When Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210 launched in 1990, that zip code didn’t seem too promising. “The new show with the least memorable title,” wrote EW TV critic Ken Tucker, ”is also one of the fall’s most forgettable series.” Viewers agreed — early episodes were among the season’s lowest-rated.
The producers soon switched to an issue-of-the-week format that addressed topics like date rape and suicide while also celebrating sideburns and cool cars. “We thought about what teenagers were thinking about,” recalls creator Darren Star. “Sometimes we were a little melodramatic, but I think we gave it a bit more weight so it wasn’t just a soap opera.”
90210‘s fortunes soared after Fox took a gamble by starting 
season 2 in the middle of summer, when its younger audience was out of school. The series became a phenomenon (even Tucker eventually came around), turning its stars — including Jennie Garth, Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, and exec producer Aaron Spelling’s daughter, Tori — into teen idols. “I remember Luke Perry opening a shopping mall,” Star says, “and he had to be whisked out. It was an absolute mob scene!”
The original series ended in 2000, but a next-gen spin-off, 90210, currently airs on The CW, and reruns are a big presence on cable. “When I see all the shows come out, there are lots that follow in the footsteps of 90210,” says Star. “It sort of laid out the template of the modern teen show.”
too bad soapnet is going off air next year now i cant get my fill of Brenda Walsh and the ever so wonderful Valerie Malone!
The GREATEST show EVER!!!
LOVED IT! Then when Melrose Place partnered with it- a terrific night of television.
Love Love LOVE watching the reruns on SoapNet–going to suck without that. When I was younger, the reruns were on FX. The new show is eh at best, but nothing will beat the original. Can you say ‘Donna Martin Graduates?!’
Love this show…I really wish they would do a new show with the original cast that kind of picks up with where their characters are now (i.e. Brandon could be a top editor at the Washington Post, Donna could be running her own clothing label, Steve Sanders could have be a full-time Mr. Mom with four kids, etc.) Maybe call it “90210 continued”
tht would be great if they did that .. Nunya.. they would be older but it could work .. they do take some older actors to do teenage show any way .. never well know else they try ..
November 2nd….all 10 seasons come out in a box set! I can’t wait!! It better be true, or there will be some hell to pay!
Unless the original music is on the boxset, I’m not getting too excited. The show, ss released to date, has been cut to shreds because of problems with clearing the music used.
Thanks, EW, for making me feel really old!!
my thought exactly
DITTO!
This show was always ever a guilty pleasure at best. Some of these comments are so sad in their patheticness! The show has been off the air for 10 years. Let it go!
Go and watch you stupid Glee, moron!
*your
Hate that I won’t be able to see Brenda and Valerie. But at least I don’t have to see victim of the week Kelly anymore. Especially on the new show. How can a woman get hooked on crack, shot, have a eating disorder, almost raped, burned, lose her memory and have the nerve to be judgemental!
For someone who did all that plus stole her best friend’s boyfriend, she had nerve to hate on Valerie so much!
She joined a cult too, don’t forget.
Saw your comment, and had to reply. Although I’m not a fan of Kelly myself, or any of the girls for that matter, I don’t see how her personal issues have any relation to her feelings about Valerie. And not just that, the fact that she was shot, lost her memory, was raped, burned are things that she had no control over, and her problems with COCAINE and food are mental issues, which people pretty much don’t have any control over either. Second, she did not steal her best friend’s boyfriend. They hooked up over the summer, while Brenda was hooking up with someone too! And when Brenda returned she walked away even though she had fallen head over heels for Dylan, and ultimately Dylan returned to her. Valerie on the other hand, slept with Dylan while she was going out with Steve, because she thought Steve was loaded and he drove a Corvette. Then she had an affair with a married man, and blackmailed him to give her $10000, and said she was pregnant, when she really wasn’t. Oh, and she also tried to sabotage Kelly more than once. Also, she made it seem like Ray had been stealing just to bust her friend, and it was all a set-up to coerce people into liking her. And then she tried to get David to sleep with Ginger so she wouldn’t tell. Oh, and she slept with Ray. How is that any different than Kelly FLIRTING with Dylan over the summer?. I don’t have a problem with the fact that you’re obviously a fan of both Brenda and Valerie. But I do have a problem with the fact that you use those reasons to justify your hatred towards Kelly. Neither of them are perfect, and ultimately, they’ve all done pretty much equally horrible stuff to one another.
Ugh, this is so pathetic and soooo Kelly’s fan’s….Of course Kelly did not steal her best friend’s boyfriend. They JUST hooked up over the summer! Bleh… It doesn’t matter what Brenda did, even if she was with someone else (went out two time by the way, waaaay less than Kelly and Dylan), because this someone wasn’t her friend’s boyfriend or best friend of her boyfriend (referring to what Kelly did with Dylan later). I love Kelly with Brandon, don’t get me wrong, but I absolutely cannot stand her in s.3-4.
Interesting that it had such low ratings at the beginning…in this day an age, it would have been cancelled after 2 epidsodes (ie Lone Star and My Generation) …and look what happened, that actually gave it a CHANCE it became a phenom that people loved and watch in sindication….Just Saying….
this photo made my day!
I loved that show and I miss the higschool episodes !!! west beverly forever
the class of ´93 lol
I’m only waiting til November to finish my 90210 DVD collection. Yes, I’m that big of a geek for this show. There hasn’t been a better teen show than this and there haven’t been any adult dramas that have held my fascination for this long like 90210 has been able to do. I’d watch the spinoff if it was about the originals.
TRUELY AMAZING! NO SHOW COULD EVER BE AS GOOD AS THIS! NO1 FAN!
MY FaVORITE SHOW EVER! I could watch it over and over again ! I think Luke Perry is Sooo HOT! Ugggh have such a crush on him <33