Pacific Palisades

This wasn't the greatest show on television or was nowhere close to it, but "Pacific Palisades" will always hold a special place in my heart. It came out around the time FOX's other landmark dramas "Melrose Place" and "90210" were beginning to lose their steam. So it seemed PP would be the perfect addition to the lineup, well it unfortunately failed, and even Joan Collins couldn't save it. The show had many twists and turns through the course of the dozen or so episodes which aired. Luckily the series managed to wrap up all it's loose ends in the last episode, so it wouldn't leave viewers wondering what ever happened.... oh well, it failed... and it's long gone... but it made out as a great summer series.

This and Malibu Shores, were the two most noticeable series that failed to spawn Spelling's lucrative signature. It was trying to be Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, and even older shows, like Knots Landing all at once, but was not able to pull it off. Just by watching the opening credits, it was clear the show had too many leads to have focus, and that the script would go different directions at once. Which it did, so much, I'm still unable to recall its common thread. I would put this show in the daytime soap category, personally. Everything about it looked cheap, even the direction and cinematography did. And after Joan Collins came to the rescue, to save it from impending cancellation, it shortly was. Fortunately for most of the actors involved, they landed gigs on other Spelling's productions, and popular daytime soaps even. And almost a decade later, Marc Cherry pulled off the same formula with Desperate Housewives...

This show started out with a boom and my family and I would watch it all the time. It premiered in Spring of 1997 with plot twists and very likable characters. It starred Michelle Stafford (Phylis, Y&R) and Finola Hughes (Anne, AMC) plus a great cast as well.

The first episode started with a lawyer who was in an exploding car accident. Then the show introduced Robert who was the owner of a realator company and was having an affair with his secretary Jessica while still being married to Kate who all the while adored Jess. Across the street, Cory was going out with Ashley and worked as a plastic surgeon but the nice girl was having doubts if she could trust her man. Next door were small towners, JoAnna and Nick Hadley with sister (later revealed to be JoAnna's daughter) Rachel. Next door to them were the schemers like Matt and the sexy Australian seductress Laura (ex-Neighbours star, Kimberly Davies).

After a five episode stint, Pacific Palisades returned during the summer and new characters were brought onto the canvas. John who was a part of Laura's past and her mother Christina (Joan Collins) tried to sizzle things in California. In one episode Christina and Laura get into a cat fight that lands them both in a pool.

Other plots included the on again off again relationship between Kate and Robbert. Would they divorce or stay together? Jessica and Matt became an item but Robert still had feelings for Jessica so Matt tried to get them as far apart as they could. Matt even turned out to be the one who made the lawyer in the beginning kill himself as well as set the local mall to concave almost killing Rachel just to make it look like Robert did it.

As previously mentioned JoAnna turns out to be Rachel's mother so as revenge she tries to seduce Nick and also gets kidnapped by someone who she believes to be her father after being lured by someone online. Which had taken JoAnna, Nick, and Michael (Rachel's crush) to save her before it was too late.

Laura tries getting revenge on John who turns out to be married so she decides to break them up by seducing John purposely for his wife's eyes. All the while, Christina tries being Queen Bee in Laura's realator firm only to be outdone by her own daughter.

Matt becomes a gambler and Beth gets a visitor from her past so they have to fight to stay together.

And that was about it. There were thirteen episodes total and the last episode wrapped up everything:

JoAnna, Rachel, and Nick moved out of Pacific Palisades and Rachel says good bye to Michael.

Jessica left the company after telling Kate that she would never work for her and continued her relationship with Matt.

Robert and Kate got back together.

Ashely and Matt stay a couple.

John and his wife moved away leaving Laura and Christina to get what they always wanted, rich men.

So in the end everyone got what they deserved, except for the fans, who get the shaft because this was such a good show that they should have never taken it off the air!

This Series is one of the best short-lived Series ever, it was fast-paced and fun to watch, while the acting wasn't great it was certianly entertaining. Alas, Even Joan Collins couldn't save it from bad ratings and the fact is the series had almost no promotion when it was on. Anyway it will always live on as a wonderful summer replacement series.

I always thought this was a Melrose Place copycat. It was quite enjoyable for its short run.