Melrose Place

[Vee]

I remember thinking the slow disintegration of Amanda and Kyle's always-ill-advised relationship was very well-done, not unlike the collapse of Amanda and Peter's marriage in Season 5. I was waiting forever for them to reunite Amanda and Peter and it got a little rushed at the end of S7, but I was still very happy.

 

The insta-Jane/Kyle romance at the end of the series was very fast, but really worked for me. That was also where they fast-pedaled the tail end of Amanda and Kyle's break-up, actually, but it had been so well set up prior to that.

[te.]

Ssh! Spoilers for certain peeps!

[te.]

Let's discuss Alison becoming president of D&D a few weeks after her stint in rehab, in addition to her horrible attendence record and her general behavior at work.

 

Best employee ever.

[Gray Bunny]

 

Ha, ha, ha.... quite amazing, how they worked their way up the ranks so quickly. And Alison constantly having little personal crises, starting with Keith. Kate Roberts Lucy must've really had faith in her to put up with her crap. 

 

But with Alison's determination and desire to succeed, as established in the 1st season, it made ZERO sense for her to give up the corporate life completely at the end of season 4 and become a waitress at Shooters! I'm guessing she eventually had to move in with Jake out of financial necessity. 

[te.]

It always amused me that Amanda was supposed to be the bitchy boss at work when the truth is that Alison was lucky to be employed as long as she was. I mean, the woman got drunk at business dinners, got into a catfight at a company Christmas function, regularly skipped work for whatever drama she went through that week and showed an inability to listen to clients when she showed the "naughty" pictures Jo took, yet she still gave Alison her job back when she was blind. 

 

I'm all for overcoming handicaps and all that, but [!@#$%^&*]. Advertising, especially the ones we saw D&D do, is a visual medium. What exactly did Alison do at D&D the short period she was blind?

[Soaplovers]

As a middle school and high schooler...i actually thought Amanda was a bitch on wheels...but rewatching the show as an adult (especially in season2 and 3 when the show was still somewhat realistic)....Amanda was in the right especially during scenes when she told Jane why she rented Sydney an apartment..and telling Jane that she was running a business..not a charity case when Jane tried to say Amanda needed to consult hwr when Sydney applied to rent an apartment..

 

Plus, Amanda even said she felt for Allison...but that her personal lifenwas interfering with her job..and that she couldnt cover for her for much longer.

 

And i loved how Matt expected Amanda to lie that his green card marriage was lefal..nevermind the legal trouble Amanda could have gotten into if it came out she lied...it woild habe affected her ability to be a landlord plus her job at D&D.

 

To me...season 1 though 3 reminded me of a 90s Knots Kanding....Season 4 through 6 with the over the top stuff reminded me more of Dynasty...more aboit plot then character...Season 7 was a cross between Dynasty and Knots Landinf..

[te.]

"You're poaching. And poachers get shot," - What the hell Amanda? Isn't that a death threat against Alison?

 

How rude.

Funnily enough, when Melrose was cancelled Darren Star commented that he envisioned the show to go on at least as long as Knots Landing.

 

He left to do the unsuccessful Central Park West after season three so go figure. (his last episode was #100)

[te.]

Oh and as a side piece - a Knots Landing writer is brought in as a story writer in the last season; Pete-something-something? He really brings the whole show to an amazing ending. I really wished it could've gone on to season 8 as I felt the show was having a new energy.

[te.]

PETER DUNNE - that's his name. How could I forget?

[YRBB]

 

LMAO. I remember often wondering how the hell she's always employed, but it really was part of the fun!

 

 

That's a great observation about Amanda. She has always been tooted as the big bitch of the show and, certainly, she did and said some very bitchy things but the funny thing is, if you really pay attention, she's not The Bitch (at least not in the typical sense). Amanda was, almost for the whole run of the show, a very well and specifically written character, and her biggest "flaw" was that she took no crap from anyone and she was very honest and direct -- which is important because that's what made her a 'bitch.' The truth is, in most cases, unless someone did something to provoke a reaction, Amanda took it relatively easy, but she had no qualms letting you know where you stand, and she was often right. 

 

Of course, she did have her own issues, and maybe she didn't need to take certain things quite so far, but all that makes her so utterly fascinating.

 

 

Yes, he instantly made a difference to the show (after giving us the brilliant Seasons 4-6 of KL).

[te.]

 

Bar screwing over Bruce, Amanda actually never crossed anyone who didn't cross her. The "Bruce incident" in season three was as evil as Amanda got on the show.

 

I know Joan Collins likes to tout Alexis as a business woman, when in all honesty, Alexis wasn't. Amanda was a business woman, for better and worse.

[Soaplovers]

When watching the Melrose revival show...there was a scene between Jo and Amanda...where they went to toe to toe..and Jo got the best of her verbally and via blackmail.  Did the two interact all that much on the show (I know they did some in season 2..but can't recall inn season 3 or 4 if they did).

 

While most peeps remember Allison vs Amanda....I liked when Amanda would tangle with other female characters.  Sydney was like a knat to Amanda...but I did love when the two had to bunk together in season 4...hilarious lol. And I liked that Sydney double crossed Amanda before dying in the revival (even though I thought Sydney was more bitter then quirky...but years had passed so I could understand why)

[te.]

 

Amanda and Sydney as roommates were one of those plotlines they needed to do more with - or more scenes with rather. But Sydney as a character? Annoying bug to Amanda.

 

As for Amanda tangling with other females... post-Alison years you can literally just replace them with Alison. As I said - change "Sam" to "Alison" in season six and their scenes become a lot better and logical (well, for Melrose). Change "Jane" for "Alison" in their scenes and it becomes more logical. Jane worked better because she had an history with Amanda, so there's that.

 

I honestly didn't like Alison in the original run and still unsure if I do now, but she was vital to the show.

[Soaplovers]

 

Which is why in season 7 I liked Lexi vs Amanda...hoe the show set that up made no sense...but i forgave it because it worked

[te.]

 

It sort of made sense - before Peter, Lexi had only been with Coop, who betrayed her with Kimberly. Peter betrayed her because he was still "in love with Amanda". Then she got with Coop, who again betrayed/left her. From a human point of view, she had to direct her anger at someone so Amanda ended up being on her hitlist. In the first few episodes of the proper season seven she tried to get Peter back / hurt him, but realised she couldn't. I think the scene where she's about to confront Amanda and backs out shows this in the proper 7.03.

 

Edit: watching the custody trial for Jo's baby is hilarious. Especially how all the apartment tentants are grilled about their trashy lives. Yikes!

Edited February 19, 2017 by te.