the great beverly hills 90210 rewatch: season 1 thoughts

Season 1 cast via
I remember watching this show when I was....five? Okay no, I didn't start when I was five. The earliest I remember I was about seven and I wore an ankle bracelet because Kelly Taylor wore one in the pool when she was making out with Dylan while Brenda was in Paris. I do remember that, in detail.

I would schedule my dance classes around Beverly Hills 90210. My older cousins watched it and cared about it so of course I had to care about it. I wanted to be them so naturally I needed to like the things they were interested in (along with Grease 2 and TaB).

This show was beyond my years. It was way too old for me. When I was ten my birthday party revolved around watching Dylan's wife die and Valerie pose as a prostitute. I definitely knew how to show my friends a good time.

I had never seen season 1. I knew the gist. Family from Minnesota moves to the luxurious Beverly Hills, make friends and lovers, get into trouble, do drugs, etc. It was The OC before The OC existed. So in my quest to find something to replace Six Feet Under I thought about giving the first television drama I'd ever watched another go-around. So thank you internet for making it available.

Campy. Like season 1 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer it is campy, campy, campy. Brenda is kind of mousy until she finds her popular friends, Dylan has the roughest life ever, David pretty much doesn't really exist and I really like Steve. We get to know the characters, where they come from and what they're like. I remember Dylan as the bad boy when really I think he treated Brenda quite well. He was patient and kind and understanding. David was a sweetheart, and it's kind of cute how he fawns over Kelly not knowing that eventually they will end up related (I think? I'll figure that out in a few seasons). Andrea was just as nerdy as I remember and I swear Donna had a bigger part but she was kind of in the background most of this season.

I cried when I thought the Walsh's were going to have to go back to Minnesota when Jim got promoted but I was so happy when he turned it down so that they could stay in Beverly Hills. I freaked a little at the thought of Andrea and Brandon hooking up. I think the credit of this season lacked in the wonder of the credits of latter seasons. Those opening credits are seriously historic.

The stereotypes are all there. Brain: Andrea with her glasses. Bad boy: already established Dylan with his motorcycle. Princess: Kelly with her cell phone. White guy who things he's a gangsta: David and his dance moves. And the jock: I'd have to go with Steve though I'm unsure of what sport he plays, besides coaching little league that one time.

This show has it all. I'm pretty stoked to relive the journey. It seriously has brought back memories from my childhood and I can't help but think...what the hell was my mother thinking letting me watch this?

*photo above: I think Andrea and Steve maybe had one scene together the entire season. Studying for the S.A.T.'s. Seriously and she is all up on him in that photo.