The Unauthorized Beverly Hills, 90210 Story

[Greta]

They framed the Gulf War as an act of divine intervention (those were literally the words from the script- I just heard them on the repeat) that saved 90210. They just need to straight up expand the universe and in the sequel explain that God was a Brenda/Dylan shipper.

 

I loved Shiny Happy Curly Hair Gabby and her relentless sweet positivity. I have no idea if this was how Gabrielle Carteris really was, and I don't care. The Lifetime Unauthorized Universe is now its own thing.   

 

ETA: my outrage. Why were Kelly and Brenda not wearing the same dress to the Spring Fling?????!!!!???!?!?!!? This was a key plot point that I remember 20 years later. I can't remember what I had for lunch, but I remember that.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Greta

[JocelynCavanaugh]

Has anyone else been following Jason Priestly and Ian Ziering's comments on Twitter? Ian was snarky, while Jason was basically saying how horrible the whole thing is and how he'd never watch it.

Yes, Jason has been a little over the top with the retweets/responses. Point made, Brayson! Also, are ellipses the only punctuation they teach in Canada?

[WhosThatGirl]

ETA: my outrage. Why were Kelly and Brenda not wearing the same dress to the Spring Fling?????!!!!???!?!?!!? This was a key plot point that I remember 20 years later. I can't remember what I had for lunch, but I remember that.

 

Also this movie was calling it winter dance. Not spring fling. But winter dance. And to make the point even more wrong during that scene in the movie, the network people came over and were talking about the summer episodes that they had to start working on  Like, movie, get your story right. If you are a shooting a winter dance-even though it should have been the spring fling dance! but whatever not the point- then WHY ON EARTH would you be talking about summer episodes?  

Edited October 6, 2015 by WhosThatGirl

[ktwo]

ETA: my outrage. Why were Kelly and Brenda not wearing the same dress to the Spring Fling?????!!!!???!?!?!!? This was a key plot point that I remember 20 years later. I can't remember what I had for lunch, but I remember that.

This made me so stabby. They got Brenda's perfectly non-mussed updo right and had Kelly wearing her tiara, and they had them wearing the same dress in different colors. What?

[methodwriter85]

Jennie was, by her own admission, pretty chilly to Tiffani at first, but eventually she course-corrected and the two became really close.

 

I wish they would do a sequel to follow the next six years of the show. Things were calmer, for sure, but something certainly went down with Kathleen Robertson and Vanessa Marcil and I'd love to watch any take on that! Shannen's awful behavior was well-documented (I thought it was kind of the show to ignore her Charmed ouster in the postscript) but everyone has been really tight-lipped about the circumstances behind the other departures.

 

I kind of want them to do Charmed now, but I'm not sure the show was big enough to warrant that treatment.

 

I kind of want a sequel on the rest of the show, too. It can be framed in terms of 90210's increasing desperation to stay relevant as well as how the show turned into a revolving door, including how it started aping Melrose Place type stories by season 6/7 what with stalking and crazy people, etc etc.

 

 

I loved Shiny Happy Curly Hair Gabby and her relentless sweet positivity. I have no idea if this was how Gabrielle Carteris really was, and I don't care. The Lifetime Unauthorized Universe is now its own thing.

 

On The Surreal Life, she came off like the Jewish mother, and I'm assuming that's where they went with this. In any event, Gabi's shell-shocked expression after seeing the pilot and her immediately applying for a hostess job was seriously one of my favorite moments in the movie.

 

I also don't care if Jennie Garth wasn't that bad; I loved them showing her as the new bitch in charge and damn it, I want them to run with it. (I think Unauthorized Jennie would be pretty good at knowing how to be fake nice, though.)

 

I think where this show succeeded in that other Unauthorized shows like this have failed is that they actually did a good job at capturing the "vibe" of the cast and the show, especially Kelly and Brenda. The only one who didn't really feel like the character was Brian Austin Green/David.

 

I do kind of wish that, I know this is pretty cheap budget, but they could've filmed in Florida or Georgia or something to try and capture the warm climate better instead of filming it in Canada.

Edited October 6, 2015 by methodwriter85

[WhosThatGirl]

The only one who didn't really feel like the character was Brian Austin Green/David.

 

Yeah. I feel like he didn't even do much in this movie because they didn't really know what to do with him, except hey look he's dancing! I believe the only actual plot development for him was the end when TAT joined and he was all, "hey, guys this is my girlfriend!" And then the movie was over. So. Yeah.

 

I don't know if there would be an audience for Charmed either. I would watch it for sure, because I watched that show- except for the last two seasons- but I'm not really sure if anyone would be into it. Although maybe they would, knowing an unauthorized movie of it would be just all about drama.

 

I'm really wondering what movie/special they plan on doing next, to tell you the truth. They seem to be cranking them out and I'm trying to think of a 90s show they could do next but I can't think of anything. To tell you the truth, I was somewhat surprised they did a SBTB movie, and while I know DDs book was a reference point for it all, I remember the cast saying his book was somewhat fabricated or something and I was even more surprised they did a Full House movie only because... REALLY??!?! This one was a no brainier, only because like I said earlier they had more to work with I think in terms of a story and while it's probably not all true, more went on in this set then their last movies I think. I'm guessing MP probably had some issues too. I don't know much about this show, I have never watched an episode of it but I can probably assume that the set had some drama. But.. yeah, I'm curious to what their next movie will be. I can't think they will stop doing them after next weeks. 

[djc101790]

Fingers cross that an unauthorized charmed movie is made but only the first 3 seasons the only ones that matter IMO.

[runforcover]

THE MUSIC. It's still in my head!

[John Ramos]

Speaking of BAG, did anyone else think the actor playing him resembled a young Chris Klein?

[DonitsYum]

I remember early interviews with Shannen when Michael Landon died where she was saying how she learned all of her "work ethic" from him. If that's the case, Oy!

[MuuMuuChainsmoker]

This is what Aaron Spelling sounded like

 

GAAAAA!  Now Aaron Spelling creepily saying "Sometimes you just have to slip it in" is going to haunt my dreams.

[rissa]

I'm really wondering what movie/special they plan on doing next, to tell you the truth. They seem to be cranking them out and I'm trying to think of a 90s show they could do next but I can't think of anything. To tell you the truth, I was somewhat surprised they did a SBTB movie, and while I know DDs book was a reference point for it all, I remember the cast saying his book was somewhat fabricated or something and I was even more surprised they did a Full House movie only because... REALLY??!?! This one was a no brainier, only because like I said earlier they had more to work with I think in terms of a story and while it's probably not all true, more went on in this set then their last movies I think. I'm guessing MP probably had some issues too. I don't know much about this show, I have never http://tvline.com/2015/07/22/melrose-place-lifetime-movie-cast-photo-unauthorized-story/watched an episode of it but I can probably assume that the set had some drama. But.. yeah, I'm curious to what their next movie will be. I can't think they will stop doing them after next weeks.

The next one is The Unauthorised Melrose Place Story, which, I think, is going to air on October 10th.

http://tvline.com/2015/07/22/melrose-place-lifetime-movie-cast-photo-unauthorized-story/

[methodwriter85]

I really think Dawson's Creek would be a good one, but that depends on whether or not Lifetime would be willing to do one on a show that was a hit, but a cable-sized hit.

 

 

Yes, Jason has been a little over the top with the retweets/responses. Point made, Brayson! Also, are ellipses the only punctuation they teach in Canada?

 

He doesn't come off all that well, for sure. He came off as pretty angry and resentful, especially given that at almost 50, Brandon is still the only thing he's really known for. It's kind of a shame. I thought he was going to become a big producer/director....I figured that's where he was going to go, and I was figuring that would be where his talent was.

 

To be fair, it does seem like he took a very long time to heal from his car crash, which is understandable.

Edited October 8, 2015 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

I remember early interviews with Shannen when Michael Landon died where she was saying how she learned all of her "work ethic" from him. If that's the case, Oy!

 

Michael Landon would have killed Jenny Wilder off in about two seconds flat if she had EVER pulled the kind of shit she pulled with 90210.

[TomGirl]

Mediarama! Miss you, Danny Drennan!

[CandysWrapRoom]

Mediarama! Miss you, Danny Drennan!

Those wrap-ups were so much better than the show itself!

[TattleTeeny]

But I'm watching anyway!  And I've always had a soft spot for Tori, despite all her neediness and horrible decisions.  Her lie detector should be interesting.

 

I've always liked her -- she has a good sense of humor, and I thought So Notorious was really funny. Also, as a thin blond with large dark eyes who is about the same age as Tori, all I heard at my bookstore job throughout the damn '90s was, "Hey, you know who you look like?" Seriously, at least twice per shift. The worst part? I dyed my hair red (not because of this, mind you) and....a week or two later on 90210, so did Donna! Come on!

Edited October 12, 2015 by TattleTeeny

[methodwriter85]

I've always liked her -- she has a good sense of humor, and I thought So Notorious was really funny. Also, as a thin blond with large dark eyes who is about the same age as Tori, all I heard at my bookstore job throughout the damn '90s was, "Hey, you know who you look like?" Seriously, at least twice per shift. The worst part? I dyed my hair red (not because of this, mind you) and....a week or two later on 90210, so did Donna! Come on!

 

According to Candy Spelling, you should have driven champagne colored cars, as blonds with brown eyes look best in champagne colored cars. (One of Tori's tidbits from her life story.)

 

Watching the movie made me dig out the show Grosse Pointe. God, it was so dead on, especially Hunter aka Shannen Doherty and Marcy aka Tori Spelling.

Edited October 13, 2015 by methodwriter85

[TattleTeeny]

Oh dear. I guess I'll stop by my local Mercedes dealer tomorrow on my lunch break, as this black Hyundai (Candi, if you're reading, a Hyundai is also a car, though not one you're likely familiar with) is clearly what's keeping me from the attention I deserve!

[FozzyBear]

I think Gabrielle married her husband between seasons 2 and 3. If they were already dating when production started, she wasn't going to be about macking her costars. I'm surprised they didn't have a scene about Shannen being the only cast member not invited to Gabrielle's wedding.

Wasn't Jennie Garth married too? I could have sworn she was married to someone before Peter Facinelli and they got together during S5 or S6? I'm pretty sure she would have been married or engaged during the early years.

[Artsda]

Yeah it was around the 5th season she got married to a musician and she was divorced 2 years later.

[allicatexp]

I believe jennie was married earlier than season 5 because I remember seeing pics of her and her husband Dan when she still had long hair.

[queenbee9b]

According to Candy Spelling, you should have driven champagne colored cars, as blonds with brown eyes look best in champagne colored cars. (One of Tori's tidbits from her life story.)

 

Watching the movie made me dig out the show Grosse Pointe. God, it was so dead on, especially Hunter aka Shannen Doherty and Marcy aka Tori Spelling.

On Grosse Pointe - me too - on Sunday right after the viewing I found a bunch of them on youtube!  I love Lindsay Sloane as Marcy. 

[FozzyBear]

I believe jennie was married earlier than season 5 because I remember seeing pics of her and her husband Dan when she still had long hair.

Yes. I could have sworn I remember an article about her being a homebody that spent most of her time renting movies with her fiancé. I remember the point being heavily implied was that Jennie WAS NOT Shannon Doherty so it must have been before S5.

[Branchop]

I thought the actor who played Brandon looked a lot like Jamie Walters, AKA Ray Pruitt.

Even so I thought he did a great job getting Priestley down.

[WhosThatGirl]

Fellow Grosse Point viewers! That show was gold. I'm sad that show didn't really make it off on the ground. In todays day and age, it probably would. 

[methodwriter85]

Fellow Grosse Point viewers! That show was gold. I'm sad that show didn't really make it off on the ground. In todays day and age, it probably would. 

 

Of course, the problem is, the type of teen show that it made fun of doesn't really exist anymore. The closest you get is stuff like Pretty Little Liars, but even that has a high concept to it, and there's far more diversity on that show than we ever would have gotten on 90210. A straight-forward teen drama about rich white teens in idyllic neighborhoods doesn't really do that well now. Gossip Girl and Nu90210 were kind of like the last gasp of Pretty White People with Problems-style shows that OR 90210 grandfathered.

 

I do kind of wonder why they wimped out so much on the fight. Legal? Anyway, the ratings were pretty terrible so I'm guessing that Melrose might be where this unauthorized stuff ends.

[WhosThatGirl]

Of course, the problem is, the type of teen show that it made fun of doesn't really exist anymore. The closest you get is stuff like Pretty Little Liars, but even that has a high concept to it, and there's far more diversity on that show than we ever would have gotten on 90210. A straight-forward teen drama about rich white teens in idyllic neighborhoods doesn't really do that well now. Gossip Girl and Nu90210 were kind of like the last gasp of Pretty White People with Problems-style shows that OR 90210 grandfathered.

 

I do kind of wonder why they wimped out so much on the fight. Legal? Anyway, the ratings were pretty terrible so I'm guessing that Melrose might be where this unauthorized stuff ends.

Oh I agree, the type of show doesn't exist anymore. It was still a fun show. In a few years, I'm somewhat hoping for a show like that for the spoof on Glee. I'm sure someone BTS of that show would have a lot to spoof.  

 

As for these unauthorized movies, I think they might be done too, only because they've done all pretty much all the 90s shows at this point. I can't think of any show they could do one on. I mean, seriously, to me it seems like they were stretching to find some sort of dirt for both the SBTB movie and the Full House one; at least with this show, they had things to work with, probably also the same with MP. There's no other show I could see them doing that they have much of anything. Unless they want to keep the trend of Aaron Spelling/Darren Star, they do have sex and the city and charmed and also they could sequel this one but I doubt anyone really cares about the BTS drama of this show after Shannon left. 

[Halo]

Yes. I could have sworn I remember an article about her being a homebody that spent most of her time renting movies with her fiancé. I remember the point being heavily implied was that Jennie WAS NOT Shannon Doherty so it must have been before S5.

Yep, in Sassy magazine (April 1993), pretty much the only teenager mag I read back then. Later, they also did an article on Tiffani-Amber that pissed her off, as I recall. 

[Sarah D. Bunting]

I think she wasn't happy that they focused so much on her boob job. Which is one of the best I've ever seen, btw.

[FozzyBear]

Yep, in Sassy magazine (April 1993), pretty much the only teenager mag I read back then. Later, they also did an article on Tiffani-Amber that pissed her off, as I recall.

Yes! That was the one. I could have sworn it was during the Shannon years and Jennie was at least living with someone.

Why I should remember a random Sassy article from 30 years ago, I have no idea.

I could have used some Jim and Cindy in the movie. Did they just show up and then go home? Were they friendly with anyone? What did they think of the Shannon drama?

[Halo]

Yes! That was the one. I could have sworn it was during the Shannon years and Jennie was at least living with someone.

Why I should remember a random Sassy article from 30 years ago, I have no idea.

20 years! Don't make me older than I already am! 

[Maherjunkie]

Halo and Fozzy, you are my people.  I too remember the article and hated how mean Christina Kelly was to TAT.

 

 

Which makes sense, because Shannen's supposed to be a pretty diehard conservative, and I think she came from a Catholic family.

I think they were fundy Xtians.  Which is ironic since Shannon got engaged at the drop of a hat and talks about how horny she is easily.

[Halo]

I hope I'm still your people when I tell you how much I loved that article and the way Christina Kelly (my idol) called out TAT for being a dumb-dumb. 

[Maherjunkie]

I don't remember any major faux pass on TAT's part.  She seemed really nice just young.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Maherjunkie

[Halo]

I was wrong, and the interview I was thinking of was written by Mary Ann. http://www.blairmag.com/blair1/sassy/tiffani.htmlMy favorite part:

 

I ask if she wants to attend a real, actual college. "Yeah. I'd like to major in English literature," she says enthusiastically. I ask who her favorite English writer is. "Oh, Maya Angelou!" she bellows. "She is great," I say, nodding my head, "but she's from St. Louis." Tiffani is silent. "I know, but I'm just trying to think of someody," she sniffs. I press on. She says she likes a lot of Shakespeare's lesser-known works. Like what? "Like Hamlet," she proclaims excitedly. Oh, I hadn't heard of that one.

[FozzyBear]

I was wrong, and the interview I was thinking of was written by Mary Ann. http://www.blairmag.com/blair1/sassy/tiffani.htmlMy favorite part:

In TAT defense it's not uncommon for Colleges to interpret English lit as English language lit. Sort of like how Spanish lit might encompass Spanish language writers, not just writers from Spain.

[methodwriter85]

I think she wasn't happy that they focused so much on her boob job. Which is one of the best I've ever seen, btw.

 

It really was.  As opposed to Tori Spelling's, which was absolutely horrible in so many ways.

[Alonzo Mosely FBI]

* Tori also made it sound like the physical Jenni & Shannen fight was toned down on TV. * .

I have a friend who was an eyewitness to the famous fit and I was told Shannen Was horsing around and flipped up Jennies skirt unbeknownst to Jennie and her ass was hanging out while she was filming. The shot wasn't shooting that part of her body. When the take ended Jennie saw it and was embarrassed and angry and that's when the physical fight started. It started indoors and ended outdoors in the parking lot. Hair pulling fists flying all of it. Shooting that day was suspended for all of the cast and crew and they all had to come in early crack of dawn the next day to reshoot the scene.

[AndySmith]

Gotta love life in the days before smart phones...

[FozzyBear]

Gotta love life in the days before smart phones...

Ask your parents kids.

[SoupThrower]

I saw this finally and it's was pretty blah. 

 

It seems like Tori was painted in a good light and Brian was kind of just there. I read that Brian was unhappy that Tiffani was on the show and I was expecting him to be annoyed but nope. Also lack of the college years and the shorter hair thing. Would have liked to hear about Kathleen or at least Jim and Cindy but whatever. 

 

Also did that Tori lie detector test actually name Brian and Jason. If so I would feel for those two having to be dragged in like that for something that happened ages ago. 

[Katy M]

On ‎10‎/‎5‎/‎2015 at 4:00 AM, methodwriter85 said:

Nah, I'm pretty sure she wasn't. Being 30 and all, her sex drive was non-existent and she was just an old maid at that point.

Women don't hit their sexual peak until 36.

 

I only watched the first 20 minutes or so, but I was really annoyed by the scene where they all met for the first time.  BAG and TS were ragging on how old the others were and vice vrsa.  BAG and TS were both born in '73, JG was born in '72, SD was born in '71, JP was born in '69.  The others are older.  But, anyway, seems ridiculous for people to be all odd over 2 to 3 years age difference.  You would have thought at least JG and SD would have been on team BAG and TS when it came to age insulting.

[methodwriter85]

That was just a joke about how they treated Andrea like a sexless granny except for the time she got knocked because the real actress wanted to have a baby before she turned 40.

I did like FauxGabrielle's shell-shocked reaction to how bad the original pilot was.

And you can tell FauxShannen was having fun with the part.

[MCMLXXVII]

Found this on Prime and finally watching. Not only did they mess up the B&K spring dance dress, but Donna’s huge comic relief hoop skirt wasn’t even a hoop and was blue. Ugh.. it’s like wardrobe didn’t want to commit to the full early ‘90s ugliness.

I do enjoy Aaron Spellings’s Charlie’s Angels-ish speakerphone use.

Edited March 29, 2020 by MCMLXXVII

[Judi Sunshine]

On 10/25/2015 at 7:04 PM, Alonzo Mosely FBI said:

I have a friend who was an eyewitness to the famous fit and I was told Shannen Was horsing around and flipped up Jennies skirt unbeknownst to Jennie and her ass was hanging out while she was filming. The shot wasn't shooting that part of her body. When the take ended Jennie saw it and was embarrassed and angry and that's when the physical fight started. It started indoors and ended outdoors in the parking lot. Hair pulling fists flying all of it. Shooting that day was suspended for all of the cast and crew and they all had to come in early crack of dawn the next day to reshoot the scene.

I did Jennie Garth's workout video SO much and remember her saying her least favorite part of her body was her "tushy." I think she always looked great, but as someone the same age as The Gang with thick legs and an ass, it was always a source of self-consciousness for me, especially before thickness and especially asses were more prized like now. So I could see that being extra humiliating for her. I definitely would have been back when I was more self conscious about my butt. 

[Scarlett45]

21 hours ago, Judi Sunshine said:

I did Jennie Garth's workout video SO much and remember her saying her least favorite part of her body was her "tushy." I think she always looked great, but as someone the same age as The Gang with thick legs and an ass, it was always a source of self-consciousness for me, especially before thickness and especially asses were more prized like now. So I could see that being extra humiliating for her. I definitely would have been back when I was more self conscious about my butt. 

I think for any woman, having your behind hanging out (when that wasn’t your intention) would be completely mortifying.