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But he added a new texture to this lineage.
He wasnt fiery like Dean could be, or as angelically tender as other 90s icon River Phoenix.
Perry was, of course, more than Dylan McKay.
At the center of it all wasDylan McKay.
Hes such a force in90210, its surprising to remember that he doesnt appear until the third episode.
I am not in a good mood today.
He doesnt raise his voice or draw his fist, yet he stuns everyone in the room into silence.
Hes menacing without being violent, tender with an edge of intrigue.
You get to see him full-on now.
These shows are playing with the tools that Perry, and90210,created.
Each of these actors uses vulnerability as part of their star image.
Ultimately, what Perry had was authenticity.
After all, Perry himself survived the stardom that came with90210, when he was in his early 20s.
Watching him onRiverdaleonly brings to the fore how instrumental his work on90210remains in the pop-culture landscape.
I met Perry a couple years ago, when I moderated a panel onRiverdaleat Vulture Festival.
