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Parents' Guide to

Melrose Place (2009)

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Steamy '90s soap update still a grown-up guilty pleasure.

TV CW Drama 2009
Melrose Place (2009) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

90210fan
90210fan Adult
February 4, 2011
age 13+

for teens

Love it not for. Kids for teens and adults the show shows lots of consequences
Philly30
Philly30 Adult
September 19, 2009
age 14+
Kids will love it just like we did when we were younger. Definitely seems more edgier than the original. I can still remember all of the Melrose & 90210 parties. Alot of fun!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

An updated version of the popular 1990s series, MELROSE PLACE features plenty of the steamy drama that's become synonymous with the trendy West Hollywood apartment complex. A new generation of twentysomethings now resides at 4616 Melrose -- including handsome but troubled David Breck (Shaun Sipos), high-powered publicist Ella Simms (Katie Cassidy), sous chef Auggie Kirkpatrick (Colin Egglesfield), struggling med student Lauren Yung (Stephanie Jacobsen), aspiring filmmaker Jonah Miller (Michael Rady), his girlfriend Riley Richond (Jessica Lucas), and new arrival Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz). Alson along for the ride are former tenant/current landlord Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton) and David's father, Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro). Life is never dull as each character reveals her/his dark past and future ambitions amid the chaos of romance, illicit relationships, revenge, and murder that makes up their daily lives.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

This edgy series has everything that made the original show (in)famous, including an interesting group of characters and intertwining storylines. The rebooted series also incorporates original plotlines, which bring together former and current cast members. Trendy clothes, expensive cars, and endless cocktail-filled evenings also add to the "fun."

But while the show is definitely a guilty pleasure for those enough old enough to handle it, the content is too mature for young viewers. Bottom line? It won't disappoint original MP fans and is likely to create a whole new Melrose generation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's "shock" value. Is it meant to be over the top? Does it go too far? How do you draw the boundaries?

  • What would the real-life consequences of the behavior on this show -- drinking too much, casual sex -- be?

  • What's the difference between an updated TV show and a remake? Is it possible to successfully remake or update a show that was not popular back in its day? Can you think of any examples?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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