It's official: Shannen Doherty re-ups with '90210'

Shannen Doherty/Brenda Walsh fans can rejoice anew.

The deal is finally done to keep Brenda in the "90210" ZIP Code -- as of today, Doherty has agreed to do two additional episodes of the CW's rebooted teen soap, with the possibility for more.

At first, it appeared that the four episodes Doherty initially had signed up for would be fans' only chance to reunite with Brenda. From what she was saying, it didn't seem that the actress was interested in committing to an extension.

Doherty has changed her mind, or the CW and CBS Paramount (the studio that produces the show) changed it for her. Her next two appearances will be next month, in "90210's" 11th and 12th episodes of the season.

"90210" has been a ratings success for the CW, but it hasn't been without struggles. Its early episodes have been met with lukewarm to scornful critical reception, and a new executive producer, Rebecca Kirshner, has been brought in to stabilize the show from the creative end.

The series' young female stars have also gotten unwanted attention for being "too thin for TV."

Amid those problems, Doherty's Brenda scenes -- particularly her on-screen reunion with fellow "Beverly Hills, 90210" graduate Jennie Garth as Kelly Taylor -- have been among the show's bright spots.

Garth, whose Kelly character is a guidance counselor at West Beverly High, has already agreed to stick around. Kelly will come back to Beverly Hills soon -- both Kelly and Brenda headed out of town, separately and somewhat inexplicably, in a recent episode. And the two actresses/characters will cross paths when Doherty returns.

Even before today's re-upping, Doherty -- former hellion, more recently, homebody -- had been relaunched by the "90210" stint back into the pop culture zeitgeist. Perez Hilton has been one of her biggest champions, for example, and she graces the cover of this month's Radar.

Or, as the Dlisted blogger Michael K concluded recently, after posting a gallery of paparazzi shots of Doherty: "I just realized that the paps are actually following Brenda Walsh around. Hooray! It's like 1992 again!"

-- Kate Aurthur

Comments

[evane]

yehey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i've been waiting for her to say yes!!!!!...thank you for doing this for your fans shannen....:) and i hope everything turns out well with everybody...:)

[barbie]

Great! I missed Shannen when she left Charmed as Prue, now I can see her as Brenda again. Hope you do more episodes for your fans!!!

[ormon]

shannen you nead to stay,for all season's,you are great.i love you.And you nead remind kelly that she was the one who stol your boyfriend.good luck........... im big'est fan of your's.