Looking California, Feeling Minnesota

EPISODE 1 RECAP
Brandon and Andrea have the relationship dynamics and aesthetic of two 38 year olds with fat ugly children. Watching their interaction is like going to a flea market and seeing a couple argue over cavarecci’s and faux leather products while they hold a child on a leash. It’s terrible. I can’t believe this is a plot thread that was held onto for so long.

Everyone wears belts, big hideous ones that are made visually evident to the audience because no t-shirt remains untucked. This fashion, moreso than the music drivel, would be my main inspiration for the alt. culture / youth angst explosion of the early nineties. Kudos to 90210 for not really kowtowing to the grunge movement… they instead opted to stay mired in tucked in shirts.

The pilot tries, and FAILS, to have some sort of faculty cast, both interacting amongst each other as well as the main cast. This is a terrible failing that aches of eighties intrigue, and just falls flat on its face here.

Kelly Taylor has a different mom, and thankfully they upgraded their Jackie before making it to the real series. She also apparently lives in a hotel room or guest room. Or has the sensibilites of a tasteless 58 yr. old woman.

No Dylan McKay – obviously sensing the lack of a "street level" character. Brandon is too smooth, and they need some sort of conflict character. Maybe the only influx of 90’s moodiness.

Was there enough from this pilot to make me want to watch a season? No. To be honest, I feel the series doesn’t begin to make waves until season three, but even for the early seasons, the pilot feels weak. No Dylan, just hints of Kelly’s tortured soul, too much Brenda, and does anyone like Andrea Zuckerman? 4/4 vote that she doesn’t warrant an umbrella in a monsoon. SHE’S THAT BAD AARON SPELLING.

Since Blogger is shitting the bed we have some time to deliberate further so I’ll give a 15 words or less description on the characters so far.

David – annoying.
Scott – can’t wait til he shoots himself. (Did viewers get to vote for that?)
Donna – her best performance.
Steve – believably unlikeable.
Brandon – leers at anything with a vagina or vagina-like thing.
Brenda – sexual tension that would make leia and luke feel weird.
Andrea – see the latter of “things Brandon would leer at”
Kelly – winner in a batch of losers.