revival

‘Finian’s Rainbow’ stands out at a time when hit musicals tend to lack memorable songs

I watched the pilot of the new Melrose Place (which may or may not be the version that finally airs) over the weekend, and don’t really know what to say about it. It seems closer to the style of original than the new 90210 does, and unlike that revival, this one wants to start off on a high melodramatic note. Though that may not be a good thing: it just points up the ways in which it falls short of the original’s wonderfully insane Aaron Spellingosity. But what really struck me about this new show is that I just don’t feel like hanging with any of these characters, and the ones I hate the most are the ones who are supposed to be the “likable” ones. Maybe that will change when the series starts.

The Jets still get most of the big numbers but at least the Sharks get to speak some Spanish