"The L.A. Complex" With Jewel Staite on CW "We loved "Teenage Wasteland," " the adoring fan tells the aging (as in late 20s) actress, bemoaning the quick cancellation of the show that made her sort of famous. The creators have a new show set up at CW, right? Stephen Scott/Epitome Pictures Inc. The L.A. Complex Jonathan Patrick Moore, left, and Joe Dinicol in a new series from CW, Tuesday nights at 9 Eastern time; 8 Central and Pacific. This scene, early in the first episode of the new CW series "The L.A. Complex" on Tuesday night, is a Russian nesting doll of television in-jokes. It refers not just to Raquel the aging actress but also to the actress playing her, Jewel Staite, who in real life appeared in two cult-favorite, quickly canceled shows on Fox, "Firefly" and "Wonderfalls." It also nods, intentionally or not, to "The L.A. Complex" itself, which is CW's second attempt to recapture the magic of the vintage Fox series "Melrose Place." The first, a straight-up remake, lasted one season. This new and in many ways improved version might last a little longer. Imported from Canada, "The L.A. Complex" puts a group of good-looking young people in a Los Angeles apartment building - the basic "Melrose" setup - and makes every one of them an aspiring actor or musician. Over all it's as essentially disposable as most CW shows, but in between the rockin" pool parties and show-business clichés there are moments that are better written and less formulaic than the norm for this network. Most of those involve Ms. Staite, who's entirely believable in the stock role of the cynical, embittered but kindhearted veteran. "The L.A. Complex" puts less of a sentimental gloss on its characters" desperation than you'd expect, and this is particularly true with regard to Raquel. When she lashes out at Connor (Jonathan Patrick Moore), whose pilot has just been picked up, for not getting her an audition, the situation and the emotions feel surprisingly authentic. Another scene that moves in unusual directions involves Nick (Joe Dinicol), a comedian whose material is so bad even his friends won't laugh at it. It's the Adam Brody part from "The O.C." Waiting to go onstage, Nick is approached by the comedian and actress Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24"), and there's more to it than the standard celebrity cameo. Ms. Rajskub plays with his head, throwing him off his game just before an important routine, then joins the M.C. in insulting him afterward before showing a slight tinge of remorse by the end of the scene. Aside from Ms. Staite, the main cast members, including Cassie Steele of "Degrassi: The Next Generation" in the central role of the hungry new arrival (the Anne Baxter part from "All About Eve"), are unremarkable. And for every scene you might not have watched before, like the one with successful Connor putting food in the refrigerator in his empty new house, there are several you definitely have - from the audition disaster and the drug-fueled hookup to the crafty intern's big break. Still, the show belongs in the CW's upper tier, a ranking that loosely conforms to the days of the week; the network's best series, "The Vampire Diaries," "Nikita" and "Supernatural," all are on Thursday or Friday night. By that logic, "The L.A. Complex" should be moving to Thursday nights to replace "The Secret Circle" any week now. The L.A. Complex CW, Tuesday nights at 9, Eastern and Pacific times; 8, Central time. Produced by Epitome Pictures. Created by Martin Gero; Mr. Gero, Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, executive producers. WITH: Cassie Steele (Abby Vargas), Jewel Staite (Raquel Westbrook), Chelan Simmons (Alicia Mann), Benjamin Charles Watson (Tariq Muhammad), Joe Dinicol (Nick Wagner) and Jonathan Patrick Moore (Connor Lake).