“Melrose Place” was the water cooler show of the ’90s. But would this nighttime soap about the residents of a West Hollywood apartment complex still resonate today? We’re about to find out.
CBS Studios is developing a reboot of the show, and it already has Heather Locklear and two other original cast members committed to return. The company is currently shopping it around to networks and streaming services.
Darren Star created the original “Melrose Place” as a spin-off of his show “Beverly Hills, 90210.” It aired on Fox for seven seasons from 1992 to 1999. This version of the show is written by Lauren Gussis, the creator of Netflix’s “Insatiable.”
If it goes forward, what will the new “Melrose Place” be like? The story will pick up years after the events of the original show, with many of the beloved characters returning to the fold after one of them dies.
No doubt fans will be happy to hear that Locklear will again be playing her villainous character, Amanda Woodward. (Her nasty zingers were kind of the heartbeat of the show!) Daphne Zuniga, who is also serving as a producer, will be returning to play the long-suffering (and much more reasonable) Jo Reynolds.
Laura Leighton, who played Sydney Andrews, the mischievous kid sister of Josie Bissett’s character, will also be there. And yes, you may remember that Sydney died in the original show. Truth is, she’s actually died twice now. “Melrose Place” came back for one season in 2009 with a whole new set of neighbors, and some original characters (including Locklear, Leighton and Zuniga) returned for cameo roles. During that brief reboot, which was called “Melrose Place 2.0,” it was revealed that Sydney had faked her death the first time. But then, she died again.
That sort of silliness is typical of the crazy storylines for which “Melrose Place” was beloved. Based on the information being released so far, the new show will be very much like the old, and other original cast members are expected to return. We don’t know yet whether that will include Thomas Calabro (Michael Mancini), Bissett (Jane Mancini), Andrew Shue (Billy Campbell), Courtney Thorne-Smith (Alison Parker), Grant Show (Jake Hanson) or Doug Savant (Matt Fielding).
Here’s what we do know: As the long-time frenemies gather to honor the deceased, past love affairs will be rekindled, old conflicts will be reignited and brand-new secrets will emerge. We can expect the sort of chaotic drama that fans count on the show to deliver, but with a modern and updated spin.
Will Sydney die a third time? Anything’s possible!
Heather Locklear is returning to ‘Melrose Place’ in a reboot originally appeared on Simplemost.com
