The original series premiered when I was only 5 years old. So, of course I wasn't allowed to watch it at the time, but I remember it being a major force in the pop culture stratosphere. EVERYONE was talking about this show. Even tho I had never seen a single episode as a child...I begged my parents for any piece of merchandise that happened to fall into my field of vision. I had the special addition Brenda trading card from the Honey Nut Cheerios cereal box. I had the 'Donna' Barbie doll. I had the official 90210 picture book that I got for free at my school book fair. This show was a huge deal in the early 90s.
Flash forward 32 years and I finally decided to sit down a watch the full series as an adult this year. I have to say I am halfway thru season 6 right now and I'm bored out of my mind. The storylines go nowhere. The chemistry is so lackluster. Almost all of the original cast is gone and I feel no real empathy for any of the characters who are leftover. I believe I can trace it all back to one crucial moment when the series took an irreversible nose dive.
The moment occurs in Season 3, when Dylan ultimately chooses Kelly over Brenda. So begins the rapid decline & might I add a shallow, irritating new dimension to the show. After that moment, nothing seems to feel organic anymore. The characters and their stories become fodder for the writers who struggled to figure out how to live up to the expectations that were set by such high ratings in season 2.
I'm truly disappointed at how stale the show gets with each passing season. I enjoyed the early years when the original gang was in high school. Shannon Doherty's departure was a big loss for the show. She brought a great fire-y energy to the cast. Also, I believe a large majority of female viewers identified with the Brenda character. She was our avatar for navigating the new, fast paced world of Beverly Hills. When you take Brenda out of the equation, you are only left to bond with secondary characters who ultimately betrayed a core member of the Walsh family. Who wants that?! And shame on Brandon for continuing to be close friends with cheater Dylan and then start an intimate relationship with backstabbing Kelly. Where's the loyalty?!? It makes no sense!!
Anywho, the first 3 seasons are definitely worth watching. The 4th season is meh. Seasons 5 thru 10 just drag and I would say don't waste your time. Also, all the original music from the series has apparently been cut out and redubbed with some unknown musical artist due to copyright infringements. What a shame.
Still, my introduction to the original core characters as a child still holds a special place in my heart. That is ultimately what peaked my interest in rediscovering this series. I'm glad I can finally cross this show off my bucket list.
Flash forward 32 years and I finally decided to sit down a watch the full series as an adult this year. I have to say I am halfway thru season 6 right now and I'm bored out of my mind. The storylines go nowhere. The chemistry is so lackluster. Almost all of the original cast is gone and I feel no real empathy for any of the characters who are leftover. I believe I can trace it all back to one crucial moment when the series took an irreversible nose dive.
The moment occurs in Season 3, when Dylan ultimately chooses Kelly over Brenda. So begins the rapid decline & might I add a shallow, irritating new dimension to the show. After that moment, nothing seems to feel organic anymore. The characters and their stories become fodder for the writers who struggled to figure out how to live up to the expectations that were set by such high ratings in season 2.
I'm truly disappointed at how stale the show gets with each passing season. I enjoyed the early years when the original gang was in high school. Shannon Doherty's departure was a big loss for the show. She brought a great fire-y energy to the cast. Also, I believe a large majority of female viewers identified with the Brenda character. She was our avatar for navigating the new, fast paced world of Beverly Hills. When you take Brenda out of the equation, you are only left to bond with secondary characters who ultimately betrayed a core member of the Walsh family. Who wants that?! And shame on Brandon for continuing to be close friends with cheater Dylan and then start an intimate relationship with backstabbing Kelly. Where's the loyalty?!? It makes no sense!!
Anywho, the first 3 seasons are definitely worth watching. The 4th season is meh. Seasons 5 thru 10 just drag and I would say don't waste your time. Also, all the original music from the series has apparently been cut out and redubbed with some unknown musical artist due to copyright infringements. What a shame.
Still, my introduction to the original core characters as a child still holds a special place in my heart. That is ultimately what peaked my interest in rediscovering this series. I'm glad I can finally cross this show off my bucket list.