Channel Surfing: 90210, MELROSE PLACE & THE GOOD WIFE

Thank to yet another stellar outing, this TV Addict is officially ready to crown 90210 the season’s most improved player. But in lieu of a crown — which alas, this little-blog-that-could most definitely can’t afford — we hope the CW and new showrunner Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair will accept something far more valuable: A mea culpa. After-all, when we’re wrong, we’re wrong. Which is why we’re willing to admit that in-spite of stars Annalynne McCord and Trevor Donovan looking like they’re 17 going on 30, we currently find ourselves growing surprisingly attached to them both. Particularly McCord, whose desperate attempt to weasel her way into California University last night by morphing from Naomi Clark into Naomi Klein had us in stitches. Meanwhile, Shenae Grimes’ Annie Mills is not only far less annoying this season, she has us genuinely concerned for her safety. And by that we mean, is it possible for new friend Jasper to give off anymore of a creepy Beaver Cassidy Casablancas Neptune High circa 2006 vibe? (RIP: VERONICA MARS) Call us crazy, but we’re starting to wonder if Jasper’s Uncle may have been dead before Annie drove away from her personal prom nightmare!

And while we’re on the subject of killing, it’s killing this TV Addict that more of you aren’t jumping on the MELROSE PLACE bandwagon. Do you know how embarrassed Ella must feel knowing that a mere 1.6 million of you showed up to her birthday last night. What’s worse, only 900,000 advertiser friendly good-looking 18-49 years old bothered to attend? Which means the millions of you that weren’t nodding off to NCIS: LOS ANGELES missed: A very revealing flashback that had a thoughtful and caring Sydney Andrews take a young and naive Ella Simms under her wing (Or as Syd put it, from Uggs to Manolos!), an increasingly adorable Riley and Jonah and most exciting of all, med student/lady-of-the-night Lauren Yang get in bed (Not literally of course, that desperate storyline has already been reserved for HEROES) with Hollywood Madame Wendi (Played by who else.. NIP/TUCK’s Kelly Carlson). It was a hoot (and kinda hawt), so why not drop by next Tuesday at 9PM on the CW (10PM on GlobalTV in Canada)

And finally, in this world of Lindsays, Britneys and that freaky youngest brother from HOME IMPROVEMENT, it’s nice to know that not all child stars go bad. Which is why it was such a treat to see Spencer Treat Clark (Gladiator, Unbreakable, Mystic River) doing a fine job playing a murder suspect on last night’s GOOD WIFE. Take note young cast members of MODERN FAMILY and THE MIDDLE. Not all roads have to lead to VH1’s CELEBRITY REHAB.