So, just how badly does '90210' stink?

The question is not, "Does the new '90210' stink?" The question is, "How bad is the odor?"

If the show was good, The CW would have been falling all over itself to make sure that critics had copies of tonight's premiere (7 p.m., Ch. 30) weeks ago. I'm not trying to overstate the power of critics in general — and I'm certainly not insinuating that my opinion carries much weight — but the fact that The CW hasn't shown the "90210" pilot to anyone is a clear indication that it must, well, stink.

In the 18 1/2 years I've written about TV, I cannot recall a single series, special or movie that was withheld from critics that was anything other than terrible. (The most recent example was the dreadful "Knight Rider" TV movie that aired last spring.)

Usually, networks make excuses. Usually, the excuse is that production schedules preclude sending out DVDs.

In this case, The CW just made a "strategic marketing decision." You know, the same "strategic marketing decision" that movie studios make when they want to open a horrible movie without reviews so they can make a few bucks before bad word of mouth kills it.

As for The CW's statement that "we're not hiding anything" by keeping "90210" under wraps, that's laughable. Of course they're hiding something. They're trying to keep the odor of failure from permeating the planet before tonight.

The CW has, by the way, made another of its new shows available to critics. And "Privileged" is another series featuring teens who live in the world of the uber-rich. And it's pretty good. Quite enjoyable, as a matter of fact. And, again, it was screened for critics.

What an amazing coincidence!

The irony is, I was looking forward to the new "90210." I have fond memories of the early years of its predecessor, "Beverly Hills, 90210," which was actually a pretty good show its first few years. At least until the "kids" graduated from high school and the show became just another silly soap.

Executive producers Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah insist that "90210" is not a remake.

"It is a complete original invention," Judah said. "There will be, though, somewhat of an homage to the original show."

But it sounds a lot like a remake (although it's hard to judge without seeing a pilot). You may recall that the original show launched when the Walsh family moved from the Midwest to Beverly Hills, and brother-and-sister duo Brandon (Jason Priestly) and Brenda (Shannen Doherty) discovered that rich kids are different when they started attending West Beverly High.