Knots Landing

[Khan]

Agree.  Given what had happened years before between Joshua and Cathy, Val should have seen the warning signs in Danny.

If Val had just admitted that she knew that Danny wasn't perfect, but that after everything she'd gone through - with Gary, with Ben, with J.R., with Lilimae, with Joshua, with Abby (and the people who stole her twins), with Jill, with everyone who'd ever hurt her - she had to believe there was something worth saving in Danny - even if it was way, way, way down deep - or else she would lose not just her faith in people but her sanity as well....  If she had just told Gary, or Karen, or Mack, "I've got to make SOMETHING in my life WORK - for myself, and for my kids, too!".  Then, maybe, we could have gone along for the ride.

Sure, our hearts would have been breaking the whole time, knowing that Danny was irredeemable; and we would have worried, too, about how Val was going to cope once the inevitable happened - personally, I would have had Val develop an eating disorder - but at least we wouldn't have come away thinking Val was the dumbest woman God or David Jacobs had ever created.

Alexis Colby would have planted drugs on her son-in-law - and therein, boys and girls, lies the problem.

[Soaplovers]

I think the Waleska story would have worked if it had happened in season 9 right after Ben had 'disappeared' when she was at her most vulnerable since Gary was with Jill.

And it would have spurred Gary to take action about having it documented he was the father of the twins because he didn't trust Danny nor did he trust Val's judgement.

So once Danny is removed then the Jill story could have started.

And I wouldn't have shown Jill trying to kill Val...I would have left it unclear for awhile...and then later shown in scenes that Jill did try to kill her.

[Khan]

One thing I would have done differently with Jill's last storyline - and I grant you, it's minor in the scheme of things - but I would have brought back Hunt Block as Peter - still dead, of course, but now as a manifestation of Jill's conscience, plotting and scheming with her, and figuring out the best way to eliminate Val from everyone's lives.

That might have made (more) sense.  BUT...lol...I would have had Danny and Jill team up at some point.  Ben disappears/is presumed dead, and it looks like Gary and Val are about to reunite, which would make Danny and Jill very, very nervous.  So, as Jill would say to Danny, "You help me get rid of my problem...and I'll help you take care of yours."

Heck, Danny and Jill could have even hooked up a few times, engaging in some hot, sweaty sex, as they plot how to keep the former Mr. and Mrs. Ewing apart for good.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Khan

[Soaplovers]

Except that wouldn't have fit KL...that would have fit on Dynasty or Falcon Crest.

I actually think the Jill story in season 10 would have been stronger if we didn't know whether Jill tried to kill Val or not.  Would have made the audience speculate because Val had issues with her mental health..and Jill didn't seem the type to want someone died because she felt threatened.

 

[FrenchBug82]

As I mentioned above, I genuinely believe it is indeed sometimes better for the audience to be in the dark and along for the ride.
In this particular case though, the spectacular aspect of that storyline were those last episodes of the season. The meticulous planning, the tension that rises in us wondering where this is going and those spectacular one-on-one scenes.
I woudn't trade that for a mystery on Val's sanity, even if I head on paper that it would have also been a good way to tell the story.
 

Of course I wouldn't dare suggest this is why they never went there but I think that considering what we have seen of JVA's real-life body dysmorphia, it probably would have been delicate for them to write - especially since her thinness which could have been natural gives a different vibe in retrospect.

Agree. Once more that is why I somewhat defend the Waleska story. He was a very very ordinary villain. The kind of a*****e that every Walmart has probably one of and every Trump rally a hundred of.
He was a good fit for what Knots Landing was - more than drug runners, or snipers through a window or if I am honest the shenanigans on a talk show set or in the offices of a conglomerate.
Granted KL had moved some from the initial concept of middle-class folks once Gary got his inheritance and Greg Summer became a leading character but nevertheless even Lotus Point had the feel of an ordinary workplace with ordinary people going about their lives. 
So very few of the plots that tried to take it up a notch worked well; KL was at its best when it was ordinary people in sometimes extraordinary situations.
 

[Khan]

True.  But, which would you rather watch: Val struggling with body dysmorphia, or Val struggling with a "brain virus"?

[DemetriKane]

Adding my two cents after browsing:

I am one of the viewer's that loved Diana. She's in my top 5 favorite knots characters, I found her fascinating to watch, very realistic and relatable character. They wasted her like they do everybody that's not apart of the A cast on this show. She never should have left, Diana needed to make her way back to the cul-de-sac and been paired with Joshua. And i could also see her competing with Paige for sumner.

I will support Doug Sheehan (Ben) in his decision to leave. He was right, they didn't properly use him outside of being a place holder. They refused to give Ben layers to become more compelling to watch. Yes, Knots is a female show, but Greg and Mack got decent airtime and Point of view, Greg becomes the show in its later seasons.

I wish he had stuck around, and they brought in Aunt Ginny as someone from his family.

 

[victoria foxton]

There's a Knots fan site. It looks fairly recent.  https://www.knotslanding.net/characterbios/dianab.htm    @Khan@FrenchBug82@DRW50@Chris 2@Soapsuds@Joseph@Soaplovers@Franko@SFK@Cat@j swift@YRBB@DemetriKane@BetterForgotten@kalbir@te.@AbcNbc247@SoapDope

[DRW50]

Thanks @victoria foxtonfor your links here and in the classic DAYS threads.

[AbcNbc247]

Thanks @victoria foxton!

Maybe if they see that there's still interest in KL because of sites like this, the whole series will eventually be put on a streaming service

[DemetriKane]

Thanks a lot @victoria foxton

[victoria foxton]

@DemetriKane@AbcNbc247 @DRW50 You're welcome, guys.

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The American soaps need more sites. Where fans can look up information. On old characters and stories. Especially the long-gone soaps. Thankfully we have AW, SB and EON fan sites. The British soaps have sites where you can find bio's on the most obscure characters.

Edited May 9, 2022 by victoria foxton

[Contessa Donatella]

There's a pretty good wiki for AMC. And, even the Wikipedia page itself for AMC covers, for example, what HW wrote what.

And, SOC, Soap Opera Central has a great section on character histories & a great section on historical weekly recaps.

Edited May 10, 2022 by Tonksadora
Add SOC.

[Vee]

Pleased to finally have unearthed the opportunity to watch the show. I will be viewing the Dallas episodes with Shackleford and JVA and then moving onto Season 1.

[Khan]

You're in for a treat!  But remember: it can be rough going at first, so give it time (at least the first 2-3 seasons).