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List Price: $39.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 10289
Released: April 15, 2008 |
| Our Price: $26.47 |
| Used Price: $29.50 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
A nighttime soap opera about the lives, careers, trials and tribulations of a group of young people living in an apartment building in the trendy neighborhood of Melrose Place. The show was a spin off of Beverly Hills 90210 and starred Heather Locklear as the scheming Amanda Woodward, head of her own advertising agency and owner of the apartment building.
Description of Melrose Place - The Fourth Season:
The fourth and the last essential season of Melrose Place literally begins with a bang, as a deranged Kimberly detonates the bombs that lay waste to much of the titular apartment building. But this being Melrose Place, it is hardly the only dramatic upheaval that will shake this addictive prime time soap to its very foundations. Where to begin? Framing this season are two great movie homages. The season opener echoes Silence of the Lambs with Kimberly (Marcia Cross) channeling Hannibal Lecter. The season finale recreates Carrie’s ultimate shock, a classic "no they di’nt" cliffhanger in tune with Melrose Place’s increasingly over-the-top aesthetic. In between are episodes ripe with left-turn character developments (Josie Bissett’s doormat Jane vows to do a little "stepping" herself to further her career as a fashion designer) and outrageous plot twists (Kimberly somehow beats the rap for her act of domestic terrorism and becomes a radio talk show host--recruited by no less than Dr. Joyce Brothers!--and later, develops a split personality as a really desperate housewife.) But you haven’t seen anything yet. Allison (Courtney Thorne-Smith), temporarily blinded in the blast, uses her disability to score pity points with Billy (Andrew Shue) while his new wife, the willful, spoiled, and manipulative Brooke (Kristin Davis) burns, especially when Allison marries her father! Matt (Doug Savant), the resident gay character, has a particularly eventful season, what with trying to clear his name after being framed for murder, suing for sexual discrimination, getting a new boyfriend, and becoming a drug addict. Michael (Thomas Calabro), much more evil and vicious in previous seasons, is not really a serious threat, but he does team up with Sydney (Laura Leighton) to Gaslight Kimberly. Jake (Grant Show), reeling from the death of his rotten brother, is vulnerable to the machinations of Shelly (Hudson Leick), his vengeful sister in law. We haven’t forgotten Amanda (show savior Heather Locklear), who begins the season uncharacteristically compassionate. Not to worry; she reverts to her bad self after Brooke uncovers a secret from her past and blackmails her. "Kiss the nice Amanda goodbye," she coolly threatens Brooke. "I’m back." Which is just the way we love her. This whopping nine-disc set contains no extras, but, really, with all the backstabbings and betrayals, hook-ups and, yes, hauntings, do you really need commentary? --Donald Liebenson
Melrose Place - The Fourth Season Reviews:
Revew of 'Melrose Place' Season 4 [MINOR SPOILERS] 
2009-08-22 - Season 4 of 'Melrose Place' brings forth all the drama, soap plots, twists and turns one would expect from the show. You have secret pasts being revealed, interesting hook-ups, near death experiences, murder and more. Off hand, I didn't think the season was horrible by any means but it was less gripping (at least at the start) than the previous seasons. By the end of the season though, the season and plots seem to hit a stride that kept me wanting more. Early on though? The season felt as if dragged on with not a lot happening.
The Bad: To keep the show interesting and unpredictable, we're treated to a new glimpse at some of our favorite characters. Early on in the season, Jane and Alison make a pact to stop being push-overs and be more proactive in their lives. Yet, Jane somewhat slips into annoying territory as she becomes more of a diva and the resident b*tch, always dismissing her friends and trying to be a tough business woman rather than the balanced character we knew from the start. In this season, we also see Billy go through a transformation that made him feel rather detached and strained, seeming a bit more elusive and uninterested than Andrew Shue's usual portrayal and acting. Poor Jo Reynolds. Not much happens with her character. While we're treated to seeing her actual work and do a lot of photography within Jane and her new beau's fashion firm, Jo seems like the character that's there but not really there. She's attached to others' plots, others' lives, never really standing out on her own this season. Amanda is revealed as having had a secret life before her arrival at Melrose Place. It's very stereotypical soap opera and is dragged out through the entire season. To be honest, it started out as sort of interesting but by the end of the season the plot, and the characters it introduced to the show, are dull and uninteresting. Being that Amanda's plot was the main mystery, plot and hub of the season, this really was distracting and took away from the show a bit with how it was handled.
The Good: The first half of the season seemed unsteady and unsure of itself and its characters. The second half though was much stronger and together and had me hooked and screaming at the television in excitement and suspense. We had the return of 'crazy' Kimberly whose quest for revenge lands one character in a sanatorium, taking a cue from 'Dallas' where J.R. continually threatens, and sometimes placed, Sue Ellen to 'punish' her. This plot was by far the best and involved a lot of the characters in the show, and even provided Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (who, I might add, starred in 'Dallas') a small, multi-episode role as a nurse working in a mental asylum having to deal with a deranged Kimberly Shaw (who, by the way, acted much like Marcia Cross' Bree Van de Kemp character from 'Desperate Housewives'). Sydney and Jane also go head-to-head this season and end the season in a very interesting murder plot involving another lead 'Melrose Place' character. I enjoyed Alison's overall arc this season which saw her going from continually playing the victim role and being hooked on Billy to finally stepping out on her own, being more assertive and actually being the one to help others rather than being the hot mess of a character that continually needed saving.
In conclusion, the season felt a bit long and some of the plots could have been handled better. The cast of characters felt as if it got a bit too big to be handled accordingly (look at how it's hard to fit all of them on the cover). Many of the characters including Jake, Jo and Matt hardly seem to get any real attention or good plots of their own. It's much of the same for them, and it felt a bit tired. Still, 'Melrose Place' kept with its shocking plots, twisty story lines, surprising hook-ups and elusive relationships which made it worth watching and addictive. Nothing like this remains on modern television, which is a shame. Definitely worth buying if you're looking for good entertainment.
Disc number one scratched on arrival and not secured in case
2009-05-15 - I had waited and was worried from reading packaging issues on this. Wheni received item (very fast !) I was upset that I had same problem others had written about, season 4 disc one was scratched when i open the case it was not secured on the plastic nub it should have been sitting fiirmly in. I have never had a problem with Amazon, and have ordered for years from the company. it must be a manufacturer issue. please be warned. Now I have to go through a return process i am slightly uncomfortable with. The only good thing is that Amazon is a reputable organization and I hope I can get a replacement for the first disc of season 4 easily and as timely as the package came in the first place .
Perfect 
2008-11-24 - Delivery was very quick, a few business days.
Product was delivered in perfect condition.
Melrose Place Season 4
2008-10-24 - More action and drama then season 3... very entertaining. Stayed up late most nights watching till I finished the season.
action
2008-08-04 - More action. Hate theme song but rest of music was great. Packaging on first three sets were so much better. Should stick to what works.
