Hidden Remote
Fansided

The definitive ranking of 90210 seasons from worst to best

By Reed Gaudens

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Actors Trevor Donovan, AnnaLynne McCord, Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Jessica Stroup, Jessica Lowndes, Michael Steger and Matt Lanter pose at the 100th episode celebration of The CW's '90210' at Manhattan Beach Studios on September 27, 2012 in Manhattan Beach, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Actors Trevor Donovan, AnnaLynne McCord, Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Jessica Stroup, Jessica Lowndes, Michael Steger and Matt Lanter pose at the 100th episode celebration of The CW's '90210' at Manhattan Beach Studios on September 27, 2012 in Manhattan Beach, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) /
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Season 5

Even though the series probably could have cranked out one more decent season, The CW granted the ratings struggler a fifth and final season. Still, the showrunners didn’t have enough time to craft a proper send-off for the new class of West Bev alums. But the fifth season doesn’t suffer from network mistreatment. Patti Carr and Lara Olsen sharpen their sword in their second year (after a rocky start to their tenure as bosses) and turn the drama up to 11.

In the final season, many past events that the series either hadn’t mentioned or had most likely forgotten about come full circle. Adrianna meets the daughter she gave up for adoption, Annie and Naomi get to know their real half-brother, and a “what if” episode sends the kids back to high school in an alternate reality. Before season 5 had been dubbed the swan song, the series weaved heartwarming little gifts for longtime fans into the fabric of the final season.

Much like season 4, 90210′s last year was a total reinvention. If you watch an episode of season 1 and then an episode of season 5, you’d wonder if you were watching the same show. But unlike the fourth season, the final run felt lived in and comfortable enough to lean into the soap operatics that coursed through its veins. While it marked an improvement from the previous season, season 5 wasn’t the best… but it also wasn’t the worst. Somewhere in the middle of the road, five years of breakneck drama led to a series-ending proposal that’ll still get you misty-eyed.

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