Back to the Future '90210'

This week, the highly anticipated premiere of 90210 aired on the CW. The teen melodrama is a modern take on the tremendously popular 1990s hit show--Beverly Hills 90210. There are some carryovers from the older counterpart. Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) is the school guidance counselor. Her sister is a student at the school. Nat runs a more hip-looking Peach Pit. And Brenda (Shannen Doherty) pays a visit to her old friend, Kelly.

As you could guess, the new version is not as wholesome as its predecessor. Flashback 18 years--Brandon and Steve are coaching a little league baseball team and teaching the kids and audience about sportsmanship.


Flash forward--the new kids of 90210 are flying private jets, getting hummers in their Hummers, and publicly backstabbing their friends on their BLOGS. Throw in some time tested teen issues of plagiarism, pranks, and drug use and you have 90210 in 2008. The old 90210 would take a season to broach these subjects. In today's 90210, it's all given to us in the first week of school. Think Boston Public meets The OC. Well....that may be a little bit generous at this point. But despite criticism throughout the blogosphere, I'm giving this one a shot (at least for now).

What do you think about the new 90210? Has it already jumped the shark?

Steve Sanders looking ahead

For all you Beverly Hills 90210 fans out there, the CW will be premiering a spin-off series creatively named "90210." The series will feature some of the old cast members we have come to know and love including Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty.

Noticeably absent from the cast will be Ian Ziering (Steve Sanders). When asked why he won't be involved in the spin-off, Ziering remarked,

“I’m really looking down the line pretty far and this might be a step backwards.”

Ziering is currently involved in the filming of 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus Wallace Leonidas.