Melrose Place The Melrose (ladies only) reunion interview

[Mel O'Drama]

The chemistry is still there:

Marcia Cross is conspicuous by her absence, but how fantastic to have Vanessa Williams among them, talking about who she would have liked Rhonda to be when things got crazy, and her feelings on her contract not being renewed for Season Two.

They talk about dating co-stars (Heather on the end of Laura's romance with Grant: "And then you went 'That was fun. I wonder what Doug thinks of me'").

There's a bit of the "we were empowered women" stuff typical of these retrospectives, but it's fairly restrained. There are comments that suggest they are pushing for the series to come back again. In general I'm happy for things to stay in the past, but seeing them together it certainly looks possible. Either way, this was a nice surprise this morning.

 

[Monzo]

It's great to see the ladies again! I'm surprised that Vanessa Williams is there and Marcia Cross and Lisa Rinna aren't. You could almost say Daphne Zuniga was Vanessa Williams' replacement, so it's funny that they have to sit next to each other.

When Melrose Place was on, I never would have thought that Courtney Thorne-Smith would have such a stable TV career after leaving the show. I watched her three regular shows (Ally McBeal, According to Jim, Two and a Half Men) and she never disappointed. Actually, I thought she was at her best (besides Melrose Place) in Two and a Half Men. It's a shame she wasn't in demand at all after that.

I had expected Josie Bissett to have a bigger career, but you can be wrong. I saw her in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and that was it.

Laura Leighton was one of the (few) highlights for me on Pretty Little Liars. I saw Vanessa Williams on Days of Our Lives. She was okay there, not a real scene-stealer, but I was still happy to see her on TV again.

Daphne Zuniga (whom I liked in One Tree Hill) seems to be back in vogue: first, I was surprised to see her on stage at this year's Oscars, and next year she'll be reprising her role in the Spaceballs sequel.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I'm surprised that Vanessa Williams is there and Marcia Cross and Lisa Rinna aren't.

I really like it this way round for a change.

You could almost say Daphne Zuniga was Vanessa Williams' replacement, so it's funny that they have to sit next to each other.

I'm sure many people's memories of the show - viewers and cast alike - are of the more high octane stuff, so it's fascinating to see Vanessa in the midst of all the remembrance. It's always hard to tell 100% but the others seemed supportive of her and I like how included she was considering she had so few storylines (and certainly almost no memorable ones).

It's certainly fascinating to see her interact with people who really took off after she was in. She'd barely have crossed paths with Daphne, Laura or Heather (Heather didn't even seem to realise Vanessa was still on the show when she joined which is understandable).


It's many years since I've watched Melrose, and longer still since I last watched the first season, but my memory of Vanessa on the show was that she excelled at the fun stuff and the smart talking, but she wasn't so great at anything dramatic or emotional. I don't think of her as a strong actress (Melrose is the only thing in which I've seen her so I don't have much to go on).

That's not to say she couldn't have worked in the crazy years. If they'd written to her strengths. As you said, though, Jo was Rhonda's spiritual successor, and I suppose there wasn't room for Matt to have two sassy best friends.

Daphne Zuniga (whom I liked in One Tree Hill) seems to be back in vogue: first, I was surprised to see her on stage at this year's Oscars, and next year she'll be reprising her role in the Spaceballs sequel.

Oh, I'd heard about the Spaceballs sequel but hadn't realised she'd also appeared at the Oscars. Good for her - I may have to seek that out.

 

[Monzo]

Oh, I'd heard about the Spaceballs sequel but hadn't realised she'd also appeared at the Oscars. Good for her - I may have to seek that out.

I initially saw Daphne Zuniga sitting in the audience at the Oscars and assumed she was accompanying someone, similar to Deborah Rennard at the Crash triumph. But then I realized she was there for the Rob Reiner tribute, She appeared on stage with other actors who had worked with Rob Reiner, though she wasn't allowed to say anything. I have to admit, I haven't seen The Sure Thing and Spaceballs, so Daphne Zuniga is, in my mind, a TV actress, not a movie actress who ended up on TV.

In case you haven't heard, someone from the Melrose Place cast passed away a few days ago.

Patrick Muldoon, ‘Starship Troopers,’ ‘Melrose Place’ and ‘Days of Our Lives’ Actor, Dies at 57

He had two stints as the heartthrob Austin Reed on the long-running NBC soap.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

I didn't see Starship Troopers, but I did watch Patrick Muldoon's return trip to Days of Our Lives. Since I didn't know him from his original run there, I somehow lacked a connection to him in Days of Our Lives, and in a way, I felt the same way about Melrose Place. I only started to like (or call it love to hate) Richard when he transformed into a villain. I enjoyed the season finale where Richard raised his arm from his grave, but the aftermath wasn't as good as I had hoped.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I realized she was there for the Rob Reiner tribute

Of course. Now it all makes sense.

I have to admit, I haven't seen The Sure Thing and Spaceballs, so Daphne Zuniga is, in my mind, a TV actress, not a movie actress who ended up on TV.

It's much the same for me. I did watch The Sure Thing perhaps thirty five years ago, but can't remember anything about it. Melrose is my main association of Daphne, then One Tree Hill.

In case you haven't heard, someone from the Melrose Place cast passed away a few days ago.

No, I had no idea. 57 is far too young to die.

Because they were a little older than me at the time, it's easy to forget just how young many Melrose cast members were when the series was made.