90210

Editorial Review

As far as teen dramas go, this is Gossip Girl's hick Beverly hillbilly cousin - but the nostalgia value is priceless.

Program Summary

Channel:

TEN

When:

7:30 PM, Monday, 24 Nov 2008

Rated:

Type:

Drama

Editorial Review

Like a boy band comeback tour, the rehashed series of 90210 was always doomed to disappoint. It's not entirely the show's fault. How could anything compete with the glorious bitchiness of Shannen Doherty, the washboard forehead of Luke Perry, the incongruity of 30-year-old actors playing teenagers, and the clothes? (Ah, those kooky, dressed-in-the-dark clothes.) The immortal original sparked an almost cult-like following among '90s teens, inspiring oceans of notebook graffiti.

One of 90210's boldest - and possibly most successful - moves has been to bring back a smattering of the old crew. There's a certain fascination with seeing how they turned out, akin to attending a school reunion and seeing who became successful and who got fat - only without the low-budget canapes.

Aside from the recycled 90210 characters, the show follows a fairly standard teen drama format. An entire rehab group's worth of bad behaviour and topical "youth issues" is packed into each episode; this one features drug abuse, divorce, teen sex and morally suspect modelling agents, to name a few. Amongst these wild antics are annoyingly chirpy Beverly newcomers Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Dixon (Tristan Wilds), whose goodie-goodie attitude, combined with mother Debbie (Lori Loughlin), almost makes you think you're watching an oddly risque episode of Full House.

Teen audiences might not get what all the fuss is about, as 90210's only real appeal lies in allowing older viewers to relive their salad days of teased hair and teen crushes. Brenda (Doherty) had better reveal a devious plan soon, or even this audience might be lost.

90210 returns to Network Ten on Monday, November 24, at 7:30pm."

Shelley Tustin, November 2008