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Why did so much of the cast leave after S5?

posted 9 years ago by tvaddict53
18 replies | jump to latest

Does anyone know why most of the cast left during or at the end of season 5? I know Daphne Zuniga left at the end of season 4 because she wanted more money (correct?), but then hit season 5 and Jane leaves about halfway through, Kimberley makes her last appearance towards the end, and Alison, Jake, and Sydney leave at the end of the season. Then Matt's final appearance is the season 6 premiere.

Was it just a decision made in the writers room or was the decision to leave what the actors wanted? Or does anyone even know?

[–] Kain_Templeman 9 years ago

Because FOX lowballed them.

The only 3 cast members that got pay increases from FOX were Heather Locklear (which she got each season), Jack Wagner and Thomas Calabro while others left like Josie Bisset did who was pregnant at the time or quit the show altogether.

[–] seikopatek 9 years ago

Wait, didn't Josie Bissett have a miscarriage around that time? She left during the latter half of season 5, wasn't in season 6 and returned during the last season.

[–] Kain_Templeman 9 years ago

Yeah she did have a miscarriage and yes she did return for the last season.

[–] theworldastage 9 years ago

Likely a money issue as Kain_Templeman said above. Perhaps some of them wanted to be free to do other projects.

Just for fun, the following is what I've heard/read. Take with a grain of salt. I especially find the Courtney Thorne-Smith one weird.

Doug Savant (Matt) had a scheduling conflict with a movie he was doing at the time and they decided to kill him off. I think I may have actually read this from a good source but can't recall.

Grant Show (Jake) apparently started to dislike the writing after Season 3(?) and wanted to be killed off with (spoiler) Jess. He was persuaded to stay for a while longer.

Courtney Thorne-Smith (Allison) had a relationship with Grant Show (Jake) in real life that ended and according to Darren Star [EDIT: it was actually Charles Pratt, Jr.] in a recent article, it was the reason she left. BUT I find that kind of a stretch because

1. Just on a professional level
2. She also had a thing with Andrew Shue and stayed on, though maybe it wasn't as intense and she was just getting started on the show at the time so why leave a "good thing"
3. Grant Show also left at the end of S5, so why would she if that was the reason?

[–] paranoja 9 years ago

Doug Savant originally signed on to do 13 episodes of season 6, but since Heather Locklear got pregnant they had to start filming earlier and he was doing Godzilla at the time he was written off in the season six premiere.

Matt wasn't killed off until the season seven premiere, but that was for storyline purposes rather than anything to do with Doug Savant.

Courtney Thorne-Smith was the one of the leaving cast members that was offered a significant raise, but she still left. Fox moved her over to Ally McBeal which premiered after Melrose Place the next season.

Marcia Cross left because of wanting a raise and was in negotations until she was finally killed off. That's why the "brain tumour" storyline happened and why it was so wonkingly written - you can almost tell when negotiations was going well and when they weren't. I guess they wrote that in to try and pressure her into accepting a lesser deal.

Josie Bissett had a miscarriage and needed time out, hence her returning one and a half season later.

Daphne Zuniga was basically unhappy with how Jo was written and was asked to be written off. She was also old friends with Darren Star who had left the show at the start of season four, so that might've also affected her decision to leave.

Laura Leighton supposedly asked for a Heather Locklear type of pay raise. I don't know how true that is - if she did, I think she wanted to leave because she must've known there was no way in hell she was going get it. Although, Spelling was known for placing stories in the press when actors pissed him off...

[–] theworldastage 9 years ago

Thanks for the info! I like hearing what was going on.

And wow, I had no idea Darren Star left then. It always sounded like he was there until like Season 5.

[–] paranoja 9 years ago

No, Darren Star officially left at episode 100 of Melrose to do Central Park West at CBS, who at the time wanted to appeal to a younger audience. As by spite, Fox ended up scheduling the season six premiere of Beverly Hills, 90210 against Central Park West and then scheduled the 100th episode against the repeat of Central Park West's pilot. Petty! Central Park West ended up flopping hard despite being quite good.

Darren did leave an outline for the storylines for the first half of season four, apparently.

[–] theworldastage 9 years ago

Sounds interesting. Maybe I'll check out that show - just found it on YouTube.

[–] b73142 8 years ago

Oh, CPW was the best. It wasn't given a chance to gain an audience.

[–] cooltu101 9 years ago

Laura should have gotten the raise she wanted

[–] sandyrusso1024 9 years ago

Thanks for the Info Really miss Melrose Place

[–] seikopatek 9 years ago

Are you referring to the Vulture article from almost two years ago w/c focused on the writers' rooms of various popular TV shows like Melrose Place? If you're referring to that, I've noticed that part was awkwardly redacted when I visited the website. I don't think Starr is the source of the alleged romantic relationship between Thorne-Smith & Show. It's one of the writers that Vulture interviewed for their article. The interviewee probably heard it from other people gossiping about it on the set.

[–] theworldastage 9 years ago

I don't think Starr is the source of the alleged romantic relationship between Thorne-Smith & Show. It's one of the writers that Vulture interviewed for their article.

Indeed it was from Vulture.

And I see where it got jumbled. There was a statement from Darren Star about Laura & Grant, and two sentences later they mention Courtney & Grant - but it was from Charles Pratt, Jr.

[–] Abused_Peanut 9 years ago

Courtney Thorne-Smith (Allison) had a relationship with Grant Show (Jake) in real life

First time I have ever heard of it. Wasn't he dating Laura (Sydney) though?

[–] theworldastage 9 years ago

First time I have ever heard of it. Wasn't he dating Laura (Sydney) though?

Yes, he was dating Laura!

I went back and read it again. It was actually one of the writers who speculated Courtney & Grant, so it seems they're mistaken but who really knows.

[–] Abused_Peanut 9 years ago

It was probably because their characters were together during that time but like you said who knows. Maybe they did get together. I just find it weird because there has been no rumors or anything like that before that article. These things usually come out espcially since Melrose Place was huge back then.

[–] tpcorless 9 years ago

Marcia and Laura definitely deserved raises if they asked for them. They were clearly the best actors and most interesting characters on the show, in my opinion aside from TC.

[–] sandyrusso1024 9 years ago

Don't know but I love them . I wish they never killed Bobby off loved him so Handsome.