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First it was 90210, now it’s Melrose.

Aaron Spelling's estate is flogging off the rights to some of his best brands. Look what they wanna remake now.

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We have Aaron Spelling’s estate to “thank” for this.

Not content with selling off the rights to 90210 for a re-make now they wanna flog off Melrose Place.

Creative Artists Agency originally approached the CW with the idea of developing either 90210 or Melrose Place. Because the CW’s target audience is 18-to-34 year-old women, the network (along with CBS Paramount, the studio) opted for a new 90210.

Despite it not attracting enough eyeballs in Australia, the show has tracked well with demographics in the US (it’s returning here in summer). So now CW is developing a new-look Melrose.

But how can they ever top a show that was already 80’s excess? Big hair, big soap, big explosions, big sex scenes? It was a big deal. And we loved it for all it’s glorious trash, crowded around TV sets every week ordering pizza and being gobsmacked by outrageous storylines at D&D advertising and behind those Melrose venetian blinds. Whose turn would it be to end up in the pool?

Melrose gave us plenty of new favourites. Two of the stars, Doug Savant and Marcia Cross, are now regulars on Desperate Housewives, Kristin Davis went on to Sex and the City, and Courtney Thorne-Smith moved to Ally McBeal and According to Jim. Josie Bissett is in Secret Diary of an American Teenager, Jack Wagner has been a Bold & Beautiful regular, Rob Estes popped up in Women’s Murder Club (and even 90210), Daphne Zuniga moved to One Tree Hill while Lisa Rinna is a red carpet hostess. Others who now appear in occasional guest roles on other dramas include Andrew Shue, Grant Show, Thomas Calbro, Laura Leighton.

Meanwhile special guest star Heather Locklear was last in trouble with the law (no T.J. Hooker to her rescue, there).

And if they are shopping round Spellings other shows, how long before we hear of The Love Boat remake and -heaven forbid- Twin Peaks (that would be sacrilege!).

Lastly, here at TV Tonight, Tuesday night’s are still a bitch…

Source: LATimes

16 Responses

  1. Without the characters – the real ones – this show will not make it past a few eps. It was the outrageous characters who made this show. Now, get Locklear, Cross and maybe some others to make a guest starring role (after all, Heather Locklear was a guest star for the entire run) and it may float. But, I doubt any of them would be keen to revisit the apt block. Still, if the moolah is right…

  6. Melrose did everything they could’ve possibly done, inc blow up the apartment block. If Heather is on board i’ll watch. Whats next Models Inc & Central Park West?

  7. Totally agree that the proble is that they aim for the youth market … broad appeal is what will seal the deal with good results …

    Just look at Dr Who for example … it appeals to the new kids (6years +), the teens at high school, the youth market, the adult market, the one who grew up with it in the 70’s and 80’s, and even the older viewers … that’s why it is so unstoppable now …

    By the way, sad news from the UK … David Tennant has officially revealed that he will not be in the 2010 season of Docotr Who but will remain for all the specials throughout 2009! So very sad to see him go, but it will be no drama for the program as it will continue to succeed …

    Jack!

  8. I feel problem with remakes is they are trying too hard to make show in tune with youth of today – seem to neglect all others bar the 15-24 market.

    Melrose like 90210 in its day appealed to a broad audience.

  9. It ‘d be interesting to see how they woould intergrate the old cast into the new, like the way 90210 has. Or if indeed they would. There wouldn’t be many people in their 40s still conected to an apartment block they lived in in their 20s.

  11. The CW was/is on the verge of being broke. Their sunday night programming is getting around 700k, which is appalling for such a large population, and even CW standards. Although their average is about 2.5-3m. That is probably why they are going for a safer option like reviving this show and 90210.

  12. Damn, I hope they give the gay character (Matt) a spine this time. The only story lines they ever wrote for him cast him as a doormat or victim.

    And I agree with Jack! Melrose was much better, probably because it was aimed at an older demograph than 90210.

  13. I am completely over the US and this sudden fixation to remake shows from the many years ago. In case those stupid American producers did not know, those shows ended for a reason.

    Think of new material that people want to see, not shows they have already seen 20, 30 years ago.

  14. David dear, they have already tried to remake The Love Boat back in 1998 for Two Season Staring the yummy Robert Urich god rest his soul. He was the only straight actor on the ship…..The jazzed up opener was the best thing about the show … so camp!

  15. Excellent! We always like Melrose more than 90210 …
    so I can’t wait for this to come out …. then get ditched by Channel 10 after two episodes and we will all go on downloading it because of them!
    The CW is a great network … so menay excellent shows! must be run by gays!
    Jack!

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