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90210 Rundown: Episode 12, "Hello, Goodbye, Amen"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:30:53 -0800

Welcome back, 90210 fans! The kids of Beverly Hills are back from their Winter breaks (Ethan was "shredding" on his snowboard!) only to find their problems waiting for them back at home.

Take Adrianna, for example. The last thing we saw her do was barf at the lacrosse game thanks to smelling hot dogs, which lead most of us to believe she might be pregnant. Well, she confronts this possibility as well as drug addiction and fatal disease in this week's episode. Also, the Wilson family got a break from their new family member, Sean, over the holiday while he vacationed with Naomi — but things get creepy once he returns. There are also lots of catty Brenda and Kelly moments! So let's get chatting. Just

How Well Do You Remember This Season of 90210?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:30:48 -0800

We couldn't believe they were remaking 90210, and then we couldn't wait to see what the heck it would look like. Brenda was back! So was Kelly! Soon enough, though, it became apparent that this reboot had a ways to go before it could live up to its predecessor — and yet it was still must-see TV because of its pure silliness. Was 90210 your guilty pleasure this year? Take my quiz to see how closely the show held your attention!

Photo courtesy of The CW

Biggest Headlines of '08: 90210 Gets a Spinoff

BuzzSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:30:03 -0800

Lots of remakes were announced this year, but maybe none was crazier than the CW trying a new take on the teen classic Beverly Hills, 90210. The news about the spinoff was one of the first new shows to be announced after the writers' strike, and at first, it seemed like everything was full of promise. The man behind the spinoff was Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars fame, and the first descriptions of the characters got us pretty excited to see who would play the key roles.

The casting news came fast and furious, and we hung on every bit, from the picks of a Degrassi star and Lucille Bluth to the return of Jennie Garth and — probably the biggest news of all — Shannen Doherty as Brenda. In general, we were pretty pumped to see what would come of the remake. Even after Thomas left the show, the news seemed good: the new showrunners had worked on another favorite, Freaks and Geeks.

To relive what happened next, just

90210 Casts a Bad Boy Who's Easy on the Eyes

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:30:47 -0800

One of my big complaints with the new 90210 has been its utter lack of a bad boy. (Sorry, Ethan, you're just not doin' it for me.) So I'm quite interested in this news that Matt Lanter has been cast as the new wild dude at West Bev, showing up starting in February.

Lanter will play Liam, a character who will be of particular interest to AnnaLynne McCord's Naomi. He's currently scheduled for several episodes.

Lanter's done bad-boy before (really bad — his character got rough with Claire early in the first season of Heroes), but he's also done nicer teen roles, including playing Mackenzie Allen's son in Commander in Chief. He's currently the voice of Anakin Skywalker on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and — I know, way to bury the big stuff — he was also the lead in The Cutting Edge 3. Yeah, I'm kind of excited.

Do you think having a bona fide bad boy will help 90210 leap forward in 2009? Or will you reserve judgment till you see Lanter with the rest of the cast?

Source

90210 Rundown: Episode 11, "That Which We Destroy"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:32:36 -0800

Last time we saw Annie and Naomi, they were hurling insults at each other outside Annie's party when a handsome young man dressed in uniform approached and formally introduced himself as the son of Harry and Tracy. So on this week's 90210 we land right back on that doorstep, with both girls introducing themselves to the new guy as his sisters.

And if all the drama between Annie and Naomi weren't enough, we get some grown-up BFF drama from Brenda and Kelly, who are back on screen together and suddenly fighting (Brenda comes off extremely poorly in this episode, don't you think?). So while the ladies huff and puff and tear each other down, Dixon quietly broods and deals with the entrance of a new "brother" in his own way. Let's talk about it! Just

90210 Rundown: Episode 10, "Games People Play"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:30:20 -0800

Oh, 90210. You are so perplexing. On the one hand, I see sure signs of improvement, but on the other, it feels like each week makes less and less sense. It's also difficult to figure out whom I want to root for, you know? Annie is our good girl from Kansas trying to navigate the treacherous waters of the super rich, but week in and week out, I have a terribly difficult time sympathizing with her.

At least Naomi is so bad she's good. This week, her evilness is on full display, and I'd like to send a clear message to the writers: Thank you! Her scheming saves this episode. A lot goes down at Annie's sweet 16 party, including Tabitha on the mic, so let's not waste time — just

90210 Rundown: Episode Nine, "Secrets and Lies"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:31:40 -0800

This week's 902120 episode is the one in which Annie gets totally wasted . . . and it's pretty funny. I mean, underage wastedness isn't necessarily that funny, but Shenae Grimes's acting job as the drunkest girl in the room was highly entertaining. So why was good, sweet Annie hitting the bottle so hard last night? Well, she was lied to by someone she trusts, which is apparently devastating and requires tequila shots.

Meanwhile Adrianna is out of rehab and back at school, and Ryan and the undercover cop play a delicate game of teacher-student make-believe when they really just want to make out with each other. To see my thoughts on all that went down on this shortened election-night episode, just

90210 Rundown: Episode Eight, "There Is No Place Like Homecoming"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:35:55 -0700

Ah, October. The leaves are turning, the wind is gusting, and the kids of 90210 are going to the homecoming dance. It feels like a lifetime since I watched this show and have mixed emotions about its return to my Tuesday night.

I'm really glad Navid has a hefty part in this episode (as illogical as his motives may be) and also love it when they give ~~Aunt Becky~~ Debbie some juicy stuff to do besides being the nicest, prettiest mom ever. Personally, I'm still missing Brenda and Kelly and talk of Dylan, but I'm hanging in there. Ready to chat about it? Just

TV Tonight: 90210

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Hey, remember when there was this show called 90210? And it got a lot of hype, and then it premiered, and then it aired a few episodes, and maybe it was picking up steam . . . and then it disappeared into repeats for a couple of weeks. Talk about a buzzkill.

Well, tonight, 90210 is back with a new episode at last, and it has an appropriately attention-grabbing subject: Homecoming. I mean, what teen show Homecoming dance episode hasn't been fraught with drama and relationship issues since the beginning of time? For 90210's version, there looks to be some drama between Ethan, Annie, and Naomi, so hopefully that will bring out Naomi's delicious queen bee tendencies. Some more stuff will go down with Adrianna and the drugs, maybe bringing that entire story to a close (fingers crossed?). And Ryan will discover some awkward stuff about his "student"-slash-undercover cop.

Will you be tuning back into 90210 tonight? Or has the two-week break been enough for you to divorce yourself from this show for good? To watch a preview for tonight's episode (and a special bonus preview for the episode of Privileged that airs right after it, cause that's how I roll), just

90210 Rundown: Episode Seven, "Hollywood Forever"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:38:50 -0700

This week's 90210 feels like two different shows happening in the same hour. On the one hand, there is wholesome, run-of-the-mill high school stuff like the tried and true "take care of a fake baby and pretend to be married to someone to learn about life" lesson, along with kissy boyfriend/girlfriend moments. On the other hand, there are narcotics divisions and overdoses and snorting and undercover cops infiltrating West Beverly High School!

Yesterday I made some proposals on how to improve the show, and at least one of them — releasing Naomi from her family drama and getting her back to intermingling with the kids —actually happens in this episode, so that's a good sign. Also grandma was back and said some awesome stuff, and everyone else did a decent job distracting me from the fact that Brenda and Kelly are gone. So let's chat about it —

Five Ways to Fix the New 90210

BuzzSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:30:00 -0700

Well, here we are, several weeks into the new 90210, and I don't think I'm alone in feeling that it could be better. Much better. Don't get me wrong—I want to root for this reboot! It's been a lot of fun seeing Brenda and Kelly together again on my screen, and there are moments every week that make me feel like things are improving.

But it's not happening fast enough — so I thought it through and came up with five ways to fix this puppy. There's so much potential and it's not too late, if the powers that be would just take these simple recommendations:

No. 5: Increase the wardrobe budget. I have a hard time thinking of another instance when the clothing on a TV show was this distracting. This is 90210! Annie and Dixon (and the rest of us) are supposed to be awed by the extravagant threads these rich kids sport each day! As it stands, they look like most people I know who have gone a little nuts at Forever 21. A few of the outfits have been worth noting, but in general, the clothes should be way more envy-inducing. Wardrobe is key to setting the right tone and context for a teen drama, especially one with a fish-out-of-Kansas theme central to its premise.

No. 4: Speaking of which, focus in on that fish-out-of-water stuff. So far, the show lacks a certain urgency that the first 90210 had (and Gossip Girl has in spades). We need to see how high the stakes are for Annie and Dixon to fit in with this uber-wealthy, fast-moving crowd. But Annie doesn't seem to want for anything the others have, and she's had an easy time fitting in and making friends (she and Silver resolved their "issues" in a single episode!). And Dixon's already got the girl, for Pete's sake.

To see my top three, just

90210 Rundown: Episode Six, "Model Behavior"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:35:04 -0700

Last night's episode of 90210 brought cast members who usually never have a reason to share the screen together through the powers of a fashion show. This week's Gossip Girl also centered around a fashion show, but there's no talk of socialites or Marc Jacobs nor appearances by Michael Kors or Tinsley Mortimer in the Beverly Hills version. Instead, we get teachers, drama instructors, school principals, and pervy-looking older men hitting on teenagers. It felt kind of lame in comparison, no? That is, until the punching started. That part was exciting.

Also, the episode sets up what I'm assuming will become a little hiatus for Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty from the show. Boo! Are you as nervous as I am for the training wheels to come off? Can this show stand alone without the old cast and references to the original 90210? Let's discuss — just

90210 Rundown: Episode Five, "Wide Awake and Dreaming"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:46:50 -0700

Last night's episode of 90210 has me scratching my head a little bit because as the show progresses, some things get better while other things get more perplexing. There were plenty of moments that were just . . . strange. Like when Dixon gives his sister a condom. Even in the closest of brother-sister relationships, are condoms being discussed, much less handed out? I felt a little icky after watching that scene.

But hey, speaking of condoms, last night was all about Annie's journey toward doing it for the first time with a guy she won't call her boyfriend and whom she just re-decided she likes last week. The episode even opened with a hot and heavy moment between Ty and Annie — only to be revealed as a Spring Awakening rehearsal under Brenda's supervision.

We need to chat about that, as well as some other key issues, including where the heck is Navid? So, to see my thoughts,

90210 Rundown: Episode Four, "The Bubble"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:32:40 -0700

Welcome back, 90210 fans! What did you think of last night's episode? I have mixed feelings myself. There were moments last night when I was totally drawn in, and other times when I just cringed.

I was also confused by certain plot points. Such as: Why is Ryan the teacher destroying his relationship with Kelly before they even have a relationship? And why is Annie wound up so tight about guys? She just moved to this new Zip code. I feel like she should take a breath and survey the land. Oh, and was it weird that this episode was completely not racy? There was absolutely nothing illicit going on at all.

Thumbs up, though, to the return of Grandma Tabitha and the revealed identity of Kelly's son's dad! Ready to chat about it? Just

90210 Rundown: Episode Three, "Lucky Strike"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:36:49 -0700

The new 90210 was back on Tuesday with its third installment (the premiere night was technically two episodes) and I was relieved to find the pace of this one a little more digestible. I think last week, with all the introductions to a dizzying amount of characters plus tons of plot points, made it difficult to get too invested in anyone. This week they settled into the characters and let us get to know them a little bit better.

Knocks against this episode include the unfortunate absence of my favorite part of the show, Grandma Tabitha, and the stubborn refusal of the actor who plays Ethan to sufficiently emote. Also, this episode could have been titled, "This is where we cement the Wilson family as the wholesome bunch from middle America who will serve as a stark contrast to the broken homes and overall moral vacuum that is Beverly Hills — except, oh right, there's a secret son out there somewhere, but never mind about that right now."

Ready to chat about all of it? Just

Caption It: Which Caption Should Win?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:30:45 -0700

This week's Caption It came from the new 90210:Thanks to everyone for chipping in — I knew imaging a text message would be fun! Here are your finalists:

"OMGawd Brenda Walsh found out I hooked up with Dylan at Villa last night. She's outside with Donna!"

"We got higher ratings than Gossip Girl? Shut up!"

"OhMyGod I can't believe someone found out I am taking caffeine pills so I can stay up and study so I can totally get into Stansbury!"

"Hey, how do you spell 'LOL'?"

Time to vote!Photo courtesy of The CW

Caption It: Which Caption Should Win?

"OMGawd Brenda Walsh found out I hooked up with Dylan . . ."

"We got higher ratings than Gossip Girl? Shut up!"

"OhMyGod I can't believe someone found out . . ."

Hey, how do you spell 'LOL'?"

Caption It!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:30:25 -0700

Welcome to the Caption It game on BuzzSugar! Every other Wednesday, I'll post a photo still from a TV show or movie here and challenge you to think of the most hilarious caption possible. I'll announce the finalists the following Tuesday, and you'll get to vote for the best caption; the winner will get a fabulous BuzzSugar t-shirt!

Thanks to everyone for chipping in and voting for your favorite caption from last week's challenge, which was very observant:

"Yeah, man, my girlfriend's totally flipping you off!"

Congrats to misshouston!

And now onto this week's challenge, which comes from the premiere of the new 90210:

Leave your captions in the comment space below before 5 p.m. PDT on Monday, Sept. 8, to be considered for a spot in the voting round. Have fun! To see a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, just

The New 90210: What's Your Verdict?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:42:55 -0700

Well, the two-hour series premiere of the new (and improved? could that even be possible?) 90210 finally aired last night. While it sure was long — I think maybe the two-hour premiere "event" was a miscalculation, cause I was getting a little tired by the end — I was actually totally fine with it and would say that it exceeded my expectations. Granted, my expectations were low. But still: exceeded!

First of all, it was surprisingly true to its source material's tone — especially on the wholesomeness front. You might be saying, "But Buzz, there was oral sex and drugs in the first episode!" which is true . . . but I found nothing in last night's premiere shocking, did you? It certainly didn't push into crazy new territory for a teen show. And unlike the Gossip Girl universe, the kids that exist in this elite world will experience consequences and get grounded and stuff (or, you know, lose their texting privileges and coffee money)! It almost got a little after-school special-y at times; maybe it will be a better fit with the sweet Privileged than I initially thought!

You can check out our live chat about the show last night, and I've added a few more thoughts on all the new characters and plot twists if you

Let's Chat about the New 90210!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:01:15 -0700

The new 90210 just kicked off here on the West Coast, and I'm so excited — about a 9 on the 9-2-1-0 scale, in fact — to see the show that comes from these months of anticipation. What will adult Kelly be like? Will the new kids be endearing or annoying? And how scandalous will the show get? Let's get to chatting in the comments!

Photo courtesy of The CW

Watch 90210 With Me Tonight!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:42:41 -0700

Watch 90210 with Me Tonight! I can hear the theme song now! Tonight at 8 p.m., The CW will premiere its next-generation 90210. Want to watch it with me? I'll be setting up a forum here on Buzz starting at 8 p.m. PDT, so if you're a West Coaster tuning in then — or if you've watched earlier but just want to talk about it — come back at 8 and we'll get a conversation going in the comments!

Is Your Excitement For 90210 a 9 — or a 0?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:30:34 -0700

The CW is having some fun with today's date, premiering its new version of 90210 with a two-hour premiere tonight, Sept. 2 — you know, 9-02. Now, if they really wanted to have fun with it, they'd save the show for a couple of years so it could premiere on 9-02-10. It really couldn't be more appropriate than that — especially because 90208 isn't even a real Zip code! But since that's highly unlikely at this point, I figure we might as well have a little bit of fun with the date, too. So, tell me, where does your excitement for the show fall on the 9-2-1-0 scale? Photo courtesy of The CW

Is Your Excitement For 90210 a 9 — or a 0?

Shenae Grimes on Being "The New Brenda" (or Not) on 90210

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:30:10 -0700

One week from today, we'll get to see what this updated 90210 is really all about. For some more hints, I spent some time at the TCA press tour chatting with star Shenae Grimes — who previously played Darcy Edwards on Degrassi: The Next Generation — about her role as Annie Wilson, the new girl in the hottest zip code around. Here are highlights:

Did you ever watch the original 90210?
Yeah, my mom raised me on that show. I watched it all my life.

So what did you think when you first heard there was going to be a new 90210?
I thought, awesome! Super excited to watch it. And then when they called me to audition on tape, I was like, ha! OK, whatever, if I can find the time — it doesn't matter if I put it down or not, cause no one's gonna see it, whatever. And I crammed to put it down one day, got a call the next day saying — I actually auditioned for Silver originally, and then I got a call the next day saying, "They want to try you out for Annie." I was like, what? Whoa, hold on, step back for a minute. Literally never thought I'd hear anything ever again. I didn't even think the tape would get watched. But things happened, and here I am, and it's the most surreal thing in the world for a kid from Canada.

You did several seasons on Degrassi. Being a kid from Canada, where Degrassi is a big deal, what was that like?
Degrassi's the be-all and end-all for Toronto's youth actors. There's not a lot of great material at home, and the stuff that there is, it's cute, but you're always playing 14-year-olds. No one has roles that are hearty and challenging for young actors there. So Degrassi was really it. I mean, that's the show that everybody's trying to get on. I finally did, and I had to work my way up the food chain, and it took me a few years to "prove myself" for my producers, but I finally did, and I felt like, seventh season, I had the best storylines in the world. It doesn't get much more challenging than that. I felt like it was time for me to, you know, step off a little bit and let some of the new kids come in, cause it's the pinnacle for young actors.

More from Grimes on Degrassi and 90210, so

Tristan Wilds on Moving From Baltimore to Beverly Hills

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:15:49 -0700

One of the biggest reasons I'm excited for the new 90210 is the casting of Tristan Wilds. For two seasons on The Wire, Wilds played Michael, a tough and complex kid from the Baltimore streets. It was an incredibly nuanced performance from someone so young, one that had me hanging on his every word. When I heard someone that talented was making 90210 his new TV home as Dixon, the adopted son of Debbie and Harry Wilson (Lori Loughlin and Rob Estes), it made me take notice.

At the CW's party at the TCA press tour, I chatted with Wilds about making the transition from Baltimore to Beverly Hills. Here are highlights:

How did you find 90210 — or how did 90210 find you?
My manager called me and told me about 90210. I was a little skeptical about it, but I definitely wanted to show that I had a broader range than just Michael. Of course, when I went out for it, I found out that Dixon isn't really that much different than Michael. They both grew up with a really bad beginning — Dixon has been in and out of group homes his whole life, landed in Kansas, got into a little fight over something that got him in real trouble and that was going to send him to a juvenile detention center until the Wilsons came in and rescued him. They adopted him, so they saved him in a place where Michael really needed to be saved.

When you told your friends from The Wire that you were going to be on 90210, what did they say?
Actually, all they were saying was, "Really, you're on 90210? Wow!" They were all giving me accolades and all that. It was great.

What's it like going from a show like The Wire, which had a lot of acclaim but maybe not the viewers, to something like 90210 that has so much buzz?
It has so much buzz, and the way that we're shooting it — it's going to be edgy, it's going to be a little bit racy, but it's going to show the real lives of teenagers. Every character is a different aspect of teenagers' lives. I think that every teenager will be able to identify themselves with at least one character on the show.

To learn whether Wilds watched the original 90210 and what his experience was like on The Wire,

Link Time! 8/19

BuzzSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:39:13 -0700

They're not going to allow TV critics to screen the 90210 spinoff in advance, and at least one critic thinks this makes perfect sense. — Popwatch
Bands based on Harry Potter and Twilight pave the road for future movie-inspired rockers. — MTV Movies Blog
A new Danish sitcom, The Terror Cell, follows the lives of terrorists conspiring in Denmark. Yeah, sitcom. — CitizenSugar
Anna Faris has a lot to say about being producer, creator, and star of House Bunny. — E!'s Lyons Den
Check out a newer, longer, juicier trailer for the next season of Heroes. — TV With MeeVee
Here are the top 10 TV faces to watch this Fall, according to one blogger. — TV Addict
There's a brand new track by TV on the Radio, available for your ears. — Stereogum
Daniel Radcliffe is going nude in a Harry Potter movie?! — Cinematical

Photos courtesy of The CW

Buzz News Roundup, 8/11

BuzzSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:30:51 -0700

The Office has been given the key post-Super Bowl time slot and will air a one-hour episode following the game, Entertainment Weekly reports.
According to ComingSoon, Steve Buscemi and Romany Malco will star together in Saint John of Las Vegas, a loose adaptation of Dante's Inferno.
Tori Spelling has no deal to appear on 90210 and her desired salary may be the sticking point, E! reports.
Sara Gilbert is joining the cast of The Big Bang Theory after a successful guest-starring gig, Zap2it reports.
Dennis Hopper will get his own exhibit in France where, apparently, he is highly revered, writes Variety.
Clarke Peters and Wendell Pierce — aka Freamon and Bunk from The Wire — are joining Treme, David Simon's new HBO pilot about New Orleans, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Variety has the news that director Chris Columbus is readying a film about Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential run.
24 producer Carlos Coto and Brett Ratner are working on an action-comedy for Fox titled Wild Boys, which will follow "ex-soldiers turned suburban dads," ComingSoon reports.
Matthew Bomer — aka Bryce Larkin from Chuck and Jay from Traveler — has been cast in the lead of a USA series called White Collar, writes The Hollywood Reporter.

Photo courtesy of NBC

New 90210 Promos: Bikinis, Kisses, and Kelly Taylor

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 06:30:28 -0700

One of these days, I'll open the mail, and in it will be the pilot of the new 90210, and then I'll be the happiest girl alive. But since that day hasn't come yet, at least I have a couple of new promos and a boatload of pictures of the new cast to help satisfy my curiosity.

The biggest thing these new ads show: Jennie Garth as Kelly Taylor, all grown up! OK, so we see her for a split second, and half of her one line is delivered off-camera, but still: Kelly Taylor! It's fun to see. Also nice: A few more shots of the sun-drenched, bikini-clad kids living the high life in the fanciest zip code in the country. (No action shots of Dustin Milligan surfing yet, though — but I've got a photo of it in the gallery.) Also, my worries that Shenae Grimes might come off as a bit too whiny are balanced by my sheer delight every time Tristan Wilds smiles — so for now at least, it's all good. I also have to give the ad designers props for dropping the final "-10" from the show's title at the end of the ad, leaving "9.02" — the show's premiere date. Clever, clever.

To check out the videos and images for yourself and tell me how you think the new 90210 is shaping up, just

Joe E. Tata Kisses and Tells How He Came to the New 90210

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:45:43 -0700

I'm just gonna come right out and say this: Joe E. Tata, aka Nat from the Peach Pit on 90210, kissed me. Twice. They were both just pecks on the cheek, but that doesn't change the facts: That Nat, he's a kisser.

At the time of the kisses, Tata was presiding over a Peach Pit-themed breakfast to promote the 90210 spinoff at the TCA press tour. Besides his more romantic inclinations, Tata also chatted with me a bit about his return to the Zip code that made him famous. Here are some highlights:

What was it like getting the call saying, "We're bringing 90210 back, and we want Nat"?
I was on the ceiling. First of all, when I heard that — they always said, "We're gonna do a movie." Well, eight years went by, and I'm still waiting for the movie! Where's this movie?

What have you been doing for the past eight years?
I went to Europe, did a couple of films there. I was so glad to come home.

There was a rumor seven or eight years ago that you were going to open up a string of Peach Pit restaurants. What happened there?
We had a giant, big attorney. It took too long. . . . We had the plans and everything done, and then, the attorneys!

To see what Tata had to say about the new cast, just

90210 + Freaks and Geeks: A Match Made in Heaven?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:30:00 -0700

At first glance, Freaks and Geeks and 90210 wouldn't appear to have a lot in common. One was a hyper-realistic drama that told quiet stories about high school life and was canceled after a handful of episodes. The other was a massively popular soap that looked at teenage years through a glamorous lens.

But Freaks and this Fall's bright, shiny reboot of 90210 share one big thing: their writers. Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah made a splash on Freaks and created the little-seen (but much loved, at least by me) Life as We Know It for ABC. Now, at the helm of one of this Fall's most highly anticipated shows, the two are looking to reinvent the teen show yet again.

At the TCA press tour, Sachs and Judah talked about what compelled them to take on the project and how they'll try to keep this round of Beverly Hills stories grounded in reality. Can they pull it off? I'm now more excited than ever to see them try. To see what they had to say about how they plan to meld their style with the CW's fast-paced glam, just

It's Official: Brenda's Back!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:40:46 -0700

We haven't yet seen the last of Brenda Walsh. At the TCA press tour this morning, 90210 producers Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah confirmed that Shannen Doherty has a deal to return to the show as Brenda.

"She'll be the guest director of our musical," Sachs said — which several of the cast members seemed to think was a joke at first. ("I have questions!" exclaimed AnnaLynne McCord, who plays bad girl Naomi.) But it's totally true. As Judah said after the session, the producers met with Doherty and pitched her several ideas, one of which was the drama teacher story. She'll be helping the cast put on Spring Awakening, though Judah wouldn't go so far as to say Doherty will be signing or dancing.

A CW press release filled in Brenda's backstory a bit more: after the original 90210 wrapped up, Brenda headed to London to study acting, became a successful actress in London and New York, and then moved into directing. West Beverly High managed to petition her to return as a guest director. The deal makes Doherty the fourth original cast member to make the transition to the new show: Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, and Peach Pit proprietor Joe E. Tata will also be back.

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 6/13

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:45:42 -0700

George Clooney will produce and possibly star in The Tourist, an international spy thriller, Variety reports.
Jason Priestley wants a job on the new 90210 — but as a director, not an actor, TV Guide reports.
Amanda Peet will star alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor in the post-apocalyptic film 2012, according to Zap2it.
Natasha Bedingfield will open for New Kids on the Block on the band's reunion tour, Billboard reports.
The Futon Critic has details on Dating Brad Garrett, the actor's new online dating series.
JJ Abrams' upcoming series Fringe is getting a comic book prequel before its September premiere, ComingSoon reports.

Coldplay's new album is selling well in the UK ahead of its Tuesday release in the US, Reuters reports.
Warren Beatty has received a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute, the Associated Press reports.

Source

Link Time! 5/27

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:49:29 -0700

Well, it's completely official now: Tori Spelling will join the cast of the CW's 90210 spinoff series. BestWeekEver marvels that they were able to drag her away from her busy schedule.
TV Squad has the top five TV show "nominees" for this year's Put Me Out of This Misery Awards, including According to Jim and Last Call With Carson Daly.
According to Wired's Underwire blog, Joss Whedon fans are already planning their strategy for keeping Dollhouse on the air — before the show has even premiered on TV!
FilmExperience asks us to take some wild guesses at which movies might receive Best Picture nods at next year's Oscars. Oliver Stone's W, perhaps, or Gus Van Sant's Milk?
Give Me My Remote has video clips of Robert Muraine's audition from this week's So You Think You Can Dance.
Stereogum has the fast-paced, super fun new track by Sigur Ros.
Check out TV With MeeVee's thoughts on A&E's updated version of The Andromeda Strain.
Cinematical is highly amused that the latest Indiana Jones movie is annoying some Russian Communists.
Popwatch has a lovely post about Sydney Pollack, including a great video clip from Tootsie.

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First Look: The New 90210 Gets a Promo Video

BuzzSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:24:42 -0700

"You wanna live in the zip. . . you gotta live by the code."

Yup, that's the super cheesarific tag line at the end of this new promo video for the CW's resurrection/retooling of 90210 (which just found a dad in former Melrose Place guy Rob Estes). The beginning of the promo made me howl with laughter as the classic theme music starts up again and the new kids basically reenact parts of the original 90210 intro. This quickly ends, though, and we launch into the little interviews with the cast of the show.

The most bizarre part of all is seeing Jessica Walter in this setting, since she will always and forever and ever be Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development in my eyes. I hope she gets to provide a lot of the funny lines in this show.

Anyway, to get a glimpse at the new Beverly Hills kids (and parents),

The CW's Fall Schedule: Rich Kids and Beverly Hills

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:02:45 -0700

Hmmm, think the CW knows its target demographic? At its upfront presentation today, the network introduced several new shows that seem to appeal to the same audience that tunes in for, say, Gossip Girl.

One of those shows is the 90210 remake, now known simply as 90210 (pictured above), which will pair on Tuesday nights with another show about wealthy teens, Surviving the Filthy Rich. We first heard about the latter show when it was still called How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls; like Gossip Girl, it's based on an Alloy Entertainment book, this time focusing on a young woman who serves as live-in tutor to a couple of wealthy Palm Beach twins. The network also officially unveiled Stylista, a reality show about the fashion magazine world produced by Tyra Banks and starring Elle magazine's Anne Slowey.

Also notable: The CW is almost completely out of the comedy business, moving its two remaining comedies (Everybody Hates Chris and The Game) to Friday nights. Sundays, meanwhile, have been outsourced to another company that will create original programming to air on the CW.

As rumored earlier this week, Reaper will indeed be returning, with 13 episodes scheduled for midseason. Aliens in America, meanwhile, didn't make the cut. Here's the CW's full press release, and you can see the schedule and descriptions of the new shows if you

Are You Excited for the New 90210?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:30:01 -0700

It's official: The 90210 spinoff — now known as simply 90210 — will be on our TVs this Fall. Jennie Garth is absolutely on board to reprise her role as Kelly Taylor, now a Beverly Hills High guidance counselor, confirming some buzz we heard a while back. And there are still rumors that Tori Spelling could join the show as well. The news about this spinoff has been coming fast and furious from the moment it was announced, so now that we know so much about a show that hasn't aired even a single episode, I have to ask: Are you excited for 90210? Or are you sick of it already? Source

Are You Excited for the New 90210?

Yes, I'm excited! I can't wait to see this remake.

No, I'm over it! I truly could not care less.

I'm not sure yet. I might watch, but I'm not holding my breath.

Other (tell me below)

Buzz News Roundup, 5/5

BuzzSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:33:13 -0700

According to Variety, the next Terminator movie will attempt to broaden its audience with a PG-13 rating.
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has signed a huge deal with Fox that makes him the highest-paid writer-producer in television, Reuters reports.
Tom Waits has announced Summer tour dates via a bizarre faux press conference, Billboard reports.
The Hollywood Reporter has the mind-boggling news that Tristan Wilds (Michael from The Wire) is joining the cast of the 90210 spinoff. Another actor, Michael Steger, has also been cast.

Meanwhile, TV Guide has news that Brea Grant, who played Landry's rebound girl on Friday Night Lights, has been cast as a Heroes character with the power of superspeed.
Amy Winehouse won't be recording the new Bond movie theme after all, writes Variety.
Billboard announces that Nine Inch Nails is offering a free download of its new album, The Slip.

Source

90210 Spinoff Adds Three More to Its Cast

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:41:04 -0700

Yeah, yeah, I rolled my eyes a little too when I heard Lori Loughlin had been cast as the mom in the 90210 spinoff. But today's spate of casting news has me feeling much, much better about this little project. Witness the following:

Canadian cutie Shenae Grimes will play the lead teen, Annie Mills, an emo drama nerd trying to make it big with the cool crowd. OK, so that might not mean anything to you . . . unless you're a big fan of Degrassi: The Next Generation. Her character, Darcy, was stalked online, drugged at a party, and involved with breaking another cheerleader's leg on purpose, so she should be well prepared for the craziness of Beverly Hills. (Also, this was the role the producers were reportedly hoping Hilary Duff would take — so, whether this is good or bad news might depend on your feelings about Hilary Duff.)
Jessica Walter, aka Lucille Bluth, will play family matriarch Tabitha Mills, the alcoholic ex-actress who was linked to Warren Beatty in her heyday. She's the impetus for bringing her son, Harry, and his wife (Celia, Loughlin's character) back to 90210. See, I told you it was a good week for Arrested Development alumni.
There aren't a lot of details about this last piece of news yet, but Ryan Eggold — whom I fell a little bit in love with as Farber Kaufman on Dirt this season — has apparently also been cast. TV Guide describes his role just as "the teacher," Ryan. But just knowing I have another place to catch Eggold is good enough for me.

Does any of this warm your heart toward the spinoff? Or are you still a skeptic?

Source and Source

Buzz News Roundup, 4/28

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:30:01 -0700

Lori Loughlin is set to play the mother in the CW's 90210 spinoff, TV Guide reports.
And, says Variety, The CW officially wants Hilary Duff on board to play Loughlin's daughter.
NME has the scoop on a new free music streaming website for Sony/BMG artists.
Angela Bassett will check into ER to play a doctor in the drama's final season, Zap2it reports.
Brothers & Sisters and Ugly Betty were repeat winners at the GLAAD Media Awards over the weekend, the Associated Press reports.
Paste reports that the next issue of McSweeney's DVD magazine Wholphin will feature a short film starring Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel and written by Michael Chabon.
The Coen Bros. film Burn After Reading will open the Venice Film Festival in August before premiering in the U.S. on Sept. 12, writes the Hollywood Reporter.

Source

Jennie Garth Leaves CBS Pilot . . . For 90210?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:30:55 -0700

Could the 90210 spinoff be getting one of the original residents of the zip code to join the cast? That's the speculation after Jennie Garth left her CBS pilot suddenly after a read-through on Monday.

Garth was supposed to play the female lead in My Best Friend's Girl, a comedy about tension that develops between two best friends when one starts dating the other's wife, but she left in what was described as "a mutual decision." And the Hollywood Reporter says Rob Thomas, who wrote the original script for the spinoff, had been courting her to return as Kelly Taylor — possibly playing a fashion design teacher at Beverly Hills High.

The story notes that Garth might have left the CBS show for other reasons, including the recent death of her father. But let's just go with the 90210 speculation for a moment: Would that be a step up for the show — or a step down for Garth? Would you be more or less inclined to watch the spinoff if Kelly Taylor were a regular on your TV screen again? After all, she was one of your favorites . . .

Meanwhile, Tori Spelling desperately wants to join the show, which seems like it just spells disaster all around. No word yet on whether she's been contacted by the producers, but for some reason, I'm going to guess no.

Source

Link Time! 4/15

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:30:27 -0700

BestWeekEver has the new poster for Beverly Hills Chihuahua and has declared voting for the 2008 Oscars officially closed.
In celebration of tax day, TV Filter has a tribute to TV's greatest accountants.
Lucky lady PopSugarUK got to see Bjork live! Check out her thoughts here, and stay tuned for her reports from the upcoming Breeders concert.
Popwatch has posted a hilarious challenge: sum up classic movies in three lines.
TV Squad has a list of 10 awkward TV moments, and amazingly, only one is from The Office.
According to CasaSugar, Sting's NYC condo unit is freaking awesome.
TV With MeeVee wonders who really likes The Price is Right enough to buy a box set.
Give Me My Remote is less excited about the 90210 spinoff now that Rob Thomas isn't writing it anymore, but The TV Addict has some better news with a photo of cast addition AnnaLynne McCord.

Link Time! 4/1

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:35:29 -0700

Give Me My Remote introduces us to the first resident of the new Beverly Hills, 90210: this guy (Dustin Milligan, pictured at right)!
Cinematical has a heads up on the essential reading list to get everyone brushed up on all things Batman before The Dark Knight comes out this summer.
Vulture lists 10 terrible music slumps, including dark periods from Madonna, Bob Dylan, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The Film Experience also braved a viewing of the atrocity that is Amy Heckerling's I Could Never Be Your Woman, just as I did. I feel validated.
The idea of Chris Cornell as an indie rocker just about blew Idolator's mind.
Stereogum has the latest kooky, colorful music video from Bjork.
On the 45th (!) anniversary of General Hospital, a TV Squad writer lists off six things that keep her tuning in daily.
Want to talk Dancing with the Stars? TV Cocktail is your place.
In light of the upcoming Tina Fey-Amy Poehler comedy Baby Mama, LilSugar wants to know: Would you consider being a surrogate?
If you're feeling paranoid today, Pop Candy has a list of some of the biggest April Fool's pranks on the web. Don't get fooled!

Source

Rob Thomas = The New Josh Schwartz?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:32:06 -0700

OK, so it's not like Josh Schwartz needs to be replaced — with Gossip Girl and Chuck both coming back for second seasons, the OC ingenue is doing just fine, thanks. But Rob Thomas, creator of the late, great Veronica Mars, seems like he's about to give Schwartz a run for his money for the title of busiest man in TV.

We were impressed when Schwartz got two pilots last season; Thomas now has three: a remake of his own 1998 show, Cupid for ABC; a Beverly Hills, 90210 spinoff for the CW; and, most recently, a remake of New Zealand's Outrageous Fortune, also for ABC. Whew.

It's not just the sheer volume of work that makes me think Thomas is the Schwartz of this year's pilot season. They've got some other things in common, too:

They both discover unheralded young talent. Schwartz gets to claim Mischa Barton, Rachel Bilson, Adam Brody, and a big chunk of the cast of Gossip Girl. But Thomas has a big-time rising star in his own back pocket: Kristen Bell. Does one sassy teen detective trump a whole quiver of rich kids?
They both write great teen heroines. Thomas' Veronica Mars experience is what gives me hope for the 90210 project, while Schwartz takes the Dawson's Creek-style "nobody talks like that, but man, I wish they did" dialogue to a whole new level.
They both respond well to adversity. Just months after Schwartz's first show was canceled, he was back with two pilots — both of which have gone on to become buzzed-about series. Thomas spent his year post-Veronica Mars bouncing around various ABC shows (Big Shots, Miss/Guided), but now he's found his footing by reworking three older series — including one of his own that he wants to do better.

Not to mention, if networks keep pushing so hard for reality programming, pretty soon a huge percentage of our comedies and dramas will be written by these two guys. To see a short promo for the show Thomas most recently signed on to remake, about a criminal family that tries to go legit, just