Last summer Mama T informed me that the group of incoming college freshmen she was working with had heard of Beverly Hills 90210 but had never actually seen an episode. The original Fox series premiered 18 years ago this fall, well before the majority of this generation's high school students were born. The original Nine-oh was created by Aaron Spelling, a pop culture genius who wrote and produced some of the finest television ever to grace the American airwaves. The new 90210 is a rip-off of the original, with plot lines that underline a depraved West Coast culture of greed and dishonesty. After wasting two hours of my life watching the new 90210, I am convinced that Aaron Spelling is spinning in his grave.
The new series starts out similiar to the original: a nuclear family with solid midwestern values is suddenly uprooted to Beverly Hills. I knew that I was in for a bumpy ride when I spied Shenae Grimes in the opening scene. Ms. Grimes plays a whiny, confused Canadian teen in Degrassi so I can't imagine that playing a whiny, confused American teen in 90210 is much of a stretch for the newly minted size zero starlet. Adopted African-American brother Dixon (Tristan Wilds of the Wire) manages to strike a balance between being a star lacrosse player and practical joker with grace, all while listening to his sister whine about boy problems. If you're not missing Brenda and Brandon by this point, you haven't been paying attention.
Jennie Garth is back as a guidance counselor while Shannon Doherty cameos as the long lost BFF. Cue in a grandmother with a drinking problem, a long lost baby, a homesick mother, teenagers with access to their own plane, and a couple of $300,000 Bentleys and you've got the making of a show that is just plain bad, even by CW standards. There are already a ton of well written shows about spoiled rich kids living unrealistic lives in the lap of luxury (eg: Gossip Girl) so I'm not sure what cultural value 90210 brings to the table. Personally if I wanted to watch 2 hours of elitist, mind-numbing television I would've tuned into the DNC.
Unless it gets cancelled after one episode (possible but not very likely), 90210 will air next Tuesday at 8pm. For those who are waiting with baited breath for the continuation of this week's horrendous pilot I send my deepest regrets to the Spelling family.
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4 comments:
Have to admit, this is not surprising. There is no way that the new 90210 could possibly compare with the original classic. Jennie Garth as GUIDANCE counselor? Christ. Is she at least still hot? If she's settled into matronly middle-age then I'm not sure my stomach could handle it.
Are you kidding me? I loved, loved, loved the new show. I think that the decadance is similar to that of OC and Gossip Girls but I love all of the throw backs to the original show. You know where I'll be next Tuesday at 8 PM!
I thought it was time to catch up on your blog.
I've never seen Beverly Hills 90210 but I've seen the Beverly Hillbillies.
I dont know what is crazier...that you hate the new 90210, or that you called Democrats elitist...either way, I still got mad love for you.
Signed,
Your favorite hardcore GOP girl from the 413 voting for Obama while taping every single episode of the new 90210 cuz I cant get enough.
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