Before we get into the episode stuff, this:
Dear CW,
Please give Brenda more to do. We're begging you.
Hugs and kisses,
The Remote Island
Okay, that's done. Now, the episode...this week Dixon hit another guy's car in the parking lot, and can't tell his parents because they're worried about money, which, to be honest, we're a little skeptical about given the size of the Wilson's McMansion, but whatever. In order to pay for the damage himself, Dixon gets a job at the Peach Pit -- pause for a nostalgic moment as Nat gets that far away look in his eye and says, "I hired a kid from West Beverly once..."
Meanwhile, the high school production of Spring Awakening is put in jeopardy by the untimely departure of the drama teacher. Luckily, Annie and Dixon's boozy grandmother is Beverly Hills' very own Norma Desmond. She agrees to step in so the show can go on, but spends most of the rehersal bellowing criticism at Annie. Principal Wilson decides to bring someone in to help settle things down, and who better to calm the drama than Brenda Walsh (who, incidentally, arrives wearing short shorts, black knee-high boots, and a jaunty newsboy cap -- kind of makes us miss those snappy collared-shirt-and-matching-tie combos she used to rock).
Jump to the House of Mirth, where the Clarks are taking a family photo in a desperate attempt at togetherness (Heck, why not just have a family night at the bowling alley? Seemed to work for the Wilsons). Mr. Clark keeps disappearing to take secret calls, and Naomi works herself into an emotional frenzy (that's frankly, hard to watch) before jetting off to her much needed meeting of overactor's annonymous.
Back at school, we're tossed on the sea of the Ethan-Ty-Annie bermuda love triangle....or we wish we were. Truthfully, in terms of anything exciting actually developing here, it's less like the bermuda triangle and more like our apartment bathtub. Here's how it goes down: Ty asks Annie out, Annie's still carrying a torch for Ethan, Ethan asks Annie out, Annie blows off Ty, Ethan stands Annie up, Ty shows up and sees her sitting by herself getting stood up by Ethan, Ty feels hurt, Annie feels like a schmuck.
Ryan corners Kelly in the hallway to ask her to dinner, and they have an awkward conversation about Sammy's unidentified dad. The deduction process in our head goes like this: Sammy's dad had history with Kelly in high school, which narrows it down to Brandon, Dylan, Steve and that guy that date-raped her in the forest. Brandon and Steve have refused to come back to the show, and the date-rape guy is now Chad Michael Murray's sociopath dad on One Tree Hill. That leaves Dylan. You know Luke Perry can't stay away from 90210 -- every time you think he's gone for good, he comes back again. Yes! Dylan, final answer.
Back at drama rehersal, Brenda, in her infinite wisdom, stages an intervention with Grandma Wilson by showing her a video tape of the rehersal so she can feel chagrined about all her crazy screaming, but not feel that Brenda's stepping on her toes. Grandma Wilson takes the hint and peace is restored to the drama department. Brenda is so wise.
Meanwhile, Naomi's planning an intervention of her own, and appeals to Ethan to help confront her father's mistress. Unfortunately, Ethan's autistic brother is freaking out that the new cleaning lady moved all the furniture and Ethan's hands are pretty much full. Shod in her ass-kickin' boots, Naomi goes to see Gail anyway and discovers that she's moved into the Clark family beach house. Naomi takes this badly.
Brenda recruits Ryan to help with the Spring Awakening music, and Ryan uses the opportunity to ply Brenda for information about Sammy's father. Brenda's discomfort makes us more convinced than ever that we're right about Dylan. Ryan confesses to Kelly that he talked to Brenda and accuses her of still loving her ex. Kelly storms off to yell at Brenda for talking to Ryan, and Brenda fires back with, "...and you're still so in love with Dylan!" Dyaln's Sammy's father?! We never saw that coming.
Dixon can't make enough money at the Peach Pit to cover Abercrombie guy's car damage, so he confesses his mistake to Harry who tells him how proud he is of Dixon's hard work, and the show suddenly becomes an after school special, except at night.
Annie decides to waste no more time pining for Ethan and give a real relationship with Ty a chance. She catches up with him in the hallway bearing a snickerdoodle peace offering. Ty tries to stay mad, but can't because Annie's so "freakin' adorable." Hmmmm. Well, all's well that ends well. And anyway, Ty is way hotter than Ethan, even though there seems to be a distinct possibility that Ty is some sort of android.