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Worst TV Show of the Week Brought to you by the Parents Television Council	Share |
WARNING: Graphic Content!!! Do NOT push play if you don't want to see the explicit video!!!

90210 on CW

The original Beverly Hills 90210 had a habit of tackling controversial topical issues. Likewise, the present-day redux, 90210 (Mondays, 8:00 p.m. ET), has often dipped into the same well with storylines that have covered teen pregnancy, drug addition, sexting, and, most recently, rape. Unfortunately, it is difficult to discern when the show is trying to be deliberately conscientious or blatantly salacious. The season premiere that aired on September 13^th ultimately fell in the latter category, earning the title of Worst TV Show of the Week for strong sexual content directed at its largely tween/teen audience.

It’s senior year, and everyone is excited to kick off the semester. Pampered princess Naomi has spent the summer basking in the Riviera…or at least that’s what she tells people. In truth, she’s been holed up in the Riviera motel, stretching out her scant funds until her trust-fund kicks in and, more importantly, coping with the trauma of having been raped by her teacher, Mr. Canon, during the cliffhanger that ended the previous season. She puts on a brave face at the first day of school, but is distraught to discover that Mr. Canon did not move back to his native London and is, in fact, still teaching at West Beverly High. When an earthquake rocks the school, Naomi finds herself huddled underneath an archway, pressed against the wall by none other than her attacker, Mr. Canon, who shields her from falling debris. She suddenly has a flashback of the night he assaulted her. Mr. Canon is shown throwing her against the wall, ripping the strap of her dress, and covering her mouth. After the earthquake subsides, Naomi continues to scream uncontrollably. Mr. Canon reminds her that if she threatens to press charges, no one will believe her because she has already admitted to falsely accusing him of sexual harassment.

Meanwhile, Ivy’s childhood friend, Oscar, has moved into her home temporarily while he sorts out his life. Oscar is played as a Russell Brand-type of British lothario, an articulate reprobate who oozes sexuality. He tells Ivy, “I’ll always remember that I shared my first little earthquake with Gidget.”

Ivy cringes at his nickname for her. “Don't call me that,” she responds.

“Did you know little earthquake was a euphemism for an orgasm?”

He kisses Ivy and tosses her on the bed. They kiss passionately...and Ivy wakes up. It was a just a dream. Ivy thus finds herself fantasizing about Oscar despite professing to love her boyfriend, Dixon.

Naomi, meanwhile, begins to act out, frustrated by the fact that she can’t press charges against Mr. Canon. Khloe and Kim Kardashian have cameos in a stiffly-acted scene where Naomi lashes out at them for not giving her a dress for free. She calls Kim a “bitch” and a “ho” before they storm out of the room. Later, at a drunken pool party with her classmates, Naomi drowns her sorrows in alcohol. When an inebriated male student pays her a compliment, she demurs at first; but when he says that something about her has changed, she insists that she's the same girl she's always been. She kisses the stranger. “Let's go upstairs,” she offers seductively, “and tell your guys they can come too,” motioning to group of young men standing nearby in an apparent invitation for group sex.

Later, Naomi’s friend, Teddy, walks in on her stripping in front of the boys while she prances on top of the bed in her bra and panties. Teddy breaks up the striptease and tosses the other guys out of the room, but is taken aback when Naomi then throws herself at him. “Relax,” she tells him, “I'm a sexual person. I always have been - always will be. It's not a big deal. Sex is just a random physical act…Why are you so uncomfortable?” she continues to press. “Is it because you want to have sex with me? C'mon, let's just do it. It's not a big deal.”

During one of the commercial breaks, Annalynne McCord, the actress that plays Naomi, delivers a public service announcement for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network urging viewers to learn more. For this, the show certainly deserves kudos for raising awareness about this important topic.

Sadly, though, the show diminishes whatever positive intentions it may have had by also throwing in a completely bawdy storyline involving Oscar and Ivy’s mother, Lauren. After Oscar fails to seduce Ivy into sleeping with him, he saunters into Lauren’s room as she disrobes. He embraces the older woman and kisses her. “Summer is over,” Lauren cautions, “Ivy's back. We really have to stop this.”

“And we will,” Oscar insists, “…after tonight.”

The show undercuts potentially dramatic themes of coping and courage by giving its young audience cougars. For that, it rightfully deserves the title of Worst TV Show of the Week.