Kelly Taylor back in the "90210'' zip? Get out!

First, news that NBC is courting George "The Total Package'' Clooney to return for at least a couple of episodes of what will be the 15th and final (good call) season of ''ER'' next fall.

And now this: Jennie Garth could be headed back to her old ''90210'' zip.

Dr. Doug Ross and Kelly Taylor possibly both back on our TV screens in the same season? Pinch me. Or let me pinch George. Or somebody pinch somebody!

There's speculation that Garth, who rocked our wardrobe as Kelly Taylor on the original "Beverly Hills, 90210,'' could be on board for the "90210" spin-off currently in development for the CW. Buzz spiked this week with reports that Garth abruptly bowed out of the pilot of "My Best Friend's Girl,'' a CBS comedy in which she had been cast.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Garth left after the table read Monday, in what was described as "a mutual decision between her and the producers.'' Earlier reports have hinted that the new "90210'' creators want Garth to reprise her role as Kelly Taylor, who would return to her alma mater as a fashion design teacher.

Hey, somebody play some Ray Pruit or Color Me Badd on the jukebox at the Peach Pit and let's prematurely celebrate!

Or not.

Spin-offs are dicey business. "90210'' already gave us one great spin-off in "Melrose Place.'' (Honestly, can you ever watch Marcia Cross as Bree on "Desperate Housewives'' and not think of the great "MP'' moment when her deranged Kimberly Shaw ripped off the wig?) So going back to the beautiful, rich kids well for seconds might be pushing it.

Rob Thomas -- the "Veronica Mars'' Rob Thomas, not the Matchbox Twenty Rob Thomas -- wrote the script for the pilot and is executive producer. There's no Darren Star and (obviously) no Aaron Spelling involvement this time around.

The setup is rumored to be similar to the original: Parents move to Bev Hills from the Midwest (St. Louis) with their two teens -- a biological daughter and an adopted son -- to be closer to Grandma, who's a drunk. Wait a minute ...

Dad's apparently an alum of West Beverly, and mom's a former Olympic medalist. What? That sounds very un-Cindy Walsh-ish.

There are reportedly five other main characters, including four who are 16-year-old students at the same school. Two of them have the last name Silver. Hmmm ... let's not forget David Silver's night in the limo, you know, before he and Donna finally "did it.''

EW.com reports this week that AnnaLynne McCord ("Nip/Tuck'') has already been cast to play a hot, rich kid (shocking!) and Dustin Milligan ("The Messengers'') as a star athlete (again, shocking!). Word is the '00s cast will also be more diverse than the '90s cast.

No doubt "90210'' junkies like um, myself, will tune in to check out the next generation of Brendas, Brandons and Dylans ... and then gripe about how they can't hold a candle to the originals. But if the show, which has a shot at making the fall schedule, is gonna keep us old-schoolers interested, it will have to give us some of that vintage "90210'' nostalgia.

Snagging Garth for a role would be a good place to start, but we want more. Surely Gabrielle Carteris' Andrea Zuckerman, who already seemed like she was 40 in the original, could come back in some annoying matronly/scholarly role. Maybe the new Mrs. Teasley?

And, of course, don't even bother doing a spin-off if Nat's not back.

-- Kendra Meinert, kmeinert@greenbaypressgazette.com