The Wilson family arrives in Beverly Hills, after Harrison "Harry" Wilson takes a job as the principal at West Beverly High School, while his children, Annie and Dixon, attend the school during their first week much to the awkward circumstances of their father watching over them, while Harry and his photographer wife, Debbie, also keep a close eye on Harry's washed-up, alcoholic, actress mother, Tabitha. For Annie and Dixon, the school is one big culture shock for Annie, a sweet and friendly girl with a passion for the theater, and Dixon, a star athlete and scholar who was adopted by the Wilson family after they took him in as a foster child. Annie and Dixon have a close sibling relationship, which they'll need to help them cope with all the new cliques and classmates, including Naomi Clark, a hot and stereotypical spoiled rich girl who believes that money buys everything; Ethan Ward, Annie's former boyfriend from Kansas who's now Naomi's boyfriend, and a popular lacrosse star whose abilities rival Dixon's; Navid Shirazi, an aspiring student reporter who heads up the school's daily TV newscast; and Erin Silver, a rebel and wanna-be socialite who produces and stars in a YouTube-type video series, and who develops a crush on Dixon. Adrianna is a fellow student and theater "goddess" who is Naomi Clark's best friend... and Ethan Ward's secret girlfriend, and who has a serious drug addiction; George Evans is an arrogant West Beverly High student, who takes an instant dislike to Dixon because of his race (Dixon is black). Wendy is "sexy vixen" student at West Beverly Hills High who takes every advantage of her looks; Ty Collins is another student and theater major. Even the faculty seems hip and sophisticated at the school whom include the smart and funny teacher Ryan Matthews, beautiful guidance counselor Kelly Taylor, and successful theater actress-turned-high school-musical director Brenda Walsh. The Wilson family has just begun to realize how much their lives are about to change.

Naomi finds herself in trouble when she fails an assignment, and Ryan and Kelly bring the issue to Harry's attention, while Harry struggles with a disturbing revelation about the result of a secret tryst with Naomi's mother, Tracy, from many years ago. Meanwhile, Dixon learns more about Navid when they team up to try to pull a school prank against Palisades High. Annie meets a potential love interest in the form of drama student Ty Collins, who turns out to be the wealthiest student at West Beverly, and who spirits her away for San Francisco for the evening. Silver posts the story about Ethan's infidelity with Naomi on her Internet blog, while Adrianna continues her self-destructive slide into drugs and debauchery. Also, Ryan tries to ask Kelly out on a date, but she has to find a babysitter first for her four-year-old son, and former West Beverly alumni Brenda Walsh, now a successful Broadway and London theater director, arrives back in town to help put on a new school play.

As Valentine's Day approaches, Adrianna's pregnancy now becomes the talk of the entire school as her 'baby bump' begins to show, while Navid continues to ignore her and grows more closer to Nika. Meanwhile, Silver asks Naomi for help in planning to make the best Valentine's Day ever for Dixon by setting up a dinner at the hotel where Naomi is now living at. But later, Dixon freaks out when Silver gets a much too permanent tattoo of their love to try to bring them back together. Also, Ethan's friendship with Rhonda continues to blossom which makes Annie very jealous, while she begins taking acting workshop lessons and tries to find her own motivation. But Rhonda begins using her medical condition to manipulate Ryan's too-trusting kindness to lead him more closer to her. Elsewhere, Naomi meets Liam Court, a bartender at the hotel in which they click romantically at once, but suspicion plagues Naomi as to whom Liam is when he does not want to talk about his personal life.

New parents Jen and Ryan find out about Naomi's rape and Jen decides to take matters into her own hands. Ryan encourages Naomi to come forward even though his own job may be in jeopardy. Victor arranges a photo shoot for Adrianna and instructs her to go topless, while Navid and Silver watch in shock. Annie discovers that Charlie has a dark and disturbing side when she sneaks in to observe a staged reading of his play. Liam lands a job working shirtless in the window and on the sales floor of a clothing store. A mysterious customer offers him an opportunity he can't refuse. Dixon apologizes to Ivy for breaking up with her but doesn't realize that Ivy decided to lose her virginity to someone else. Oscar confronts Laurel and Ivy with shocking news about his past.