THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 21, 1994 TAG: 9409210042
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
WITH TIFFANI-AMBER Thiessen traipsing around in black lingerie, the ratings for ``Beverly Hills 90210'' are up this season. The numbers look great even though the series' most compelling character, played by Shannen Doherty, has been packed off to Europe and never spoken of except when somebody says she's called home for money.
Have viewers forgotten poor Brenda already?
Not here in Hampton Roads.
When I asked Infoline callers what they thought of a Brenda-less ``Beverly Hills 90210,'' more than half said they wanted her back.
From Melody, 18, in Chesapeake: ``The only way they'll keep people watching is to make the new girl badder than Brenda. That's not possible.''
Oh, yes it is, Melody.
Brenda was bitchy. Valerie Monroe, played by Thiessen, is bad to the bone.
She unwinds by smoking joints. She hangs out in bars where she dances with strangers. She regards the Walshes, who took her in after her father committed suicide, as dorks. While pretending to be an innocent and sweet kid from un-hip Buffalo, she's really a man-eating shark out to seduce any male old enough to shave, and that includes Brandon Walsh and Dylan McKay.
What's next? Ripping off the Walshes' credit cards?
When Thiessen and your humble columnist shared lunch on the set of ``Beverly Hills 90210'' not long ago, she had no idea that the producers would have her character rolling joints in the Walshes' bathroom while looking like a candidate for the Victoria's Secret catalog.
``All I know is that they are planning to get my character involved with Luke Perry's character,'' she said.
It happens tonight in Week No. 3 of the new season. Perry, as McKay, is back on the booze. You know what that means. Lots of blackouts. No telling these days who he'll find sharing his bed. You're next, Valerie.
When Thiessen accepted the role from producer Aaron Spelling, she was cautioned that Valerie would be walking on the wild side. Now we know how wild.
``Is this what kids should be watching at 8 o'clock?'' asked a caller from Portsmouth. She's a mother of three who is disturbed by the new character's plunge into drugs and sex so early in prime time. Good point.
Once upon a time, ``Beverly Hills 90210'' was a cute little drama about a harmless class of undergraduates in a snooty Southern California neighborhood. The series took up serious themes such as date rape and premartial sex but never lost its innocence. It was ``The Brady Bunch'' all grown up.
However, with Thiessen's arrival, ``Beverly Hills 90210'' has evolved into a 10 p.m. soap opera on view at 8 p.m. Thiessen's character will be punished for her transgressions because that is how Spelling does things. And when that happens, will Valerie Malone be finished as a member of the cast?
``I have no idea how far my character will go,'' said Thiessen.
A number of callers who reached me on Infoline (640-5555, press 2486) said they were shocked to see Thiessen cast in such a provocative role after playing an All-American girl on ``Saved by the Bell.''
Thad Octavia, 16, from Norfolk asks, ``Can this be the same actress?''
It's the same Tiffani-Amber with a shorter 'do.
You'll be able to see the other Tiffani-Amber again Oct. 7 on NBC when the producers of ``Saved by the Bell'' round up the cast for a prime time film in which Thiessen marries her high school boyfriend played by Mark-Paul Gossellaar.
Another Wednesday night program note: Roseanne as ``Rose-anne'' on ABC is back tonight at 9. Since she's dropped her last name after deciding to divorce Tom Arnold, other members of the ``Rose-anne'' cast, as well as those in the crew, also dropped their last names on the closing credits. Cute. by CNB