What’s Up, Melrose Place?

In order to make up for yesterday’s lack of a post (I was sleeping off a mid-week Anniversary bash with the Hubby), here’s a supersized post to last all weekend. Watching Swingtown (as a stop-gap effort until better television is on) has inspired me to check in with the cast of 90210’s slutty little sister, Melrose Place. I stopped watching it a couple of seasons in, around the time Allison became an alcoholic, but not before Kimberly turned into massive head wound Harry. Therefore, I’ll be checking in with the original season-one cast only, because we all know what Lisa Rinna and Kristin Davis are up to, yet don’t care what David Charvet is doing.

Grant Show (Jake Hansen) -- Originally the bridge between Melrose and Beverly Hills, via Kelly Taylor’s mom’s huppah. He now plays sleazy Tom Decker, the predatory pilot from Swingtown. I’m hoping he develops a soul (or even a personality) to keep the show from being the completely one-dimensional Time Life Hits of the 70’s CD collection commercial it currently is.

Andrew Shue (Billy Campbell) – Ah, the dopey soccer-obsessed puppy with a lisp we all loved. Where Shue ended and Billy began, we’ll never know. Seems like he’s been making soccer-themed movies the past few years (how did he miss a part in Ladybugs, you may be wondering?), founding various non-profits (remember “DO Something”? I so wanted to DO Something while reading about the group in Sassy Magazine but could never figure out something, exactly, to do.) and playing professional soccer around the world. Guess the guy found a hobby and is sticking to it!

Courtney Thorne-Smith (Allison Parker) – I always felt a kinship with ad exec Allison – we were both in the same profession, we both thought Andrew Shue was cute, we both drank Absolut straight from the freezer, er, scratch the last one. Poor Thorne-Smith has been toiling away the past few years on According to Jim, probably praying it gets cancelled so that she doesn’t have to make out with Jim Belushi any more. She also wrote a book, Outside In, and produced a baby. She’s been one busy lady. I hope she takes it easy on the vodka.

Thomas Calabro (Michael Mancini) – I always thought there was something shifty about building manager/ doctor Michael Mancini. Turns out there was as he morphed from loving husband to building sleazebag before our eyes. The most prolific of all cast members, clocking in 219 episodes, Calabro has been working steadily for the last ten years, doing guest spots around town (Nip/ Tuck, Cold Case) and most recently, an episode of Greek. It would be fun to get him on Desperate Housewives eventually (see below).

Josie Bissett (Jane Mancini) – Sweet, innocent Jane, with the Wilson Phillips hair. She had to put up with Michael, sister Sydney, Michael’s mistress Kimberly. It was always so much. Lately, Bisset has been doing infomercials and one or two guests spots, but not a ton. Maybe they can work her in to the 90210 spinoff in development at the CW?

Marcia Cross (Kimberly Shaw) – Arguably, currently the most A list of the bunch, she started as friend to Dr. Michael back in the day, as he experienced growing pains with wife Jane. She soon morphed into second wife of Michael, town crazy, and the one with the big scar on her head (one of the most memorable scenes of the series, IMO). Cross now resides on Wysteria Lane and keeps the paparazzi busy photographing shots of her playing with her twin daughters in the park. Only time will tell if that scar was real.

Doug Savant (Matt Fielding) – We knew him as Matt-the-gay-social-worker, who couldn’t catch a break (or a real story line). Savant is now Cross’s neighbor on Wysteria Lane on Desperate Housewives, which is funny since not a whisper of their past life in L.A. remains. In real life, Savant is also married to former cast member Laura Leighton. Who knew Matt had it in him!

Vanessa Williams (Rhonda Blair) – No, not that Vanessa Williams (SAG rules at the time forced the Ugly Betty star to be billed as Vanessa L. Williams). Rhonda’s reign at “the Place’ was limited to one season. She didn’t really fit in with the rest of the crowd. She was an aerobics instructor after all. With her departure, went the only diversity Melrose place would ever know. Williams has also been working steadily, her biggest project was the 2000-2004 series Soul Food, and an episode of Cold Case, of course.

Amy Locane (Sandy Louise Harling) – I was a big fan of Locane’s from School Ties and Cry-Baby, back in the day. Her character on Melrose was silly and probably why she was shipped off after only 12 episodes. Locane played Rhonda’s country roommate, Sandy, who also had a thing for Jake. In real life, Locane’s career seemed busy for a spell, but her filmography ends at 2005, presumably since she’s taken up motherhood full time (having had a baby last year).

Daphne Zuniga (Jo Reylnolds) -- Jo was Rhonda’s mysterious new roommate, after Sandy moved out. She had some sort of dark, mysterious past, which was so mysterious I can’t even remember what it was (maybe an estranged husband?) Zuniga, or Princess Vespa as I like to think of her, has had success in other series such as American Dreams and One Tree Hill. I see that there may be a Spaceballs animated series in her future (everyone loves a Druish princess).

Laura Leighton (Sydney Andrews) – When Jane’s little sister moved in (and moved on Jane’s husband), all hell began to break loose at the apartment. Leighton has had lots of short-lived series and pilots in the past few years mostly named after body parts (Skin or Eyes anyone?) and has also been married to Savant as mentioned above. I wonder if she comes to visit the set of Desperate Housewives if she and Kimberly ever “get into it” for old times sake.

Heather Locklear (Amanda Woodward) – Locklear’s addition to the cast was the end of a nice, sweet show about an apartment complex and the beginning of a slapfest with explosions and pool wrestling. Season’s later, she somehow maintained her “Special Guest Star” billing. Spin City was huge for her, and a bunch of TV movies and failed pilots have followed. Lately, she’s been busy in the tabloids, breaking off her marriage of 7 years to Richie Sambora, dating David Spade and Jack Wagner. I guess blondes have more fun, together.

And that concludes our recap of Melrose Place. We’ll see if I feel motivated enough to check up on the stars of Central Park West anytime soon!