7.3/1088 votes#1 - Tenants
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/8/2009
Landlady Sydney Andrews has made herself a central figure in the lives of all her tenants, especially David Breck, the son of her ex, Dr. Michael Mancini. Other tenants include publicist Ella Simms; Auggie Kirkpatrick, a sous chef; Lauren Yung, a medical student; and Jonah Miller, an aspiring filmmaker.
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Writer: Darren Star, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer
- 7.4/1066 votes
#2 - Nightingale
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/15/2009
In the wake of the murder, the Melrose Place tenants try to go back to a normal routine. Ella learns from her boss that her job may be in danger due to a recent merger. In need of tuition money, Lauren agrees to go out on another date in exchange for money.
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer: Liz Tigelaar
- 7.5/1069 votes
#3 - Grand
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/22/2009
Jonah becomes enraged when he finds out Riley hasn't told her family that they are engaged. After they fight, Riley turns to Auggie for comfort. Caleb exchanges words with Ella after her director for the music video quits, leading Ella to have Jonah fill in at the last minute. However, the lead singer may be more than Jonah can handle, which puts Ella's job in jeopardy once more. Meanwhile, David accuses Michael of Sydney's murder; Lauren applies to work on Michael's team at the hospital and Violet continues to make her move on Auggie.
Director: Allan Arkush
Writer: Caroline Dries
- 7.8/1070 votes
#4 - Vine
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 9/29/2009
Jane Mancini, Sydney's sister, arrives in Melrose Place to announce that she's inherited the building from Sydney. She later threatens Ella with incriminating e-mails she sent to Sydney unless she dresses a client for a movie premiere in one of Jane's designs. Desperate, Ella asks David for help. Detective Rodriguez asks Violet about her connection to Sydney, but Violet flees her apartment through her window. Lauren meets a John at a hotel bar when Toby stands her up, leading her to make the decision to take her side job to a new level. However, Wendi, a local madam, threatens Lauren to stay away from the hotel.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1065 votes
#5 - Canon
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/6/2009
As a result of Jane’s tip, the police bring Ella in for questioning about Sydney’s murder. Lauren is torn between going on a shopping date with Riley for her wedding and impressing her new boss Wendi who just set her up on a “date.” A stunned Jonah is accused of stealing a diamond necklace from a mansion he videotaped for a realtor, but becomes even more upset after Ella mentions a similar necklace that she saw in David’s apartment. Violet sabotages another employee so she can get closer to Auggie.
Director: Norman Buckley
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1064 votes
#6 - Shoreline
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/13/2009
A famous fashion designer gives Riley an offer; Lauren panics after running into David after taking a job on a yacht; and Violet tries to set up a meeting with Michael.
Director: Roxann Dawson
Writer: Alexandra McNally
- 7.2/1059 votes
#7 - Windsor
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/20/2009
Ella and Riley meet the photographer Jo Reynolds at the Anton V photo shoot. To help Riley get in touch with her emotions Jo pressures her into doing a topless shoot. Jonah and Kendra meet up for drinks.
Director: Patrick R. Norris
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1062 votes
#8 - Gower
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/3/2009
Riley helps Jonah film a wedding, but the two get into a big fight in the middle of the ceremony. Putting her relationship with Jonah first, Riley breaks off her friendship with Auggie, who doesn’t take the news very well. Ella discovers Lauren’s expensive new clothing and lingerie plus a large envelope of cash and confronts her roommate about the late nights she’s been working. David fears he may be responsible for Sydney’s death.
Director: David Barrett
Writer: Caprice Crane
- 7.4/1056 votes
#9 - Ocean
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/10/2009
The police issue an arrest warrant for Auggie after learning his blood was on Sydney’s murder weapon.
Director: N/A
Writer: David Babcock
- 7.4/1064 votes
#10 - Cahuenga
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/2009
The Bitch is back! Heather Locklear returns as Amanda Woodward. Ella and Caleb are stunned when agency owner Amanda Woodward walks into WPK and immediately fires half the staff, including Caleb.
Director: Michael Fields
Writer: Caroline Dries
- 7.4/1054 votes
#11 - June
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/1/2009
Amanda moves into Sydney's penthouse while her Bel Air mansion is being built and takes an interest in David. Meanwhile, David and Lauren’s relationship continues to grow, and Ella uses her charms to get Jonah a new job. Also, Amanda and Michael reunite.
Director: David Paymer
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1068 votes
#12 - San Vicente
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/8/2009
Jonah and Riley decide to head to Las Vegas to elope but the day doesn’t quite go as planned. Ella arranges a pitch meeting for Jonah with an important producer who is interested in buying his film. Meanwhile, Lauren calls David after she gets in trouble with one of her male clients and Auggie confesses his true feelings for Riley. Also, Michael gives David information about Sydney’ killer and Amanda bonds with Violet over Sydney, but of course Amanda has an ulterior motive in getting to know Violet.
Director: Bethany Rooney
Writer: Darren Swimmer, Todd Slavkin
- 7.6/1055 votes
#13 - Oriole
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 3/9/2010
Violet asks Auggie to leave town with her. Amanda puts Ella in charge of a lavish party at her house to celebrate the arrival of her billionaire boyfriend Ben. However, after Amanda spies Ella and Ben together in a compromising position, she lashes out. Meanwhile, Riley asks Jonah if they can start over.
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1055 votes
#14 - Stoner Canyon
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 3/16/2010
Sexy Drew Pragin moves into Auggie’s old apartment and immediately clashes with Lauren. She becomes even more upset when he shows up at the hospital as the newest resident. Riley asks Ben for a job, which infuriates Amanda, and David receives life-changing news from an unexpected source. Meanwhile, Ella makes an unrealistic demand of Jonah that backfires.
Director: Seith Mann
Writer: Caprice Crane
- 7.4/1051 votes
#15 - Mulholland
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/23/2010
Ella is a little overwhelmed by Jonah's constant attention and decides couplehood might not be for her. Lauren succumbs to Dr. Mancini's threats and David decides to buy Coal, but the price turns out to be a little higher than he thought. Meanwhile, Drew moonlights in a band and Amanda catches Ben and Riley in a compromising position.
Director: J. Miller Tobin
Writer: David Babcock
- 7.6/1051 votes
#16 - Santa Fe
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/30/2010
Ella discovers someone is embezzling from WPK and framing her for it, she investigates and starts with Jo, who concludes Amanda is up to her old tricks again. Jonah decides to throw a party in the courtyard to celebrate his newfound success. Jane confronts Amanda for not firing Ella and runs into Michael. Lauren is shocked after Michael tells her he'll reveal her secret if she doesn't sleep with him, she makes a harsh decision. Riley and Drew share a sweet date.
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1061 votes
#17 - Sepulveda
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 4/6/2010
David’s new role as a restaurant owner is put to the test after he loses some of his wait staff on the day an important food critic has come to review Coal. In an effort to get David to forgive her, Lauren pitches in as a waitress and hostess and helps him out of his jam. Ella wants to hack into the WPK files to erase the fake evidence against her for embezzlement, but Jonah strongly disagrees with her tactics, so she looks to David for help. With Drew’s help, Riley throws a fundraiser for her education foundation but when Drew tries to increase the donations by auctioning off a date with Riley, things go awry after Drew and Jonah get into a bidding war.
Director: Norman Buckley
Writer: Caroline Dries
- 8.0/1059 votes
#18 - Wilshire
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/13/2010
Amanda fires Ella from WPK. However, not one to go out without a fight, Ella searches for anything to blackmail Amanda. Unfortunately for one of the ladies, the end result is worse than she could have ever imagined. Meanwhile, after attending a NYU reunion, Jonah asks Riley to reconcile and Lauren and David get back together but a jealous Morgan retaliates and puts Lauren’s life in jeopardy. Drew tries to stop Michael from performing a dangerous surgery, but Michael sets Drew up to get caught with drugs, causing Drew to be thrown out of ULA. Finally, Sydney makes a surprise appearance.
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer: Darren Swimmer, Todd Slavkin
The Best Episodes of Melrose Place Season 1
Every episode of Melrose Place Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Melrose Place Season 1!
In an elegant Spanish-style apartment building in the trendy Melrose neighborhood of Los Angeles, a diverse group of 20-somethings have formed a close-knit surrogate family. However,...
Genre:Drama
Network:The CW
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Tenants" is the best rated episode of "Melrose Place" season 1. It scored 7.3/10 based on 88 votes. Directed by Davis Guggenheim and written by Darren Star, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, it aired on 9/8/2009. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Nightingale".