90210: “Lucky Strike” (recap)

By Sara A. Bibel
Fancast.com

This series seems to be aiming for the wholesome flavor of the original which is as odd as a current medical show attempting to duplicate St. Elsewhere. Given last week’s huge by CW standard ratings, maybe they know what they’re doing. The theme for this episode is that nuclear families rule. Everyone who doesn’t have one is jealous. I found this bogus when I was growing up Gilmore Girls style and watching the original. The intervening years haven’t changed my opinion.

Liz Phair is a music supervisors. That didn’t work out so well for Swingtown. And it’s weird. Maybe Ani DiFranco will do the music for The Mentalist.

Naomi’s excited about seeing Coldplay in Vegas with her Dad. Isn’t she a little young to be into them? She makes Andrea Zucker look like Dakota Fanning, but she’s supposed to be sixteen.

Navid’s hosting a movie screening of the not-yet released James Bond film at his Dad’s house. Ethan and Dixon are in. Ty asks Annie out. Silver wants to spend the night at a shelter because things suck at home. There’s no room.

Debbie insists they have a family bowling night like they did every week in Kansas. After bowling they’re going to churn butter, attend a barn-raising and study creationism. Come on. No teenagers spend every Friday night with their parents.
Annie suggests Ty drop by the bowling alley and spirit her away. Dixon does the same thing with Navid. He impulsively invites Silver.

On a date, Kelly reveals to Ryan that her Baby Daddy is a high school ex—which meets it’s Brandon, Dylan or Steve. Kelly got around. Ryan muses about the evils of money. They should portray Beverly Hills as more depraved if they want his monologue to make sense. They make out.

Naomi’s Dad can’t take her to Vegas so he gives cars to her and her Mom to make it up to them. Since she’s a 90210 character, she is disappointed instead of stoked.

At the bowling alley, the parents are surprised but welcoming when Silver shows up. Silver confirms that families don’t spend time together in BH. She’s envious. Navid brings his bowling ball – which he defends as a Bar Mitzvah gift. Yes! I was hoping he was a Persian Jew. Ethan lamely opens up to Annie about his parents’ recent divorce. Too bad they aren’t Kansans. Everyone from the Midwest lives happily ever after! Ty sees them laughing together. Harry and Debbie realize their kids are miserable and give them permission to go hang out with their friends.

Naomi drops off takeout for her Dad at his office and catches him kissing his mistress. She and Adrianna drive to the bowling alley in search of Ethan, even though they’re broken up. Annie inexplicably feels she has to help, despite Naomi being her enemy last week. She watches as Ethan comforts a crying Naomi. Silver claims they’re addicted to each other. Ty leaves without Annie.

Debbie realizes that she’s being clingy. When the kids come home their salt-of-the-earth parents remind them they still have chores to do. Doesn’t Tabitha have a maid? Where is she?

Dixon finds Silver sleeping in her car. She confides that Jackie is a drunk. It’s very after-school special. Dixon points out that there’s a reason his family’s whiter than he is. He knows what addicts are like. The Wilsons invite Silver to stay.

Kelly confronts a drunk Jackie. She invites Silver to live with her. Jackie awesomely says she’s tired of both of them. Can we get a Tabitha and Jackie spin-off?

Naomi tells her mother what she saw. Her mother already knows. She thinks it’s worth putting up with a philandering husband for a life of leisure. She’s the 21st century Betty Draper!

Annie and Dixon make breakfast for their parents, having learned how lucky they are to have a wholesome Kansas family.