Braverman, Charles

Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Fourth Season

The ensemble drama about young adults growing up in Beverly Hills is a blend of romantic drama and subject matter that crosses all cultural boundaries. The storyline has followed the Walsh family as they moved from a middle-class Midwestern neighborhood to wealthy and glamorous Beverly Hills maturing from high school to college students facing new challenges as they continue to grow and discover more about themselves and their personal ambitions. As their worlds evolve old friendships will be tested as new relationships develop but no matter how complicated their worlds become they will always share in their strengths and experiences.System Requirements:TRT: 1463 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097361325545 Manufacturer No: 132554

Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Third Season

Things continue to plug along at a rapid and highly dramatic pace in season three for the privileged teens of Aaron Spelling's 90's TV classic Beverly Hills 90210. This season the gang tackles eating disorders, gambling addiction, birth, death, incest, infidelity, car accidents, racism, homelessness, and one whopper of a love triangle, along with, of course, the standard high school fare of college applications, SAT scores, and graduation anxiety. 90210 continues to revolve around Minnesota transplants Brandon (Jason Preistley) and Brenda Walsh (Shannon Doherty), though with every season the twins' Midwestern roots seem to matter a little less. The summer before senior year begins with Brenda and boyfriend Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) still deeply in love, much to the chagrin of Brenda's disapproving parents. To force a little distance, they send Brenda to Paris for the summer with Donna (Tori Spelling), herself the subject of an enjoyable and incredibly absurd French modeling subplot—while halfway around the world Dylan and Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth) discover a growing mutual attraction and begin an illicit summer fling. But it's clear the love triangle between Dylan and best friends Brenda and Kelly remains the heart of the show. Taking a break from all the drama, there are some entertaining subplots this year, many of them involving surprising guest stars (before they were stars), including Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), David Arquette (Scream), and Dean Cain (Lois & Clark).

As in the first two seasons released on DVD, the lack of the original early 90's music is a major disappointment, but the entertainment value doesn't suffer for it. The highlight of the special features is the return of VH-1's Best Week Ever's John Aboud and Michael Colton. The two comedians' hilarious lampooning of season three in "Everything You Need to Know About Beverly Hills 90210 - Season Three" gently mocks some of the more outlandish dream sequences, Brenda's horrible french accent, and of course, the ridiculousness of many of these highly entertaining but entirely silly plot-lines. Beverly Hills 90210 - Season Three is addictive as ever and incredibly fun to watch - a time capsule, over-the-top soap opera and teen drama trailblazer all rolled into one. --Kira Canny

One of the definitive landmark shows of the 1990s "90210" quickly became an important fixture on the FOX and in the popular discourse of adolescents and young adults. The third season s main characters Dylan Kelly Donna Steve David Andrea and twins Brandon and Brenda all attended West Beverly Hills High School. Brandon and Brenda Walsh and their parents transplants from Minneapolis were the stable nuclear family with strong values; their home was a safe haven for the whole gang and the center of much of the drama. The show dealt with a steady stream of love triangles and other romantic entanglements and occasionally touched on more serious issues as well. System Requirements:Run Time: 1371 minutes Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY UPC: 097361225043

Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Complete Second Season

Follows the lives of the Walsh twins, Brandon and Brenda, who have moved to Beverly Hills from Minnesota and their group of friends at West Beverly High.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: BEVERLY HILLS 90210
Title: SEASON 2
Street Release Date: 05/01/2007
Domestic
Genre: TELEVISION

From a pregnancy scare and a psycho girlfriend to a cameo by Color Me Badd, Beverly Hills 90210's sophomore year demonstrates why this was "the greatest TV show in history with a zip code in its title." That's what comedians John Aboud and Michael Colton (Best Week Ever) call it in a very entertaining bonus feature that affectionately roasts 90210 from its so-the-drama melodramatics to its stuck-in-the-'90s fashion sense (high-waisted jeans, buttoned-up shirts, and whatever the heck you call the outrageous wardrobe worn by Brian Austin Green's David). This is the season that catapulted 90210 from Most Likely to Succeed to BSOF (Best Show on Fox). Certainly, it was must-see viewing for teens who anxiously tuned in each week to vicariously chart the serial adventures of siblings Brenda (Shannon Doherty) and older brother Brandon (Jason Priestley), recent transplants from Minnesota to glitzy Beverly Hills. Season 2, one of the best in this series' decade-long run, is one for the time capsule, with episodes and story arcs that loom large in the 90210 phenomenon, among them: Brenda's tempestuous, on-and-off-again relationship with soulful bad boy Dylan (Luke Perry in his instantly iconic role), causing rifts between her and her increasingly disapproving parents; new girl Emily Valentine (Christine Elise) going all Fatal Attraction on Brandon (no rabbits are boiled but a homecoming float is in jeopardy); Kelly (Jennie Garthhooking up with Melrose Place-bound Jake (Grant Show), and Donna (Tori Spelling) in her mermaid Halloween costume.

Degrassi Jr. High has nothing on 90210 when it comes to issues-oriented episodes. Not four minutes into the season opener, Brenda announces she is five days "late." "I love Dylan, and I thought I knew what we were doing" she tells BFFs Kelly and Donna, "but I'm beginning to get the feeling that it wasn't worth it." Other episodes address abstinence, child abuse, the physically challenged, sexual orientation, racism, rape, and steroids. A heartbreaking story arc concerns David shunning his former best friend, Scott, who returns from an Oklahoma vacation all urban cowboy, making him even more of an outcast with the popular kids. "Cool it with the guns," David cautions, foreshadowing tragic events to come in the episode "The Next 50 Years." Throwing something of a wet blanket on precious memories of the show is the substitution of generic songs for 90210's originally killer soundtracks of alternative and classic rock and golden oldies. One would think that the Peach Pit has the lamest jukebox on Earth. --Donald Liebenson

Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Complete First Season

One of the definitive landmark shows of the 1990s "90210" quickly became an important fixture on the FOX and in the popular discourse of adolescents and young adults. The first season s main characters Dylan Kelly Donna Steve David Andrea and twins Brandon and Brenda all attended West Beverly Hills High School. Brandon and Brenda Walsh and their parents transplants from Minneapolis were the stable nuclear family with strong values; their home was a safe haven for the whole gang and the center of much of the drama. The show dealt with a steady stream of love triangles and other romantic entanglements and occasionally touched on more serious issues as well.System Requirements:Running Time: 1068 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097360382440 Manufacturer No: 038244

Just as Fox's 21 Jump Street injected the cop drama with a dose of hip, Beverly Hills 90210 infused the primetime soap with youthful energy. Like Aaron Spelling's Dynasty, most characters don't lack for disposable income, except for middle-class twins Brandon

Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place creator Darren Star reflects on the first seasons of both shows in this Amazon-exclusive clip. High Bandwidth | Low Bandwidth

(Jason Priestley) and Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty, Heathers). Created by Darren Star (Melrose Place), the class-conscious concept scored an instant hit. In the two-part Tim Hunter-directed pilot, the teens have just arrived from Minneapolis. "Nobody knows me," Brenda tells Brandon on their first day at West Beverly High. "I can be anyone I want." The two soon befriend Steve (Ian Ziering), Kelly (Jennie Garth), Donna (Spelling's daughter, Tori), David (Brian Austin Green), and commuter student Andrea (Gabriel Carteris). Then there's Dylan (Luke Perry), who debuts in the second episode ("The Green Room"). A poetry-reading surfer with a shady past, he's the James Dean of the piece, and Brenda falls hard for his bad-boy charms. Guests include Debbie Gibson ("East Side Story") and Matthew Perry ("April is the Cruelest Month"), while recurring characters include understanding parents Cindy (Carol Potter) and Jim Walsh (James Eckhouse) and Peach Pit manager Nat (Joe E. Tata).

Beverly Hills, 90210 ran for 10 years. Though it would move away from issue-oriented episodes in the seasons to come--in the first, it takes on shoplifting, cheating, and date rape--without it, there would be no O.C., no Veronica Mars, etc. Just like the 1980s films of John Hughes (The Breakfast Club), it set the standard to which all others must be compared. As nice as it is to have the show on DVD, it should be noted that not all musical selections made the cut, i.e. "Music has been changed for this home entertainment version." Otherwise, this guilty pleasure remains as pleasurable as ever. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from Beverly Hills, 90210 (click for larger image)

Melrose Place - The Fourth Season

A nighttime soap opera about the lives careers trials and tribulations of a group of young people living in an apartment building in the trendy neighborhood of Melrose Place. The show was a spin off of Beverly Hills 90210 and starred Heather Locklear as the scheming Amanda Woodward head of her own advertising agency and owner of the apartment building.System Requirements:TRT: 1528 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 097361325446 Manufacturer No: 132544

The fourth and the last essential season of Melrose Place literally begins with a bang, as a deranged Kimberly detonates the bombs that lay waste to much of the titular apartment building. But this being Melrose Place, it is hardly the only dramatic upheaval that will shake this addictive prime time soap to its very foundations. Where to begin? Framing this season are two great movie homages. The season opener echoes Silence of the Lambs with Kimberly (Marcia Cross) channeling Hannibal Lecter. The season finale recreates Carrie's ultimate shock, a classic "no they di'nt" cliffhanger in tune with Melrose Place's increasingly over-the-top aesthetic. In between are episodes ripe with left-turn character developments (Josie Bissett's doormat Jane vows to do a little "stepping" herself to further her career as a fashion designer) and outrageous plot twists (Kimberly somehow beats the rap for her act of domestic terrorism and becomes a radio talk show host--recruited by no less than Dr. Joyce Brothers!--and later, develops a split personality as a really desperate housewife.) But you haven't seen anything yet. Allison (Courtney Thorne-Smith), temporarily blinded in the blast, uses her disability to score pity points with Billy (Andrew Shue) while his new wife, the willful, spoiled, and manipulative Brooke (Kristin Davis) burns, especially when Allison marries her father! Matt (Doug Savant), the resident gay character, has a particularly eventful season, what with trying to clear his name after being framed for murder, suing for sexual discrimination, getting a new boyfriend, and becoming a drug addict. Michael (Thomas Calabro), much more evil and vicious in previous seasons, is not really a serious threat, but he does team up with Sydney (Laura Leighton) to Gaslight Kimberly. Jake (Grant Show), reeling from the death of his rotten brother, is vulnerable to the machinations of Shelly (Hudson Leick), his vengeful sister in law. We haven't forgotten Amanda (show savior Heather Locklear), who begins the season uncharacteristically compassionate. Not to worry; she reverts to her bad self after Brooke uncovers a secret from her past and blackmails her. "Kiss the nice Amanda goodbye," she coolly threatens Brooke. "I'm back." Which is just the way we love her. This whopping nine-disc set contains no extras, but, really, with all the backstabbings and betrayals, hook-ups and, yes, hauntings, do you really need commentary? --Donald Liebenson

Melrose Place - The Second Season

In its second season, Melrose Place turned up the heat, resulting in a funnier, sexier series. Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) continues to see Billy (Andrew Shue), Jake (Grant Show) moves in with Jo (Daphne Zuniga), and Jane (Josie Bissett) divorces Michael (Thomas Calabro), who shacks up with Kimberly (Marcia Cross). That leaves Matt (the underused Doug Savant), who has an affair with a sailor; Amanda (Heather Locklear), who sets her sights on Jake; and Sydney (Laura Leighton), who sets hers on Michael. A lot changes during the year: Sydney turns to prostitution, Jo kills in self-defense, Amanda and Jo catch a voyeur in the act, and Michael and Kimberly end up in the hospital when he crashes their car. Though Michael recovers after a few episodes, Kimberly slips into a coma and then disappears. Michael is told she's died; fortunately for fans, he was misinformed. Kimberly eventually returns, but though she looks the same, she isn't. Turns out, she's now a certifiable loony--and she intends to make Michael pay. As she memorably tells Sydney in the season finale, "You're looking at human garbage... when Michael's dead, God's gonna do a jig."

By the end of the second year, one marriage will have taken place, while another will be called off at the last minute. After an entertaining, if overly earnest first season, Melrose Place had found its footing. The acting isn't always first-rate--the crying scenes are particularly unconvincing--but 31 episodes in one year must have been draining on the cast (most dramas top out at 23). Guest stars include Parker Stevenson as a high-tech millionaire, Gina Gershon as a waitress/call girl, Linda Gray as Amanda's estranged mother, and future X-Men star Famke Janssen as a high-class hooker. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

A nighttime soap opera about the lives, careers, trials and tribulations of a group of young people living in an apartment building in the trendy neighborhood of Melrose Place. The show was a spin off of Beverly Hills 90210 and starred Heather Locklear as the scheming Amanda Woodward, head of her own advertising agency and owner of the apartment building.

Melrose Place - The Complete First Season

Stories about the lives and loves of the inhabitants of a trendy apartment complex in Los Angeles.
Genre: Television
Rating: NR
Release Date: 7-NOV-2006
Media Type: DVD

It began as a spin-off of Beverly Hills, 90210, but this summer replacement quickly established its own unique identity. The connection is creator Darren Star and the character of Jake (Grant Show), who had a fling with Kelly (Jennie Garth) on 90210. In the pilot, she

Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place creator Darren Star reflects on the first seasons of both shows in this Amazon-exclusive clip. High Bandwidth | Low Bandwidth

stops by 4616 Melrose to pay a visit (and returns for two more episodes). Jake's neighbors comprise of Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Rhonda (Vanessa Williams), Sandy (Amy Locane), Matt (Doug Savant), and married couple Michael (Thomas Calabro) and Jane (Josie Bissett). When Alison's roommate runs out on her, she takes in Billy (Andrew Shue) to cover the rent. Just as 90210 had the Peach Pit, the twentysomethings of Melrose gather at Shooters, where aspiring actress Sandy waits tables. Her roommate Rhonda teaches aerobics. Other professions include mechanic (Jake), receptionist (Alison), social worker (Matt), doctor (Michael), designer (Jane), and writer (Billy). Midway through the season, photographer Jo (Daphne Zuniga) and ad exec Amanda ("special guest" Heather Locklear) arrive to shake things up. What had been a program about work and life issues takes a darker turn as Michael gives in to temptation and Amanda sets out to ruin Alison's career--and her relationship with Billy.

Other troublemakers are waiting in the wings, like Michael's colleague Kimberly (Marcia Cross) and Jane's sister Sydney (Laura Leighton). Both return to stay in the second year. Melrose Place ran for seven increasingly soapy seasons and spawned the short-lived Models, Inc.. Afterwards, Thorne-Smith moved on to Ally McBeal and According to Jim, while Savant and Cross would eventually segue to Desperate Housewives. Other actors had a shorter stay at the infamous West Hollywood apartment complex-- notably, Locane, who makes her exit in the 13th episode ("Dreams Come True") and Williams, who makes hers in the 32nd (two-part season finale "Suspicious Minds"). --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from Melrose Place (click for larger image)

Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 4

Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 2

Hercules The Legendary Journeys - Season 3