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THUMBS DOWN
MELROSE PLACE
Kyle Defiled
     Let us first say that we are in favor of fully exploring a character's facets, like MELROSE PLACE examining Kyle's self-destructive dark side after he learns he's sterile. That was hot stuff. So why did this latest chapter in the Kyle file leave us cold?
     From the get-go, the plot was built on shaky ground. When Peter called the lab, the technician picked up the wrong file and read the results. Peter then relayed the sad news to Kyle, who simply accepted it.
     Think about it: If you took a test that had profound implications on your life and the results were grim, you'd want to be retested, oral least get a second opinion especially if Peter was the man who delivered the diagnosis. Kyle did neither. It's no secret that blunders happen in lab doctor's offices and hospitals. MP's denizens have apparently never read a newspaper or seen 20/20.
     Kyle has been one of the few voices of reason and honesty on MP, but that's gone out the window. He put his trust in Peter and had no faith in Amanda - he couldn't bring himself to tell his Mrs. the truth. Instead, Kyle went into a tailspin - downing Scotch, prescription antidepressants (thanks to Peter) and street drugs (courtesy of a rock band promoter).
     When Amanda got wind of her husband's bad behavior, she declared, "This is ugly." We agree. After such a depressing downturn, it's time for Kyle to rebound to where he belongs.