BH90210 S01E06: The Long Wait

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 Is this the last time we'll see the 90210 gang in the Peach Pit?
By Kim Tibbs-Krober

As I sat there watching the final episode of the BH90210 reboot series, it suddenly hit me. Was this really the last time I was going to see those characters together in the Peach Pit? Likely so, unless they decide to give it another go when the cast are all in their 70s. It may not have been the smoothest of reunions, but I'd be lying if I said I won't miss them now that they're gone again. The episode title pretty much summed it up: it was a long wait. It was a long wait from the original series to the reunion, and it felt like a long wait from the first episode of the reboot to the last.

The theme of the final episode seemed to be about lashing out at the ones you love. Brian lashed out at his wife after her private investigator revealed he wasn't Zach's father. Jennie's daughter kept lashing out at her and she kept reciprocating, especially when she formed a friendship with Shannon that irked her. Tori's husband lashed out at her because he felt insecure about being a stay-at-home dad while she pursued her career. One may have expected them to make an effort to wrap up their insecurities and attempt to resolve their issues by the episode's end, but they didn't. It's like they all just went on with their preoccupied lives with a temporary Band-Aid affixed. Would you expect anything less from your favorite spoiled Beverly Hills brats? Ignore me, I'm just lashing out at characters I love.

One of the recurring punchlines centered around the cast of 90210 competing with the cast of The OC for a coveted spot on the network's fall lineup. A reboot of The OC? I would totally watch that! I loved Seth Cohen back in the day, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Some of the most entertaining moments involved the cast reading through viewer comments the network had gathered when it showed the pilot to a test group. Apparently, Tori was polarizing in real life but forever endearing as the character Donna Martin and especially when she was partnered with David Silver. Ian seemed to be caught in a time capsule of swagger, while Brian was improbably sexy as an older version of his character. Viewers thought it was laughable that Andrea would even question her sexuality (I wouldn't necessarily say laughable, but it felt odd).

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Fans were also concerned about the chemistry between Jason and Jennie but were convinced there was more than meets the eye between Jason and Shannon (twins Brandon and Brenda Walsh). This led to disturbing imagery when Shannon had a nightmare about kissing Jason in her old bedroom at Casa de Walsh. It made me wonder if any of those comments were rooted in reality among test groups, as some statements seemed to make sense. It was also humorous to see Shannon reacting to the revelation that viewers wanted to see Brenda act like a bitch again while claiming that Brenda was never a troublemaker (apparently it was Kelly all along because she was such a slut!).

We finally saw everyone reunited in the Peach Pit - pop-up that is. I knew about the real-life Peach Pit pop-up coinciding with the reboot and was sad it was only in California. I went to the Saved by the Bell pop-up in Chicago a few years ago on my birthday, and it was an absolute blast. I can only imagine what this fan experience was like, especially if the cast had been there signing autographs and posing for photos among the burgers and milkshakes.

FOX owes much of its success to 90210. It was one of the first shows the network aired when it launched, and it was probably the first show that made it relevant among the youth. I had higher hopes for the reboot, but I wouldn't have traded reacquainting myself with these characters. It was a fun ride while it lasted, even if I didn't get the full closure I was seeking. The ending felt a bit anti-climactic to me, although the usage of Weezer's "Beverly Hills" was perfection. So, how long do I have to wait for that OC reunion?

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