Beverly Hills, 90210 (SOAPnet)

common sense media says

Classic '90s teen soap with famous a zip code.


parents & educators say
  • 67% say there are positive role models
  • 67% say there are positive messages

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that while producer Aaron Spelling's soapy 1990s teen melodrama was about as realistic in its depiction of everyday teen life as The Brady Bunch was back in the '70s, it did address some serious topics, including alcoholism, drug abuse, premarital sex, gambling, teen pregnancy, and teen suicide. Characters are constantly coping with the dramatic ups and downs of their friendships and romantic relationships. Many of them are wealthy, and few have strong or even positive relationships with their parents. Parents may want to preview before allowing young tweens and young teens to watch.

Positive messages: This series presents an unrealistic portrayal of teenagers, but it deals with the very real issues that teens face. Themes also include disparities between socioeconomic classes. The consequences of negative behaviors are sometimes not always discussed (or shown).
Positive role models: Some members of the group do work and participate in volunteer activities. Not all characters are good or nice; some frequently cheat, scheme, and manipulate. Despite the large ensemble cast, there are only a few characters of multicultural background featured.
Violence: Some of the plotlines feature characters surviving violent crime, including physical abuse, shooting, and rape. A character is murdered in a later season.
Sex: Frequent scenes of teens kissing and "making out." Frequent references to sexual activity. Discussions about teen pregnancy and sex are also featured, including discussions about virginity (particularly Donna's) and unexpected pregnancy (Andrea's). The episode in which Dylan and Brenda had sex for the first time was a big deal when it first aired.
Language: Pretty mild: "Damn," "hell," "bitch," etc.
Consumerism: Many (but not all) of the characters are presented as wealthy, materialistic members of the upscale Beverly Hills community.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Teen cigarette use (accompanied by a clear discussion of their consequences). Alcohol and drug abuse (including steroids) are shown to have clear negative consequences. But the underage characters still do plenty of drinking outside the context of abuse.

More on Beverly Hills, 90210

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about how teenagers are presented on television. How realistic are the lives of the teens you see on television vs. the teens in your family or at your school? How have TV teens changed over the years? What do Brenda, Brandon, and co. have in common with today's TV teens? How are they different? Do you think real teens' lives would be as much fun to watch on TV? Why or why not? Families can also talk about some of the difficult issues teens have to deal with today. Who are the people you can go to if you or someone you know has a problem?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Earning a place in the Aaron Spelling hall of fame, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 is a guilty pleasure soap opera about a group of teenagers in the upscale Southern California suburb of Beverly Hills. Created by renowned TV producer Spelling (Charlie's Angels, Melrose Place) and Sex and the City creator Darren Star, this popular 1990s series follows twins Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty), who move to L.A. from Minneapolis and attend the fictitious West Beverly High School. Their circle of friends includes pretty Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), insecure Donna Martin (Tori Spelling), ambitious Andrea Zuckerman (Gabrielle Carteris), aspiring musician David Silver (Brian Austin Green), happy-go-lucky Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering), and rebellious Dylan McKay (Luke Perry).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Over its 10-season run, 90210 delved deeply into the (mostly) privileged but often-troubled lives of its core characters. While full of teen-oriented storylines about friendships, deep-seated rivalry, and troubled romance, the series was first and foremost a prime-time soap; consequently, characters frequently schemed, cheated, and manipulated their way through the world of high school and beyond.

That said, 90210 did address some very serious issues faced by teens of any decade, including coping with peer pressure to smoke, drink, abuse drugs, and have sex. The series also dealt with subject matter that was controversial for its time, including teen suicide, physical abuse at the hands of a boyfriend, surviving rape, and struggling with alcohol- and drug-dependent parents. By the show's fifth season, many of the original gang had transitioned to college life and other pursuits. As a result, the problems portrayed on the show became more sophisticated to the point of being contrived, and the show lost much of its original appeal. Nonetheless, the series will forever be remembered as a cultural phenomenon that defines the 1990s.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: SOAPnet
Cast: Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Shannen Doherty
Genre: Drama
Where to watch: SOAPnet

This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 67% say there are positive role models
  • 67% say there are positive messages
  • 33% say they noticed product placement

Most useful reviews by all members

 
good for teens
Love it lots of postive messages tones of good role models

RunAlottJasonH
kid, 12 years old
 
0+
O+

 
Good show
Let's face it, this show is a lot tamer than what we see on TV now. There's a lot less swearing, sex, violence and substance abuse than today's dramas, so I wouldn't be too worried about this show. While I'm too young to have ever seen it during its original run, I still like it.

dramaqueen@hot ...
parent of 11 year old
 
great show!
great show helps teen deal with drama !

greysfan001
teen, 15 years old
 
The Best T.V. Show Ever
Shows things that happen in real life to teens and people in their 20s. Classic show, but deals a lot with sex [mainly talking about it, references, and shows people making out]. Underage drinking was used a lot in the first couple of seasons.

baseballvr12
teen, 17 years old
 
love the show
my big sis watched it in her room one after noon and she got me hooked.This show has alot of detail but it rox.

smiley080171
teen, 17 years old
 
i love it
my big sister got me started on this show and now i love watching it whenever i can find it on. it deals with a lot of the same problems we deal with in school. seeing someone elses life more messed up than my own is good.

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