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'90210' Is Just What You Expected
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While a lot of TV viewers have a soft spot for some of the classic 80s and 90s dramas from Aaron Spelling, it's easy to forget that shows such as "Melrose Place" and "Beverly Hills 90210" are considered pop-culture camp classics because they were often a bit laughable.
"Beverly Hills 90210" was the poster child for that problem. The show was a hit, but that had more to do with the personalities of the series stars than any great feats of scriptwriting or award-winning exhibitions of acting. Viewers didn't watch the show in hopes of enjoying some believable plot point or unexpected twist in the story. They loved the show because it was so consistently impossible to believe.
If the producers of the new CW reimagining of "Beverly Hills 90210" wanted to match the tone of the original show with their new drama "90210," they have certainly succeeded in their task. "90210" is crammed with awkward dialogue, unbelievable plot twists and a chemistry between some of the leads which is so weak it can only be seen with an electron microscope.
"90210" is the story of the Wilson clan, a Kansas family that moves to Beverly Hills. Dad Harry (Rob Estes) has been hired as the local high school principal, and he's dragged along wife Debbie (Lori Laughlin), daughter Annie (Shenae Grimes) and adopted son Dixon (Tristan Wilds). And just to make things interesting, they're moving into a Beverly Hills home owned by Annie's grandmother Tabitha (Jessica Walter).
As you might expect, the kids have problems fitting into the wealthy and arrogant high school caste system, and Annie quickly makes an enemy of Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord), one of the school's catty and self-absorbed rich kids.
Producers made a conscious effort to hire a few veteran "Beverly Hills 90210" actors to fill out the cast. Jennie Garth returns to play Kelly Taylor, a West Beverly High School guidance counselor. Shannon Doherty also makes a return visit, although when Garth and Doherty finally meet, the duo act as if someone is holding a gun on them from somewhere off-camera. There is no sizzle in the scene, and given the build-up, that's a huge disappointment.
It also doesn't help that there are some real boneheaded scenes in the two-hour premiere. When someone finally sends a text message, it's written out in plain English. And I don't think I've heard the phrase ''Yowzah!'' used in a TV show since the heyday of "Happy Days."
And yet, "90210" does capture the goofy charm of the original. In the first two hours, viewers are treated (and I use that term loosely) to a quick morning sex encounter in the high school parking lot, a plagerism scandal, hints that one smaller cast member is quickly headed to a drug-enduced plot twist and a couple of romantic scenes that have are only slightly more believeable than that Richard Gere/Jodie Foster date movie from a few years back.
Much has been made in the print press about the CW's decision not to send out review copies of the show to TV critics. My hunch is that they figured the reviews wouldn't be positive, and I suspect they were right to have that suspicion. I expect that 75% of the reviews will be tepid at best, although "90210" isn't going to be a critic-driven show.
As for myself, I'm still not sure about "90210." I'm not sure that I can completely recommend it, at least not without seeing a few more episodes. But if you enjoyed the original, you'll find "90210" to be Fall television's first guilty pleasure.
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