Brandon returns to Beverly Hills from his summer job in Boston and at Steve's advice, he helps set up a destructive rave party in his parents vacant house. Valerie welcomes Ginger LaMonica, a visiting friend of hers from Buffalo who's as wild and devious as she, and has an eye for Brandon. Meanwhile, Kelly returns to Beverly Hills with a new boyfriend named Colin Robins, a young artist whom she met while modeling in New York City. Donna hosts a party on her parents yacht, while trying to hide her doubts about her future relationship with Ray. Also, Dylan becomes more and more obsessed with avenging his father's death when he visits his family's storage locker and talks with his father's former prison cell mate.

As the gang returns to college for their junior year, Dylan shadows and befriends Antonia "Toni" Marchette, the daughter of his father's murderer. Meanwhile, Brandon joins the college newspaper and must deal with Susan Keats, the no-nonsense, stubborn editor and hard-core feminist, who's not very eager to have him working there. Valerie meets Colin for the first time and reveals that they have known each other from a past fling between them years ago which bothers Kelly. Steve's sweet class schedule goes sour when he is forced to hire a math tutor in which Clare volunteers to help him. Also, Ray gets a big audition chance while Colin displays his big canvas the After Dark club.

Brandon and Susan cover the Tournament of Roses Royal Court tryouts in which Kelly, Donna, and Clare are candidates. After his successful return to the stage, Ray gives a command performance to the 11-year old daughter of a record company president. Meanwhile, Toni begins to get to Dylan while he develops feelings for her. Also, Kelly becomes jealous when Colin attends the Rose Ball with Valerie, and Steve tries to find an out to his math tutoring from Clare by tapping in on an Internet dating system.