Melrose Place Gets Renovated by the CW Network
Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro
Jun 15, 2009
Remakes are nothing new in the world of film and television, and the CW’s fall 2009 lineup has one that’s getting quite a bit of buzz. Having done reasonably well with the Beverly Hills 90210 remake, the CW is hoping for a repeat performance with an updated version of the original 90210 spinoff: Melrose Place.
Like the original, the updated version of the 1990’s hit will center around a group of sexed-up 20-somethings living in a Los Angeles apartment complex. As lonely kids just trying to make it in the world, the group form something of a surrogate family (albeit a dysfunctional one).
Melrose Place Remake Cast of Characters
The cast is made up of mostly relative unknowns, with the exception sometimes singer/sometimes actress, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, who will play the role of Violet, a sweet-as-pie country girl, who has a lot hiding under her demure exterior.
Following in the footsteps of it’s sister show, 90210, the Melrose update will bring back some of the original cast members, including Thomas Calabro as the devilish Michael Mancini, and Laura Leighton as the scheming and manipulative Sydney Andrews. When last we saw the infamous Ms. Andrews, she was being run over by a car on her wedding day. Apparently she has recovered and is now the new landlady at Melrose Place. Excellent. Sadly for fans of the original, Heather Locklear turned down the opportunity to star in the show, so alas, Amanda Woodward will not be making an appearance (yet).
Who Will Be Watching the New Melrose Place
The original Melrose Place was aimed at a slightly older demographic than 90210, and it has yet to be stated whether or not this one will follow suit. Judging by the cast, it doesn’t seem to be, but we’ll have to wait until the fall to find out. Regardless, no doubt the teen set will be tuning in when the show debuts in the fall, as will older fans of teen dramas (you know who you are), but whether or not it will resonate with fans of the original is yet to be determined. While 30-somethings looking to take a trip down memory lane tuned in for the 90210 premier, the numbers petered off pretty quickly. Don’t be surprised if the same thing happens to Melrose Place. Fortunately, fans of the original can catch the show on DVD.
It seems as though in the current economic climate, television producers and filmmakers are looking for things they think will be guaranteed hits. New ideas are being put aside in favor of former successes. Shows that are perhaps better left to pop-culture nostalgia are getting revamped and remade. Hopefully the day will come soon when original ideas make their way back to Hollywood.
