REACTION: 9021OMG Episode 31

Tuesday’s “9021OMG” covered the “Beverly Hills, 90210” episode “Pass, Not Pass.”

In the sixth episode of season 2, a little love triangle forms between Brenda (Shannen Doherty), Andrea (Gabrielle Carteris), and their drama teacher Mr. Suiter (played by Michael St. Gerard). And with the summer winding down, Brandon (Jason Priestley) looks to buy a car with his summer paychecks and get his job back at The Peach Pit.

This is the third of six episodes directed by Jefferson Kibbee and the first of three written by Ali Adler. She’s gone on to have a very successful career with shows ranging from “Veronica’s Closet” and “Chuck” to “Glee” and “Supergirl.” She also served as a consulting producer on the first season of the “Dynasty” reboot, which was created by Josh Schwartz (creator, The O.C. / Gossip Girl, creator) and Stephanie Savage (executive producer, The O.C. / creator, Gossip Girl).

Jennie Garth (Kelly) and Tori Spelling (Donna) briefly discussed the episode… along with various other things.

9021OMG Episode 31, “Hot for Teacher, Again!?...Eek”

• They began with Jennie introducing them and Tori saying she now wanted to be introduced as just “Tori,” not “Tori Spelling,” to have one name like Sisanie. They spoke about Sisanie’s pregnancy and her height for a bit.

• Jennie then announced that on the last podcast, they said they’d be watching the camping episode next and “we were wrong.”

  • Well, now we know why the last podcast didn’t include them telling us what episode to watch next. They said it, got it wrong, and cut it out of the audio that was released.

  • And they were wrong about something?! I’m shocked!

• Jennie said this week’s episode was “lost and forgotten only because it’s not on Hulu for some reason.” Sisanie: “Apparently there’s a few episodes we’re going to encounter this with.” Sisanie then said it might be “music-related.” Tori brought up how last week they said they would text Darren Star their questions and told Jennie, “This is a question you need to ask him.”

  • This issue has nothing to do with Darren whatsoever. It has to do with ViacomCBS / Paramount. You can find out more here.

• Jennie said she watched the episode on Pluto and plugged the service. Tori cracked that she watched on Uranus and then Jennie cracked that Tori said “your anus.”

• Jennie then announced they have the best fans because a fan dropped off a “present” for her at her husband’s bar. She was apparently showing it off as if we could see. The gift was the “Beverly Hills 90210: The Ultimate Collection” DVD set that recently came out, though Jennie wrongly called it the “complete collection.”

  • I’ve already explained why I’m not buying it and I cannot for the life of me imagine buying it for a cast member. Like they need a freebie! Tori even called it “expensive.” It is expensive for fans. That’s all the more reason not to spend your own money buying it for them.

• They joked about the title of this episode and how they wanted to “pass” over it to get to the camping episode. Sisanie lamented Jennie and Tori not being in this one much.

• Then, instead of actually getting into the episode, Sisanie declared they have “a lot to discuss” and brought up Jennie’s Lifetime movie that premieres this weekend. Jennie spoke at length about that. A voice I didn’t recognize then chimed in to bring up an (old) TV movie Tori was in. Tori then told us that was their producer Amy speaking. A tangent about A Friend to Die For followed, as well as a little bit of discussion about doing TV movies while on the show. Tori said she, Jennie, and Tiffani were “TV movie queens.”

• Jennie revealed she and Tori are talking to Lifetime about doing a project together. Tori said it was “too early” to talk about it and Jennie said they can’t talk about it… but, uh, she brought it up.

  • Enough with the joint projects. You’d think they’d learn from the past and quit while they’re not ahead.

• Jennie: “I’m liking the listener questions... do we have any more?” She then said how they asked for deeper questions last week and, despite literally just asking whether they have more questions, asserted, “I think they delivered this week.” So, uh, you already know you have more.

• The question asked was from a fan who wanted to know if being in the spotlight ever caused problems for their relationships and if relationships ever affected their career paths and if they’d change anything. Jennie said she didn’t have anyone in her life who wasn’t “supportive.” Tori said she “possibly had a boyfriend that wasn’t supportive but he sure liked that money I made.”

• Jennie went on to say that her career choice affected family relationships but not necessarily in negative way, but that she felt “different” and carries “baggage” because of it. Tori said their career “brought people we didn’t want into our lives,” specifically “hanger-on-ers.” They discussed how supposed friends would spill to the tabloids about them.

• They then started talking about “entourages” and Sisanie asked if they would get easy access and free stuff at clubs. Jennie called it “part of the game,” doing appearances at clubs in exchange for getting comped, but said she’s also been on the opposite end of struggling to get into a club and described an incident in which she got angry and flipped off a photographer outside a club.

• Sisanie wanted to know how they “handle stories that aren’t true.” Jennie said that even with this podcast, outlets pick up things they say without context and spin it. She said that after she spoke about her insecurities last week, the media made it seem like she was saying her co-stars made her insecure. “They twist it around,” she said, arguing the press has a “way of quoting exactly what you say and somehow make it sound completely different.”

  • Perhaps I’m mistaken, but I thought her comments two weeks ago about feeling threatened by co-stars were picked up in different places, not her remarks last week about insecurities. I don’t recall seeing them conflated. To date, I’ve more or less felt stories based on things said on the podcast have been accurate. I think Jennie and Tori just end up regretting what they say and it’s easy to blame it on the media when all they did was quote you word for word.

• Tori then said being misquoted in the media / things getting twisted has happened for their whole careers and there’s been times they want fans to know they’re not that person portrayed in the press, but they’re taught you’re not supposed to say anything and make the story bigger. Jennie said she’s always in favor of “speaking your piece,” regardless of what publicists want.

  • I’m sure their PR people loved hearing that.

• Tori wanted to know what Jennie would’ve done if she hadn’t pursued acting. She replied that she had “so many interests” and couldn’t pick. She then said she always wanted to be the “grocery store checkout girl,” but thought she would’ve picked something in psychology or remodeling homes. Jennie then turned the tables and Tori said she likes “dabbling in a lot of things,” but she would choose being a party planner. Jennie pointed out that she just had a birthday and Tori didn’t plan an event for her. Tori then promised, “After this podcast has been on for many seasons and we’re raking in the bucks,” she’d do a big event for her.

  • Just a reminder this podcast is really nothing but a cash crab for them.

• After a break, at more than 27 minutes in, Jennie declared, “Let’s dive in to the episode.” Tori read the description that I’m pretty sure was taken from the episode’s Wiki page. Jennie: “We have two storylines going on here, neither of which have Kelly and Donna in them.” That said, she could relate to Brandon’s excitement over buying a car.

• Tori asked Jennie if she remembered the director. Surprisingly, she did. They called him “funny” and said they could visualize him after all this time because he made a “lasting impression” and was a “character.” Superfan Sisanie wanted to know if they had “new directors often.” When they confirmed they did, she asked, “Why do they do that?”

  • Oh, Sis. Your cluelessness never fails to amaze.

  • Also, if he was so memorable, why didn’t they discuss this director during the podcasts about the prior two episodes he directed? Were they not paying attention?

• Jennie, of course, wrongly said once again that the episode was written by Darren, in addition to Ali. She then couldn’t remember the name of the beach club. She didn’t get why Kelly was hanging with Steve, but acknowledged they have a “love-hate” dynamic.

• Jennie brought up the Brenda-Andrea plot and declared, “Golly, do I have problems with this storyline. Mr. Suiter is a creep. Mr. Suiter, is he a pedophile?” Jennie thought Elvis was playing on the jukebox during the Peach Pit scene and that Michael St. Gerard went on to play Elvis after this, making it another example of the supposed foreshadowing they keep noticing.

  • Except… Elvis didn’t play in this episode and Michael first portrayed him — multiple times — before he was ever on “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Sigh.

• They said the producers tried to track Michael down to have him on the podcast but discovered he’s no longer in the industry — he became a youth pastor.

  • Given that his last IMDb credit is from 1994, it shouldn’t have been shocking to find out he’s no longer acting. And… so what? Can’t ask him to be on the podcast anyway? Deborah Goodrich hasn’t acted since 1992 and they still had her on the podcast.

• Tori speculated that Michael “probably doesn’t want to talk about this role.” Jennie said his character “preyed on young girls” and said she was “so angry” when he and Andrea kissed, although she pointed out that Gabrielle and Michael were the same age in real life.

• They deduced that Mr. Suiter was around 22 while Andrea was around 17 and Tori didn’t see the issue, revealing she went out with a 22-year-old when she was 17. She then asked if they’ve ever liked an older boy and lied about their age. (Um, you mean like Brenda in the pilot?) Tori said she did, but “then he found out I was on TV and I couldn’t lie.”

• Jennie thought it was “weird” The Peach Pit was open while under construction. Tori called it “disgusting.” Superfan Sisanie: “Honestly, I didn’t even pick up on that.” They wondered if a scene was cut explaining it and then Jennie speculated it was a story-driven way for them to remodel the set.

• Jennie: “Andrea did not deserve to be slapped like that. I thought I was really Team Brenda until now. Now’s the [turning] point. This is it. I’ve had enough. Brenda just turned for me.” Superfan Sisanie: “Was that [slap] real?” Tori: “I’m sure it was.”

  • Tori keeps implying Shannen and Gabrielle didn’t get along.

• Tori recalled how she had to slap Tiffani in a “later episode” and that Tiffani wanted her to do it for real and, after the first take, wanted her to do it “harder.” Jennie: “She’s into that.” Jennie then said more seriously that some actors prefer the real thing in order to give a more “honest” reaction. Jennie: “Personally, I say fake it.”

• Tori texted Gabrielle right then to find out if the slap was real. Jennie said she thought of Sisanie during the scene because of how much Sisanie loves Brenda and so she felt sad for Sisanie. Sisanie: “I don’t love Brenda. I love the idea of Brenda and Dylan together.” She doesn’t like when Brenda is an “ugly person.” Yet she doesn’t mind when Kelly is bitchy, though she struggled to explain why beyond saying that Kelly was introduced as a bitch while Brenda wasn’t. Tori argued that Kelly is “still likeable” in those moments, especially since Jennie herself is so likeable.

  • So… Shannen is not likeable?

• Since Gabrielle wasn’t answering, they contemplated putting the question in their cast group chat. Jennie: “It’s gonna be crickets, just to prepare you.” Sisanie wanted to know when the last text was sent in that thread and Jennie wanted to know what it said. Tori got to work looking for the thread.

• Sisanie said she had a “bone to pick” but wasn’t sure whether it was with the network or the writers. She wanted to know why the network had an issue with Dylan and Brenda having sex but not an issue with an “older teacher making moves on the girls at school.” Jennie: “Good point, Sis.” They discussed how it might’ve been considered “appropriate” at the time, with Jennie calling it “gross.”

  • I previously wrote about the awfulness of this trope here.

• Tori couldn’t find the group chat and was “furious.” Sisanie: “So clearly it’s been a long time…” Tori then found a chat that only some of them were in and it was about a production member’s 50th birthday. They were supposed to send in video messages but apparently both Jennie and Tori missed it. They joked they would “do it now” and reminisced about him a bit.

  • The crew member was Dan J. Birnbaum, whom they called “DJ,” who was a coordinating producer for the last season of the show.

• After another break, Jennie announced she found the group chat on her phone. The last message was from Jason on March 29, 2020, and the discussion was about Ian’s virtual birthday party.

  • So over a year ago. I see how close they are and how active that chat is.

• Jennie: “The little girl at the hukilau, did she look familiar to you?” She then explained how it was “Charles Rosin, Chuck Rosin’s daughter, Chuck and Karen Rosin’s daughter.” Jennie said how cute they thought she was and how her line stayed stuck in their heads for weeks.

  • This has been discussed on the “Beverly Hills 90210 Show” podcast a lot.

• Tori pointed out Lucy Liu was in the episode. Jennie: “Wait, I thought that was her!” Tori wondered if it was her first role. Jennie: “I love it when we spot people on the show who have gone on to have great careers.”

  • It is indeed the first role Lucy is credited for on IMDb.

• As for fashion, Jennie liked Kelly’s coordinating set and Jim’s tracksuit. Tori said Jennie just wanted to “jump his hairy bones.” Tori liked Kelly’s bathing suit.

• As for lines, Jennie liked Jim saying “caveat emptor” and then explaining what it meant… because she didn’t know. Tori liked Brandon saying, “Why is it nobody in L.A. is from L.A.?” Sisanie liked Brenda and Andrea’s exchange: “Let’s make a pact. Let’s never let a man get between us again.” She pointed out, though, that Dylan was then placed between them as they danced at the party. Jennie said she took the line “too literally.”

• Jennie called it a “good episode,” saying, “I feel like we covered all of the goodness. Maybe we missed some things.” Tori: “It wasn’t my fave.” Jennie said they’re “really excited” for the camping episode. Superfan Sisanie: “I hope you guys are in it more... I needed more of Kelly and Donna in this last episode.”

  • Superfan Sisanie… haven’t you seen it before?!

• Tori: “Speaking of girl friendships, our fellow counterparts for the new ‘90210’” — Shenae Grimes and AnnaLynne McCord — “have a new podcast.” They were unsure if it’s a rewatch podcast (way to do your research, like always, ladies), though Tori explained the “Unzipped” concept of them speaking openly without fear of cancellation.

• They then talked about how Shenae and AnnaLynne were in a feud for years. Jennie said she was “sad for them” and that she knows “how hard it is to work with someone you don't get along with.” Tori said the press said she (Tori) and Shannen were in a feud, even though they were friends when they did the show, and she and Shannen both “bought into it” until they ran into each other and cleared the air.

• Jennie on Shenae and AnnaLynne mending fences: “Good for them they evolved.” Tori: “I like do-overs.” Jennie: “We all deserve them.”

• Jennie wants to go camping. Tori wants to go glamping.

• Just as they were ending, Tori said Gabrielle texted back that the slap was real. Tori: “We’ve gotta go deeper with this next week and find out the whole story.”

  • Why they didn’t think of that before this and plan for it is beyond me.

I have to point out that they spent less than 25 minutes of this 55-minute rewatch podcast talking about the actual episode they rewatched. This will never not blow my mind. It’s utterly bonkers and inexcusable. And Jennie thinks they covered the episode well?! A lot of the negative Apple Podcast reviews I mentioned last week referenced the “Office Ladies” podcast and how much better it is. Perhaps Jennie, Tori, and Sisanie need to listen to one episode of that or two or a dozen.

How did they just discover now that not all of the episodes are on Hulu and Amazon Prime? You’d think this would’ve been something they looked into and realized before they even finalized plans for a rewatch podcast. Someone better tell them now that it’s a helluva lot more than “a few” episodes where they’ll have this issue. Pluto isn’t even a long-term solution since, I believe, they’re only airing the first five seasons. (Of course, whether they’ll even get to the point where that’s actually an issue remains up in the air.) This is just another indication of their lack of research and preparation. I also find it kind of insulting to suggest this episode was “forgotten” because it wasn’t on Hulu, as if fans wouldn’t remember it otherwise.

Also, why was this the first time we heard Amy the producer chime in? Has she spoken up other times and they just cut it out? I certainly could’ve lived without her tangential contribution today. I also want to note how weird the title of this installment is — “Hot for Teacher, Again!?” — given that they didn’t even mention when Brenda was “hot for teacher” in season 1.

Lastly, I’m pretty shocked they plugged Shenae and AnnaLynne’s podcast considering both sides have said not nice things about the other in recent years (as I’ve detailed here). Perhaps they were paid to do it. Wouldn’t put it past them…

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