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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

The "Melrose Place" pilot gives us a glimpse into Ella's "trysexuality"

Last night, the much-hyped Melrose Place reboot finally dropped, and it was exactly the kind of pilot we've come to know (and secretly love) from The CW.

Ten minutes into the episode, dirty money and clunky exposition were flying everywhere ("Jonah, you are a hugely talented film-maker, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your publicist, manager and agent!"), Sydney (yes, from the original) was dead in the pool, and Top 40 hits were raining down over dialogue like NOW! That's What I Call Music at an apre-teen slumber party.

Apparently the first five episodes of the new Melrose Place are going to be a blend of character introductions, whodunit flashbacks and a lot of superfluous sex.

So, you know, pretty much the same as the old Melrose.

However, unlike the slow-moving original series, last night's episode was a Blitzkrieg of plot points, thanks in large part the Josh Schwartz School of Rapid-Fire Camp. (See: The O.C. and Gossip Girl.) Primetime soaps have come a long way since the '90s!

Melrose devoted plenty of get-to-know-you screen time to Kate Cassidy's bisexual publicist Ella in the pilot. Cassidy told reporters at theTCA press conference that Ella wasn't bisexual as much as she was "try-sexual." As in, try anything once — as was exposited by Jonah (the hugely talented film-maker!) after she expressed an interest in a hot chick at a birthday party.

Jonah: See, I don't get you, Ella. First that guy Cole and then that couple at the farmer's market. Don't you just want to meet someone and settle down and fall in love?

Ella: You can love someone without declaring yourself exclusive for the rest of your life. Hey, I love love! I just hate monogamy.

There's some truth to that, but in this episode it's also code for "she's got the hots for the newly-engaged Jonah."

The other thing you need to know about Ella is that Sydney was about to evict her for being a rat fink. That, kids, means that Ella had motive for murder. (Dun! Dun! Dun!)

Oh, and also, Ella really is into hooking up with women.

She likes it so much, in fact, that CW is casting a girlfriend for her.

Last night we also met Riley (Jessica Lucas), a cutesy first grade teacher who is engaged to Jonah (the Hugely Talented Filmmaker!); Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen ), a medical student who prostituted herself out to a Clark Kent-lookalike to cover her tuition; and Violet (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz), an obviously Machiavellian skulker who called herself a "good girl" twice in ten minutes (while participating in said skulking.).

The general feeling I get from the new Melrose is titillation, and I already get that (and better acting) from Gossip Girl. Will I continue to tune in? I guess that depends on whether or not CW casts that recurring girlfriend role for Ella.

On a related note, Melrose's sister, 90210, didn't have much to offer in sapphic studies last night, but we're keeping our eyes open and we'll let you know when there's something to see.

Did any of you catch Melrose Place last night? What did you think?

jooniper's picture

I was not impressed.

I would prefer they not have a bisexual character rather than having one that embodies all the negative stereotypes about bisexuality. I am all for cheesy drama, but I just couldn't get into the pilot. I'll watch the next few episodes just to see the old characters that I loved, but I doubt it'll be on my tivo list for long.
Angela's picture

Melrose Place

how did i miss this show last night and 90210 hahaha im soooo mad im gonna have to catch both online when they put them up!

just by reading this article all that drama in the first episode makes this sound like an awesome show

Luna's picture

I was going to watch it, but

I was going to watch it, but after watching 90210 I took a gun to my head and blew my brains out.

 

 

-I speak in random thoughts

Heather Hogan's picture

Ha ha ha!

That made me laugh so hard.
Penny_Lane's picture

seconded.

It was so bad! I don't even know what I was thinking by turning it on in the first place... 
oscartg's picture

Mmm

No I didn't watch it but frankly I'd rather boil my head judging from that article. Really, tv producers don't bother trying to introduce gay characters, you just make a mess of it.

I watched the old Melrose place because it was bitchy and cool, and you could just enjoy the ridiclousness of it all. I don't care about such a show having gay characters, just get to the bitching and fights. Oh and people going crazy and trying to cut their husbands heads open.

Anonymous's picture

i saw the first ten minutes

with that suuper cheesy video from jonah to his cute girlfriend and then i was like "eff this" and changed it to maddow.  i mean, i know i have the attention span of a squirrel but melrose was horrible egh.
Steph's picture

I have to watch this show.

I have to watch this show. Katie Cassidy is my celeb crush at the moment, so I gotta take all the eye candy I can get!
BunnyBabe's picture

I liked the pilot episode.

I liked the pilot episode. :)

But then again I just learned from another article here that I have a terrible taste in movies. So, don't really trust my opinion. lol

~.~.~

When I Was Fifteen All I Wanted Was To Be Wanted. I Wish I Could Go Back And Tell Myself What I Know Now.

Cat's picture

So which crap movie do you like?

I have learned today that I have crap taste in movies too.  I had only actually seen one of the movies on the list of the worst movies ever, but it's one of my favourites:  Cat Woman.  And, against all the comments, I love Mullholland Drive.  One of my favourite movies ever.  So which one or ones was it for you?

 

 

BunnyBabe's picture

Crapy taste!

Nice! Someone else has a crapy taste here! :D

I liked mostly the chick flicks on the list. They weren't great movies, but I enjoyed watching them. My fave from the list would probably be either The Perfect Man (it was cute :P) or Legally Blonde 2 (the first one was better but the second definetly beats the third). Catwoman was nice. I liked it. And I liked Elektra too.

I haven't watched Mullholland Drive. Maybe I'll check it out. :)

~.~.~

When I Was Fifteen All I Wanted Was To Be Wanted. I Wish I Could Go Back And Tell Myself What I Know Now.

eve_jig_it's picture

Mullholland Drive

Mullholand Drive is not crap.

Those that don't like it usually feel that way because they just can't get to grips with the narrative style.

 

Biocation Gurl's picture

i watched it all

I loved it.Both Melrose Place and 90210 they were awesome!!!! :)

 

---Verbotene Liebe---

h3llb1tch's picture

maybe too subtle for some but...

I got the impression Ella secretly had the hots for Jonah's girlfriend Riley, not for Jonah.

All the outward, obvious signs were to make you think she fancied Jonah but there were more subtle hints, suggesting otherwise... when Jonah was giving Ella a celebratory hug after his engagement announcement. She seemed quite disinterested in him and was instead staring longingly over his shoulder at Riley (with a look on her face like she'd just been stabbed in the heart...)

And the final reveal was a few scenes later... when the girl Ella is making out with, looks almost exactly like Riley...

So I'm just saying... give it a chance and don't give up yet. You might regret it. Or not.

But time will tell.

Oh yeah, as for the "try-sexual" quote, I think a producer said that, not Cassidy... she just said something like, "she is definitely into exploring her sexuality."

 

oscartg's picture

Melrose Place doesn't do

Melrose Place doesn't do subtle. That was always it appeal.
h3llb1tch's picture

yeah but

This is "new" Melrose Place and it's just brimming over with subtlety. ;-)
theJadedRogue's picture

this was

supposed to be campy right?  there was campy and cheese...  not sure it was in a good way tho

 

http://theshoefitsmisscatherine.blogspot.com/?spref=fb

 

tjr

MRS. FINGERS's picture

I'm Just

Crossing my fingers they bring crazy Kimberly back for a good wig-removal scene!
oscartg's picture

Kimberly

Was she the one that tried to perform a labotomy on her husband, I liked her. Was she also played by the woman that is now Bree on annoyinging desperate housewives?

I would only watch if they brought back crazy plots like that, I don't care about lesbians being on show this which are insane and will just make all the lesbian psychos anyway. I'd rather it went all high-end bitchy with people going mad and throwing each other into the pool.

Penny_Lane's picture

the best thing I can say

the best thing I can say about the premiere of Melrose Place was that it was at least 43 times better than that of 90210. Which isn't saying very much, but oh well. 

 

Gossip Girl is on a whole other level of campy fun. They at least do it very well!  

Anonymous's picture

Melrose

I watched melrose place and I didn't think it was anything special--it was kinda cheesy but not good cheesy like macaroni. Ashley Simpson-Wentz isn't a good actress. I mean I've seen a lot worse and while she isn't horrible, she isn't very good either.

I watched 90210 for the first time too and pfff...I don't know if that's how the show usually is or it was just that one time but it really sucked ass (for lack of a more intelligent answer). Oh and I came out of that show really not liking Dixon. I don't know why but he seems like a huge douche to me. 

Sharon's picture

yeah watched the show! loved

yeah watched the show! loved it actually :D

the funniest part is when the character Ella started to kissing that girl. My brother was like "there are so many lesbians on the tv shows right now" LOL... 

Let'sPrayQuinnFabray's picture

oh katie cassidy, how i love you so <3

i don't care what anyone says, LOVED IT! i really enjoyed the premiere. way better than 90210, in which they completely destroyed my favorite character silver >=( and they totally should have gotten rid of dixon instead of ethan, but i digress.

love katie cassidy and i friggin' love ella! omg HBIC! i'm still holding out hope that it's riley she's secretly in love with and not jonah. i was not too fond of him in the premiere and he totally sets of my douchebag senses. also, is anyone else following her on twitter? her tweets are so hilarious

"Dear creepy guy who added me on Facebook: this isn't Myspace. Also, you are literally driving a white van in your profile pic. Nice."

"Boss is yelling at me. Tweeting to avoid eye-contact. Wow. Still yelling… …asdweoijweroiasinnoike"

bwahahahahah! ilu <3

happytobenominated's picture

thank you. i think they

thank you. i think they should have gotten rid of dixon too - instead of ethan. Man, i hate dixon with a passion... he is the one of the most selfish, whiney, and stupid tv boyfriends that a tv charater could have... and making Silver pine after him... "my life is ruined... blah, blah, blah... i'm going to win him back."... yuck... Silver used to be, well, Silver (her own person) and now all she is... is dixon's shadow. it's sad.

I hope she ends up dating someone else and realizes how big of a douche dixon really is.  Anyway, thanks for giving me an excuse to rant about dixon.

ella's picture

my name's ella!

 

um....yep.

h3llb1tch's picture

You gotta love Katie...

Godot, I doubt very much those tweets are actually from Katie Cassidy. The name is IAmEllaSimms. It's probably writers or production staff that write them...

Let&#039;sPrayQuinnFabray's picture

^ haha i know that

i'm a idiot to the max, but i'm not that much of a ding dong. i meant if anyone was following ella. i know katie doesn't actually tweet those
h3llb1tch's picture

hey, my fault...

I didn't read your sentence properly. I thought you meant "is anyone following Katie" but when I re-read it, I realised you meant "is anyone following Ella."

So I'm the idiot 2 the max! ;-)

Kat's picture

kate cassidy..she played

kate cassidy..she played ruby in supernatural.. oh my she is SOO hot!
Luna's picture

Two episodes in and I am

Two episodes in and I am finding myself really, really liking Melrose Place

90210 is total shit though.

 

 

 

-I speak in random thoughts

h3llb1tch's picture

surely you jest?

I'm still letting Melrose grow on me, it's not completely hooked me yet but... 90210 is bitchin'. I totally love it. Much better than last season...