Taking A Beating: Beverly Hills, 90210 "Play It Again, David"

Highlights: Brandon's a big brother; Kelly's a wicked step-child; Brenda hallucinates and Dylan disappears

I suppose last episode, Donna and Brenda had a few days off from summer school so that they could go to the beach.  Or the writers forgot about the storyline.  In any case, the girls are back at West Bev with Andrea who’s complaining about having to make animal noises.  The duck sound is the most embarrassing sound.  She thinks it has something to do with her looks; no Andrea, ducks are cute.  You are hideous.

Kelly shows up in a purple outfit that looks like it could belong to an MTV Grind dancer.  She doesn’t understand how they can be in school in the summer.  She takes Brenda to have lunch with her and her mom at the beach club.  They give Andrea a ride and invite her for lunch.  Instead, she has to talk to Brandon.  Kelly says that her problem is that all she does is talk.  Andrea says that it’s possible to just be friends with a guy.

Brenda and Kelly meet up with Coked Up Jackie who’s already eating.  Kelly mentions a surfer burger which makes Brenda have hallucinations of Dylan running on the beach in nothing but trunks and then they roll around in the surf and kiss and miss each other and they’re all tan.  Nice!  Actually, it looks really uncomfortable.  Still, Dylan’s almost naked so, Nice!

Meanwhile, Henry finds Brandon to tell him that his sister’s here as well as a friend.  Andrea shows up and Brandon’s like, Hey, and she says that it’s important and he tells her she should swim.  Right.  She explains about this kid at the youth center who lost his big brother and she wants Brandon to hang out with him on an informal basis one afternoon a week.  Brandon is intrigued because the kid skates.  Andrea gives Brandon the kid’s address.  He tells her to leave.

Coked Up Jackie breaks a tooth on a chicken and the third best oral surgeon in Los Angeles takes a look at Jackie’s mouth. He asks for crazy glue and then asks Coked Up Jackie out for dinner.  They agree that it’s not ethical so Coked Up Jackie says yes to dinner.  He introduces himself as Mel Silver and says that his son goes to school with her daughter.  David.  David Silver.  Kelly has flashbacks to the heinous interaction and Mel calls David a ladies’ man.  Kelly is appalled.  I am so happy.

The next day, Kelly complains to Brenda on the phone about her mom and David’s dad.  Brenda promises not to tell anyone.  Brandon comes into the kitchen in short shorts and explains about the big brother thing.  He arrives at the house and molests a cat on the stairs.  Then the mother greets Brandon and he compliments their rinky dink apartment.  She says she went to Beverly High.  He says he goes to West Bev.  He asks what happened to Felix’s dad—that’s the kid—and she says she hasn’t heard from him. 

Felix is a very unhappy child.  He says that everything sucks.  The mom tells him to behave.  He won’t.  She tells Brandon he’s a good kid but difficult.  Brandon isn’t scared.  They go to the boardwalk and skate.  Brandon yells out for Felix to be careful.  So Felix knocks two women over.  Instead of reprimanding him, Brandon asks him to slow down so he can keep up.  Felix says that he’s not a charity case and he has friends.  Brandon thought that he wanted someone older to hang out with.  Oh, no, is pedophilia creeping in again?  Felix asks him why he’s doing it and Brandon has nothing better to do. 

Steve annoys Donna and Kelly at the beach club.  He asks about Kelly’s mom banging Mel Silver.  Donna says that just because David’s a geek doesn’t mean his dad is and that David isn’t that bad.  Kelly complains that David is bragging about the date.  That’s weird.  DJ David Gung Ho Silver is way too long for me to write anymore.  I’m shortening it to DJDave.

Meanwhile, Brandon buys lemonades with lots of ice for him and his new pal.  He calls Andrea and leaves a message thanking her for dumping Felix on her. Felix hears Brandon complaining so he apologizes for being a pain.  Brandon’s angry.  Then he explains that he works at the beach club to look at pretty girls.  Felix still wants Brandon to be his friend so he can watch Brandon work. 

Mel Silver arrives at Kelly’s house and he asks her about the beach and hanging out with DJDave.  Mel says that DJDave is a Kelly Fan and is a friend for life.  Coked Up Jackie comes down glowing and loves the white tulips he brought.  Coked Up Jackie tells Kelly to put them in water.  Mel made reservations at her favorite restaurant.  He says he’ll say hi to DJDave for her.  Coked Up Jackie says not to wait up. 

The next day, Felix helps Brandon hand out towels at the beach club.  Henry asks who Felix is and then warns that Felix better not get in the way.  Henry saw Felix steal a French fry.  Brandon hangs out with a lot of thieves. 

Brenda explains to Mrs. Cleaver about Kelly’s mom and David’s dad.  Mrs. Cleaver says that love works itself out.  Imaginary Dylan appears behind Brenda in the Walsh kitchen.  He asks if things will work out between them.  Because he wants more sex.

Brandon shows up with Felix.  Mrs. Cleaver puts an apron on Felix and they all cook together.  Brandon touches Felix on the shoulder and he jumps and throws the food all over the place.  He apologizes a lot and Mrs. Cleaver tells Felix to call his mom.  However, he makes a fake phone call and doesn’t talk to anyone. 

The next day—how many friggin days are in one episode—DJDave finds Kelly to dish about their parents.  He wants to be her step-brother.  Man, Brandon’s wrong kind of love is wiping off on everyone.  Kelly has a nightmare while she’s awake about DJDave’s friends going through her panty drawer.  And Brenda’s hallucinations are rubbing off on Kelly. 

Mel comes home with Coked Up Jackie and they make out.  He wants to go out the next day and Coked Up Jackie’s going to hang out with Kelly.  Mel invites them both out and he’s going to bring DJDave.  That’ll be fun!  He leaves and Kelly suggest that Coked Up Jackie stay single for a while.  Coked Up Jackie says that the four of them are having dinner together.  Kelly isn’t happy again. 

The next day—day 32 in this episode—Felix comes to the beach club and orders stuff from the bar and tells the bartender that he’s Brandon’s little brother.  Henry complains to Brandon and doesn’t want members to complain.  Brandon finds Felix to tell him to go home.  He suggests they skate around the next day instead.

DJDave videotapes Kelly telling him to get lost.  Steve shows up in his regular ugly attire.  He says something about California girls.  Kelly asks how Steve can get along with DJDave and Steve says to humor him.  He says that the dinner means that Coked Up Jackie and Mel are serious and will bring about a romantic declaration of love.  Kelly wants to stop it and asks Steve for advice.  He says to be mean and rude—a step-child from Hell.

At dinner, Kelly is rude.  Mel is nice.  Kelly is mean.  Coked Up Jackie is nice and uncomfortable because of Kelly’s behavior.  DJDave is uncomfortable.  Kelly complains about DJDave’s videotape habit and Mel calls Kelly pretty and Kelly is mean.  Coked Up Jackie reprimands Kelly.  Mel suggests they start with drinks and Kelly flips out that he wants Coked Up Jackie to drink. Coked Up Jackie wants water and Kelly continues to berate Mel.  Coked Up Jackie tells Kelly to shut up and they both leave the table.  Kelly says that Coked Up Jackie has been married or drunk and wants time with Coked Up Jackie alone.  Coked Up Jackie says she has a right to be happy and promises to spend time with Kelly who still doesn’t want to share her, especially not with DJDave.  Kelly cries.  Coked Up Jackie says she understands and then wants to continue dinner.  And they do because it’s all okay now.

Brandon shows up at the beach club on his day off and Felix doesn’t show up.  Henry asks if he has better things to do than get stood up by a pre-teen.  Brandon says yes but he’s obviously lying.  Brandon goes to find Felix.  He yells at him.  A lot.  Then stops mid sentence when he sees a bruise on Felix’s face.  Felix doesn’t want to say how he got it but Brandon says he’s trustworthy.  So Felix says that his mom hit him because he was bad because he didn’t call her.  Then Felix shows Brandon his back that has welts on it.  Brandon promises that it will all be okay and gives him a hug which is a miracle cure.

Later on, Brandon hunts down Andrea at West Bev and tells her that Felix’s mom beats him.  Andrea asks if he’s sure a zillion times and Brandon insists that Felix wouldn’t lie.  Andrea says stuff about foster care and Brandon says he’s sorry.  Andrea suggests they contact a social worker and Brandon wants to talk to his parents because they can fix anything.

Kelly tells Brenda about the dinner and Mrs. Walsh calls Kelly a nutcase.  Dylan calls Brenda from Hawaii and Mrs. Cleaver yells out hi.  He’s in a pool under waterfalls and says stuff about his other girlfriends and he says that he still.  What?  He still what?  There’s all static and then they get disconnected.  Big Jim is happy that the phone cut off. 

Then Brandon comes in and Big Jim says he looks beat.  Brandon says, “I’m not but I know someone who is.”  Now that’s just awful.  Do I have to keep watching?  Jeez.  Brandon tells them about Felix and the beatings.  He asks if he reports it and Brenda says he has to and Brandon says stuff about foster care and Felix’s dad.  He asks if Felix can stay with them.  Big Jim and Mrs. Cleaver say no but Brenda says that they let Dylan stay so Felix should stay too.  I see the logic in that.  Brandon says that Felix made him promise not to tell.  Well, there’s a good reason not to report abuse; a minor asks you not to tell.

At the beach club, Kelly and DJDave sit in an awkward silence.  She wants to buy him a soda and she apologizes for being a bitch.  He snaps at her that his parents’ divorce isn’t even final and he wishes that his dad liked his mom instead of Kelly’s mom.  They talk about being kids of divorced parents and therapists.  The subtle music of bonding plays under their reconciliation.  How sweet.  Kelly asks for a truce and DJDave does a very horrible impression of Humphrey Bogart and now I hate him because of it.

Brandon shows up at Felix’s house and Felix’s mom thanks Brandon for spending time with Felix.  Brandon tells her that he knows she beats Felix.  She tells him to get the hell out.  Then Brandon gets the crazy eyes and yells about bruises.  She says that she had too much to drink and hit him but it wasn’t hard and it won’t ever happen again.  Brandon says she needs to get help from a free community social service.  He then says that he talked to his parents which is the worst thing in the world.  He goes to leave, threatening to call a social worker.  That does the trick.  She breaks down and cries and she’s all ashamed and she needs help because she’s not that kind of a mother. 

Gregory Children’s Residence becomes the new home for Felix.  Brandon shows up for a fun visit.  Felix is pissed at Brandon because he told.  Brandon explains that Felix’s mom is getting help and that he didn’t forget about Felix and they’re still friends.  That makes it all better.  Brandon calls Felix his brother and Felix thanks him and they go get lunch.  Because Brandon thinks it’s okay to eat food that could be for the other orphans.