By Stuart Ross
The last “90210” column ever. I know Boob Tube Banter readers, there’s a little tear in your eyes thinking that this will be the last time you have to read about “90210” in The Equinox.
I’m holding back tears myself. I may have to start a blog or something to keep up my constant discussion of my favorite guilty pleasure. A quick search has revealed that I have mentioned “90210” in 13 of my columns, and for that I’m sorry. It’s hard to talk about shows I really can’t find anything wrong with.
Sure, I would write a column about “30 Rock” but I would just ramble about how amazing it is and always has been for 600 words.
That’s boring to write and I’m assuming worse to read. “90210” is the perfect subject because I’ve been in a three year long abusive relationship with it. I always love it, but I don’t always like it.
“90210” has a fascination with adding and dropping supporting characters like it’s nothing. Sasha appeared on about four episodes last season, and showed up for just one episode this season, Oscar and Ian were introduced at the beginning of this season, Oscar has never officially left the show.
We just assume he’s in the background somewhere, waiting for his time to come.
During the first season Kellan Lutz recurred as the school bully, right before a little movie named “Twilight” came out. I’m still waiting for a very special episode where he reveals he’s just been ignored by the main crew since the first season and is really sad about it.
This cavalier attitude towards the recurring characters shows a lot about the target audience. I don’t think that a 21-year-old male, “This close” to a film degree is who they’re expecting to watch it.
So do the “Ambers” and “Tiffanys” out there notice that these people are just coming and going for no apparent reason? For humanity’s sake, I hope so.
Another thing that bugs me about “90210” is the sudden character changes that happen to everyone on the show. Adrianna is a shadow of the well developed character she was during the first and second season.
As her current fame-whoring person reveals. Adrianna was once the shining example of things that “90210” could get right.
Originally brought on as a recurring character then rapidly bumped up to season regular status.
So what happened?
I think in attempting to give the remaining characters depth and make them interesting, they sacrificed Adrianna.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad to finally give a hoot about Annie, I just wish they had left my Adrianna alone.
Take Teddy for example. I will give them credit, I like his story line as the jock who discovered that he was gay at the beginning of the third season.
During the second season he was romantically involved with Naomi, Silver, and Adrianna.
Did they just turn him gay because he ran out of girls to sleep with on the show? I just don’t find his whole arch as believable as his arch in the second season or his arch in the third season.
Separately they make sense, it just feels like he was brainwashed over the summer to become gay. Another problem I have currently with “90210” is Naomi’s fish out of water relationship with the “geek” Max.
Is anyone willing to raise their hand and say that he isn’t cute?
It’s all been done before and I feel like they need to start coming up with new stuff or at least do the old stuff well.
“90210” is addictive. They hook you with an episode or two, and I’m willing to suggest it to most people.
Just don’t go in expecting to be watching “Mad Men,” because they are apples and oranges.
Stuart Ross can be contacted at sross@keenequinox.com
