Beverly Hills, 90210 was one of the most popular teen dramas during the early 1990s. It ran for ten years (from 1990 to 2000), and had all but changed its entire principal cast by the end of the show's run. It is generally agreed that the show declined in quality after the cast graduated high school.The show focused primarily on the Walsh family, particularly fraternal twins Brandon and Brenda, who had just moved into Beverly Hills and were (at least initially) suffering a certain degree of culture shock. It is worth noting that the Walshes were the only original characters absent in the finale. The action also included the twins' friends Dylan, Steve, Andrea, Kelly, Donna, and David. The show managed to touch on almost all social issues, including drug use, drunk driving, rape, unprotected sex, abortion, and even apartheid. (There is a persistent rumor that Spelling wanted to license a U.S. version of the Degrassi franchise but was turned down by that show's producers).The show's casting includes some of the most dramatic examples of Dawson Casting in recent memory, to the point where many sites often refer to the trope as "90210 Syndrome". Luke Perry was 25 when he began playing Dylan as a junior; even worse, Gabrielle Carteris (Andrea), was 29 playing 16.Had a Spin-Off in Melrose Place (which itself had a less successful spin off in Models, Inc.) and a more recent Sequel Series simply titled 90210. The new series is mostly focused on a new cast of characters though Donna and Brenda have made cameo appearances and Kelly is an important reccurring character. Also Kelly's sister, main character (Erin) Silver is technically from the original.
Dawson Casting: In the extreme, to the point where this trope is often called "90210 Syndrome" outside of this wiki.
Though there were some aversions (Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling and a few others), the straight examples were very extreme (Most infamous was Gabrielle Carteris who was twenty-nine when she started on the show).
Distressed Damsel: Kelly Taylor to the extreme. Raped, burned, placed in a cult, pregnant/miscarried, addicted to cocaine, sleeping with everyone (but David), shot, and so on.
Domestic Abuser: Ray Pruitt repeatedly abuses Donna. Most infamously, he pushes her down a flight of stairs, semi-accidentally.
Dump Them All: In the original Beverly Hills 90210, this is how Kelly resolves the Dylan/Brandon love triangle. "I choose me!"
Remember the New Guy: Valerie Malone, who arrived on the show following Brenda's exit, was introduced as a lifelong friend of the Walshes. Her existence had never been acknowledged prior. Also principal Harry Wilson was introduced as Kelly Taylor's never-before-seen-or-mentioned neighbour and life-long friend. See, photoshopped picture, so it must be true.
Revolving Door Casting: Relatively limited in the earlier years, but by the end the show had gone through many, many cast changes.
Self Harm: In one episode, Donna finds her assistant cutting herself, after suspecting it. She tries to help her, eventually persuading her to get therapy.
Special Guest: Various musical performers, including Babyface.
Spoiled Sweet: Even though Kelly and Donna were both spoiled rich kids (and maybe somewhat shallow), neither one of them really had any Alpha Bitch qualities.
Their First Time: Dylan and Brenda, on prom night. Others had their first time during the course of the series too, but theirs was particularly highlighted.
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Naomi certainly does want Liam. Annie seems to either genuinely not like him, or denying/hiding the fact. Regardless, she'll fall soon with the way things are going.
Ambiguously Jewish: Silver is half-Jewish through her father's side, which traditionally would be the wrong side to make her Jewish but she did sit shiva for her mother (though this could be a case of the writers forgetting Jackie was never Jewish in the original series.)
Annie (Betty) and Naomi (Veronica), with Ethan (Archie).
Ivy (Betty) and Naomi (Veronica), with Liam (Archie).
Rhonda (Veronica) and Annie (Betty), with Ethan (Archie again).
Genderflipped with Navid (Betty) and Teddy(Veronica), with Adrianna (Archie).
Then Teddy (Veronica) and Dixon (Betty), with Silver (Archie).
Alpha Bitch: Naomi isn't all bad, and unlike a lot of Libbies she does have a genuinely nicer side, but she can still be an absolute bitch much of the time (and her sister is far worse.)
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Jen seemed like a nice, caring older sister to Naomi in her first appearance. Right until we learn that she slept with Ethan while he and Naomi were together (she would later go on to sleep with Liam while he was dating Naomi and blame Annie for it).
Annie and Dixon's cousin Emily seemed like a sweet, innocent girl who looked up to Annie at first. Then she turned all of Annie's friends against her, tried to steal Liam away from her, got Annie fired from her internship, and suspended from school... all while pulling the Wounded Gazelle Gambit.
Book Dumb: A rare female example - Naomi is of more or less average intelligence but it's frequently mentioned that's she's a poor student.
Calling the Old Man Out: When Navid's father blames him for revealing information that led to the police investigating him for child pornography, Navid told his father that it happened because he (the father) broke the law.
Chekhov's Gunman: After Oscar completes his revenge on Laurel, he stays around to help Naomi against Mr. Cannon.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Many characters, most notably Kelly Taylor and her son, Oscar and Mark Driscott.
Competence Zone: As of season four Navid and Silver play surrogate parents to Navid's sister Leila - who is all of a year younger than them but who acts and is treated like a 14 year old.
Complete Monster: Mr. Cannon, He raped Naomi, Tried to rape Silver, took them both hostage and presumably DID THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL!
Disappeared Dad: The show loves this trope to the point of Unfortunate Implications - Ivy, Naomi (and thus also Jen), Liam, Adrianna, Silver, Sammy (Kelly's son) and most recently Navid, Annie and Dixon all have absent fathers. In fact none of the teenage cast have fathers much involved in their lives by late Season 3.
Dude, Not Funny!: Adrianna says her mom is desperate to be Dina Lohan while high. Dina Lohan is probably the last person any mom wants to compared to.
Estranged Soap Family: Big time, even excluding those relatives who departed on bad terms. Notable examples include Naomi's mother Tracy who has not appeared since 2009 despite her daughter being raped, scammed out of her money by a cult, expelled from high school and nearly getting married.
Executive Meddling: Season two drops Ethan and focuses a lot more on the new characters rather than the old cast. That's cleverly done for Kelly's mother's funeral as it's not shown and Silver comments that a lot of people that knew her but she didn't know attended.
Expy: At least initially the Wilsons where clearly intended to invoke the Walshes from the original series (Annie especially was very obviously the new Brenda) though it's lessened with time.
Fake Nationality: Michael Steger is a mix of several nationalities but Iranian(or anything Arabic) is not one of them.
Four Girl Ensemble: Annie is the sweet naive girl, Silver is the Deadpan Snarker, Adrianna is the one obsessed with glamor and fame, and Naomi serves as the cool big sister figure for the group.
Huge Schoolgirl: Silver - Jessica Stroup is 5'8, which isn't so noticeable next to the only slightly shorter (and usually high heel clad) AnnaLynne McCord. But when standing next to the petite and waifish Shenae Grimes can look unintentionally hilarious.
Karma Houdini: Arguably Annie, whose punishment for a fatal hit and run (which she covered up for a whole year) is a couple of months of (offscreen) house arrest.
Out of Focus: Navid was nominally a main character from the first episode on but he had very little to do early in Season 1 before eventually being linked with Adrianna (who oddly was not an official main character at first but had a lot of early focus). In Season 2 and 3 Matthews is frequently out of focus.
Taking the Heat: Austin took the blame for arson to protect Annie. Neither of them actually did it but the fire was started by Annie's friend Bree who was destroying evidence both she and Annie had been prostitutes; had Annie fingered Bree she would also have to reveal her own brush with prostitution and would have faced being kicked out of college at a minimum. Austin decided that Annie had more to live for so 'confessed' to get her off the hook.
Teens are Short: Both averted and played straight - the teenage characters have a decent range of heights and the tallest male and female characters (Teddy and Silver) are teens but Ivy, Annie, Adrianna and more recently Holly are all much shorter than their parents.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Done with Annie's cousin Emily. Emily tells Annie's friends that she said a bunch of mean things about them (which wasn't true). When Annie calls her on this, Emily pretends to cry in front Annie's friends (who of course, side with Emily). Emily also trashes her own dressing room at the internship Annie works at and makes it look like Annie did it. The result? Emily is believed to be the victim and Annie is fired.
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