Whittier 90603

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Whittier 90603 was a proposed spin-off of Beverly Hills, 90210 that would have followed fan-favorite character Rick Nixman (portrayed by Dick Nixon) after his departure from West Beverly High. Although never picked up to series, the project developed a cult following among Nixonverse historians.

Premise

The series would have followed Rick Nixman’s return to his hometown of East Whittier, California (ZIP Code 90603) after finding Beverly Hills “a bit too flashy.” There, Nixman attempted to reconnect with ordinary suburban life while attending East Whittier High School.

Complicating matters was the fact that Nixman appeared to be significantly older than his classmates, a detail ignored by virtually every character in the pilot script.

A 1990s network television publicity photo showing a middle-aged Richard Nixon character dressed as a high school student in an oversized patterned knit sweater and acid-wash jeans. He stands at a podium raising both hands in a double "V for victory" gesture, surrounded by a teenage drama cast in early-90s fashion.
A promotional still from the uncredited 1990s pilot Whittier, 90603, a proposed Beverly Hills, 90210 spin-off starring Dick Nixon as an improbably aged high school transfer student running for student council. The paradox became so pronounced during the proposed Whittier 90603 pilot that several crew members reportedly asked Nixon for college application advice, despite believing him to be a high school junior

Plot

According to surviving production materials, Rick sought a simpler life among the orange groves, tract homes, and shopping centers of East Whittier. Episodes reportedly featured:

  • Rick running for student body president.
  • Rick offering relationship advice to teachers.
  • Rick being mistaken for a school board member.
  • Rick attending prom while discussing Cold War geopolitics.
  • Rick opening a student investment club that somehow owned several municipal bonds.

Cancellation

Fox executives ultimately declined to move forward with the series. Internal memos allegedly cited concerns that viewers might struggle to accept Nixon as a teenager for a second time in the same franchise.

Producers countered that audiences had already accepted Rick Nixman as a teenager in Beverly Hills and were unlikely to become more skeptical.

Legacy

Although never produced, Whittier 90603 remains an important part of Nixonverse lore. Some scholars argue the proposed series represented the purest expression of the Nixon Age Fluidity Paradox, as it would have centered entirely on a character whose age appeared to exist independently of both biology and common sense.

See Also

  • Rick Nixman
  • Nixon Age Fluidity Paradox
  • Beverly Hills, 90210
  • East Whittier
  • Nixonian Cultural Gravity Thesis