Why Grant Show Thinks His and Jennie Garth’s Character Age Gap Would Be Illegal Today

Have you ever looked back at a pop culture moment and wondered how it was ever considered acceptable? That’s exactly what happened to Grant Show from Melrose Place when he revisited his 1990s series.

Show realized that his character, Jake Hanson, a 20-something, dating Jennie Garth’s Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210 was problematic. Although their relationship was brief—he appeared in two episodes of 90210, while she appeared in three of his spinoff show—the age gap now seems troubling.

On the Still the Place rewatch podcast, hosted by his former co-stars Daphne Zuniga, Laura Leighton, and Courtney Thorne-Smith, Show commented that their romance "would now be illegal and like, 'Me Too.'" He noted that while Kelly was a high school student, he was 30 years old at the time.

"I think we only kissed, but still, you know, not good," Show said. His realization of the inappropriateness of their relationship came as he rewatched the episodes before the podcast. "I didn't really think much of it at the time we were shooting," he admitted, but now he finds it uncomfortable.

Jennie Garth also reflected on the age gap during an interview on the 90210MG podcast, which she co-hosts with former 90210 star Tori Spelling. Garth acknowledged that, although she hadn’t considered it an issue back then, it now feels "creepy" in retrospect.