This week’s episode of 90210 was one of the most confounding hours of television I have sat through recently. After a hiatus that left us all wondering if Silver was going off the deep end, it came back and answered that question with a resounding, “yes!” followed by a resounding, “…wha??”
With the amount of histrionics on a normal teen soap, the fact that Silver is so manic and in love that she got “Dixon” tattooed on her stomach after they had sex for the first time is pretty much par for the course. Sure, it was weird, but certainly not the weirdest thing that has ever happened on a show like this. No, that came later — when Silver rented out a movie theater to show child porn to her classmates and English teacher, Mr. Matthews.
Those of you who saw the episode may be thinking that I’m taking liberties with the actual storyline, but according to recent news stories, I’m very much not. Silver, while clearly in some sort of manic state, hid a video camera in the Peach Pit’s storeroom and taped her and Dixon having sex. Silver and Dixon, as mature and worldly as they may seem, are under 18. This makes that video not a sex tape, but child porn — which is why I found this episode to be so disturbing.
Mr. Matthews was nearly fired, and then nearly left teaching, all because of a scandal involving him having inappropriate relations with a student (these allegations were false, because the “student” was actually an undercover police officer), so you think he would be extra-sensitive to anything that had even a hint of impropriety. So was it just me, or did he keep the video of Dixon and Silver having sex for just a liiiittle bit too long?
I doubt anything will actually come out of this little plot point, since 90210 isn’t exactly the most realistic show on the air right now. Instead, I expect the whole “child porn” thing will never be addressed again, and instead it will be viewed as merely an embarrassing event that led to Silver’s remarkable downward spiral.
And really; what a downward spiral it is. She breaks into Mr. Matthew’s apartment, which judging by the blood on her hand, she does this by punching out a glass window. She’s convinced that because he and Dixon both said the phrase, “are you out of your mind?” to her, that it means Mr. Matthews is brainwashing Dixon, not that she’s, you know, out of her mind. She even throws an empty wine bottle at his head! It’s all pretty amazing, frankly.
So what I want to know is, what the hell is wrong with Silver? Is she bi-polar? Has she had some sort of psychotic break? She seems like she’s on drugs, but I honestly don’t think there are any outside influences — I think girl is just crazy. What do you guys think?
Clacked by Kona Gallagher 
on Apr 02, 2009 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
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I think she is bipolar. She’s the right age, and she certainly has enough symptoms. Now, whether she’s type I or type II, I’m not really sure. She doesn’t seem to be hearing or seeing things that aren’t there, which is what differentiates type I from type II–yet, anyway.
I was expecting a post about these! LOL. Really… WTF where the wirtters of these show thinking!!! It’s just to funny to be true, these is the most stupid plot i have ever see, and i wach waaaay to much TV these days, so that is saying a lot :)
I think that definition of child porn is off. I know it’s all the rage to call it such with boys taking naked pics of their friends and texting them around the world, but really, it’s hard to classify teenagers having sex as child porn when a)they are doing it with consent and with each other (not older people) and b) just 100 years ago girls this same age were regularly marrying said old men and having their babies as a regular course of events.
Do I agree with them doing it, recording it, photographing it, etc.? No. Do I want it to be the norm again to marry old dudes? No way. But child porn? No.
Otherwise, if this is the kind of episode we can expect from the new show runner, I don’t think I’ll be watching much longer. Seriously, this episode was in the crapper for a show that already teeters on the edge weekly.
ModWild – I probably wouldn’t’ve called 16 year olds filming themselves child porn, but within the confines of the article Gallagher referenced, she’s correct, it is child porn, especially if it’s publicly circulated (even if it’s ‘willing,’ which it wasn’t on Dixon’s part – neither the filming nor the public display). There’s a reason our country created and raised the age of consent, so citing 100 years ago (or other countries) which included child labor, child rape (by pairing 9-13 year olds with 27-45 year olds), ethnic slavery, and, heck, the absence of electricity regarding sexual practices isn’t perhaps the best place to start.
On the other hand, while I like it when TV shines a light on bipolarism and other issues, must the person be blatantly batsh** crazy like Silver? It kind of reminds me of the Saved By the Bell Episode when Jessie Spano dealt with speed.
Ok, not even addressing the child porn thing. Technicality or not, come on. You’re reaching here.
I thought it was great. Ever see a teenager who is bipolar? The acting wasn’t that far off. Plus, these are kids who aren’t necessarily strongly tied to reality out there in Beverly Hills, so the histrionics fits right in, in my opinion.