Tuesday, September 9, 2008

My Secret Shame

Ok. I cop to Real World/Road Rules Challenges (which kicks off a new season tomorrow night!). I love 'em. I live for 'em. They are my guilty television pleasure. Number One with a bullet. And I also admit that in the long months between Infernos and Gauntlets and Fresh Meats, I have turned to others. While my Coral and CT are away, I have found comfort in the arms of Bravo's Kathy Griffin and Million Dollar Listing. Yeah, it's embarrassing, but it gets me through the night. But the CW's 90210 has totally caught me off guard.

Teenager hyper-dramas are usually the providence of my wife's viewing domain. I scoffed at her Dawson's Creek. I chided her Gilmore Girls. I outright laughed at her Charmed. But I watched the 90210 series premier two-parter with her last week and was completely smitten. I wasn't a huge fan of Beverly Hills, 90210. I watched the original show for most of its run I suppose, but that was more out of habit than affection. Yet somehow the hooks for this new generation, with silly nods towards the original show, have sunk deep right out of the chute.

I feel about this show the same way I felt while reading Adam Nimoy's book: I shouldn't like this, I don't for the life of me understand why I like it, but I can't wait for the next episode to air!

Don't get me wrong. This thing has flaws that stretch for miles -- plot holes, apparently only one teacher on staff at West Beverly High, predictable storylines, the same horrible acting and delivery of lines by Nat at the Peach Pit. But I am completely and totally sucked in.


The DVR is set up to record this thing every Tuesday night, but tonight it's up against the double-length premiere of J.J. Abram's Fringe. I don't think I can wait even one extra night for my 90210 fix, and I know my wife is really looking forward to checking out Fringe. So it may make for a late night of viewing tonight, and we watch one of them in real-time and the other on delay. The sacrifices we make...