90210: We’re Not In Kansas Anymore/The Jet Set

I remember the original Beverly Hills, 90210 from my childhood, the tawdry but sometimes touching depiction of fictional inhabitants of an exclusive zip code that would be forever be etched in the annals of pop culture history.  The series has been revived, with the “new” 90210 hearkening back to a ’90s era phenomenon.  The new series has just enough nostalgia to draw in older twenty-somethings, like myself, who remember the original series, but remains fresh enough to attract younger viewers who have no recollection of Brandon and Brenda Walsh. 

Like its predecessor, the new 90210 is centered on a transplanted Midwestern family who must adjust to the glitzy superficial world of Beverly Hills.  This time around, it’s the Wilson clan who must navigate new playing fields in this fish out of water story.  Patriarch Harry Wilson is the new principal of West Beverly Hills High School, and he has his wife and children in tow: two wholesome teens named Dixon and Annie.  You might recognize Dixon (actor Tristan Wilds) from his previous role as Michael Lee on the critically-acclaimed HBO series The Wire.  It’s good to see him diversify his acting repertoire and stretch his wings with this role, a far cry from the pistol-packing youngin’ he portrayed previously.  The Wilsons are living with Harry’s mother, a colorful former Hollywood starlet who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. 

The initial episode served as an introduction to the principal players, a hodgepodge of absurdly attractive, vapid teens who flit from one angst-filled moment to the next.  I don’t mean for that to sound condescending, but the first episode bordered on ridiculous in terms of the contrived “coolness” and physical beauty of the main characters.  The original series had its fair share of eye candy, but managed to feel real and normal.  The new series has a manufactured feel, but that’s not to say it’s without its merits.  The main characters, siblings Annie and Dixon, are quite likable.  They manage to keep a sense of levity and realness as they transition into the world of the spoiled and privileged Hollywood elite.

It would be worthwhile at this point to give a brief synopsis of the characters.  Aside from the Wilsons, you have Ethan, a playboy jerk with a soft side; Naomi, his beautiful girlfriend who’s initially unaware that he’s cheating on her; Silver, Naomi’s former BFF who runs a gossip blog that routinely skewers West Beverly’s most popular students, and also the younger sister of Kelly Taylor; and Adriana, a pseudo goth-chic druggie with crackhead tendencies.  Whew!  That was a mouthful! 

It’s hard to keep the cast of characters straight, but things quickly become easier to manage when you get a chance to observe each one’s distinct personality.  Each character is complex and more layered than initially indicated, and there is enough in the first two episodes to have viewers hankering for more.  I particularly enjoyed the numerous nods to the original series, a subtlety that might be lost on younger viewers, but was surely appreciated by old-timers like me (I’m 29!).  For example, it appears that Jennie Garth and Shannon Doherty may be regular cast members, reprising their roles as Kelly and Brenda, respectively.  Jennie Garth looks today exactly as she did fifteen or sixteen years ago.  Boy do I feel old!  

There are too many things one could analyze about the mammoth two-hour premier episode, but I’ll leave you with this – if you were a fan of the original show, you should at least tune in to see how this new version stacks up in comparison.  The new 90210 is more risqué, a bit more contrived, and more obvious than the original show, but it stands on its own merits in terms of unique storytelling and potential character development.  Only time will tell if the show will be a cult classic like the original.  I’m definitely intrigued enough to tune in next week, and you should too.

Tuesdays, 8/7C, The CW

Photographs courtesy of The CW and IMDbPro.