Happy 90210 Day!

Image courtesy of Tumblr.

Today is the 26th anniversary of the first airing of FOX's seminal teen drama,  Beverly  Hills, 90210. Teen twins Brenda (Shannen Doherty) and Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestly) were forced to move from boring old Minneapolis to West Beverly, where they clearly did not fit in. But as most adaptable teens, they "kaught up with the Kardashians*" pretty quickly. Like two frenemies showing up to the formal with the same velvet cocktail dress or a pal stealing your boyfriend, the sun-soaked 10-season show has many memories a-flowing. It also sparked a lifetime movie about the behind the scenes gossip.  In honor, I will be reliving and live blogging the premiere episode later this week.
Stay Tuned!

Image courtesy of TV Guide article. 

* In the 90's, one would have said "kept up with the Joneses".

A Note About Teen Dramas with No Original Plots

AKA 90210.

As a note, I must say my interest in this show has downgraded from interest to 'passing interest- there's nothing else on tv.'

I caught the last half hour of the season premiere, just in time to see 90210 stealing a plot line from something besides its predecessor, the beloved Beverly Hills, 90210.

There was an earthquake that would change lives happening just in time to start off senior year, oddly reminiscent of the plot line of the Sweet Valley High books, yeah, the 90s popular book series, and the following series SVH: Senior Year.

Other bad plot decisions: apparently Teddy is suddenly going to be gay this season. And dad/principal Walker (Rob Estes) has moved out from home, (and hopefully off this sinking ship).

A Note About Pregnant Teens on TV

I'm so done with seeing pregnant teens on television, but since I've been reading more glee scoop, I can't help but think of the comical pregnancy of McKinley's former head cheerleader, Quinn Fabray. Here is list of the best pregnant teens on TV:

10. Amy Jurgens (Secret Life) The only reason Shailene Woodley's whiny and obnoxious is on this list is because her hysterics are so dramatic it's to the point of comedy. Next time the drummer in the school band hits on you, follow Nancy Reagan's advice and JUST SAY NO!

9. Adrianna Tate-Duncan (90210) Jessica Lowndes' trampy Beverly Hills teen might be the worst teen mom ever. she was taking tons of drugs during her pregnancy, drinking, and wasn't sure who the daddy was. By the time she got her life together and found sweet Navid, she was considering not giving up the baby for adoption. Looks like she's lost a lot of sleep over not keeping her kid since then. (NOT!)

8. Corey Conway (7th Heaven) Alicia Leigh Willis, known as Courtney from General Hospital, first brought attention to the plight of pregnant teen athletes when she befriended Mary Camden. Plus she married teen father Wilson much later on in the series.

7. Cordelia Chase (Angel) Not only was Cordy pregnant at 18 after a one night stand with a demon, but a few years later she gave birth to one of the ultimate evils and paid the ultimate price, slipping into a coma she never recovered from.

6. Jen Linley (Dawson's Creek) It happened in the five year forward jump of the last episode, but Jen finally completed Gram's worst nightmare, getting pregnant and left by some horrible dirtbag. Of course, BFF Jack was there to step in and help raise the baby.

5. Tess Harding (Roswell) Long before she played pregnant Aussie Claire on lost, Emilie de Ravin was ruining relationships by secluding alien leader (and apparently her husband/alien king from a previous life) Max. One night yielded baby Zan, and finally sent Tess out of Max's life and back to the home planet.

4. Andrea Zuckerman (Beverly Hills 90210) The original teen mom, played by Gabrielle Carteris, was top of the class at West Bev. College came, she got a little irresponsible, and she had to leave the show (and the Bev Hills area) after getting pregnant and married. She ended up divorced :-(

3. Quinn Fabray (Glee) Dianna Aragon's pregnant cheerleader continued to make quippy comebacks until her water broke at regionals. Plus she pitted babydaddy and bad boy Puck against her dumb but sweet boyfriend Finn.

2. Lane Kim (Gilmore Girls) Keiko Agnea's lovable Lane Kim showed that you can be a rock and rolling teen (ok, maybe 21-year old) and still be a parent. It took moving into a house with her bandmates to get Lane to break her mother's tight control over her life. Soon after falling in love with bandmate Zach, three wedding ceremonies and twin baby boys followed.

1. Haley James Scott (One Tree Hill) After a season-long romance with the star of the basketball team,"tutor girl"became "tutor wife" then by graduation she was married "tutor mom". Seven seasons later, she and Nathan are still together and expecting a second child.

A Note About The Greatness of 90's Teen Idols

After rehashing the differences of 90's pop culture memories between 90's between 20-somethings and 30-somethings, I felt a deep sense of nostalgia. Someone mentioned Luke Parry and I flashed back to an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 I saw recently. Yes, the original, glorious, sometimes hokey original teen drama.

Something was so innocent, so perfect about those kids, its a quality that isn't there now in today's teen drama where everyone is texting and blackmailing. It was a much simpler time. Yes, those kids drove Ferrari's and probably had large, cumbersome early 90's versions of cell phones, but it wasn't the same.

The episode I saw recently was a classic: All-American Brandon Walsh falls for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. His parents agree to lie for her so she can attend their school, and of course he thinks the worst of her.

But in the end, it turns out she witnessed gang/mafia violence and was put in some kind of witness protection. She wasn't from the wrong side of the tracks, but the lived very far away, and alas it would never work out.

But the thing that really stood out to me in this episode was the look Brandon gave. He drove up to her in his classy station wagon, while she waited for the bus back to east L.A., and looked at her with a look that said: I'm just a harmless boy who has fallen in love with you in a few short hours, and I'll be heartbroken for a day or so (or into the opening of the next episode) after things don't work out, but always carry that secret pain inside.

In other words, he gave the "Careless Whisperer" look. You know the look I'm talking about, it says "I'm never gonna dance again . . . the way I danced with you."

Yes, I am referring to "Careless Whisper" a 1984 song by Wham!, and yes it can sound a bit corny. But the emotion in that song is real, as real as the emotion in those innocent, young Jason Priestly eyes. And boy could those other guys (Luke Perry in particular) pull of that heartbreaking stare. It's that emotion that rests at the pinnacle of the 90's teen drama. And those West Bev kids were great at this look. I miss those days.