Fortunate Son

Fortunate Son is the 14th episode of Season 6 of Beverly Hills, 90210.

Synopsis
Steve causes conflicts at a talent agency, where Rush got him an internship. Donna covers for Lisa at her convenience-store job - and for a young customer caught shoplifting. Valerie and Kelly bid against each other for a portrait by Colin at a charity casino night and auction at the PPAD. Brandon's gambling addiction resurfaces.

Recap
 A charity event to raise money for a foundation that provides child care assistance provides the central focus of this episode, and also dovetails with the main story involving Donna's determination to help a troubled family. When Donna covers for her friend and Rose Court Queen Lisa at her convenience store job, she sees a young boy steal a teddy bear, but she covers for him with the owner by paying the $5 on the sly. When Joe comes to pick her up, his car breaks down in a rough part of town and some local youths menace then, until the kid from the store, Isiah, shows up and pretty much rescues them. He takes them to his home, where Donna is stunned to see that this middle school kid has to take care of his two very young siblings all by himself. She orders pizza for them, but Isiah's mother is angry when Donna points out Isiah is way too young for that much responsibility.

Joe feels bad about the situation and Lisa doesn't think it's Donna's business, but Donna won't be deterred from helping. She finally uses her sorority and Rose Court connections to get Isiah and his siblings into a good after-school program. Isiah's mom finally expresses gratitude, and Isiah gives her heartfelt thanks as Donna tells him she wants him to pay her back by doing a good turn for someone when he's older. Steve begins an internship at a talent agency when Rush's business ties to the agency president give him an in. Steve likes the job, less so his condescending, not particularly talented pretty female boss. He finds out she's going to be fired before it happens, then feels a little bad for when she gets canned. The boss later begs Steve to save her job, and while the president says that's not going to happen, Steve is able to deliver the bad news in a way that spares her feelings and gives her hope she can find a new path to success.

Two of the group's members run into old problems at the fundraiser. In Kelly and Valerie's case, the problem is that they hate each other and Valerie's deliberate winning bid of a portrait by Colin pisses off Kelly and leaves David nonplussed, until Valerie tells her surprised enemy she's going to give the item to Kelly as a holiday present. In Brandon's case, the problem is that he's a gambling addict and he behaves like such a jerk at the event that he drives Susan away and clashes with Nat. Susan does forgive Brandon when he tells her that he nearly got killed or ruined over gambing before and he finally realizes he has a serious problem that needs to be dealt with.

Starring

 * 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

Special Guest Stars
 * Jason Wiles as Colin Robbins

Recurring cast
 * Emma Caulfield as Susan Keats
 * Cameron Bancroft as Joe Bradley

Guest starring
 * Lar Park-Lincoln as Tammy Kane
 * Drancy Jackson as Isaiah Holcomb
 * Juanita Jennings as Mrs. Holcomb
 * Tembi Locke as Lisa Dixon
 * Marcus Smythe as Scott Coveny
 * Billy Vera as Duke Weatherill
 * Lee Weaver as Stan

Trivia

 * Privileged, white Donna tries to tell a black woman how she should live her life

Music

 * devil with the blue on/good golly miss molly | MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS
 * brandon and nat talk gambling


 * tears on my pillow | LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS
 * steve says goodbye to tammy