Questions
Who created Beverly Hills, 90210 and when did it air?
It was created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling. It ran on Fox from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000, spanning 10 seasons and 293 episodes.
What is the show actually about?
It follows twins Brandon and Brenda Walsh, who move from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Beverly Hills, California after their father gets a job promotion. The teens navigate life among the wealthy kids of their new town.
What does the 90210 in the title mean?
It is one of the city of Beverly Hills’s five ZIP codes. The number became so iconic it turned into shorthand for wealth and glamour.
Was the show always called Beverly Hills, 90210?
No. During development it went by working titles including Doing Time in Beverly Hills and Class of Beverly Hills before the final name was chosen.
Where was the high school actually filmed?
The fictional West Beverly Hills High School was filmed at the real Torrance High School in California. When the characters went to college, the fictional California University scenes were shot at Occidental College in Eagle Rock.
How did Luke Perry end up as Dylan McKay?
Perry reportedly auditioned for the role of Steve Sanders but was cast as Dylan instead. He was not an original cast member and reportedly was intended for only one or two episodes before Dylan became a breakout character.
Is it true Jennie Garth had to fight for her role?
Reportedly, Garth auditioned five times before landing the part of Kelly Taylor. She went on to appear across the show’s entire run.
Did Tori Spelling audition under a fake name?
Reportedly yes. She auditioned as ’Tori Mitchell’ for the role of Kelly, but was recognized and ultimately cast as Donna Martin.
Why did Shannen Doherty leave the show?
Doherty departed after Season 4 following reported conflicts with castmates. Executive producer Charles Rosin reportedly cited habitual lateness, and continuity issues arose after she cut her hair mid-episode.
Who replaced Brenda after Shannen Doherty left?
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen joined in Season 5 as Valerie Malone. She stayed on until early in Season 9.
How did a struggling first season turn into a hit?
After weak ratings early on, the show’s popularity soared during the summer of 1991, when Fox aired new episodes while competing networks were showing reruns.
How big was the series finale?
The series finale in May 2000 drew over 25 million viewers, capping the show’s decade-long run.
What episode caused the biggest uproar?
The Season 1 episode ’Spring Dance’ sparked parental outrage when Brenda lost her virginity without facing the usual on-screen consequences, which was unusual for network television in 1991.
What was the Peach Pit?
The Peach Pit was the gang’s beloved hangout diner. Reportedly three different exterior locations were used over the years, including the Rose City Diner in Pasadena for much of the run.
What spin-offs and reboots did the show produce?
It launched Melrose Place in 1992, plus Models Inc. and a 90210 revival that premiered on The CW in 2008. A reboot called BH90210 aired six episodes on Fox in 2019.
What is the show’s lasting legacy?
It became a pop culture phenomenon that turned its cast into teen idols. Entertainment Weekly ranked it number 20 on its list of the top 100 TV shows of the past 25 years, and its theme music placed number 15 on the outlet’s list of greatest TV themes.
