Primetime Soaps

[Khan]

I wondered that myself.  That "look" would have been all wrong for primetime, as viewers would've thought they were watching a sitcom.

[Chris B]

All I've ever seen is that it was a 1995 pilot for CBS. I'll try and see if I can find more info about where it would've landed. 

[Contessa Donatella]

BTW, PACIFIC PALISADES is one of several short-lived primetime soaps that I have included, complete, in my digital files & I've also done an edit that is simply named "Pacific Palisades, The Other Woman" & people can see that if they want. But, what it is, is a Finola edit, of some perfect line readings, begins when she arrives at the office & approaches the receptionist & ends when she verbally finishes off the actual other woman. You won't have trouble "seeing it" from the episode. 

[Chris B]

I just watched the 919 Fifth Avenue pilot and I see what yall were saying about the production values. Even the way the scenes were written felt more like this was a soap pilot. There is no way CBS would've aired that in primetime in the 90s. I'm honestly surprised they even aired it as a TV movie. 

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad and it had a good cast, just clearly wasn't made for primetime. Now I'm even more curious to find info about the development to see what they originally intended it for.

[te.]

I searched the Google News Archives for it and the only thing I can find is an article from September 1994 which mentions Dominic Dunne developing the script as either a tv series or a tv movie. I'm guessing CBS had no faith in it or need for it, especially once they landed a deal with Darren Star but had committed to filming it, so they did it low-budget to keep their end of it. 

ETA: to further my suspicions that this happened I took a look at when Darren landed at CBS - it was December 1994 when the deal with him was announced. So they must've been in negotiations with him for a few months. I'd assume this killed 919 Fifth Avenue. 

Edited January 20 by te.

[Khan]

Ironically, for all its' low-budget-ness, "919 Fifth Avenue" was better written and better cast than "Central Park West"/"CPW," which I thought was awful from day one (minus Tom Verica, lol).

[Soaplovers]

919 Fifth Avenue was probably put in 2nd position because CBS was 0bsessed at the time with courting the Melrose Place audience.

I think with a better production 919 Fifth Avenue would have been a better fit at CBS then Central Park West (which seemed like an east coast attempt at Melrose Place)

[dc11786]

"Fifth Avenue" was in development for a while. In January, 1992, Dunne was talking about developing "999 Fifth Avenue," and, by March, 1992, his script was undergoing a second draft after submitting it to the network. My guess is that it was in contention to be the replacement for "Knot's Landing," but then KL was renewed. 

At one point, Dunne had planned a character who was going to be an entertainer, a Carly Simon-type who would have inherited her apartment. I suspect the character morphed into Valerie Damore. 

The next year, when "Knot's" did close up shop, there was "Second Chances." The greenlight for the pilot came in early 1994 after "Second Chances" had flopped. 

Regarding "919 Fifth Avenue," it's not bad, but not great. The plot to the pilot is decent but the characterization is pretty paper thin for a good number of characters. The cast is decent, but wasted wiht a banal script. I wouldn't have gone forward with Brian Krause, personally, and possibly considered someone more dynamic than Tracey Needham. Noelle Beck has more life here than she did on "CPW," but I wonder how her part would have played in the long run.

If it had gone to series, the "downstairs" element needed to be developed more. The dialogue was generic. I was also able to guess who the rapist/killer was fairly easily. Given Dunne's penchant for celebrity miscarriages of justice, I would have let the killer get off and have the pompous people at the fancy residence deal with the complications of that individual returning. 

In comparison to "Central Park West," the show that made it on air was more stylish and the characters were, for the most part, better drawn. The script was livelier. I think the plot wasn't as strong in places, and the casting of a bunch of young up and comers was going to be less polished than the cast of "919 Fifth Avenue." Something Darren Star has talked about in regards to CPW is that it was the first show in a while to develop a glamorous view of New York City after years of gritty depictions. I am curious waht 919 would have done to develop that world view. Almost the entire episode takes place in that building barring a few scenes.  

[Paul Raven]

Maybe CBS were thinking in terms of a Summer run-something lower cost-hence on tape with no location scenes.

[te.]

In September 1994 Dunne said he was still writing the script as either a tv series or a tv movie. So I think it's more down to CBS having committed to filming something at that point or face a fine, so they did this very low-budget movie. I can only assume if CPW hadn't happened they might've given it a bigger budget to add more gloss.

But I suspect it's more of a case of them quietly dropping their commitment to Dunne and doing the bare minimum. It's worth remembering they signed on Darren immediately with 13 episodes of CPW in December 1994, later expanded to a full season before even airing (later cut by one episode, likely to fund the "revamp"). Same thing with shows like The Client and American Gothic to secure the talent. 

Or to put it bluntly - I just don't think CBS had money to spend on making Dunne's pilot / tv movie. Did it even air in the US? I can only find a vague that it premiered in "1995" on IMDB, but no firm date. I can't find it in old listnings on Tv Tango either, but it might be that their search engine doesn't quite work. 

Edited January 21 by te.

[dc11786]

I had trouble finding it in TV Listings for the United States as well. I did find it in Australian listings in 1996. Also, someone usually would write something up about the TV movies when they aired and there was nothing. 

Also, that is Peter White uncredited as Winston Van Degan, Lawrence's brother and Drexel's father.  

[DRW50]

Don't know if I saw this promo before. 

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[Joseph]

Interesting!

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[Khan]

Trust me, inquiring minds, you'll be sorry when you learn who tried to burn Alexis.