KNOTS LANDING

[DemetriKane]

Nope not at all imo. Laura's journey wasn't just entertainment, it was super relatable and hits close to home for a lot of gay males.

Loved season 5 Laura. It's probably her best season. I couldn't been any more happy watching her shine that year. I adored her romance with Greg; but was it a blessing or a curse?

!!!! Loved her so much even with her minimal airtime.

[Vee]

Season 3, Ep 9 (The Rose and the Briar):

Monkey's paw time for me: A Lilimae-centric episode, but it's really tiresome! Written by longtime Y&R, PC etc. scribe Scott Hamner, son of the legendary Earl Hamner who I clearly don't need to educate anyone on this forum about, this is not one of the show's best. The friction with Lilimae and Val continues, which is a strong thread at least - I LOLed at Val sliding down the wall, exasperated, as Lilimae once again strummed one of her cornpone songs. I worship Julie Harris but a little of Lilimae's songs goes a long way. I'm amazed she didn't get kicked off the bus to Vegas. The entire A-plot was a test in endurance for me, with the con artist and the overall silliness. I just couldn't be bothered, I prefer Harris and JVA digging into meatier material, or I'd prefer to see Lilimae mixing it up in the cul-de-sac and making mischief more.

The Avery B-plot was far more interesting. Scooter was unusually aggressive with Laura about ending her marriage. And poor Richard, the company pimp. Things were going so well for the Averys so recently, and now it's a rapidly spiraling train wreck again. Rosemary Prinz is back!

I do really like Val and Abby's friendship as two very different women here, though I know where it ends up. There's a fun moment where Karen twigs what Abby is up to with Gary, and the ending finally brings things a bit more focus after the incredibly irritating Lilimae/Jackson follies of the main plot as Val takes one look at Abby with her husband and can see it all coming - before blinking it away.

Ep 10 (The Three Sisters):

I've heard a lot about this one, and I was pretty excited for it. The ethereal pans across the empty house with the voice-over of our heroines was great stuff, sleekly shot and cut. The women of the ensemble all together as a unit clicked beautifully, even Ginger if you squint. The camerawork prowling around after them inside the haunted house at various crooked angles was brilliant work by Kim Friedman. And those creepy dolls! Let's not and say we did.

The shot of Valene and the ghosts in the basement was pure horror movie, and the synthesized ghost voices were creepy stuff. It's such a bizarre episode but I would've liked them to continue a sort of Halloween tradition with eps like these (though I'm pretty sure this did not air at Halloween) - I have no idea if they did more like it. I was glad they tied it all back to Valene's core issues. Laura's dry wit and disengagement with the entire mess was great; she's looking for a commission. Karen's pragmatism was also refreshing in this environment; I loved her throwing up her hands in confused exasperation after Lilimae and Val both stuck by the ghost story at the end. And Abby slinking about getting off on it all was great.

Playing the creepy lullaby over the end credits was wholly unnecessary. Props to Lorimar for that!

I hear the season is about to kick back into high gear and I am more than ready. Any distraction is welcome after the past week in America.

Edited May 30, 2022 by Vee

[Vee]

Episode 11 (Power Play):

Karen: Abby is just Abby.

Val: I know.

Well, here we are. This episode is directed by legendary character actor Bill Duke (stone cold Mac in Predator, among many other classic films) who also is an impressive director in his own right, having shot a ton of TV including several eps of Knots but also films such as Deep Cover, Hoodlum and Sister Act 2. Let's refresh your memory!

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Abby invoking Sid to make Karen understand her ambition and drive was both strikingly modern for its time - the show again refusing to paint her as just a vixen and schemer - and poignant. I dunno why I thought Sid's engine was going to come back into this with the methanol story, but I could've sworn I read somewhere that it did. Shouldn't they be expecting a big payday from that if Abby did successfully swing a deal with J.R. on it last season?

The look of gratification and triumph on Abby's face as Gary headed upstairs to pack for Mexico was animalistic. Fascinating also was how Val could see Gary's manic ambition rising - as she tells Lilimae, she's seen it before in their youth. He's supercharged by new enterprise, and it's a addictive drive for him: "If I were still a drinking man, I'd be smashed." It's intriguing to see the true depth of what drives Gary. Despite past humble promises to the contrary, even the black sheep Ewing can't truly imagine staying a 'wage slave' in Knots Landing, whereas for Val a happy suburban home and family is all she's ever dreamed of. Together, Gary and Abby are the rising '80s incarnate, where the simple post-'70s happy houses by the California dreamin' beachside of S1 and S2 are not enough. And Abby's exultant, quasi-sexual reaction to being together in their methanol still facility - 'feel it, Gary! I can feel it inside of me!' - feels genuine to her, not just calculated to seduce. We're welcomed inside the bones of these characters into what fuels them beyond simply sex and schemes against one another, unlike many primetime soaps.

Richard warns Gary off Abby in a great little scene which, again, is deftly handled by Duke like many of the two-handers throughout this episode.

Kenny's only worthwhile moment in this series thus far was his exchange with Lilimae about her music, and her brilliant response.

Kenny: Lilimae, your voice is never gonna make it.

Lilimae: [pause] So what's the bottom line?

The encouraging reaction of Kenny's secretary when Lilimae shrugged off his criticism was equally hilarious, as was his reaction to seeing her among the backup singers. It's not lost on me that a Bill Duke-directed episode has several choice roles for Black actors, basically the first in the series that I can recall.

Episode 12 (Possibilities):

The dreaded Kenny and Ginger-centric episode (written by James Houghton himself) and it's actually not half bad! Ginger's voice (if that's Kim Lankford) is cute and her song was neat, Kim Lankford is winning when she sings, whereas Kenny continues his powerful streak of having the same 1-2 expressions and foul character beats for three seasons strong. Given his backstory, these days he's probably been cancelled faster than Dr. Luke. tbh though I think the whole thing with the Wards and the LA music scene is prime material for hot story, and it's crazy it's taken this long for the show to begin to take real advantage of it beyond tacky, dated single episode setpieces. (I know next season the Wards get involved with Lisa Hartman's Ciji, whose legend precedes her) I did like Lilimae at Kenny's office in the previous episode, stirring things up; it actually showed a comic faculty for James Houghton, much better known today for writing on daytime vs. his extremely banal acting. Anyway, it's fine for Kenny to fùck anything that moves but God forbid Ginger have a career beyond sort of volunteer kindergarten teacher and brood mare. Typical. I was glad Ginger put him in his place and told him he'd say anything to get his way, then told him to leave. And I did like the beat where Val mentions Lilimae abandoning her for her own musical dreams.

The dating plot for Karen was solid enough. The moment where Eric asks Karen to make sure her date doesn't drive too fast was small and heartbreaking. I did like Karen's very strong, firm kiss-off of Charles after that rough dinner with the kids and all his overbearing behavior, but not too mean to what was otherwise a staid but decent guy.

Putting Kenny with Lilimae again is cheating. Houghton works best in comedy when playing opposite people who can torment Kenny. The wonderful Knots Blogging site points out in their commentary on this ep that at this point in the series, contrary to where it began in S1 at the end of the '70s, all the women on the show have gone from being housewives to having either jobs, careers, or career aspirations percolating and growing from week to week. The slow, natural and timely change in the characters is earned, organic and exhilarating to watch unfold. I knew it was going to happen but not how or when, and I love seeing it. Even with Ginger!

They're really gonna keep calling this baby a whole "Erin Molly," huh?

Edited June 1, 2022 by Vee

[Vee]

Episode 13 (Reunion):

"Oh, cut the motherhood stuff, wouldja, Karen? It's a biological function, not a holy calling!" That's bold as hell for '82, and an amazing teaser. This week: The late, great Jessica Walter! Fairly fresh off Play Misty for Me but long before Arrested Development, fascinating to watch here as Karen's old college chum. Victoria's reactions to the cul-de-sac and Karen's neighbors were hilariously stricken, especially when she turned away from them to enter the house. The conversation between them over wine in the living room late at night is another great, deep beat of simple, soulful candor from Michele Lee - she seems to come up with these very real, very fresh moments episode after episode after episode and is always spellbinding to watch. 

Another fascinating moment in this episode is when Abby tries to work Gary on her plans for converting the dealership by turning on the charm, and he shuts her down completely: "Do you know what you're doing or does it just come so naturally to you, you don't realize you're doing it? Are you trying to be persuasive or seductive? You talk about a business venture as if it were a tryst. Your idea of being convincing is to stand very close and wet your lips. I'm getting a little tired of you thinking you can manipulate me by being sexy." This would not happen on basically any other primetime soap I am familiar with, especially with a man skating the edge of actually falling into bed with Abby. Gary knows what is there between them, knows it's real and still pushes back on her vs. what most men on soaps (at least primetime soaps, but often daytime as well) would do at this juncture, namely refuse to confront it and in doing so, become even more subject to her wiles. And the great capper on the scene:

Abby: Gary. Do you want me to stop?

Gary: I didn't say that.

Does Claudia Lonow have any other volume and tone to her voice? Asking for a friend.

There's a bit of a shock as we find Laura and Scooter finally in bed together in this episode - we didn't see them finally consummate things after many close calls, and it came as a surprise. And now of course she is pregnant. Welp.

The bit where Abby comforts Eric who is clearly overcome and about to break down on the lawn next to the for sale sign is lovely, and I think people may overlook it assuming Abby is just happy to get Karen out of her life. Firstly because I don't think that's how Abby feels about Karen at this point; I think she does regard Karen as a moralizing irritant, but also cares for her because of their bond through Sid, just as Karen does the same for Abby, and I think she truly believes it's best for both herself and Karen for the move and sales of the business and house to happen. Secondly and most importantly, she's truly kind and encouraging to Eric, trying to buck him up as Steve Shaw seems very much on the verge of tears over potentially leaving the family home. Again, these facets to Abby are shades many soap bitch queens, especially those on primetime and especially in the '80s, simply are not given.

A quick throwaway guffaw for me: Abby greeting Laura as she crosses the cul-de-sac to talk to Eric and Laura striding past without a word. It's not a studied moment or given any kind of beat or pause for the audience to process the snub, Constance McCashin simply keeps walking and the scene keeps going, which makes it so much funnier.

The fashion show predictably descends into glorious camp as Jessica Walter immediately begins treating Karen like a serf, snapping 'if you can't take the heat, get back in the kitchen!' and then proceeds to slather hilarious, pretentious plot-relevant narration over the whole show as only she can. "Fashions that will live forever!" she crows as Ginger appears in a literal turban. "Young and hip, and out for fun!" And oh my God, Diana's outfit complete with Bolshevik cossack hat! And what is Laura wearing? Lilimae's beehive and subsequent fire mime prance? Olivia's Swiss Miss smock?! Sweet Christ. We're just lucky Eric and Michael didn't come out in chaps. "Dare to express your femininity in all its profusion!" Jessica howls.

The blow-up between Karen and Victoria feels a bit kludged together in that I was not really feeling the beat about Victoria being childless and insecure about not having a family. I felt it was cliche and came a bit out of nowhere, but Walter sells the hell out of all of it and is a rare intense match for Michele Lee. I would like to see the character return, though I doubt she does.

There's a brilliant essay on KL Season 3 here - one of many about various seasons - and I've only read part of it so far but I highly recommend it.

[DRW50]

@Vee This is the first episode of Knots I ever saw, so I am thrilled to read your review. This is also  my strongest memory of anything with Jessica Walter. That ridiculous fashion show is the type of camp nonsense I miss with soaps (partly because the show was still low-budget enough at that point for it to work as cheese rather than the more tedious Dynasty posing). I agree that the part about her envying Karen's having kids was trite. 

Knots did keep up the thread for a number of years that Abby genuinely cared about Sid's children, which I appreciated.  

[Chris B]

@VeeIve been loving your recaps and I’m happy to see you’re enjoying the early seasons! There are some clunkers in the first three seasons, but for the most part they really hit the mark in developing those characters. The foundation they laid not only with the various characters, but the entanglements fueling so much story in what was considered the glory days. I feel like the self-contained days on Dallas didn’t really do much for those characters, so I always appreciated that Knots took a more grounded approach with them. 
 

I cannot wait for you to get to season four! I’m also curious how you’ll feel about Claudia Lonow when she transitions to a main character in the same season. I grew the love her although I’ll admit she was incredibly unlikable, but I loved what that meant for Karen and her dynamic with Abby was interesting as well. I hope you don’t mind me spoiling it, but I loved that they brought her back in the final season (and the reunion) which allowed her character to come full circle. It was unexpected but a nice call back to the early years.

 

[Vee]

tbh I think Season 3 has dragged midway through a bit just like Season 2 in the middle (both had strong starts), and hopefully will begin to pick up again just like S2 did. But I'm still very much enjoying.

[Joseph]

it's a vital piece of Backstory and i didn't see it until very recently But Lol at the producers, they actually thought 36 year old Van Ark could pass as 16?

[Faulkner]

Young John Pleshette is oddly sexy. *runs and hides

[victoria foxton]

I agree. 

[Paul Raven]

That was a mistake. Either hire another actress or film it in such a way that we barely see Val.

[DemetriKane]

Don't worry it does. 'Night' & 'China Dolls' are probably still in my top 10 episodes.

 

Me too!!! Season 4 is the season that hooked me. Ciji/Chip/Diana were a major part of that! I also always loved Claudia Lonow/Diana though. Pretty sure i was alone in that!

[allmc2008]

I mean, that is one was we differ LOL

I HATED CLAUDIA/DIANA. I usually don't hate characters, which is odd. I think it was the way she was played? Remember the actress who played "Annie" on the pilot? If she played Diana I would have loved it.

But I do remember feeling shew as on the way out when she got the haircut that made her look like a beaver with an afro..

off topic but why is 'afro' being flagged by spellcheck?

[Joseph]

Karen Allen? humm not sure at least she left Knots for a sucessful Hollywood carreer i remember loving her on The Glass Menagerie (1987) 

[Vee]

Karen Allen did Animal House, Cruising and Raiders of the Lost Ark in rapid succession both right before and right after the Knots pilot, she was not coming back to TV.