Brenda Walsh might have only been a character on Beverly Hills, 90210 for 4 out of the 10 seasons, but she made such an impression that it's hard not to think of her when you think of the 90's show. Brenda was the nice girl from Minnesota turned Beverly Hills drama queen with a unique fashion sense and a knack for finding a way to make everything about her. The actress who played her, Shannen Doherty, caused her fair share of drama herself, leading to her character being written off ahead of season 5.
But before she left, she was apart of some crazy storylines and memorable moments. Brenda could be overrated at times but she also had a few great qualities that were often overlooked and fans either loved her or loved to hate her.
Underrated: Her Work With The Teen Help-line
In episode nine of the first season, Brenda starts working for the local teen helpline and in the process, she helps out a classmate who is being harassed by the football team. Brenda helps the girl start to stand up to the guys and eventually the police are involved and she ends up not being bothered anymore.
The work that Brenda did there was really great and it could have really added to her character but sadly the episode “The Gentle Art Of Listening” is the only episode where Brenda is shown working here and it is not really mentioned again.
Overrated: Her Jealousy Of Kelly
The jealousy Brenda has towards Kelly through the first few seasons can definitely be a little too much at times. And while one can admit that during times like the incident with the dress in season 1, Kelly could be equally petty, but Brenda often did not know when to let things go when it came to Kelly.
Her hypocrisy towards Kelly in season 3 when she starts to see Dylan during the summer that Brenda is away in Paris, is a perfect example of this. Brenda really had no right to be so upset at Kelly for falling for Dylan when Brenda herself was pretending to be French to attract tourist Rick.
Underrated: Her Chemistry With Dylan
One thing that was undeniable about Brenda was that she had amazing chemistry with Dylan, or rather one could say that Shannen Doherty had a lot of chemistry with Luke Perry.
Either way, it was enjoyable to watch the two onscreen as a couple and they were hard to look away from. It made sense that Dylan went running to her after what happened with Toni, as many fans will always view Brenda as his one true pairing.
Overrated: The Way She Treats Emily Valentine
In season 2 Brenda did little to hide her distaste for new girl Emily Valentine, especially when she succeeded to date Dylan and then her brother Brandon. Due to her jealousy she never really gave Emily a chance and even went so far as to yell at Emily and berate her in front of their friends when they were building a school float together.
Emily did act little nuts, destroying the float and nearly lighting it on fire, but the rest of the group found it in their heart to forgive her once they saw she was just lost. But Brenda was always one to hold a grudge and would not let it go, coming off like quite a shrew in the process.
Underrated: Her Alter Ego "Laverne"
One of the best episodes featuring Brenda Walsh is in season 1 when she creates the alter ego Laverne, a sassy eccentric personality that Brenda invents to entertain herself while covering for Brandon at Nat's dinner.
She's great at it and all the customers love her but unfortunately, it was a one-time performance. Brenda did go on to keep acting so at least she continued that. But it would have been great to see Laverne return for an encore at some point.
Overrated: When She Almost Marries Stuart
Leave it to Brenda to rush into a teen marriage with someone she barely knows. And many would agree Stuart was not the best fish Brenda ever caught, by far, so why would she take the plunge with this guy she only went on a few dates with? He does not really have many redeeming qualities, having never had a real job until the one he has when they meet, that his father gave him.
But Brenda is so enthralled with the idea of marriage and is convinced it will make her happy and she almost goes through with it. Thankfully her friends and family show up to talk some sense into her. After this, he shows her his true colors when they go on a date and Brenda accidentally locks the keys in the car, Stuart is a jerk and makes the night worse by being angry and making her feel bad. They go their separate way after that, freeing up Brenda for Dylan, again.
Underrated: When She Goes Back to Minnesota
Brenda leaving for London was not the first time she left the Beverly Hills zipcode though. She briefly went back home to Minnesota at the beginning of season 4, thinking she didn't belong in Beverly Hills anymore. When she leaves it doesn't really seem as if she is missed very much which is slightly hard to believe after building up 4 years of friendship.
One can assume maybe it was too hard for the cast to muster up even fake enthusiasm for the character with all of the behind the scenes drama going on, but even still Brenda was overlooked in season 4, already being written off before actually bring written off. She might not have been everyone's favorite, but she contributed her own unique style and humor to the group that was clear to see in her absence and was many say was not filled by her replacement, Valerie.
Overrated: When She Almost Quits School And Moves Out
Brenda made many roll her eyes at her sense of self-worth when she decided she was mature enough to drop out of school, get her GED, and live on her own in the episode "Stand (Up) And Deliver". She did not take into account all the bills and work that enter into having your own place and instead just revealed in independence.
She enjoys that independence as she housesits for a new friend but gets a harsh shock of reality when her friend's stuff gets repossessed and the power and water get shut off. Brenda realizes that she can have her freedom and independence on stage and decides to go back to the stage. Or maybe she just didn't want to eat any more Spaghettios in the dark.
Underrated: Her Activism
Although Brenda sadly isn't seen doing more work with the teen line or similar programs in high school, when she gets to college she finds a passion for activism and even joins a group of animal rights activists. Unfortunately, she almost goes to prison for her involvement in the group when they vandalize the lab in protest to animal testing on campus.
Brenda was also involved in the Take back the Night event the school puts on in support of sexual assault victims. Having Brenda become more involved in activism could have really shaped her character and gave her a new dimension. Something that The O.C. seemed to do a better job with when Summer got into activism in college.
Overrated: her acting skills landing her a full-ride trip to London
It was easy to see that Brenda Walsh had a skill for acting and she was always dramatic, but it is hard to believe that she was so great in her college theater production in the finale of season 4, that she gained a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious drama school in London.
Many know that the real reason Brenda left was due to offscreen drama between Shannen Doherty and the rest of the cast, but her ending could have been a little more creative. At least they didn't kill her off like they did on Charmed.