90210

Unfortunately, tonight I am forced to forgo my typical light heartedness as events have unfolded that I take very seriously and feel can't be ignored. Without naming any names (Rebecca), tonight, Kelly Taylor's mother, Jackie, was killed off on "90210," the 2nd.

Before I proceed, I want to say that in absolutely no way do I fault Jennie Garth in the slightest bit for anything that has transpired. Jennie, you rule... and like Sarah Palin said to Levi on "Oprah," you have an open invitation to Thanksgiving.

Although in general, it might now be clear that I love television, I think the intensity in which I love "Beverly Hills, 90210" might be scary to some readers. Therefore, I am not going to elaborate on it, but let's just say that I have very strong feelings in favor of the show.... And I may or may not credit it as the primary reason that I live in Los Angeles today... now I'm off topic.

Although it is true that I consider myself to be an "authority" of sorts when it comes to BH 90210, and it's also true that I no longer watch the show under any circumstances because I think I might actually be addicted to it, I am a mature adult now, and I can take the facts. "Beverly Hills 90210" isn't real, and I have come to a place where I have made room for the new "90210" in my life. Just because someone new has come along doesn't mean we love the big sister any less. I'm fine with all that. Hey guys, take your new show and run. I will cheer from the sidelines (even though by the looks of your creative license I should probably be in the game). The future is yours guys. What I could do without (Rebecca) is the recreation of the past.

Perhaps it's because I have yet to offer my services to my friends at CBS, and I have only myself to blame. Let me rectify this now and make a blanket offer to anyone working on "90210" to feel free to contact me if you are in a quandary about wanting to reference the original show but not knowing if your information is correct. I will bring you the tape, or better yet, very quickly give you the answer. See, rename Erin, "Silver," tell me that Dylan and Kelly broke up, throw Donna and David's impending divorce in my face. I can take it. Do I like it? No I don't. Does it make me angry? Not particularly. What I don't want you to tell me is that Jackie was sober for Kelly's nose job or that Jackie gave Kelly diet pills - not so much because this second one couldn't have been true, but because I know what you are referencing (Season 3, Episode 24, "Perfectly Perfect") and you're wrong, and Jackie didn't, and I don't think you have seen that one in over 10 years.

It's not even so much the minute inaccuracies though, it's the sentiment behind it - it's the fact that their relationship has been rewritten. To this day, one of my favorite episodes of all time is 1.07, "Perfect Mom." And this, together with "Sleepover," pretty much lays the foundation for the entire Kelly character which has now spanned almost 20 years. We couldn't leave well enough alone with that? Jackie is now dead, and I am now being asked to accept the fact that the entire 10 year long ongoing storyline between Kelly and her mother has been thrown out the window. For the record, Jackie stopped drinking in episode 7 of season 1 of the original show, and if I know Kelly, which I think I do... she had 10 pretty decent (and sober) years with her mother. Yes Jackie was hard on Kelly at times ("Mother's Day" 7.29) and yes she encouraged Erin to eat nonfat frozen yogurt, but she was also unequivocally there for Kelly during these years too. And Kelly was there for her. I wish someone writing in the digital age could have bothered to do some research on that. And again tonight, even in Jackie's death, no mention of David or Mel... um Kelly and Erin, shouldn't you take some of your anger out in that direction? I doubt it's everyday that YOUR FATHER (in Erin's case) IGNORES THE FACT THAT YOUR MOTHER IS DYING, especially when he went all the way to Portland to drag his son's mom out of the streets. "She will always be your mother David.".. or at least until new writers come along.

That being said, Kelly and Jackie's goodbye moment was the most "BH 90210" authentic yet on this new incarnation. I even felt like I had been transported back in time. Likely because Jennie and Ann remember the characters and the original show even when they are surrounded by people who choose to forget (or more probably never knew in the first place). I don't care where "90210" goes from here... if Jasper tries to stage Annie's suicide (seriously guys?, we've seen this coming for weeks), or how many characters in the 90210/Melrose Place continuum Rob Estes ends up playing (right now we're at 3), but please, please, stop screwing with my show. And while we're at it, by my estimation, CBS owes me like 60 bucks for my heavily edited "Beverly Hills, 90210" season 1 boxed set.... pay up guys and then maybe we can work something out about my opinion towards your new show. RIP Jackie Taylor 11.22.90 (because the pilot doesn't count) - 11.17.09.