MELROSE PLACE (2009/Fox TV show).
This new version of the 1992 night-time soap opera managed to last one season but probably won't be back in the fall. The main characters include Ella (Katie Cassidy, who was on Harper's Island), a go-getting publicist; Jonah (Michael Rady), a rising filmmaker; Riley (Jessica Lucas), his on-again/off-again girlfriend; David (Shaun Sipos), a handsome "bad boy" who is the son of Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) from the original show; Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen), who becomes a hooker so that she can pay her way through medical school; and others. The starting-off point was the murder of bad girl Sidney (Laura Leighton) with numerous suspects. Cast members of the old show, including the two already mentioned, appeared, and Heather Locklear was brought in late in the game to reprise her role as bitchy no-nonsense Amanda. While the sparring between her and Ella was amusing, and the show was not without entertainment value and had some decent acting, it never quite got the edge of the original series. Ella was supposed to be a bisexual character, but aside from some make-out scenes with other women in early episodes, she was "straightened" out pretty quickly.
Verdict: If you missed it, don't cry. **1/2.
This new version of the 1992 night-time soap opera managed to last one season but probably won't be back in the fall. The main characters include Ella (Katie Cassidy, who was on Harper's Island), a go-getting publicist; Jonah (Michael Rady), a rising filmmaker; Riley (Jessica Lucas), his on-again/off-again girlfriend; David (Shaun Sipos), a handsome "bad boy" who is the son of Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) from the original show; Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen), who becomes a hooker so that she can pay her way through medical school; and others. The starting-off point was the murder of bad girl Sidney (Laura Leighton) with numerous suspects. Cast members of the old show, including the two already mentioned, appeared, and Heather Locklear was brought in late in the game to reprise her role as bitchy no-nonsense Amanda. While the sparring between her and Ella was amusing, and the show was not without entertainment value and had some decent acting, it never quite got the edge of the original series. Ella was supposed to be a bisexual character, but aside from some make-out scenes with other women in early episodes, she was "straightened" out pretty quickly.
Verdict: If you missed it, don't cry. **1/2.
I just watched the new "Melrose Place" pilot and I personally loved it! As a HUGE fan of the original, I was a bit sad to see Sydney killed off since she was one of my favorite characters, but I'll get over it.
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