Jump to content
Email System Update

Melrose Place

detroitpiston

By detroitpiston
in DTS: Cancelled Soaps

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Members
Huntress Enthusiast

Huntress

Posted
  • Members
Posted

When she first appeared in season 1 as a recurring character, Locklear was credited as a Special Guest Star. Since she quickly became the show's star and allegedley saved it from being cancelled – I personally contribute that circumstance to the additions of Marcia Cross and Laura Leighton and not only to Heather –, Aaron Spelling decided to keep her a "Special Guest Star" to demonstrate her superior status.

Thus, Locklear was the highest-paid actress on the show and this is what caused the show's downfall because in later seasons the other actresses (i.e.. Leighton and Cross) demanded more money. However, they didn't get a raise and subsequently left.

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 1.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Posted Images

  • Members
KMan101 Experienced

KMan101

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I agree it was all three who brought the show what it needed. I was glad Cross left only because I hated the last storyline Kim had.

I think they absolutely should have given LL whatever she wanted. Especially when you are losing original cast members.

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Gray Bunny Mentor

Gray Bunny

Posted
  • Members
Posted

The forever title of "Special Guest Star" was to list her last, as that was (and still is, sorta) prestigious to be listed last with special billing. Since Melrose always listed their cast alphabetically, they gave Locklear that special title to keep her from being wedged in the middle between Leighton and Savant.

Personally, I think they should've just ditched acknowledging at the start of the credits that the cast is listed alphabetically, and just had Locklear at the end with the "and Heather Locklear as Amanda"

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
YRBB Enthusiast

YRBB

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I love LL but that may be a bit of an overstatement LOL. The arrivals of Jo, Amanda and Sydney, along with Kimberly's bigger presence, definitely took the show towards the right direction, but the writing, pace, tone and format changed along with them (slowly from the second half of season 1 and on, and especially in Season 2). If the writing wasn't there, LL could have done nada lol

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
glatwt Newbie

glatwt

Posted
  • Members
Posted

see thats where i disagree, as much as i love Locklear, she came in at a great time when the show was trasitioning! she came in and stirred the alison/billy romance but it was also the time the jane/michael/kimberly and sydney's scemes storylines were heating up with the shows tone shifting to pure soapy goodness that made the last half of the first season enjoyable! i believe spelling was giving her credit from her dynasty days but she was not the lone savior..... it was all of the above!! anyone going back and watching the second season can tell it was a cast effort and darren starr going all the hell out with all the characters, can simply see this!! YES, locklear helped but, she wasnt the only reason to watch!! the third season says it all!! i was much more into kimberly and sydney than anyother characters and kimberly gave us one of the best season finale cliffhangers EVER with her getting to blow the residents of melrose place away! no season finale in the series run beats season 3 imo!!!

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Gray Bunny Mentor

Gray Bunny

Posted
  • Members
Posted (edited)

I think Locklear's presence definitely brought a spotlight to the show that wasn't there before. The Amanda/Billy/Alison triangle of Season One is what finally got the show off the ground. It was the "A" story, whereas Jo/Jake and eventually Jane/Michael/Kimberly were the "B" stories (Rhonda's story with Terrence was an afterthought).

Things then skyrocketed in Season Two once all the stories started to gel and the whole ensemble was strong.

Edited by Gray Bunny
0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


  • Recent Posts

    • janea4old
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By janea4old · Posted

      Leslie's fantasy    
    • Paul Raven
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Paul Raven · Posted

      Has BTG been using flashbacks much? Of course, as a new show there aren't many f/b worthy moments but I think they can get by w/o having to use/recreate the Leslie reveal scene. What other 'soap' tropes have they employed or ignored so far? We've talked about the lack of traditional cliffhangers with lingering camera shots. They have done a couple of fantasy scenes. Has anyone apart from Dana had talk to themselves scenes? Montages?
    • DemetriKane
      Y&R/B&B/GL Vault Updates

      By DemetriKane · Posted

      Thank You!!! @rsclassicfanforever and to anyone else who contributed to the vaults over the years. I have dipped in/out and gotten my life watching Y&R early years. I never would had the appreciation for characters like Lorie Brooks if not for the Vaults, so again, Thanks.
    • BoldKara
      B&B: Old/Classic Discussion & Articles

      By BoldKara · Posted

      Another lot of skipped episodes to look forward to when the time comes on Videoland. So annoying. They have skipped so many, especially in  season 15 where they skipped 19 episodes throughout the season. Is it just me or is the vault down? It's like a different error message this time so it's hard to know if it's me this time.
    • MattHarkness
      Y&R/B&B/GL Vault Updates

      By MattHarkness · Posted

      thank you for uploading the rest of season 12!!! I hope i can get them soon the links down! Thank you again for posting the B&B classic episodes to revisit!!!!
    • Contessa Donatella
      GH: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Contessa Donatella · Posted

      Hmm, okay.  BTW, my only problem with Kai & the surgery story is where is this guy's family? And, another BTW, I think I may have inadvertently added to that rumor from last year about a male descendant of Justus Ward. You see, that is an idea I could really get behind! Like I would pay to see those scenes. And, true, I did hear it ... [sheepish grin] 
    • Cheap21
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Cheap21 · Posted

      Please register in order to view this content

      Yes they can. While rare, its not like soaps in the past havent said F that and used flashbacks of a scene even when a recast has been done. OLTL used to do that
    • Contessa Donatella
      All My Children Tribute Thread

      By Contessa Donatella · Posted

      Well, I am glad to know that & for it to make sense, so thanks for the info &  the perspective, also. At the end of AMC 1.0, I thought the new young talent was really quite good, but I missed Eden & NuBianca just ... well, I wasn't 100% sold on her & Bianca was so important to me. But then, Tad & Dixie were also important & yep, there's another problem, for me I mean. I'm not your typical AMC fan but I hung in there anyway. I know what you mean because it wasn't as good as it once had been but it was still Agnes's show in Pine Valley. Some of that is a bittersweet nostalgic clinging to the past, I guess. By that time I'd been through so many show cancellations. AW, Santa Barbara, PC, The City, GL, ATWT.  

      Please register in order to view this content

          Betsy Snyder, when she was at DAYS was part of the WGA winning writing team before she died, tragically far too young.  
    • EricMontreal22
      ALL: Drag/Crossdressing Disguises in Soap Operas?

      By EricMontreal22 · Posted

      Yep Edmund and Tad went under cover to infiltrate the... Willow Lake (I think?) old folks community scandal that was exploiting Phoebe, etc.  (Which at one point led to Edmund rescuing Brooke from quicksand--common around Pine Valley I guess

      Please register in order to view this content

      ) EDIT maybe I'm wrong.  I found the quicksand scene 

      Please register in order to view this content

      But for the story all I can find is Edmund going undercover as the gigolo "preying" on older women, Eduardo (no one would recognize him with that disguise and name ) so the drag must have been.. a different story?    
    • EricMontreal22
      ALL: General Retro Soap Discussion

      By EricMontreal22 · Posted

      But then he HATES the original Heather Webber (Cher's half sister played her, right?) and we know what happened when Robin would step into the role a year after this.  He does seem pretty spot on about actors who show promise otherwise.  It's interesting he knocks OLTL early on (though I loved all the recently released episodes from this era we got) but does give a lot of credit to the actress playing Cathy despite earlier complaining about her story.  And over all, while quite negative, his various pros and cons on the shows sounds about right with what I know of the shows at this time. This was a July dated issue of the magazine but and I know they date mags a month or two in advance--obviously when he wrote this he didn't know Lovers and Friends was gonna go off the air (in May I think).
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

  I accept