document_title: Beverly Hills, 90210 (season 7)

question_text: when do brandon and kelly get back together season 7

text: Beverly Hills, 90210 (season 7)

text: Overview[edit]

text: Before they Trade in their flip-flops for full-time jobs, the friends of Beverly Hills 90210 dive into their senior year of college for a final lap. Watch as Brandon, Kelly, Donna, David, Steve, Val and Clare battle natural disasters, confront personal demons and discover that old flames never burn out in all 32 steaming episodes of Season 7. From Donna losing her virginity and Kelly's shocking pregnancy to David's destructive mental illness and a frightening hostage situation on the C.U. campus, surviving their senior year will be the toughest test they've faced yet.

text: Cast[edit]

text: Starring[edit]

text:
Jason Priestley as Brandon Walsh
Jennie Garth as Kelly Taylor
Ian Ziering as Steve Sanders
Brian Austin Green as David Silver
Tori Spelling as Donna Martin
Tiffani Thiessen as Valerie Malone
Joe E. Tata as Nat Bussichio
Kathleen Robertson as Clare Arnold

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Ann Gillespie as Jackie Taylor
Jill Novick as Tracy Gaylian
Katherine Cannon as Felice Martin
Michael Durrell as John Martin

text: Special Guest Star[edit]

text:
James Eckhouse as Jim Walsh (1 episode)
Jamie Walters as Ray Pruit (1 episode)

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod.
code

177
1
"Remember the Alamo"
James Whitmore, Jr.
Larry Mollin
August 21, 1996 (1996-08-21)
2196172

Brandon and Steve are on a summer road trip across the country when run into a bit of trouble when their car breaks down in a small racist town in rural Texas, called Hadley. Steve decides to head out via the airlines, and leaves Brandon to fend for himself in a not-so-friendly environment when redneck locals harass him after he befriends a young black woman, named Mariah. Back in Beverly Hills, Donna works with David on a video shoot, and the singer isn't the only one that is hard to deal with. Meanwhile, Valerie meets with Kenny Bannerman, a local businessman and one of Jim Walsh's former coworkers, whom she hires to help revamp business for the Peach Pit After Dark. Also, Clare and Steve attempt to meet with each other after spending their summer away, unaware that they are at the same airport at LAX waiting for the other.

178
2
"Here We Go Again"
Anson Williams
Steve Wasserman
August 28, 1996 (1996-08-28)
2196173

The Beverly Hills Beach Club holds its annual reunion. Steve reminisces about his relationship with Kelly, as he lost his virginity to her on the beach in 9th grade. Clare is disturbed to learn of the couple's history, and comments on the "incestuous" nature of the group. Steve confesses that he helped spread rumors about Kelly after their break-up, causing her to gain a reputation as a slut. Kelly is hurt, but eventually decides to forgive him. Meanwhile, Steve's annoying half-brothers, Ryan and Austin, return and learn another hard lesson in finding girls. Ryan blows a chance at a date when Austin convinces him to spy on the girl as she undresses. Steve gives the boys a lecture about treating women with respect. David continues to dump all over Donna for quitting the music video business. He harasses her when she talks and dances with another guy, and they decide to break up. Kelly goes to work at an AIDS hospice to complete her summer school credits. Mark Reese, the general manager of the campus television station, recruits Brandon and flirts with Kelly. Also Valerie starts a casual romance with Kenny, who is married but supposedly separated.

179
3
"A Mate for Life"
Burt Brinckerhoff
John Whelpley
September 4, 1996 (1996-09-04)
2196174

Joan's daughter Lily comes to town to serve as maid of honor, and seduces best man Brandon. Nat, Brandon and Steve discover that Lily is an exotic dancer. Nat and Joan's wedding comes to a halt when she goes into labor. She refuses to have the baby until she is a married woman, so they tie the knot in the hospital hallway. Joan gives birth to a son, Frankie. Clare insists that she will never get married, as she couldn't bear to walk down the aisle without her mother. Touched by Joan and Nat's romance, she decides to be more receptive to the idea of marriage. Meanwhile, Kelly befriends Jimmy, a young gay man and hospice resident with an upbeat attitude. David moves into Mark's luxurious home. He tries to get another video contract after being dropped by MZA, and refuses to help Donna film the wedding. Also, Valerie sees Kenny having lunch with his wife and son and rightfully suspects that he has lied about his marital status.

180
4
"Disappearing Act"
David Semel
John Eisendrath
September 11, 1996 (1996-09-11)
2196175

Kelly helps Jimmy treat a bleeding cut, and panics after getting some of the blood on her hand. The doctor assures her that she cannot contract HIV this way, but she decides to take an AIDS test because of her long history of unprotected sex. The test is negative, and Kelly apologizes for shunning Jimmy. The gang watches Jimmy perform a magic show; later that evening, he tells Kelly that he has just a few days to live. Meanwhile, David refuses to tell his father that he has dropped out of school, so Donna breaks the news to Mel. Mel issues David an ultimatum: he must finish college or lose all financial support. Brandon and Mark hire a confident young woman, named Tracy Gaylian, as their news anchor. She suffers a panic attack just before the first broadcast. Mark and Brandon try to calm her with a drink, and she ends up getting plastered. Also, Kenny declares his love for Valerie and does not want their secret romance to end.

181
5
"Pledging My Love"
James Darren
Phil Savath
September 18, 1996 (1996-09-18)
2196176

Kelly and David take Jimmy to synagogue to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Jimmy becomes very ill the next day and thanks Kelly for her friendship and then dies. Donna gives a shy basketball player, named Dani, a makeover to help her get into the Alpha house. She is accepted, but decides to pledge a sorority that is not so elitist. Donna resigns as rush chairperson to protest the behavior of Alpha president Ellen. Steve leads a group of KEG pledges in a Spirit Day prank by streaking; they run through Chancellor Arnold's speech wearing nothing but shaving cream, only to have the sprinklers come on. The dean becomes furious when the incident is replayed on the CU News, as she considers it sexual harassment. Chancellor Arnold, with Mark's cooperation, orders Brandon to turn over the tape so that he can identify the offenders. He reluctantly gives the chancellor the tape, which is mysteriously blank. Tracy reveals that she erased the video with a magnet out of loyalty to Steve and Brandon. Elsewhere, Kenny rents a love nest for his liaisons with Valerie, then stands her up for a family outing. Brandon becomes suspicious of the duo's relationship.

182
6
"Housewarming"
Chip Chalmers
Jessica Klein
September 25, 1996 (1996-09-25)
2196177

David and Mark throw a big party at their Hollywood Hills house. Clare catches Steve kissing another girl and dumps him; she is tired of constantly fighting and listening to Steve's apologies. A fire sweeps through the hills and threatens the house. Kelly experiences flashbacks about being burned (back in Season 5), but decides to stay and help everyone protect the house. The house is spared because of a shift in the winds. David drinks too much and spends the whole day throwing up. Donna slips and injures her knee while trying to save a baby deer. The firefighters (including hunky Cliff Yeager) rescue Donna and the deer. Kelly accepts a date from the persistent Mark. Valerie comes clean with Brandon about her affair with Kenny; he warns her to break things off, but naturally Valerie will not listen to him. Kenny and his wife finally agree to seek a divorce. Kenny tells Valarie that he cannot see her for the time being because he does not want to give ammunition to his wife's attorney. At the end, Valerie storms into Kenny's office and announces that she is pregnant.

183
7
"Fearless"
Harvey Frost
Larry Mollin
October 30, 1996 (1996-10-30)
2196178

On Halloween, Kenny orders Valerie to terminate her pregnancy. He agrees to pay her $100,000 to have an abortion. When he skips a meeting where he was to make the payment, she delivers diapers to his befuddled wife. Kenny angrily writes Valerie the check. Firefighter Cliff helps out with the Alphas' haunted house, where he encourages a young boy to overcome his fears. Cliff later has a date with Donna at the After Dark. Steve is miffed when Clare chooses to go to the Halloween concert with egotistical Dick Harrison, a Phi Beta Kappa member. He uses an escort service in the hopes of making Clare jealous, but she learns that Steve paid the woman and mistakenly assumes that she is a hooker. Steve turns down Clare's proposal of an open relationship. Meanwhile, Brandon and Tracy spend time together at the club, although he does not wish to pursue another workplace romance. He gives her a ride home and kisses her. Also, David refuses to spend the weekend at his grandparents' house in Palm Springs. At the end, David's father, Mel, calls him to deliver the bad news that his grandfather died of a heart attack.

NOTE: Tony Rich makes a guest appearance in this episode

184
8
"The Things We Do for Love"
Gilbert M. Shilton
Laurie McCarthy
November 6, 1996 (1996-11-06)
2196179

Steve overhears Valarie discussing her pregnancy on the phone. She begs him to keep her secret, but he shares the news with Kelly. Kelly gives Valerie her full support and offers to drive her to the clinic. Val turns her down, claiming that Kenny will be by her side. Kelly runs into Kenny at a restaurant, and Valerie's conflicting story prompt Kelly and Steve to suspect that she was never pregnant. David's grandfather leaves him $250,000 and a 1961 Thunderbird. Mel believes that David should keep the money in a trust fund, and threatens to contest the will. Mel later backs off, although he and David's mother, Sheila, express concern about David's increased drinking. Steve learns that Clare and Dick are participating in a rowboat crew. He begins rowing with a group of his frat brothers, and responds to Dick's taunts by challenging his squad to a race. Donna and Cliff become closer. During a day of hiking, he reveals that he is leaving for an out-of-state job. An uncomfortable Tracy decides to quit her TV job after Brandon nixes a relationship. She changes her mind because she is having a good time at the station.

185
9
"Loser Takes All"
Christopher Hibler
John Eisendrath
November 13, 1996 (1996-11-13)
2196180

Kelly takes great delight in telling Brandon about Valerie's pregnancy and abortion, and also shares her doubts about Val's story. Brandon goes to see Kenny, who portrays himself as an innocent victim caught in the web of an evil vixen. He tells Brandon that he paid Valerie $100,000 to stay away. Brandon threatens to throw Valarie out of his house unless she gives the money back. Valerie plans to move out, but returns the money following a talk with Tracy. She confesses to Brandon that she was never pregnant, and insists that she cannot live up to his moral expectations. Mel, worried by David's newfound wealth, asks Donna to keep an eye on him. David goes on a wild spending spree, and later shows up at Donna's apartment in the middle of the night after swimming in the ocean. David offers to help out the financially strapped Valerie by purchasing half of the club. They celebrate their deal by making out. Also, Steve impresses Clare with his dedication as he trains for the crew race. His team barely loses, but Clare decides that she wants him back. Kelly comes clean with Mark about her past drug problem.

186
10
"Lost in Las Vegas"
Michael Lange
Steve Wasserman
November 20, 1996 (1996-11-20)
2196181

David takes Valerie, Steve and Clare to Las Vegas for the weekend. He frightens them with his reckless driving. They see Ray perform in concert, and he comments on David's frenzied behavior. David gets drunk and suffers heavy gambling losses. He invites two young women on the street to join him at another casino. The women take David to their motel, where they drug him and steal his money, credit cards, jewelry and clothes. Ray calls Donna and advises her to fly in from Los Angeles. She yells at her friends for not babysitting David, then comforts him. Meanwhile, Brandon meets a troubled woman, named Melanie, at the Peach Pit; she was robbed just after arriving in town, and cannot get in touch with her fiance. Brandon provides her with refuge, and helps her pick up the pieces when she learns that her fiance has met someone else. Also, Steve steals a term paper from Brandon and turns it in as an independent study project. Mark agrees to be patient with Kelly, who is not ready for an intimate relationship.

187
11
"If I Had a Hammer"
Jason Priestley
John Whelpley
November 27, 1996 (1996-11-27)
2196182

During an argument with Donna in the student union, David throws a tantrum and cuts his hand on a glass. He must see a psychiatrist after displaying hostile behavior toward the ER staff. Mel agrees with the doctor's recommendation that David be held 72 hours for observation. David is diagnosed with a mild form of manic depression. His mother, Sheila, comes to see him and advises him to moderate his behavior; he will not require medication if he seeks therapy and stops drinking. David thanks Donna for her support, and they decide to get back together. Meanwhile, Steve faces plagiarism charges. Professor Randall, who assumed control of the independent study course after returning to C.U., recognized Brandon's writing. Randall still holds a vendetta against Brandon over his past tryst with his wife Lucinda (back in Season 4), and brings collusion charges against him. Kelly's and Mark's plans for a romantic weekend getaway are foiled by a lost reservation. They finally secure a motel room, only to come down with food poisoning. The gang helps Willie build a house, which his family will receive from Habitat for Humanity. Valarie displays construction skills as a result of working with her contractor father, but hints to Clare that she has few happy memories of her dad. At the end, everyone eats Thanksgiving dinner inside the unfinished house.

188
12
"Judgement Day"
David Semel
Phil Savath
December 11, 1996 (1996-12-11)
2196183

Steve elects to plead guilty, leaving his punishment to the lenient Chancellor Arnold. Brandon refuses to plead guilty to a crime he did not commit, and faces a hearing and possible expulsion. Randall tries to prove that Brandon knew the contents of Steve's paper by pointing out that he handed it to Muntz for delivery. He also claims that Brandon let Steve cheat off his quizzes in freshman sociology. Steve digs through the fraternity files and proves that he flunked every sociology quiz. Brandon is cleared, and Professor Randall faces charges for forging his grade ledger and lying at the hearing. Meanwhile, Kelly throws a surprise birthday party for Mark, although he would rather be left alone. He hates the party even more when everyone ignores him and flocks to Brandon. Also, Felice objects to Donna's renewed relationship with David, which she considers unhealthy. Dr. Martin advises Donna to follow her heart. Donna tries to stop David from buying into the Peach Pit After Dark.

189
13
"Gift Wrapped"
Kevin Inch
Christine McCarthy
December 18, 1996 (1996-12-18)
2196184

David seeks his father's help in winning over Felice. Mel and Jackie invite David, Donna and her parents over for dinner. Felice naturally makes catty and snide remarks about the pre-prom incident from three years earlier (back in Season 3), the fact that Jackie and Mel are not married, and David's mental problems. A furious Donna refuses to come to her parents' house for Christmas. Felice apologizes to David and asks him to arrange a truce. Kelly's father fails to show for dinner, but a young woman arrives in his place. She stuns Kelly by revealing that she is her half-sister, Joy Taylor. Kelly is angry to learn that her mother hid the truth, and she and Joy become friends as they compare notes about their absentee father. Meanwhile, Chancellor Arnold immediately hits it off with Samantha at his Christmas party, making both Steve and Clare uncomfortable. The gang picks names from a hat to decide who will exchange gifts. Brandon and Tracy struggle with their gift selections, as neither wants to send the wrong message. While shopping for Kelly's present, Valerie gets some help from a kindly woman collecting donations at the mall. Val and Kelly wind up exchanging identical journals.

190
14
"Jobbed"
Jason Priestley
Larry Mollin
January 8, 1997 (1997-01-08)
2196185

Brandon and Mark vie for the prestigious Dryer scholarship. Mark appeases Kelly by providing Brandon with tips, although he believes that he is a shoo-in because of his wealth and connections. Brandon wins one of the two scholarships, while Mark gets nothing. Mark does not handle the news well. He skips a party for Brandon, then confronts Kelly in the Peach Pit parking lot. He orders her to stay away until she is willing to sleep with him, so she dumps him. Meanwhile, Clare gets Steve an interview at the C.U. job fair, but his interviewer propositions him. Clare suspects that Steve invented the story to hide the fact that he blew the interview. The woman again comes on to Steve, unaware that her boss and Clare are listening nearby. Donna fills in for her father's ailing receptionist. Dr. Martin criticizes Donna for humoring talkative patients, but her listening skills later head off a potential disaster. Tom Miller, Valerie's old boyfriend from Buffalo, comes to town. Valerie offers him a job managing the club, despite David's objections. While watching her prom video, Val becomes unnerved by footage of her late father.

191
15
"Phantom of C.U."
Les Landau
Steve Wasserman
January 15, 1997 (1997-01-15)
2196186

Donna joins the C.U. News as a weather forecaster, incorporating fashion tips into her reports. She begins receiving anonymous, menacing phone calls. Meanwhile, Clare sets up Kelly on a blind date with a guy who turns out to be a pompous windbag. Donna then tries to convince Kelly to go out with Evan Potter, a nice guy who operates the camera for the C.U. News. Kelly reluctantly agrees to a double date. Evan comforts Donna when her stalker leaves a threatening message on a videotape. While working late-night security detail as part of his probation, Steve has a run-in with the "Phantom of C.U.," a homeless man who lives on campus and plays pranks on security guards. Steve catches the guy in the act and learns that he is C.U. senior Larry Lincoln. Larry lives in the basement of a school building and eats from the garbage because he cannot afford food or housing. Steve doesn't turn him in, and gives him money to get an apartment for the rest of the year. Val tells Tom that she is only interested in a casual relationship. David refuses to believe that Tom can secure pop singer Donna Lewis (an old friend) for a concert. When the event proves to be a success, David thanks Tom by inviting him to stay at Mark's old house. (Mark was so devastated by his failure to receive the Dryer and break-up with Kelly that he left school just a few months before graduation—likely!)

NOTE: Donna Lewis makes a guest appearance in this episode.

192
16
"Unnecessary Roughness"
Gilbert M. Shilton
John Whelpley
January 22, 1997 (1997-01-22)
2196187

David and Tom team up to produce a Super Bowl party at the After Dark, much to Valerie's annoyance. Donna believes she has solved the mystery of her stalker's identity when she sees Garrett Slan, the man who tried to rape her (from back in Season 5), at the university. Donna's friends insist that she is mistaken, as Slan is in prison. Donna is cheered by a "girls' night out" with Kelly and Clare, until someone tries to run over her outside the After Dark. While sorting through her parents' unopened mail, Donna finds a notice that Slan has been recently released from prison. Meanwhile, Brandon and Tracy spend the weekend at her family's ranch near Bakersfield. Tracy is distracted by her horse, which has taken ill; and the presence of Sam, an ex-boyfriend who once asked her to marry him. Tracy rejects Sam's advances and has sex with Brandon in the barn. Back in Beverly Hills, Steve and Dick team up to market T-shirts for sale at the After Dark's Super Bowl party. Steve puts his sewing skills to use after he mistakenly orders shirts adorned with a picture of a soccer ball.

193
17
"Face-Off"
Chip Chalmers
Laurie McCarthy
January 29, 1997 (1997-01-29)
2196188

Donna's request for a permanent restraining order against Slan is denied. He shows up in a classroom and tries to tell her something, but she runs out. David and Tom confront Slan, who claims that he was trying to warn Donna about her stalker. Donna discovers that someone has left a dead rat in her bedroom. Slan finally picks a fight with David at the Peach Pit After Dark so that the restraining order will be granted. He leaves town, but Donna receives more threatening phone calls... revealing that he was telling the truth about not being Donna's stalker. Meanwhile, Kelly sets her sights on Tom. Valerie believes that Kelly is dating Tom just to hurt her. Tracy accidentally tells Brandon that she loves him; a fact that he does not reciprocate. Brandon and Tom participate in a charity hockey game with NHL players. The jealous Brandon takes a cheap shot at Tom after watching Kelly kiss him before the game. Also, Steve and Clare consider living together as they spend a weekend housesitting. Elsewhere, David takes an interest in a young singer, named Chloe Davis.

194
18
"We Interrupt This Program"
Kevin Inch
John Eisendrath
February 5, 1997 (1997-02-05)
2196189

Rusty, a technician at the TV station, quits in anger after the police question him about Donna. Evan admits his feelings for Donna and confesses that he is the stalker. When she tells Brandon and Tracy, he pulls a gun and holds the entire staff hostage. He holds Donna at gunpoint and forces Brandon and Tracy to put him on the air. He eventually lets the others leave, but Brandon refuses to leave Donna. Donna tricks Evan into putting his gun down by feigning an interest in him. She kisses him, then kicks the gun away as the SWAT team moves in to arrest him. Meanwhile, Valerie threatens to fire Tom unless he stops seeing Kelly. She apologizes, but he quits anyway. Kelly claims that she is not acting out of spite. Elsewhere, Steve and Clare try to keep their parents from dating during an excursion to San Diego, as they are afraid of being left behind. They finally apologize after realizing how selfishly they have acted. David, oblivious to Donna's situation, becomes more closer to Chloe Davis.

195
19
"My Funny Valentine"
David Semel
Jessica Klein
February 12, 1997 (1997-02-12)
2196190

Donna is still shaken up after being held hostage, and Clare and David struggle to bring her out of her funk. She instantly perks up when Cliff makes a surprise visit. She tells him that she has a boyfriend, but David still feels betrayed. Luther Vandross performs at the After Dark for Valentine's Day. David reacts angrily when Donna decides to leave after the concert instead of going out with Luther, Chloe and him. Donna runs into Cliff at the Peach Pit and agrees to a date. Valerie's estranged mother, Abby, comes to town and asks her to approve a second mortgage for the family home, as Val is part-owner. Valerie wants nothing to do with the house and orders her mother to sell it, leaving Abby confused. Valerie is hurt to see Tom with Kelly. Kelly finds her crying in the ladies room. Valerie admits that she needs Tom and pleads for Kelly to set him free if she doesn't really care for him. The guilt-ridden Kelly breaks up with Tom, who later shares a romantic slow dance with Valerie. Elsewhere, Tracy finds the engagement ring that Brandon once offered to Kelly and mistakenly assumes that it is for her. Also, Steve infuriates Clare by smoking pot with Dick.

196
20
"With This Ring"
Jason Priestley
Phil Savath
February 19, 1997 (1997-02-19)
2196191

Tracy is in a snit over the fact that Brandon kept the engagement ring. She breaks up with him. Brandon and Kelly each confess their feelings to friends, but expect the other person to make a move. Tracy confronts Kelly, who admits that she still loves Brandon. Kelly tries to stop Brandon from returning the ring. He cannot bring himself to sell it, and runs into Kelly in the street. She believes that he has already sold it and pretends to support this decision. Brandon exchanges the ring to get a bracelet for Tracy, and Kelly buys the ring and sulks. Meanwhile, Valerie tells her mother that her father repeatedly molested her. Abby refuses to accept this and slaps Val. Abby comes to grips with the truth and apologizes for not protecting Valerie. Val asks Tom to leave town, as his presence is a painful reminder of the abuse. Donna is torn between David and Cliff. Chloe makes a pass at David and annoys him with her rude remarks about Donna. Donna tries to reconcile with David, but storms out when Chloe emerges in just a bra. Elsewhere, Steve and Clare go on a double date with Ryan and his girlfriend. Clare pressures Steve to talk to his brother about sex, but Ryan ultimately decides to remain a virgin for the time being.

197
21
"Straight Shooter"
Chip Chalmers
Larry Mollin
February 26, 1997 (1997-02-26)
2196192

Brandon, Steve and Dick play in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Dick's pot smoking concerns Brandon. A wasted Dick buys some heroin at the After Dark, and Steve decides to join him. Steve finds Dick collapsed in the bathroom; he dies of an overdose. Steve makes an angry anti-drug speech after someone leaves a bong at a shrine to Dick. Meanwhile, a pretentious magazine editor, named Gigi Crane, profiles Valerie, but the article is ruined when the police take David and Val in for questioning. David pressures Donna to end things with Cliff, while her mother invites Cliff to a family brunch. Donna decides to stay with David, and encourages Cliff to take a job as head of security at Disneyworld. Elsewhere, Kelly and Clare pose as Ukrainian folk dancers to flirt with two young guys during a weekend getaway to Palm Springs.

198
22
"A Ripe Young Age"
Scott Paulin
Steve Wasserman
March 5, 1997 (1997-03-05)
2196193

Donna and David visit her grandmother in San Luis Obispo. Noting a striking resemblance between David and her late husband, Mrs. Martin tells the couple about her romance with Donna's grandfather, whom she knew for just a few months before he was killed in World War II. Donna and David are touched as they look through Capt. and Mrs. Martin's old pictures and letters. They decide to have faith in their relationship in spite of obstacles such as Felice's opposition. Meanwhile, Kelly finds a young 11-year-old boy sleeping on her front porch who introduces himself as Joey. She reluctantly breaks a promise to the runaway by turning him in to social services, and is wracked with guilt when she learns that Joey ran away from the shelter. Also, Valerie begins a romance with a hot new movie star, named Rob Andrews, who looks to her for support because he is uncomfortable with the industry. Elsewhere, Steve enlists the help of Clare, Brandon and Tracy to film an infomercial for his marketing class, and they all end up in a "sticky situation" with the product.

199
23
"Storm Warning"
Bethany Rooney
John Whelpley
March 19, 1997 (1997-03-19)
2196194

Joey returns to the beach apartment. He tells Kelly that he ran away because he believes that his mother no longer needs him, as she has remarried and is expecting a child. Brandon, Tracy, Clare, Kelly and Joey help Steve lay sandbags in front of his father's Malibu home in anticipation of a possible storm. Kelly contacts Joey's mother, and Joey has a happy reunion with his mother and stepfather. Meanwhile, David visits Dr. Martin's office and asks his help in dealing with Felice. Dr. Martin collapses with a stroke, and Donna initially blames David. Rob irritates his manager by seeking Val's advice about whether to sign on for a new movie. Rob's manager pays Valerie $10,000 to convince Rob to do the film. Jim and Cindy invite Brandon to spend spring vacation with them in Hong Kong. Brandon hesitates to give his second ticket to Tracy, but she whines until he invites her along. Clare plays a practical joke on Steve to teach him a lesson about his insensitive behavior.

200
24
"Spring Breakdown"
Charlie Correll
Teleplay: John Eisendrath
Story: Greg Plageman
April 2, 1997 (1997-04-02)
2196195

Brandon and Tracy visit Jim in Hong Kong; Cindy is in London helping Brenda cope with mononucleosis. Jim realizes that Brandon still has feelings for Kelly, but Brandon claims that he is not stringing Tracy along. Back in California, Clare and Steve encourage Kelly to go out instead of moping around the apartment. She gets drunk, flirts with a stranger, and freaks out when she momentarily loses her ring. Steve convinces Kelly to put the ring away. Meanwhile, Felice and Donna argue about the proper approach to Dr. Martin's treatment; Felice wants to put him in a rehab center, while Donna insists that he would be better off at home. Valerie breaks her deal with Alan after he has Rob escort a new actress to a party at the After Dark. Rob is angry with Val for accepting money from Alan, but later asks her to become his manager.

NOTE: Barenaked Ladies make a guest appearance in this episode.

201
25
"Heaven Sent"
Anson Williams
Teleplay: John Whelpley
Story: Phil Savath & Larry Mollin
April 9, 1997 (1997-04-09)
2196196

Mariah Murphy (the young black woman whom Brandon met and encouraged to follow her dreams in the season premiere), has just gotten her book published, and she comes to town to give a lecture at the university's new age festival. She develops an instant connection with Kelly, prompting Tracy to bristle. Tracy criticizes Mariah's theories in a news segment, leading to an argument with Brandon. Tracy refuses to attend a harp concert with Brandon. He sits with Kelly, and they share a kiss afterwards. Clare ruins her computer (and loses a term paper) by knocking coffee onto the hard drive while talking on the phone with Steve. She blames Steve, who shuns her after helping her retrieve the file. Clare sends flowers to Steve during the concert and apologizes. Although Rob receives rave reviews for his performance, the press trashes his movie. He is hurt to learn that it won't receive a nationwide release, and decides to quit acting and move back to Indiana. Also, David tries to plan a special evening for Donna, but his frenzied behavior causes her to fear that he is experiencing more mental problems.

202
26
"The Long Goodbye"
Les Sheldon
Ken Stringer
April 16, 1997 (1997-04-16)
2196197

Brandon breaks up with Tracy, and he and Kelly decide to go out. Valerie vows to help Tracy win back Brandon. She sends Kelly a phony telegram from Dylan asking her to meet him at the airport. Brandon follows Kelly to the airport and fears that she is still in love with Dylan. Kelly explains that she only cares about Dylan as a friend, and that she wanted to tell him that she loves Brandon. Kelly and Brandon get back together. Steve and Donna perform a comedy skit in a talent show. Donna convinces her mother, who has been running herself ragged caring for Dr. Martin, to get out of the house and come to the show. Donna fears the worst when she sees Felice with the man with whom she once had an affair. Felice explains that the man is a doctor; she was trying to arrange a lecture opportunity for Dr. Martin, as he can no longer perform surgeries. Steve encourages Clare to perform in the talent show, but comes to regret it after hearing her sing. She uses her mother's inspiration to deliver a great performance.

203
27
"I Only Have Eyes for You"
Christopher Hibler
Laurie McCarthy
April 23, 1997 (1997-04-23)
2196198

Clare and Donna feel slighted as Kelly spends all her time with Brandon. Val takes her place at the girls' gymnastics viewing party. She spends the night in Kelly's room because they are all too drunk to drive, and reads her diary. Valerie creates a rift between the roommates by telling Donna and Clare that Kelly said bad things about them. Brandon tries to secure a magic wand from a puppet show host that Kelly liked as a child; she had asked her father to send a letter to the man when she was a little girl, but doesn't think he followed through. Brandon, Steve and David get arrested for auto theft when a disgruntled auto show employee lets them take an electric car for a spin. Brandon gets Kelly the wand, and the host also finds her father's letter. Everyone snubs Valerie, so she decides to create friction between Kelly and her dad by investing money with his firm.

204
28
"All That Jazz"
Kevin Inch
Teleplay: Phil Savath
Story: Larry Mollin & Phil Savath
April 30, 1997 (1997-04-30)
2196199

Brandon has to take care of Kelly and Valerie, who are both laid up with the flu. The girls discuss the reasons for their personal feud, which supposedly dates back to a time when Kelly interrupted a make-out session between Valerie and Brandon (from the end of Season 5). Val blames Kelly for costing her the love of her life, while Kelly insists that she gave Brandon her blessing to date Valerie. Valerie is contacted by Derek Driscoll, a representative from Mr. Taylor's firm. Val tells Brandon that Kelly is hiding the fact that she was accepted to Columbia's graduate school. Kelly declares that she is not leaving town, and decides that Brandon should throw Val out of the house. David convinces Donna to join him at his business meeting in New Orleans, even though she has a class presentation the next day. David thinks that he will score, but gets no further than usual. They oversleep, causing Donna to miss her presentation. Samantha ignores Chancellor Arnold during an evening honoring her sitcom, and eventually dumps him. Steve disagrees with his mom's behavior, but Clare still blames him for everything.

205
29
"Mother's Day"
Chip Chalmers
Jessica Klein
May 7, 1997 (1997-05-07)
2196200

Kelly learns that she is pregnant, and has difficulty breaking the news to her mother. Brandon is thrilled, but Kelly isn't sure that she wants the baby. Driscoll suggests that Valerie sell her shares in the club so that she has more money available for investment. Val makes a pass at David, prompting Donna to order him to end their working relationship. Valerie eagerly accepts David's buy-out offer. Clare is saddened by Mother's Day, so Steve tries to take her mind off things by going for a drive. Clare believes that her father cannot handle discussion of her mother, but Steve discovers that he was trying to spare Clare's feelings. He brings them together to reminisce.

NOTE: Monica makes a guest appearance in this episode.

206
30
"Senior Week"
Jefferson Kibbee
John Eisendrath
May 14, 1997 (1997-05-14)
2196201

Kelly suffers a miscarriage, and learns that she may not be able to have children. Donna worries about her finals; David adds to her stress by pressuring her to let him move in. Donna panics during a final and runs out of the classroom, costing her a chance to graduate. Professor Langely gives her a second chance by offering an oral final exam. Donna passes easily, and Professor Langely tells her that she has a future in the fashion industry. Rush refuses to give Steve a post-graduation job at one of his companies. Chancellor Arnold accepts a teaching job in France, and Steve fears that Clare will go with him. She decides to stay in Los Angeles and seek a future with Steve. Valerie angers Kelly by meeting with her father. Bill delivers the shocking news that Driscoll is no longer his employee; he has stolen all of Val's money. Kelly again pressures Brandon to evict Val, as she and Brandon plan to live together.

207
31
"Graduation Day: Part 1"
Jason Priestley
Larry Mollin & Phil Savath
May 21, 1997 (1997-05-21)
2196202A

Valerie becomes depressed when her mom, Jim and Cindy all fail to come to town for graduation. She tries to make amends with Kelly after overhearing her push Brandon to evict her. Val pleads with Steve to lobby Brandon on her behalf, but he still kicks her out. Valerie checks into a motel across the street from the bluff where she once contemplated suicide. Brandon finds a suicide note and learns Val's probable location from David. Donna ponders taking her relationship with David to the next level. David helps Steve and Muntz with a senior prank. Kelly is furious when her father insists on attending her graduation. The gang receives invitations to a special grad party with a "roaring '20s" theme. Kelly's sister Joy confesses that Bill is responsible for the event.

208
32
"Graduation Day: Part 2"
Jason Priestley
Larry Mollin & Phil Savath
May 21, 1997 (1997-05-21)
2196202B

Brandon stops Valerie from killing herself and agrees to let her stay at the house. They arrive at the graduation ceremony in time for Brandon to receive an award. Kelly naturally believes that Val was faking her suicide attempt, and gives Brandon a hard time for going after her. Clare decides to move to Paris with her father, as she cannot imagine living a continent away from her only living family member. She asks Steve to come with her, but he turns her down. At the grad party, Brandon continually hassles Kelly to give her father another chance. She finally offers her forgiveness, only to learn that he is going to jail for embezzlement. Kelly decides to make a fresh start with Val. Steve and Valerie have a drunken fling during the party. Ryan develops a crush on Joy. Donna loses her virginity to David.

NOTE: This is the final appearance of Kathleen Robertson, as Clare Arnold. The Cardigans make a guest appearance in this episode.

text: Source: [1]


document_title: The Shape of Water

question_text: where was the movie the shape of water made

root

text: The Shape of Water

text: Plot[edit]

text: Elisa Esposito, who was found in a river as an orphaned child with wounds on her neck, is mute, and communicates through sign language. She lives alone in an apartment above a cinema, and works as a cleaning woman at a secret government laboratory in Baltimore at the height of the Cold War. Her friends are her closeted next-door neighbor Giles, a struggling advertising illustrator who shares a strong bond with her, and her African-American co-worker Zelda, a woman who also serves as her interpreter at work.

tag: p

text: The facility receives a mysterious creature captured from a South American river by Colonel Richard Strickland, who is in charge of the project to study it. Curious about the creature, Elisa discovers it is a humanoid amphibian. She begins visiting him in secret, and the two form a close bond.

text: Seeking to exploit the creature to American advantage in the Space Race, General Frank Hoyt orders Strickland to vivisect it. One scientist, Robert Hoffstetler—who is in truth a Soviet spy named Dimitri Mosenkov—pleads unsuccessfully to keep the creature alive for further study and, at the same time, is ordered by his Soviet handlers to euthanize the creature. When Elisa learns of the Americans' plans for the creature, she persuades Giles to help her free him. Mosenkov discovers Elisa's plot and chooses to help her. Though initially reluctant, Zelda becomes involved in the escape, and it is successful.

text: Elisa keeps the creature in her bathtub, adding salt to the water to keep him alive. She plans to release the creature into a nearby canal when it will be opened to the ocean in several days' time. As part of his efforts to recover the creature, Strickland interrogates Elisa and Zelda, but the failure of his advances toward Elisa hampers his judgment, and he dismisses them. Back at the apartment, Giles discovers the creature devouring one of his cats. Startled, the creature slashes Giles's arm and rushes out of the apartment. The creature gets as far as the cinema downstairs before Elisa finds him and returns him to her apartment. The creature touches Giles on his balding head and his wounded arm; the next morning, Giles discovers his hair has begun growing back and the wounds on his arm have healed. Elisa and the creature soon become romantically involved, having sex in her bathroom, which she at one point fills completely with water.

text: Hoyt gives Strickland an ultimatum, asking him to recover the creature within 36 hours. Meanwhile, Mosenkov is told by his handlers that he will be extracted in two days. As the planned release date approaches, the creature's health starts deteriorating. Mosenkov leaves to rendezvous with his handlers, with Strickland tailing him. At the rendezvous, Mosenkov is shot by one of his handlers, but Strickland shoots the handlers dead and then tortures Mosenkov for information. Mosenkov implicates Elisa and Zelda before dying from his wounds. Strickland then threatens Zelda in her home, causing her terrified husband to reveal that Elisa had been keeping the creature. Strickland searches Elisa's apartment and finds a calendar note revealing when and where she plans to release him.

text: At the canal, Elisa and Giles bid farewell to the creature, but Strickland arrives and attacks them all. Strickland knocks Giles down and shoots the creature and Elisa, who both appear to die. However, the creature heals himself and slashes Strickland's throat, killing him. As police arrive on the scene with Zelda, the creature takes Elisa and jumps into the canal, where, deep under water, he heals her. When he applies his healing touch to the scars on her neck, they open to reveal gills like his. With Elisa's final tie to the surface world cut, they embrace. In a closing voice-over narration, Giles conveys his belief that Elisa lived "happily ever after" with the creature.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Sally Hawkins as Elisa Esposito, a mute cleaner who works at a secret government laboratory.
Michael Shannon as Richard Strickland, a United States Colonel in charge of the project to study the "asset".
Richard Jenkins as Giles, Elisa's neighbor and close friend who is a struggling advertising illustrator.
Octavia Spencer as Zelda Fuller, Elisa's co-worker and friend who serves as her interpreter.
Michael Stuhlbarg as Robert Hoffstetler / Dimitri Mosenkov, a Soviet spy working as a scientist studying the creature under an alias.
Doug Jones as "Amphibian Man", an amphibious creature referred to as the "asset", with whom Elisa forms a close bond.
David Hewlett as Fleming, the laboratory's head of security.
Nick Searcy as Frank Hoyt, a United States General who is Strickland's superior.
Stewart Arnott as Bernard, Giles' employer and former lover.
Nigel Bennett as Mihalkov, Mosenkov's handler.
Lauren Lee Smith as Elaine Strickland, Strickland's wife.
Martin Roach as Brewster Fuller, Zelda's husband.
Allegra Fulton as Yolanda, a cleaning woman at the laboratory.
John Kapelos as Mr. Arzoumanian, the owner of the cinema who resided below Elisa and Giles' apartments.
Morgan Kelly as Pie Guy, a diner employee to whom Giles is attracted.

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: The idea for The Shape of Water formed during del Toro's breakfast with Daniel Kraus in 2011, with whom he later co-wrote the novel Trollhunters.[15] It shows similarities to the 2015 short film The Space Between Us.[16] It was also primarily inspired by del Toro's childhood memories of seeing Creature from the Black Lagoon and wanting to see the Gill-man and Kay Lawrence (played by Julie Adams) succeed in their romance.[17] When del Toro was in talks with Universal to direct a remake of Creature from the Black Lagoon, he tried pitching a version focused more on the creature's perspective, where the Creature ended up together with the female lead, but the studio executives rejected the concept.[18]

text: Del Toro set the film during the 1960s Cold War era to counteract today's heightened tensions, specifying, "if I say once upon a time in 1962, it becomes a fairy tale for troubled times. People can lower their guard a little bit more and listen to the story and listen to the characters and talk about the issues, rather than the circumstances of the issues."[19]

text: Filming began on August 15, 2016, in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario,[20][21][22][23][24] and wrapped on November 6, 2016.[25]

text: In an interview with IndieWire about the film, del Toro said, "This movie is a healing movie for me. ... For nine movies I rephrased the fears of my childhood, the dreams of my childhood, and this is the first time I speak as an adult, about something that worries me as an adult. I speak about trust, otherness, sex, love, where we're going. These are not concerns that I had when I was nine or seven."[26]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
The Shape of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Soundtrack album by Alexandre Desplat

Released
December 1, 2017

Genre
Soundtrack

Length
1:16:23

Label
Decca

Producer
Dominique Lemonnier

tag: table

text: Alexandre Desplat is the composer of the film's score.[27] The score won the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 90th Academy Awards.[12]

text: Track listing[edit]

text: All tracks written by Alexandre Desplat, except where noted.

text:
[show]Track listing

No.
Title
Length

1.
"The Shape of Water"
3:42

2.
"You'll Never Know" (feat. Renée Fleming)
4:38

3.
"The Creature"
1:47

4.
"Elisa's Theme"
2:36

5.
"Fingers"
2:09

6.
"Spy Meeting"
1:42

7.
"Elisa and Zelda"
1:10

8.
"Five Stars General"
1:31

9.
"The Silence of Love"
1:35

10.
"Egg"
2:13

11.
"That Isn't Good"
1:43

12.
"Underwater Kiss"
2:12

13.
"The Escape"
10:57

14.
"Watching Ruth"
2:18

15.
"Decency"
2:23

16.
"He's Coming For You"
1:39

17.
"Overflow of Love"
2:56

18.
"Without You"
2:30

19.
"Rainy Day"
3:12

20.
"A Princess Without a Voice"
1:50

21.
"La Javanaise" (Madeleine Peyroux)
4:10

22.
"I Know Why (And So Do You)" (Glenn Miller and His Orchestra)
2:58

23.
"Chica Chica Boom Chic" (Carmen Miranda)
2:19

24.
"Babalú" (Caterina Valente & Silvio Francesco)
2:51

25.
"A Summer Place" (Andy Williams)
2:34

26.
"You'll Never Know" (feat. Renée Fleming [Alternative Version])
6:49

27.
"Mermaid" (Skøtt)
3:32

28.
"Oceanful" (I.AM.WILLOW)
3:37

Total length:
1:16:23

text: Release[edit]

text: The Shape of Water premiered on August 31, 2017 at the 74th Venice International Film Festival.[5] It also screened at Telluride Film Festival, the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival, among others.[1] The film was released in two theaters in New York City on December 1, 2017 and then expended to several other cities the following week. It had its official wide release in the United States on December 22, 2017.[28]

text: Home media[edit]

text: On March 13, 2018, the film was released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download.[29]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Shape of Water has grossed $63.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $130.7 million in other countries, for a total of $194.6 million.[3]

text: After grossing $4.6 million over three weeks of limited release, the film began its wide release on December 22, 2017, alongside the openings of Downsizing, Pitch Perfect 3 and Father Figures, and the wide expansion of Darkest Hour, and grossed $3 million from 726 theaters over the weekend, and $4.4 million over the four-day Christmas frame.[30] The following weekend, the film made $3.5 million.[31] The weekend of January 27, 2018, following the announcement of the film's 13 Oscar nominations, the film was added to over 1,000 theaters (for a total of 1,854) and made $5.9 million (an increase of 171% over the previous week's $2.2 million), finishing 8th.[32] The weekend of March 9–11, following its four Oscar wins, the film made $2.4 million. It marked a 64% increase from the previous week's $1.5 million and was similar to the $2.5 million made by the previous year's Best Picture winner, Moonlight.[33]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 92% based on 348 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "The Shape of Water finds Guillermo del Toro at his visually distinctive best—and matched by an emotionally absorbing story brought to life by a stellar Sally Hawkins performance."[34] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 87 out of 100, based on 53 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[35] According to CinemaScore, audience members under the age of 40 gave the film an average grade of either "A+" or "A", while those over 40 gave it an "A" or "A−", on an A+ to F scale;[36] PostTrak reported filmgoers gave the film an overall positive score of 80%.[37]

text: Ben Croll of IndieWire gave the film an 'A' rating and called it "one of del Toro's most stunningly successful works... also a powerful vision of a creative master feeling totally, joyously free."[38] Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising Hawkins's performance, the cinematography and del Toro's direction, and saying: "Even as the film plunges into torment and tragedy, the core relationship between these two unlikely lovers holds us in thrall. Del Toro is a world-class film artist. There's no sense trying to analyze how he does it."[39] For the Minnesota Daily, Haley Bennett reacted positively, writing, "The Shape of Water has tenderness uncommon to del Toro films. ... While The Shape of Water isn't groundbreaking, it is elegant and mesmerizing."[19]

text: Conversely, Rex Reed of the New York Observer gave the film 1 out of 4 stars and calling it "a loopy, lunkheaded load of drivel" and, referring to Hawkins's role in Maudie, described people with disabilities as "defective creatures."[40] Reed's review was criticized for referring to Sally Hawkins' mute character as "mentally handicapped" and for erroneously crediting actor Benicio del Toro as the film's director.[41]

text: Top-ten lists[edit]

text: The Shape of Water appeared on many critics' year-end top-ten lists,[42] among them:

text:
1st — Anne Thompson, IndieWire
1st — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
1st — Sasha Stone, Awards Daily
1st — Drew McWeeny, The Tracking Board
1st — Nicholas Barber, BBC
1st — Mike Scott, The Times-Picayune
1st — James Verniere, Boston Herald
1st — Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter
1st — Marjorie Baumgarten & Steve Davis, The Austin Chronicle
1st — Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
2nd — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
2nd — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
3rd — Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter
3rd — Matthew Jacobs, HuffPost
3rd — E. Oliver Whitney, ScreenCrush
3rd — Alonso Duralde, TheWrap
4th — Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood
4th — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
4th — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo.com
5th — Marc Savlov, The Austin Chronicle
5th — James Berardinelli, Reelviews
5th — Christopher Orr, The Atlantic
5th — Gregory Ellwood, IndieWire
5th — Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
6th — Kimber Myers, IndieWire
6th — People
7th — The Guardian
7th — Peter Debruge, Variety
7th — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
8th — Peter Howell, Toronto Star
9th — Steve Erickson, RogerEbert.com
9th — Stephen Whitty, The Star-Ledger
9th — Ryan Oliver, IndieWire
10th — Danny Bowes, RogerEbert.com
10th — Paste
Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — IGN
Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — Ty Burr, The Boston Globe
Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times
Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Best of 2017 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) — Newsweek

text: Accolades[edit]

text: The Shape of Water received 13 nominations at the 90th Academy Awards, the most of any film in the 2018 race. It won in four categories: Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Director, and Best Picture.

text: The film also spawned some debate about whether the fact that it was filmed in Canada, with a predominantly Canadian crew and many Canadian actors in the supporting roles, should have made it eligible to be nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards. Under Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television rules, to qualify for CSA nominations under the rules for international coproductions at least 15 per cent of a film's funding must come from a Canadian film studio. Even the film's Canadian co-producer, J. Miles Dale, stated that he supports the rules and does not believe the film should have been eligible.[43]

text: Lawsuit alleging plagiarism[edit]

text: In February 2018, the estate of Paul Zindel initiated a lawsuit in United States District Court for the Central District of California against director Guillermo del Toro and associate producer Daniel Kraus, alleging that The Shape of Water "brazenly copies the story, elements, characters, and themes" of Zindel's 1969 work Let Me Hear You Whisper, which depicts a cleaning lady bonding with a dolphin and attempting to rescue it from a secret research laboratory's nefarious uses.[44] The complaint spends more than a dozen pages detailing alleged "overwhelming similarities" between the works.[45]

text: Del Toro denied the claim of the Zindel estate, saying that "I have never read nor seen the play. I'd never heard of this play before making The Shape of Water, and none of my collaborators ever mentioned the play." Distributor Fox Searchlight also denied the claim and said that it would "vigorously defend" itself in court.[46]