The third season of “90210” promises to be just as juicy and dramatic as previous seasons. The series returned to The CW on Monday night, promising eager fans more than twenty episodes filled with parties, alcohol, and plenty of heartbreak.

With the West Beverly kids starting their senior year of high school, expectations are high and hormones are running wild. The episode opens with an earthquake that “coincidentally” allows the students to skip their first day of classes. This gives Naomi a chance to throw a “classes are cancelled” party, complete with champagne, cocktail dresses, and gorgeous men (supposed to be high school seniors) lounging around without shirts.

Of course, no party would be complete without some drunken drama. Naomi, who is struggling to recover after being raped in season two, tries to hide her apparent change of character by strip dancing for three random boys. She then makes a move on her best friend’s boyfriend, outwardly offering to have sex with him. The best friend sees it all, creating a sticky situation sure to bring lots of tears in future episodes.

The arrival of a new character from Ivy’s home in Australia causes tension with her boyfriend Dixon. Ivy scoffs at Dixon’s immediate jealousy, but if her sexy dreams are a prediction of upcoming incidents, Dixon has a lot to worry about. And just to throw in another scandalous twist, the episode ends with a scene of this sexy new Australian character locking lips with Ivy’s mother.

Things get more troublesome when Adriana, who has recently dropped out of school to pursue her singing career, learns that she will soon be dropped from tour for refusing to have an affair with the lead singer. Lucky for her, things always seem to work out for the kids of Beverly Hills High. Due to traffic from the earthquake, Adriana’s limo gets in a serious car accident. The lead singer, Javier, dies instantly while Adriana walks away with a few cuts and bruises.

Cheesy drama aside, the show is actually pretty entertaining. Is the series a realistic representation of the kids living in 90210? Only if you think every 17-year-old living in Beverly Hills looks like a beautiful 25-year-old supermodel. But that’s what makes the show so addicting. For those who enjoy series like “Gossip Girl” or “Melrose Place,” this upcoming season of “90210” will surely become a new favorite.

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