90210
Pilot
E4
Still got a lot of residual affection lying around for the original adventures of the 90s Peach Pit kids, so it was pretty interesting to see where they're taking this new reboot of the teen soap. It's set in the same universe, with Kelly (Jennie Garth) now a high school counsellor and the big sister of one of the new kids prancing around West Beverly High's catwalks halls.
A lot has changed in teen TV since the dawn of 90210 1.0 - Dawson's, Freaks And Geeks, The OC and most recently Gossip Girl have all pushed the genre way beyond BH's Dallas Jnr aspirations. In its day it was pretty much the only show around to show teenagers apart from Neighbours - now we've got used to seeing amplified angst played out in style, with studied indie soundtracks, and click-here, buy-now fashion tips.
In place of the Brandon and Brenda Walsh good kids from the sticks dealing with the madness of LA, we've got the Wilson family moving from Kansas. Dad Wilson is the new school principal (oh no! that won't be a problem for the kids!); Mom Wilson doesn't get on with Grandma Wilson; Wilson Daughter had a fling with one of the LA hotties a few summers ago, and he's now turned into a bit of a playa; Wilson Son is adopted and plays lacrosse.
Most of the fun in the first ep - apart from trying to work out if Jennie Garth really is Jennie Garth (where's that perky nose?!) - comes from watching the actors who are refugees from two chimp TV favourites. Jessica Walter seems to be replaying her excellent turn as Arrested Development's boozy matriarch Lucille Bluth, with her cocktails-for-breakfast grandma Tabitha Wilson. Even stranger to deal with is her adopted lacrosse-playing grandson - yes, it's corner kid Michael from The Wire (Tristan Wilds) - who somehow manages to refrain from popping a cap in anyone's ass, even when he gets well-bullied on the lacrosse field. Not a scenario that came up in Baltimore often.
It's probably not quite trashy or smart enough to really carve out a niche of its own in the current teen TV world, but may hold interest for a stumble-across-it hangover viewing. Shannen Doherty (star of 90s things like the I Hate Brenda Newsletter) shows up around ep5, so that's got to be worth checking back for.
Bonus Triv: check this totally 90s Eddie Vedder v Shannen Doherty showdown
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1st Jan 2009 - Tumblr
2.5