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Brush Up on 90210 Season One!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:30:27 -0700

90210 will be back tomorrow night, along with the season premiere of Melrose Place. We already took a sneak peek at what emembthe West Beverly kids will be up to in season two, but do you rer everything that's happened so far? If you're just getting into the show now, consider this a refresher course to get you up to speed!

Question 1 of 10

Annie takes Adrianna's role in what musical?

Five Questions for 90210

BuzzSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:24 -0700

It's Summer, and that means it's time for my Five Questions series, where I reflect on the most recent seasons of some favorite shows and chat about their challenges for the future. Today, I'm posing some questions for the CW's 90210 remake, which will start its second season in the Fall.

Um, did Annie kill someone? It sure seemed like in the season finale, she hit something while driving drunk through California in the wee hours of the morning. If she did kill someone, there could be major fallout. Like, maybe Annie will have to go to jail for life and be off the show. Gosh, that would be too bad.
Will we get a heartthrob? Ethan was supposed to be the hottie, and that didn't quite work out. Then it was Liam, and - well, more on that below. Now it's Trevor Donovan as "big man on campus"-type Teddy. From your comments on the Teddy casting, it seems like the show still isn't getting it right. Is it really so hard to find attractive, appealing young men these days?

For three more of my biggest questions, read more.

Will the new Melrose Place help or hurt? Tuesday nights on the CW are now remake city, with Melrose Place joining 90210 on the schedule. I already liked the Melrose pilot more than the first episode of 90210, and I'm wondering if the new show will overshadow 90210. Or will 90210 raise its game, too?
Can Naomi stop lusting after borderline-abusive jerks? OK, I'm just talking about one jerk at the moment: Liam. I know some people find him attractive, but I think he's mean, aggressive, and way cocky. Naomi may be wacky, but she's way too sassy and confident to settle for such a creep. Her sister boinked him anyway, so hopefully that'll help this relationship end for good.
Can anyone rescue the wardrobe? I rarely, if ever, complain about a show's fashion sense - but this show needs some help. These kids are supposed to be the coolest, wealthiest teens in America, and they dress like, well, me. Annie and Silver need cooler duds, and Naomi's hair needs to look less dated. Toward the end of the season, things started to improve, but I'm still hoping for a wardrobe overhaul come Fall.

Photo courtesy of The CW

Should TV Series Reboots Bring Back Original Characters?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:30:29 -0700

If nostalgia for Donna, Kelly, and the rest was what got you to tune into the CW's 90210 remake last Fall, you might be keeping the show on your schedule for a while longer: Jennie Garth will be back on the show in season two for at least several episodes. And she's not the only '90s character set to appear on CW shows this Fall: over on the network's Melrose Place reboot, Daphne Zuniga has agreed to guest-star on the show, alongside Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro, and Josie Bissett.

But after 90210's rocky first season, I'm wondering if Melrose is relying too heavily on its old cast members to build buzz. Before 90210 premiered last Fall, many of you said you were much more excited for the old cast than the new, and I'm not sure if the new characters ever generated the kind of excitement that a Tori Spelling or Shannen Doherty cameo could bring.

Do you think it's wise for these shows to get old cast members on board at the start? Or does it just take attention away from the new cast members and storylines that will have to hold our interest going forward?

Photo courtesy of The CW

Rumer Willis Is 90210's Newest Addition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:30:02 -0700

Meet West Beverly High's newest student: Rumer Willis. Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's daughter has signed on for "at least one" episode of the CW's 90210 reboot.

Willis will play Gia, described as "a punky cute lesbian" who works at the school TV show, Blaze News, with Adrianna, Navid, and Silver. (Hey, remember when the school had a news show?) Her episode will air sometime in the Fall.

She's the second new face announced for this Fall's run of 90210 - the other being Trevor Donovan as the "JFK Jr." type, Teddy.

This marks Willis's fourth guest-starring role of the past year, with her other appearances including Army Wives and CSI: Miami. So, do you think it's time for her to settle down with one show full-time? And could 90210 be a good fit - or do you hope she's a one-and-done guest star?

Is This the Hottie Who Will Make You Watch 90210?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:30:14 -0700

The CW's 90210 reboot has been needing a real hottie for a while - I thought Matt Lanter's Liam would fill the role, but he's turned out kind of skeezy - and so this casting news has me wondering if the show has finally found its guy. The show has cast Trevor Donovan as Teddy, a new big man on campus.

The former Days of Our Lives star (and Abercrombie and Fitch model) will be a "heavily recurring" character on the show's second season, starting with an episode fairly early on. The character is described as a JFK Jr. type, as Entertainment Weekly puts it:

Gorgeous, smart, athletic, charming, and naturally confident, Teddy has the unique ability to make any girl feel like she’s the most beautiful person in the room. And any guy like he’s a cross between Shrek and Jiminy Glick.

Gotta admit, he's not tough to look at. But is it enough to make you say "Ethan who?" And does 90210 need more than just a hot guy infusion to make you tune in?

Source

90210 Rundown: Episode 24, "One Party Can Ruin Your Whole Summer"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:30:32 -0700

I can't stop laughing about this week's season finale of 90210. It is so ridiculously all over the place, I can't help but love it a little. It might even be my favorite episode of the entire first season because it has everything: stoned parents, random crushes revealed, psycho older sisters, babies, sex, Brenda Walsh, a Chinese parade dragon, Annie's emotional meltdown, and more!

Though it may be silly, I have to say the show really got some things right in terms of leaving me wanting more. I know! What the heck? But seriously, I'm looking forward to watching the fallout from this crazy night.

Sometimes words alone aren't enough to convey this show's funniest/weirdest/most dramatic scenes, so I've grabbed some of my favorite clips from this episode. To watch and discuss, just read more.

Hands down, the best part of this episode is seeing Harry and Debbie high on pot brownies. I grabbed the scene where it first occurs to them they could be stoned, which is well-acted and made me laugh. Later Debbie gets weird about Kelly maybe having a crush on Harry but chalks it up to a paranoid high. Do you guys remember in the early episode Kelly mentioning dating Harry before? Did I make that up? Do you think this show will go there?

I'm totally convinced someone had enjoyed some pot brownies when they came up with this trippy Brenda scene. What is happening here? Why would they mess with me and even hint that Jim Walsh is dying?! Not cool.

Finally, I present to you the episode's pièce de résistance! Naomi thinks Annie slept with Liam (it was actually her creepy and insane sister) and screams at Annie in the middle of the party. Then someone dumps a drink in Annie's face. And then Annie goes effing insane. It's amazing.

So then Annie goes out for a head-clearing drunk drive in the mountains. It appears she may have killed something. A human? A deer? What's up with that Mercedes? Also, do you guys think it's creepy Ethan keeps a photo of Silver in his coat pocket? Are you happy they make out? What did you think of this finale?!

Photos courtesy of The CW

90210 Rundown: Episode 23, "Zero Tolerance"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:30:30 -0700

This week's episode of 90210 is all about the sophomore prom. Not as exciting as senior prom, but still: people dress up, kings and queens are named, and the school turns on Annie. So, all in all, good stuff.

We also get to the heart of Liam's obnoxious attitude, and it's so not compelling. A crappy step-dad? They could have done better than that. One thing the writers do get right this week is successfully casting and creating a seriously good villain. Naomi's sister is evil, and I like it. Poor Kelly!

And back to Annie: I have so many questions about the video she does with her dad. What is up with that '80s dress she's wearing? And those graphics? Can Harry actually crack down on off-campus activities?

Sometimes words alone aren't enough to convey this show's funniest/weirdest/most dramatic scenes, so I've grabbed some of my favorite clips from this episode. To watch and discuss, just read more.

Is it just me, or is the Silver-goes-tanning scene a bit gratuitous? The girl's on screen barely clothed for a long time with no good reason. I thought Silver's tan would go horribly wrong, but no. It goes . . . nowhere. And then I was completely obsessed with the inconsistencies of her tan the rest of the show.

OK. We need an intervention. I don't think I can take one more episode in which Naomi loses it and thrusts that insane scream upon us. It's awful! In this clip, Liam asks her to the prom and then - you got it - she screams. Prepare your eardrums.

Finally, check out Kelly's run-in with her psycho ex-student Jen (Naomi's sister). I wasn't totally sold on this actress at first, but she seriously gives me the heebie-jeebies now - and that's a good thing. This exchange, while funny and absurd (I mean, it's two adult women fighting at sophomore prom!), is also vicious. Love it.

What did you guys think of this week's episode?

Photos courtesy of The CW

90210 Rundown: Episode 22, "The Party’s Over"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:30:23 -0700

On this week's episode of 90210, the whole group responds to Navid and Adrianna's wedding plans by throwing them parties. We already caught a glimpse of the wedding/baby shower, where everyone looks all happy and sweet - but lots of drama was to come. Like pill popping! And drunkenness!

We also learn more about Liam, who is potentially caught up in illegal activities (and yet still lectures everyone about everything all the time), and get to know Naomi's big sister a little better. And by "get to know" I mean "watch her have sexy time with Ryan."

Sometimes words alone aren't enough to convey this show's funniest/weirdest/most dramatic scenes, so I've grabbed some of my favorite clips from this episode. To watch and discuss, just read more.

Hey, look at that! The gang hangs out together at lunch now! I think the show is much better when everyone is friends with each other, even though there really isn't an explanation of how that came to be. Anyhoo, here's Adrianna and Navid delivering their big wedding news. Check out Naomi's totally '90s headband and Annie's braids. Something about these hairstyles strikes me as odd:

Ryan runs into Naomi's sister at the Peach Pit (really? she hangs out at the Peach Pit?), and they flirt, and he tells her he is a writer. Then we get to watch Ryan be a writer. Did you catch what he was typing up on his laptop? The story is called "The Vermilion Steed" (ha!) and it appears to be about a teacher who likes the guidance counselor who is always tossing her platinum hair. Check it out:

Finally, here's Navid stripping for the guys. Just kidding - he was helping out a sorority sister whom they ran into at a strip club, natch. Hilariously, once Navid and his friend end their performance, a ventriloquist takes the stage.

What did you all think of this episode?

Photos courtesy of The CW

90210 Rundown: Episode 21, "The Dionysian Debacle"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:30:19 -0700

This week's episode of 90210 is actually pretty engaging. Or maybe I'm just feeling better about things because Annie and Ethan are still broken up and there wasn't as much Liam this time around. Seriously, I'm not sure why we're supposed to believe someone as fun, cool, and sassy as Naomi would throw herself at a lame-o like that. Even Annie tries to warn Naomi to stay away, and she's not the brightest bulb when it comes to boys.

The weirdest part of this week's episode has to be Silver's Catholic school experience. You know, lots of people go to Catholic school, and they're not all that religious, but the show takes it to this whole creepy public shaming place. But there was some good stuff to balance it out, which includes the introduction of Naomi's sister. She seems fun/evil.

Sometimes words alone aren't enough to convey this show's funniest/weirdest/most dramatic scenes, so I've grabbed some of my favorite clips from this episode. To watch and discuss, just read more.

Even though it doesn't quite fit in with the fast and fabulous lifestyle of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, I'm kind of enjoying this Navid/Adrianna family stuff. The opening sequence, in which they imagine their baby (and by "their baby" I mean "Ty's baby," a fact that causes Navid to slam a door about 6,000 times when Adrianna finally tells him the truth) playing chess is pretty fun. I think they should have their own show:

Meanwhile, Naomi is still living with Annie and it's driving the whole family pretty crazy. In this scene she asks Debbie to iron something and then "rages out" when Liam cancels a date (prepare yourself for the screaming):

Wow, an actual cliffhanger! And it involves Naomi's sister and Ethan. Check it out:

Photos courtesy of The CW

90210 Rundown: Episode 20, "Between a Sign and a Hard Place"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:30:05 -0700

This week's episode of 90210 is all about BFFs. Donna is making herself at home in Beverly Hills and is basically leaving David because she's over Japan and misses Kelly. The two women get back into the swing of their friendship and even hit up a lesbian bar together! (Accidentally.) Meanwhile, Annie wants to be a "girl's girl" (whatever that means) and is very serious about being a good friend to Naomi.

I don't know about this particular development. Silver was a much better friend for Annie to have! I'm not sure why she's hitching her wagon to the mean girl if this is really her first time out of the gate making friends with her own gender. Or maybe that's exactly why: She doesn't know better yet.

Other than that, same old same old: Adrianna's still pregnant (and um, apparently less interested in adoption now that Navid is being all cute and reading baby books and, oh yeah, proposing marriage), Ethan is still having an identity crisis, and Liam is still unbearably patronizing and icky.

Sometimes words alone aren't enough to convey this show's funniest/weirdest/most dramatic scenes, so I've grabbed some of my favorite clips from this episode. To watch and discuss, just read more.

Ugh, Liam! I have such a hard time with his gibberish. Poor, young Ethan thinks this guy is his wise oracle:

Right before Annie's parents inappropriately tell her Naomi's dad is being sued for sexual harassment, they spend some time unpacking their Kansas stuff for a yard sale. Rob Estes + odd Scottish accent = unintentional comedic gold. Also, check those credits: Estes directed this one!

Finally, here's Kelly and Donna piecing together they're at a lesbian bar. Also, it makes no sense that Donna's store is open already, but what on this show does?

What did you all think of this episode?

Photos courtesy of The CW