Brandon Walsh
From 90210pedia
Brandon Walsh, portrayed by Jason Priestley, was the longtime lead character of Beverly Hills, 90210, and the first character introduced in the Beverly Hills, 90210 continuity. To date, his substantial role throughout the first series marks his only appearance in the franchise.
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[edit] Character overview
After moving from Minnesota to California with their parents, Jim and Cindy, Brandon and his sister Brenda enrolled in the West Beverly Hills High School. There, they would meet several new friends.
A largely virtuous and ethical character, Brandon gained numerous admirers throughout the course of the series. He attracted the romantic attention of many women, and earned the respect of several friends—notably Steve Sanders and Dylan McKay. Brandon's sister Brenda was also shown to harbor a particular fondness for his character at times, openly telling him at one point that he truly was her best friend. In response, Brandon stated that he hoped he always would be.
Brandon was the last Walsh to leave his family's iconic home in Beverly Hills.
[edit] Love life
Brandon had several romantic interests during the course of Beverly Hills, 90210, largely portrayed by series guest stars.
Throughout the first two seasons, he was often seen with a love interest for only one episode, as was the case with Sheryl, his old girlfriend from Minnesota. On rarer occasions during this period, he was instead paired with a recurring character, such as the troubled Emily Valentine, or Brooke Alexander, a girl he met during the second summer season.
From Season 3 onward, Brandon was given longer-term, more serious relationships. Many of his most notable love interests were girlfriends who'd also marked certain firsts. Of the longtime friends he made in Beverly Hills, Kelly Taylor became the first girl in the circle who he was romantically drawn to. His first committed relationship of the show, however, would come unexpectedly a couple of years later.
(Jason Priestley and Jennie Garth)
[edit] Kelly Taylor
Shortly after his arrival in Beverly Hills, Brandon met a girl named Kelly Taylor, who would become his primary romantic interest throughout his years on the series.
Brandon and Kelly became friendly through mutual acquaintances, and harbored secret attractions to one another from the beginning. In time, Kelly grew eager to begin a relationship and excitedly pursued Brandon by arranging a date with him at their Spring Dance. However, Brandon restrained his feelings out of respect for his new friend Steve, who happened to be Kelly’s ex, and because he eventually viewed Kelly as a sister-figure due to her friendship with Brenda. After confronting and resolving these matters, the pair acknowledged their attraction, but initially decided to simply be friends.
Years later, Brandon and Kelly’s feelings for one another began to flare once again. It was during this period that Kelly had begun to outgrow her teenage roots, becoming less self-absorbed and revealing a more sensitive and mature side to her personality. This was put on display when Kelly paid Brandon a surprise visit during a trip out of town, and—in contrast to her previous approach—expressed her affections in a very discreet and gradual manner. Brandon, who had lately become closer to Kelly than ever before, was effectively touched by her actions. From that point onward their relationship evolved from simple attraction to a genuinely loving bond.
In addition to her relationship with Brandon, Kelly has had long-standing ties to his family. She received motherly affection from Cindy, and shares a close friendship with Brenda. Just before Kelly could become a Walsh herself, however, she and Brandon chose to calmly abort their wedding in the eighth season; they parted on friendly terms in the ninth.
(Jason Priestley and Dana Barron)
[edit] Nikki Witt
Nikki Witt, played by Dana Barron, provided Brandon with his first steady on-screen romance, subsequently becoming his first serious girlfriend in Beverly Hills.
Meeting in Season 3, Brandon and Nikki dated from the beginning of the school year until Christmas, separating when she moved home to San Francisco. They were introduced through several occurrences of bumping into each other at school. Via a mixture of charm, humor, and friendly conversation, they gradually became more interested in one another.
Though Brandon initially resisted her upon learning of their age difference, Nikki—aware that their attraction was mutual—maintained interest, eventually winning his affection.
[edit] Lucinda Nicholson
Introduced in Season 4, Lucinda Nicholson, played by Dina Meyer, was a married professor at Brandon’s university. Prior to meeting her, Brandon was not shown to have dated anyone notably older than himself. Though they at first had reservations about seeing each other, they eventually embarked on a brief and secret affair. After finding himself displeased with some of Lucinda’s actions—which included taking a romantic interest in Dylan—Brandon ended the relationship.
[edit] Profession
Brandon is a journalist who wrote for his high school paper during the series' early years, and ran a publication with Steve and David after reaching adulthood. He departed the show after accepting a job at a newspaper out of town.
