Fox network has decided that this season will be the last for the wacky neighbors at 4616 Melrose Place, the L.A. garden apartment complex that for seven years has been home to some of television's most convoluted story lines ever.

"The show had run its course," one Fox executive, who asked not to be identified, said of "Melrose Place," which is produced by prime-time soap king Aaron Spelling.

And what a course it was. "Melrose Place" creator Darren Star recently said that the network, in a desperate attempt to lure viewers, had forced the show to develop "crazy" and "frenetic" story lines (as opposed to the realistic story lines in Star's "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Central Park West" and "Sex in the City").

Take character Alison Parker (Courtney Thorne-Smith), for instance. During her five seasons on the show, Alison's busy life included: living platonically with cute aspiring writer Billy while working as receptionist at ad agency D&D; having an affair with married Keith; being promoted to account exec at D&D; moving with Keith to Seattle; breaking up with Keith, returning to L.A. and moving back in with Billy; sleeping with Billy; getting job back at D&D; fighting with Amanda, D&D's ruthless chief, who's also Billy's ex-lover; being stalked by unbalanced Keith until he commits suicide; getting involved with agency client Steve; dumping Steve; getting back together with Billy; getting engaged to Billy; having wedding day flashback of being molested as child by father and leaving Billy at altar; developing drinking problem when Billy starts dating Sue; entering alcohol rehab center; leaving rehab to be named president of D&D when ruthless Amanda is stricken with cancer.

Viewers loved it.

In its first season, 1992-93, "Melrose Place" snared an average of 10.5 million fans. The following year, thanks largely to the addition of Heather Locklear, viewership jumped to 14 million -- the show's best season. It's now down to an average of 8.47 million viewers though it has hung on to enough of its core audience of young women to consistently win its Monday 8 p.m. time slot in that demo.

"'Melrose Place' will go down in television history as a pop culture icon for the '90s," Fox said over the weekend in a statement. "We'd like to thank Aaron Spelling and the talented cast, producers and crew for providing us with seven seasons and 227 hours of great television.

"We promise to honor the series and its fans by sending off the show with the fanfare it deserves," the network said.