Beverly Hills 90210 returns to TV

By Iain Mackenzie
Newsbeat US reporter

They lived a fantasy lifestyle in a world of sunshine, expensive cars, good looking people, and constant drama.

Brandon, Brenda, Kelly and friends were the stars of the original teen soap, Beverly Hills 90210.

Its decade-long run came to an end in 2000, by which time some cast members were seriously past high school age.

Now the show, if not the actors, has had a facelift and is coming back.

Beverly Hills has been dropped from the title. Now it's just 90210.

However, the basic premise remains the same - a brother and sister move to Beverly Hills from out-of-town and struggle to settle in to their affluent new world.

90210 actors have been promoting the new series all summer

There's a new line-up of relatively unknown teenage actors.

They'll be joined by several of the original cast members including Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, and Tori Spelling.

90210 begins on 2 September. A UK screening date is yet to be announced.

Television network The CW, which is producing the new 90210, hopes it'll prove as successful as the 90s version.

Early trailers describe it as "the show that defined a generation".

Critics waiting

Among those eagerly awaiting its return is Lindsay Blake, an actress from Pasadena, California.

She runs a website called iamnotastalker.com where she tracks down TV and film locations.

Lindsay also appeared as an extra in the original series.

"I think it was the very first real sort of teenage soap opera and it paved the way for everything," she said.

Shannen Doherty reprises her role as Brenda Walsh in 90210

"Right after 90210, Party Of Five came out. The OC was almost a complete carbon copy of 90210."

Others think the show will be watched by more than just teenagers.

LA gossip blogger Perez Hilton reckons it'll appeal to nostalgic adults too.

He said: "Oh my gosh. Shannen Doherty was such a handful. I'm really happy she's going back to the show.

"If they do it right it'll attract all the old viewers and all the new viewers watching the new young cast.

"It's always nice to have someone new to write about."

Teen competition

90210 promises to be more raunchy than its predecessor which was often seen as too wholesome - airing in the UK on Saturday afternoons.

The second series of Gossip Girl airs the day before 90210

Audience tastes have changed and the show now has to compete with series like Gossip Girl which deals with adult themes.

The drama about New York trust fund teens is being pitted as 90210's major competition, despite both airing on the same network.

Gossip Girl is due to begin its second series in the US on 1 September, the day before 90210.

Back in the real life Beverly Hills, fans agree the show will have to raise its game.

"It's gonna have to be a bit more racy than it was before," says one local.

"It used to be 'this week there's a very special drug story' and it would be some random person that wasn't even in the show.

"Now it's going to have to be the main star on heroin for all of us to watch."