Primetime Soaps

[te.]

I don't think it actually looked *too* horrible until the last episode:

8.3 - 7.2 - 7.2 - 7.5 - 5.9.

I guess because they had the Perry Mason and Saved by the Bell tv movies scheduled to air in the slot, they might've thought The Round Table couldn't sustain those breaks and the last airing didn't inspire them much hope? It didn't rate that differently from I'll Fly Away bar that last performance and considering the trajectory of prime time soaps in general I'd at least given them 13 episodes to prove themselves. But maybe this is also why NBC just couldn't catch a break with prime time soaps - a lack of patience.

[kalbir]

Aaron Spelling wisely cut ties between 90210 and Melrose early on, after Melrose episode 3 I think. He learned his lesson after the disaster that was The Colbys.

[te.]

The early episodes are a bit... earnest and most doesn't work due to them being in their 20s... learning lessons that you'd expect the kids on 90210 to learn, and as a result it sort of become cringe-worthy. 90210 suffered from this in their later seasons when they'd occasionally tried to do "Issue of the Week" storylines and all characters ended up looking dumb as hell (like when Kelly had to explain to Donna about street prostutition in season 8).

[Liberty City]

That, to me, makes sense, hahahahaha.

[Liberty City]

Sandy leaving is no major loss... and seeing Tom Scavo as a gay man? I love it.

[Vee]

Hoo boy. Good luck with much of that first season! I do think a lot of it is essential though to understand the character dynamics when it shifts into gear near the latter half. The Jake/Jo, Michael, Jane and Kimberly stuff especially.

I was a devoted viewer from the beginning as a kid; the promo campaign with Billy and Alison and keeping the toilet seat down, etc. got me along with Josie Bissett being stunningly beautiful, Vanessa Wiliams, etc. Earnest youthful drama was very much the moment at that time so it was kind of understandable why they thought it would work as is; I was nowhere near as big a 90210 viewer as I was Melrose. But I was fascinated by Marcia Cross as Kimberly from the jump, even before things took a turn.

Many of us have dissected Melrose's later years a lot in its thread - check it out sometime.

Edited February 25, 2024 by Vee

[Liberty City]

So far so good! I'm on the episode where Matt is bashed and wow... Doug Savant is powerful. He always captivated me on Housewives but damn... this is something else. How progressive for the year. Wow. And Deborah Adair? How interesting. I can say they're definitely setting some stages and building... but know what became of Melrose Place... it makes me wonder how long it would have lasted had it stayed like this? And Marcia Cross is an icon. We stan.

[Vee]

She's not around long, but yes, many soap vets are sprinkled across MP's long run. I think they knew it was change it up or cancellation with the latter half of Season 1 and Heather.

Doug Savant's storylines as Matt were decried as tame and vanilla even in those days; I remember they infamously cut away from a kiss he had with Billy's friend(?) in a later season. I can't recall if the kiss was filmed or not, I think so. Matt's personal stuff was always kind of third-tier but they did thread him into ongoing storylines better later on, and eventually he started getting much edgier storylines which often came off kind of laughable (Matt on meth, or whatever he was on in Season 4 or 5) but at least they were trying to use him. I'm just glad Doug has gone on to have a much more fulfilling career - he's still married to Laura Leighton (Sydney, who you will get to know very well soon enough).

[Liberty City]

From what I read, Matt's storylines were edited because Fox (LOL) and producers were scared of critics' reaction. Such a shame, because it reminds me of Steven on Dynasty, but in the '90s. And yes, I am aware of who Miss Sydney is, and cannot wait to see her!!!! And it's nice to see Grant Show, too!

[kalbir]

@Liberty City Melrose Place thread 

 

[Liberty City]

thank you! I tried searching for it, but couldn't find it.

[kalbir]

You're welcome @Liberty City

[te.]

To be honest, I think Melrose would've been renewed for season 2 even without the Heather boost. It wasn't doing great, but looking at the other three dramas they launched that year - The Heights, Class of 96 and Key West, all bombed far worse than Melrose and networks rarely like to cancel all their new dramas (it's like admitting complete defeat). With that said, it probably would've had more of a The Colby's run of two-seasons-and-done as I'm sure they might've moved it from the safe space of the post-90210 halo. 

On a related note I've been watching failed soapy dramas this year and am on The Heights and Class of 96. I don't think either is too bad if you like these sort of early 90s shows. The Heights is probably trying to be a bit too heavy on the social issues of the day and in all honesty, I'm preferring Class of 96 as it feels a lot lighter (for now - I'm only two episodes in). Which is funny since "heavy" isn't a thing you'd normally associate with Aaron Spelling shows.

You kind of have to wonder how something like The Heights would've turned out if Fox had more patience with it and it lasted into Melrose Place going full-on barmy soap. Even the mothership didn't escape Melrose's influence.

[Vee]

Yeah, I think at most it'd have lasted another 13 episodes if renewed after S1.

[Contessa Donatella]

This is not a primetime soap. It's not a soap at all. It's a Family Drama with a soap actress as one of two leads & a former soap actress as an EP & Showrunner. This is the best place I could think of to put this. 

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Last night was the finale, the conclusion of GOOD TROUBLE on Freeform. Now except for a time or two I didn't watch this show but I was an avid fan of the show it was spun off of, THE FOSTERS, beginning in 2013 & running for 5 seasons, on ABC. https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/the-fosters

So recently & last night its creators & some of its stars have been out on Twitter, okay UglyX.

About the show: The dedicated police officer Stef Foster (Teri Polo) and her partner Lena Adams (Sherri Saum), a school vice principal, have built a close-knit, loving family with Stef's biological son from a previous marriage, Brandon, and their adopted twins, Mariana and Jesus. Their lives are disrupted in unexpected ways when Lena encounters Callie, a stern teenager with a past of abuse who has spent her life in and out of foster homes. Lena and Stef welcome Callie and Jude into their home, thinking it's temporary until a more permanent spot is found. But life has something else in store for the Fosters.

Joanna Johnson was one of the EPs. In a former life she played 2 roles on B&B. And, she was the first actor in daytime to come out as gay. J-Lo was the show's "silent" partner. She got behind this show because of her love for an aunt, who was a lesbian. Sherri Saum was on OLTL.