Malibu Shores

[JackPeyton]

Anyone else ever watch this? It was a (very) shortlived show on NBC in the spring of 1996 from Aaron Spelling. It was.. Saved By The Bell trying to be 90210, if i had to sum it up. However it had an amazing cast led by Keri Russell & Tony Luca, whom i loved on the new Mickey Mouse Club.

The show had plenty of soap actors. Susan Ward, Greg Vaughan, Christian Campbell, Randy Spelling. As well as Chrisma Carpenter from Buffy & Angel along with the fab Michelle Phillips. Tori Spelling, Brian Austin Green, and other famous at the time people guested.

here is the cast list-

Keri Russell: Chloe Walker

Tony Lucca: Zack Morrison

Greg Vaughan: Josh Walker

Katie Wright: Nina Gerard

Christian Campbell: Teddy Delacourt

Michelle Phillips: Suki Walker

Charisma Carpenter: Ashley Green

Essence Atkins: Julie Tate

Randy Spelling: Flipper Gage

Ian Ogilvy: Marc Delacourt

Tia Texada: Kacey Martinez

Jacob Vargas: Benny

[Cat]

OMG, I *loved* this show!

First of all, it had Charisma Carpenter :wub: and Greg Vaughan. You can see how CC got a role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her Ashley was a precursor to Cordelia (Gosh, I cannot tell you what a fan of Carpenter I am. The day Angel fired her was the day the show totally lost its way and headed straight for Cancellation-ville).

And she, Josh, Teddy and Nina were probably my fave characters on the show. In fact, I remeber thinking that Christian Campbell was a revelation on Malibu Shores. Teddy was shy, awkward, fragile and totally in love with Nina. Campbell played him with this hint of darkness, though -- like you never knew if he would snap.

Secondly, The OC might never have happened without Malibu Shores-- it certainly "borrowed" the rich vs. poor/geek in love with neighbours best friend/Romeo & Juliet set-up from MS as well as its love of outdoor beach scenes. Oh, yeah, and Chloe's bulimia was similar to Marissa's drink addiction. Chloe = Marissa -- except that Keri Russell was a much more luminous and accomplished actress than the Mischabot.

It's too bad NBC didn't stick with it, but they gave it a shiteous timeslot (9pm on Saturday, I believe). It should have got a weekday 9pm slot, similar to shows like Party of Five and Melrose which were pulling in the ad-friendly demos.

The less said about Spawn of Spelling, the better, though. Tori was a great comic actress on 90210, and "Donna Martin Graduates" will always be an iconic/ironic point of reference for a lot of chicks of my generation. But Randy? Oy.

[JackPeyton]

Cat, i know now better than ever why i love you.

[EricMontreal22]

I remember watching this with my sis in Jr High and then it just disappearing... It did feel like Saved by the Bell (the beach episodes) meets 90210 or something and I guess was Spelling/NBC's attempt at another 90210? Was Pratt involved like he was with all the Melrose attempts?

And wow I didn't realize some of my faves like Christian Campbell were in it (MASSIVE Charisma/Cordelia fan here too)

[Cat]

A lot of shows were jumping on the 90210 bandwagon at that time. Fox was like the WB of its day -- it really went to town with teen-demo targeted shows like Class of 96 and Party of Five. Heck, I remember Drew Barrymore starring in one short-lived California-based show. There was another one about a band! Malibu Shores, though, was the best of that bunch, thanks to Spelling's unique touch.

And where is Charisma now? I know she was on Veronica Mars for a time. I guess she can no longer play the Queen Bee high school bitch, although on Angel she really evolved from that without losing her Cordy-ness. Sigh. Thinking about how she lit up "You're Welcome," her final Angel episode.

Yeah, Eric, I remember watching Christian Campbell on MS and thinking "Who is that?" and looking his name up in the credits. Very understated -- he said so much without a lot of mouthy dialogue. As for Greg Vaughan, he was just hotness. I remember reading an interview with him where he said that when he got the part on MS, he was so poor he was living in his car. He was also super-gracious about Spelling who remembered him for later roles on Charmed and recommended him for other, non-Spelling shows, too. Class!

[JackPeyton]

2000 Malibu Road. LOVED it! My Tuesday Knight was on it.

She was also on greek, back To You, and Big Shots recently. She really is an amazing acrtress and grew and showed her range on Angel. I wish nothing but the best for her, esp since she is one of very few Buffy/Angel actors who does not charge for her sig & a picture at fan events and will do them if you run into her.

[Cat]

Oh, really? Yeah, I heard she was cool with fans, but that is really nice!

Seriously, her and Julie Benz I have heard nice things about.

[EricMontreal22]

I think Charisma spilled some bad blood during the strike--I remember her saying that she couldn't afford what she was used to or something (I know I'm not remembering this well) and people really took it the wrong way--I hope it didn't affect her chance to work.

HAHA I remember 2000 Malibu Road too! The band one was The Heights wasn't it? They actually had a top 10 hit off it--i knew more kids who had the tape than who watched it. It's kinda funny cuz around the same time here in Canada we had a teen band show called Catwalk that my twin sis LOVED (starring Neve Campbell--see it's all connected...)

I met Christian Campbell when he was filming Reefer Madness and I was on set--*insanely* friendly, nice, guy. We spoke a good 20 minutes or so and I never felt like I was bothering him.

[Matt]

2000 Malibu Road aired in 1992 on CBS and starred not only Drew Barrymore, but Lisa Hartman, Jennifer Beals (Flashdance), Scott Bryce (ATWT), Brian Bloom (ATWT), and Michael T. Weiss (Days, The Pretender). Constance Towers (Helena, GH) also appeared. The show was a huge ratings hit the summer it premiered and a lot of people are still baffled that it didn't get picked up as a regular series, although many point to the fact that the series was *very* expensive to produce (about $1million an ep).

The series about a band was 'The Heights'. It also aired in 1992, but on FOX. It starred Jamie Walters (later on 90210), Charlotte Ross (Eve, Days); and Tasia Valenza (Dottie, AMC) among others. It barely lasted 3 months, but the show's theme song "How Do You Talk to an Angel" went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

[JackPeyton]

I love How Do You Talk to an Angel.

[Cat]

I loved that song, too -- and now I have it in my head.

Jamie Walters was a cutie. And then he went on 90210 to become Donna's abusive boyfriend.

[Toups]

Here's the French opening

It was a teen soap and had a lot of hot girls (Susan Ward, Charisma, Keri) so of course I watched this show too!! LOL I thought Katie Wright was weak though as the lead actress.

Same here. LOL

[Bright Eyes]

Huh? Sorry just need to correct you. Charisma Carpenter was NEVER fired. She left on her own.

[DRW50]

I miss the days when primetime soaps employed Michelle Phillips. Now she only gets noticed when she's slamming her stepdaughter to the press.

[JackPeyton]

No need to correct me. Im right. She was fired.

At the time it was reported she asked to be let go. But as the years passed more and more of the truth came out.

Go google and surf the net, there is plenty to back it up.

I love her.