Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 8, Episode 10

"Hello there. My underage hooker here just told me you're in the market to purchase some illegal drugs. Whaddya say we transact out in the open like this?"

"Deadline"
Original airdate: 11/19/1997

Episode summary: Erica volunteers to be part of a sting operation, which leads to Riggs' arrest and resolves Brandon's legal woes. Valerie is enraged when she learns that Noah comes from a wealthy family. David accidentally sets a fire in his After Dark office.

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Recap: David drops by the beach house, 'cause he assumes that Donna was the person who paid his loan-shark debt to Everett Sands...and he's somehow not distracted by her fake boobs all squished together beneath her tight, cleavage baring sweater. Donna stares back at him blankly and says she has no idea what he's talking about, then snarks about how he kept his loan-sharking activities, among other things, a secret from her. She tells him to get lost and then slams the door in his face...leaving him standing on the patio, staring perplexedly into space. 

The Walsh house. Erica is delighted when Brandon informs her that she's being shipped off to London to live with Dylan. Kelly, who's suddenly sporting an ultra short 'do, reminds them that Erica can't leave L.A. until Brandon's troubles with the ADA are resolved - but Brandon waves a hand dismissively and says, "That's no big deal. It's over" just as the doorbell rings. When he answers the door, two police officers burst in and charge him with "being an accessory to a felony", then handcuff him and start reading him his rights. Kelly's all, "Wha-a?!" and Brandon tells her to call a lawyer.

The Beverly Beat. Hilary Swank arrives at the newsroom to check on Steve, who's still in limbo waiting for the DNA/paternity results. He's nervously pacing the newsroom, rambling about how he's not ready to be a father - and Hilary Swank scrunches her face confusedly and says she thought he was at peace with the whole looming parenthood thing. Steve's like, "Er...no" and moans that his heart is racing, he can't sleep, and gets nauseated every time he thinks about having to support a child. A few seconds later, the phone rings - and I assume it's Kelly, informing him of Brandon's arrest.

Police station. Brandon is allowed to briefly visit with Kelly, who tells him that Rush hired a lawyer and is working on getting him bail. She implores him to give up Erica as the secret source cited in his article, but he refuses and seems unfazed at the thought of risking a five year prison sentence. He insists he's doing the right thing and that the ADA is wrong...and is confident that a judge and jury will see that. Kelly worriedly asks, "What if they don't?" but Brandon doesn't answer and just stares at her mutely while the scene fades out.

After Dark. Valerie is hanging with David in the After Dark office, amused that he thinks Donna, who dumped him and hooked up with Noah five seconds later, was the person who paid his loan-shark debt. David calls it a selfless act, and since he doesn't know anyone who's more selfless than Saint Donna, he just assumed it was her. Plus, she's the only one of his friends who could conceivably have access to that kind of dough. Valerie offers to inquire with the loan-shark, and David admits he really does want to know who bailed him out...then turns on a space heater, which looks like it's up to no good 'cause the camera immediately zooms in on it and freezes there for several ominous seconds. Eeeeek!

Boat. Donna drops by the boat, still dressed in her boob baring sweater. She tells Noah she needs to take some test shots of the boat for an upcoming photo shoot, and he's like, "Whatever" and asks her why she hasn't been coming around lately. She tells him she felt like she was moving too fast after her breakup with David, then sheepishly wonders if coming here was a good idea. Noah just shrugs and says, "It's your call" and says she shouldn't feel guilty about their impulse kiss. Donna gets flustered and drops a roll of film and bends down to pick it up...and Noah also bends down, gets all in her face, and stares at her intensely. Oh Noah..

Court house. Steve tells Kelly he knows she thinks what Brandon's doing is wrong, but he urges her to try and see things from his perspective. Kelly says she can't do that 'cause if Brandon gets a jail sentence, it will seriously impact her life. Rush arrives and tells them that Brandon made bail...and a few seconds later, Brandon emerges from the court house with his lawyer, Anne. Apparently, she wowed the judge by gabbling about freedom of the press and the First Amendment. Kelly asks, "What now?" and Brandon tells her he has to return to court tomorrow for a meeting.

After Dark. It's a rockin' night at the club, and David is milling about, looking pleased with the band that's performing on stage, as well as the large turnout. He goes up to his office to get some snacks for the bar, and is in such a hurry to get back downstairs that he inadvertently throws a shirt in the direction of his space heater, and it quickly catches fire. Minutes later, smoke starts billowing from under the doorway of the office, and the fire alarm goes off. The clubbers all stampede toward the exit, and David yells to his bartender, Dan, to call 911. He then grabs the extinguisher, races upstairs, and successfully puts out the fire. He grimly surveys the charred remains of his office and wryly tells Dan that since this was where he was living, he's officially homeless.

Valerie arrives at a warehouse where Everett Sands is conducting whatever shady business he's currently conducting. She sexily sashays toward him and says she's a friend of David's and would like to bribe him with her charm...and he gives her an appreciative once-over and agrees that, yep, she definitely has a lot of charm. She tells him she wants to know who bailed David out, so she can call upon this rich friend for her own advantage - and Sands tells her it was Noah Hunter. When Valerie's all, "Wha-a?! Noah?!" Sands informs her that young Mr. Hunter is loaded with some serious money. 

Court house. Brandon and his lawyer are meeting with the ADA, discussing Riggs and his prostitution ring. Brandon doesn't believe his source will be adequately protected by the system and therefore refuses to give up her name - and the ADA glares at him and snaps, "Then I'll see you in court!"

The Peach Pit. David orders coffee and gabbles to a disinterested Hilary Swank about all the smoke damage in his After Dark office...and adds he's pretty much fucked, since he hasn't been paying his insurance premiums. Dumb moron. Noah enters the diner and expresses to David his condolences about the fire and seats himself on the stool next to him - but David glares at him and snarks, "We're not friends!" Noah assures him that he and Donna haven't bumped uglies (yet), and David informs him that he and Donna are still together, barks, "Go to hell! and bitchily storms off. 

Kelly and Erica arrive at the Wyatt Clinic for Erica's medical appointment. They're told there will be a long wait, since there's only one available doctor.

The Beverly Beat. Steve tells Jodi he'll pay her $1,000 a month if the baby turns out to be his - but Jodi gets irked and tells him he'll be legally required to pay child support if the child is his, then snaps, "Thanks for nothing!" and calls him a jerk. Steve wails that she's turned his life upside down after showing up out of nowhere, and says she's the jerk. Jodi tells him he's acting like the baby is a burden (well, d'yuh) and says, "A father is a father. Not just an ATM" and storms out of the newsroom. A few minutes later, Rush arrives to ask how Brandon's doing. Steve's like, "Fine, whatever" and asks his dad how he handled it when he learned he had impregnated his birth mother. Rush admits he didn't accept responsibility right away...then looks puzzled and goes, "Why?" and a pained looking Steve says, "Just curious."

After Dark. Donna drops by the club to ask David if he needs anything post-fire. He snappishly asks her who told her about the fire, then derisively goes, "Noah?" Donna admits that, yeah, she did hear about it from Noah, then tells him he's welcome to crash at the beach house until he sorts out his housing situation. David angrily reminds her she kicked him out yesterday, snaps, "Where I sleep is my business!" and stomps off.

Valerie storms onto the boat...then advances on Noah, smacks him across the face, and barks, "You bastard!" Noah threatens to slap her back if she does that again, and she starts railing about his lies and tells him she knows he's mega-rich. Noah's all, "Wha-a?" and asks her if Brandon blabbed about it to her, and she glares at him incredulously and snaps, "Brandon knew?!" She bitchily assures him that Brandon kept his nasty little secret - a secret which Noah rightly points out is really none of her business. Valerie tells him she knows he was the one who paid David's loan-shark loan and threatens to tattle to him, so Noah explains that he didn't tell anyone he was filthy rich 'cause he wanted people to like him for himself. Valerie claims she did like him for himself...but because of her shameful history of two-timing on him with the rich Cooper Hargrove, Noah doesn't buy it. Valerie warns him that Donna isn't going to be happy about his lies, then angrily climbs out of the boat. 

Wyatt Clinic. Kelly returns to the clinic to chat with the doctor. She tells him she works for the Wyatt Foundation and that it looks like he could use a good administrator. He's like, "Meh" and says what he really needs is for someone to comfort the scared, sick, impoverished folk who come to the clinic. Kelly says she could definitely do that, and will start working shifts there once she clears it with the foundation's higher-ups. The doctor grins and says, "Welcome to hell" which is maybe not the most encouraging way to welcome a new employee.

The Beverly Beat. Rush asks Steve about the girl he knocked up, and Steve says he doesn't yet know for sure he did...but that said, her name is Jodi. Steve whines he has zero desire to participate in parenthood, and Rush tells him he'll likely change his mind 'bout that - the way he eventually took responsibility for his extramarital affair byproduct. He says, in hindsight, knocking up a young waitress was the best thing that ever happened to him, 'cause he got a [bonehead] son out of it.

Beach house. Noah drops by to ask Donna out for dinner "and probably dessert". [Blech, Noah! Blech! How could you possibly want to settle for Donna when you're more than hunky enough to get any woman you want?!] He then confesses he may not be as broke as he may have led everyone to believe...and by not be as broke, he means he's a member of the mega-rich Hunter family (who owns Hunter Oil). Donna is miffed that he's been lying lying to everyone this entire time, so he explains that he wanted to know what it was like to not be Noah "Rich Boy" Hunter. He then invites her out for Indian food, and she agrees and wryly says, "You're buying."

After Dark. The landlord surveys the fire damage to the office, then asks David which insurance company to send the claim to. When David just stares back at her blankly, she correctly guesses he has no insurance or ability to pay for the repairs. She angrily reminds him that his lease is up soon, and the moment it expires, she's throwing him out on his ass. As well she should.

The Walsh house. Valerie bitches at Brandon for not telling her about Noah being filthy rich...but Brandon's too weary to argue and just mutely heads upstairs. Valerie snaps, "You made me look like an idiot! Thanks for nothing!" and Brandon quietly flees to his bedroom. Kelly, who's reading in bed, informs him that she's now working at the Wyatt Clinic...then orders him to talk to Erica about sorting out his legal problems. Brandon says he just cares about Riggs getting thrown into jail - and suddenly Erica appears in the doorway and says she's formulated a plan to gain Riggs' trust in order to secure his arrest, while also getting Brandon off the hook with the ADA.

Steve drops by Hilary Swank's house to tell her that if Jodi's baby is his, he'll do his best to take responsibility and try to be a real father. He says he knows it may jeopardize their relationship, but Hilary Swank gives him a toothy grin and says she'd really like to be a part of it. She offers to be with him when the doctor gives him the DNA results tomorrow, and he gives her a grateful hug.

Noah and Donna return to the beach house after their dinner date, and they both agree they had a wonderful time and start making out. She bids him good night and goes inside, where - ack! - David is standing, scowling at her. She asks him what he's doing here, and he says he was going to take her up on her offer to let him crash at the beach house...but now that she's playing kissy face with Noah, he's no longer interested.

Riggs is hanging out at a news stand when Erica suddenly appears beside him and says, "Don't be mad at me!" He's all, "Wuh?" and asks her: 1) where she's been and 2) how much money she's made for him. Erica fibs and says she's been in Vegas, hooking up a storm...and then we then see that she's wired and everything she's saying is being heard by two detectives (along with Kelly and Brandon) sitting in a nearby car. Kelly worries that Riggs is going to hurt Erica, but Brandon points out that if this sting pans out, the detectives will be the ones testifying in court, not Erica. This means she'll be safe from retribution. Erica hands Riggs her little purple purse, and he pulls a wad of cash out of it and exclaims, "Not bad!" She then tells him she has a friend who deals crack and points to a nearby car, where an undercover detective is waiting for Riggs to take the bait. Riggs, who's clearly not the brightest pimp in Hookerville, is like, "Awesome!" and makes a beeline over to the undercover detective and says, "I understand you're looking to connect." Riggs tells him he has crack to sell and hands him a sample, then asks for "a Franklin" in exchange. The detective hands him the cash...and a few seconds later, Riggs and Erica are surrounded by several police cars. Erica fake panics and screeches, "What's going on?!" and the police handcuff her and fake arrest her. She cries, "Riggs! Don't leave me!" and he assures her it'll be OK. The cops quickly put Riggs in a police car and drive off...and as soon as he's gone, Kelly and Brandon rush over to Erica to make sure she's OK. She asks them if they think Riggs bought it, and they all agree he probably did.

Medical Plaza. The doctor informs Steve that, according to the DNA results, he's not Jodi's baby daddy after all. Steve woots with joy and thanks the doctor...then tells Hilary Swank he's going to need to have a word with Jodi. 

After Dark. Valerie drops by to tattle to David that Noah was the one who paid off his loan-shark loan, and that Noah's from a rich family. David looks bewildered and says, "So he steals my girlfriend and saves my butt at the same time?!" and says he's itching to give Noah the what-for.

Steve asks Jodi what she's going to do, now that there's proof he wasn't the one who put the bun in her oven...and she just glumly says, "I'm going to be a good mom." Steve tells her he's kinda pissed off that she made him think he was the only guy she recently hit the sheets with, and Jodi sheepishly admits there was one other guy - but, for some crazy reason, was hoping Steve would be the father. (The other guy must be an even more far gone bonehead.) She apologizes for putting him through hell and says she's off to pay a visit to the real father. Steve says he hopes the guy does the right thing for the kid's sake, and Jodi says she hopes so too, then leaves. Well, OK...I guess that's that.

The Walsh house. Erica is all dressed up, ready to catch her flight to London. She thanks Brandon and Kelly for rescuing her from Hookerville and setting her back on the straight and norrow, and Brandon thanks her for agreeing to carry out the sting so he wouldn't end up in prison.

The Peach Pit. David runs into Donna and asks her if Noah's here...and a few seconds later, Noah emerges from the bathroom. David glares at him and snarks, "I didn't ask for your help" and Noah says he just wanted to help. David says his lease for the After Dark expires next week, and Noah tells him he got an extension and that he should just shut his pie-hole and run the club - but David petulantly retorts, "I don't want to" and tosses him his keys. Donna's all, "Wha-at's going on?!" and Noah grimly replies, "My money is ruining everything." As he ambles off, Donna looks troubled and conflicted as she stares contemplatively into space.

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