1. Beverly Hills 90210: Episode 2.05, Play It Again David
The show pays tribute to From Here to Eternity via Brenda and Dylan.
2. One Tree Hill: Episode 7.01, 4:30 AM (Apparently They Were Traveling Abroad)
The show pays tribute to From Here to Eternity via Brooke and Julian.
Well, One Tree Hill fans, we’re in the home stretch! The show comes back from hiatus one week from tomorrow. As the promo for 7.13 shows, we’ll be seeing a familiar face: Taylor James, sister to Haley (Bethany Joy Galeotti) and Quinn (Shantel VanSanten).
Taylor, played by Lindsey McKeon, was introduced in season 2 (Episode 2.11, The Heart Brings You Back), when she returns to Tree Hill after getting kicked out of college. Her homecoming turns sour when Nathan (James Lafferty) recalls that Taylor was the first girl he ever slept with, complicating his relationship with Haley. After causing a bit more damage, Taylor leaves town (Episode 2.13, The Hero Dies In This One)–but Nathan meets up with her later in the season (Episode 2.18, The Lonesome Road). Viewers actually had a chance to vote in a poll on whether the two characters would sleep together. Fans voted against it and we haven’t seen Taylor since…until now.
It seemed only natural, then, to seek out McKeon for an update on both her whereabouts and Taylor’s. Here’s hoping this wets your appetite just enough to get through the next eight days:
TeenDramaWhore: Do you remember what first attracted you to the role of Taylor?
Lindsey McKeon: The fact that she is “free spirited,” says and does things that I or most people wouldn’t do and that she shakes things up a bit! To me, it’s great to play a character that “allows me to act out of character.” That’s what’s so brilliant about this art!!
TDW: Fans have been hoping for Taylor’s return for years. How did this come about?
McKeon: Grace… You know, I’m not sure exactly, but I’m glad it did!
TDW: What can you tell us about your appearance? Will it be for more than one episode?
McKeon: Taylor returns for at least 3 episodes and does what she does best!!! 😉
TDW: What do you think Taylor’s been up to in the years that have passed? Is she still the James family’s wild child?
McKeon: I believe she’s traveled around and tried to “find herself” in many different places, which has given her an experiential yet sometimes painful life. And though home is where the heart is for her, I believe it’s one of the most difficult and challenging places for her to be.
TDW: Many fans are also familiar with you from your prior roles on Saved By The Bell: The New Class and Guiding Light. What are you most recognized for?
McKeon: It’s funny to me that all these years later I still get recognized from Saved By The Bell. I have no idea what I get recognized for the most, though I’ve heard ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ ‘One Tree Hill’ and ‘Saved By The Bell’ a bunch. But mostly I just get people telling me that I “look familiar” or “remind them of someone famous.”
TDW: What was your reaction when you found out Guiding Light was going off the air?
McKeon: It was something that had been buzzing around the set when I was still there [in 2004], so it wasn’t a big shock. For me mostly, I’m just interested to see what path everyone’s new lives will be taking!
TDW: What other projects are you working on now?
McKeon: There are a couple films that are in the works and a couple in the process of coming out! Repo and The Land That Time Forgot being two of them. You can always stay up to date by checking IMDB.com!!
TDW: What do you like to do in your spare time?
McKeon: I love to travel, yoga, meditation, workout, dance, see LOTS of movies and spend time with the ones who are closest to me.
TDW: Many celebrities have gotten Twitter accounts to interact with their fans. Have you thought of getting one? Do you have an official site I can direct people to?
McKeon: Sorry, I do not have a Twitter account and I no longer have an official website.
TDW: My research also led me to this MySpace account that claims to be you. Is it actually yours?
McKeon: No, I have never had a MySpace!
Come back next week for another exclusive interview!
In the last Weekly Poll, the majority of voters thought it was a happy medium for Haley to go on tour with Nathan and Jamie with her for part of the time. Many of you thought she deserved to go on tour regardless, while just two people said she should keep her family as the priority. Forty-seven percent said Blair and Chuck have had highs and lows this season but 31 percent say the luster is gone and 22 percent say their power is still just as strong. Only 3 votes separated the ays from the maybes on whether Kelly should be in more episodes. Just 10 percent, or 5 votes, were against it.
Take a minute and consider the names of almost all the teen dramas.
Beverly Hills 90210
Dawson’s Creek
The O.C.
One Tree Hill
90210
Apparently teen drama creators have a thing for titles based on locations. Granted, those locations–Beverly Hills, a–um–creek, Orange County, Tree Hill and, again, Beverly Hills–are (for the most part) integral to the premise of each show.
The lone outcast is Gossip Girl, which easily could’ve been called Upper East Side if it weren’t for the fixation on that never-seen-but-often-heard character also known as Gossip Girl. And, of course, the precedent established by the book series.
Details, details.
When people (clearly not TDW readers!) ask me when Gossip Girl and 90210 are returning with new episodes, they’re shocked to find out it’s March 8th and 9th, respectively.
Still more than 2 months to wait, after already suffering through half of December with repeats.
Why, they ask.
Well, the explanation is really quite simple.
There’s usually only about 22 episodes produced per a season but more than 22 *weeks* in a season. This means there will be a significant off period, a “hiatus,” where we get nothing but repeats or a different show in its place. In the past, they’ve been short and frequent–on for two weeks, off for three; on for four, off for two.
This year, The CW decided to buck tradition and do just one giant hiatus for Gossip Girl and 90210. A long break for a few months then a long stretch of back-to-back new episodes for a few months.
But they’re not doing this for One Tree Hill. One Tree Hill returns on January 18, after a six-week break, and then goes on another hiatus in early March, when Gossip Girl comes back, and returns again in late April.
According to The CW, they’re doing this to ensure all new episodes on Mondays (with help from Life Unexpected) from January 18th til the season ends.
But I’m not sure I buy it. I’m also not sure I know who the loser is.
Is The CW concerned about the quality of One Tree Hill this season? Are they looking to burn through the episodes sooner? Are they worried fans won’t stick around and tune in after an extra-long break?
Or do they have more confidence in One Tree Hill leading the new episode charge in January? So much confidence that they’re using it to anchor a new show?
Do they see Gossip Girl and 90210 as the shows fans are willing to wait for? Are they saving their best material for a one-two punch later in the season?
Or are they concerned about Gossip Girl and 90210’s dropping ratings?
It could be a combination of the above. They could be having their cake and eating it, too. They could think this is the perfect way to have the second-half of the 2009-2010 season kick ass: a little of this and then a little of that.
But the cynic in me says no. The cynic in me says that’s not the case at all.
Let’s hope I’m wrong and we get three renewals when it comes time to announce next season’s schedule.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
ORIGINAL POSTS: Teen Dramas: The Evaluation (5/28/09), Teen Dramas: The Evaluation Results (6/1/09)
WHY I LOVE THEM: Technically you guys can voice your opinions any time you want by simply leaving a comment, but polls are a great way for me to find out what you think on specific subjects. With sets for each of the current teen dramas, it was TDW’s own little awards show, recognizing the best and worst of the past season. Then taking the winners of the 3 separate evaluations and putting them head-to-head in a final round was a great way to compare the shows and find out what you guys thought was the best of the best in the 08-09 teen drama season.
WHERE I’LL GO FROM HERE: I started doing polls weekly, one question per current show, which lets me know what you guys think on a more frequent basis. I’ll definitely do another season-end evaluation when the time comes and might even do a survey for the site itself. I’d like to know what parts of TDW you like, what you think can be improved, etc. so keep your eyes peeled for that.
That does it for reflections on TDW Year One. Thank you for making this anniversary and every day a special one.
Here’s to a bigger and better year for Teen Drama Whores everywhere.
TeenDramaWhore 