Melrose Place

[Soaplovers]

I think Brooke and Amanda scheming against Alison was during season 3 (when Darren Starr was still showrunner), but Brooke becoming so weak/pathetic came in season 4. Plus, it didn't help in season 4 where the characters were all isolated in their own story island. I think Brooke and Sydney would have been interesting to interact, etc.

[Chris B]

I'm finally watching the season 6 episodes that were held for season 7. This season has been an absolute bore to watch. I hate everything about it. I think Lisa Rinna is the only saving grace and reason to watch this. All these dull new characters are draining the life out of the show. Michael is still interesting because he's interacting with Taylor, but poor Amanda has her worst season here. I always dislike when people say Heather Locklear saved Melrose Place, because IMO it's early success comes from multiple things. For one, Daphne Zuniga joining the show and injecting so much life into it, then Heather Locklear joining, but also the ensemble that included Courtney Thorne Smith, Andrew Shue and the others. Once all of these supporting characters left it didn't work. Not because I hate new characters, but because they are SO dull and SO serious. Why was Samantha ever created? And poor Billy hasn't been interesting in about two seasons.

I look forward to seeing what season 7 has in store for me. I don't recall loving it and I'm certainly not looking forward to another season of Saint Megan.

[Gray Bunny]

Heather Locklear was pregnant during season 6 so there isn't much to her story. When she comes back, they wrote her in a very out-of-character way. That whole ordeal with marrying that Roy guy (I think that's his name; the actor playing him just played Stefano's henchman that Sami shot on DAYS) was a big 'Huh?' like Amanda gave up on life or something.

Have fun watching that first segment of season 7 when they learn that Matt died in a car accident. All their reactions are so nonchalant, it's hilarious!

Amanda: "Matt's dead." (Actual dialogue)

Jane: "Oh. Can I have his salad then?" (What I expected her to say, based on their non-reactions)

[Huntress]

It was the same when Brooke, Kimberly and Sydney died. In all three cases, there was only one person who truly cared (Billy, Michael and Craig, respectively).

Sydney and Peter didn't even know that Kimberly died, Amanda only dropped one line about to Kyle about it ("A good friend of mine passed away").

Instead of mourning, Samantha made Sydney's death all about herself.

[Cheap21]

Season 7 was much better than 6. Lexie was dull in 6 but she sizzled in 7 and took her rightful place as resident bitch and JL did amazing work. I loved Jane returning and thought she fit in quite well. I also really dug Eve (and like PM, should have been added to the opening). The downpoiunt for me was Ryan and Meagan. They came across like a poor man's Billy and Alison and they had Lexie in the Amanda role. I liked Ryan but I never could get into Meagan

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LMAO at this scene. This will always be one of my favorites. Kimberly never did really have a female friend huh. It seems as if any woman she did "get close to", she was really using and ready to manipulate or stab them in the back. She didnt have any genuine relationships which is probably why she was kept so isolated and stayed in Michael's sphere. In many ways that was more realistic than she as the woman who broke up Jane's marriage, becoming friends with her friends over the years. That never happened and thank god for that

Edited July 8, 2013 by Cheap21

[Huntress]

The only friend Kimberly had was Peter.

Melrose had little true friendships. It was basically only the original characters who were somehow friends with each other (Jane/Alison, Michael/Matt, Jake/Billy), but the later additions barely developed any friendships.

[soapfave06]

I have finally started watching Season 3 and I'm living it. Not sure I like it as much as Season 2 but it still beats the fourth season.

I'm up to Jasmine Guy's first episode as Caitlin and she is GREAT. I love seeing her and Peter plotting.

Does anyone else feel as though the baby plot with Jo and Kimberly was on the back burner compared to other stories?

[Chris B]

I've started season 7 and it is MUCH MUCH better than season 6. I noticed in the credits that Peter Dunne is on the writing staff. I don't recall if he's headwriter or not, but you can tell that there is a new vision at the helm. He is famous for turning Knots Landing into a hit, he wrote seasons 4-6 and also the dream season of Dallas. On Melrose Place in just one episode he has transformed the show and injected life into the entire cast. They feel like themselves again and you can tell they're being written with a purpose. The stories are also tighter. This doesn't feel like the glory years (it lacks humor), but it is very mature and I think a successful reboot of the series. It's a shame the ratings didn't keep the show around longer. I also wish we could've seen what he would've done with Taylor.

[Melroser]

Season 7 had improved so much better. Lexi and Eve were great "Melrose characters" that lived up to what MP was known for that season.

I agree that I wish Lisa Rinna hadn't have left the show. Lexi/Taylor could have been great together in some kind of evil scheme like the old Sydney/Kimberly pairing when they were after Michael.

[YRBB]

It gets better in Season 7? Thank God! I've been stuck in the first third of Season 6 forever. It's not necessarily bad, just... meh.

[Chris B]

It took me ages to watch season 6. I thought I would like it. I think because of my memory of enjoying Taylor, I forgot about everything that sucked. Plus watching on SOAPnet I was forced to watch 5-days-a-week because I needed to reuse my vhs tape lol. But yes, season 7 is better. I didn't love the way they rebooted the cast, but it does work overall. The writing is very sharp.

[JackPeyton]

Season 7 is my favorite season!

[te.]

Season 7 would've gotten so much more interesting if it hadn't been cancelled half way through.

[KMan101]

Yeah. Season 7 was so much better than Season 6 and I never gave it huge credit before but it was solid, and felt like a mature Melrose, but Lexie/Eve were great. The show was also hugely expensive to produce which played a big part. I don't think ratings were THAT bad but I really don't know. I'd have to go look, but one doesn't go without the other, really. Not to mention Locklear's reported salary at the time was insane.

[Melroser]

I'm not sure I remember correctly, but wasn't the show set to be off the air after Season 6 but the last eps were held off for a bit and run in the summer? And then with less summer competition back then (it was rare for a "summer series"/new programming to be run) the ratings did better than expected so the show threw together a 7th Season but those ratings never held up once the competition was tougher.

I don't think I have that all right and I do believe that the cost was one of the major reasons but the summer ratings had them try just a bit longer.

Does anyone recall the details?