‘Would Now Be Illegal’: Grant Show On The Uncomfortable Age Gap Between His And Jennie Garth’s Characters In Beverly Hills 90210

As an ardent fan of Beverly Hills 90210, I find myself reflecting on the controversial age gap between Grant Show’s character Jake Hanson and Jennie Garth’s Kelly Taylor with a mix of nostalgia and discomfort. Having grown up watching these iconic characters navigate their teenage lives, it’s hard to ignore the reality that their romantic relationship would be considered problematic by today’s standards.


Actor Grant Show, who is now 62 years old, recently discussed the challenging age difference between their characters in the Beverly Hills 90201 series. In this popular show, he and Jennie Garth portrayed romantic interests for one another.

For those unfamiliar, the character Jake Hanson, played by someone in his twenties, had a brief romance with Kelly Taylor, portrayed by Jennie Garth, who was still a high school student at the time.

In a conversation on the Still the Place Rewind podcast with Laura Leighton, Daphne Zuniga, and Courtney Thorne-Smith, he reminisced about the age difference, commenting that if it were today, it would be considered inappropriate and potentially problematic, similar to the #MeToo movement.

In the series, Grant was initially portrayed as an old acquaintance of Dylan, who was famously played by the late actor Luke Perry. After his retirement, Jake moved to town and eventually developed a brief romance with Kelly when her family employed him for landscaping work in their garden.

During our conversation on the podcast, he expressed that it seemed they had only shared a kiss, however, he emphasized that it wasn’t a positive experience.

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According to reports from People, it was later explained in the series that the characters portrayed by the actors were adults, despite airing in 1992 when the actor playing “Show” was 30 and the one playing “Garth” was 20 years old. (Or: The show made clear that the actors playing the roles were adults at the time of the 1992 airings, even though they were 30 and 20 respectively.)

As a devoted admirer and cast member on Melrose Place, I admit that during our filming sessions, my co-star wasn’t often on my mind. However, upon revisiting the series, I found myself exclaiming, “Ah, yes! Check this out!” Indeed, it was quite a sight to behold when seen through fresh eyes.

Recently on Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling’s “90210mg” podcast, guests Zuniga, Thorne-Smith, and Leighton discussed their experiences. In this conversation, Jennie Garth was inquired about similar topics.

As she pondered over the circumstances, she explained, “I found myself thinking, ‘Alright, this is the task that has been assigned to me.'”

The actress admitted that she didn’t have much control over decisions, therefore she was simply complying with the wishes of Darren and Aaron.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I’d put it this way: I find myself unmoved by the circumstances at hand and have turned the page; looking back only brings an unsettling chill.

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Many people find it problematic when there’s a significant age gap in romantic relationships depicted on screen, as seen in numerous shows over the years, such as Never Have I Ever.

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2024-08-02 17:38