Beverly Hills, 90210 is a media franchise created by Darren Star and owned by CBS Studios, comprising the American television series Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990); Melrose Place (1992); Models Inc. (1994); 90210 (2008); Melrose Place (2009); and the 2019 revival BH90210, which takes place outside of the franchise continuity.
The continuity, which progresses in real time, was introduced in 1990 with the debut of Darren Star's teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210, which was produced by Aaron Spelling and initially aired on the FOX television network in the United States. After this series became a worldwide success in 1991, Star expanded the franchise with 1992's Melrose Place, a drama about young adults in Los Angeles. The third series, Models Inc., aired from June 1994 to March 1995.
The fourth entry, simply titled 90210, was developed by Rob Thomas, Gabe Sachs, and Jeff Judah, and premiered on The CW on September 2, 2008. On September 8, 2009, the fifth series, a follow-up to Melrose Place, also debuted on The CW, and concluded in April 2010.
The franchise has been generally well received among young audiences. Some characters have appeared in multiple shows throughout the continuity. Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, and Ian Ziering are the only actors who appeared in a show's entire run, while Grant Show appeared in all three of the original series.
In February 2019, it was announced that a six-episode revival, set outside of continuity, had been ordered by FOX and that the show would be titled BH90210. The series aired between August and September 2019.
Production While planning a new teen drama in 1989–1990, executives at FOX learned of Darren Star's interest in writing youth-oriented screenplays. Upon being hired by the network, Star created the concept and characters for the series that would eventually become Beverly Hills, 90210. The unexpected worldwide success of this project, as well as that of the spin-off Melrose Place, was largely credited with launching Star's career, while bringing early fortune to FOX in the process.
Aaron Spelling, whose company produced the shows, was well known for producing some of the most famous hit series on television, including Charlie's Angels (1976–81), The Love Boat (1977–86), and Dynasty (1981–89). Spelling would also produce the next show in the franchise, Models Inc., in 1994.
Melrose Place was initially inspired by Star's own professional aspirations during his 20s, while Models Inc. was born when FOX asked Spelling for an eight-part summer series. When ratings proved adequate, the show continued throughout the following television season. Models Inc. concluded in 1995, Melrose Place finished in 1999, and Beverly Hills, 90210 ended in 2000.
In 2008, the franchise returned via the fourth production, 90210, attracting a new collection of noted creators. Rob Thomas, known for the television show Veronica Mars, began the initial work on the project. Prior to the premiere, Thomas was succeeded by producers Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, both known for the series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. During the first season, Rebecca Sinclair, who had previously worked on Gilmore Girls and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, became the series' new show runner. In June 2009, a fifth production, a follow-up to Melrose Place, was officially confirmed.
Writers Emmy-nominated scribe Charles Rosin joined Beverly Hills, 90210 in its first year and served as a writer and executive producer, scripting several episodes in seasons to come along with his wife Karen. Other prominent writers of the first series included John Eisendrath and Steve Wasserman.
Charles Pratt, Jr. and Frank South worked closely with Darren Star in writing early seasons of Melrose Place, helping to set the tone of the series as it grew in popularity. Pratt and South would then create the similarly toned Models Inc. Rebecca Sinclair wrote for 90210 during the first season prior to her promotion.
Casting Throughout its run, the franchise has attracted several established actors, while bringing fame to others and the roles which they have portrayed. The narrative's most widely seen character is Jennie Garth's Kelly Taylor, who was instrumental in launching two spin-offs, and has been used in the most episodes throughout the continuity. Also made famous via the first program was male lead Jason Priestley, who earned Golden Globe nominations and began a directorial career via the series, and actor Luke Perry, who won acclaim and drew comparisons to James Dean. The first series brought fame to several other cast members as well.
Melrose Place featured former Dynasty and T. J. Hooker star Heather Locklear, whose performance has been called one of the most prominent of the show, and also starred former child actress Alyssa Milano. Models Inc. featured former Dallas actress Linda Gray, and later added Dynasty veteran Emma Samms. In addition, several actors known for their work in American daytime television—including Kristian Alfonso, Stephen Nichols, Jack Wagner, and Vanessa Marcil—have made appearances in the franchise.
In 2009, singer-actress Ashlee Simpson joined the proposed fifth series of the continuity, a follow-up to Melrose Place, as Violet Foster. It was later announced that Laura Leighton would reprise her role as Sydney Andrews (despite the character having apparently died during the original series), who was recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of the most popular characters" from the previous show. Friday Night Lights actress Aimee Teegarden appeared in the fourth series, 90210, during its first season. Additionally, 90210's Sara Foster and Shenae Grimes have revealed that they were fans of the original show while growing up.
Several actors have gone on to additional fame following their work in the franchise. Marcia Cross, who would later star in Desperate Housewives, played Kimberly Shaw in the original Melrose Place from its first season until its fifth. Kristin Davis joined Melrose Place in 1995, and starred afterward in the HBO series Sex and the City. Additionally, Kelly Rutherford, later known for her work in the series Gossip Girl, joined MP in 1996, remaining with the show until its 1999 conclusion. Carrie-Anne Moss, of The Matrix fame, starred in Models Inc. throughout its duration.
Dean Cain, who would go on to star in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, appeared in Beverly Hills, 90210 during 1992, while Eddie Cibrian, later known for his role in Third Watch, guest-starred in 1996. Vivica A. Fox, Hilary Swank, Jessica Alba, Matthew Perry, Peter Krause, and David Arquette all appeared in the first show as well. Actor Kellan Lutz guest-starred in the fourth series throughout its first season.
Series
Beverly Hills, 90210
Debuting on October 4, 1990, the first series initially followed the teenage lives of several friends who attended the West Beverly Hills High School: Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestley), Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty), Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering), Andrea Zuckerman (Gabrielle Carteris), Dylan McKay (Luke Perry), David Silver (Brian Austin Green), Scott Scanlon (Douglas Emerson), and Donna Martin (Tori Spelling). As the series progressed, several other characters were introduced at varying points.
Originally, the series centered around the culture shock of twins Brandon and Brenda as they adjusted to the new experiences and friends that awaited them upon their family's move to Beverly Hills. As the show progressed, however, it gradually became more of an ensemble cast drama, with equal attention given to the familial issues, academic matters, career aspirations, and love lives of the other characters. One of the series' early focal points involved a briefly forbidden Brenda-Dylan relationship—along with a subsequent triangle involving Kelly. Other prominent stories included the beginning of a long relationship between Brandon and Kelly, a similar bond between Donna and David, and a rally organized on Donna's behalf in order to overturn a school ruling against her. The series ended on May 17, 2000, after 293 episodes and multiple cast changes; it is the longest-running show of the franchise to date.
Toward the end of the second season, the character Jake Hanson—an older friend and mentor to Dylan—briefly arrived for a construction job at Kelly's house. The subsequent attraction that developed between a resistant Jake (Grant Show) and a willing Kelly led into the second series of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise.
Melrose Place
Darren Star's next show, which premiered on July 8, 1992, followed the lives of several young tenants in a Los Angeles apartment complex. The relationship between Kelly and Jake was resolved over a series of episodes, with a persistent Kelly visiting Jake in L.A., and eventually letting go and returning to Beverly Hills.
Originally conceived as a fairly straight-faced drama about the personal and professional lives of people in their twenties and early thirties, Melrose Place began to change with the arrival of testy Amanda Woodward (Heather Locklear), whose conflicts with the generally straight-laced Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) over Alison's roommate Billy (Andrew Shue) quickly became the show's centerpiece. Also focused upon was the adulterous relationship between Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) and his colleague Kimberly Shaw (Marcia Cross), which was eventually discovered by Michael's wife Jane (Josie Bissett). The first season also introduced Jane's sister Sydney (Laura Leighton), an occasional vixen, who would become one of the most layered and prominent characters of the series.
With the progression of the second season—which was highlighted by divorce, blackmail, revenge, character revamps, and much angst between couples—the show had begun to secure a reputation for darker, more extraordinary story lines. This kind of writing would become standard for the series throughout the remainder of its run. The series ended on May 24, 1999, after 226 episodes.
Toward the end of season 2, a somewhat mellowed Amanda was reunited with her long-estranged mother Hillary (Linda Gray), the owner of a modeling agency. This development would provide a foundation for the franchise's third story.
Models Inc.
Debuting on June 29, 1994, Models Inc. was produced by Spelling Television and created by Charles Pratt, Jr. and Frank South. The series followed the lives of Hillary and several of the disparate, ambitious models in the titular agency—women whom Hillary sometimes felt a maternal bond with. Also present was Hillary's son David (Brian Gaskill), the loyal, valiant, and occasionally hot-headed vice president of the company. At the beginning of the first episode, actors Grant Show and Daphne Zuniga briefly appeared as their Melrose Place characters, seeing off a young model named Sarah Owens (Cassidy Rae) as she headed to the agency.