I remember the first series, Beverly Hills 90210, when I was around 4-5 years old. Too young yes but I remembered it was initially aired in ABS-CBN. The same goes to the more mature and obviously not age-appropriate 2nd series, Melrose Place. I don’t even know why I even watched the two but the good thing is that I remembered their theme songs (which I have now).

The new 90210 is the fourth series of the franchise (the third would be the short-lived Models Inc.) and unlike the first three, it is now being aired on relatively new network, The CW (after the production company, Spelling Productions, was acquired by CBS/Paramount which controls 50% of the CW) instead of original network Fox.

The show is about the Wilson Family, who moved from Kansas to Beverly Hills, CA because, patriarch Harry Wilson (Rob Estes of ‘Melrose Place’) because he accepted job offer to become West Beverly High School’s principal plus he had to take care of his ailing alcoholic mother, Tabitha (Jessica Walter of Arrested Development) who’s a former 70’s Hollywood actress. Coming with him is ever-reliable photographer-wife Debbie (Lori Wilson) and their two kids, Annie (Shenae Grimes of Degrassi: The New Generation) and adopted brother Dixon (Tristan Wilds).

Completing the ensembles is the popular high school girl Naomi (Annalyn DiCord), lacrosse jock Ethan (Dustin Milligan), high school teacher Ryan (Ryan Eggold) and reliable pal Navid (Michael Steger).

With new characters comes returning characters from the first series, guidance councilor Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth of ‘What I Like About You’), theater actress Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty of ‘Charmed’), Peach Pit owner Nat (Joe E. Tata), and Kelly’s alcoholic mother Jackie Taylor (Ann Gillepsie).

The show’s connection to the old 90210 is the character played by Jessica Stroup, Erin “Silver” Silver. She is Kelly Taylor’s half-sister and a ‘Gossip Girl”-type blogger who is beset with problems from home.
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Review Proper:

Judging from the first 5 episodes that i watched online, I’d say that the new 90210 is very consistent on keeping itself a separate story but at the same time trying to let old viewers of the first series to know what happened between the 8-year gap since BH90210 ended.

However, there’s the tendency for the show to focus too much on the old characters’ continuing storyline (Brenda and Kelly rekindling their friendship, and Kelly having to raise her son alone without his father, Dylan [from the first series]). Hopefully that storyline would be given a proper conclusion as the series progresses in the coming years.

Focusing now on the series’ main plot, it is highly obvious that the new series is repeating past BH90210 events in the form of adoptive siblings Annie and Dixon (the so-called “New Brenda and Brandon”). Annie is an aspiring actress who tried her luck at the school’s upcoming musical while goody-good boy Dixon is simpleton who is just as naive as his sister. He was hired as a waiter of the Peach Pit whose owner, Nat, remarked that he reminds him of a certain “Brandon”.

My only complaint to this show as well as other US youth dramas in general is its use of non-age approproate actors who usually are way too old to portray characters in their teens. One such is the character Naomi who is portrayed by a 20-year old actress. In the pilot, Naomi was initially 15 years old who’s about to turn 16 and my first impression of her was “She’s so effin’ old to be freaking 16!!”.

As to how the show was described, it is indeed more sexy and provocative (in short ‘GGish’ but a bit more OCish to some), a complete contrast to the initially innocent theme of the old 90210. However, despite these factors, the show maintains its being a family drama (because of the presence of parents Harry and Debbie Wilson) and teen-issue-oriented series. I’m hoping that this tandem of such would continue well (depending on its performance in the ratings should the CW renew it long enough for the show to fully develop) as well as not being too cliched like past shows.

I sure hope that the new 90210 would eventually become one of the best classic teen shows that are able to define a generation, just as how the old 90210 did as well as shows like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill (which has yet to end as of now).