kalbir

Whether it was planned or not, Andre/Dani were off the charts heat generating from the first week.

CBS and P&G were shaken by 1978-1982 huge rise and dominance of ABC big three, thus the changes to As the World Turns and Guiding Light. Also February 1980-May 1982 Y&R was in their post-expansion slump and that didn't help CBS either.

I haven't thought of Alice in Wonderland in years. I remember the cast ranged from old Hollywood stars to then-current television stars.

You're welcome. @Soapsuds posted December 16-22, 1985. This week The Cosby Show and Miami Vice were repeats, and Murder, She Wrote was pre-empted for A Christmas Carol. Here's what happened on the four soaps and rookie breakout this week. Dallas - Curiosity Killed the Cat (December 20): Jack's disappearance threatens J.R.'s Marinos deal. Cliff wins Mandy's trust. Pam receives a return on Bobby's emerald-mine investment. Knots Landing - All's Well (December 19): Gary forces Abby to help him protect his family from a hit man hired to guard the secret of Empire Valley. Cathy flees from Lilimae. Dynasty - The Roadhouse (December 18): Alexis moves Galen into her penthouse to recuperate. Alexis and Dex are shocked to see Krystle with Joel at the roadhouse and when Krystle sends signs for help to Alexis, Dex senses something is wrong. Claudia tries to get in Steven's good graces. The Golden Girls - That Was No Lady (episode 14, December 21): Dorothy becomes involved with a married coworker and her housemates disapprove. Falcon Crest - False Hope (December 19): Maggie's novel debuts in The New Globe. Chase ignores his new grandchild. A suspicious Terry orders a secret audit of Tuscany Downs.

Here's what happened on the sophomore slaughterer, sophomore surprise, new hotness, four soaps, and rookie breakout this week. The Cosby Show - Denise's Friend (December 12): Denise's friend seeks medical advice from Cliff about a problem she is keeping from her parents. Murder, She Wrote - Sticks and Stones (December 15): After Beverly Gareth is electrocuted in her bath, Cabot Cove is flooded with poison pen letters which prove hard for the town to handle as Amos prepares to hand the reins over to a new sheriff, Harry Pierce. Jessica has her hands full with a travel writer who has come to stay with her for a time to put Cabot Cove on the map. Miami Vice - Phil the Shill (December 13): Crockett and Tubbs target British TV personality Phil Mayhew in their investigation of major cocaine dealer Tony Rivers. Dallas - Goodbye, Farewell and Amen (December 13): Sue Ellen considers moving back to Southfork for her son's sake. Jenna decides to stop seeing Jack. Clayton secretly sells off assets. The Golden Girls - A Little Romance (episode 13, December 14): Rose tries to conceal the fact that she is dating Dr. Jonathan Newman, a little person. Dynasty - The Quarrels (December 11): Blake makes a doctor's appointment for Rita. Alexis decides to pamper Galen, who desperately wants to get his throne back. Michael decides he wants a family. Blake is left bewildered when Rita rejects him. Knots Landing - To Sing His Praise (December 12): Lilimae lies about Joshua's fatal fall. Gary is torn between Abby and the twins. Coblentz hires a killer to settle things with Greg. Falcon Crest - Strange Bedfellows (December 13): Angela tries to bribe Emma's beau. Richard turns away from a pregnant Cassandra. Greg holds Angela to her promise to get him into politics. This episode was the season high. 1985/86 Murder, She Wrote had 18/22 episodes finish as the highest-rated drama and 19/22 episodes finish as CBS's highest-rated scripted program. That season Angela Lansbury let us all know that she was straight up savage when she knocked big bad Larry Hagman off the throne at CBS, beat the diva of all divas of 1980s primetime soaps Joan Collins to become the highest-rated drama, and clean swept the new hotness Miami Vice.

Yeah, it's a longer version of that partial September 1978 episode that has been around.

I've accepted that we'll probably never see anything prior to 1979. Those who saw Potter/Dobsons in real time were most fortunate.

Were you checking for GV when he was on Y&R? Febreeze so needs to be in the opening credits 😂

Hahaha, yes!

Thanks @te.

1982/83 and 1983/84 CBS had a successful Thursday line up with Magnum, P.I.; Simon & Simon; and Knots Landing but NBC's 1984/85 comeback put an end to that. The Cosby Show weakened then slaughtered Magnum, P.I. and Magnum, P.I. was moved to Wednesday 9 pm. Cheers weakened then clobbered Simon & Simon and Simon & Simon moved up one hour where it was DOA vs. The Cosby Show. Simon & Simon moved back to 9 pm but the damage was done. Knots Landing was winning the time slot vs. Hill Street Blues but with the move up one hour it was weakened by Cheers. Knots Landing moved back to 10 pm but then NBC moved L.A. Law to Thursday 10 pm and Knots Landing was further weakened. CBS would not have another successful Thursday 8-10 pm line up until 2000/01 with Survivor and CSI.

We should always give MZ his flowers for Roger being the GOAT of CBS soap opera villains.

That reads like a prototype for Central Park West.

@alwaysAMC You're brave continuing 1998 past Annie parachuting off the plane. I just realized yesterday (December 6) marked 27 years since we lost Michael Zaslow. I don't think GL mentioned his death until the rebroadcast of MZ Emmy winning episode.

When Knots Landing ended in May 1993, it was CBS's 4th longest-running primetime drama, after Gunsmoke, Lassie, Dallas. Since Knots Landing ended, two CBS primetime dramas have equaled Knots Landing run (NCIS Los Angeles, Blue Bloods) and three CBS primetime dramas have exceeded Knots Landing run (NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds). Knots Landing may not have been a pop culture phenomenon but its place in television history is that of being a spin off done right. Knots Landing carved its own identity separate from Dallas and even with the crossovers Knots Landing did not feel like a second hour of Dallas in a different setting. Thanks @Franko

Thanks to it was all a dream, there were no more Dallas crossovers. The last mentions of the Ewing family on Knots Landing I can remember was when Abby told Gary that there was a call from Dallas about Bobby car accident and Gary telling Val that he was honored that she named her son after his brother. If I'm wrong, someone can correct me.

Knots Landing season 15 in Fall 1993 would've looked old school next to peak 90210, Melrose taking off, and new drama NYPD Blue. That's some Melrose s--- right there 😀

I can believe that if there had been a season 15, William Devane would not have returned.

1986/87 NBC Thursday was for the most part unbeatable. The Cosby Show had another killer season with 22/25 episodes #1 in their original broadcast and their series high. Family Ties had one episode finish #1 in its original broadcast and their series high. Cheers had one episode finish #1 in its original broadcast and their series high until the series finale. Night Court had their series high.

As the World Turns and Guiding Light unfortunately had the reputation of being grandma shows, at least among 1980s kids/1990s teens that became soap fans.

Same here, it was awful.

The first season was anything but lusty and bold. It felt more family drama than soap opera, like a wealthy Waltons in modern day California wine country.

Y&R wasted Cynthia Watros talent. I think she would've worked better as a Patty recast.

B&B had a bit of a cast switch in 1992. Departures of Lauren Koslow, Todd McKee, Peter Brown, Daniel McVicar, Colleen Dion. Debuts of Chris Robinson, Kimberlin Brown, Brent Jasmer. Michael Watson had a short run. Teri Ann Linn returned for a short arc.

Kelly was a thankless role anyway.