Losing My Religion by REM

Losing My Religion will forever be linked to Brenda and Dylan's breakup.  If you were a teenager in the early 90's, you will know exactly what I am talking about.  I was in 8th grade when I watched my first episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.  It was the episode "Isn't It Romantic" when Brenda and Dylan went on their first date.  The date ended in disaster, with Dylan smashing a planter on the ground and crying.  Smashing a planter was the ultimate in bad boy behavior!  I actually felt like I just might be getting away with something by watching it, like it was borderline too grown-up for me.   And of course, I did think it was totally romantic.  My friend Erica T. had watched it too and we both decided that it was going to be our very favorite show.  Season 2 started at the beginning of summer and we were both so excited about this.  The first episode of the season dealt with more Very. Important. Issues.  Pregnancy tests!  OB GYN visits!  And of course, the impossibly sad breakup of Brenda and Dylan.  The song playing during the breakup was Losing My Religion and the song even factored into a future episode when Brenda was so sad that she wanted to throw away any reminder of Dylan, including the CD with the song playing while they were breaking up.  Sniff! 

Beverly Hills, 90210 was the first TV show I was ever addicted to.  I wasn't much of a TV watcher as a kid, but this show really hooked me.  It wasn't just me - pretty much everyone my age was hooked on the show and it gave us all something to talk about and dissect, week-in and week-out.  It eventually became a bonding thing with my mom.  I don't think she loved the show or found it particularly riveting or addicting.  It was more about her knowing what we were watching so she could make sure it was appropriate.  It also was the launching point for a lot of conversations about the various topics covered on the show.  It covered everything....teen pregnancy, suicide, addiction, drinking, gun control, first love, the first time, friendship, divorce....you name it.  I will never forget watching the episode when Scott Scanlon accidentally shot himself.  I was BLOWN AWAY (!) by the entire episode, sitting on the edge of the couch, wondering who was going to die, how it would happen.  And David's speech in the DJ booth.  Powerful stuff for a very naive high school freshman!! 

I lost interest in the show once Brenda left which coincided with me going away to college.  I didn't have a TV and with the exception of a couple TV nights at Jenn K's house, I didn't have the opportunity to watch it much.  I also didn't think it was nearly as good as it used to be.  I watched the final episode, of course and in 2008 when the show relaunched with the new class of Beverly Hills, my sister and I were all over that!  It became the focus of our sister nights and we watched it together, just like before.