(CNN) — Not quite a spin-off (though that’s what The CW is calling it), and not really a remake or a sequel: This is the new “Beverly Hills 90210,” albeit with a fresh look and a shorter name — “90210.”

The show premieres Tuesday.

Re-imaginings of classic television shows rarely work. For every “Battlestar Galactica,” there’s “The Munsters Today,” “The New Leave it to Beaver,” “The Bradys,” “The New WKRP in Cincinnati,” “The New Gidget,” and, of course, “What’s Happening Now.”

With a track record like that, it would seem that the conspicuous absence of the word “new” from the title is this show’s only real hope for longevity. But a closer look reveals that the show’s producers — the team behind the much-loved “Freaks and Geeks” — might actually know what they’re doing.

For starters, they’re sticking with what works. The premise of the two shows is nearly identical: A Midwestern family, whose last name begins with a W, relocates to Beverly Hills, California. The brother and sister are in the same class, and the family encounters a myriad of fish-out-of-water experiences.

The similarities don’t end there. Nostalgic fans of the old show will be glad to know the original theme song is back (with less synthesizer, one would imagine), as is the Peach Pit, the gang’s regular hangout, which has evolved from a diner to a trendy coffee shop. Also back: Peach Pit owner Nat, again played by Joe E. Tata.

Tata will be joined on the new series by original cast member Shannen Doherty, reprising her role as Brenda Walsh, who returns to West Beverly Hills High to direct a high school musical. And, in a possible bridge between old and new characters, rumor has it the character of Erin Silver (David and Kelly’s infant stepsister) will return as a regular “all grown up” (read: promiscuous) cast member, with a YouTube-like Web series.

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written by Andrew