9021...oh

It took approximately an hour for Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) to appear on Tuesday's series premiere of the new "90210."

Producers made that decision because of people like me.

I sat through the first 60 minutes of "90210" relatively unimpressed. Like its predecessor, the show featured a set of siblings -- with a twist: one's African-American and adopted! -- transplanted to Beverly Hills from the land of quiet. There's a mean girl, a hot guy and a misunderstood druggie.

Honestly, the acting wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was more disturbed by the fact that it seemed like the brother and sister were always on the verge of making out. And really, plot-wise, it seemed like the producers kind of settled.

Seriously, if you're trying to revolutionize teen TV, it's probably best to not rely on the tired plotline of the popular girl copying the new girl's English essay.

What kept me hooked were the traces of the original "90210." Even that cute little Nat from the Peach Pit and the sneaky appearance of the teen who's supposed to be Andrea Zuckerman's daughter. (I loved the follow-up comment saying she looked like she was 30.)

And for me, anything involving Brenda and Kelly took the cake. That includes Erin Silver, the teenage spawn of Kelly's mom and original character David's (Brian Austin Green's) dad.

Reviews so far have been mostly mild. My fave so far is this line from the Chicago Tribune:

Watching the show is sort of like being assaulted by the contents of a slightly tacky mall jewelry store: Everything you see is shiny, pretty and just a little bit too loud. And you know that even the cute items will probably break within two weeks.

Here's what critics from MSNBC, The Boston Globe and the Associated Press are saying.

Did you watch last night? If so, do you think the TV code needs to be retired, or is it back and stronger than ever?