BH90210 ratings make it the highest-rated summer series debut in two years. The original Fox series has been off the air for almost 20 years now, but that hasn’t stopped legions of fans from forever wanting more from the famed Los Angeles area code.
Beginning in 1990, Beverly Hills 90210 was a teen soap opera with enough staying power to see it through a variety of cast changes and an ever-transforming zeitgeist. The series originally followed the lives of two teen L.A. transplants from Minnesota, Brandon and Brenda Walsh (played by Jason Priestly and Shannen Doherty), who were quick to make friends with the cool kids of West Beverly Hills High. It wasn’t long after that the sheer complexities of being rich and alive in Beverly Hills as a teenager in the 1990s really began to take hold. For dedicated viewers, 90210 was often much more than a guilty pleasure, with its appeal growing year after year.
Given its nostalgic grip on many, as well as its oddly addictive nature, fans of the original series were elated to find out earlier this year that BH90210, a limited six episode reboot/mockumentary complete with much of the original cast, was on its way to FOX this summer. The first episode recently aired, and according to a press release from FOX, BH90210 is this summer’s highest-rated series debut, as well as the number one summer series premiere in more than two years. What’s more, the new series now ranks as the most-streamed summer debut ever for FOX.
So far, the reviews for BH90210 haven’t exactly been glowing, yet at the same time, they’ve been far from terrible. The biggest issue that many seem to have with the series is its surreal nature, and the fact that because the series deals with the actual actors and not the characters they played, the plot can sometimes feel a little dull. Basically, BH90210 deals with most of the original cast reuniting and working to get a reunion series off the ground. For those who are fans of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, a similar formula was attempted in Curb’s seventh season, though unlike BH90210, it wasn’t the sole focus of the entire season. Still, it’s very early days for BH90210, and to date the fans seem to be enjoying what they’re seeing.
Unfortunately, what Beverly Hills 90210 fans are now seeing is the original cast minus Luke Perry, who played the show’s bad boy, Dylan Mckay. Perry passed away back in March of this year, leaving behind a definite empty space in the original 90210 line up. It’s quite touching to see that despite the “heightened versions” of the original cast members on BH90210 and the often onscreen cantankerous relationship between them, that Perry’s memory was honored several times in the show’s premiere. It’s a nice way to kick things off, and a great way to remember an actor whose role was not just on TV, but also in the lives of many during 90210’s heyday.
Next: How The Beverly Hills, 90210 Reboot Tributes Luke Perry
Source: FOX
