April Is The Cruelest Month

Mark here...well another snorefest with this episode, called "April Is The Cruelest Month". Things start out interesting enough with Brandon attempt to interview the school tennis star while "Would I Lie To You?" by The Eurythmics plays. Turns out said tennis star is played by Matthew Perry. Things sort of go downhill from there. Matthew Perry is yet another poor little rich boy who wants Brandon to read his screenplay. Turns out his screenplay is about a son killing his famous dad, which Brandon interprets as a cry for help (Brenda, on the other hand, can't be bothered past page 2 when Brandon shows it to her). So who does Brandon go to for advice...Andrea?! Ug, please. Anyway, the whole episode has this weird cheesy noir/horror attempt going on with some of the lighting, etc. Unfortunately it doesn't really help things. Brandon at one point suspects his friend of being about to murder his father and proceeds to get fingerprints all over the friends gun and break in to his house.

Meanwhile, we get to see Ms. Teasley for the first time I remember. Previously the actress played a school shrink I think, but here she's back as principal. There's a subplot about Donna not doing well on the SATs. Turns out Donna has a learning disability. Ms Teasley helpfully tells her that she's not stupid. From now on the school will just have to read out every question to her and give her as much time as possible to answer. Presumably they will talk as slow as possible too.

Laurel here...poor Brandon! He always has to solve everyone else's problems. He almost always bares the burden of these "very special" episodes, save for the one where Brenda finds a lump. Even then he's the one who keeps it together, while Brenda turns into a bitchy mess. (see pervious episode, "it's just a test"). Also he makes all these great friends during each of these "lessons", none of whom we ever see again. In this episode he becomes bff's with Matthew Perry's character, but you know he's headed to the 90210 guest star graveyard, just like Brandon's black friend, his latina girlfriend, his actress friend, the homeless kid who hangs out at the peach pit, etc.

Style award this episode goes to...Dylan again! This time for his weird purple priest outfit. I get it about the semi-clerical style what with papa don't preach and all that, but was super long shirts on guys ever a thing? It's hard to tell from the photo but really it's dress length.

Cocktail moments: When Brenda finds Donna at "Fred Segal" the inside of which actually looks like the fashion 21 at the Eagle Rock Mall...

When Kelly says that in college she's going to major in "Pre-Wed"...