GIFT GUIDE: ‘Melrose Place: The Complete Series’ arrives on DVD
Image courtesy of CBS / Paramount / Provided by official site.
It’s fitting that the soap opera Melrose Place aired throughout almost the entire 1990s because the show is a time capsule of that often-disregarded, but still hugely influential decade. Coupled with Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place was an epic series that featured a complex network of characters falling in and out of love with one another. Yes, it was essentially a corny soap opera that played in primetime, but the drama was enticing and engaging, and as the new DVD box set promises on its back cover, “sexy, steamy, sensational.”
There are numerous big stars amongst the enormous cast, including Heather Locklear, Alyssa Milano and Courtney Thorne-Smith. They are joined by Josie Bisset, Thomas Calabro, Marcia Cross, Kristin Davis, Laura Leighton, Lisa Rinna, Doug Savant, Andrew Shue, Grant Show, Jack Wagner and Daphne Zuniga, plus tons of guest stars that are a who’s who of TV fame. It should be noted that many of these actors didn’t make it the full run of seven seasons for one reason or another. Melrose Place added and shed stars on a regular basis.
Each of the actors on the show portrays an occupant in a swanky apartment complex on Melrose Place in Los Angeles. They exude wealth, cool and promise, but that’s only on the surface. Beneath the veneer are grudges, heartbreak, double crosses and genuine love.
The new DVD set from CBS / Paramount features every episode from the seven-season run, spread out across 54 discs. The box set is split into two cases, one for seasons 1-3 and the other for seasons 4-7, all nicely tucked into a slipcover. This set certainly doesn’t take up as much shelf room as previous DVD incarnations.
There are some special feature documentaries, including “Beginnings,” “Friends & Neighbors” and “Neighbors & Friends.” Oddly there’s only an episode guide for season one, but thankfully series creator Darren Star offers some commentary on select episodes. There’s also a slew of featurettes about different characters. Generally, the special features feel light for a TV show this gargantuan.
Does the series feel dated in 2022?
While it may be hard to imagine younger TV viewers picking up this series and binging the episodes, stranger things have occurred in the streaming landscape. Plenty of ’90s fare has seen a resurgence. Plus, there’s the genuine nostalgic trip down memory lane for those teenagers and young adults who were coming of age 30 years ago and remember the appointment television of watching 90210 and Melrose Place on TV. So, yes, this DVD collection feels necessary and well timed.
The new “Complete Series” set is mostly an invitation to enjoy some back-stabbing fun from three decades ago. Melrose Place was the younger-skewing Dallas of its generation, and rediscovering its scenes of melodramatic high drama seems fitting this holiday season.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Melrose Place: The Complete Series is now available on DVD from CBS / Paramount. Click here for more information.
