Teen Drama Links for April 16, 2024

I’ve got beef with “Beef.”

After TDW readers voted for me to binge “Beef” in my recent poll, I watched the 10-episode Netflix series two episodes at a time over five non-consecutive nights. (I am a really bad binger.) Following the first two episodes, I wasn’t loving it but I wasn’t hating it. I just wasn’t seeing what was so hype-worthy.

Mild spoilers ahead for a show that dropped a year ago.

As my watch continued, slowly but surely, I remained interested in seeing what would happen next but by no means blown away or anything. I did find Ali Wong’s performance, in particular, to be remarkable, and I was greatly moved by Steven Yeun’s emotional breakdown in church and his subsequent music performances.

The fourth episode felt like a turning point, with the drama and stakes escalating. But then I thought episode five introduced too many subplots. The rest of my viewing experience continued this way: somewhat liking some things, not liking others.

I was surprised by the time jump in episode seven and couldn’t help but wonder what we had missed in all those months. Surely something important and worth seeing, no? Later on, showing Amy and Danny’s pasts in descending and ascending flashbacks, respectively, was an inspired choice. But I did not like the surreal aspect of Amy’s, which made me feel like I was suddenly watching a different show.

Perhaps needless to say then, I really did not like the trippy-ness of the last episode. Almost everything in the show previously had felt grounded — perhaps heightened, but grounded. And then it just didn’t anymore.

I walked away feeling like Amy’s adorable daughter and the nostalgic soundtrack (which included the “Dawson’s Creek” theme song) were the best parts of the series. Which is to say… I did not love or even like this show nearly as much as others apparently do.

I started to wonder if there is meaning in that and whether it’s a pattern with me. After all, late last year, I finally watched “The White Lotus,” another show that captured the zeitgeist that I didn’t end up liking much at all. Do I just not like “in” things? On the contrary, I came to “Succession” pretty late but then became addicted to it. I didn’t care much for the first season of “The Bear” but loved the second season a lot.

So perhaps the takeaway is just: Not everything is for everyone and that’s okay. I don’t regret watching “Beef” — I finally satisfied my curiosity to see what all the fuss was and I am glad to cross something off my ever-evolving watch list. But would it make a list of my favorite shows? Not even close.

Teen Drama Links for April 16, 2024

Listicle Links

Reminder: All lists and articles relate to the teen dramas or teen drama stars in some way.

• “19 Insufferable TV Characters Who Are — Hands Down — The Worst Part Of Their Show” (BuzzFeed)

• “From ‘Friends’ To ‘The Vampire Diaries’ We Want To Know Which Couple You’d Choose From Each Of These Love Triangles” (BuzzFeed)

  • Related: The Essential Teen Drama Love Triangles (TDW)

• “23 Of The Most Insufferable Fictional Men To Ever Appear On TV” (BuzzFeed)

  • The mistake here is one of my pet peeves!!!

• “Who Is Stephen Colletti’s Fiancée? All About Alex Weaver” (People)

• “26 Teen Drama Shows That’ll Make You Feel Young Again” (Brit + Co)

• “20 Most Rewatchable TV Shows From the 2000s” (Movieweb)

  • Spot the mistakes here?

• “11 Banned Books That Were Adapted for TV” (TV Insider)

• “10 TV Shows That Wasted Their Perfect Ending” (Screen Rant)

• “6 Unpopular TV Show Choices That Should Have Been Retconned” (Screen Rant)

• “15 Best Shows Like Sex And The City” (Screen Rant)

• “The CW’s 15 Best Original Shows, Ranked” (Screen Rant)

• “How 40+ TV Shows Have Handled the Death of a Cast Member” (TVLine)

• “Matt’s Inside Line: Scoop on FBI, NCIS, Chicago Fire, The Rookie, Fire Country, Star Trek: Discovery, Walker and More” (TVLine)

• “All American Can Capture the College Experience More Realistically Than Past Teen Dramas” (PRIMETIMER)

• “Great High School Dramas Aren’t Dead, They’re Just Australian” (PRIMETIMER)

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Best of the Rest

• The mobile game “FashionVerse” will get a “Beverly Hills, 90210” integration this year. (Game Press)

• Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210) was on “Getting Grilled with Curtis Stone.” (QVC+)

  • Stone, of course, is married to Lindsay Price (Janet, Beverly Hills, 90210).

• Garth will be the keynote speaker at the Go Red for Women Experience in New York tomorrow. (Instagram)

• Shannen Doherty (Brenda, Beverly Hills, 90210) has signed on for September’s “90s Con.” (That’s 4 Entertainment)

• In honor of Doherty’s birthday last week, PETA named a rescue horse after her. (Instagram)

• Candy Spelling, wife of the late Aaron Spelling (executive producer, Beverly Hills, 90210), was asked about daughter Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210) getting divorced. (People)

• Brian Austin Green (David, Beverly Hills, 90210) was on the “Win Big” podcast. (YouTube)

• Tiffani Thiessen (Valerie, Beverly Hills, 90210) will be at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend. (Instagram)

• Jessica Alba (Leanne, Beverly Hills, 90210) is stepping down as chief creative officer of The Honest Company but will remain on the board of directors. (Instagram)

• Shawn Levy (Howard, Beverly Hills, 90210) did interviews at CinemaCon, where he received the Director of the Year Award.

  • “Deadpool & Wolverine Director Shawn Levy Reveals Who Encouraged Him to Meet Ryan Reynolds: Hugh Jackman” (People)

  • “Deadpool and Wolverine director on reuniting Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman: ‘Goosebumps’” (Entertainment Weekly)

    “‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Director Shawn Levy Continues to Play Coy About Taylor Swift Dazzler Rumors” (Entertainment Tonight)

  • “‘Deadpool & Wolverine’: Shawn Levy on Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman’s ‘Lovefest’” (Extra)

  • “‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Is Not ‘Deadpool 3’ Says Shawn Levy” (Collider)

  • …and more.

• Walton Goggins, who appeared on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” is profiled in the April 22 issue of People. (People)

• Meredith Stiehm (writer, Beverly Hills, 90210), who created “Cold Case,” is developing a reboot of the series. (Deadline)

• A revival of “Melrose Place,” which was created by Darren Star (creator, Beverly Hills, 90210) as a spinoff of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” is in development with Laura Leighton (Sophie, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Daphne Zuniga (Victoria, One Tree Hill) signed on to reprise their roles and executive produce. (Deadline)

• James Van Der Beek (Dawson, Dawson’s Creek) will give the commencement address and get an honorary degree at Drew University’s College of Liberal Arts — approximately 25 years after he dropped out to star in “Dawson’s Creek.” (Drew University)

• Busy Philipps (Audrey, Dawson’s Creek) was on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” (YouTube)

• Philipps was a presenter at Sunday’s WGA Awards. (Instagram)

• April 6 was declared “Alex Highsmith Day” in Wilmington in honor of the NFL player, who appeared on “Dawson’s Creek” as a baby. (WWAY)

• Paula Cole, who performed the “Dawson’s Creek” theme song, did more interviews about her new album.

  • “Paula Cole on ‘Lo,’ her 11th album: ‘I was compelled to write and the songs just kept flowing’” (CBS News)

  • “Midday Fix: Live Music From Grammy-Award Winning Singer, Songwriter, and Producer — Paula Cole “ (WGN)

• Cole has joined the lineup for The Long Road music festival in August. (Pressparty)

• Rachel Bilson (Summer, The O.C.) is hosting two live events for her “Broad Ideas” podcast in San Francisco next week. (Instagram)

• “The Neighborhood,” starring Max Greenberg (Young Sandy, The O.C.), was renewed by CBS for a seventh season. (TVLine)

• Sophia Bush (Brooke, One Tree Hill) gave a red carpet interview at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards. (E! Online)

• Shanten VanSanten (Quinn, One Tree Hill) did more interviews about the “FBI: Most Wanted” crossover.

  • “‘FBI’: John Boyd & Shantel VanSanten on Scola & Nina Going Undercover Together” (TV Insider)

  • “'It’s Time To See That’: FBI And Most Wanted Stars Break Down The ‘Ugliest Moments’ In Nina And Scola’s Crossover Fight” (Cinemablend)

  • Also: “‘FBI’ Renewed for Three More Seasons at CBS, ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ and ‘FBI International’ Renewed as Well” (Variety)

• Robert Buckley (Clay, One Tree Hill) did an interview tied to his recent Hallmark movie, Blind Date Book Club. (TV Insider)

• Elisabeth Harnois (Shelly, One Tree Hill) reflected on My Date With the President's Daughter. (E! Online)

• Huey Lewis (James, One Tree Hill) is doing press for The Heart of Rock and Roll, the new Broadway musical inspired by his music.

  • “Huey Lewis Lost His Hearing. That Didn’t Stop Him From Making a Musical.” (The New York Times)

  • “Huey Lewis Finally Gets To See His Songs on Broadway — Even If He Can’t Always Hear Them” (Rolling Stone)

  • “Huey Lewis is back with Broadway musical ‘The Heart of Rock ‘n’ Roll’” (CBS News)

  • “Huey Lewis — His Legendary Music Career & ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’” (The Daily Show)

  • “Video: Huey Lewis on How Broadway’s The Heart of Rock and Roll Is a ‘Love Letter to the ‘80s’” (Playbill)

  • “How Huey Lewis shaped ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll’ on Broadway” (New York Theatre Guide)

  • …and more.

• India de Beaufort (Miranda, One Tree Hill) and Jaden Harmon (Andre, One Tree Hill) will be at Friends with Benefit’s “20in23 Redemption Weekend.” (Facebook)

• Brian Robbins (executive producer, One Tree Hill), who I wrote about last week, gave a presentation for Paramount Pictures at CinemaCon. (Deadline)

• Speaking of Paramount, Dawn Ostroff, who was the head of The CW during the heyday of “One Tree Hill,” “Gossip Girl,” and “90210,” is leaving Paramount Global’s board of directors. (Deadline)

• Robyn Lively, sister of Blake Lively (Serena, Gossip Girl), discussed their dynamic on the “Sibling Revelry” podcast hosted by Oliver Hudson (Eddie, Dawson’s Creek). (Apple Podcasts)

• It Ends With Us, starring and executive-produced by Lively, has changed release dates once again — now it’s moving from June to August. (Deadline)

• Here’s a first look at Sebastian Stan (Carter, Gossip Girl) as Donald Trump in The Apprentice, which will premiere next month at the Cannes Film Festival. (Deadline)

• Zuzanna Szadkowski (Dorota, Gossip Girl) will co-star in an off-Broadway production of Macbeth. (Playbill)

• Lori Loughlin (Debbie, 90210) was on the “How Rude, Tanneritos!” podcast. (Apple Podcasts / Apple Podcasts)

• Meghan Markle, who appeared on “90210,” will executive-produce two unscripted series for Netflix, one of which she’ll also appear in. (Deadline)