Kelly Taylor

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 she. 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 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 beautiful;.[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]

The approach of season 3 marked the beginning of Kelly's rise from supporting player to the main character.

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, being trapped in a fire, being tricked into joining a cult,[29] and becoming temporarily addicted to cocaine.[30] In addition to many other matters, she endured getting amnesia,[31] shooting 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.