Melrose Place: First Impressions

by Joanna Orland

So the newly revamped Melrose Place has finally aired. I was such a die hard fan of the original series, that I’ve been buying each season on DVD as its been released and re-watching each episode meticulously. I’m currently waiting on Season 5, Volume 2 for those keeping track…

Clearly I’m in a good position to fairly judge Melrose Place: The Next Generation. I was Super-Hyped when I heard they were bringing back Sydney, Michael, Jane and Jo. Episode one saw the return of the one and only Dr. Michael Mancini in the role of father to one of the young newbies, as well as Sydney, back from the dead after all these years.

This is the trouble I’m having with the show straight off the bat. Why bring back Sydney and go to all the effort of bringing her back from the dead (LOOSE PLOT) just to kill her off in the first episode? As a die hard fan of Sydney Andrews as well as Melrose, I can say that beyond a reasonable doubt, Sydney died when she got hit by that car on her wedding day all those years ago. Her fiancée was so devastated did he not then proceed to take his own life? And now they’re claiming Michael helped her stage her own death??? Wtf. Fair enough, but if you’re going through all this frickin effort to concoct this ridiculous storyline, then might as well keep Sydney on the show seeing as she was a clear favourite on the original MP?? So bizarre. They better see this one through with a DAMN good pay off.

One thing about killing off Sydney AGAIN is that we’ll still remember her as the young and perky Sydney Andrews. Not this dark and depressing character they brought her back as. And to be completely honest about my feelings of vanity, it was a bit traumatizing watching Syd as a woman ‘of a certain age’. And to be frank, it’s a bit hard watching Michael Mancini 10 years on. They’re both ageing gracefully … they look exactly the same only withered. It’s just not something I want to bear witness to.

soft focus….

I suppose we have to talk about the new characters now. They’re actually not Toooo bad with the exception of Ashlee Simpson and her very poor acting skills. We’ve got the engaged couple, with male component Jonah as the new BILLY… even in the looks department! We got Oggy or something like that as the new Jake, whatevs. We got that bisexual lady who’s maybe a bit Amanda like? And the Doctor lady who I’m quite fond of. Perhaps the new Alison?

Anyway, I’ll give it another chance to see how they explain this Sydney nonsense. Maybe they’ll bring her back from the dead again? I dunno. Can’t wait for Jo. She was ace. Michael Mancini gives this show a glimmer of hope just because it’s Michael Mancini – LEGEND.

Bottom line, it ain’t Melrose Place of old. Not even close.