Beverly Hills 90210 Television Program

They are the dog days of "Beverly Hills, 90210," the last gasps of a teen soap grown up and grown old: Episode No. 299, titled "The Penultimate." In this scene, for the umpteenth time, Dylan McCay (Luke Perry) and Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) will (almost) profess their love for each other. Dylan will ask, "How's Matt?," meaning Kelly's boyfriend, and Kelly will say, "He's pretty devastated," because Matt's something-or-other died, and Dylan will say, "The other night. You wanted to know things.

The Television Critics Assn. Press Tour, the semiannual gathering of television journalists from around the country, began at the Beverly Hilton on Tuesday. We offer you these dispatches. The deed is done: Not only will Shannen Doherty officially have a role on the new version of "90210," she also will be in the two-hour premiere on Sept. 2. After weeks of speculation, rumors and, presumably, haggling, executive producer Gabe Sachs said Saturday morning at the Beverly Hilton that Doherty's Brenda would join the previously announced returns of Kelly (Jennie Garth)

A court commissioner has banned filming of the popular television show "Beverly Hills, 90210" at a beachfront home in Hermosa Beach, ruling that it violated city laws prohibiting business activity in residential neighborhoods. The decision could complicate a story line that the hit Fox series launched this season in which three characters rent a beach home during their freshman year of college.

We heard last week that the CW television network was fast-tracking a remake of "Beverly Hills, 90210" -- the teen soap that paved the way for dramas like "Dawson's Creek," "The OC" and reality shows like "The Hills." While series creator Darren Starr isn't involved with the project, Rob Thomas, the mind behind the cheeky "Veronica Mars," is being asked to write about the next generation of Peach Pit-goers. We know that the original class of West Beverly High left some pretty big shoes to fill, so while the project's still in its nascent stages, we'd like to offer a few suggestions for a few pivotal roles: "High School Musical" poster boy Zac Efron is a natural for a young Brandon Walsh, and Mary-Kate Olsen, who's already living a Shannen Doherty-like lifestyle, would be perfect as his rebellious twin sister, Brenda.

Producer Aaron Spelling, lashing out at a court ruling that forced "Beverly Hills, 90210" out of a Hermosa Beach neighborhood, said that such incidents encourage filmmakers to work out of California. Spelling called on Gov. Pete Wilson and other state officials to prevent similar actions elsewhere. In his first comments since the brouhaha began, Spelling also bristled at an insulting banner targeting his daughter, a cast member, that was displayed by a resident.

Three college freshman characters on "Beverly Hills, 90210" moved into beachfront digs a week ago, but they might get cabin fever as the season progresses. Producers, caught in a legal dispute over their filming of outdoor scenes at an oceanfront home in Hermosa Beach, have shifted their shoots indoors, to a studio sound stage.

Tonight, just as she did last Thursday and the Thursday before that, 17-year-old Melissa Myers will preside over a meeting of Club 90210. Members take their duties seriously as they sink into a curvy leather sofa in the Myers' two-story Beverly Hills home. After 9 p.m., there will be no pizzas delivered, no beelines to the bathroom and no phone calls--except during commercial breaks. Indeed, there will be a hush in the Myers' den for 60 minutes.

Tonight's "Beverly Hills, 90210" episode largely departs from tales of dating, shopping and teen-age Angst to give its version of a disquieting event of a year ago that drew national attention: Banning High School's refusal to play a football game against Dorsey following shootings at Dorsey's stadium. "The events surrounding Dorsey and Banning really saddened me," said Charles Rosin, the executive producer of Fox's popular drama (airing at 8 p.m., Channels 11 and 6).

The folks at Elan Polo, a St. Louis-based footwear manufacturer, are hoping little girls are so enamored with Dylan, Brandon and Brenda of "Beverly Hills, 90210," that they will run, not walk, to their nearest discount store for a pair of sneakers sporting the trendy ZIP code. The shoes, due at K mart, Wal-Mart and Target stores Sunday, come in almost 40 styles ranging from colored canvas sneakers to high-tops and are expected to be "value priced" at less than $16.

In Department A of the Van Nuys Superior Court, a palace of paperwork where civil cases are assigned out to judges, there usually is little noticeable action. But on Friday morning--cloaked in intense secrecy--a drama was being played out in the courtroom's chambers. Was it about a verdict in the Menendez brothers' murder trial, or the sentencing of "Super Freak" singer Rick James on drug and assault charges? Hardly.

Well before "The O.C.," "Dawson's Creek" and any number of other prime-time teen soap operas, there was the show that inspired them all: "Beverly Hills, 90210," created by Aaron Spelling and Darren Star, the writer who went on to "Sex and the City" fame. The teen drama aired on Fox from 1990 to 2000 -- nearly 300 episodes in all.

They are the dog days of "Beverly Hills, 90210," the last gasps of a teen soap grown up and grown old: Episode No. 299, titled "The Penultimate." In this scene, for the umpteenth time, Dylan McCay (Luke Perry) and Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) will (almost) profess their love for each other. Dylan will ask, "How's Matt?," meaning Kelly's boyfriend, and Kelly will say, "He's pretty devastated," because Matt's something-or-other died, and Dylan will say, "The other night. You wanted to know things.

On "Beverly Hills, 90210," the on-again, off-again Kelly and Brandon are off (again), Donna is dating another in her series of angry young men and wicked Val is still, well, wicked. Meanwhile, when we last visited Capeside, a.k.a. "Dawson's Creek," Dawson and Joey had just kissed, which may or may not lead to you know where, and how's Jen supposed to cope with all this?

With her generous smile and a simple request, a Newport Beach girl newly awakened from nearly three months in a coma has managed to touch Hollywood hearts. As she made her public debut Thursday at a Santa Ana medical center where she is recovering from a car accident, Amanda Arthur quietly revealed her fondest wish for her 18th birthday on Sept. 11. In careful, broken whispers and at the urging of her older sister, Amanda said, "I would like all the girls from '90210' to come visit me."

In Department A of the Van Nuys Superior Court, a palace of paperwork where civil cases are assigned out to judges, there usually is little noticeable action. But on Friday morning--cloaked in intense secrecy--a drama was being played out in the courtroom's chambers. Was it about a verdict in the Menendez brothers' murder trial, or the sentencing of "Super Freak" singer Rick James on drug and assault charges? Hardly.

In Department A of Van Nuys Superior Court, a palace of paperwork where civil cases are assigned to judges, there usually is little action. But on Friday morning--cloaked in intense secrecy--a great drama was played out in the court chambers. Was it the verdict in the Menendez brothers' murder trial? The sentencing of "Super Freak" singer Rick James on drug and sexual-assault charges? Hardly.

On Fox's "True Colors" Sunday, 18-year-old Terry Freeman (Claude Brooks) was ridiculed by his family for being a virgin. By the end of the show, his non-virgin girlfriend made it clear to him that he wouldn't be for much longer. On NBC's "Blossom" Monday, 15-year-old Blossom Russo (Mayim Bialik) debated "going to second base" with her boyfriend. On ABC's "Roseanne" Tuesday, 16-year-old Becky Connor, (Lecy Goramson) asked her mother to help her get birth control pills.

In the horror movie "Carrie," a telekinetic teen-ager went on a rampage at a high school that, in reality, was the Hermosa Beach Community Center. And in the TV show "Hunter," the gumshoe protagonist dodged bullets and chased cars in scenes shot on Hermosa Beach streets. But whether Kelly Taylor from "Beverly Hills 90210" will be allowed to make out with Dylan McKay at a posh Hermosa Beach apartment remains in doubt.

Producer Aaron Spelling, lashing out at a court ruling that forced "Beverly Hills, 90210" out of a Hermosa Beach neighborhood, said that such incidents encourage filmmakers to work out of California. Spelling called on Gov. Pete Wilson and other state officials to prevent similar actions elsewhere. In his first comments since the brouhaha began, Spelling also bristled at an insulting banner targeting his daughter, a cast member, that was displayed by a resident.

A court commissioner has banned filming of the popular television show "Beverly Hills, 90210" at a beachfront home in Hermosa Beach, ruling that it violated city laws prohibiting business activity in residential neighborhoods. The decision could complicate a story line that the hit Fox series launched this season in which three characters rent a beach home during their freshman year of college.