School is back in session at The CW's "90210" (8 p.m. Tuesday, WPCW). Some fans of the teen soap genre were raving about last week's season premiere but I saw little to applaud. And I do tend to be a fan of the genre. But from the new opening, inferior credits to the story of sulking Annie Wilson (Shenae Grimes) after she was involved in a hit-and-run (she hit and she ran), there was not much that felt new or interesting in the episode. (Annie has really just become Brenda 2.0.)
Tomorrow's episode finds evil Naiomi (AnnaLynne McCord) threatening to send a text photo of Annie having sex with a random guy to everyone in the school. Meanwhile, Navid (Michael Steger) tries to resurrect the school TV news program, "The Blaze," but finds jealousy gets the better of him when he has to interview his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, tennis stud Teddy Montgomery (Trevor Donovan).
I did get a kick out of surfing scene where the guys wear solid-color wet suits that make them look like the crew of the Enterprise from the original "Star Trek" catching a wave, but I don't think the humor in that scene was intended.
As for "Melrose Place" (9 p.m. Tuesday, WPCW), The CW sent out the second episode after my review of the premiere was in print.
This week viewers learn more about dead Sydney (Laura Leighton) and her
relationships with the new denizens of the apartment complex. Some of
these relationships are pretty predictable, particularly between Syd
and Violet (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz).
The show still seems conflicted between whether it wants to be earnest "MP" -- the Jonah-Riley stories -- or crazy "MP" and something more baroque (the Violet story appears to be headed in that direction).
Best dialogue in the second episode:
Ella (Katie Cassidy): "Give me a weekend and I'll bring in a client who's bigger than Zach Quinto's eyebrows."
Hew new boss Caleb (Victor Webster): "Does that even exist?"
But the one thing I realized while watching this second episode: I don't care about any of the characters. Sure, the new "Melrose" is a fun, competently made soap but it sure does not feel like essential pop culture vieiwng. TV watchers felt the same last week, turning out in pretty paltry numbers for the premiere.
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Posted
Sep 14 2009, 12:58 AM
by
Rob Owen