we were going to have a connection that was surprising to both of them, and was based on a shared emotional life. That storyline, in whatever form, is continuing.”

On the future of Chuck and Blair: “We have not abandoned Chuck and Blair stories by any stretch of the imagination. But that doesn’t mean it’s always going to be Chair or Dair or Lair or whatever nickname people want to give that.”

On Elizabeth Hurley's character: "Diana Payne will mean big things for Gossip Girl herself, as through her, the show will explore the role Gossip Girl plays in our world.”

"Business mogul Diana sees the potential in an untapped market of these young twentysomethings that she believes could be exploited better. She really takes it upon herself to avail herself of our cast and get them to come work for her.”

Which of these storylines are you most excited about? How do you see the events of the fifth season of Gossip Girl playing out? Tell us in the comments below!

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.