TCA Update - CW: Brenda Walsh, Director

The creators of the the "Beverly Hills 90210" spin-off "90210" announced this morning that Brenda Walsh will indeed make an appearance on the new show. Shannen Doherty has signed on to do an episode as a guest drama teacher who comes in to direct the high school musical.

According to a CW press release this is what happened after Brenda went off to study acting in London:

Brenda became a successful theater actress, splitting her time between London and New York. The character soon transitioned to directing for theater and had equal success in that career.

Doherty joins original castmates Jennie Garth, who reprises her role in recurring appearances as Kelly Taylor -now a guidance conselour at West Bev- Tori Spelling, whose Donna Martin is a now an upscale boutique owner, and Joe E. Tata as Nat, master of the Peach Pit. (The Pit has been transformed into a hip coffee shop).

The new cast - which includes Lori Loughlin, Rob Estes, and Tristan Wilds of "The Wire"- seem to be taking the focus on guest appearances by the old cast in stride. The producers dismissed my concern, however, that they are flirting with a rip in the space-time continuum since Estes played Kyle McBride on original "90210" spin-off "Melrose Place."