PICKS OF THE WEEK
90210: Season 2
Who does it star? Shenae Grimes (as Annie Wilson), Tristan Wilds (as Dixon Wilson), AnnaLynne McCord (as Naomi Clark), Ryan Eggold (as Ryan Matthews), Jessica Stroup (as Silver), Michael Steger (as Navid Shirazi), Lori Loughlin (as Debbie Wilson), Rob Estes (as Harry Wilson), Gillian Zinser (as Ivy Sullivan), Trevor Donovan (as Teddy Montgomery).
What’s the premise? Follows the growing pains of several teenage students, their parents and their teachers at a fictional Beverly Hills, Calif., high school.
When can I see it? Season 3 premieres Sunday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. ET on Global, a day ahead of The CW’s Monday at 8 p.m. ET airing.
Where does it air? Global and The CW.
Why is it worth my time? Remakes aren’t always a good thing and personally, I don’t think 90210 holds a candle to the original Beverly Hills, 90210. It’s probably because I grew up watching the ‘90s hit and have a lot of memories of my own youth intertwined. That being said, if you like teen dramas à la The O.C. or Gossip Girl, you’ll surely get a kick out of this hour-long serial.
Created by Rob Thomas (no, not the Matchbox Twenty frontman, but the creator of Veronica Mars), this CW staple debuted in fall 2008 and its freshman year did remarkably well, but it seemed to lose its footing among viewers during its sophomore run last year — rather surprising, given that critics became more positive towards it. PVR ratings more than doubled its broadcast numbers though, and despite lagging viewership, the show was renewed once again.
Of course, it has to be noted that the acting isn’t stellar and the storylines aren’t exactly innovative — this clearly isn’t the first teen drama to hit the airwaves, so we’ve seen a lot of what these characters are going through before — but it’s still an addictive, guilty pleasure watch, what with all of the hook ups, break ups, betrayals and lies. Juicy drama if there was any, which follows this genre’s formula to a T. Add in the envy-inducing California landscape, beautiful designer duds and impossibly good-looking cast, and 90210 secures its place in tween and teen hearts everywhere.
In Season 2 … relationships are tested, pregnancies are faked and rumours fly, according to the box set back cover.
Guest stars: Rumer Willis, Zachary Ray Sherman, Sara Foster, Kelly Lynch, Samantha Ronson, Pharrell Williams and his musical group, N.E.R.D.
Bonus features: Cast and crew commentaries; a set tour of the Beverly Hills Beach Club; a look back at Season 2; and featurettes titled “New Faces, Same Drama,” “From the Hills to the Beach: The Look of 90210,” “Beverly Hills Surf Crew,” “Welcome to the Beach Club,” and “Adrianna & Navid.”
 |
Number of discs: 6
Number of episodes: 22
Running time: 905 minutes |
NCIS: Season 7
Who does it star? Mark Harmon (as Jethro Gibbs), Michael Weatherly (as Tony DiNozzo), Cote de Pablo (as Ziva David), Sean Murray (as Timothy McGee), Pauley Perrette (as Abby Sciuto), Rocky Carroll (as Leon Vance), David McCallum (as Ducky Mallard).
What’s the premise? A team of special agents conduct criminal investigations involving the U.S. navy and Marine Corps.
When can I see it? Season 8 returns on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET.
Where does it air? Global and CBS.
Why is it worth my time? NCIS has been a CBS staple ever since it debuted in September 2003. A spinoff of the now-defunct JAG, the hour-long police procedural was created by none other than Donald Bellisario — he’s the guy behind fellow TV hits Magnum, P.I. and Quantum Leap, if the name doesn’t ring a bell.
In fact, NCIS has gained so much popularity over the years that the Eye network opted to create another spinoff from it last fall. Starring Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, NCIS: Los Angeles has received a good reception since it bowed in 2009, thanks in part to a lead-in from the original series and a followup from newbie legal drama The Good Wife. Actually, CBS’s Tuesday night lineup is virtually bulletproof — it’s the only day of the week that saw no primetime changes when it came to deciding this year’s schedule.
I digress. NCIS is filled with intriguing, character-driven investigations — some stand-alone, others involving multi-episode arcs — as well as interesting, more personal side stories (such as Tony and Ziva’s flirtatious banter). With fantastic acting vets, excellent ensemble chemistry and some well-placed comedy to help lighten up the writing’s often dark tone, this classic crime drama is worth making time for. And clearly, many viewers agree given the series longevity thus far.
A gift set featuring Seasons 1-7 is also available.
In Season 7 … the agents face their most personal cases to date; and Gibbs is pursued by two beautiful women, each with their own secret agenda.
Guest stars: Rena Sofer, Gabrielle Miller, Shanna Moakler, Jason London.
Bonus features: Cast roundtable; cast and crew commentaries; and featurettes titled “NCIS: A Sound Investment,” “Lucky Number Seven,” “Home Sweet Home: Creating the Gibbs House,” “The Future is Now: NCIS Meets the Jet Pack,” “Gimme Two Steps: Staging the Bar Fight,” “Celebrating Episode 150,” and “Personnel Effects.”
 |
Number of discs: 6
Number of episodes: 24
Running time: 1039 minutes |
OTHER TV AVAILABLE THIS WEEK
Questions or comments? diana@tvguide.ca
Diana's DVDs every Tuesday
Follow Diana on Twitter
 |
To escape from the daily chaos of life, Diana enjoys curling up on the couch to watch a good movie, and is guilty of partaking in the current TV-on-DVD trend. From documentaries and dramas to comedies and animated flicks, no genre is off-limits.
Before her current editorial gig, Diana worked in TVGuide.ca’s listings department, so she’s a pro at getting the most up-to-date info to keep fellow movie buffs in the know with the latest TV and film releases. Now a content specialist, Diana graduated from the Broadcast Journalism program at Seneca College in Toronto. |
Follow TV Guide Canada on Facebook