Beverly Hills, 90210 Re-Watch: Slumber Party (Season 1 Episode 13)
It’s our second installment of the Beverly Hills, 90210 rewatch and it’s time to party — slumber party, of course. We’re watching Beverly Hills, 90210, Season 1 Episode 13, “Slumber Party.”
If this episode doesn’t epitomize 90’s dramas for you, then I don’t know what classics you watch.
Let’s get one minor detail out of the way before diving into the good stuff. David’s crush on Kelly is even more creepy on this episode. No one can change my mind.
Speaking of guys, let’s get Brandon and Steve’s storyline handled before we join the party. It sucks that Steve’s car is stolen but writing in the 2010s I can’t help but say, “Girl power!” and good for those ladies.
That’s only because it’s fiction, of course. It’s not cool to steal cars. Plus, I’m not early Steve’s biggest fan but I am always surprised that sometimes I feel his emotions through the screen.
This plot balances the seriousness of the slumber party well. Thankfully, Steve’s car is in his possession by the end of the night.
Switching tones — by 2019 standards Ross Webber raped Kelly in my opinion, even if she doesn’t realize it. No chastizing necessary, it’s just worth pointing out.
Jennie Garth does a decent job crying and making me believe her story. Because they’re teenagers, the pain of it all doesn’t quite land how it should with the girls listening to Kelly’s story. But it’s well done for the time period when it was new.
The whole Skeletons In The Closet setting feels surprisingly realistic. At least the confessional vibe does. I’ve been to at least one slumber party in my life that had similar vibes to this one.
Amanda shouldn’t exist. Period. Narratively, her presence is semi-understandable. A teen drama today would do a better job realizing that there’s enough drama within the group of girls that the audience knows and loves.
No need to add a random Bitchy Becky — you know what I mean?
Her diet pills plot is also absolutely absurd. I’m sure it was an important issue that resonated with even more viewers when it aired than it would today.
I’m not trying to minimize dieting issues, they should be discussed, and the story doesn’t have to go as extreme as an eating disorder.
But, the endpoint Amanda gets to is ridiculous. She’s an absolute witch to everyone and then at the end of it all, she’s giggly and wants a whole box of cookies? Brenda is a saint compared to me because I’d throw the box of cookies out on the lawn and tell her to fetch and not come back.
Between Kelly’s assault story, shaming Andrea and Brenda talking about losing a friend (also very relatable), their lives create enough stress. There’s no need to have an outsider throw fuel into the fire.
The only way they could have changed my mind here is if Amanda became a regular character. But she didn’t.
The point of rewatches is to dive into the details of the episode, but in case it’s not clear enough, I want it known that “Slumber Party” is one of my favorite vintage Beverly Hills, 90210 episodes.
If you try and ignore Amanda it’s all pretty perfect — pigging out all night, long conversations, a ouija board, even some dancing. It doesn’t matter who you are, you’re going to feel some nostalgia for simpler times while watching it.
“Sleepover” is a rare episode on the rewatch list that’s both a fan favorite and one I knew I wanted to watch. If you’re prepping a rewatch list of your own, don’t leave it off!
What did you think of this episode of Beverly Hills, 90210? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.