yulan

I think they really needed that. I think Dylan always saw Brenda as stronger than him, and more... worthy somehow. Whenever she rejected him, he respected the decision, although it was clear there was an attraction and temptation. I do not think that occasionally being more pushy with Kelly was a sign that he wanted her more, but that he saw her as weaker, incapable to stick to her decisions, to resist men and sexual attraction, did not really take her decisions seriously, and did not really respect her either. Well, he was often openly dismissive of her opinion on different stuff anyway. He was never dismissive of Brenda's. And as Caro once said, everything that Kelly demanded from him, Brenda was getting effortlessly. It was the most obvious in S4.

Crystal Clear

^ Shannen looks so beautiful there, her thick hair and gorgeous lipstick.

I'm on a season 2 re-watch and I'm not too impressed with the writing. Maybe the writers think it's normal for teenagers to be on/off but to THIS extent? Really?? One moment, Brenda is dreaming of Dylan and pining for him (2x05) then the next, she's chasing after her Drama teacher and acting as if Dylan is a distant memory. Then she's back to wanting Dylan again in 2x08 when Emily shows interest.

I don't know, it's ironic that I'm so hateful toward Dylan in season 3 - and rightfully so - but it never really gets mentioned in the fandom how indecisive Brenda can be when it comes to him.

yulan

That episode when she went after the teacher felt quite random, and it was really a one-episode crush. I mean, Brenda and Dylan were not a couple a whole season, but they were a thing a whole season for sure. They only had one break up, not, IDK, three. Once they got back together in Wildfire, they stayed together.

We mentioned it here several times over the years. I totally remember discussing it more than once. But we did not mention it in a long time. Indeed, she was sometimes annoying in S2 with the treatment of Dylan. Based on S2, I do see why some fans would prefer Kelly over her, and would root for Kelly/Dylan in S3.

However, whatever she did - she did not hook up with Dylan's best friend behind his back, lied about it and flirt secretly with him for months, and be a bitch in his face once it was discovered. That is why S3 Dylan is so much more detestable than Brenda ever was or could be. In Pass/Not Pass when she went after the teach, she told Dylan right away, as soon as he arrived, in the same episode. She did the same about Rick in S3. Brenda did not hide things. She was a direct and honest person. Unlike Dylan from S3 onwards.

yulan

Sorry for the double post!

Gynge

yulan

Right. It did feel out of place. But I also think it was a writing pattern for TV shows back in time, to have a random episode when the couple goes through temptation, but nothing really happens, and it has no influence on the general direction of the show either. That episode did not bug me at all. Maybe because neither Brenda nor Dylan came out as really bad. And the ending was really nice, with both of them discussing their love and Dylan saying he was happy just because he found her. And looking happy, peaceful and calm just resting with her cheek-to-cheek.

In S1-2 Dylan was much more determined about being with Brenda than vice versa. It always seemed to me that losing him in S3, under really ugly circumstances, was supposed to be some sort of punishment for Brenda for taking a relationship with such an awesome boyfriend for granted. And he was indeed awesome in S1-2. But not in S3. To anyone.

Gynge

That's a good point re: tv writing at the time; sometimes forget that this was the first teen drama, and episodes like that were very common in eg. family shows, like full house or so.

Yeah, Dylan just withdrew his feelings completely after s2. And yeah. Was never into Dylan/Kelly, but looking at it now, as an adult, it's actually really creepy how badly he treats her. And then later on she says he was 'the first guy to take her seriously'. Girl, no. You deserve better.

yulan

Yeah, and I think such episodes even served to strengthen the couples at stake.

In S2 there was more continuity between the episodes than in S1, but sometimes they still had these random stand-outs with plots and characters that are never mentioned again. So I guess this was simply one of those episodes. Not a foreshadowing of the end of Brenda/Dylan. Had they wanted to start breaking them up, they'd have given them more troubles in the upcoming episodes. More regular conflicts between the two of them, things that continuously pop up as problems, like in S3. But that was not the case.

IDK, to me Cardio Funk is actually one of their stronger episodes We see how continuously she supported his fight with alcoholism, how much he relied on her and blabbed about her to the other people, and they've overcome some random temptations WITHOUT FIGHTING. And reclaimed how lucky and happy they were that they have found each other.

Crystal Clear

^ That reminds me of the DVD special feature on season 2 where these 2 fans of the show point out all the times Brenda has conflicting comments about Dylan, like one minute she adores him and the next she's telling him to GTFO of her house

yulan

On a serious note, she kicked him out of her house only once, in Necessity Is a Mother. And rightfully so, because he came drunk and decided to drink some more there. That was what Kelly would later call tough love, except she practiced it differently (without much involvement and monitoring). In that episode she gave Brenda an advice to let him hit the bottom, which was a good advice actually, but I think we were not supposed to think so.

Usually Brenda was nice and kind to him even when she was pushing him away.

Crystal Clear

I loved that episode and yes, I think Brenda's tough love approach was very important for their relationship because he needed to know that she wasn't gonna tolerate the type of behaviour that leads to him ending up in hospital (or worse).

yulan

Yup, and she was very determined in it. And she had this... affective force to really get to people's minds.

Crystal Clear

For sure. She got results most of the time because she knew how to handle people. I think that's a huge reason why Iris is so kind to Brenda when she sees that Dylan and Kelly are dating. Iris was witness to how lovingly Brenda treated him in season 2 and she will have been so shocked that Dylan let that strong kind of love go.

yulan

Absolutely. I remembered that Brenda also stood up to her in S2, and Iris probably remembered that too, and admired her passion in doing so and caring for Dylan that much. I think she concluded Brenda was "strong, loving and loyal" Damn right.

yulan