Melrose Place - Shoreline, S01E06

Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen) is just about the worst call girl ever. She really has to learn to stop talking back or behaving uncomfortably. You have decided to sleep around for money, so stop acting like you're too proud to do it. Pride gets checked at the door, though maybe if she had more confidence, she'd do better. Ah well, it's not the worst plot ever.

That, instead, would be the idea the "normal" Riley (Jessica Lucas) was asked by a huge fashion designer to be the face of his new campaign because she's not a model. Well I'm not sure if she has the height for it, but there are very few 1st grade teachers who have bodies like that. Like we needed another "normal" girl played by a very attractive actor getting discovered. I'd wonder where this plot is going, but I don't really care. That may be because I don't like Riley.

And we SO did not get enough Ella (Katie Cassidy) time, though her conversations with her boss, Caleb (Victor Webster), get more and more fun. Almost like they might get along as colleagues. They're both starting to respect the other's ability to get the job done.

Finally, we get to the big plot of the episode. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) got suckered by Violet (Ashley Simpson-Wentz). She seduced him, slept with him, videotaped the whole thing, and is now out for revenge in the name of her late mother who refused to acknowledge her...though I bet that Violet actually believes her own story that Sydney was thrilled to find her again.

Oh Soap Operas....I mean, oh nighttime dramas that are essentially soap operas only with slightly fewer characters and only an hour a week instead of 5.