Fans of the original “Melrose Place” may be itching for a return to West Hollywood but they will also be interested in knowing why we left so soon in the first place.
According to the show’s executive producer the decision was monetary.
Fox Did Not Want to Pay a Certain Cast Member
Writer and producer Charles Pratt recently made an appearance on the podcast “Still The Place,” a recap/behind the scenes show hosted by past “Melrose Place” alum Daphne Zuniga, Laura Leighton and Courtney Thorne-Smith.
As ratings started to fall, Pratt indicated the writers wanted an eighth season. But a lawsuit involving actress Hunter Tylo suing Aaron Spelling and Spelling Entertainment for pregnancy discrimination added to the cancellation of the show.
“[Fox] had moved on in their mind, but, you know, the ratings were starting to go down, you know, and then the last year, I know why it was canceled, why we didn’t get an eighth season, which we really wanted,” Pratt lamented.
“It was the show between the lawsuits and the stuff, it was really tainted,” he continued. “And quite frankly, they said, we can’t afford to pay Heather Locklear.”
Pratt would do his best to do justice to the show and its characters.
“I made sure the last shot was of Heather, you know, and I think the feeling was at Fox, as long as Heather’s on the show, it doesn’t matter who else is on the show.”
Other Cast Members Left on Their Own Terms
Zuniga, Leighton and Thorne-Smith were all off of the show before season 6. The three hosts agreed that any number of reasons are an actor leaves a show.
Pratt noted how often storylines would go overboard or “jump the shark.” He remarked how the writers were tasked with creating storylines that were like “[running the cast] through a ‘soap mill,’” noting how difficult it was trying to create new storylines for characters.
“And you get to a point where, wow, what do we do with them next,” he revealed. “We can’t rebuild, rehabilitate them or make this past go away and ignore it like they do in daytime soap.”
According to Pratt, it was tough on him whenever anyone left.
“I was here, I wrote episode two and you know, and I just remember the whole journey. And it’s like those initial people walking down the street, you know, walking down Melrose.”
“I loved every person we brought on,” he continued. “And I liked all of their stories.”
More Secrets Revealed Including Seeing Old Faces
It was also revealed cast members were contacted to make return appearances in the series final season.
“I was working on Ally McBeal at the time, and that schedule was crazy, and we just couldn’t make it work,” Throne-Smith says. “And I remember trying to, like if I could get there by the end, I could do something, and we were like 18-hour days on that show.”
Pratt also left “Melrose Place” to work on another Fox show called “Models Inc.” before ultimately returning to “Melrose.” He also directed the last episode of the show.
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‘Melrose Place’ Exec Gives Behind-the-Scenes Info on What Ended the Beloved Show