BH90210 Review: The Long Wait (Season 1 Episode 6)

Apparently pilots have wrap parties, because the cast has one on BH90210 Season 1 Episode 6, “The Long Wait.”

I thought I understood what I was in for with this BH90210 meta-revival. But now that we’ve come to the end of the limited series (for now), I have to say I feel a little bit misled. 

Descriptions of the series should’ve been clearer that the show is about making a TV pilot, not a series. Perhaps the finale would be more satisfying if we had known that.

All things considered, this episode picks itself up pretty well from the low of BH90210 Season 1 Episode 5, “Picture’s Up”. 

The core conflict of the episode — the fact that everyone is waiting for news of a pickup — ties everything up well. There is less emphasis on individual conflicts that have become ridiculous. 

I’ll take fake Jennie and fake Jason’s weird attraction over Jennie’s situation with her obsessed bodyguard any day. (Pro tip: If anyone ever gets a tattoo of your name without your knowledge or consent, run!)

But I don’t think Jennie’s flirtation with Jason works at all. It’s just the lesser of two evils. 

It’s almost interesting to have Kyler and fake Shannen develop a relationship. No matter how true or false the rumors from the original Beverly Hills, 90210 set are, the conflicts that the meta-revival happens to execute best are the ones fans probably think they understand the most. 

Or perhaps this one works because the thought of your daughter becoming besties with your worst enemy is pretty much any mom’s nightmare. It’s relatable to the masses. 

But discovering you are the biological father of a former castmate’s son (that another castmate thought was his son) is definitely not relatable.

I don’t know whether to be happy for fake Jason or not. I guess I’m happy for him.

I have to say, I’m really curious as to whether Brian Austin Green’s real son is a little bit offended. The meta-revival is fiction based in truth. That line is blurry. So if any character is based on your life, your feelings can be messy too. 

On the fake meta-revival alone, it’s still a better story choice to have fake Brian be Zach’s bio dad. 

It must be said that having Gabrielle explore her sexuality and decide to stay with her husband after just six episodes is rather pointless. 

The series seems to have been written with an ending in mind, but an opening just in case FOX wants to pick it up for Season 2. So loose ends have to tie up. But this is a story that would’ve ended in a more satisfying way with a looser end, that’s all. 

It’s good to see fake Tori’s marriage problems get addressed on a deeper level. That’s a plot that could’ve benefitted from more depth on the show, since reality TV fans at least think we know some of the truths in real Tori’s marriage. 

There are some storylines that are so ridiculous they need to be mentioned — but they’re barely worth the time. 

For example: Twincest is never ok, even in Shannen’s dreams.

Also, Ian sleeping with Anna’s mom — while not inappropriate if you just consider age — is just dumb. 

Thank goodness for Tori and Brian’s actual chemistry. This show has made it waver, but it’s still there. Whether that’s enough for me to tune into Season 2 is yet to be determined. 

The last scene of the meta-revival gets extremely meta because there appears to be actual BH90210 promo footage in the fake upfront presentation.

It’s so meta it’s confusing, because BH90210 is about creating an entirely new show.

I’m more confused about the series after watching it than I was going into the pilot. So that’s not good. But I can’t say for sure that I wouldn’t tune in if this messy meta-revival gets a Season 2. 

The characters on the original Beverly Hills, 90210 might entice me to tune in for a glimpse of them. That seems to be what everyone involved in this project was hoping for all along. So maybe the joke is on the viewers.

What did you think of this episode of BH90210? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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BH90210 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FOX.

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