Beverly Hills, 90210 -

Premise: “Beverly Hills, 90210” revolves around the lives, loves, trials, and tribulations of a group of young people from high school into early adulthood, set in the posh, star-studded community of Beverly Hills, California. The series touched on various timely social issues while emphasizing friendship, relationships, and growing pains.

Main Characters:

Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestley): A central character for much of the series and is known for his moral center and work ethic.
Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty): Brandon’s twin sister, she often struggles with her identity and familial expectations.
Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth): Initially depicted as a “girl-next-door” character, but her storylines evolved to darker themes including diet pills, dieting, and rape.
Dylan McKay (Luke Perry): The bad boy with a heart of gold. His relationships with Brenda and Kelly were central plots for the series.
Donna Martin (Tori Spelling): Best friends with Kelly, Donna faced a central storyline where she commits to remaining a virgin until marriage.
David Silver (Brian Austin Green): Introduced as a freshman and aspiring musician, evolves from a nerdy sidekick to main character status as he dates Donna.
Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering): Wealthy friend of the group, often the comic relief but also faced deeper issues like searching for his biological mother.

Themes: The series tackled many themes over its decade-long run. While the initial seasons were heavy on high school issues like love, jealousy, and academic pressures, later seasons delved deeper, addressing topics such as drug addiction, alcoholism, domestic violence, gay rights, and mental health. Its strength lay in its ability to combine soap opera dramatics with earnest, timely issues, making it a cultural touchstone for many.

Rating: 4/5 Critics appreciated “Beverly Hills, 90210” for its blending of typical teen drama with more severe issues and for creating memorable, iconic characters. However, some felt the series went on for too long and lost its touch in later seasons.

TV Parental Guidelines Rating: TV-PG The series, while delving into adult topics, generally kept its content suitable for a teenage audience, which is why it received a PG rating. The show does cover more mature themes, but it does so without excessive graphic content.

Broadcast Details: The series aired on FOX from October 4, 1990, to May 17, 2000.