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Outrageous moments from the original ‘90210’

Donna Martin graduates, Brandon dabbles in drugs, Kelly and Brenda fight over a dress and a man and much, much more.
/ Source: msnbc.com contributor

Brandon Walsh: under the influence

Image: \"Beverly Hills, 90210\"

Despite being a goody two shoes of the highest order, Brandon Walsh once used drugs. It was shocking, but like most of Brandon’s bad-boy scrapes, it wasn’t really his fault. Resident hussy Emily Valentine invited everyone to an “incredibly hip underground club,” and while the gang just wanted a good clean night of sober fun, Emily slipped Brandon a dose of U4EA (pronounced "euphoria," West Beverly High’s version of Ecstasy). The next thing you know B-boy’s making out with Em on hood of his vintage Mustang and going on about how amazing his taste buds feel. Once the high wore off, Brandon decided drugs aren’t cool, and neither is Emily.

The spring dance debacle

Image: \"Beverly Hills, 90210\"

Brenda wanted to look her very best for the spring dance, so imagine her shock when BFF Kelly Taylor showed up in the same dress! Kelly refused to change into something else, what with her being nominated for Spring Queen and all, and Brenda wouldn’t budge, either. The girls continued to snark at each other, but it took Dylan McKay to calm the situation down. He told Brenda she should just relax, because it wasn’t really Kelly’s night — a point he sleazily emphasized by dangling a set of hotel keys. See, Brenda was about to lose her virginity, and, as Dylan put it, “you won’t have to worry about your clothes for a while.” Ugh. Why did they ever fight over that tool?

The Donna Martin solidarity society

Image: \"Beverly Hills, 90210\"

Before the senior prom, David Silver’s dad gave the kids champagne, and that move that almost led to disaster. See, two glasses of bubbly left Donna Martin stumbling drunk and Mrs. Teasley busted her. Suspended for booze abuse, Donna would have to go to summer school and miss graduation unless something could sway the school board. In a delightfully unrealistic TV moment, Brandon convinced the entire senior class to walk out on finals, and even roped the juniors in by taking on their pet cause. So, the “Save Donna/no new dress code” protest of 1993 was born. Thankfully, Donna was allowed to get her diploma after everyone stood up in true “I am Spartacus” fashion and announced, “Donna Martin graduates!”

The easily fixed eating disorder

Image: \"Beverly Hills, 90210\"

Since slumber parties just weren’t cool for high schoolers, Brenda threw “a night of female bonding” — at least that’s what she told stuck-up troublemaker Amanda Pacer. Still, Amanda spent the entire evening insulting Brenda and co. for dabbling in the occult (they tried to summon the ghost of Andrea’s granny) and eating junk food. After Amanda stormed off in gust of bitchy superiority, the girls “accidentally” searched her purse, which contained loads of diet pills. So that’s why she was such a grump! When Amanda came back to get her bag, everyone welcomed her with open arms and convinced her to ditch her fat fears and binge on ice cream like everyone else.

Brenda catches the bimbo

Image: \"Beverly Hills, 90210\"

After Brenda dumped Dylan and told him she didn’t care who he dated, he dated Kelly. Not so surprisingly, Brenda cared. Dylan and Kelly tried to keep their relationship on the down-low, but as the pair smooched their way out of a restaurant, they ran straight into Brenda and her new man, Rick. That’s when Brenda called Kelly a bimbo, which turned into an old-fashioned am-not/are-too debate. Rick tried to nice-guy his way into the confrontation and make peace, but he was way out of his depth. Brenda squeezed in a final chorus of “I was always taught that if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck” then, you know, it’s a bimbo, before Kelly told her to go to hell. Burn!