Kelly Taylor Returns To West Beverly High

Well it looks like Kelly Taylor’s name is being added to the character list for the CW’s much anticipated 90210 spinoff. There were rumors that Jennie Garth, who played Taylor in the original 90210 series might be signing on for the spinoff but nothing’s been certain until now.

Garth was originally set to star in a new CBS series, My Best Friend’s Girl but she backed out of that deal and since then, many have speculated that she would be participating in the 90210 spin-off that’s almost guaranteed to be officially picked up by The CW this month. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Garth has indeed signed on for the spinoff and will be headed back to old West Bev as a guidance counselor. She won’t be a regular on the series according to the Reporter but her presence on the show will certainly help to give the spin-off a familiar feel to it for those of us who watched the original series.

And speaking of the original series, let’s talk about Kelly Taylor for a minute. When Kelly was first introduced to us in the first season of 90210, she was a spoiled, rich, somewhat promiscuous… well, bitch (for lack of a more appropriate word). Throughout the series, thanks in part to the influence of the lovable Walsh family added to the usual trials and life-experience that comes with getting past adolescence, Kelly’s character goes through a huge transformation and in the final seasons, she’s easily one of the nicest, characters in the show. I suppose that’s what happens to a person after they’ve been through an eating disorder, drug addiction, getting stalked, raped and shot over the course of a decade.

One thing I’m really hoping we’ll see in the spin-off is the original exterior of West Beverly High School. It was the same school that was later used for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series (only then it was Sunnydale High). I’m wondering if they’ll be able to use the same location for the spin-off.