As much as I’d like to really get into the recent rumors swirling around original 90210 cast member Shannon Doherty returning to the zip code that made her famous, or is it infamous? This TV Addict has to run downtown for his weekly appearance talking television on FLOW 93.5 [at 8:20am on the off chance you’re in radio range].
So check back later in the day — after this TV Addict gulps down numerous cups of coffee — for my fully formed thoughts on why Brenda returning to Beverly Hills reeks of desperation and how this CW 90210 re-boot is starting to smell like the biggest flop since New Coke.
[Update 10:00AM]: Now that I’m back from my weekly radio gig on FLOW 93.5, which by the way you can listen to by pressing the ‘play’ button at the bottom of the post, allow me to elaborate on my lack of excitement for Shannon Doherty’s rumored return.
Simply put, it’s not going to happen.
Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t dare imply that Michael Ausiello played fast and loose with his ‘scoop’ in an effort to start his new gig at Entertainment Weekly off with a bang. Because that my friends is what we in the business call slander. Rather I believe Ausiello’s so-called ‘mole at the Peach Pit’ is a source at the CW intent on keeping 90210: TNG at the top of the headlines until the show premieres this fall. Because if we’re to believe the rumors, and really folks, if it’s on the internet, it must be true — the network has one more season to shape up [read: attract an audience] before time officially runs out on the grand experiment that is the CW.
But back to Brenda.
As I’ve mentioned before, the original cast of BEVERLY HILLS 90210 is pretty much responsible for my slight addiction to television and by extension, theTVaddict.com [which depending on your point of view is either a really good thing, or a really bad thing!] That said, the never-ending talk of 90210: TNG bringing original cast members back into the fold has raised a red flag on what was already a risky proposition to begin with.
Do the proverbial ‘Powers That Be’ not realize that for the new 90210 to truly be successful, it’s going to have to be able to stand on its own two feet. In other words, when is the hype machine going to start up for new characters Annie Mills, Dixon Ward and Silver? After-all, old school fans like myself already spent a decade watching Kelly fall victim to burns, bruises and breakups, Donna lose her virginity and Brenda be that ‘B’ word [rhymes with Witch!]. Setting up the new series as a revolving door for original cast to re-live their fifteen minutes of fame is just setting up the show for failure.
Not to mention that ensuring the Peach Pit is wheelchair accessible for Andrea sounds really expensive. 
