Yeah yeah it’s been awhile and I promise that will all change,but in more important news today is 90210 day. Try to contain your glee folks,but today is the one day –ONE DAY –where will get to celebrate the greatness that was Beverly Hills,90210. And please let’s not even pretend the new version is anywhere near the beauty of the original. So to commemorate this near holy day for me,I’d like to chat about the show and post a few of my favorite clips.
As a child of the 90′s,there was nothing more important to me during my tweenhood,other than possibly the Simpsons and The Red Hot Chili Peppers,than Beverly Hills 90210. And while it all started as a supped up American version of Degrassi Junior High,90210 evolved into a must-see soap opera geared towards teens and those in their early 20s. I was in fourth grade when the show debuted and I don’t think I missed a moment until I was in college. Yes,you read that correctly the show spanned most of my growing up years,and introduced me to bands,fashion,terminology and issues I never knew existed. Brenda and Brandon Walsh,the twins from Minnesota (get it?) who were transplanted to Beverly Hills,the mecca of overindulgence and American opulence when they were in high school were the perfect characters for my generation. They were constantly confronted with standard teen dramas,like why a certain someone didn’t feel the same way about them,coupled with the exaggerating problems that exist in any outrageous communities. Crazy house parties,neglectful parents,drug problems and suicide were just the tip of the iceberg for this show,and by the end of the second season the secondary characters had evolved into more than just plot points. Over the years it suffered from various soap opera traps,like overacting,revolving door of supporting characters and the typical soap dramatics of almost everything bad that can happen,but only to one person. Like the beautiful Kelly Taylor,played by Jennie Garth,who helped introduce the world to Jake and ‘Melrose Place’,was date raped,addicted to cocaine,burned in a fire,a lesbian crush,got shot AND stole Dylan away from Brenda and broke the heart of Brandon. And that was just in one episode. No,I’m kidding,but damn that show was great. The quality of the show dipped a bit after Shannen Doherty (the original Lohan) left,but it was always perfectly 90210. Drama served with style.
So in honor of today,the memories this show has provided me and the many many drunken conversations I have since had about it,here are a few of my favorite moments.
Brenda Goes All Laverne…..
Brenda was always my favorite. She was more emo than Kelly,smarter than Donna and wanted to be an actress. Her French accent was horrific,but her Bal’mor + Milwaukee accent when she was ‘Laverne’while filing in for Brendon at The Peach Pit was genius!
The Sleepover
Brenda took FOREVER to feel comfortable in Beverly Hills,with all those dang rich kids and their fast cars and coked addicted moms. So she was all about having a slumber party and Kelly was all about bringing over her older,bitchier friend Amanda. She obviously should be off dating Frat dudes and hanging with a Heather,but she decided to come to the sleepover and piss all over it. Well,it ain’t a real game of ‘Skeletons in the Closet’until you are talking about your first date rape time. Next time Kelly will decide to leave the jerks at home.
Dylan and Kelly Confess
Dylan McKay is like the worst boyfriend. First,he almost knocks you up and then he dates your best friend. Kelly is the worst friend because,well she is too pretty for her own good. And Brenda shouldn’t be wearing a leather vest without a T-shirt underneath.
Brandon Gets Euphoric With Emily
Raves looked fun in the early 90′s,you know back when they played freestyle music instead of House and it was like a Less Than Zero set. Emily Valentine will go down as one of the craziest girlfriends of all time and her slipping Brandon U4EA ain’t the worse she has done.
Color Me Badd Come to Town
Need I say anything more?
How Do You Throw An Angel Down The Stairs
Ray Pruitt voluntarily dated Donna Martin. He was an up and coming rock? star and was abusive. And while I can never support domestic violence,someone had to throw her down the stairs.
Donna Martin Graduates
Power to the people. Don’t tell this virgin she can’t drink before the prom unless you want a riot! DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES. (If you say this to a person born after 1970 and before 1992 and they don’t know what you are saying –they are not trustworthy!)
So yes,most of these are from the first few seasons and truly I could have posted 135 more,but these are my favorites. Also,I wouldnt subject any of you to watching Scott get killed again. Or having to see Kelly Kapowski sink so low. What are your favorite moments from 90210? Leave them in the comments below,if you so chose. And to end this post,I would like to throw it to Tori Spelling who really knows how to wrap things up. “Jeremy Jordan,Alright”.
