Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 3, Episode 20

Brenda, don't shut me out...and
completely give up on fashion
and wear flannel EVERY day!"

"Parental Guidance Recommended"
Original airdate: 2/3/1993

Episode summary: Iris arrives in town to keep Jack from looting Dylan's bank account, but then totally caves and signs the papers needed to dissolve the trust. Brenda is depressed over her final breakup with Dylan and mopes around in unfashionable clothing. Steve hooks David up with Icon Records, but the head of the company thinks Steve is a yutz and orders David to cut him loose.

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Recap: Brenda is in a deep post-breakup funk, mooning over photos of Dylan, along with all the cards and gifts he gave her while they were boyfriend and girlfriend. She comes across a photo of herself, Kelly, and Dylan and slips into the first of two silly daydreams she has during this episode...

She imagines herself over at Dylan's house, pretending to make nice with Kelly and Dylan. She admits that her decision to go to Paris - and not her dour personality - was the cause of her breakup with Dylan, and says that she hadn't planned on ever speaking to either of them again. But now she's had a change of heart. She announces that she's ready to deal with the situation in a mature and rational way, and then pulls an ax out of nowhere and advances toward them with it. Kelly and Dylan panic and flee across the room as Brenda raises the ax and strikes, but the only damage she does is chop a hole in Dylan's surf board. Brenda suddenly snaps back to reality, stares down at the photo again, and angrily tears it in half.


Dylan's house. Dylan and Kelly are dry humping on his futon couch. She reminds him that they need to start cleaning up his messy house before his mother arrives, but Dylan mumbles that they have plenty of time before Iris's plane lands. He invites her to come with him to the airport to pick up Iris, but Kelly doesn't think LAX would be the ideal place to meet his mother for the first time...and then they joke about Iris's crackpot-ish new agey beliefs and her alleged psychic abilities. Kelly tells him again that they should start cleaning up, but Dylan pulls her back down and plants another sloppy wet kiss on her lips. Ew. Meanwhile, a yellow cab has just arrived in front of Dylan's house...and it's Iris! She rings the doorbell, but Dylan and Kelly ignore it and continue dry humping. Iris rings it a second time, so Dylan reluctantly peels himself off of Kelly and lumbers toward the front door. He's startled to see that it's Iris, who has arrived three hours earlier than expected. It also startles Kelly, and she rushes over to the bathroom so she can get her rumpled clothes, hair, and makeup in order. Dylan opens the door and brusquely asks Iris why she's in L.A. this early. She says she hopes she hasn't come at a bad time, and Dylan explains that he had wanted to clean up the house before her arrival. Iris glances around his disgusting pigsty and concurs that it is very messy, then remarks how surprised she is that Brenda puts up with all that clutter. Dylan mumbles that Brenda hasn't been spending a lot of time at his house lately...and suddenly Kelly emerges from the other room. After Dylan awkwardly introduces them to each other, Iris gives Kelly a disdainful once-over and informs her that she missed a button on her shirt. She then asks her what her sign is, and instead of answering, Kelly glances at Dylan and fidgets uncomfortably. I always find it weird when people on TV shows just stare mutely in response to a direct question.


The Peach Pit. Steve enters the diner with David and Donna, and he's boasting about being the mastermind who hooked David up with Icon Records. David argues that Icon Records is interested in him because of the music on the tape, not because of the person who sent them the tape. Donna interjects to remind David that he has a very full course load this semester and therefore doesn't have time to record an album, but David and Steve rudely ignore her. Steve tries to convince David that he desperately needs him as his business manager in order to handle all of the details...and then whines that Icon Records is his contact and David has no right to cut him out of any deal. David is reluctant to re-hire Steve as his business manager, but relents when Steve warns him that the executives will eat him alive if he has to deal with them one-on-one. David admits that he has heard that the head of Icon Records, Curtis Bray, is a shark...and so Steve smarmily assures him that Sanders Management Group is the ultimate in shark protection.


Brandon asks Ahn-drea if he should splurge on a pricey new CD player for his car, but Ahn-drea doesn't really answer and instead grumbles about how everything is expensive and that she feels very poor. She tells him she was invited to an exclusive tea in swanky San Marino, which is being held for everyone who was accepted into Yale's early admissions program. In her typical angst-ridden fashion, she whines about how everyone at the tea will probably be rich, well-traveled, and snooty...then starts questioning whether or not she even belongs at Yale. You don't, you neurotic tool. Brandon assures her she does, and tells her that she got accepted to Yale because she's smart, and that's that's the only thing that matters...blah blah. He asks her if she's really having second thoughts about going to Yale, and she answers him with the warning, "Be careful for what you wish." I regularly wish for Ahn-drea's departure from Beverly Hills, so it really does suck when she doesn't actually end up going off to Yale in Season 4.


Kelly enters the diner and makes a beeline over to Donna. She tells her that she just met Dylan's mother and needs to dish about it with her. The two seat themselves at the counter, and Kelly starts off by describing Iris as bitchy and judgmental. Brandon suddenly appears to take their order, and Kelly tells him she just wants a cup of tea. Brandon makes a face and asks her if she's feeling OK, and she says she was feeling fine until she met Iris McKay...and this causes Brandon to smile knowingly. Kelly says that all Iris wanted to talk about was her good friend Brenda, and Donna agrees about how rude that was. Kelly looks dismayed when she says that Iris and Brenda apparently have a very special bond and Iris even brought Brenda a gift from Hawaii. Kelly then looks troubled and says how bummed she is that Brenda still isn't speaking to her, but this makes Brandon uncomfortable and he warns her not to put him in the middle of their drama. Kelly apologizes and asks him how his sister is doing, and Brandon tells her that Brenda always lands on her feet. In other words, not good.


The Walsh house. Brenda is in her room, quietly reading. Brandon knocks on the door and enters, then tells her that a lot of people at the Peach Pit have been asking about her. She asks who specifically, and so he recites the names of all of their friends...and rounds up the list with Kelly. Brenda tells him to say hi to everyone except for man-stealing Kelly. Brandon says the situation is really weird for everyone, then informs her that Iris McKay is in town to meet with Papa Walsh about Dylan's trust, and that she was asking about her as well. Brenda is surprised to hear about Iris's arrival in L.A. and wonders why Papa Walsh didn't mention anything to her about it. She then tells Brandon she needs to confess something to him...and it's something really awful. She says she realizes how completely idiotic it was to give Dylan an ultimatum to choose between her and Kelly...but the only reason she did that was 'cause she never thought it was a contest, meaning she never thought she'd lose. That was pretty delusional and arrogant of her. Brandon stares at her concernedly and asks her if she's OK, and she snarks back that she wishes everyone would stop asking her if she's OK. Brandon edges toward the door and jokingly asks her again if she's OK, and she throws one of her stuffed animals at him.


In the Walsh kitchen, Brandon tells his parents he's considering buying a new CD system for his car. Mama Walsh asks him if he can afford that, and he nonchalantly tells her it only costs $450. His parents stare at him, surprised that he has that kind of money to blow. Brandon shrugs and says he's been working a lot of shifts at the Peach Pit and that the money is starting to add up. No doubt his gambling profits are what's starting to add up. Brenda mopes into the kitchen wearing a mopey looking grey sweater, and everyone averts their eyes and pretends to busy themselves with something. She complains that yesterday they kept asking her how she was every two seconds, and now they're completely ignoring her...and doesn't know which is worse. Papa Walsh weakly explains that they're doing their best to anticipate her wild mood swings, and she retorts that she just wants to be treated normally. She also tells him she knows about Iris coming to town in order to meet with him about Dylan's trust, so there's no reason he has to walk on eggshells around her. He apologizes and explains that he just wanted to keep her out of the loop of the entire situation. Brenda then bitchily advises him that if he keeps his business confidential, they'll all be happy. Er...OK. Why the hell did she bring it up then?


Papa Walsh's office. Iris arrives for her meeting with Papa Walsh, and he's relieved that she flew into town so they could deal with this potential crisis as a united front. Iris warns him about Jack and tells Papa Walsh he shouldn't underestimate him, and Papa Walsh assures her that he doesn't. He tells her he wants to draft a letter restating her position regarding Dylan's trust, and then "that will be that". Iris ruefully admits she's never been very good at standing up to her sleazy ex-husband, and says that his early release from prison caught her off guard. She's amazed that Dylan can't see he's being conned - no duh - and derisively describes Jack as a man who has a hit a new low: he's willing to prey on his own son. She theorizes that Dylan allowed Jack to worm his way back into his life because he desperately wants to have a father again. Papa Walsh insists that she has to stand firm and refuse to be willing to dissolve the trust since Jack can't touch the money without her approval.


Bel Age Hotel. Jack is in the bathroom wearing a wife-beater and shaving. He tells Dylan he'll probably hear nasty things about him from Iris...but then concedes if it's about stuff he did in the past, it's probably all true. Dylan tells his father that Iris is afraid he's trying to rip him off, so Jack asks him if that's what he thinks, and Dylan shrugs and says he doesn't know. That's confidence inspiring. Jack then asks him why he's going along with this then, and Dylan lamely tells him he wants to believe him, and points out that he (meaning Jack) was the one who made the money in the first place - probably illegally though - and wants to give something back. Jack thanks him and tells him he's glad the money is his, since if it had been in his hands, no doubt he would have pissed it away a long time ago. He then informs Dylan that the current recession is offering investment bargains that won't be around forever, so it would be nice if they could take advantage of that. He craftily urges Dylan to spend some fake quality time with Iris, in order to make it easy for her to say yes to signing the papers. Dylan is down with that, which isn't surprising since lately he's more than happy to blindly obey anything his douchebag of a father commands.


Dylan's house. Iris is meditating and drinking a glass of putrid looking green liquid. When Dylan wakes up, she remarks that he was out very late, and he tells her he was with Jack and then Kelly after that. He then says that if they hang around his house all day, they'll likely drive each other nuts, so he proposes going for a long drive. Iris is into the idea and remarks how happy he seems these days. He confirms that he is happy - partly because of Kelly, and partly because of Jack getting released from prison and suddenly becoming his father again. He tells Iris he'd like the three of them to sit down and talk, and suggests they all have dinner together that evening. Iris looks reluctant, but easily gives in when Dylan tells her it would mean a lot to him.


Icon Records. Steve, David, and Donna enter the reception area of Icon Records. The receptionist greets Steve and tells David he has a very persistent manager. She informs the group she'll let Mr. Bray know they've arrived, and then disappears into an office. When she reappears, she tells them that Mr. Bray will see them...whenever the hell he feels like getting around to it. The three look slightly put off at being forced to wait around indefinitely, but they take a seat and try to make themselves comfortable.


Yale tea. Ahn-drea is milling around at the tea, dressed in a prim white outfit - including white tights, which is never a good look - and a pink blazer. As she awkwardly pours herself a cup of tea, a preppy looking doofus approaches her and tells her she looks familiar. She rattles off the various extracurricular activities she's participated in, which was annoying, but Doofus thinks he remembers seeing her at a ski resort in Tahoe. He also mistakenly thinks she's from the Zuckerman family who owns a large Tahoe estate. Ahn-drea jokes that the only thing her family has is a crappy shit-hole in Van Nuys, and Doofus thinks that's hilarious and abruptly wanders off to repeat this "joke" to someone else. After that, Ahn-drea runs into Jordan Bonner of Shaw High School and the Home and Away episode. He starts chatting her up, and she looks very relieved to see a familiar face. The two agree that everyone besides them at the tea is a pretentious douchetard, and he remarks that he's probably the only person at the tea who will be attending Yale on scholarship. Ahn-drea surprises him by telling him that she too is receiving a scholarship.


Icon Records. Curtis Bray - a short, dumpy, manic looking guy - bursts into his office where David and Steve are waiting. He enthusiastically describes them as "a vision" and acts a lot like he's hopped up on some kind of stimulant. He tells David he ran his music by one of their producers, and he's apparently under the delusion that David could be a big success in the music world. Curtis then starts rambling nonsensically about how he'd prefer if it David refrains from writing songs about drugs or killing people. He also takes an instant dislike to Steve, though that's totally understandable. The phone rings, and Curtis takes the fake emergency call and announces that he has to go. He gives Steve the bum's rush out the door so he can have a private moment with David. Brusquely he tells him to "lose the yutz" - the yutz meaning Steve. Hee! Curtis explains to David that he likes dealing with young entertainers, but if he wants to score a deal with Icon Records, he's going to have to dump Steve. David doesn't really respond, just smiles and looks bewildered.


Yale tea. Ahn-drea and Jordan continue to chat it up. She tells him that since she's only getting a partial scholarship, she'll have to take on a job, get a loan - basically do whatever it takes to complete her degree. Jordan boasts that he's getting a full ride, and she tells him he's very lucky.


The Walsh house. Brenda is staring at the photo booth photos she and Kelly took on their bad double date in the The Game is Chicken episode, and slips into another silly daydream...


Mama Walsh pokes her head inside Brenda's room to tell her that Kelly has come to see her. A minute later, Kelly enters and looks very apologetic. She tells Brenda that everything just flew out of control, and that it's not worth it for her to be with Dylan if it means the two of them can no longer be friends. Brenda tells Kelly there's something in her hair, so Kelly rushes over to the mirror to investigate. Brenda grabs a pair of scissors and starts chopping off Kelly's blonde locks, which makes Kelly panic and shriek for Mama Walsh to help her. Brenda snaps back to reality and calmly cuts up the photo booth photos and throws the pieces into a box that now contains all of her Dylan memorabilia.


Bel Age Hotel. Jack, Iris, and Dylan are all spending the evening together. Iris politely asks Jack how he's enjoying his release from prison, and he tells her he's thankful to have a second chance at freedom. They chat amicably about their day, and Dylan remarks to Jack that Iris told him she'd love to start her own school in Hawaii, one that's devoted to spirituality as much as academics. Iris says she doesn't have that kind of money, so Dylan offers her up some cash from his pot of millions. Iris immediately gets suspicious and snarls at Jack for manipulating Dylan. She also realizes that Dylan only spent the day with her so he could butter her up enough to convince her to sign the papers and dissolve his trust. Just before she storms out, she yells at Jack for using Dylan to get his grubby hands on his millions, and accuses him of being a father who's only in it for the money.


The Walsh house. Brenda is hunched over the side of her bed, weeping. Papa Walsh enters her room to offer her a ride to school, notices her tears and can't think of anything better to say than "hang in there". At that point, she totally loses it and wails that she can't do it - it meaning not hate Dylan and Kelly with the intensity of a thousand suns. A helpless Papa Walsh hugs her, and she starts blubbering uncontrollably. Between sobs she asks him what she did to deserve this...but Papa Walsh, who doesn't have the heart to tell her that it was probably her unbearable bitchitude that slowly chipped at Dylan's soul and drove him away, just continues to hug her.


Dylan's house. Iris and Dylan share an awkward breakfast. She coldly asks him if he's leaving for school soon, and Dylan snarks back that he's quite capable of getting himself to school on time. She tells him she can't understand why he's suddenly such a staunch supporter of Jack. Yep - I find it totally fishy too, Iris. Dylan explains that the more time he spends with his scumbag of a father, the more he likes him...and he refuses to turn his back on him, since he knows how shitty that feels - like, for example, when Jack did it to him throughout his entire childhood. His sudden devotion to Jack really doesn't make a whole lot of sense...other than it being a contrived plot device. Iris disdainfully tells him that he and Jack deserve each other...and that she's still refusing to sign the papers.


West Beverly High. David tries to explain to boneheaded Steve that Icon Records wants him to make changes. Steve assumes the changes are related to David's music, so he advises him to call the shots and not change his music just because Curtis Bray wants him to...and then rushes off to class before David can break the whole truth to him. David ambles over to the DJ booth where Donna and Kelly are hanging out. He tells them that Icon Records is interested in him, but only if he loses the yutz. I really don't understand the quandary here. Just dump Steve already! This is not a difficult decision. Kelly, however, doesn't help matters when she responds, "And you're still talking to them?" Donna doesn't help matters either, since she too concurs. David explains to them that he's really serious about becoming a musician once he's out of puberty, and thinks a deal with Icon Records could be his big shot. Kelly then notices Brenda despondently moping past the DJ booth, looking sad in a ghastly flannel shirt, and she tells David that if he's planning to dump Steve, he needs to tell him asap. She adds that the longer he waits to tell the truth, the worse it is for everyone.


The Blaze newsroom. Brandon asks Ahn-drea how the Yale tea was, and she describes it as interesting. She tells him that while everyone was busy name dropping and networking, she bumped into a friend of his: Jordan Bonner. Brandon is surprised to hear that Jordan is going to Yale, and also that he got a full scholarship. Ahn-drea says the tea would have been a total disaster if it hadn't been for Jordan. Brandon suddenly picks up a fax that was just transmitted to the newsroom and shows it to Ahn-drea. It's a funny greeting that Jordan just sent to her, and she giggles. Blech.


Kelly and Dylan are walking down the hall, hand in hand. He tells her about how Iris refused to sign the trust papers, so it looks like he's going to have to wait until his twenty-first birthday to dissolve his trust and allow Jack to loot his entire net worth. The two exchange a quick kiss as they part ways. Kelly then sees Brenda at her locker and steels herself to approach her. Brenda notices her, but coldly ignores her as she walks past. Kelly calls after her and urges her not to shut her out, so then Brenda turns around and snarls back that she has Dylan now...so what more does she want?


The Walsh house. The doorbell rings and it's Iris. She bursts inside and gives Mama Walsh a giddy, warm greeting. She tells her she'd like to see Brenda, but Mama Walsh hesitantly tells her that Brenda isn't feeling very well. Iris, however, refuses to take no for an answer and insists on poking her head inside Brenda's room so she can give her the gift the brought along from Hawaii.


In the next scene, Iris is dangling a crystal above Brenda's desk lamp, and tells her that crystals provide a shield against negative energy. I'm not sure they'd work with Brenda, since she's usually the source of all negative energy for whoever else is in her aura. Brenda asks her what she's supposed to do with it, so Iris tells her to hold it close or wear it around her neck. For some unfathomable reason, Iris tells Brenda that her relationship with Dylan isn't really over, and that being dumped by him is just one moment in a long lifetime of moments. Brenda tries to explain that their relationship definitely is over [it totally is], and that she was just about to throw away her boxful of Dylan memorabilia. LOL. Iris urges Brenda to close her eyes and concentrate on getting a mental image of her happiest time with Dylan. Brenda does...and I'll bet she's thinking about the time they doinked for the first time in the hotel room during the Spring Dance episode. Iris unhelpfully philosophizes that her relationship with Dylan is deeper than a boxful of memories...and Brenda tells her that listening to her bullcack just now has made her feel a little better.


The Peach Pit. Steve and Nat are chatting about what a big rock star David is going to be one day. LOL. David suddenly enters the diner and Nat smarmily tells him he'd like an autographed photo of the future celebrity...then mercifully scoots off to the kitchen. David finally mans up and tells Steve that Curtis Bray wants him to take a hike, otherwise there's no music deal. Steve is totally unfazed by the news and tells David it's good they found out now what a sleazeball the guy is...but not to worry, because they'll find someone else who can make David a star. David tells him he's saying yes to Curtis, which pisses Steve off. He rants about how he was the one who hooked him up with Curtis Bray, and so David promises to come back for Steve if he's at all successful, but for now he has to do what's right for him. Steve snarls that he's the "lowest of the low" and storms out of the diner.


Dylan's house. Iris is off to the airport to catch a plane home. She tells Dylan that she's thrown in the towel and will agree to sign the papers to dissolve the trust. In fact, she's on her way to Papa Walsh's office to sign them before she jets back to Hawaii. Dylan is happy to hear that, and the two hug.


West Beverly High. Brenda's in the hallway and spots Kelly a few feet away. She turns around and touches the crystal that Iris gave her to ward off negative energy, then heads in Kelly's direction and gives her a curt, "Hi." Kelly is surprised and delighted that Brenda is suddenly talking to her again...but then Brenda abruptly says, "See ya" and walks off. It was such a weird interaction, but Kelly seems pleased by the progress and smiles to herself.


Papa Walsh's office. Papa Walsh is stunned that Iris has agreed to sign the papers after all. I too am stunned. And disappointed. She claims she's doing it for Dylan, and pontificates about what she would be trying to hold onto if she continued to prevent the dissolution of her son's trust. Gee, I dunno...his long-term financial security perhaps? She reasons that if her contempt for Jack is what's been holding her back, then perhaps it's time for her to give up on that. She says she just wants Dylan to be happy, and if he happens to lose every penny he has because his felonious father cleaned him out in some kind of nefarious Ponzi scheme, then oh well. Her explanation is dumb and nonsensical - but it's Dylan's future, so whatevs.


The Walsh house. Brenda is carrying her Dylan memorabilia box into the kitchen. She shows it to Mama Walsh and tells her that she was all set to toss it in the dumpster, but instead is going to store it in the garage...for what purpose, I can't imagine. She then tells her mom if she ever gets the urge to start mooning over all that stuff again, she is to burn it. Amen to that. Suddenly they hear loud music coming from the driveway, and the two rush outside to investigate...and find Brandon sitting in his Mustang trying out his new stereo system. Mama Walsh yells that the music is too loud, but Brandon encourages her to get into the passenger seat so she can feel the vibration of the music emanating from his new sub-woofer. Brenda looks in his back seat and notices that he also bought skis, so cheekily she asks him if a rich uncle she doesn't know suddenly croaked. Brandon chuckles and responds by giving each of them a large bottle of what looks like expensive perfume.


Hours later, Mama and Papa Walsh are relaxing in the living room. Mama Walsh remarks that it looks like Brenda is finally snapping out of her Dylan Funk, since she felt well enough to go to the movies with Donna. Unfortunately though, Papa Walsh is in a funk of his own. He can't believe that stupid Iris caved so easily and signed the papers that could allow Dylan's trust to be dissolved. He thinks she threw her son to the wolves, then tells his wife he's going to instruct the lawyers to take their sweet time drawing up the papers. He still doesn't know for sure if he's going to sign them, which would officially release the funds.


Bel Age Hotel. Dylan and Kelly are finishing up dinner with Jack, who praises Dylan for "conquering" Iris. He announces that he's going to turn in, and Dylan tells him that he and Kelly are going to head over to his place soon. A few minutes later, Jack is in his bedroom talking on the phone. Dylan interrupts the conversation to get the jacket he left in the bedroom, and Jack immediately stops talking...but once Dylan is safely out of earshot, he snarls at whoever is on the other end that he just lied through his teeth to his kid to get that money. He adds, "You guys have to hold up your end of the bargain." Otherwise the deal's off. Mmm hmm...I see he's still up to no good.

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