There is no better way to make a character a thousand times more likable than to send them to the dark place. Exhibit A: Annie Wilson. Last year she was the worst combination possible of sunny and whiny. This season, she’s 100-percent emo, having suddenly gone through enough stuff to make even Shenae Grimes’ onetime Degrassi character cringe. (And those Degrassi kids go through a lot.) Somehow I feel so sorry for Annie that she didn’t get to have sex with hot hot Liam — what with taking the blame from jealous Naomi, she ought to have at least gotten to touch his pecs — that I don’t mind at all that she killed a dude in a hit and run on Mulholland that she’s yet to be blamed for. Heck, I feel sorry for her for that, too.
Circumstances really piled onto our anti-heroine this week, though she did have one bit of luck, sorta: Navid’s newly revamped Blaze – now some sort of 20/20 for West Beverly, from what I can determine — considered, but did not ultimately do, a story on the rumored “sext” containing nudie pics of Annie. (News value: principal’s daughter.) Rumer Willis, showing up as a hot red-headed geek on the news staff, pitched a piece on new kid Teddy Montgomery instead — because, get this, he’s the child of a major movie star. Oh, how we love the meta levels. Navid, turned off by the idea of further promoting the dude who took his girlfriend’s virginity, suddenly found the Annie story more intriguing, intoning, “Sex texts are big in high school.” (Yes, we got it, 90210. You’re so on top of the times.) The discussion of journalistic values, however, did alert Silver to the presence of the sext, which allowed her to warn Annie about the existence of it. Which was nice of her, I guess, if crazy-making for dark-place Annie.
Anyway, let’s talk about more fun stuff! Like John Schneider as Liam’s dad! Somehow this guy — totally my favorite Duke of Hazzard — has made a career of playing parental figures on teen shows who, at least so far, eventually die, from Smallville to The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Well done, John, escaping the vanilla confines of playing the Christian doc on that last one to take on this smarmy, perfectionist plastic surgeon instead. More fun in one minute of this dude than a season of that other one. Liking the more centered, matured Adriana this season as well — I honestly didn’t think she was long for this show with last season’s troubled-actress shenanigans. But that whole having-a-baby thing had a nice, gravitas-granting effect this guilty-pleasure show needs.
Teddy, her ex, is a fine addition, too — a fun pot-stirrer in the form of a Mr. Perfect. As Liam said of the quintessential L.A. golden boy, as they hung out at surf team tryouts along with Dixon, “You and Ryan Seacrest have that certain something.” I don’t really know why we needed so much gratuitous surfing in the middle of the show, but there are worse things than these boys without their shirts. (I’m guessing this is a set-up just to turn the three guys into friends, allow them to discuss the girls, etc.) Teddy’s presence has, if nothing else, given us an edgier Navid — who was guilted into doing the story on Teddy — which is also cool. Our little journalist grilled Teddy under the guise of hard-nosed reporting, asking such important questions as: “You have to be pretty arrogant to be an athlete, right? Do you bring that arrogance to your personal life?” Adriana was angry, he was sorry but not really, etc.
But really, it was all about the neat little Naomi/Liam/Annie dilemma this episode. This was, incidentally, exactly the kind of soapy plotline this show was sorely lacking last season: Naomi, jealous and with a sext bomb in her control. Liam, wanting Naomi but needing to keep his hookup with her sister, Jen, a secret. Annie, screwed by all of it. She was finally forced to “admit” that she’d slept with Liam, desperate to give Naomi what she wanted. It actually worked, for a bit; Naomi had doubts about whether Annie had slept with Liam. But then her crazy sister — who also, incidentally, revealed she was dating scruffy teacher Ryan to avoid being labeled a golddigger around town, which was all the better to allow her to freely dig gold — convinced Naomi otherwise. Naomi sent the text to the whole school. And Annie was left being mocked while Teddy, in his 20/20 interview with Navid being broadcast throughout the school, conveniently happened to be mentioning that he’d encountered the dead body that she’d hit with her car last spring. Uh-oh.
More TV Recaps:
Big Brother recap: We have a winner!
The Biggest Loser recap: Weighing in
Melrose Place recap: Mommie dearest
Comments (1-15) of 45 Add your comment
It’s a minor point, but “vanilla” isn’t exactly the word I’d have used for Schneider on “Secret Life.” He has a gift for making good guys enjoyable and endearing, and I like that. I hope we get to see more of it. Anyone can play a villain, but not everyone can play a good guy, at least not anymore.
I missed last week. Can someone tell me where I can catch free episodes online???
This episode was truly bad-ass. I’m so excited with the direction “90210″ is taking this season. Great start. Hopefully the momentum will (or can) continue.
Meanwhile, I miss Dixon/Silver. Don’t rip them apart! *I have a soft spot for interracial couples. Even though I’m not in one. lol* (Hopefully, this comment doesn’t turn into some big racial thingy).
Back to the show: can we please talk bout Psycho Jen. Who does that? Like, how old is she, 22/23? She seriously needs to stop peddling into highschool ish and get a move on with her life. And why is the show making Ryan more scruffier than he needs to be? They really trying to tag him as this “loser”, no? He looked so much better last year. Navid’s interview was AWESOME! I was cringing the whole time but daggit, that’s what made it AWESOME! Not really feeling the bleached out dude. At least the actor that plays Navid looks like kid (though he’s really 28). Bleached dude looks like he’s 35 (though he’s really 30).
well, people, i do not know… I liked the “old” 90210. Nice characters, nice plot: kelly, dylan, david. Do not think that this ‘new” beverly hills will be as popular as that one of 1990’s. and even the presence of “old” actors will not save it. everything has its time.
This show went from bad to worse. I can’t wait until they take it off of the air.
Tennis dude cannot act and soooo obviously way older than high school; at least the other cast members can (mostly) pass for teens but this dude? Not even hot either…total tool! Get rid of him ASAP. Otherwise, season so far way better than last; new “Melrose” is better though!
Regarding the line: Anyway, let’s talk about more fun stuff! Like John Schneider as Liam’s dad! Let’s be clear, JS is playing Liam’s STEP father. It may be just semantics to you, but some people my be offended by your nonchalance. Not to mention, it adds that extra grit of, Why does the step dad resent Liam so much? And Why the EFF doesn’t Liam’s mother have a spine???
Lighten up. As someone with a STEP father, I am not offended. In fact I often refer to my STEP father as my dad.
I agree, do lighten up and really, let the people speak for themselves if it offends them. This may be something that just affects you.
My “step-dad” has been in my life since I was three. He taught me to ride a bike, fixed skinned knees, paid for braces, grounded me when necessary, and loved me unconditionally. My Father did none of that. The term step-dad was NEVER used in my house, neither was half-sister & half-brother. I watched mom’s belly grow, I went to the hospital when they were born, I held them & helped when they came home. It irks me when someone corrects me & says “you mean HALF sister” or “so he’s not really your Dad, he’s your Step-Dad”.
Like the saying goes, “anyone can be a Father, it takes someone special to be a Dad”
I love that Naomi and Jen live in a glass house. You know what they say about people who live in glass houses…and I believe that was Naomi throwing the proverbial “first stone” last night…
Good call!!!
Schneider also did some fun, slightly dirty work as porn king Ram on the latest season of “Nip/Tuck.” I enjoy that guy immensely these days.
I felt so bad for Annie yesterday, jesus does her life suck right now. Atleast Dixon punched that guy in the end but too little to late. I’m gonna miss Silver/Dixon I have the jello heart w/ them
Jen is a bitch, I mean a bitch! Liam becareful w/ her!
Thought the episode was so-so, am still hoping Annie leaves the show in some capacity bc Grimes really is annoying.
Thought it was in poor taste to have the “sext” bombshell in the show be followed by folks in the T-1 Mobile commercial showing off their cell phone screens. Nice one, CW ad spot sellers, lol. I didn’t realize T-1 was promoting “sexts..”
I hope Naomi is found out and is arrested for distributing child pornography.
I think Annie is 17…I thought about that too. I wonder what Principal dad is going to think about all of this.
Sorry but Annie is still annoying. Also Naomi’s sister is a little too old to be involved in teenager affairs. Also the way Sara Foster moves her mouth looks weird. They need to hurry her off the show. She is bring it down. I love all the boys hanging out. Dixon is Brandon, Liam is Dylan, Teddy is Steve and Navid is David. Love the new Ade. Got sick of her drug problems of last year. But seriously this show would be okay if they could just get rid of Naomi’s sister. She has served her purpose, be gone witch. Thank gawd there was no more dancing. Also didn’t Tristian (Dixon) butt look huge in the wet suit!
I loved that just when Annie was feeling as worse as she thought she could from the sext and Silver not believing that it was Naomi who sent it…that was when she Teddy’s interview brought up her hit and run again. Just to bring her lower. For some reason it made me laugh. In a good way. I love this show!! Man, is that Jen evil! But would it kill Ryan to wash his hair?
And shave?
kind of new to the show but this Teddy guy looks SO much older than the rest of them (handsome in a Ken doll kind of way, but really – high school?). Annie – who I thought was the star of the show – seems marginalized. And the few times i tuned in last year, Silver wasn’t exactly friends with Naomi – so how did they become besties?
Steve always looked older than everyone else on the original series. Maybe they are channeling him.
Silver and Naomi were best friends since they were kids but something happened, I think Silver told people about Naomi’s father having an affair, and they stopped being friends. This was mentioned last season. They even have the same tatoo. They got back cool again last season and being in summer school really got them back close again. I rather have Silver with Naomi instead of Debbie Downer. With Annie whining and Silver crying over Dixon, I couldn’t stand to watch that.
Loving the show this year so far! All the girls look so much better. Playing up they youth instead of making them look old. Adrianna is gorgeous this season! Two things for me: When did Silver get back in with Naomi so tight? And can someone run over Jen with a car? She’s horrible. She’s ugly and she can’t act. Maybe a different actress would work but that chick is heinous. Keep it coming. It’s finally worth watching!