Kelly Taylor | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise character | |||||||||||
![]() Kelly, portrayed by Jennie Garth, matures from adolescence to adulthood. | |||||||||||
Portrayed by | Jennie Garth | ||||||||||
Duration |
| ||||||||||
First appearance | "Class of Beverly Hills" (1990; Beverly Hills, 90210 | ||||||||||
Last appearance | "Rats and Heroes" (2010; 90210) | ||||||||||
Created by | Darren Star | ||||||||||
|
Kelly Marlene Taylor, portrayed by Jennie Garth, is the lead female character of Beverly Hills, 90210 for the majority of the show's duration. Initially presented as a "spoiled teen vixen", [1] the role was gradually expanded by producers. [2] Subsequently, Kelly became instrumental in launching the first spin-off, was written with a more compassionate demeanor, overcame several perils and personal challenges, and attracted many romantic suitors and triangles. Appearing for the entirety of the series' run, the character is noted for her development from youth to adulthood.
Kelly appears prominently in a majority of the shows that compose the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. In addition to her role in launching the spin-off Melrose Place , Garth was the first performer from the original show to be cast in the third spin-off, 90210 . Having appeared in the most series premieres, as well as the most episodes of any figure throughout the continuity, she is the de facto central character of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise.
Garth's portrayal has earned recognition from critics and co-stars. In a 1995 article on the actress, TV Guide 's Mary Murphy stated that, "Her signature role—the sensitive, seductive, and tortured Kelly Taylor—tapped into the very essence of teenage angst and brought her a huge cult following." [2] Actors Jason Priestley, [3] Grant Show, [4] and Sara Foster [5] have expressed admiration for Garth's work. In a 2009 article, Nellie Andreeva of The Hollywood Reporter called the character of Kelly "organic to 90210's setting." [6]
Throughout the course of the first series, Kelly became one of the show's most developed characters. When introduced in 1990, she was presented as, on the surface, a stereotypical spoiled type who placed high value on a posh appearance and material possessions. However, the character would become increasingly layered as the series progressed. [1]
The reasons for Kelly's behavior first started to reveal themselves in episode 7, "Perfect Mom", when Kelly was forced to confront her mother's drug addiction and alcoholism. Several of her friends, particularly the Walsh family and Andrea Zuckerman, first came to appreciate Kelly's difficulties in life when they saw her handle this problem. [7] During episode 13, "Slumber Party," [8] Kelly revealed that she was taken advantage of by a senior during her freshmen year in high school, which had led to a promiscuous lifestyle and reputation which deeply hurt her self-esteem. The others then began to realize that Kelly had been through more difficulties than they were aware of, and later, she and Andrea would become close friends. When Andrea was pregnant and was contemplating an abortion in season 4, Kelly was one of the primary people she reached out to. [9]
Toward the end of the second season, Kelly met a man named Jake Hanson (played by Grant Show), an emotionally guarded biker who was slightly older than her. While Jake ultimately resisted their romance, citing Kelly's age, he admitted to admiring her for her heart and kindness. This story line was used to launch the spin-off series Melrose Place . [10] Eventually, Kelly was revealed to have a notable conscience during a summer fling with Dylan McKay, the boyfriend of her friend Brenda, often being the voice of reason during their affair. [11] Kelly went through a period of minor depression during her senior year in high school in season 3. The stress caused from her love for Dylan, someone who she could not be with because of his relationship with Brenda, added to her struggles. Even when Kelly dated Dylan out in the open, following his relationship with Brenda, it caused her to temporarily lose Brenda as a friend. [12]
Also during this time, Kelly's mother had a new baby, Erin, got married, and put Kelly's childhood home up for sale. Self-consciousness over her figure, along with the anxiety she began to feel, caused her to lash out emotionally, abuse diet pills, and briefly lose control over her life. [13] The character's physical appearance is shown to play a part in her development. At various points of the series, she won the title of Spring Princess at a dance, and was voted her school's most beautiful girl. Kelly is aware of her appeal, but not to the point of conceit; instead, she is sometimes shown to be troubled by it. At one point, she entered a phase in which she felt that no one took her seriously, which was heightened when Dylan gave his manuscript to Andrea for review instead of to her. During this time, she began to feel that people only liked her because she was physically attractive. [14]
Creator Darren Star has commented on the character's progression. [15] In his DVD commentary of the episode "Spring Dance", Star notes Kelly's first attempt to romance Brandon Walsh, [16] in which she'd embraced her role as Spring Princess and used a largely forward and aggressive approach. He goes on to state that in the fourth season, when Kelly was prone to expressing her affections in a more gentle and compassionate manner, [17] she made a greater impression on Brandon. While pursuing Jake on Melrose Place, a confused Kelly eventually asks, "Don't you think I'm pretty?" This contrasts with her attitude one year later, when she becomes more interested in having others appreciate her for what lies beneath the surface. [14] This development is standardized one additional year later, via her aforementioned second pursuit of Brandon Walsh, which ends in success.
The evolution of Kelly's character led to developments both on-screen and off. In a 1995 article on Garth, TV Guide reported that the show's creators made a conscious decision to place her character at center stage. An anonymous producer cites "faith in Jennie as an actress," further stating that he and producer Aaron Spelling "knew she had the chops to do it." [2] This development would gradually lead to Kelly supplanting Brenda as the prominent female lead, as the former received what the producer called "better story lines." [2] Reportedly, these matters became a source of tension between Garth and Shannen Doherty, who played Brenda. [2] Following Doherty's final appearance on the show in 1994, however, Garth stated, "We were friends at work, and I miss her most of the time." [18]
Ultimately, throughout the first five seasons, Kelly gained an increasing degree of screen presence and growth. Amidst her continuing development, [19] her role in launching the spin-off, her prominent triangle with Brenda and Dylan, [20] her later affections with male lead Brandon, [21] and the launch of a second triangle with Brandon and Dylan, [22] Kelly became the character that several major events or changes were based around. Additionally, she was given varying involvement in noted story lines not surrounding her—including Dylan's family trauma, Brenda's acting pursuits, and David's recovery from drug use. [23] [24] Her status would become standardized throughout the course of the series' run. [1]
In addition to Melrose Place, she would later be used to help launch the third spin-off, 90210 (with Garth being the first performer from the original show to be cast). [25] This development would make Kelly Taylor the most prominent figure in the collective franchise, via the most appearances in episodes and series premieres. [26] [27] Shannen Doherty, who returned as Brenda in the third spin-off, reported that she and Garth, like their characters, had renewed their friendship, stating, "Now we’re really good friends—and I love her." [28]
Kelly faced several difficult issues and obstacles, often with the assistance of loved ones, including her occasionally difficult home life, her alcoholic mother and absent father. She also was trapped in a fire and burned, tricked into joining a cult, [29] and became addicted to cocaine and going to rehab. [30] In addition, she was stalked by a girl from rehab and who tried to kill her in a double suicide, she was shot in a drive by after which she endured getting amnesia, [31] she was raped then shot her rapist in self-defense, [32] becoming unexpectedly pregnant and having a miscarriage, and learning that it would be difficult for her to have children because of a condition called endometriosis. [33] In overcoming these matters, she was able to become a better person and help others. [34]
Tori Spelling's Donna Martin and Kathleen Robertson's Clare Arnold were among Kelly's best friends and roommates. Tiffani Thiessen's Valerie, who replaced Brenda, became Kelly's nemesis, but right before Valerie's departure, the two women formed a truce. [35]
Kelly's two most prominent romantic relationships were with Jason Priestley's Brandon and Luke Perry's Dylan. In season 5, she was faced with making a choice between the two, as a result of Brandon proposing and Dylan confessing his feelings for her and asking her to leave with him on a trip around the world. She declined to choose between the two men at that time, instead stating, "I choose me," but also affirming her love for both of them. In the seventh season, however, she finally stated that she had chosen Brandon. [36] She nearly married Brandon, but the two decided that they were not ready. [37] Following Jason Priestley's departure from the series, Jennie Garth became the officially billed lead, with the character of Kelly further maturing, reuniting romantically with Dylan, and starting her own PR firm.
For the launch of the series Melrose Place in 1992, Jennie Garth made a multi-episode special guest appearance. During the final episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 season 2, Grant Show played his Melrose Place character Jake, who started a relationship with Kelly which led into early episodes of the spin-off. During Kelly's appearances, her relationship with Jake was largely on-and-off due to his discomfort with her youth. In the end, after weeks of trying to break up with Kelly, Jake pretended to cheat on her, prompting her to leave him. [38] Afterward on both Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place, Kelly, Donna, Jake, and others made occasional comments concerning Kelly and Jake's brief relationship.
In 2008, Kelly Taylor returned in the spin-off 90210 , now working as a guidance counselor at her alma mater West Beverly Hills High School. It was revealed that in the intervening years, she attained a master's degree and had a son named Sammy with Dylan. She and Dylan ended their relationship soon after. It was also revealed that West Beverly principal Harry Wilson was Kelly's neighbor growing up. [39]
Kelly's tenuous relationship with her mother Jackie (Ann Gillespie) continued in the series' first season, with tension arising due to Jackie's drunken negligence of Erin, a recurring character in the original series and a regular in the spin-off. [40] She also resumed her friendship with Brenda Walsh. However, their relationship was briefly strained by Kelly's and possibly Brenda's lingering feelings for former boyfriend Dylan McKay, as well as Brenda sleeping with Kelly's ex-boyfriend, Ryan Matthews, a teacher at West Beverly. [41] Following Brenda's discovery that she could not have children, she and Kelly made amends once again. [42]
On the night of Donna's moving-back party, Kelly and Ryan met at a convenience store. She was told by a fortune teller that she would meet a man with a six-pack. In his hands, Ryan was holding a six-pack of beer. Kelly and Ryan then went to his apartment, where they were last seen making out. [43] Ultimately, she and Ryan chose not to pursue a romantic relationship.
In the second season, Kelly began to spend more time with Harry, much to the chagrin of his wife Debbie. It was implied that both Kelly and Harry had begun to develop feelings for each other. However, Garth refused to participate in a proposed story line involving an affair. [44] Upon learning that Jackie was dying of cancer, Kelly was initially distant from her mother and protective of Erin (who is commonly called by her surname Silver), eventually causing Silver to move out and live with Jackie. The day after Silver's "half-birthday," Jackie was admitted to the hospital. After talking to Silver, Kelly gained the strength to visit their mother. Eventually, Kelly and Jackie made amends before Jackie's untimely death. Garth departed the series following season 2, later citing problems with the newly appointed show-runner, Rebecca Sinclair, and the direction the show took. [45] Although not written out after her last appearance, she was mentioned several times later in the show, indicating that she was still around looking after her sister, just not on screen. [46]
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (September 2019) |
With regard to Garth's long-running portrayal, Nellie Andreeva of The Hollywood Reporter acknowledged the character of Kelly as being "organic to 90210's setting,” in a 2009 article. [6] On November 24, 2008, SOAPnet aired a Beverly Hills, 90210 marathon titled "Kelly's Leftovers,” dedicated to the character's love life. [47] While discussing the Melrose Place spin-off in a 2009 interview, Grant Show, who played Jake Hanson in the original, communicated that he would be open to appearing, if Jennie Garth did so as Kelly Taylor. [4] After being confirmed to direct a season one episode of the spin-off, 90210 , Jason Priestley commented that he hoped Jennie Garth would be among the actors present. [3] Sara Foster, who was cast as Jen Clark in the spin-off, has stated that she was excited and nervous about meeting Garth, who she'd watched in the original series. [5]
In its biographical article on the actress, Yahoo! states that "playing the popular tramp-turned-good girl Kelly through the years afforded Garth the opportunity to not only grow up on camera in front of America, but to fully develop her character and improve her acting chops each season." [48] Additionally, Kelly Taylor has been cited by the media as an inspiration for the character Naomi Clark (AnnaLynne McCord), introduced in 90210. [49] [50] On September 2, 2010 (9/02/10), Reuters.com featured an article on the original series, quoting a Twitter message in which Garth stated, "Love to the original cast and crew. And the new kids too." [51]
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for ten seasons on Fox from October 4, 1990, to May 17, 2000, and is the first of six television series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. The series follows the lives of a group of friends living in Beverly Hills, California, as they transition from high school to college and into the adult world. "90210" refers to one of the city's five ZIP codes.
Jennifer Eve Garth is an American actress. She is known for starring as Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise and Val Tyler on the sitcom What I Like About You (2002–06). In 2012, she starred in her own reality show, Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country on CMT. Her memoir titled Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde was published by New American Library on April 1, 2014.
BH90210 is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on Fox from August 7 to September 11, 2019. It is the sixth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. Original series stars Jason Priestley, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Tori Spelling return in the new series, playing themselves in a heightened version of reality that is inspired by their real lives and relationships, in which the actors deal with launching a reboot of the 1990s TV series, Beverly Hills, 90210.
Brandon Walsh is a fictional character played by Jason Priestley on Fox television series Beverly Hills, 90210. He was the first character introduced in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise and served as the lead male character in the television drama.
Grosse Pointe is an American sitcom television series which aired on The WB from September 22, 2000, to February 18, 2001, during the 2000–2001 television season. Created by Darren Star, it was a satire depicting the behind-the-scenes drama on the set of a television show, and was inspired in large part by Star's experiences as the creator and producer of the nighttime soap Beverly Hills, 90210.
Dylan Michael McKay, played by Luke Perry, is a fictional character from the television series, Beverly Hills, 90210.
Andrea Zuckerman, portrayed by Gabrielle Carteris, is a fictional character who was one of the female leads of Beverly Hills, 90210 for the first five seasons.
90210 is an American teen drama television series, developed by Rob Thomas, Gabe Sachs, and Jeff Judah, that aired from September 2, 2008 to May 13, 2013, on The CW. It is the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. The series was produced by CBS Television Studios.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise comprises the ongoing timeline and shared characters that link the American television series Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990); Melrose Place (1992); Models Inc. (1994); 90210 (2008); Melrose Place (2009); and the 2019 revival BH90210, which takes place outside of the franchise continuity.
"We're Not in Kansas Anymore" is the pilot episode of the American teen drama 90210 that premiered on September 2, 2008, on The CW in the United States and Global in Canada. 90210 is a spin-off to Beverly Hills, 90210, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 continuity. The pilot was written by Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah and Rob Thomas, and directed by Mark Piznarski. The episode, aired with "The Jet Set" in a two-hour premiere, averaged 4.9 million viewers on its original broadcast.
The first season of 90210, an American television series, began on September 2, 2008. Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah are executive producers for the first season, after original producer Rob Thomas dropped out to focus on other projects. The series premiered to 4.65 million viewers, and broke records for The CW at the time, becoming their highest rated premiere in viewers and in Adults 18–49 with a 2.6 rating. On September 22, 2008, after airing just four episodes, the network gave the series a full-season order of 24 episodes.
Naomi Clark, played by AnnaLynne McCord, is a fictional character from the CW primetime drama 90210, the fourth series of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. The character was created by Rob Thomas, Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, with later developments by Rebecca Sinclair, and occasional input from McCord.
Shannen Doherty is an American actress. She is known for her many roles in television and film, including as Jenny Wilder in Little House on the Prairie (1982–1983); Maggie Malene in Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985); Kris Witherspoon in Our House (1986–1988); Heather Duke in Heathers (1989); Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990–1994), 90210 (2008–2009) and BH90210 (2019); Prue Halliwell in Charmed (1998–2001); and Dobbs in Fortress (2021).
The second season of 90210, an American television series, premiered in the U.S. on September 8, 2009 and ended on May 18, 2010. The season picks up at the end of summer after the events of last season's dramatic prom party. Rob Estes, Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, AnnaLynne McCord, Ryan Eggold, Jessica Stroup, Michael Steger, Jessica Lowndes, and Lori Loughlin all return as series regulars from season one, while Dustin Milligan was released from his contract for "creative reasons".
The third season of 90210, an American television series, premiered on Monday September 13, 2010. The CW officially renewed the show for a third season on February 16, 2010. With the reveal of the networks fall 2010 schedule, they announced their decision to move 90210 to Monday nights at 8:00 pm, as a lead-in to Gossip Girl. It premiered on September 13, 2010 and was met with generally positive reviews from critics.
Jake Hanson is a fictional character in the American television series Melrose Place, the second series of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. Portrayed by Grant Show, Jake Hanson appeared in the first five seasons of Melrose Place. He also appeared in two episodes of the second season of Beverly Hills, 90210 and the pilot of Models Inc.
The first season of Melrose Place, an American television series, premiered on Fox on July 8, 1992. The season one finale aired on May 26, 1993, after 32 episodes.
Abbie Cobb is an American actress and author. She is known for her recurring roles as Emily Bradford on 90210 and as Kimantha on Suburgatory.
Brenda Walsh, portrayed by Shannen Doherty, is a fictional character who was the female lead of Beverly Hills, 90210 for the first four seasons.