Melrose Place

[KMan101]

 

Preach. I was thrilled when he left. And he/Billy just got grumpier and grumpier as the seasons went on. But by Season 5/6 everyone hated each other anyway ... classic Chuck Pratt.

 

They trot him out on Good Morning America once in a while (he's married to anchor Amy Robach). He still looks uncomfortable in front of the damn camera ... but he's still kinda cute I guess. Aging nicely.

Edited July 4, 2019 by KMan101

[te.]

I definitively wouldn't have gotten rid of Megan and Ryan - yes, they weren't exciting, but I do think one of the biggest mistakes on these shows is that they go all out campy with everyone trying to out-do everyone. I thought they provided a nice balance, especially Kelly Rutherford. From what I recall from before they announced the show was ending it seemed set that Alexandra Paul was going to become a cast member, so I assume that would've been a huge part of their storyline for season 8.

 

IIRC, they had basically written two endings to the show - one that would lead into season 8 written by Carol Mendelsohn and then the "meh" kind of series finale that Chuck Pratt wrote. It's not the worst series finale ever, but you can definitively tell that there are threads meant to be potentially picked up and that they just hastily wrap up.

[Vee]

I thought Alexandra Paul's character was always clearly a short-term nut.

 

I didn't know there was an alternate finale written. I do know they rushed that romance and happy ending for Jane and Kyle real fast (though I liked it).

[te.]

 

Yeah, I was pretty surprised by that but it did seem that in the soap press that she was going to become a regular. I just assumed she was going to snuff it in the original finale in the car crash and that they didn't want to have to do any sort of funeral or memorial service for her character once it was decided that the show was ending. Either that or she was going to slip away with Sarah to keep kids off the show.

 

I also kind of assume Jane would've managed to run away to accomodate Josie Bissett possibly having a maternity leave. If they wanted to re-introduce Taylor, they always could've had her staying with her since the characters bounded a bit before Taylor left.

 

There likely would've been some kind of final twist in the Amanda / Eve story - possibly Sleazy Jock Boyfriend being alive after being pushed off (and killed by someone else? Amanda's step-mother?), hence freeing both characters from the murder charge?

[Vee]

I remember the soap press at the time and I honestly have no recollection of them claiming Paul would go on beyond that recurring role. But it's been a very long time, who knows.

 

I think Eve's fate was sealed as a psycho. IMO it was always coming from the beginning of Rena Sofer's run - I was waiting for her to turn nuts from the jump, and I was surprised it took as long as it did. I don't think they would've spared her that; I think she would've continued as a new antagonist on some basis.

[te.]

 

You're right - I remembered wrong:

 

 

http://www.geocities.ws/Hollywood/4616/sod0413a.html

 

I assume she would've been toast then as I can't imagine them allowing her to live through that car crash for whatever they had planned.

[te.]

 

I agree that Eve would've been a psycho no matter what, however I could see them wanting to clear both Amanda and Eve of the murder and the obvious route would've been to have someone else put in the final blow so to speak. I always found it a bit suspicious that they ended up hiring a famous soap actor like Jerry Douglas and Julie Adams, known for Creature from the Black Lagoon, for what seemingly was two very small parts. I could've seen there being turned out to be a cover up between the Damarrs/Woodwards to keep Amanda and whoever really killed Kent (probably mrs Damarr, because you know, famous horror actress). It would've kept present day Amanda out of jail (since she had no idea) and Eve would've been allowed to stay on the show as the new resident nutcase with a continued axe to grind against her.

Edited July 8, 2019 by te.

[Brolden]

OK, I swore I wasn't going to do this until I've finished the series... and I won't check back here until I have (which will take me a few more months), but I need to get something off my chest.

I've been watching this show for just about seven years now, at the old-fashioned pace of one episode a week (with a few breaks in between seasons). And despite all of the tackiness and camp, I really loved the early seasons. The later seasons have been a bit less to my taste, but they've been interesting enough to keep watching. I'm currently in early season 7, and I have recently had more than a few issues with some of the directions this show has taken.

 

However, I have just watched the episode "The World According To Matt", and I am super pissed at the moment about SO many things. I wonder if there's been a change in writing regimes or something, but I strongly dislike what the current (at the time) regime is doing to the show and its history.

Again, I already found out a (twenty-year-old-)spoiler(-to-me) when I glanced at this thread for two seconds a few weeks ago, so I'll stay away from this thread for a few more months, but I needed to get this off my chest.  

[Soapsuds]

Loved seeing the reunion...

 

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[pdm1974]

Poor Matt always got the short end of the stick. His character would be much more prominent in today's climate.

[Gray Bunny]

Aw, can't wait to watch. Meanwhile, I wonder whatever happened to Thomas Calabro? He was a regular in the 2.0 failed "reboot," yet by 2012 didn't even join in on the Entertainment Weekly cover shoot. 

[te.]

 

Who knows? Maybe he was bitter / disappointed it didn't lead to anything else - or he just agrees to do things if he gets paid?

 

Too bad Grant Show couldn't, err, show, but I guess he's based in Atlanta these days when filming Dynasty.

[mango]

Andrew Shue.... fine wine 

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It's too bad Billy was such a broomhead.

 

What a great cast.

[VanessaReardon]

Amy Robach is one lucky woman! 

[Soapsuds]

What?? How did she land him? I've heard she's a real bitch.