90210h, please don't hate me, but I loved this show.

Man, was I wrong. It wasn't until the day before yesterday that I even decided to WATCH the new 90210. I didn't really enjoy the first incarnation of the show (watched a few seasons back in the day during middle school, but could not get past the spandex), and I went into it ready to hate it. I wanted to mock the car wreck. To laugh at the terrible acting.

But you guys I kind of loved it.

I mean, not like the way I love Jon Stewart or Heroes or Lost or Doctor Who. But I love it the way I love America's Next Top Model. You know, the trashy, guilty pleasure type of love.

I should have known this was not going to be the crap-fest I expected when I saw that Rob Thomas was listed in the credits (oh, he who created Veronica Mars and owns my soul). I remember hearing months ago that he was working on the pilot script, but when he left, I figured that meant nothing could save this show.

But I was wrong.

I mean, it's not high art, but for pure escapism, I loved it. The little nods to the original show (there's a girl named Hannah Zuckerman! And they joke about how she's 30! HAHAHAHA. Meh.) were kinda lame, but I was surprised by how cool it was to see The Peach Pit and Kelly and Brenda again. All the characters were fleshed out and felt real, even the typical high school archetypes. The corn-fed country girl is actually kinda ballsy and awesome, the "mean" girl isn't a complete and total bitch, the jock might actually have a soul, etc. etc. It was surprising. And the alcoholic tell-it-like-it-is grandmother is made of awesome.

I also liked how the show didn't just concentrate on the young kids. I know CW is chasing that young demographic, but the adult characters had almost equal screentime , and had interesting stories of their own. I liked seeing how the Dad had to balance being a father and being the principal. Lori Loughlin has yet to do anything actually interesting, but she seems like a pretty cool Mom. And of course there is Mr. Matthews.

If my English teacher looked like this, I never would have skipped. Hellooooooo, nurse.

I'm just saying it's awfully nice of them to provide some eye candy for those of us who are not adolescents. At least not physically.

So, that's it, you guys. I'm hooked. Sigh. Why did CW have to go and actually make this show good?? Damn them.