Happy 9/02/10 Day! Nine of Our Favorite 90210 Memories
Today the cosmos align and the calendrical system itself bows down before the greatness that is, was, and forever shall be, Beverly Hills, 90210. On this most hallowed day, 9/02/10, we celebrate with memories of that perpetually troubled original posse.
Andrea's Sleepover Inquisition
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Of all the fantastical happenings in the golden zip code, possibly the most incredible was the inclusion of the poor, bookish, virginal old maid from Van Nuys—Andrea—in the central clique of the rich pretty boys and girls from the Hills. In a moment of first seasonfemale bonding, Andrea flies her freak flag in the face of bitchiness to gain air-headed sympathy and acceptance.
Dylan Saves Brandon
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The series gained popularity with its second season, aired during networks' dark season, and featuring the gang goofing off and keeping it real, California summer style. During a camping trip in the desert, Dylan and Brandon became bonded for eternity when Dylan saved BranMuffin from certain peril—a moment that launched a thousand terrifying slash stories.
Superstar DJ David
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David Silver's fly mic skills are showcased throughout the series, eventually landing him a gig on tour with 90s superstar, Babyface, leading into career as a producer and club promoter after his come down from meth addiction. Here, David's big break Roger Rabbiting at the Beach Club.
Brenda & Donna's Self-Realization Vacation
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At the start of season three, Brenda convinced her parents to let her go soul-searching in Paris before her senior year, and Donna tagged along because Tori Spelling wanted a storyline that involved more photoshoot montages. The girls' wishes come true when Donna, la jolie-laide, vraiment, is discovered by a famous French photographer, and Brenda convinces herself of her strong, independent womanhood. Oh, and they eat brains.
Donna Martin Graduates!
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The puritanical Donna goes uncharacteristically Dionysian on champagne at the senior prom and subsequently throws her graduation privileges into jeopardy under West Beverly High's zero tolerance policy. Thankfully she's rich and popular and kids can control the administrative leanings of their superintendents simply by chanting.
Kelly vs. Brenda: The Eternal Struggle
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During Shannon Doherty's years with the show, the onset drama between her and Jennie Garth fueled dramatics onscreen. The original frenemies, Brenda and Kelly wavered between bffs and fiercest nemeses, love-triangulating with Dylan, screaming over wardrobe overlaps, and cat-fighting over college theater class call backs.
Ray's Gets Pushy
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When Donna meets Ray, a loner musician from a broken home, she falls hard—literally and figuratively—for the domestically abusive grunge guy. Trapped by love and fear, Donna suffers Ray's cheating, beating ways for several seasons before saving herself.
Burning Down the House (With Kelly Trapped Inside)
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Poor, poor Kelly Taylor. The most unrealistically resilient of the show's characters, she has overcome rape, a coke-addict/alcoholic mother, step-siblinghood with David Silver, endless daddy issues, lesbian flirtation, cult involvement, even near-death by burning.
Love & Death for Dylan
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Since soap-opera happiness is always fleeting, Dylan's chance at true-love ended with the brutal murder of his new bride. Mistaken for her groom, Toni was assassinated in hit put out by her own father (coincidentally, the man who killed her would-be father-in-law), turning Dylan's wedding day into one enormously tragic "oopsie-daisy."