90210 Moves Into Full-Season Mode

CW gives freshman redo a full-season pickup, citing record ratings for the struggling network

By Natalie Finn Sep 23, 2008 12:15 AMTags
90210Art Streiber/ The CW

The Wilson siblings should be happy to hear that they get to finish out the school year at West Beverly.

90210, the CW's 21st-century attempt at 1990s glory, has been given a full-season pickup, the network announced Monday.

"The successful addition of 90210 has taken the CW another step forward in building a cohesive schedule that defines this network as a destination for young women with shows that get our audience talking—and watching,” network president Dawn Ostroff said. 

“We’re very excited about the chance to watch this ensemble of newcomers and familiar faces coalesce and grow together as we move forward.”

And if early ratings are any indication, there are plenty of fans—some nostalgic, some too young to know that 90210 had a hipper-than-though predecessor—who will be along for the ride.

Nearly 12.7 million viewers caught one—or both—airings of the series premiere a few weeks ago, and 90210's Sept. 2 debut became the CW's highest-rated premiere ever among women ages 18 to 34.

Otherwise known as the "Bingo!" demographic.

Sure, the critically indifferent teen soap, which stars what we hear are some really petite actresses and the actors who stand up for them, lost more than a million viewers between its first and second week (going from a buzz-induced 5 million for the two-hour premiere to 3.3 million the following Tuesday), but hey, Beverly Hills 90210 was never a top-10 hit for Fox.