In case anyone is just emerging from a cave today, the big news about last night's TV lineup was not some model being kicked off DANCING WITH THE STARS or the epic fail of that PRISONER remake; it was the return of Heather Locklear to MELROSE PLACE in her signature role, überbitch Amanda Woodward. And, just as she was credited with saving the original series, I think Locklear might just improve the odds for the remake, which has been plagued by shaky ratings.

Suddenly, the entire show — not just Amanda's scenes — seemed sexier and more tightly focused. The storytelling was not as scattershot as it was in the past when trying to service the large cast. Locklear was the star, and she got right to work. Amanda promptly blew up the silly "Riley is a model" plot, and gave Ella a lesson in how to really play the vixen game: by taking no prisoners. Amanda demonstrated she has not lost a step in the ruthlessness department when she got Riley fired for sinking the Anton V account. Nobody crosses Amanda Woodward! It also taught Riley that there are consequences for having values. It's one thing talk about honesty being the best policy in an AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL kind of way; it's another to get fired from a teaching job for it. When Amanda wanted to test Ella's loyalty to the agency, she sent a woman to try to seduce Ella, both professionally and personally. I really like Katie Cassidy's work on this show, so I hope Amanda mentors her, rather than supplants her.

I had literally given up on MP and stopped watching, but I'm willing to give it another shot when it returns in December.