If 90210 had been set in a casino... I think we’d have had Las Vegas a lot sooner. Aaah… the drama. It feels like a soap opera, except for... okay, so it’s just a soap opera then. Loose ends that were left to dangle in the first season are revisited in the second. Danny returns, he pops the question to Mary, Ed’s framed for murder, and as always there are crooks in and out of the casino trying to beat the system. The house may always win, but it isn’t always as cheap and easy as a Vegas hooker!
One of the most exciting points in this season is when Crossing Jordan‘s investigative team crosses into the mix, in order to solve the mystery of a murdered gambler at the Montecito. Nessa (Marsha Thomason) gets news of her father’s death, which as it turns out is a sham since he’s alive and well. However, is it all a con? At the Montecito one can never be too sure.
I’ve gotta say that out of this three-disc set, my favorite episode is "Catch of the Day," in which a stolen truck of lobsters sends Sam (Vanessa Marcil) surging across the country in search of replacements.
The camera work is pretty smooth. The transitions from scene to scene aren’t disruptive and are well blended. For some reason though, I felt that the dim scenes were far too dark. But, then everything is romanticized by candlelight, so that actually fits right in with a soap opera-esque ambiance. I think I’m making it painfully clear that over-dramatization ‘ain’t my bag. But, back to the new scandals and such.
Wedding plans, the dead not being so dead, the edgy image of the Montecito turning over a new leaf, it’s all here. In this hilarious and tempestuous season, art goes missing (along with the towels and free soap), people go missing (and the lobsters too), and jobs get swapped as many times as loves. Actually, I think that the only difference between this and a real soap opera would have to be the intentional humor in certain parts. This season is totally star-studded as well, with appearances from Ashanti, Jon Bon Jovi, The Pussy Cat Dolls, and Sylvester Stallone, just to name a few.
As far as acting goes, it’s all kind of ‘over the top,’ but then so is Vegas so there you have it. But, hey even then I guess it doesn’t matter according to the ratings! But, then there’s James Caan, who is an excellent actor in anything that he does. His entire way of speaking and his general way of carrying himself are convincing of a big-time casino hood. Josh Duhamel (you know him as Tad Hamilton from Win a Date with Tad Hamilton), is a little lighter in this drama. He’s a bit thinner and his acting is a little too "serious" at certain parts where it doesn’t seem necessary. ...
