Throwback: The Siblings on 90210

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I have two siblings - a younger brother and a younger sister. Theoretically I could have some half-siblings or step-siblings floating around, as my dad left when I was twelve, and I haven't spoken to him since before I graduated from high school. This is not an entirely uncommon situation, but I generally like to believe that, at least in the United States, people tend to know who their siblings are.

On Beverly Hills, 90210 ALL of the main younger characters (so not Jim, Cindy, Nat, etc.) who stay more than five seasons - aka half the lifetime of the show - experience a change or potential change in their sibling status. The first time I watched all of the episodes, the only real shockers to me were Dylan's and Donna's surprise sibling moments. Now, as I just finished my third run-through of the nearly-300-episode series, I find it astonishing how often this issue comes up on the show! Did you realize this?

Brandon:  (& Brenda, though she only lasted four seasons): Parents briefly decide to have another child. It only lasts a few episodes, but potentially was going to have a sibling.

Steve: He finds out that he's adopted in season 1, changing his perception of his brothers completely. Years later, when he finds out that his adoptive father IS his biological father, he's thrown for another loop. Ryan & Austin went from his full-brothers to his adopted brothers to his half-brothers.

Dylan: In season 4 he meets Erica, his half-sister that his father had with another woman. Later, in season 10, he finds out that his father is still alive (though it appeared he had died in season 3), and has had another son, Dylan's half-brother. Unfortunately, Jack McKay has to go on the run again (as Eddie Waitkus), and they're not really reunited.

David: This is the weakest of the sibling storylines. When his dad (Mel) married Jackie, Kelly (a big crush of his in the first season) becomes his step-sister. Mel and Jackie have a child, resulting in Erin being David's half-sister.

Kelly: Again, David becomes her step-brother and Erin becomes her half-sister. BUT, in season 7, Kelly learns that her father has an entire other family, including a sister around her age named Joy. There's also a short period of time when Kelly's dad might marry Valerie's mom, which would have resulted in the two enemies becoming stepsisters. 

Donna: Growing up an only child, Donna finds out in season 6 that her mother had a miscarriage before she was born. But, more interestingly, in season 10 she finds out that the girl she knew her whole life as a cousin was actually her half-sister. Gina was the result of Donna's dad messing around with her mom's sister.

This covers the long-profiled characters from the show. But, this syndrome isn't limited to them, either! Noah, who appeared in seasons 8-10, finds out that he has a half-sister named Cindy late in the series.

Makes you wonder, huh?