Melrose Place

There was a time where CW cancelled shows, just like that. And when you see old ratings, including those this show got, there's nothing to be ashamed of. And they even complement, the current standards for the network perfectly. Unfortunately as it aired ten years ago, choices needed to be made, and new shows needed to be pushed. So Melrose Place reboot got the boot, when things were starting to get interesting. Just like the original show, it took them several episodes to find its footing. And after the questionable murder/mystery sub-plot was handled, as well as some of the excess baggage cast members (again, just like they did, on the original series) The show was finally getting it right. I'm still bitter CW decided to pull the plug on it, in favor of another « drama » that ultimately flopped the following year. And was really looking forward to crossover episodes between this and 90210. But CEOs clearly did not want the show to succeed, otherwise they would've given it at least one last chance, to prove itself. How low things have gone since, and the so called changes they wanted for the network, made matters worse. And now that CW is the shadow of its former self, and promising shows like these, leave new viewers frustrated with « open door » endings. I can't really feel sympathy for the what the network is going through. Payback's a B...

Melrose Place was fantastic. It exceeded my expectations, I thought I would be disappointed like I was with 90210 and it blew me away, really smart to hire an Oscar winning director to direct the show. Even Ashlee Simpson, who is usually an AWFUL actress, was not as bad as I thought she was gonna be, but that was due to smart editing, they focused more on Stephanie Jacobson, who was brilliant in her role as was Thomas Calabro who was great with his subtle cyncism, Laura Leighton doing manipulative brilliantly while adding a touch of humour, Shaun Sipos was also great, as was Michael Rady, they were all on point and sharp with their acting, and this comes from an actor who has studied and performed in theatre my entire life (me). I'm VERY nitpicky when it comes to seeing acting mistakes, I can't even watch Ghost Whisperer because of the atrocity that is Jamie Kennedy, but Melrose? Just brilliant, brilliant acting, brilliant cinematography, music, 10 stars.

After watching the first 10 minutes of this stink fest all I could think of was the insult to the memory of the true Melrose Place.

The original Melrose Place had mid to late twenty somethings that lived in a realistic-to-their- income complex and had real-life issues carried out in the dramatic fashion of talents such as Heather Locklear. This new show is just another Gossip Girl/The Hills/ The City imitation that is some kind of fantasy world where everyone is 20 years old, an Abercrombie model, rich, and oh-by-the-way wildly successful as an agent/photographer/etc.

The acting is terrible, none of these newbies can barely utter a line with believable deliverance and the sets are over the top decorated and adorned. The script writers also aren't on their way to an Emmy anytime soon, either. I wish Laura Leighton and Thomas Calabro hadn't sullied their acting reputation by getting into bed this bomb.

In the 90's I was a huge fan of the original Melrose Place and I was only a teenage. Unlike most of the people, I think that the best seasons were the first ones, and when things started being the most craziest thing on TV, it just stopped hooking me. People say that the 1st season wasn't so great because it hasn't anything catchy or interesting... but in my point of view it was great because, differently from what was the original Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose was showing a bunch of going-on-30's trying to achieve something in their life. They were living in Hollywood, in a middle class complex, working hard, paying their bills, falling in love, making mistakes. Melrose was meant to be in drama what FRIENDS was for the comedy but it didn't work for the audience and that's why it turned something that it became in further seasons.

When I heard that MP would come back I thought that it would be a great opportunity to try its original idea again, most of all because I'm 27 right now, the same age of most of the original characters in the first season.

But I'm a little disappointed because Melrose is just another teenage show getting the same track of Gossip Girl, a TV show for teenagers discuss the last episode during boring classes or also trying to be one of the characters. It's only a new TV show with people with great and stylish haircuts-and-colors, using amazing outfits, living a simple life that simple people wouldn't ever have. So, I was expecting something more serious and mature.

But differently from what I felt just watching the pilot (which made me give just 1 star first time a wrote about it), now I have to say that it got a lot better after second episode. Despite some characters and amateur acting level (like that horrible Ashlee Simpson or that annoying Jessica Lucas), the lack of chemistry between most of the actors, and also the fact that there's background music in every single scene (which is also a lot annoying), the show is really holding my attention. Seems that it will be the same craziest thing that the original one was, but not in a so surreal way (well, I expect that). Of course that some things are the same: everyone needs to take care of their own backs, because everyone's crazy to stab each other.

After second episode characters started to gain some edges and interesting constructions. Now I see that Sydney's death was a great background to tell each character's own story being interesting without losing its tempo. Even some explicit references to the old MP are there all the time (like the exactly same MP complex, cameos of the original main characters, and also characters with some personality resemblances to the older ones like Auggie = Jake, or Ella = Amanda + Allison), this is a totally new show.

The best characters are the main ones performed by charismatic actors like Lauren Yung (Stephanie Jacobsen), Ella Simms (Katie Cassidy), Auggie Kirkpatrick (Colin Eggelesfield) and Jonah Miller (Michael Rady)... the rest of the bunch are totally forgettable and supporting. I repeat that Ashlee Simpson's character (and also Ashlee herself) is TOTALLY unnecessary, she's boring, she can't act and her character doesn't add anything to the show, any other actress could make what she's doing way much better. So, writers, for the sake of the nation, kill this character! Take this girl out of this show quickly!

After giving the show just 1 star, now I give it 6... and I'll probably give more when Ashley Simpson get out of it.

I often close my eyes and shake my head when I hear about Hollywood remaking what seems to be every title that was successful in the past. I never watched the original Melrose Place, but knew who some of the characters were and understood the concept of the show.

When I tuned it to watch this remake I really expected to be disappointed, as I was with the pilot for the 90210 remake. I was actually entertained. Yes, the acting was average and who casted Ashley Simpson? She can't even act.

The story lines seem to conveniently center around sex and some just seem so made up. Writers, you need to think of better twists! Overall, the chemistry between the cast seems to work for me. This show has potential as long as the writers have a plan. Check it out.