I'm not going to do the "obvious" route in going by the high school years, college years, and post-college years.
*The Brenda Years (Seasons 1-4)
*The Valerie Years (Seasons 5-9)
*The Post-Brandon Years (Seasons 9-10)
1-4 the golden years of the series
5-8 The abyss. series brought in new people, new writers--who really did not know or care
9 -10. the series needs to be saved somehow...last ditch efforts here.
Pretty much in that order. The show was really at its prime in the first seasons. Brenda leaving and Val coming in seemed pretty decent in the beginning of that era. The show started losing something after that.
I really only watched randomly during the last 2 seasons. I really could not stand some of the new characters. Why always replace one with another? Just have someone leave and everyone moves on! I will say, I was glad when Claire left, i could not stand her.
Claire was a ridiculous character. Okay we're supposed to believe that the gang is going to welcome a a slutty high schooler just bc she's the 'Chancelor's Daughter' of a public university--umm no. He's hired by the Board of Regents who are appointed by the Governor. She has no 'power'. Brandon just should have called the cops on her.
They botched that. If they wanted to add a 'younger tag along' they should have kept Brenda and had Erica be the little sister. Boom problem solved. People loved the two of them together and it was far more believable.
The Brenda Years were the best for sure however, I really enjoy season 6. My order would be
Seasons 1-4 the best followed by
The Valerie Years seasons 5-9
Post Brandon Years 9-10 were not good seasons.
Val Years for me 5-8 - Tiffani was the reason I started watching and love them all
Brenda Years - Love them all as well. Although the afterschool special vibe of S1 is very dated
Post Brandon Years - absolute crap and I hate both 9 and 10. 9 is at least somewhat watchable but 10 is a full-fledged daytime soap on primetime slot
The Brenda years and the first 2 Val years are neck and neck for me. If I'm going to do a rewatch it's usually from those. I adore Shannen and Tiffani and they both gave their all in these seasons!
I think season 6 is the last truly great one. We got the EPIC Toni arc and a lot of comedic episodes and some really dark ones. That season would've been a great way to go out.
All that said, season 1 is my personal favorite... it has a charming warmth and innocence to it.
I don't hate seasons 7-10 but they definitely weren't essential, lol.
A bit off-topic, but It's been so long. How did they write Brenda out of the show? Thanks.
shareShe was offered the chance to study acting in London by a visiting director who was impressed with her work on a performance he directed at the University.
The fact that she wasn't killed off but left with 'honors' hinted if Doherty eventually could get her act together off screen fences potentially might be mended at some point. She was a part of the later reboot attempt. If she had been killed off, this would have been impossible except in flashbacks/as a 'spirt' which was not like the show at all and really would have messed with it.
Season 1 was the 'feeling things out' attempt. Fox wasn't anywhere near competitive as a network at this point and it needed a big hit so it gave them an entire season to retool the show and produce a BIG hit (Season 2). you don't get an entire other season today. Shows are pulled after a couple of episodes and not given another chance to correct things. It shows how much things have changed and how much more competitive the tv market has become.
Actually the last great season is season 4 when Shannen left. The show's big marketing package had been around 'the gang from West Beverly' and there were no dolls...etc made of anybody else who joined the cast after season 4. After season 4 is when they should have let it go.
Either that or the shot when the gang is standing on the mountain looking at their senior project....something about that still looks like an aborted series finale shot. Somebody probably came in last minute and decided that the show was not ending. Which is why they continued on to Season 4.
I'm glad in a way because the writers did try to patch up the Dylan/Brenda relationship--and Erica actually was likeable as a potential little sister character. But there is no need to watch when stuff shifted away from the walshes, The show was after all supposed to be centered on them and their interactions with/reactions to others.
good points.
but the college years were fun!
Seasons 1-4 were my favorite.
Seasons 5-8 were just okay but I did enjoy season 6.
Seasons 9 and 10 were the worst.