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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Season of ~ Super-Sexxxy Estranged-hubbies, Impromptu Lobotomies, Chiseled-Chested Gangsters and Lawnmower Hair...!!!!!!!!, December 23, 2007
"Melrose Place" was my very favorite show during my teen years. I absolutely obsessed over this show because it was so addictive. Each Season, it got better and better and more dramatic and over-the-top. Also, unlike most primetime shows, "Melrose" produced many more eps per season.
Click here to see a picture of the back of the cover of the Season 4 set, as well as a picture of the Season 4 girls!
Season Four of "Melrose" was in full swing. Throughout Season Four the storylines just got more and more outrageous. The Season Premiere starts out with a bang, literally! It picks up exactly where Season Three left off - with that kook, Kimberly (Marcia Cross) in the middle of the courtyard threatening to blow everyone to smithereens! When Kimberly presses the detonator all pandemonium breaks out!
Incidentally, what was up with the Season Four haircuts? IMO some of them were really hideous. Especially Jane's. Yuuuuck! According to the site, "Melrose Space" they have dubbed Season Four, "lawnmower hair," explaining that, "The horrendous Season 4 haircuts of Jane, Jake and Matt that look like they were done by a blind man using a weed wacker." Very true!!
Overall, my favorite character is Kimberly. Because, Kimberly is like the Cartman of "Melrose." You just love her because she is such a horrible person with zero redeeming qualities. She is a conniving, spiteful witch. Oh, but you say she's crazy? I say crazy like a fox. This woman knew how to go nuts whenever it was most convenient for her. And, the fact that Kimberly became a psychiatrist was absolutely mindboggling; she really should have bottled that nerve because it was such an anomaly.
I also thought it was hilarious when Kimberly tried to go out of her way to be sweet and nice. In Season Four she desperately tried to befriend some of the tenants in the building. I loved when Matt (Doug Savant) said to her (probably the only clever line out of all 153 eps that he was in!,) "a lot of people can't get passed the fact that you tried to blow us up." So funny, because it was absolutely surreal that Kimberely was living there! And, I loved it when Kimberley befriended Syd (played the fiery redheaded, Laura Leighton). By the way, I still can't figure out who was crazier for going along with those foolish counseling sessions; Sydney or Kimberly...? These two were like Baby Jane and Blanche Hudson! Take one guess who Baby Jane was!
Interestingly enough, this is the first Season where Marcia Cross is included during the opening credits. In prior Seasons her name was only shown as a guest star. I always found that fascinating because her part was much more important than many of the other "stars" of the show and Kimberly always had at least three times as much screen-time as a lot of the other "Melose" residents (namely, Matt.)
I also loved all of Amanda's (played by the little vixen, Heather Locklear) problems and affairs. She hopped from bed to bed to bed to bed. Amanda was the type of woman who enjoyed the chase just as much as the game. Perhaps, to her the chase was what it was all about? I was a little disappointed that Jack Parezi (played by the super-sexxxy: Antonio Sabato Jr.) didn't stick around too long. He was only on 6 eps. (By the way, am I the only one who thought Amanda was a little long in the tooth for this super-hottie? She looked a good 10 years older than Jack.) And I never could understand why Amanda wanted nothing to do with him. This man was rich, young and devastatingly beautiful! But Amanda was really hot and heavy for Bobby (John Enos III.) Compared to Jack, Bobby was downright ugly.
Never one to be understated, Brooke Campbell (née Armstrong,) (Kristin Davis) makes a huge splash in Season Four. Literally! For the first quarter (or half?) of the Season I despised her with a passion. Because she was a b iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch. But after Billy (Andrew Shue) and everyone deserted her I started to feel bad for her because here was a lonely, tragic lost soul. And as Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) put it, "she doesn't have a friend in the world."
Speaking of Alison, I got so fed up with her during Season Four. Because as far as Billy and Brooke were concerned she totally tried to play both sides of the fence. She would try to be Brooke's friend one minute and then go on a date with Billy. No matter how nasty Brooke was that's still her man; Alison played a big part in the separation between Brooke and Billy. And this only made Alison come off as incredibly phony and dishonest.
The only negative quality I can assert to Season Four is that this was really the beginning of the exodus. This was the final Season for one of my favorite characters, Jo Reynolds. I hated the way she was written off because it seemed like it was done in such a sloppy, hurried rush. And I couldn't stand that stupid know-nothing that played her love interest (Brad Johnson played Dr. Dominick O'Malley); he was no Jake Hanson (who was played by that very manly-man, Grant Show!) According to many published reports, Daphne Zuniga couldn't get out of there quick enough. She absolutely despised her final two seasons on this hit soap. And after Jo took off, Kimberly, Syd, Jake, Alison, Matt and eventually even Billy all departed in one way or another over the following two seasons! I also read elsewhere that all of the main actors who left wanted to leave, except for Andrew Shue, who was fired from the show at the end of Season Six.
These are the Season Four Characters:
Alison Parker (Courtney Thorne-Smith) - main cast
Jo Reynolds (Daphne Zuniga) - main cast
Amanda Woodward (Heather Locklear) - this is the "Star" of the show
Jane Mancini (Josie Bissett) - main cast
Jake Hanson (Grant Show) - main cast & the coolest man in the universe!!
Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) - main cast
Billy Campbell (Andrew Shue) - main cast
Dr. Peter Burns (Jack Wagner) - main cast
Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton) - main cast
Dr. Kimberly Shaw (Marcia Cross) - main cast
Brooke Campbell (née Armstrong) (Kristin Davis) - main cast, not on entire Season
Matt Fielding (Doug Savant) - main cast
Alycia Barnett (Anne-Marie Johnson) - supporting/recurring, not on entire Season
Richard Hart (Patrick Muldoon) - supporting/recurring
Bobby Parezi (John Enos III) - supporting/recurring, not on entire Season
Shelly Hanson (Hudson Leick) - supporting/recurring, not on entire Season
Hayley Armstrong (Perry King) - supporting/recurring, not on entire Season
Another Season Four character that I enjoyed was Alycia Barnett (Anne-Marie Johnson). Of course she wasn't a main character but I did find her addition to the cast to be a much needed shot of in-your-face narcissism. I liked how she had the gumption to go up against Amanda (more than once,) and perhaps this was one of the only times in the entire history of "Melrose" where Amanda was put in her place? But eventually Amanda got her man; or maybe I got that wrong? I suppose it would be more accurate to state that eventually Peter (Jack Wagner) got his girl and Alycia was left alone to contend with her bony self.
Can we talk about the pr*ce of this set? As of today, the price of this set is 41 . 99 which is a very good price. If you're interested in buying this, I'd say place your order ASAP because I suspect the price will go up. Am@z**.com has a history of structuring their prices in a very odd way; they will offer low prices one day and the following day the prices will go up! (It reminds me of Expedia or Priceline.) None of the other "Melrose" sets are this cheap, either!
Here's all the eps from Season Four:
Post Mortem Madness, 9/11/1995
Most of the victims have minor injuries. Except for Alison who is left blind and Mackenzie Hart who is killed. Jess dies from the fall he took with Jake.
Melrose Is Like a Box of Chocolates, 9/18/1995
Some of the tenants have to double up. I love it when Brooke pops into Jane's apartment (where Alison is staying) to warn her to keep her mitts off her man at the company event that they're all going to. Brooke even says to Alison in such a hateful way, "pardon the pun, but I guess we won't be seeing you there..."
Blind Ambition, 9/20/1995
Alison regains her sight. And when she catches Brooke snooping in Amanda's office she pretends like she's still blind. I love it when Alison asks if anyone else is in the office and Brooke says to herself as Alison closes the door, "nobody you blind b itch" (said, with an emphasis on "b itch.")
Simply Shocking, 9/25/1995
Brooke goes to Miami to dig up dirt on Amanda, then she uses the info to blackmail her. I especially got a big kick out it when Amanda put up that pathetic attempt to choke Brooke. She says to her in this really warped-sounding monotone voice, "THOSE-WERE-MY-PERSONAL-FILES," as she has her hands wrapped around Brooke's neck. And with each syllable, Amanda walks forward (still keeping her hands tightly around Brooke's neck,) eventually pushing her up against the wall. Finally, she lets go, prompting Brooke to say in a startled way, "I'm willing to respect that, I'm with you Amanda, a secret this good deserves to be kept..."
Drawing Henry, 10/2/1995
Kimberly makes some progress when her mother, Marion Shaw (Janet Carroll) comes to visit her. Back in normal-people's land, Jack comes to L.A. in search of his (estranged) wife. Incidentally, did you remember how Amanda looked at the very end in the airport when Jack...
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Rating based on Packaging, April 19, 2008
Rip off packaging. Show does not deserve the sub par marketing treatment. The previous seasons were so nicely done. The plastic pole which holds all the disc "pages" in place was already broken on arrival. Discs look plain and generic, clatter together as they are all stacked on top of each other in these flimsy disc plate holders. Disc 1 does not even stay mounted and already has a scratch. It's not like they passed on the savings to the consumer in the steep price point. Why bother? After the beautiful fun and colorful packaging they presented with the first 3 seasons... I'm glad they have not done this with 90210, which continues in season 5 with classy colorful packaging and episode notations. For collectors, the packaging is part of the joy. Contents B+, Package F.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So addictive ;-O, February 27, 2008
I can't stop watching Melrose. I used to watch it religiously on TV and now as soon as it's released on DVD, I'm one of the first to grab a copy. I love seeing these episodes again after so many years.
In case you've forgotten how the fourth season unfolds, here are the recaps for each episode.
POSTMORTEM MADNESS - The morning after Kimberly blows up the Melrose apartment complex, everyone is in the hospital suffering from some form of injury. Alison is temporarily flash-blinded and Billy postpones his honeymoon with Brooke to move back into his ruined apartment to support Alison. Richard Hart, who's wife was killed in the blast (and the only fatality), is comforted by an unusually callous Jane who proposes to continue business at the company as usual. Meanwhile, Kimberly is arrested and is so bewildered that she can't remember anything about the bombing the night before, while Peter prevents Michael from sending her to a county psychiatry ward in order to take care of her himself. Jake wakes up in the hospital after surviving the fall and is hurt with the news that Jess did not, leading him to take out his frustrations on Jo. In jail, Matt contacts his parents for help in facing a murder trial and they hire Alycia Barnett, a professional criminal lawyer, to help him. But skepticism knows no bounds for in a recycled storyline, not only Matt's lawyer but his own parents, refuse to believe him that he's innocent of the murder he's being charged with.
MELROSE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES - The bomb damage spawns strange new living arrangements: Amanda moving in with Sydney, Matt with Jo, and Alison with Jane. Alison then starts using her condition to manipulate Billy to care for her, while Jane plays office power games with Richard. Meanwhile, Peter lobbies on behalf of Kimberly, who must be declared mentally competent to stand trial for the bombing. Alison demands her job back at D&D and an unusually sympathetic Amanda agrees with her. Brooke freaks out when she finds out that Alison is coming back to work, and an inheritance from her deceased mother that she expected after her marriage to Billy turns out to be much less than she thought. Brooke's father offers her a full some of money, but only after she divorces Billy whom Mr. Amrstrong has never approved of in the first place. A mentally unstable Matt gets released on bail and gives everyone a hard time having lost his trust in mankind over being framed for murder and now facing a murder trial. Jake has a hard time getting over Jess' death and continues pushing Jo away. Also, Sydney gets a job as the receptionist in Peter and Michael's newly opened private practice.
BLIND AMBITION - Alison continues to deceive Billy by exaggerating her state of health, even after she regains her eye-sight, in which his attention to her sends Brooke to threaten Alison. Peter calls a second psychiatrist to evaluate Kimberly before her court hearing about her mental condition. Meanwhile, Matt gets in mortal danger when, against the warnings from his lawyer Alycia, he decides to set up a sting operation by himself for Paul to admit that he framed him. While Jake and Jo rekindle, Jane fears she may have overstepped her bounds with Richard after she hires Jo as the new staff photographer at his company without consulting him first.
SIMPLY SHOCKING - Brooke travels to Miami, Florida on a secret mission to dig up information on Amanda's past and she finds Jack Parezi, Amanda's shady mobster ex-husband who believes her to be long dead. Brooke then returns to Los Angeles and uses what she found to blackmail Amanda for a promotion at D&D. Kimberly is committed to a maximum security asylum and receives electro shock therapy under Peter's supervision, while she is haunted by the mysterious Henry again. Michael romances Sydney to get her help to keep Kimberly in the hospital. Meanwhile, Jess' ex-wife, Shelly, arrives in L.A. and moves in with Jake, making Jo uncomfortable. Matt is approached by Tom Reilly, the leader of a Gay Rights group, to sue Dr. Calvin Hobbs, the hospital's Chief of Staff, because of discrimination after he fired him. Jane gets a marriage proposal from Richard and shortly after, announces taking credit for a new line of dresses to get more control of Richard's firm, which is officially renamed Hart-Mancini. Also, Billy learns that Alison has regained her eyesight and is not pleased that she did not tell him the truth sooner.
DRAWING HENRY - Anxious to get to the bottom of Kimberly's mental problems, Peter contacts her mother who arrives in Los Angeles to visit where she finally reveals the origins about the mysterious Henry to Kimberly. Brooke's father, Hayley, approaches Alison and asks for her help in breaking up Brooke and Billy and a mutual attraction between the two of them develops. Meanwhile, Dr. Hobbs tries to settle Matt's lawsuit privately with $30,000 and a better job, but Matt refuses. Jack Parezi arrives in Los Angeles to find Amanda, while Brooke tries to keep his presence under wraps and Billy learns what Brooke did to get ahead at D&D. Also, Jo becomes all the more jealous when Jake continues hanging out with Shelly, and Jane confides in Jo that she may not be ready for marriage with Richard.
THE JANE MUTINY - Despite the support of Tom and his Gay Rights group, Matt still becomes unsure about suing Hobbs. But during a deposition, when Hobbs blurts out his hatred of gays, it all turns out well for Matt. Kimberly is released from the mental hospital and Peter takes her home to his house and keep her in his custody, but Michael and Sydney are not pleased with the news. At Jane and Richard's engagement party, a drunken Jo confronts him about Jane not being in love with him. Meanwhile, Brooke is upset when she discovers that her father is dating Alison, while she has problems to come up with a new account. So, Brooke ask Alison to help her land her father's account with D&D to get her get part of the credit. Also, Jack confronts Amanda and tells her he just wants a quick divorce, but she correctly suspects that he's up to something.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN - Sydney and Michael hire an actor to play Henry to Kimberly, hoping she will go off the deep end again. Jane confession to Richard of not loving him only makes their relationship suffer and as a result, Jane terminates her friendship with Jo. Meanwhile, Jack hires D&D for an ad campaign while Amanda still fears for her life and Billy after she tells him all about Jack. Alison changes her mind about being involved with Hayley and lets him go further, and an unhappy Brooke tries to intervene. After Matt and his father have an argument over what Matt wants to do with his life, Mr. Fielding suffers a heart attack and Matt tries to make peace to his father before he dies. Also, Shelly tries to seduce Jake at Amanda's big "survivor" pool party at the newly renovated Melrose complex.
DIAL M FOR MELROSE - After Jack tries to kill Amanda, he falls off a balcony and lands in a coma. Amanda goes to Peter for help who promises to help her avoid attempted murder charges, but Michael sees a chance to find some dirt on Peter to use against him and cuts in, making Jack his patient. Meanwhile, Kimberly fills her boredom by calling Dr. Joyce Brothers' radio call-in show to talk of her problems and when she learns from Sydney about Peter spending time with Amanda, she violates her parole. But Kimberly eventually faces her fear and confronts the actor hired to play Henry and is happy to be over him for good. Hayley and Alison reveal their engagement to Brooke and Billy. Also, Shelly buys a computer to help Jake with his accounts at Shooters while he tries to make up for lost time with Jo.
AMANDA UNPLUGGED - When Billy find's Brooke's birth control unused, she declares her omission had the usual consequence. Alison moves into Hayley's mansion where she discovers a locked room belonging to his late wife that she cannot enter. Meanwhile, Matt asks help from Michael for his entrance test to medical school. Richard asks Jo to come with him to Hawaii to do a photo shoot, while he sends Jane to New York. Jake becomes furious when he learns about Jo wanting to go to Hawaii and he seeks comfort with Shelly. When Amanda expresses her feelings to Peter, hoping that the comatose Jack shall never recover, Sydney's there to record it on tape. Also, Kimberly gets invited as a guest on Dr. Joyce Brothers' radio show whose special topic deals with psychotics. But Kimberly must find a way to get the monitoring bracelet off her wrist first.
EL SYD - After the comatose Jack dies, Sydney starts blackmailing Amanda with the tape she said about him for half of his estate. Meanwhile, Jo joins Richard in Hawaii and they immediately begin an impassioned affair. During a business trip, Alison and Billy are stranded at a small airstrip in the hills where they swap stories about her coming marriage to Hayley and Brooke's unexpected pregnancy. Matt is excited when he learns that he has been accepted to medical school, but not after finding out that Michael did some altering of his entrance test score. Also, Kimberly moves into Melrose and into Sydney's apartment, prompting Amanda to throw Sydney out for trying to blackmail her, while Peter tries to get back together with Amanda.
FREE KIMMY - Kimberly tries to get Peter to remove her monitoring bracelet so she can begin a new life for herself while he continues to try to win back Amanda. Meanwhile, Jane becomes angry after learning that Richard and Jo are now a couple, so she begins to temp Michael for her needs hoping to make Richard jealous. Matt gets a job at Shooters and uses Jake's computer for information on his accounts and discovers some suspicious transactions made by Shelly. Sydney throws a surprise 30th birthday party at the beach house for...
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