Kelly Taylor

Kelly Taylor
Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise character
File:90210KellyT.jpg Kelly, portrayed by Jennie Garth, matures from adolescence to adulthood.
Portrayed by	Jennie Garth
First appearance	"Class of Beverly Hills" (Beverly Hills, 90210)
Created by	Darren Star
In-universe information Occupation Guidance Counselor Owned "Kelly Taylor Public Relations" Partner in a clothing store Volunteer at an AIDS hospice Parents William "Bill" Taylor (father) Jacqueline "Jackie" Taylor (mother) Siblings Joy Taylor (paternal half-sister) Erin Silver (maternal half-sister) David Silver (step-brother) Children Unnamed child (sex unknown, with Brandon, deceased) Sammy (son)

Kelly Taylor was, for the majority of the show's run, the lead female character of the American television drama Beverly Hills, 90210. Portrayed by actress Jennie Garth, Kelly appears prominently in a majority of the shows which compose the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. Introduced in the very first episode in 1990, she would become instrumental in launching the series' first spin-off, Melrose Place, and returned in the third spin-off, 90210.

A survivor of several challenges and perils, Kelly is presented as a young woman who grows from self-absorbed teenage beginnings toward a more sensitive and mature adulthood. Along the way, she gains the romantic attentions of many, but begins to cherish a select few. 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.

Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)

Introduction

Throughout the course of the first series, Kelly became one of the show's most developed characters. When introduced, she was presented as a stereotypical spoiled type who placed high value on posh appearances and material possessions.

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. During episode 13, "Slumber Party," Kelly revealed that she was essentially date-raped 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 other girls then began to realize that Kelly had been through a lot more in life than they were aware of. These were the first times that Kelly opened up to Andrea in particular, and later, the girls 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.

Progression

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. Eventually, Kelly was revealed to have a notable conscience during a summer romance with Dylan McKay, the boyfriend of her friend Brenda, often being the voice of reason during their affair. Kelly went through a period of minor depression during her senior year in high school in season 3. The stress of having feelings for Dylan, someone who she could not have 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.

File:Jennie Kelly.jpg

Kelly began as a supporting player but grew into the main character.

Also during this time, Kelly's mother had a new baby, Erin, got married, got divorced, and put Kelly's childhood home up for sale. All of the changes caused her to lash out emotionally, abuse diet pills, and briefly lose control over her life. 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 where 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.

Creator Darren Star has commented on the character's progression. In his DVD commentary of the episode "Spring Dance," Star notes Kelly's first attempt to romance Brandon Walsh, in which she'd embraced her role as Spring Princess and used a largely forward and aggressive approach. He goes on to state that years later, when Kelly was prone to expressing her affections in a more gentle and compassionate manner, 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. This development is standardized one additional year later, via her aforementioned second pursuit of Brandon Walsh, which ends in success.

Ultimately, throughout the first five seasons, Kelly gained an increasing degree of screen prominence and growth. Amidst her continuing development, her role in launching the spin-off, her prominent triangle with Brenda and Dylan, her later affections with male lead Brandon, and the launch of a second triangle with Brandon and Dylan, 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. Her status would become standardized throughout the course of the series' run.

Personal achievements and relations

Kelly faced many difficult issues and obstacles, often with the assistance of loved ones, including her difficult home life, being date-raped, being tricked into joining a cult, being caught in a fire, and temporarily becoming addicted to cocaine. In addition, she endured being shot, getting amnesia, shooting her rapist in self-defense, going to rehab, being stalked and almost killed by a patient from rehab, becoming unexpectantly pregnant and having a miscarriage, and learning that it would be difficult, but not impossible, for her to have children because of a condition called endometriosis. In overcoming these matters, she was able to become a better person and help others.

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.

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. She ultimately refused to make a decision. However, in the seventh season, she finally chose Brandon. She nearly married Brandon, but the two decided that they were not ready. Following Jason Priestley's departure from the series, Jennie Garth became the officially billed lead, with the character of Kelly further maturing, starting her own PR firm, and reuniting romantically with Dylan at the show's conclusion.

Melrose Place (1992)

For the launch of the series Melrose Place, 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 starts a relationship with Kelly which leads 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 pretends to cheat on her, prompting her to leave him. Afterwards on both Beverly Hills, 90210 and Melrose Place, Kelly, Donna, Jake, and others made occasional comments concerning Kelly and Jake's brief love affair.

90210 (2008-)

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 is revealed in the pilot episode that during the intervening years since Beverly Hills, 90210, Kelly has attained a Master's Degree and she also has a four-year-old son named Sammy. It is also revealed that West Beverly principal Harry Wilson was Kelly's neighbor growing up.

Kelly's tenuous relationship with her mother Jackie is continued in the series, particularly concerning her half-sister Erin Silver, a recurring character in the original series and a main character in the spin-off. She has 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 recently ex-boyfriend, Ryan Matthews, a teacher at West Beverly. Following Brenda's discovery that she could not have children, she and Kelly made amends once again.

Kelly and Ryan reconcile when Silver is on the run. On the night of Donna's moving back party, Kelly and Ryan meet 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 turn in to his apartment where they are last seen making out. Ultimately, she and Ryan chose not to pursue a romantic relationship.

Reception

The character Naomi Clark, of 90210, is often compared to Kelly Taylor.

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. On November 24, 2008, SOAPnet aired a Beverly Hills, 90210 marathon titled "Kelly's Leftovers," dedicated to the character's love life. While discussing the Melrose Place spin-off in a 2009 interview, Grant Show, who played Jake Hanson, stated that he would be encouraged to appear if Jennie Garth did so as Kelly Taylor. After being confirmed to direct episode 18 of the spin-off 90210, Jason Priestley commented that he hoped Jennie Garth would be among the actors present. 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." Additionally, Kelly Taylor is often cited by the media as an inspiration for the character Naomi Clark, introduced in 90210.

References in other Jennie Garth works

• In a season 3 episode of What I Like About You ("Dangerous Liaisons") Val (played by Jennie Garth) and Todd (played by Luke Perry) flashed back to high school, where Todd spoke of his girlfriend, Brenda, who was away in Paris (a nod to Luke Perry's Beverly Hills, 90210 portrayal of Dylan McKay, and to Brenda Walsh going to Paris in season 3 of the show). Val also mentions that Brenda was her best friend (a nod to Jennie Garth portraying Kelly and to Kelly's friendship with Brenda). In the same episode, when Val is flashing back, a musical number very similar to the Beverly Hills, 90210 theme plays in the background.

• In a season 4 episode of What I Like About You ("The Perfect Date"), Charlie (played by Jason Priestley) mistakes Val (played by Jennie Garth) for being someone he knew when he was younger, as he asks her if they went to high school together (a nod to Garth's previous role as Kelly). When Val replies that she doesn't think so, Charlie asks her if she remembers that he was the editor of the school paper (a nod to Priestley's portrayal of Brandon Walsh) and that she was friends with his sister (a nod to Kelly's friendship with Brenda).

External links

• 90210pedia (Wikia)