S04.E27: Divas

[Primetimer]

The arrival of an acclaimed theatre director ratchets up the drama, while Clare forges ahead with her ill-advised campaign to bone Brandon.

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[Primetimer]

He's a creeeeeeeeeeep, he's a weirdooooooooooooooo....

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[ZeroDiscipline]

I know we are supposed to see Clare and annoying and desperate, but I have always thought Brandon could have done a hell of a lot worse than her. She was only one year younger than he, but I guess he was used to the old lady poontang re: Lucinda. I would have loved to have been Clare in high school- confident, intelligent, beautiful and unique. I also would have hoped my parents spelled my name with an i, like this: Claire.

[Ions Earring]

oh right, the Laura turd-rilogy is beginning.

Edited August 12, 2016 by switchitup420

[Cekrypton1]

Is this the first time we see the side door/parking lot of the Peach Pit? I think it might be.

[Ions Earring]

I think we saw it when Ginger/Tina/Adrian/Marla (Oh Marrrrrla) stole Brandon's car

Edited August 12, 2016 by switchitup420

[Tooch]

I've been waiting for this! Truth: The Cat on a Hot Tin Roof storyline is my absolutely favorite arc in all of 90210. I know it's completely ridiculous and the accents are all gawd-awful, but damn, I love it. Laura should have joined the cast full time along with bringing in Valerie, they could have teamed up to be a Kimberly From Melrose Villainy Squad.

Brenda can be insufferable, but I remain completely outraged at Kelly's behavior in the next couple episodes, 22 years after first watching them. She is such a goddamn bitch I can't even believe it was Brenda who had a newsletter devoted to hating her.

Also, I actually like her hair and smoky makeup for this arc as well.

[Princess Sparkle]

I realize this is probably my soft spot for her talking, but Shannen Dorherty looks beautiful in that last Visual Aids shot.  I tried so many different versions of ill-advised bangs just so I could try and look like her.

[Lisin]

47 minutes ago, Princess Sparkle said:

I realize this is probably my soft spot for her talking, but Shannen Dorherty looks beautiful in that last Visual Aids shot.  I tried so many different versions of ill-advised bangs just so I could try and look like her.

I'm still trying them. It never works. I just want my hair to look like that. It's a joke among my friends just how much I talk about her hair. 

[gesundheit]

With disclosure that Kelly is my favorite character on this show (minus the Kelly/Brandon seasons in which even I find her intolerably sanctimonious), and I generally think she's the cutest too because of my Jennie Garth soft spot (except for the Carol Brady haircut phase), Brenda looked far and away hotter than anyone else on the show during this stretch of episodes. I love that hair and have always longed to have hair thick enough that I could pull that off (I don't). Also the color is really flattering.

The eyebrows were terrible, but that's hardly ShanDo-specific.

(Point being, as someone who does NOT have a soft spot for Brenda, I still think she looked fantastic this season!)

[gpgurl50]

It amazes me that in these episodes everyone believes all of the rumors and lies that Laura starts despite her history with the group. She lied that Steve was a rapist, she lied to get Steve's number from Andrea. Yet, everyone is like "this all checks out." I get they wanted to bring the actress back but really.

The other thing is the Clare of it all. I don't get why everyone acts like Clare's antics are hilarious and charming and not at all weird? I mean, just because she's a hot girl, they expect this to work but it's grating just watching it.

[bilgistic]

It's hilarious that the ligerie-clad Clare is standing in the doorway next to the sign warning "DANGER...ENTER AT OWN RISK".

[SoupThrower]

No doubt. Doherty looked amazing this season and kind of last season as well. To me in this season Claire comes 2nd. 

[SoupThrower]

The Claire thing for me. It's that she's as she says "A bargain" compared to the rest of the women. Her antics are so stupid and weird that it is kind of funny and charming. It's like trying to make you believe that it would happen but it won't. If anything Roy Randolph freaks me out more. 

Laura's crazy eyes!!!

Also found it really interesting that someone in the gang you don't see much together were hanging out (Brenda and David).

[lovinbob]

I hated Clare beyond words. I still can't stand Kathleen Robertson in anything.

Also yes, Brenda looks gorgeous.

[benteen]

Jason Carter!  Marcus from Babylon 5!

[WhosThatGirl]

Maggie The Cat! That's all I really remember from this arc. "I am Maggie the cat!" and the dress moment from the next episode. Also..Laura is the worst. I wish Rocky had replaced most of these people on this show.

[Sam215]

I have also loved Claire but admittedly had forgotten how she joined the show.  It was embarrassing just to listen to it.  As I was though, it brought back the memories of actually watching the show.  Scary.

[Petunia13]

For some reason every woman had to be driven mad with lust for Brandon and every male fawning over him. The proppage was ridic. Also the handcuff thing to the bed while Bramdon was home alone reminds me of Rayanne at Angela's while her parents were away. 

How does Roy become "Rory"? And Walsh "wash"? She has a a real problem with consonants, dropping many but adding phantom ones arbitrarily. 

Edited August 14, 2016 by Petunia13

[Uncle JUICE]

What the fuck look is Roy going for with his hair? Foofy Musketeer? Fey deckhand on the Black Pearl? Troubador? When the fuck was that hairstyle cool? I lived through the 90's, and it wasn't. Also, the pistoallaire face hair configuration, come on. Why not just wax the moustache tips and go all the way? 

And I'm pretty sure that in the history of the British Isles, like six guys have been named ROY. Rory is far more common. God, how I wish Brinda Wash was reading for Rory Randoff's production of The Rural Juror. 

[heshy]

:: dodges Tara's barf ::

[Cekrypton1]

All semester long all we hear about the TASK FORCE is how prestigious it is, and how great it is for Brandon that he is on it, and how Brandon has used it to beg-off activities that might reflect badly on him. And then when Chancellor Arnold says that the Dept. of Education has reviewed it, the first thing--FIRST THING!-out of Brandon's mouth is, "The are actually taking this seriously?" What a DICK. [pause for Dave to play the DIIIICK drop.]

Was Kevin’s near bus-smooshening part of his con? What was his plan if Dylan failed to notice the bus? How committed was he willing to be?

[FozzyBear]

On August 13, 2016 at 7:37 PM, Petunia13 said:

For some reason every woman had to be driven mad with lust for Brandon and every male fawning over him. The proppage was ridic. Also the handcuff thing to the bed while Bramdon was home alone reminds me of Rayanne at Angela's while her parents were away. 

How does Roy become "Rory"? And Walsh "wash"? She has a a real problem with consonants, dropping many but adding phantom ones arbitrarily. 

The Brandon/Clair plot is crazy. And gross. We haven't even gotten to the DC trip yet. It's going to get rough folks, real rough. There is a hotel scene involving Brandon, Claire, and Lucinda that will scar you for life. You can't drink enough to un-see it. Trust me, I've tried.

[AllyB]

5 hours ago, Uncle JUICE said:

And I'm pretty sure that in the history of the British Isles, like six guys have been named ROY. Rory is far more common. God, how I wish Brinda Wash was reading for Rory Randoff's production of The Rural Juror. 

Rory would be an unusual name for an English man as it's Scots/Irish. While Roy, isn't a common name in England it's not unusual either being a Norman name of English/French/Scottish origin. It means king and also forms part of the surname Fitzroy, meaning king's acknowledged, illegitimate child. Randolph was certainly far more likely to be called Roy than Rory.

(Oddly enough, despite totally separate origins, Rory also denotes royalty as it means red king.)

I'd had the timelines mixed up with Jason Carter's hair (maybe because of when 90210 aired in the UK) but I have always assumed he was growing it out for the part of Marcus in Babylon 5, and his 'period' hair was to tie in with his knight of the roundtable type character. But of course he was in 90210 over a year before he was in Babylon 5. I just googled him and it appears it's the actor's personal style choice and he still has the same style of hair and facial hair, albeit greyer. So I guess that makes it a realistic style because if the successful English theatre actor Jason carter chooses that style, successful English theatre director Roy Randolph could too.

[AndySmith]

Quote

Was Kevin’s near bus-smooshening part of his con? What was his plan if Dylan failed to notice the bus? How committed was he willing to be?

Somewhere out there, there is an alternate universe where season 5 was a very, very different one from ours, due to the bus smooshening Kevin...

[Uncle JUICE]

Well, I stand very Britishly corrected. :) 

Still, that hairstyle, while it might be realistic because the man still wears it (calling into speculation the possibility that he got this part, decided "This is what a director would look like," then loved the look so much he hasn't changed it in 25 years...that facial hair is only associated with William Shakespeare, The Green Arrow, and Jason Carter, that's it) there's no excuse for it. He looks like a roadie for Creed, or like one of Dylan's Villains (new band name, called it) in his fever dreams when he's on dugs / drinking, like that time he dreams he fucks Donna on a pool table. Until you get to that vest.

I can't quite put my finger on it. It's like something you would wear when you thought "Well, I'm completely done trying to have sex with anyone for the rest of my days" at like 65, except he's wearing it as some lecher who's trying to bang coeds. Improbably, at that. 

[AndySmith]

I don't mind his look, because even though Rory/Roy can be a bit skeevy in these episodes, the actor did win me over with his charm on Babylon 5...

[CurlyATX]

Ok- I'm very obtuse when it comes to cons and I always LOVE it in shows when they spoon feed me how the con took place.  So, since that never really happened, I need to ask.  WTF is up with the scamily?  Is it safe to assume Suzanne and Jack were together?  Is Erica actually Jack's daughter?

It was a year after Jack's death that Suzanne came over... so did she wait until it all died down and she and mustache-scientist decided to con Dylan? Did he turn over everything he had? I need to be spoon fed, people!

[AllyB]

6 hours ago, Uncle JUICE said:

..that facial hair is only associated with William Shakespeare, The Green Arrow, and Jason Carter, that's it) there's no excuse for it.

That and a futuristic investigative warrior who metaphorically represents Sir Galahad of the round table. 

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Or guys whose facial hair only grows in that configuration and not on their cheeks (op. cit. my husband, who can have a mustache; a soul patch; "the Roy Randolph"; and that's kind of it).

[Petunia13]

The title "Divas" all I could think is ?nanana diva is a female version of a hustler of a hustler of a hustler... Imma imma diva imma diva?

Roy Randolph looks like a necrophile a little. Also a big state school like that would have multiple plays/productions at one time going on I don't know why everyone was shitting their pants over the lead. Realistically speaking given its size, prestige, and location (la) wouldn't a few students be going for/or have been in commercials, modeling, or small acting parts on tv or film. 

[CurlyATX]

I wish they had mentioned that this was a freshman play, which would have made more sense for the competition.  I went to a CU and my roommate took an acting class.  She had done HS plays and thought was hot stuff.  Until she realized one of the girls in the class had just finished a LEAD in a studio movie (one of those Vietnam flicks with Tommy Lee Jones).  And I didn't even go to CU, Los Angeles. 

[Onfire444]

I'm behind on the podcasts, catching up, but just want to make a boring fangirl comment that these podcasts just keep getting better and better, I love them, it's amazing you all don't get sick of it, you still sound fresh and funny. Thank you! Will be buying my t shirts tonight.

[Jax7917]

What I never understood throughout the show is that after dylan and brenda broke up, dylan always made it seem like brenda was his "immature", childish high school  relationship that he didn't give a shit about after it ended. But always mentioned how kelly was the great love of his life, even 10 seasons, 50,000 fights, and 4849 girlfriends later. His and kelly's relationship was never shown to be a good one. They fought every episode that they were together, and seemed to never have anything in common or have fun together while him and Brenda seemed to have a long, really good relationship. I know her character left the show, but in real life, kelly would not be the great love of his life that he can't live without.

[CurlyATX]

This is paying 10 times more attention than the writers did, but my take is that Brenda is the relationship Dylan wanted where he could have the perfect family.  Once Jim destroyed that, he moved to Kelly and it was an embracing and finally accepting of the dysfunction of his family.  He seemed to rebuild a relationship with Jack.  And, it seemed that he and Kelly had bonded with this "both of us were abandoned in kindergarten" crap.  So instead of living vicariously through the Walshes, he was able to be ok with his messed up life.  But in reality, it seems that all the two ever had was sexual chemistry. 

Also, the show had doubled-down on the "Kelly with the golden vajayjay".  Once he was with her, he'd always somehow want her. 

[thesupremediva1]

Brenda is the worst in these eps. How insecure are you about your own talent that you rag on your friend to anyone who will listen and call her names because the director liked her? She is such a petulant child this season.

If Brenda wanted to be an actress, she should have been prepared for competition. And for the fact that no matter what you read for, the director can and will call you back for any role he or she sees fit. If a director asks you to read, you read. That's it. You don't say, "Oh, let me call and clear it with my friend so she doesn't get mad." 

Brenda was insufferable from mid-season 2 and the writers went overboard in season 4 making her an unlikable, unstable, nasty witch. Not saying Shannon deserved it, but that's what happened. They murdered the character. Can't wait to be rid of her. Stop mooning over Dylan. For all the times he sided with you and went out of his way to save you, he never went back to you. And he never dumped Kelly.

I wish Kelly had seen the process through just until she'd been cast. Then, she could have dropped out. At least we'd have known if she could have gotten the part over Brenda. I think she was definitely getting the lead. And we wouldn't be left with the completely off-base message that dropping out to make room for your friend will get her the lead or make her a better actress. 

My point is proven by the way Brenda bombs the callback. On no planet would she be granted some private audience. Laura actually won that part. Of COURSE people would think Brenda slept with him. I think it's the only logical conclusion to reach! I still think she did. She was so darn desperate. She was thirsty before we knew what to call it.

Oh God, that reminds me - Dylan's downward spiral is coming, Kelly is about to supplant Brenda as Most Annoying Character until mid-season 9, Brandon is about to become a major thorn in my side until he exits, and Dylan begins the Long and Winding Road of Mourning His Loss of Kelly. Sigh... these are the last of the good eps.

Edited November 9, 2018 by thesupremediva1

[thesupremediva1]

One more thing: On what planet does a man go out with a woman who falsely accused him of date rape?! I cannot begin to fathom the whole Steve/Laura thing.

[Ions Earring]

45 minutes ago, thesupremediva1 said:

Brandon is about to become a major thorn in my side until he exits

 

 

about to?

Edited November 9, 2018 by Ions Earring

[thesupremediva1]

3 minutes ago, Ions Earring said:

About?

EVERYTHING. All slightly annoying characteristics of Brandon become magnified when he dates Kelly. They are the Most Beige Couple of All Time. It's his sanctimoniousness that gets me. He never takes responsibility for anything. The cheating with Emily, the constant flirting with Valerie, the moon eyes he makes at Kelly even when he dates Susan and Traci. He just thinks he's such a golden boy and nothing is ever his fault. He lives on a soap box. Plus, he enables Kelly 2.0 of the Baby Voice. Ugh, I liked him so much better until the TASK FORCE came along.

[Jax7917]

I thought Brandon was always a know-it-all sanctimonious character even when he wasn't with Kelly , but I agree those qualities magnified when he was with her ( especially round 2). Kelly was worse though and annoyed me more because at least Brandon had a sense of humor at times . Kelly was either angry , bitchy , cheating or all 3. She had no sense of humor and made Brandon somehow seem like the winner of the two . 

Steve was the only realistic character to me . He acted young. He partied , he dated around , he laughed , he was immature , and he gave 0 Efs just as most people his age would . Eventually he grew up and got married , had a baby , a career , was silly in a grown up way and I think he was the only character with growth as the series went on . The others either regressed or seemed to have been born as 60 year olds and stayed that way the whole series . 

[Nanna]

11 hours ago, Jaclyn88 said:

I thought Brandon was always a know-it-all sanctimonious character even when he wasn't with Kelly , but I agree those qualities magnified when he was with her ( especially round 2). Kelly was worse though and annoyed me more because at least Brandon had a sense of humor at times . Kelly was either angry , bitchy , cheating or all 3. She had no sense of humor and made Brandon somehow seem like the winner of the two . 

Steve was the only realistic character to me . He acted young. He partied , he dated around , he laughed , he was immature , and he gave 0 Efs just as most people his age would . Eventually he grew up and got married , had a baby , a career , was silly in a grown up way and I think he was the only character with growth as the series went on . The others either regressed or seemed to have been born as 60 year olds and stayed that way the whole series . 

Listening to the podcast has made me rediscover my love for Steve. Sure, he’s a terrible person sometimes (racist and whatnot), but he seems more realistic as you said. And he’s a charming son of a bitch.