TV Show Info:
Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Ian Ziering, Brian Austin Green, Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, Gabrielle Carteris, Tiffani Thiessen, Kathleen Robertson
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: CBS/Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: 10/4/90 – 5/17/2000
Season Air Dates: 7/12/94 – 5/24/95
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 29, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon: $39.99, Wal-Mart: $39.86
Episodes: All season five hour long episodes are included

Once upon a time Beverly Hills 90210 was a weekly part of my life. It used to be my favorite show. Admittedly, I was a teenager back then, but still it was one of those things that I couldn’t miss. These days I cannot recall finding a nighttime soap opera that compared to the drama and closet entertainment that 90210 provided. That being said, I did not watch the series from beginning to end. I was there at the beginning, but left regular viewing about the time that this season started. I would occasionally tune back in to see what the old gang was up to, but the addition of cult storylines and David (Brian Austin Green) becoming a smack-head was just too much for me.

This season is known for the change in cast, especially where the bitches of the show are concerned. Brenda (Shannen Doherty) has headed off to London and has not returned (Doherty was fired). With a free bitch spot to fill, Brenda’s spot was filled with Valerie Malone (Tiffani Thiessen, who at this time had an Amber in there somewhere). Like Doherty, she was meant to be the sexy, troublesome siren. I can’t feign particular attraction to either, though I see why some guys might like them.

Fans of Thiessen will love this season just because she is in it. I am not sure that was enough to do it for me, but there were some good moments here that reminded me of why I watched the show in the first place. Granted, this feels like a weakening shell of what the show used to be, but it still had a few redeeming moments. There were many episodes here that I watched for the first time. It’s certainly not the best of 90210, especially if you prefer Doherty over Thiessen, but you might still find this season to be enjoyable. I know that when I least expected it those old feelings crept back in and I found myself enjoying the show.

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Writer: Richard Kelly
Director: Richard Kelly
Cast: Billy Crystal, Robert Guillaume, Katherine Helmond, Jennifer Salt, Roscoe Lee Browne, Richard Mulligan, Jimmy Baio, Arthur Peterson, Diana Canova, Cathryn Damon, Robert Mandan, Ted Wass, Jay Johnson
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Sony Home Entertainment
Release Date: June 10, 2008

When I heard Soap was coming out in a complete set I could hardly contain myself. I was excited though I now realize that I had no idea what to expect. Growing up, I had heard numerous times how utterly hilarious this show was. In fact, when my mom heard that I was getting it for review and found out that I had not yet seen it, she chastised me for not watching it previously. After I reminded her, I was into Sesame Street when this was on television she forgave me, but told me to watch it right away. So, I tried to do as I was told.

Soap was pretty controversial for a number of reasons. As a 30-minute comedy, masking as a soap opera/drama there were plenty of topics that would be brought up in the four seasons the show had that were not brought up anywhere else on television. Well, at least not at the time in which Soap originally aired. There was sex, thug life, alien babies, and Jodie Dallas (played by Billy Crystal - When Harry Met Sally), one of the first openly gay characters on television. The show was said to be so controversial that before the end, the FCC would attempt to ban nearly every decent storyline that the Soap writers came up with. Still, the four seasons and 90 episodes were some of the best, original television that you could hope to find.

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