Remember when the CW rebooted Melrose Place and it was kind of a disaster? Well, The L.A. Complex is everything that should have been...and more.
The L.A. Complex, the young network's Canadian import, follows young hopefuls as they pursue their Hollywood dreams and navigate their relationships along the way. It's like if Melrose Place and Fame had a baby that had a one-night stand with Entourage: yes, it's totally your new guilty pleasure, with clever writing and compelling characters that you won't be able to get enough of.
We chatted with stars Cassie Steele (aka Manny Freakin' Santos from Degrassi!), Jonathan Patrick Moore and Andra Fuller to get all the scoop on the addictive new series and the Lux's (their apartment complex, duh!) inhabitants...
Abby, the Dreamer (Steele)
Abby is the show's naive and determined actress who left her family and boyfriend in Toronto to pursue her dream of acting in Hollywood. Sounds glamorous, right? Too bad she has nowhere to live, no money and can't book a job to save her life. And when she does score an audition? Well, she throws up on the piano! "I feel like I have on a personal level a friend that is like every character," Steele says of how realistic the portrayal of Hollywood is on the show.
Abby's love life is just as messy as her professional one as she soon finds herself in a love triangle with Connor, the actor, and Nick, the comedian. "I think it's really nice, the contrast between the two," Steele says. "Both can lead her down completely different roads." So who does Steele think is the right choice for Abby? It depends. "Who's better in bed?" she jokes.
Steele says The L.A. Complex was originally intended to be a Degrassi spin-off that followed her character Manny as she tried to make it as an actress in Hollywood. "As it matured it turned into something completely different, which I like," Steele explains. "Abby is really different from Manny. It's been fun playing someone who is really anxious and neurotic as opposed to Manny, who was really confident all the time."
Connor, the Up-and-Comer (Moore)
Meet the new McDreamy! Connor has just hit it big, landing the lead role on a hot new medical drama, and everything seems to be going well...almost too well. Connor is hiding a dark past and dealing with massive insecurities. "As the pressures build and relationships work" Connor's issues will be revealed, Moore teases. "It stems from his insecurities and his family abandoning him to some degree. That just played out over time and got worse." Things got so bad Connor was actually put on medication, which he takes himself off of when we first meet him. Always a great idea!
As for Connor's love life? He likes to get around! As previously mentioned, Connor hooks up with Abby in the first episode, and the two seem to have genuine feelings for each other. But Connor and Raquel seem to have a friends with benefits situation going on, and he isn't above sending out a mass text message to all of his contacts when he's feeling lonely. Yeah, dude has serious issues, but at least he's pretty!
Raquel, the Former Child Star (Jewel Staite)
The Firefly actress plays the desperate and determined Raquel, who had one big hit series, but has yet to land another role since that has lived up to her former glory. Raquel isn't above attending AA, while drunk, in the name of networking with producers and casting directors. The struggling actress finds a comeback opportunity in the form of two young screenwriters who would like her help getting financial backing for their film.
Nick, the Comedian (Joe Dinicol)
Ladies, meet the new Seth Cohen! Yes, Nick is that guy: dorky, skinny and obnoxiously cute. Nick's advantage? He wears hipster glasses, which is like Kryptonite for most girls. Alas, Nick isn't perfect: he's a comedian who kind of sucks at telling jokes. Seriously, you might cringe (a lot) when Nick takes the stage at a comedy show.
Best friends with Connor, Nick's actually responsible for setting up Connor with Abby, the girl he's crushing on. Turns out, Nick's just as bad at dealing with girls as he is at stand-up comedy. Basically, always the best friend, never the boyfriend is his life motto. Don't worry, Nick will slowly but surely improve his skills in both areas.
Kaldrick, the Rapper (Fuller)
While viewers won't meet Kaldrick until episode two, it's safe to say he'll definitely make a lasting impression once he's introduced. A superstar rap artist from Oakland, Kal has several DUIs and stints in jail under his belt. He's set to work with Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson), the up-and-coming producer, and their dynamic is combative, especially considering Kaldrick is scary as hell and hiding a huge secret. "Emotionally, he's all over the place. He's a mess," Fuller teases. "He's an enigma. He's hard to figure out."
Alicia, the Dancer (Chelan Simmons)
Super friendly and talented, Alicia is working hard to make her dreams of becoming a backup dancer come true and willing to do whatever it takes to make ends meet. Come on, we're sure you can figure this one out...talented dancer + desperation = stripper with a heart of gold! But how far is Alicia willing to go to make her dreams come true? Viewers will find out in episode three.
The L.A. Complex premieres tonight at 9 p.m. on the CW.
Will you be checking out the CW's new series tonight? Sound off in the comments!