Episode
Beverly Hills, 90210: Thicker Than Water
Overview
David is unable to eat or sleep because of his drug addiction. He steals codeine from his father's office in the hopes of calming his nerves. He falls asleep in the park while babysitting Erin, and she disappears. She is found hiding in a nearby house, and a guilt-ridden David confesses his drug problem to Kelly. Dylan takes care of Erica while Suzanne is out of town. He turns to Cindy for help when Erica experiences a major life event. Jim tells Dylan that Suzanne, who had claimed to be broke, has $25,000 in her account. Suzanne explains that she has just received the insurance settlement for her trailer. Donna meets a handsome ski instructor during a weekend in the mountains with Brenda, Steve and Brandon. Andrea learns that she is pregnant.
Details
- Series
- Beverly Hills, 90210
- Season
- Season 4
- Episode
- Episode 17
- Air date
- 1994-01-12
- Runtime
- 46 min
Episode context
Thicker Than Water is Episode 17 in Season 4 of Beverly Hills, 90210. It aired on 1994-01-12. The runtime is 46 min.
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Episode 16: Crunch Time
The fraternity ostracizes Steve because many people believe that he escaped punishment for the break-in by squealing on others. John refuses to allow Steve any playing time on the intramural volleyball team. Steve becomes fed up and accuses John of tipping off the cops. The KEG house holds a ceremony to decide which of the two should be forced from the house. John arrogantly confesses to his friend Keith, who sides with Steve. This gives the remaining members the courage to vote against John. Dylan bonds with Erica and offers to loan Suzanne money to get her back on her feet. He offends Suzanne when he follows Jim's advice and asks for her social security number. They apologize for the misunderstanding, and Erica secretly gets Dylan the information. D'Shawn begins to pay attention to his studies after a lecture from his sister. He tears up his knee in his first game, but passes his sociology final without assistance.
Episode 18: Heartbreaker
David begins seeing a psychiatrist and tries to make amends with Donna. He tries to take time off from his radio show, but Steve proves to be completely incompetent as a fill-in. David steals drugs from Howard's desk and returns to the airwaves high. Andrea confesses her pregnancy to Brandon and Kelly; but has difficulty telling Jesse, who has just been offered a clerkship in San Francisco. The university names Brandon as its representative on a national task force. Suzanne takes a waitress job at the Peach Pit. Nat collapses with a heart attack, and Dylan and Brandon save his life with CPR. Nat's cousin Joey, an equal partner, wants to sell the Peach Pit. Brandon fears that Nat will have nothing to live for without the Peach Pit. He ignores his father's advice and decides to run the diner in Nat's absence.
Music: ""Then Came You"" by Dionne Warwick and The Spinners (#1, 1974); ""This Old Heart of Mine"" by the Isley Bro
More episodes from this season
Episode 15: Somewhere in the World It's Christmas
The Walshes plan to spend the holidays in Hawaii, but their plane experiences mechanical problems. They are forced to fly back to Los Angeles and make an emergency landing. Dylan receives a surprise visit from Suzanne Steele, his father's former lover, and her 12-year-old daughter. The duo recently lost its home in Iowa to a flood, and decided to take a road trip as a distraction. Suzanne reveals that Erica is Dylan's half-sister. He is initially skeptical, but decides to give them the benefit of the doubt. Kelly boycotts Mel's Christmas party, but he comes through for her when she has a dental emergency. David gives Donna the cold shoulder for refusing to sleep with him. He breaks up with her on Christmas Eve.
Music: ""This Christmas""; ""The Christmas Song"" by Aaron Neville; ""Jingle Bells""; ""Silver Bells""; ""Angels We Have Heard on High,"" performed by church choir; ""Jingle Bell Rock""; ""Santa
Episode 19: The Labors of Love
Kelly finds drugs in David's bedroom. She moves in with Dylan and takes Donna with her. Howard fires David from the radio show and orders him to find a new supplier. Donna goes against Kelly's wishes by covering the rent for David, who cashes the check and uses it for drugs. Jesse breaks up with Andrea after she shares her plans to have an abortion. He later reconsiders, and Andrea reveals that she has decided to have the baby. They announce their engagement, much to the surprise of their friends. The girls enroll in one of Lucinda's anthropology classes. Dylan buys out Joey so that the Peach Pit can stay in business. Brandon pouts because he did not get to be the hero. He provides comfort to the divorcing Lucinda.
Music: ""What a Wonderful World"" by Louis Armstrong (recorded in 1967; #32, 1988)
Episode 14: Windstruck
Donna and David celebrate their second anniversary as a couple. She finally agrees to sleep with him, but their romantic evening is interrupted by a surprise visit from her parents. Donna dodges suspicion by admitting that David lives in the apartment. Felice is angry at the deception, but Dr. Martin encourages her to let Donna live her own life. Donna puts David on hold because she does not want to betray her parents' trust. The KEG house distances itself from Steve to avoid the penalties for hazing. Lucinda tells Brandon that someone tipped off campus security about Steve's break-in. Professor Randall accuses Brandon of sleeping with Lucinda and plans to take out his anger on Steve. He drops the charges after Brandon threatens to report him for giving D'Shawn undeserved grades. Kelly and Dylan get back together.
Music: ""Hey Jealousy"" by Gin Blossoms (#25, 1993); ""I Fought the Law"" by The Bobby
Episode 20: Scared Very Straight
Despite an appeal from Rose, Andrea's parents refuse to support her decision to marry. Jesse makes one final plea, and the Zuckermans arrive at the civil ceremony at the last moment. David claims that he has cleaned up his act, but brings a junkie friend along on a Valentine's date with Donna. Dylan reminds David that he saved him from hitting the bottle after his father's funeral, and offers to help him in an emergency. David turns to Dylan after his dealer asks him to stash his drug supply from the cops. Dylan talks him into flushing the drugs just minutes before the police arrive. Steve hopes to move into Andrea's old room to escape the constant drinking binges at the KEG house. Brenda writes a scathing letter to Stuart when he fails to call her for a month. He surprises her on Valentine's Day, and explains that he had a project in South America.
Music: ""Hit by L
Episode 13: Emily (a.k.a. The Pink Pearl)
Emily has been accepted to the prestigious Cousteau Institute in France, but does not want to attend because she and Brandon are in love. Brandon observes her passion for marine biology and encourages her to pursue her dream. Brenda balks when she is asked to appear nude in an experimental campus play. The frat and sorority pledges must endure a series of humiliating experiences during ""Hell Week."" The upperclassmen order Steve to steal a prize autographed baseball from Professor Randall for a scavenger hunt, but he gets caught. Andrea breaks up with Dan and begins dating Jesse. She learns that he is a UCLA law student who attended undergraduate courses at Yale.
Music: ""San Francisco Days"" by Chris Isaak
Episode 21: Addicted to Love
Josh Richland tries to dig up dirt on Brandon for a newspaper article. Lucinda suggests that Brandon bring a date to task force functions to throw Josh off their trail. Brandon asks Kelly to accompany him to a party, with Dylan's permission. Kelly learns that Lucinda is struggling to obtain financing for her film, and introduces her to Dylan. Brenda joins Stuart for a weekend in Palm Springs, where he is to make a presentation to his father. They stop in the desert, but Brenda accidentally locks the keys in the car. Stuart continually lashes out at Brenda, especially after vandals break into his car when it is left overnight. Brenda finally becomes fed up and dumps Stuart. She calls Dylan for a ride home; during the drive, she confesses that she is still in love with him. David convinces Kelly to move back into the beach apartment.
Music: ""Me and Mrs. Jones"" by Billy Paul (#1, 1972); ""Into Your Arms"" by th
Episode 12: Radar Love
After mistaking a woman at a gas station for Emily, Brandon decides to visit Emily's home in Marin County. He learns that the family has moved to Greece, but runs into Emily by chance on a cable car in San Francisco. They rekindle their romance and decide to spend Thanksgiving together. Emily does not reveal that she must move away in a week. The KEG house and Alpha sorority serve Thanksgiving dinner at a halfway house, and John tries to take advantage of a 15-year-old girl. Steve intervenes and has the fraternity president distract John. Dylan declines Kelly's Thanksgiving invitation because he plans to go surfing, but later agrees to dine with the Walshes. When Kelly comes over with her family, she snaps at Dylan and makes a scene. Andrea is hesitant to attend a Thanksgiving soiree at the home of Dan's parents.
Music: ""Radar Love"" by Golden Earri
Episode 22: Change Partners
Brandon and Kelly attend a weekend retreat. The chancellor's teenage daughter Clare develops a crush on Brandon. Brandon confesses his affair with Lucinda to Kelly. Brandon and Kelly realize they must discontinue the charade after they share a passionate kiss. Lucinda invites Dylan to her house to view her film, and makes a pass at him. Donna and Brenda befriend a stray dog, which they name Rocky. They learn that the animal escaped from the university's research lab, and are afraid to return him. Brenda takes an interest in an animal rights group that is protesting the lab. Andrea, who works at the facility, argues that the lab is researching potential medical breakthroughs. She returns the dog safely to Donna. Andrea is furious when Steve lets Muntz use her room for a rendezvous with his girlfriend. She fears that the resident advisor will kick her out, but Steve makes amends by sleeping with the woman.
Music: ""Get Closer"" by Seals and Crofts (#6, 1976)
Episode 11: Take Back the Night
Steve tells Laura that he cannot see her again because he has a girlfriend. During the activities for Take Back the Night Week, she concludes that she was a victim of date rape and plans to identify Steve at a campus rally. Kelly warns Steve, who adamantly proclaims his innocence. Steve confesses his indiscretion to Celeste, who breaks up with him. Before Laura can speak at the rally, Kelly steps to the microphone. She shares that she was nearly a victim of rape, then pointedly adds that there were other times when she regretted sleeping with a guy, but had consented at the time. She identifies Steve as a hero for saving her from the rapist at the Halloween party. Steve apologizes for using Laura, who admits that she had done nothing to discourage him. Lucinda insists on openly flirting with Brandon, who wants nothing to do with her. D'Shawn threatens to tell Professor Randall that Brandon is sleeping with his wife unless he takes his midterm for him. Lucinda encourages Brandon to take
Episode 23: A Pig Is a Boy Is a Dog
Brenda and Donna attend an animal rights rally, and are crestfallen when the university refuses to suspend animal testing. After Rocky dies of cancer, Brenda becomes involved with a small group of radicals. She serves as lookout when the group breaks into the university research building, and tries in vain to save Andrea's lab (which does not harm animals in its testing). Brenda is arrested. Kelly and Brandon are furious when Dylan refuses to fund Lucinda's film. He finally tells Kelly that Lucinda came on to him. Brandon breaks up with Lucinda, and Kelly confesses her kiss with Brandon. Dylan races over to the Walsh house to fight Brandon, but the tension is defused when he accidentally punches Steve.