Brenda, Donna, Kelly, Steve and David prepare to take the SAT. Brenda constantly argues with Kelly, and also gets into hot water with her parents when they learn that she has been smoking since the Paris trip. Beth Nielson, a young producer from the tabloid show Back Story, seeks Brenda's help in putting together a story about Beverly Hills teens. The piece is intended to correct misconceptions, but Beth's boss deems it boring. She re-edits the story in a way that makes it seem that Brenda insulted and spilled dirt about all her friends. Everyone stops talking to Brenda, but Beth (who has quit her job in a crisis of conscience) comes to her defense. Brandon is hesitant to ask out Nikki because she is just a sophomore. She gets on his nerves by following him everywhere, but they eventually kiss. Dylan decides to bypass the SAT to visit his father in prison. Jack warns Dylan to make provisions for his future, and convinces him to take the test at a nearby high school. A West Beverly grad

The Back Story

Jennie Garth

Jason Priestley

Ian Ziering

Shannen Doherty

Luke Perry

Brian Austin Green

Tori Spelling

Gabrielle Carteris

Carol Potter

James Eckhouse

Highwire

A Song of Myself

Brenda drives her parents crazy with her constant sulking, and sneaks around with Dylan behind their backs. Dylan wants someone other than Jim to handle his trust, but Jim refuses to break his deal with Iris. Jim and Cindy join the beach club and catch Brenda making out with Dylan. Jim screams at Brenda and makes a scene. She packs up her belongings and moves in with Dylan. Brandon bets Steve that he cannot hold down a job for a week. Steve takes Brandon's position at the Peach Pit, as Brandon has left for his summer job at the club. Nat fires Steve because he is completely incompetent. Brandon is wary of Andrea's new job as a children's camp counselor at the beach club. However, she has gotten over her crush on him and is seeing a successful West Beverly alum. Donna's parents get back together. Jackie goes into labor.

Music: ""Summertime Blues"" by Eddie Cochran (#8, 1958); ""Working in a Coal Mine"" by Lee Dorsey (#8, 1966)

Misery Loves Company

Kelly bonds with her baby sister, Erin. She bows out of a six-week trip to study in Paris with Donna because she wants to spend time with her family. Brenda and Dylan clash over their new living arrangements. Cindy and Brandon realize that Brenda is unhappy, but she is too stubborn to give in. Jim threatens to freeze Dylan's account unless he helps convince Brenda to accept a trip to Paris. Dylan persuades Brenda to go because he believes it is a great opportunity for her. Jim makes amends with Brenda before she and Donna leave for Paris. Steve and Brandon get dates with visiting identical twins. Steve's date experiences a series of health problems (food poisoning, allergies), so he tries to dump her for her sister. The girls switch places to get revenge on him.

The Twins, the Trustee, and the Very Big Trip

Brenda and Donna have difficulty adjusting to life in France. Donna constantly complains about missing David, and Brenda soon begins to long for Dylan. They accidentally order brains at a restaurant, and Donna later spends an entire party eating pastries because she can't carry on a conversation in French. Andrea's boyfriend invites her to join him at the Republican Convention in Houston, where he is working for CNN. Brandon becomes jealous and kisses Andrea in an attempt to dissuade her from leaving. An outraged Andrea observes that Brandon is only interested in her because she has a boyfriend. Andrea decides to skip the convention because she is enjoying her work at the camp--especially with Cameron, a deaf boy whom she helped bring out of his shell. Jack goes up for parole, and asks Dylan to write a letter on his behalf. He reluctantly does this, but Jack's parole request is denied. Dylan and Kelly begin to flirt rather obviously.

Too Little, Too Late/Paris 75001

Donna is struggling in the French immersion program, and feels left out because Brenda and her classmates can speak fluent French. Donna catches the eye of a photographer, who offers her a modeling job. A man tries to entice Donna into signing a two-year modeling contract, but he's just trying to get her into bed. Steve finds the perfect partner for the mixed doubles volleyball tournament. He is hurt when she rejects his romantic advances and pursues Brandon. Kelly and Dylan team up for the volleyball tournament, and also babysit Erin together. A visiting girl expresses an interest in David and his music. Kelly catches them making out, and tries to talk some sense into David. Kelly finds Dylan waiting in her cabin.

Music: ""Hot Little Summer Girl"" by Enuff Z' Nuff; ""Gimme Little Sign"" by Brenton Wood (#9, 1967); ""In the Summertime"" by Mungo Jerry (#3, 1970)

Sex, Lies and Volleyball/Photo Fini

Kelly feels guilty about kissing Dylan and tries to avoid him. She goes to his house to admit her feelings, and they share a passionate kiss. They spend a lot of time together, but reconsider their actions when David catches them kissing. Kelly turns down Dylan's offer to camp out on the beach (the night before Brenda is to return), but eventually joins him for a romantic evening. Brenda meets Rick, a hunky college student from Wisconsin who believes that she is French.

Music: ""Precious"" by Brian Austin Green; ""Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover"" by Sophie B. Hawkins (#5

Shooting Star/American in Paris

Andrea and the children nearly catch Dylan and Kelly sleeping on the beach. Kelly tells Dylan that they must forget their summer romance, but he doesn't want to do this. Brenda and Donna come home from Paris and are greeted with a party. Jim and Cindy agree to let Brenda resume her relationship with Dylan. Kelly tries to avoid Brenda and Dylan, and is annoyed when he continually inquires about her well-being. Brenda suspects that Dylan cheated on her. She confesses her fling with Rick, but they decide to move forward with their relationship. Brandon dumps Brooke because of her constant stereotypical comments about other races and religions. In danger of being fired as David's manager, Steve engages in bribery to get him a gig at the beach club's end-of-season dance.

Music: ""Dancin'"" by Chris Isaak; ""Be My Love,"" performed by Brian Austin Green

Castles in the Sand

Brandon wants to quit the paper so that he can enjoy his senior year. Andrea enlists the help of new advisor and English teacher Gil Meyers to change his mind. Gil decides to have Brandon replace Andrea as editor. She accuses him of sexism and wants to resign. Gil resolves the dispute by making Andrea and Brandon co-editors. A depressed Kelly changes her entire schedule to avoid Brenda and Dylan. Brenda, Steve and Donna sign up to be ""senior buddies"" for freshmen and transfer students. Donna is paired with David's summer fling Nikki, who has moved from San Francisco. David is afraid to confess to Donna, but Nikki inadvertently breaks the news. Donna tests David's love by having Nikki pretend to come on to him. Nikki expresses an interest in Brandon. Steve winds up with geeky freshman Herbert, while Brenda tries to help Scott's troubled sister Sue.

Music: ""Live and Learn"" by Joe Public (#4, 1992); ""Wishing on a Star"" by the Cover Girls (#9, 1992)

Brandon and Brenda are at each other's throats after their parents reveal that they can only send one child to an out-of-state college. Jim and Cindy decide to take a second mortgage so that they won't have to play favorites, but Brandon and Brenda each decide to apply to local California University. Brenda fears that she and Dylan are growing apart, while he and Kelly bond over their mutual ambivalence toward college. Andrea believes that Gil is discouraging her from applying to his alma mater (and her dream school), Yale. She has nightmares about Gil trying to knock her off a tightrope.

Music: ""Venus"" by Shocking Blu

West Beverly's undefeated football team prepares for a showdown with powerhouse Shaw High. The school decides to forfeit after two Shaw students are shot to death by gang members during a game. Brandon is furious because the West Beverly student body cares more about the homecoming dance (coordinated by Brenda) than the shootings. He and Jordan Bonner, editor of the Shaw paper, run each other's editorials in their papers without school permission. Brandon invites the Shaw students to the dance, drawing the wrath of his friends and the administration. A fight nearly breaks out--partially due to the overzealous security guards--but Nikki and Donna defuse the situation by asking the Shaw guys to dance.

Music: ""Switch It Up,"" performed by Brian Austin Green; ""Let Me Be Yo

Home and Away

Gil is relieved of his duties after Sue charges him with sexual harassment. Andrea offers her friendship to Sue, while Brandon stands behind Gil. Gil quits without fighting the charges; he confesses to Andrea that a former student committed suicide when he rejected her advances, and he does not want to drive Sue over the edge. During a dinner with Andrea, Sue's uncle Henry badgers her into admitting that the allegations are fake; she had tried to kiss Gil. David and Donna visit Sue and find the eerily cheerful family holding a barbecue, with plans to move to Oklahoma. Fearing that Henry is becoming too close to her little sister, Sue reveals that her uncle molested her. Dylan picks up a bacterial infection from surfing in polluted waters. He wishes to support a clean water initiative, but can't vote because he failed to register before the deadline. Brandon seeks David's help in learning to dance, but cancels the lesson. He refuses to dance with Nikki at a club, then gets jealous when

A Presumption of Innocence

Brenda runs into Rick at a video store, as he has transferred to UCLA. She goes out with him and continues to pretend that she is French. He is understanding when she finally reveals the truth. The SAT review board accuses Dylan of paying someone to take his test. He annoys Brenda by refusing to re-take the test. After Dylan confesses that he had a summer fling, Brenda suggests that they take a break from their relationship. He immediately visits Kelly to ask her out, and they kiss passionately. Steve learns that he tanked his SAT, and convinces computer expert Herbert to help him access the school's grade bank. They use the legacy key to break in, but have to flee when the security breach is detected. Brandon, Nikki, Donna and David are interviewed by Rosie O'Donnell at a televised AIDS benefit. Donna seeks her priest's advice about pre-marital sex. She tells David that she wants to wait at least another year. Andrea suffers two broken legs when she is struck by a hit-and-run driver.

Destiny Rides Again

Kelly and Dylan go on a date, as Brenda insists that Dylan is free to see whomever he wishes. Brenda explodes when she and Rick run into Kelly and Dylan at a restaurant. Kelly denies that she is a bimbo and Brenda responds, "I was always told that if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck..." Kelly believes that Dylan is on the rebound, so she pushes him away. Brenda breaks up with Rick because they have little in common beyond their initial attraction. After the SAT board denies his appeal, a frustrated Dylan decides to leave town. Steve provides assistance to the wheelchair-bound Andrea in the hopes of curtailing her investigation of the computer break-in. Cindy suspects that Jim's beautiful new secretary is attracted to him, and Jim finds himself fantasizing about the woman.

Music: "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" by Betty Everett (#6, 1964); "Great Balls of Fire" (Jerry Lee Lewis - #2, 1958), performed by James Eckhouse and Dean Cain

Rebel With a Cause

Dylan's Porsche breaks down near a secluded ranch. The wealthy owner takes him in and wants him to stay permanently (as her boy toy). Dylan is disappointed when she sells her favorite horse, and decides not to live in an environment where everything is for sale. Brenda and Kelly make up. David fires Steve as manager after he is humiliated at a showcase because he had to go on without a sound check. Nikki is stunned when her ex-boyfriend Diesel's band performs a song he had written for her. Brandon cannot understand why Nikki is so taken with an abusive, boozing jerk. Nikki tries to leave when Diesel brings home another woman, so he hits her. Brandon punches out Diesel and takes Nikki home. The janitor warns Steve that he may have to turn him in to save himself.

Music: ""Switch It Up,"" performed by Brian Austin Gr

Wild Horses

Brandon finds Jack Canner (the homeless vet he met at the beach club) rummaging through the dumpster behind the Peach Pit. He takes him home for Thanksgiving dinner, but Canner runs afoul of Jim, who accuses him of shirking his family responsibilities and hiding behind the flag. Brandon explains to Canner that Jim's father was a Marine; the two never spoke again after Jim refused to go to Vietnam. Canner helps repair a leaky roof, and Jim apologizes and urges him to reach out to his son. Jack McKay gets a furlough and spends Thanksgiving with Dylan. Jack insists on spending time with his girlfriend and gets on Dylan's case about dropping out. Jack's girlfriend, Christine, convinces Dylan to give his father another chance. Dylan returns to West Beverly and greets a surprised Brenda and Kelly with kisses. Steve and Samantha appear on a television show about celebrities, and Steve tells her on-camera that he has been expelled. Samantha stands up for Steve and gets his punishment reduced t

The Kindness of Strangers

Two talking stars narrate an account of the gang's events during the week before Christmas. Brenda, Kelly and Dylan decide to be friends, but the arrangement falls apart after both girls make out with Dylan. Andrea is accepted to Yale, but gets dumped by her boyfriend. Nikki tells Brandon that she is moving back to San Francisco. Brandon and Andrea share a kiss while watching ""It's a Wonderful Life,"" but accuse each other of thinking about their exes. David is depressed about his mother's move to Portland and the fact that he will be left behind when everyone graduates. Everyone tries to back out of a trip to distribute gifts at an elementary school, but Donna and Mrs. Teasley force them to attend. Steve, who is forbidden from extracurricular activities as part of his probation, drives to the school on his own.

Music: ""Joy to the World""; ""Ti

It's a Totally Happening Life

Steve becomes friends with a guy in detention through their interest in cars. Steve and Brandon win a lot of money betting on Joe in a car race, but Dylan warns that the whole thing may be a scam. Steve and Brandon agree to bankroll Joe in a high-stakes race against drug dealer Frank Padilla. Brandon realizes that their opponent may be the guy who ran over Andrea. While Brandon contacts the police, Steve tries to stall by insisting that he be allowed to race Padilla. The two get into an argument and agree to a deadly game of ""chicken,"" but Dylan comes between them. Andrea identifies Padilla as the hit-and-run driver. Brenda and Kelly agree to a double-date with two guys from Princeton, only to find that they are geeks from the Princeton School in Encino. Donna takes over David's radio show while he tries to catch up on his studies in the hopes of graduating early.

The Game Is Chicken

Cindy, Jackie and the girls spend the weekend at a health spa. Kelly is wary because Babette, a friend of Jackie's from her drug-using days, works at the facility. Brenda overhears a gossipy masseuse discussing a friend's affair with Mel. Kelly calls home and learns from David that Mel has been gone for several days. Babette tries to comfort Jackie by offering her drugs, but she resists temptation and vows to face her problems head-on. Cindy fears that Jim may get involved with his secretary. Jim continues to fantasize about the woman, but she quits her job to get married. Brandon bets heavily on sporting events. Dylan agonizes over his decision of whether to date Brenda or Kelly. Jack is granted parole after serving just two years of a ten-year sentence.

Music: ""Have You Ever Had to Make Up Your Mind?"" by The Lovin' Spoonful (#2, 1966); ""Rhythm Is a Dancer"" by Snap (#5, 1993)

Midlife...Now What?

Jack is released from prison. He encourages Dylan to invite all his friends to a party, but only Kelly shows up. Dylan tells Kelly that he has chosen her over Brenda, and they kiss in the hotel pool. Dylan and Kelly take Brenda for a walk to inform her of Dylan's decision, and reveal their summer fling. She screams that she will never speak to them again. The financially destitute Jack wants to dissolve Dylan's trust so that he can have access to the money. Dylan goes along with it to show faith in his father. Jim fears that Jack is taking advantage of Dylan. Mel moves out of the Taylor house. David fears that he will no longer be a part of Erin's life, but Jackie invites him to stay with Kelly and her. Nat forgets to place a winning bet for Brandon; in lieu of cash, Brandon asks for his bookie's phone number.

Music: ""Come Go With Me"" by the Dell-Vikings (#4, 1957); ""The Right

Back in the High Life Again

Iris flies in from Hawaii, and Dylan and Jack try to soften her up to convince her to approve the dissolution of the trust. She is leery of Jack's motives, but elects not to stand in their way. Jack makes a clandestine phone call and promises someone that he will get the money. Brenda mopes around in her room and discards all mementos of Dylan. A visit from Iris convinces her to get past her pain, and she talks to Kelly at school. Steve helps David get a meeting with a record company. The record company executive threatens to call off the deal unless David fires Steve, and he agrees. Andrea is hesitant to attend a tea for future Yale students.

Music: ""Losing My Religion"" by R.E.M.; ""Kansas City"" by Wilbert Harrison (#1, 1959); ""Action Speaks Louder Than Words"" by Tara Kemp (from the 90210 soundtrack); ""So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star"" by

Parental Guidance Recommended

Jack and Dylan begin living on a yacht, where they are constantly kept under surveillance. Jim does not want to dissolve the trust, but finally gives his approval so that Dylan can have a new life with his father. Christine accepts Jack's marriage proposal. Dylan and Kelly sleep together. Jack tries to confess something to Dylan, but a man interrupts them and warns Jack that he is breaking their deal. A bomb is attached to Jack's car during the night. Dylan receives a phone call from Kelly just as he is about to move the car, so Jack agrees to do it. As Dylan hangs up, he turns to see the car explode. Jackie tells Kelly and David that she has to sell the house. She receives an offer, but decides to hold out for a while.

Music: ""All the Way to Heaven"" by Jody Watley; ""Tutti Frutti"" by Little Richard (#17, 1956); ""Take Me Out to the Ballg

Dead End

In the wake of his father's death, Dylan grapples with his personal demons while trying to elude the reporters camping out on his lawn. The media speculates that Jack was killed because of his mob ties--and that Dylan is the next target. Kelly feels uncomfortable when Brenda invites Dylan to stay with the Walshes. David has to miss the post-funeral reception because of a recording session. He postpones the session and arrives at the Walsh house just in time to stop Dylan from drinking. Dylan receives a phone call advising him to come to a secret meeting. He learns that his father was released from prison because he agreed to participate in a sting on a mob boss. Jack had asked that Dylan be told the truth if anything happened to him. Christine was also an FBI agent, but planned to resign to marry Jack.

Music: ""Love to Love You, Baby"" (Donna Summer - #2, 1976), sung by Raymond O'Connor; ""Can't Cry Hard Enough"" by the Williams Brothers

The Child Is Father to the Man

Duke warns Brandon that he must pay off a $1500 debt by the end of the week. Brandon places a bet with a high school bookie and wins, but the guy cannot cover his bet. A desperate Brandon tries to rough him up. Nat realizes that Brandon is in trouble and pays Duke, but forces Brandon to promise that he will never place another bet. Kelly fears that she is losing her connection with Dylan. She becomes obsessed with her weight and starts taking diet pills. Dylan is hurt when Andrea requests an interview for the Blaze, but decides to write about his father to help deal with his pain. Andrea encourages Dylan's interest in writing and convinces Gil to let him enroll in AP English. David's producer ignores his hip-hop material and forces him to record a repetitive, syrupy ballad. David goes along with the producer's wishes, and gets dropped from his contract.

Music: ""Jimmy Olsen's Blues"" by the Spin Doctors; ""Switch It Up"" and ""Precious"" by Brian Austin Green

Duke's Bad Boy

Kelly continues to starve herself and abuse diet pills, and becomes extremely irritable. She freaks out and screams at a potential buyer for the house. Kelly believes that her friends are talking behind her back, until Steve explains that they are planning a surprise party for her eighteenth birthday. Brenda finds Kelly passed out in the Peach Pit's bathroom during the party. Kelly ignores the doctor's advice and refuses to admit that she has a problem. Steve and Brandon tape an appearance on the game show Love at First Sight; and end up vying for the same girl, Celeste. Celeste chooses Steve, who is disheartened to learn that he must go on their date immediately and miss Kelly's party. Celeste suggests cutting the date short after hearing Steve's dilemma, and asks to see him again. Brenda decides to re-establish ties with her friends back in Minnesota.

Music: ""Land of 1000 Dances"" by Wilson Pickett (#6, 1966); ""Let Me Be Your Baby"" by Geoffrey Williams

Perfectly Perfect

Kelly stops attending her eating disorder group because the girls with more severe cases unnerve her. Kelly wins "Most Beautiful" in the senior poll, while Dylan is "Most Handsome." Kelly suspects that everyone judges her entirely on her looks, and blows up at Dylan and Jackie. Dylan lets her read a section from his manuscript in which he describes his feelings for her. Brenda feels isolated from her classmates when she fails to win anything in the poll. She decides to apply to the University of Minnesota. Brandon and Steve take Jim and Cindy to a Lakers game because they can't get dates. They do not arrive until nearly halftime because of Brenda's big news and a traffic jam. Steve wins the chance to take a halfcourt shot for $10,000, and makes the shot. He anonymously donates the money to the school to revive a summer camp for elementary school students.

Music: "Man on the Moon" by R.E.M. (#30, 1993); "Humpin' Around" by Bobby Brown (#3, 1992)

Senior Poll

Brenda, Kelly, Donna, Andrea and David go to Magic Mountain for Senior Ditch Day (an event organized by the school). A classmate steals Kelly's wallet, but Donna beats him up when he tries to snatch her purse. Andrea struggles to overcome her fear of roller coasters, and she and Donna have a talk about being virgins. Brandon misses out on the trip to fill in for an ailing Nat at the Peach Pit. A tour guide brings the Burt Reynolds Fan Club to the Pit, but cannot pay the bill because she has supposedly been scammed by her boss. She jumps out the bathroom window and steals Brandon's car. Steve and Dylan catch up to her and spend the day trying to track down Burt Reynolds and convince him to meet the fan club. Burt shows up as a favor to Steve's mother, but the tour guide turns out to be the actual con artist.

Music: ""Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"" by Roy Orbison (#4, 1962); ""Walk Right In"" by the Rooftop Singers (#1, 1963)

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

Brandon and Andrea discover that the school board has quietly passed a measure in which any senior found drunk at the prom will be barred from graduation. Jackie tells David and Kelly that she has sold the house. Brandon and Brenda do not plan to attend the prom. Brenda accepts an invitation from football star Tony Miller, and Andrea calls Brandon at the last minute after Jordan gets the flu. Donna is surprised when her mother gives her permisson to stay out all night. David rents a hotel room for the night. Mel serves champagne at a pre-prom party, and everyone except Dylan and Andrea drinks. Donna gets drunk (partially because she also hadn't eaten all day) and becomes very ill. The gang tries to sneak her out of the hotel, but she faints right in front of Mrs. Teasley.

Music: ""Time to Be Lovers"" by Michael McDonald and Chaka Khan; ""Action Speaks Louder Than Words""

A Night to Remember

Donna is suspended, and must enroll in summer school before she can graduate. Felice refuses to appeal the ruling because she is worried about her own reputation. Donna changes her mind by reminding her that her husband and Donna forgave Felice for her past mistakes. Brandon is disgusted by the students' apathy, and Gil encourages him to take action on Donna's behalf. Brandon convinces the entire senior class to walk out on finals as a show of solidarity. Dylan doesn't want to participate because he has set his sights on making it into the University of California-Berkeley. The juniors join the protest after Brandon agrees to add the elimination of a proposed dress code to the demands.

Something in the Air

At graduation, the friends reminisce about their high-school days and look ahead to college.

Commencement

Follow the lives of a group of teenagers living in the upscale, star-studded community of Beverly Hills, California and attending the fictitious West Beverly Hills High School and, subsequently, the fictitious California University after graduation.

The Back Story

Seasons10

Season 3 Episodes29

Cast10

Discussion

Episode Summary