2008 Fall TV Preview: 90210

News
By
published
Main cast of The CW's 90210
(Image credit: The CW)

90210 - Season 1

Premieres: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. EST

Network: The CW

Creator(s): Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah

Starring: Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Jessica Stroup, Dustin Milligan, AnnaLynne McCord, Michael Steger, Ryan Eggold, Lori Loughlin, Rob Estes, Jessica Walter

Website: CWTV.com

This new CW series is a spinoff from the hugely popular Aaron Spelling teen drama series Beverly Hills, 90210. The story centers on the Wilson family, who recently moved from Kansas to Beverly Hills and, like the Walsh’s did back when spandex and sideburns were all the rage, try to adjust to the ritzy California lifestyle. Annie Wilson (Shenae Grimes) and her brother Dixon (Tristan Wilds) attend West Beverly High, while their dad (Rob Estes) takes over as principal of the school. Their mom Debbie (Lori Loughlin) keeps busy by looking after Harry’s recovering-alcoholic mother Tabitha (Jessica Walter).

Other characters include Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord), the resident Kelly Taylor (spoiled and rich, so more like Kelly T. in her early high school years). Ethan (Dustin Milligan) is the popular jock. Navid (Michael Steger) is an aspiring journalist who works at the schools daily newscast. And then there’s Silver (Jessica Stroup), the bad girl who has her own video blog.

I have mixed feelings about this spinoff. When it was announced that Rob Thomas was penning the pilot and would have a hand in the development of the series, I was beyond excited (being a huge fan of his TV creation, Veronica Mars). Then Thomas stepped down and my interest waned. I have a feeling that this series is going to be a bit more like The O.C. with constant drama and misery being dumped on the characters every week. That said, I still plan on giving 90210 a shot. Not only are we going to see a few appearances by cast members from the original series but the show also stars Jessica Walter. Having loved her portrayal of Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development, her presence alone in 90210 is enough to get me to tune in. Though I expect her character in 90210 is going to be a bit less comedic than her role in A.D. All in all, I was a loyal fan of the original series and I’m curious to see what they do with the spinoff.

CLICK HERE for our 90210 giveaway!

For the full 2008 Fall TV Premiere Schedule: CLICK HERE

Here are some cast videos:

Kelly West
Assistant Managing Editor

Kelly joined CinemaBlend as a freelance TV news writer in 2006 and went on to serve as the site’s TV Editor before moving over to other roles on the site. At present, she’s an Assistant Managing Editor who spends much of her time brainstorming and editing feature content on the site. She an expert in all things Harry Potter, books from a variety of genres (sci-fi, mystery, horror, YA, drama, romance -- anything with a great story and interesting characters.), watching Big Brother, frequently rewatching The Office, listening to Taylor Swift, and playing The Sims.