With that in mind, we've decided to go back to the mother of all teen shows (ok, not really, we know, but for us...) Before the WB, before CW, before Twilight, there was 90210... So we are going back to Season one of Beverly Hills, 90210 and boy oh boy is this a nice break from Dawson and Joey....
Laurel here....So Mark made Fondue tonight, and brought some 90210 blast from the past memorabilia...recipe to follow. The fondue was so delicious, I dare say the best ever. He added brie this time which I think helps smooth out the texture compared to fondues past. and the flavor was off the chain!
He also brought a t-shirt (courtesy of Mark's old roommate Luke), and a cassette tape of the soundtrack with a crazy fold out insert...enjoy.
Mark here... First we are watching the pilot... a side note here, we are trying to watch episodes on tv whenever possible as dvd episodes do not have the original music...something about not obtaining the licensing....and we want to relive Dylan and Brenda's break up to R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" if possible....
Having watched this in high school off and on and then in college religiously, we realize this was quite the drinking game show in it's day. However, these days Laurel and I would NEVER be caught shotgunning a beer. So whenever appropriate, we hope to identify what we would call "cocktail moments" for those playing along at home...
So on to the pilot...wow! So not like what I remember the series to be, there's so many relics of 80s style, yet plenty of early 90s. We open on Brenda and Brandon, 2 Minnesota fishes out of water in Beverly Hills... First we notice Brandon is working a serious mullet. We're introduced to Kelly later, who manages to work a camel toe in baggy shorts.... Basically the episode plays like an 80s movie with Brenda and Brandon making friends in a new school, attending a crazy party and making dating mistakes only to learn that really we're not all that different after all.
One of my favorite moments in Brandon coming across a random girl at the house party (who just so happens to be the host), and Laurel saying, "Who is this crushed velvet beauty who happens to be in the gazebo all by herself?"
Laurel here...the crushed velvet beauty happens to be the rich girl who is hosting the party...she has an instant connection with Brandon. She sends him roses TO HIS SPANISH CLASS, then has the gall to blame him for the rumors circulating about how he and she are doing "the wild thing" (btw, the radio dj who spreads these rumors has a do the right thing poster in his dj booth).
Anyhow, Brandon being the decent Minnesota guy he is goes on the radio to set the record straight and let all of West beverly high know that nothing happened between and crushed velvet, winning both our hearts and hers, and Andrea Zuckerman's. Who I hate. Turns out I hate her from the very beginning. Self righteous and judgey as ever, this is one gal who sticks to her pilot character all the way through the series. Many other characters will change...Steve turns from being a straight up A-hole into being an A-hole with a heart of gold, Donna changes form being just another douchey popular girl into being a popular prude, Kelly and Brenda switch from being bitchy to nice and nice to bitchy, respectively, and David ends up switching from being the hugest nerd to a popular dude...but I'm getting ahead of myself, we will discuss these issues later.
Let's talk about style for a moment...
I mean, spandex under spandex under jeans? 'nuff said.
I really appreciate the pilot episode for it's innocence, showing teens how they might actually behave in clothes they might actually wear before the show finds an agenda and shows teens in a different light...but again, I'm getting ahead of myself. We'll discuss this more later.
Mark here...One thing I would like to point out is how Scott and David have the only realistic style from what I remember of high school, although David Silver is wearing Mom Jeans, like all of the other cool kids...poor Scott, who knew Mom Jeans were the way to succeed in life?
Also, there is a real difference between DVD and TV episodes in terms of music. We only had one part of the pilot tivo'd, so I can tell you the TV episodes with the original music make such a difference.
Laurel here.. Just another dig against my pet peeve (and Mark's), Andrea. It's clear from the moment Brandon walks into her school newspaper office that she has a crush on him (of all the school newspaper offices in all the world...) So when he comes in later after the rumors have been circulating about him and crushed velvet, she opens with a sarcastic "So, I guess your date went well". Mark suggested she is a walking Rachel Dratch SNL skit. You expect to hear "wah wah" during her whole appearance...Brandon offers her one of the roses from crushed velvet? Her response, "I'm allergic!" while longingly looking at him...and then runs away! wah wah! C'mon!
Cocktail moments:
- Steve to Kelly: "You got a nose job!"
- First appearance of Donna Martin, unidentified
- Steve meets David and talks about previously dating Kelly (just watch it)
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