GILMORE GIRLS
Aired from 2000-2007 on The WB Network. Dramedy. Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), a single-mother and innkeeper with a debutante-come-teenage mother past, wants to get the best education there is for her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) by enrolling her at Chilton Academy, a prestigious Connecticut private school. The steep tuition price forces single-mother Lorelai to reconnect with her estranged parents, the almost aristocratic Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard (Edward Hermann) Gilmore, in order to borrow money to pay for Rory's schooling. Nothing begets nothing with the older Gilmores who strike a deal with their daughter. They will pay for all the fees relating to their granddaughter's education, if Lorelai assures them that Rory and she will attend the family's Friday night dinners on weekly basis. This love-hate relationship between Lorelai and her parents is played out throughout the show's run and is cause for many comedic and heartfelt moments dealing with the many complexities of family life and the various relationships they involve. Also in the mix are the various townsfolk of Stars Hollow, such as Luke (Scott Patterson) the handsome and bitter snack bar owner, Dean (Jared Padalecki) the hunky grocery store clerk and Jess (Milo Ventimiglia), Luke's mysterious and moody nephew. Later seasons deal with Lorelai and best friend/wonder chef Sookie's (Melissa McCarthy) quest to become Inn owners, Rory's relationship with her father, Christopher (David Sutcliffe), Rory's transition from high school to college and her relationship with playboy Logan (Matt Czuchry). MY FAVORITE THING: The writing on this show was impeccable and Lauren Graham's performance was stellar. Also, a shout out goes out to Rory's best friend, the very asian Lane Kim (Keiko Agena) and her mother, Mrs. Kim.
THE O.C.
Aired from 2003-2007 on Fox. (Teen) Drama. California here we come. Good-hearted lawyer Sandy Cohen (Pether Gallagher) brings one of his clients home, the brooding Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) in a move to try to save him from a life of crime and street violence. His wife, the beautiful heiress/businesswoman/mom Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) initially is wary of the idea, but later comes on board, especially their son Seth (Adam Brody) develops a friendship with the outsider. Rounding up the cast are the lovely Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) and Marissa Cooper (a pre-bloated Mischa Barton) as the love interests for Seth and Ryan. Throughout the shows run, both these (sometimes on/sometimes off) relationships were at the core of the plot development and kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, the O.C. fell prey to some bad storyline choices, such as: lesbian love affairs, psycho characters, and so on and was cancelled much too early. Once a cultural phenomenon, showcasing the latest in music and fashion, The O.C. is one of those shows that will stick around in my, and others of my generation's, mind for a very long time. MY FAVORITE THING (CHARACTER): Autumn Reeser's "Taylor Townsend" in season 4 (which was my favorite). An honorable mention goes out to Super MILF Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke) who played this goldigging cougar to perfection, making the audience hate her one moment and want to hug her the next.
ALLY MCBEAL
Aired from 1997-2002 on Fox. Comedy. Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), a neurotic Boston lawyer, gets a big surprise in the form of her ex-boyfriend/love-of-her-life Billy (Gil Bellows), when she takes a job at Cage & Fish, an up-and-coming law firm run by an old Law School classmate. Ally, who still holds a torch for Billy, is surprised to find him working in the same firm as her and devastated to find out that he's newly married. Ally's universe is an interesting one, populated by very peculiar characters such as nosy secretary Elaine (Jane Krakowski), Ice Queen Nelle Porter (Portia DeRossi), frenemy/Billy's wife Georgia Thomas (Courtney Thorne-Smith), buxom roommate Renée (Lisa Nicole Carson) and stuttering John Cage (Peter MacNicol) to name a few. Another one of this show's trademarks is the bar (where many performances by the soulful Vonda Shepard take place) which Cage & Fish employees retreat to in each episode. Music was a major element in this network show and in hindsight, it was a forerunner in the "musical" wave that hit show-business in the early 2000s.
Ultimately, this show is about a woman's quest to find "the one" and the many difficulties one encounters on that journey. Ally's many hardships of the heart became the driving force of the show and were crucial to plot developments. MY FAVORITE THING (CHARACTER): Lucy Liu's super bitchtastic "Ling Woo". Also, for the sentimental ones out there, try to watch the episode "Angels and Blimps" without crying.
Ultimately, this show is about a woman's quest to find "the one" and the many difficulties one encounters on that journey. Ally's many hardships of the heart became the driving force of the show and were crucial to plot developments. MY FAVORITE THING (CHARACTER): Lucy Liu's super bitchtastic "Ling Woo". Also, for the sentimental ones out there, try to watch the episode "Angels and Blimps" without crying.
BEVERLY HILLS: 90210
Aired from 1990 to 2000 on Fox. The ORIGINAL Teen Drama. Twins Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Brenda Walsh (the infamous Shannen Doherty) are uprooted from their native Minnesota and move to glamourous Beverly Hills due to their father having to relocate for work purposes. Once in California, they soon find out that teens play by a whole new set of rules in Beverly Hills and especially at their new high school, the super glitzy West Beverly High. Once they settle into their new lifestyle, both Brandon and Brenda are befriended by multiple 90210 natives, such as rich boy Steve Sanders (Ian Ziering), wannabe DJ David Silver (Brian Austin Green), pretty girl with a rep Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), mysterious surfer boy Dylan McKay (Luke Perry), eternal virgin Donna Martin (Tori Spelling) and outsider (literally, she does not live within the limits of the 90210 zip code and that becomes an isssue in a season 1 episode) nerd Andrea Zuckerman (played by an age inappropriate Gabrielle Carteris). Even with a ton of cast changes, this show was my rock for many years. These friends' journey started in high school, but due to the show's longevity the public was able to follow these characters well beyond their college years, into adulthood. Beverly Hills: 90210 is a classic and was the original teen drama, spawning a plethora of spinoffs (Melrose Place, Models, inc., 90210 and the ill-fated Melrose Place reboot). MY FAVORITE THING: The 2nd season summer season and the DYLAN-KELLY-BRENDA romantic triangle.
