Melrose Place and Beverly Hills, 90210 were hour-long television dramas created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling. Both shows were set in Los Angeles, with 90210 residing in Beverly Hills and Melrose Place in the neighboring West Hollywood neighborhood.
These series are staples of '90s television. Melrose Place begins with adult characters while Beverly Hills, 90210 starts with its characters in high school. Which one is the best '90s drama?
MELROSE PLACE: It's The Dramatic Predecessor Of Friends
Melrose Place can certainly be considered as a blueprint for Friends, which came out a few years later. Even though the latter is a sitcom, it has layers upon layers of friendship complexity and relationship drama set in an apartment complex.
The core cast of Melrose Place doesn't hang out all at once quite the same way that Chandler, Monica, Joey, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe do. The drama still feels like a Los Angeles take on the New York happenings of Friends at times, though. Melrose Place premiered three years before Friends, so it is quite likely that it influenced the premise of the famous '90s sitcom, much like Living Single did starting in 1993.
90210: It's Less Of A Soap Opera
Soap operas were still popular in the '90s; in fact, there were plenty of them on the air that fans religiously watched day after day. While Melrose Place carries a soap opera tone, 90210 is clearly a young adult drama. The scenes in the latter feel more relatable that way, and the character development doesn't feel as contrived. Soap operas are great for some viewers, but 90210 is more digestible for those who want a true drama.
MELROSE PLACE: It Has Fewer Reboots
Beverly Hills, 90210 was followed by two similarly named endeavors: 90210 (2008-2013) and BH 90210 (2019). 90210 had a decent following, but the 2019 project was short-lived. In contrast, Melrose Place was only followed by one reboot, which lasted from 2009 to 2010.
When people think of the title Melrose Place, they're more likely to think of the original and might not even know that the later project exists. It's nice to have an iconic show that isn't too clouded with other characters and stories in its franchise. While 90210's continuations are a testament to its popularity, Melrose Place's lack of spin-offs shows its integrity as one recognizable title.
90210: It Had The Coolest Party Tunes
The '90s often sounded like a party, and Beverly Hills, 90210 achieved that in its episodic soundtrack. Especially in the West Beverly High days, party music is huge in framing the action of the stories.
Even the music for going to school or kissing a crush feels like watching a famous '90s movie, but on TV and on a weekly basis. The glockenspiel sound is well-placed in important conversations, too.
MELROSE PLACE: That Perfect Musical Score
If Melrose Place is going to be soapy, it may as well have great music, too. The music here is the perfect undercurrent to happy, stressful, and even tragic moments for the characters.
Not every sound is a weepy piano chord, either (although some are). The music is heightened to take on whatever intensity the scene requires, whether someone is hopping on a motorcycle or making out with the neighbor.
90210: It Had A Longer Run
Longevity is important in considering a '90s show's legacy. To its credit, Melrose Place had a respectable run with its seven seasons, but Beverly Hills, 90210 definitely surpassed it with ten.
Staying on the air for an entire decade gave 90210 more time to experiment with its core love triangles. It also allowed its characters to see different phases of life, like high school, college, and even the workforce, whereas Melrose Place begins and ends with its main characters already in adulthood.
MELROSE PLACE: It's More Mature
Though it wasn't the longest-running '90s show, there are some positive aspects to the way Melrose Place's timing panned out. It is technically a spin-off of 90210 and even brought characters like Kelly and Donna into its first few episodes.
On Melrose Place, Kelly is able to further test out her fast-paced relationship with Jake, who is an adult in the community. The questionable romance highlights the fact that Melrose Place focuses on grown-up situations and problems, which potentially can appeal to a wider audience.
90210: That '90s Teen Look
The leggings, vests, high-waisted pants, jean jackets, statement dresses, poofy bangs -- they're all there. It's not that the '90s looks aren't great on Melrose Place (Rhonda Blair's aerobics look is spot on, for one thing), but 90210 truly captures the essence of teen fashion in the '90s.
It is also fun to see the styles change as the series inched its way towards the year 2000, without getting too far into the upcoming styles of the New Millennium. When it comes to fashion time capsules, nothing beats 90210.
MELROSE PLACE: The Titular Apartment Complex
The eponymous Melrose Place apartment complex is critical, considering that it provides the show's very name. The swimming pool is flanked by a modest courtyard, making it easy to catch all the action as it slips through the surrounding doors.
The tenants can converse with one another as they come and go or talk with just a few steps and a knock on a neighbor's door. Other settings do exist in the drama, but the central action that is the apartment complex gives the show a communal '90s feeling that's unique to the decade.
90210: The Expensive Homes
Beverly Hills, 90210 gives viewers a window into the LA elite of the greatest decade. Not every adolescent on the series is rolling in money, but many of them are.
From the first episode, viewers can see that Beverly Hills homes are a fixture of the characters' collective experience together. Whether it's a giant schoolwide party, a sleepover, or a couple cuddling up in the pool, the homes of the show are a unique aspect that just adds to the overall style.