9021-Oh My God!

Look, ya'll! I'm blogging!
OK, seriously how fun is this? I feel so hipster. And so honored that all four of you have dropped in on my first-ever blog. As for the name, I gotta say that this was a tough one. Not much rhymes with Damian - Bahamian, New Canaan, that's about it - and it was stressed to me that Omen jokes were just too weird. (Although I did like the idea of "Channel 666.") But instead, I stuck with what I wanted to write about: the glee one can find revisiting their favorite TV shows on DVD. Hence, "The Joy of Sets."
So once a week, maybe more, I'll be sharing the Joy and shedding some light on whatever TV on DVD set currently devouring my free time. Also, for anyone who remembers the original Watercooler column here on TVGuide.com, there may also be occasional updates on (and input from) Pepito the Wonder Chihuahua, who is right now staring at me with his bug eyes like I owe him scratches. 'Cause that's how he rolls.
And I promise, these entries will be fun-sized, since overly indulgent blogs make me want to shoot my laptop. We cool? Sweet.
So what's up this week? Old-school 90210, people! That's right, I'm digging into the complete second season of Beverly Hills 90210, which is seriously packing the nostalgic buzz. Not only is it the show that got me into writing about TV, it's also still one of TV's guiltiest pleasures. Ever. Last night I nearly passed out like Lindsay in the passenger seat at the sight of Vivica A.Fox - in ginormous earrings and one seriously wacked-out hat - playing the daughter of the black neighbors Jim and Cindy apparently ran out of town, seeing how Fox's Charise and her popcorn-mogul family were never heard from again after this episode. That'll teach 'em to sleaze out on the Cajun Spice recipe!
[WARNING: The scene where Brandon asks Charise's battered beau Devo if the cops "jacked him up" may be one of the single greatest moments in Mortifying Caucasoid Dramatics.]
Now remember, this is Season 2, so we're talking the first summer at the Beverly Hills Beach Club, the arrival of Stephanie Beacham as the New Agey mom-ster who drives Dylan back to the bottle, the start of Donna and David's virginity volley, the "very special" death of that Scott Scanlon nobody and Kelly hitting on the Walshes paraplegic cousin Bobby. But more than anything, even more than Brenda's slow descent into legendary TV bitchdom, is the best reason to revisit these Hills: Emily Valentine.
Oh yessss. Spiky-haired, monotonous and made to pop U4EA and burn down homecoming floats, Christine Elise was Emily Valentine. The O.C.'s Oliver only wished he'd had that much crazy-faced magic up his sleeve. And while Miss Nutjob 1991 is only around for a handful of episodes, she leaves an impression strong enough to warrant a psych-ward visit from Brandon in the Christmas episode... yet one that is also oddly fleeting enough to be a distant memory once Gabrielle Anwar turns up a month later as the ice-skater of B's dreams.
See, this is why some of these old sets are so great. Not only are they time capsules of pop culture, they also give us a chance to play "Spot The Future Stars In Guest Spots." And if they can serve as a reminder as to why tuck-and-rolled jeans should never come back, all the better!
Next week: The 90210 finale that gave us Melrose and why certain Saturday morning shows from the '70s are worth their weight in Sleetsaks.