Characters of Beverly Hills, 90210

The following is a list of characters from Beverly Hills, 90210, an American drama series which aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on the Fox television network, and went into syndication afterwards. It is the first show of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise.

Throughout its decade-long run, the series had substantial cast changes.

note: "Guest" refers to a previous main character returning for only one or two episodes in that season.

Jason Priestley portrays Brandon Andrew Walsh (main, season 1–9; special guest, season 10), the moral center of the show and the glue that holds the gang together (and Priestley was the group's off-screen "quarterback"). After his initial difficulties with Beverly Hills, he became loved by many and liked by all. In Season 1, after one of his drinks was spiked at a party, he briefly experienced a problem with drinking which led to the demise of his first cherished car (which he called 'Mondale'), and a night in jail. In Season 3, Brandon developed a serious gambling problem, which Nat, his boss at the Peach Pit, bailed him out of after he got into trouble with a mobster bookmaker after Brandon placed a few too many sports bets that he could not cover. Throughout the entire series, Brandon was involved in different journalism projects, from sports editor and co-chief of the Beverly Blaze in high school to co-editor of the CU Condor, a brief stint as news director at CUTV, and a year as student-body president (sophomore year). After graduation from college, he and Steve spent a year cultivating the Beverly Beat, a small newspaper given to Steve by Rush. He finally accepted a position with the Washington, D.C., bureau of the New York Chronicle. He was the person many turned to when the chips were down—from Donna's expulsion from high school, to Brenda's many problems, to Kelly's drug problem, to Andrea's getting into Yale, to Valerie's suicide attempt, to Ray's lawsuit against Joe, to Steve's constant stunts, and even to Dylan's battle with drugs and alcohol and the murder of his wife. Brandon is mentioned in the spin-off 90210 as having a family. Although Priestley didn't reprise his role as Brandon in the spin-off 90210, he directed the episode where Tori Spelling's character Donna Martin returns to town.

Shannen Doherty portrays Brenda Walsh (main, season 1–4), twin sister of Brandon. She felt very lonely when she first arrived in Beverly Hills, but soon became friends with Donna, Kelly, Steve, David, and Andrea. She met and dated her twin brother's friend Dylan McKay. She was the nice girl until around the second season when her character began to progress into being more rebellious and devious. She went to Europe during the summer after her junior year of high school and had a short-lived romance with Rick (played by Dean Cain), and eventually met and almost married Stuart, the son of one of Jim's business partners. Later, after she ended this relationship, she got the lead role in a production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and a subsequent spot in a London summer acting program. She was able to get admission to the program and departed Beverly Hills. A letter Brandon received from Dylan revealed that he and Brenda got back together during his time in London. They would eventually split up, and Brenda would continue touring as an actress. She was mentioned from time to time after Doherty was fired from the series (especially in Season 5) but never appeared again after that point. Brenda appeared in the first season of the spin-off series 90210. Brenda returns to Beverly Hills to star in a play and takes the opportunity to spend time with Kelly after gaining success as a theater actress and stage director in London. She subsequently agrees to direct a high school musical at West Beverly Hills High when the original director is no longer available. Her relationship with Kelly along with both women's lingering feelings for Dylan have become focal points for the two best friends. Brenda then finds out that she can never become pregnant. She tries to hide this fact from Kelly by trying to push her away. She later tells Kelly that she slept with Ryan. The two eventually reconcile. In the season finale, Brenda returns and offers her support to Adrianna who is having a baby. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Brenda had adopted a baby girl from China.

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