'Melrose Place': About last night?

Boy, Michael Rady wasn't kidding when he told us that Sydney's murder has been wrapped up and everyone's moving on. Without blinking, we pick up the morning after Jonah hooks up with Ella, Auggie kisses Riley, Lauren ODs and Violet kills Vanessa in the pool.

Sure, there are lots of mentions of "last night" -- mostly of the who-kissed-whom variety, not who-drowned-whom. There isn't even some yellow tape around the pool, and I'm almost positive that at least David, Jonah and Lauren don't have a clue about last night's skirmish. Wouldn't David at least be concerned? It was his step-mom who killed his ex-lover. But since that's what they're giving us, let's concentrate on the dewy-eyed, post-coital-cuddling kind of morning afters.
 
Jonah -- having directly or indirectly alienated everyone else in the complex -- asks David whether he should tell Riley about his late-night tryst with Ella. David suggests bottling up his guilt and angst; something David seems to do to get the superhero strength he needs to pummel the guy who made Lauren sick.

Question: If the guy of your dreams finally leaves his boring schoolmarm fiancee and winds up in bed with you, wouldn't you want said boy to tell said (currently unemployed) teacher about last night's shenanigans? But it did make me feel a bit better that Ella's motive for wanting to spill about their night together seemed to be that she wanted to lock in her man, not to hurt Riley. Deep down, she seemed to know what she did wasn't right.

Still, it doesn't seem like it will take long for Ella to branch off into another lovers' triangle if she so desired -- this time with Amanda and her boyfriend Ben (Billy Campbell). Trust me on this, Ella: You do not want to take a Billy Campbell away from Amanda Woodward. Stick to your Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada" shtick and do her bidding.

But handy rule of thumb: if your boss says she doesn't want trendy food ala the foie gras lollipops at The Bazaar, don't give her the former sous chef from a retro-lounge who just fell off the wagon again.

I guess Auggie wasn't all bad. He did know that when he wanted to drink and ruin his career he should best do it with the the owner of the house's good wine. And he was stable and stealthy enough to move out of his apartment and put all of his furniture and belongings in a storage locker in the middle of the night before he took off for the open road with his former lover's possible daughter. If only he'd done this a few weeks ago so Amanda wouldn't have to hire a private investigator to case his apartment for that missing painting.

What do you think? Are you glad to have "Melrose" back? Are you sad to see Auggie and Violet go? What's so special about this painting anyway?

-- Whitney Friedlander

Photos: Top, Amanda and the real Billy Campbell (playing her boyfriend Ben) on "Melrose Place"; bottom, Auggie and Violet plot their getaway. Credit: Scott Humbert / The CW

Comments

[Nico]

This show is just getting better and better with each episode! Glad to have Melrose Place back - and for a long time to come!

[OtownBS]

Ostoff should be fired for allowing this ratings mess to continue for another 5 weeks!

[Paul Woodward]

This show is so amazing! Its beyond better than 90210 and rivals Gossip Girl without a doubt. I hope the CW gives it chance to grow and keeps it on the air.

[karla]

i am glad melrose is back!!!! but is true that auggie is not coming back? i wanted riley to finally give him a chance

[maggie]

I really like the show and if it gets canceled i'll be really sad. and i liked this episode, but i still think the one before was the best of the season

[Lucas]

I love this show!!!! It is such an amazing series. CW you have a winner on your hands!!!!!

[Anthony]

I was an old Melrose fan and even bigger fan of Heather Locklear fan. Just started watching and I'm enjoying it all over again. I heard it's been canceled! Is that true? Hope not now that I just started getting to know it again. Upset about Colins character,but Ashley Simpsons depart is know loss. She just can't act! Hopefully the writers can keep the storielines together and more viewers will tune in. Good

Luck! Bring on the fire of the original season 2 melrose