A Mental Affair

Recently I became aware that “Beverly Hills 90210” is on television every day at 3 pm, on a new station called “TVTropolis.” (formerly known as “Prime” or “Channel 48”) It seems that all day on TVTropolis they broadcast the crappiest shows from the ’80s and ’90s and at night they show reality TV. I came in just at the second or third episode of BH 90210 and I am delighted to report that it is one crappy show. This in no way will stop me from watching every single episode for the next however-many-months it takes.

For example, check this nugget from today’s episode, where Mom almost has an affair with her college “one-that-got-away” boyfriend after Dad is ignoring her in favour of working in his accounting office:

Mom: (in college boyfriend’s embrace) I can’t…I can’t think!
College boyfriend: We’re already having a mental affair! And that’s worse than a physical one!

The other day, during the “Kelly’s Mom is a cokehead and is embarrassing her in front of the whole school” episode, there was a mother-daughter fashion show and I realized that wow: the teenage girls on TV then were on average 3 sizes bigger than teenage girls on TV now. Brenda and Kelly actually look healthy and well-fed. Observe: The 90210 crew versus The O.C crew. I hate to sound like one of those frowning biddies, but My Goodness the Young People Today and The Clothes They Wear!

I’m amazed that there is a noticeable difference between then and now. I became aware a long time ago of the discrepancy between the bodies of real women and the bodies of women on TV. Apparently I haven’t been paying attention or I’ve been desensitized over the years because I thought the status quo – wrong as it might be – was being maintained; I certainly didn’t think things were getting worse.

I also had a memory of BH 90210 being this horrible, trashy show, with lots of slutting around and lower than basement values. Maybe that happens a couple of seasons in, but so far (7 episodes in) it’s shittily written but not so trashy. However, my initial impression from 16 years ago stands: Jason Priestley is far too pretty and Tori Spelling far too scary to be real.