Teen Drama Links for January 4, 2022

I spent part of New Year’s Day watching “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” — and I think all of the teen drama producers and stars should too.

Why?

Because that’s how you do a reunion and retrospective. Not a spinoff. Not a reboot. Not a revival. If you want to honor the legacy of what you created, you reunite cast and crew and you reminisce and pay tribute. You honor what you built. You respect the canon. You don’t try to alter it with a spinoff or a reboot or a revival.

To be fair, some of them should know this already. In 2003, most of the original “Beverly Hills, 90210” cast came together for “Beverly Hills, 90210: 10-Year High School Reunion” on FOX. In 2018, the “Dawson’s Creek” cast marked the show’s 20th anniversary with an Entertainment Weekly cover story and accompanying PeopleTV special. And in 2019, a handful of “One Tree Hill” stars participated in Lifetime’s “‘Tis the Season: A One Tree Hill Cast Reunion.” Most recently, in 2020, there was the documentary “ET Presents… 9021OMG! The Cast Tells All” with the “90210” cast.

Yet that hasn’t stopped some of the same stars from entertaining the idea of a spinoff, reboot, or revival. No. Just no.

Last June, after “Friends: The Reunion” debuted (on HBO Max, the same streamer responsible for “Return to Hogwarts”), I highlighted quotes from the “Friends” creators and executive producer explaining why doing a new iteration of “Friends” would be a bad idea. All of their excellent points were applicable to the teen dramas, and both reunion specials demonstrate why that format is the better way, the best way, to celebrate iconic TV shows and movies.

We already have versions of these reunions and retrospectives for “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “One Tree Hill,” and “90210.” Those are good enough for me. They should be good enough for everyone else too.

Teen Drama Links for January 4, 2022

• “44 Of The Best TV Shows To Stream On HBO Max Right Now” (BuzzFeed)

• “15 Celebrity #TBT Photos You Might Not Have Seen This Week” (BuzzFeed)

• “You Have To Choose Between Two TV And Movie Wedding Dresses, And I’m Sorry For How Much Of A Head Scratcher It’ll Be” (BuzzFeed)

• “January May Be Depressing, But Here Are 33 TV Shows And Movies Coming To The UK To Perk You Up” (BuzzFeed)

• Leftover year-end stories involving the teen dramas…

  • “6 great HBO Max shows to watch on New Year’s Eve 2021” (Hidden Remote)

  • “The Worst Ways We Wasted Our Time and Money in 2021” (Gawker)

  • “The Best Podcasts of 2021 That You Still Have Time to Become Obsessed With” (Distractify)

  • “The Best New Year’s Eve Movies & TV Shows to Ring in 2022” (Nylon)

  • “How TV Shows Grappled With the Pandemic in 2021” (Town & Country)

  • “The Ubiquitors of Fall 2021 Social Life in New York City” (WWD)

  • “Which Reboot Lives Up to Its Name? Here Are the Best Reboots of 2021” (Distractify)

  • “The Major Fashion Moments of 2021” (Town & Country)

  • “Here Are 30 New And Returning LGBTQ+ TV Shows That Are Coming In 2022” (BuzzFeed)

  • “40 TV Shows Coming Out in 2022 to Get Excited About” (Newsweek)

• The “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” episode with Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210) finally aired this past Sunday after being announced back in August. (ABC)

  • Oddly, Spelling didn’t promote it on Instagram at all.

  • I missed mentioning when the episodes with James Pickens Jr. (Henry, Beverly Hills, 90210) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Georgina, Gossip Girl) aired. I still haven’t watched the previous season’s installment with Jennie Garth (Kelly, Beverly Hills, 90210). Whoops.

• “Dawson’s Creek,” “The O.C.,” “One Tree Hill,” and the original “Gossip Girl” are all recommended in “6 Throwback Shows You Need to Binge Right Now!” (Young Hollywood)

  • The other two suggested shows also have TD connections.

• Josh Schwartz (creator, The O.C. / creator, Gossip Girl / executive producer, Gossip Girl spinoff) has filed for divorce. (The Blast)

• Olivia Wilde (Alex, The O.C.) is highlighted in this look at “Hollywood Actors Turned Directors.” (Us Weekly)

• “The O.C.,” “One Tree Hill,” and the original “Gossip Girl” are celebrated in “The 64 Best TV Shows of the 2000s — And Where to Stream Them,” along with many other shows with TD connections. (Glamour)

• I was saddened to get a Google Alert with this obituary for a 23-year-old woman who “enjoyed… watching her favorite show, ‘One Tree Hill.’” (The News and Tribune)

• James Lafferty (Nathan, One Tree Hill) and Michael Trucco (Josh, Beverly Hills, 90210 / Cooper, One Tree Hill) recently reunited. (Instagram)

• Mandy Moore revealed how Sophia Bush (Brooke, One Tree Hill) helped her deal with a wardrobe malfunction at the Emmys last fall. (People)

• Bush was on the “Late Late Show” last night to promote “Good Sam,” which premieres tomorrow. (YouTube)

• More with Bush promoting “Good Sam”…

  • “Sophia Bush is ‘Good Sam’ in new CBS medical drama” (Boston Herald)

  • “Actress Sophia Bush on starring in new CBS medical show ‘Good Sam’” (CBS Mornings)

    • Asked about a “One Tree Hill” reboot,” Bush said, “Never say never.” Read the above, Sophia! Read the above!

  • “Medical drama ‘Good Sam’ is family story at its heart” (KGET)

• The original “Gossip Girl” is included in “The 15 Best CW Shows, Ranked,” along with other shows with TD connections — but not “One Tree Hill.” (Paste)

• Will Arnett has replaced Armie Hammer (Gabriel, Gossip Girl) in reshoots for Next Goal Wins. (Deadline)

• Watch Sofia Black-D’Elia (Sage, Gossip Girl) in the trailer for Freeform’s “Single White Female.” (YouTube)

  • It’s been a long wait — this show was announced back in 2020.

• The second season of “Emily in Paris,” which was created by Darren Star (creator, Beverly Hills, 90210) and stars Lilly Collins (Phoebe, 90210), has prompted recommendations to watch the new and old “Gossip Girl,” as well as other shows with TD connections…

  • “7 Shows Like ‘Emily in Paris’ For More Fashion, Friendships and Sweeping Romance” (Collider)

  • “Finished Binging ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 2? Here’s What to Watch Next” (E! Online)

  • Also related to both shows: “From ‘Gossip Girl’ to ‘Emily in Paris,’ Jeremy O. Harris Is Everywhere & We Are Here For It” (E! Online)

• Here’s a look at how “HBO Max Leans on Fan-Generated Content for ‘Gossip Girl’ Experience.” (Event Marketer)