And Baby Makes Five

Hey Nine-0 fans!  Laurel here.  We just watched kind of a 3 stooges episode.  See, Kelly found out that Jackie was pregnant.  Meanwhile, Mel is planning on proposing to Jackie.  Donna finds out from David that Mel is planning to propose.  Donna finds out from Kelly that Jackie is pregnant.  then because Donna is involved, slapstick hilarity ensues.

Donna tells David that Jackie is pregnant before Mel knows that Jackie is pregnant.  Donna tells Kelly that Mel is planning to propose after Jackie finds out she is pregnant but before she tells Mel...I know this is confusing, but basically because of Donna's big mouth Jackie thinks that Mel is proposing only because she is pregnant.  Meanwhile Mel has no idea.

It's a total who's on first situation but basically Mel and Jackie love each other but can't seem to talk like grown ups so the kid ruin/save the day.  In the end Jackie and Mel are going to get married and have a baby together.  Yay!

Mark here... Laurel did a great job of describing the episode. It was actually fairly entertaining.  The last few episodes have been entertaining and we're hoping it represents a change of direction for the series! Seriously, finally we're in a territory we remember for the show.

There's a side plot with Andrea picking winning horses at the track with Nat, Brandon and Steve, but really who the fuck cares? And it's not written in any way to make us care anyway...

But the style award goes to Andrea in her Downton Abbey (don't worry we'll get there!) ensemble at
the race track.

I would say the cocktail moment is any reference to Jackie's bun in the oven.

Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout It

Mark here...this episode is called "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout It", the it in question is sex. And yes, this is another "issues" episode, but given the subject, it's actually kind of funny. It's all a bit of a blur, but there's an initiative for condoms in school and then a survey and then an article in the blaze...all about sex and condoms.  We do get our first appearance of Donna's mom at a parents meeting on the subject of handing out condoms and she proves to be a great future nemesis.  We also see Donna defending handing out condoms, which gives David Silver hope for doing it. Poor David. We later find out Donna is saving herself for marriage.  I remember this being a big deal at the time as Donna is a symbol for kids who want to wait.  Blah Blah.  She's as symbol of a patriarchal society because her dad runs the show and doesn't want his daughter having sex (even though in real life Tori Spelling is!).

In any case, the spearhead of this safe sex movement is Andrea?!  Granted, she's never met a cause she didn't like...but really, maybe you should sit this one out Andrea? Brandon says as much to her.

Hey Laurel here...it's all true.  Andrea, the most awkward 30 year old that goes to west beverly is spearheading the movement for condoms in school?!?  Also there's a new kid at the blaze who's totally nerd cute and clearly has a crush on her, and she totally ignores him and/or is actually rude to him.  I kept telling Mark "Andrea!  Open your eyes!!"  Finally at the end she asks him to go to the movies after they finish passing out sex ed materials in west hollywood.  Ah, nerd dates.  I'm curious if we ever see him again.

Cocktail moments this episode...whenever anyone says "condom" (usually awkwardly), whenever Andrea sighs because she's in a huff about condoms, and...when David Silver tries to do it with Donna and she has to explain to him that she's saving herself for marriage.  Ouch.

Quotes of note this episode...When Dylan tells David "What do I look like?  Ann Landers?"  When David asks his advice about "waiting for the right time"  to reserve a hotel room for him and Donna.   SPOILER ALERT...Um, David, it's never gonna happen buddy, at least not until college.

The second, and this might be my favorite of this show so far... Brandon tells Andrea "Maybe you should get a life of your own before it's too late."  Ok, I know this is super mean, but as you know if you have ever read one other tvdinnernight post about Nine-0, I fucking hate her.

A Competitive Edge

Mark here...this episode is called "A Competitive Edge" and it's another zinger...and by zinger I mean another issues-based bore.  Basically, Brandon quits the Beverly Blaze for a hot minute to join the track team, only to find out the track team is using steroids. So of course, Brandon must rejoin the Blaze to get the story, but now he can be "undercover" since he's left the paper.  Yes, no one would suspect a thing.  It's all very "All the President's Men" with clandestine meetings in parking lots at night to discuss steroid use.  Oh, and Kelly's gay friend Kyle is back.  He's on the track team and becomes Brandons source.  Also, Steve is on the team.  We never see him using, but it's implied.

There's a subplot with Brenda in a car accident getting scammed by a woman who wants money.  It's pretty boring.

Laurel here...I can't believe Kelly's gay friend Kyle came back!  The special friends never come back, I'm glad they decided to make an exception.  Except this time he's the special friend because he's doing steroids.   The Brenda side note to this episode is she gets into a fender bender with a lady who pretends to be injured, but then Brenda catches her doing aerobics in her living room so all's well that ends well.

There's no specific style award this episode, except for that Mark and I have noticed over the past few episodes that "athletes" always wear their sweatpants hitched up and rolled over at the waist so everyone has camel toe, even the dudes.

The cocktail moment is when Brandon gets a wedgie in the locker room at the beginning of the episode.  Because he's just a dumb reporter and not a jock.

Fire and Ice

Hi Laurel here...Mark and I just sat down to another full day of 90210, beginning with "Fire and Ice".  I made us creamy papperdelle pasta with bacon and leeks that is pretty heavy hitting in the calorie department but worth it.  Mark made us a lemon rosemary syrup that you are supposed to drink with vodka, but we found we both prefer it with cava.

So this episode Brandon meets a real nice girl at the ice rink (he is playing hockey and she is a figure skater) but even though she really likes him it turns out she is too busy to have a boyfriend, and ends up going back to Texas (???) to pursue her skating career.

I'll let Mark tell you about Brenda...

Mark here...first I'll give a shout out to Laurel for a delicious meal.  When she first said she was making pasta, I wasn't 100% sold, but the combo of bacon, leeks and cream sauce was amazing! So well done Laurel!!

On to the episode...basically this was a boring but inoffensive episode.  Boring, because who really cares about Brandon dating a figure skater?  Inoffensive because there's no Andrea!!  Anyway, there's also a subplot about Brenda getting a job as a sales girl with a bitchy boss who steals her commission. But once Brenda tells Cindy, they devise the most ridiculous comeuppance scheme.  It involves Cindy dressing as a "rich woman" and letting the boss think she's going to get a huge commission and then not buying anything.  Hilarity ensues, but Cindy's outfit makes it worth it...let's just say it involves a head wrap.

The quote of note this episode has to be when said figure skater breaks up with Brandon and says, "I'll always remember you as the guy who gave me my first burrito"  Really, watching the episode was worth it for this line alone!

The style award goes to...Brenda's bed, although it was a tough call,  what with Cindy's ensemble and a scene with Brandon and Steve's shirts, but really, this bed is hideous!!

Creamy Pappardelle with Bacon and Leeks

Hey guys!  This recipe is originally from Bon Appetite but I found it here at Epicurious.  We are still slogging through season 2 of 90210.  I am serving it with an arugula salad to make us feel better about eating a pasta with sauce made of cream and bacon fat.

It turned out really good!  I did it pretty much according to the directions but I left out the oil and butter in the beginning, which seemed like bringing sand to the beach.  I had been planning to serve it with a poached egg on top to make it more brunchy but I forgot.  It was great on its own.  I will definitely make this again!

Also I wanted to let you guys know at Trader Joes they have this amazing applewood smoked bacon that is around $10 a pound, but they also have "ends and pieces" of the same stuff for $3 a pound which was perfect for this recipe.  I bought a condo so I am frugal now.


Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 pound pappardelle or fettuccine
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano

Preparation:

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until leeks begin to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.

Add pasta, Parmesan, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and stir to coat. Increase heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta.