Teen Drama Links for February 28, 2023

I want to preface today’s thoughts with a disclaimer: I support women. I support women speaking out about the sexual assaults, harassment, and mistreatment they’ve faced. Every woman who wants to tell her story has the right to do so and should do so. But I also support those who choose not to share.

I say this because I’ve spent the past few weeks deeply thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar and her decision not to specifically detail her experiences with Joss Whedon on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” — a clear contrast to how the women of “One Tree Hill” have handled their experiences with Mark Schwahn.

Hilarie Burton, Sophia Bush, and Bethany Joy Lenz have spoken at length about Schwahn’s misconduct and continue to do so on their “Drama Queens” podcast. As I wrote when I examined the state of the teen drama rewatch podcasts last summer and as I frequently point out in my weekly podcast reaction tweets, the “One Tree Hill” women often let their personal experiences with Schwahn color how they see the show, and, consequently, their perspectives affect how many fans now view the show. That said, while I disagree with “Drama Queens” being the proper forum, if they want to process their trauma so publicly, that is their prerogative.

But I’ve really been struck by Gellar’s comments in two recent interviews about why she won’t speak publicly about Whedon’s misconduct on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Last month, Gellar told The Hollywood Reporter:

“I’ll never tell my full story because I don’t get anything out of it. I’ve said all I’m going to say because nobody wins. Everybody loses.”

“I’m not the only person facing this, and I hope the legacy hasn’t changed. I hope that it gives the success back to the people that put in all of the work. I will always be proud of Buffy. I will always be proud of what my castmates did, what I did. Was it an ideal working situation? Absolutely not. But it’s OK to love Buffy for what we created because I think it’s pretty spectacular.”

She also told The Guardian:

“I’m never going to go into detail because it doesn’t help anything, it doesn’t solve anything … My heart goes out to people who are willing to tell their truths and their stories and their experiences. I just know that, for me, rehashing things — there’s nothing to be gained for me, in that experience. Where I gain is making sure that there’s better experiences for the next generation.”

I respect Gellar’s decision not to speak in detail just as much as I respect Burton, Bush, and Lenz’s decision to do the opposite. I just can’t help but wonder which approach better serves the shows and their respective fan bases. 

As I continue to wrestle with whether you can separate the art from the artist, and if you even should, it seems the “One Tree Hill” women have been unable to separate Schwahn from the series when it comes to anything they dislike about the show, yet they continually separate him from the show when it comes to all that they like about it.

In other words, they openly blame Schwahn for everything they hate about “One Tree Hill,” but never credit him for everything they love that he was responsible for. They repeatedly tear the show apart and do not acknowledge what Schwahn did well. I think this is to fans’ detriment.

Gellar, on the other hand, seems to be suggesting that there is room for acknowledging how amazing “Buffy” was and that it was a joint endeavor with a lot of good and bad without dumping on the series. This, I think, is to fans’ benefit. By saying less, Gellar is doing more in preserving the show’s legacy.

Gellar’s comments reminded me of similar remarks her co-star Emma Caulfield (Susan, Beverly Hills, 90210) made to Vanity Fair last year. (Caulfield is also quoted in The Hollywood Reporter piece, as is Seth Green (Wayne, Beverly Hills, 90210)). Below is the first tweet in a thread I posted in reaction to Caulfield’s statements, and as I was with Gellar, I was struck by how different Caulfield’s take with “Buffy” and Whedon is from how Burton, Bush, and Lenz are handling “One Tree Hill” with Schwahn. (Click the tweet to read my full thread.)

Shari Weiss @sizzlemaker

In Emma Caulfield's VF interview about having MS, she also talks about viewing "Buffy" in the wake of Joss Whedon's harassment going public. Her approach is far different than how the "Drama Queens" ladies are handling things.

Of course, these situations are far from identical. What happened to each woman is deeply personal and unique, and their pain is their own. What they choose to do with their pain and how they choose to share or not share it with their respective fans is their decision alone. There is no right or wrong here. All have my respect and empathy.

I do wonder, however, what Gellar and Caulfield would say about Burton, Bush, and Lenz’s approach and what Burton, Bush, and Lenz would say about Gellar and Caulfield’s. If nothing else, perhaps they can provide support for one another as they continue to work through something that never should’ve happened.

Teen Drama Links for February 28, 2023

Listicle Links

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

• “17 Famous People Who Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead In A Marvel Movie, And Their Reasons Why” (BuzzFeed)

• “15 On-Set Mistakes That Were So Endearing, They Made The Final Cut” (BuzzFeed)

• “TV Fans Are Sharing The Storylines And Scenes That Led To Them Giving Up On A Show They Loved” (BuzzFeed)

• “23 Celebrities Who Appeared In Their Significant Other’s Movies And TV Shows” (BuzzFeed)

• “‘Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ Had Some Of The Coolest Cameos Of Any Show Ever, And Here’s All The Proof You Need” (BuzzFeed)

• “Michelle Williams’ Daughter: Everything She’s Said About Motherhood” (People)

• “What It Is Like To Meet The Cast Of One Tree Hill in Tree Hill” (Her Campus)

• “‘Gossip Girl’: The 10 Most Rewatchable Episodes” (Collider)

  • Oddly, this piece is all about the original series but one of the images used is from the spinoff.

• “7 TV shows endings that left fans enraged: Gossip Girl, Killing Eve and more” (HELLO!)

• “The Plazacore Trend Will Have You Feeling Like Blair Waldorf IRL” (E! Online)

• “Would You Rather Date Or Dump These Characters Made Famous By Penn Badgley?” (BuzzFeed)

• “A Brief Examination of Penn Badgley’s TikTok Account” (Jezebel)

• “Please Immediately Follow Penn Badgley on TikTok” (PopSugar)

• “Penn Badgley Is On a Major Turtleneck-Suit Kick” (GQ)

• “Penn Badgley and Domino Kirke’s Relationship Timeline” (Brides)

• “Amanda Seyfried Recalls How Blake Lively Almost Played Karen in Mean Girls” (E! Online)

  • Also: “Amanda Seyfried Shares Her First Impression of Blake Lively During Mean Girls Audition” (E! Online)

• “Why Sebastian Stan Should Play More Villains” (Movieweb)

• “‘Breaking Bad’ and 9 Other TV Shows You Must Watch From the First Episode, According to Reddit” (Collider)

• “10 Actors Who Successfully Made the Jump from TV to Movies” (Collider)

• “10 TV Show Plot Twists Everyone Missed (Even While Watching the Show)” (Collider)

• “10 HBO Characters Written To Be Smart (But Aren’t)” (CBR)

• “10 Most Iconic Enemies To Lovers Couples In Television” (CBR)

• “12 Best CW Shows Of All Time Ranked” (Looper)

• “Did Magnum’s Baywatch Strut Sizzle? Is The Conners Making a Mistake? Was Way Home Montage All That? More Qs!” (TVLine)

• “Are We Having Fun Yet?!: The Oral History of ‘Party Down’” (The Ringer)

• “‘Party Down’ Season 3 Cast and Character Guide: Who Plays Who?” (The Wrap)

• “Why this Oscar-nominated actress can’t keep Wilmington off her mind” (StarNews Online)

  • Related: Michelle Williams: Teen Drama’s Oscar Nominee (TDW)

• “Test your knowledge with the ultimate quiz of Wilmington’s film and TV history” (StarNews Online)

  • Related: Cliffnotes: Wilm on Film (TDW)

Best of the Rest

• Sunday’s SAG Awards had many teen drama connections. (Variety)

  • Jon Gries, who appeared on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” and Meghann Fahy, who appeared on “Gossip Girl,” and the cast of “The White Lotus” won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

    • Reminder that “The White Lotus” was created by Mike White (producer, Dawson’s Creek).

  • Michelle Williams (Jen, Dawson’s Creek), Seth Rogen (Bob, Dawson’s Creek), and the cast of The Fabelmans lost Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

    • Williams also presented at the show.

  • Evan Peters (Jack, One Tree Hill) lost Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for “Dahmer.”

  • One more connection: Jessica Chastain won for “George & Tammy,” which was shot in Wilmington, North Carolina, where “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill” were filmed (and where I live).

• Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210), Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210), and Ian Ziering (Steve, Beverly Hills, 90210) will be participating in “90s Con” in Connecticut next month and doing a “Beverly Hills, 90210” panel. (That’s 4 Entertainment)

  • Shannen Doherty (Brenda, Beverly Hills, 90210) is also scheduled to be at the event on behalf of “Charmed.” It’s unclear if she’ll be joining the “Beverly Hills, 90210” festivities.

  • Elisa Donovan (Ginger, Beverly Hills, 90210) will be at the event for Clueless.

  • Interestingly, several “Saved by the Bell” cast members are participating too but not, as of yet, Tiffani Thiessen (Valerie, Beverly Hills, 90210).

• Spelling was on “The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever.” (Apple Podcasts)

• Doherty’s husband, Kurt Iswarienko, took the photos for Pink’s cover story in the March 6 issue of People. (People)

• Ziering, Jason Priestley (Brandon, Beverly Hills, 90210), Ryan Thomas Brown (Muntz, Beverly Hills, 90210), Paul Johansson (John, Beverly Hills, 90210 / Dan, One Tree Hill), and Marcus Colomoa (Marcus, One Tree Hill) are all participating in a “Fab Five” fan event in South Carolina this September. (Fab Five Events)

• Sadly, Brian Austin Green (David, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Vanessa Marcil (Gina, Beverly Hills, 90210) are once again clashing over their son. (E! Online)

• Alan Toy (Professor Finley, Beverly Hills, 90210) reflected on his life and career in a new interview. (YouTube)

• Babyface, who appeared as himself on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” performed multiple songs on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” (YouTube)

  • There are several more clips, but I’m especially partial to the one above because both songs have “Beverly Hills, 90210” connections.

• Wild Things, starring Denise Richards (Robin, Beverly Hills, 90210 / Denise, BH90210), and Cruel Intentions, featuring Joshua Jackson (Pacey, Dawson’s Creek), will be screened as part of a “Trashterpieces of the 90s” series. (IFC Center)

• CBS renewed “NCIS: Hawai’i,” starring Vanessa Lachey (Camille, BH90210). (Deadline)

• Watch Katie Holmes (Joey, Dawson’s Creek) in the trailer for Rare Objects, which she directed, wrote, and produced. (YouTube)

• Get a glimpse of Joshua Jackson (Pacey, Dawson’s Creek) in “Fatal Attraction.” (YouTube)

• Williams was a presenter at the PGA Awards on Saturday. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• During the PGA Awards, White and his fellow “White Lotus” producers won the Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television — Drama. (Deadline)

• Bianca Lawson (Nikki, Dawson’s Creek) lost in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday. (TVLine)

• In addition to participating in the oral history linked above, Ken Marino (Professor Wilder, Dawson’s Creek) and Jane Lynch (Mrs. Witter, Dawson’s Creek) did a number of interviews for the “Party Down” revival, as did creator Rob Thomas (writer, Dawson’s Creek / creator, 90210).

  • “Ken Marino & Jane Lynch Interview: Party Down Season 3” (Screen Rant)

  • “Jane Lynch and Ken Marino Talk Returning for Season 3 of ‘Party Down’” (Moviefone)

  • “Actress Jane Lynch talks new season of ‘Party Down’” (Good Morning America)

  • “Jane Lynch returns to ‘Party Down’ after a decade wait” (ABC News)

  • “Jane Lynch on Party Down’s comeback and the joy of playing a happy idiot” (The A.V. Club)

  • “Jane Lynch Keeps the Party Going” (Shondaland)

  • “Jane Lynch Pitches Cop Comedy Show With ‘Glee’s’ Sue Sylvester and ‘Party Down’s’ Constance Carmell” (Variety)

  • “Jane Lynch Says Jennifer Garner Was ‘Game for Anything’ for ‘Party Down’ Role” (Entertainment Tonight)

  • “Jane Lynch Almost Quit Acting Before ‘Best In Show’” (The Kelly Clarkson Show)

    • There’s an additional clip.

  • “Jane Lynch Reveals What Her Character in The 40-Year-Old Virgin Is Doing Today” (Comicbook.com)

  • “Ken Marino’s Secret to Playing a Lovable Asshole” (GQ)

  • “Ken Marino Never Thought Party Down Would Come Back” (Vanity Fair)

  • “Ken Marino back with old ‘Party Down’ crew for revival: ‘Fingers crossed!’” (New York Post)

  • “Ken Marino on Party Down’s Return and What It Would Take to Bring Back The State” (Consequence)

  • “Adam Scott’s Pranks Made Ken Marino Cry During Party Down” (Vulture)

  • “‘Party Down’ Is Back. Did You R.S.V.P.?” (The New York Times)

  • “‘Party Down’ puts its cater-waiters through the wringer. The cast has been there too” (Los Angeles Times)

  • “‘Party Down’ Team on Returning 13 Years Later and Carrying on Without Lizzy Caplan” (The Hollywood Reporter)

  • “‘Party Down’ returns 13 years after being canceled by Starz” (Associated Press)

  • “Party Down Cast Reveal Their Favorite Guest Stars” (Comicbook.com)

  • “How Party Down Came Back From the Dead” (GQ)

  • “Rob Thomas on the past, present and future of returning ‘Party Down’” (The Seattle Times)

• Marino will star in the Netflix series “The Residence.” (Deadline)

• Susie Searches, starring Marino, scored North American distribution and will be released later this year. (Deadline)

• Lynch will be one of the guest voices on the Comedy Central series “Digman!” (Variety)

• “The Weakest Link,” hosted by Lynch, will return on NBC in April. (The Futon Critic)

• Adam Brody (Seth, The O.C.) did another interview for the UK release of “Fleishman is in Trouble.” (Metro)

• Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Joe, The O.C.) shared a behind-the-scenes look at “The Walking Dead: Dead City.” (Twitter)

• Paris Hilton (Kate, The O.C.) is the cover star for the February issue of Glamour UK. (Glamour UK)

• Hilton hosted a “House of Y2K” pop-up event. (HELLO!)

• “One Tree Hill” fans visiting Wilmington can now register for self-guided TRIC tours in advance. (Friends with Benefit Charity Events)

  • Related: The Teen Drama Music Venues (TDW)

• One of “The White Lotus” executive producers revealed Peters was supposed to be in season two of the show. (Deadline)

• Blake Lively (Serena, Gossip Girl) and husband Ryan Reynolds were named honorary chairs of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation Gala’s National Committee of Volunteers. (GGPAA)

• More Penn Badgley (Dan, Gossip Girl) press tied to the new season of “You.”

  • “YOU Star Penn Badgley REVEALS His Dating RED FLAGS” (IGV)

  • “Penn Badgley, Amy-Leigh Hickman Discuss The Latest Season of ‘You’” (NBC Chicago)

  • “Drew Barrymore Reacts to Penn Badgley’s Blindfolded Birthday Surprise” (The Drew Barrymore Show)

• Connor Paolo (Eric, Gossip Girl) did a few interviews about his new movie Ambush.

  • “Connor Paolo Interview: Ambush” (Screen Rant)

  • “Exclusive: Connor Paolo on His Lead Role in the Vietnam War Film Ambush” (Movieweb)

• Here’s another Sebastian Stan (Carter, Gossip Girl) interview for Sharper. (Harper’s Bazaar Australia)

• Gina Torres (Gabriela, Gossip Girl) was on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” to promote “9-1-1: Lonestar.” (YouTube)

• Grace Duah (Shan, Gossip Girl spinoff) shared her “Beauty Must-Haves.” (Ebony)

• Michael Steger (Navid, 90210) was on last week’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” (Instagram)

  • Among “Grey’s” many TD connections, the show currently stars James Pickens Jr. (Henry, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Chris Carmack (Luke, The O.C.).

• John Schneider (Jeffrey, 90210) is mourning the death of his wife, Alicia. (Facebook)