The full name of "90210" is "Beverly Hills, 90210," a youth campus drama that has been broadcast on FOX since 1990 and has now aired its fifth season.
"90210" is the zip code of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills is a world-famous residence for Hollywood superstars and wealthy individuals. From the title alone, it is evident that "Beverly Hills, 90210" must be a drama series connected to themes such as "affluent neighborhoods," "celebrity offspring," "high society," and "extravagance."
In fact, "Beverly Hills, 90210" is set in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and tells the story of the friendships, family dynamics, and romantic relationships of teenagers from wealthy families in high school and college.
If "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" is currently the favorite TV series of boys under the age of 18 in the United States, then "Beverly Hills, 90210" is undoubtedly the favorite drama series of girls under the age of 18. From nerdy girls with black-rimmed glasses to cheerleaders in short skirts and hot pants, everyone at school loves the show, discussing it constantly in class, in the cafeteria, and in the locker room.
If you had to summarize "Beverly Hills, 90210," it would be as "the originator of American youth idol dramas." Compared to later series like "Gossip Girl," "Beverly Hills, 90210" not only has stronger plots and local popularity but also significantly higher ratings. While the latter may have gained appeal overseas, it remains overshadowed by the influence of its predecessor.
As Amon excitedly notes, if William can land an important supporting role with 4–5 regular episodes in such a popular TV series and deliver a strong performance, it could quickly attract audience attention, leading him to more auditions. And sooner or later, this would launch him into stardom. But of course, that kind of future would be still faraway…
…
William twirled the key on his finger, and the warm yellow glow of the kitchen and the intoxicating fragrance greeted him. He took a deep breath like an intoxicatedly: "Apple pie? "
"You've got quite the nose," Madeleine's voice called from the kitchen. "It's ready. Come help me get it out."
William walked into the kitchen, put on thick gloves, and helped Madeleine take the baking tray out of the oven.
The apple pie's crust was golden-brown, radiating a mouthwatering aroma. The hungry William couldn't resist cutting a small piece and popping it into his mouth. The sweet, comforting taste, laced with a hint of cinnamon, made him exclaim dramatically, "This is the best apple pie I've ever tasted!"
Madeleine looked pleased and proud. "That's the best compliment I've ever heard."
William sucked his fingers and asked, "Did anyone call me while I was in Los Angeles today?"
Madeleine, half amused and half exasperated, handed him a kitchen towel. "Use this to wipe your hands. You really need to stop licking your fingers. Why can't you fix this habit?"
William took the towel and grinned at her with a mischievous, childlike smile. Everyone has their quirks, right? For William, licking his fingers after eating desserts—especially donuts—was an unbreakable habit. Despite years of living and studying in Manhattan, where he had to learn etiquette, he often forgot himself in relaxed settings with friends and family, letting these small quirks surface.
Madeleine turned to the cupboard, pulled out two glasses, poured herself some red wine, and gave William a glass of juice. "Danny called. He wanted to know if you were up for a drive in the city, but I told him you'd already gone."
Madeleine had baked the pie just for her son. She maintained a strict diet year-round to stay in shape and usually ate nothing after dark besides fruit or vegetable salad.
Danny was known for loving good food and fun. William guessed he probably wanted to borrow his Bugatti for a joyride. He made a mental note to call Danny back later.
"Oh, and there was another call," Madeleine said with a playful wink. "It was Claire."
"Claire?" William's expression turned puzzled. "But we broke up."
"Broke up? Weren't you two fine just last week?" Madeleine swirled the wine in her glass thoughtfully. "Maybe she wants to get back together. Claire's a beautiful girl. If you want to bring her home for the night, your mother won't object."
"Mom!" William exclaimed shyly, visibly annoyed.
…
Coming out of the bathroom, William was drying his wet hair with a towel. As he passed his desk, a gust of wind sent a piece of paper fluttering to the floor. Picking it up, he saw it had Lance's address in London written on it.
The last time he spoke with Lance, he learned that his friend had been admitted to Eton College. Eton wasn't particularly welcoming to transfer students, especially in their final year, but Lance had managed it thanks to Taylor Roderick's generous sponsorship and the influence of the Waddington family. William still remembered Lance's sardonic tone when he said, "Money, fame, and power—ha!"
William found himself curious about Eton. He'd heard that the school still practiced corporal punishment, and its strict seniority rules reminded him of a "cradle of elite traditions." He couldn't help but feel a little concerned for his strikingly handsome, blonde-haired, blue-eyed friend.
Once again, William found himself longing for modern conveniences like mobile phones and laptops—not the bulky ones currently in use, but the sleek, portable models he had seen in the memories of his past self. The ability to send video messages instantly, even across great distances, felt like a luxury to him now.
Of course, phone calls were still an option. The telephone and the mobile phone had existed for some time now. However, with prices in the thousands and high call costs, mobile phones remained a luxury for most people.
William's income was improving, but he still needed to be prudent about his spending because he would be starting college next summer.
William's goal was to get into one of the top 10 universities, which were notoriously expensive. For example, Harvard University's annual tuition, along with room and board, cost nearly $40,000. To put this in perspective, many families in the United States earned less than $40,000 annually. Ivy League scholarships were notoriously difficult to secure, and William had to prepare for the possibility of not receiving one. That meant he might need to take out loans or pay his tuition in full. This was part of why William had started working as a model and then taken on part-time acting jobs—not only because he enjoyed it but also because actors' hourly pay was relatively high.
He retrieved a photo album and carefully placed the producer's contact information, including Lance's address and phone number, inside. Putting the album back to the table, his gaze fell on a photograph of himself and Claire. It reminded him that he needed to return his ex-girlfriend's call.
William picked up the phone and dialed her number. "Hi, Claire. I heard you were looking for me?"
"Hi, Will. Yes, I called earlier, but you weren't home."
"I was in Los Angeles."
"Was it for Louis and Clark? Danny mentioned it. He also said you've got a brand-new Bugatti Veyron. That's such a cool car! Have you thought about taking me for a ride sometime?" Claire's voice was as sweet as tea with too much sugar.
Then she hesitated before continuing, "Actually, Will, I wanted to talk to you about the pact we made earlier."
"What pact?" William asked, flopping onto his bed with the phone in hand, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "The only thing I remember is the slap you gave me at the school gate and the dramatic breakup vows that followed."
"Are you still mad at me, Will?" Claire sounded hurt. "I was just... carried away by anger."
William could tell she wanted to reconcile. He wasn't interested but replied with a smile, "That slap really hurt, Claire. You must've put a lot of effort into it."
"Will, we had so many great times together—" Claire began pouring her heart out, describing her love for him and how their breakup had been an impulsive mistake.
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