Knots Landing

[Khan]

Although I'm happy to see Constance McCashin has found a more fulfilling career in therapy, I must confess that I miss seeing her on TV.  At the very least, she'd be doing stellar work as an NCIS director in one of their franchises.

[Soapsuds]

I didn't know Constance had been fired. I thought she decided to leave on her own. Of course that was the year that other soaps were letting stars go too. So John was fired too. I thought he also left on his own. I'm not surprised Knots was almost not picked up. The show took a while to take off.

[Khan]

IIRC, she and Julie Harris were let go during season nine for "budgetary reasons."

Frankly, @Soapsuds, I think KL was growing away from him (and from Greg Houghton and Kim Lankford, too).  I can't see how John/Richard might have fit in stories like Wolfbridge or Empire Valley.  I did think they missed an opportunity, though, to have him return in season fourteen as Mack's attorney when he was arrested for Mary Robeson's murder.

[AbcNbc247]

Yeah. I think that's why she refused to let them use her voice when she they showed clips of Laura's final video to Greg. Both in Back to the Cul-de-Sac and the Reunion special.  

[DemetriKane]

And I happen to agree with her about Meg. If you going to kill off a main character, at least get years of story out of it. 

 

 I find the Claudia Lonow interesting. Both characters are in my top 3 knots characters, so this warms my lil ole heart.

[kalbir]

All three CBS primetime soaps started having budget issues around 1987, thus the salary dumpings of the long-time female cast members across the shows that began that year. Fall 1988 budget mode kicked in on-screen and lasted until the shows ended.

Of course in that same era CBS was a mess in primetime (most of the drama line up was either aging or not showing growth and no hit sitcoms for many years) and Lorimar was a mess too (1986 merger with Telepictures, Les Moonves moving up the ranks from 1985 starting as executive in the movie/miniseries division to 1988 Head of Creative Affairs then 1990 President, 1989 takeover by Warner Communications). 

[Chris 2]

Lorimar wasn’t a mess at all. It successfully pivoted from the waning hourlong primetime soaps to producing very profitable half hour sitcoms (“Full House,” “Family Matters”, “Perfect Strangers”, etc). These shows had much more value in syndication than “Dallas” and “Knots Landing”. Further, when Warner Bros acquired Lorimar, it essentially turned Lorimar into the TV division of WB and named Lorimar’s president, Les Moonves, as its new leader. When the leader of an acquired company becomes the leader of the acquiring company, that’s success. Say what you will about Les Moonves personally, he was a very successful TV executive.

[DRW50]

Yes, the idea of the story over Meg's fate was very sound.

The execution, not so much.

Edited May 13, 2023 by DRW50

[Soaplovers]

Laura, in an indirect way, was the element used to revamp/fix the show in season 13...by bringing up the Meg story..plus having a red headed woman that claimed to be Laura's mom come into the picture.

@Khanwhile I agree it's a shame she's no longer acting...I think quitting the business and venturing into a profession that isn't ageist was wise.  By doing so, she still looks like herself..she's aged gracefully and is doing something that benefits society (mental health).  

[Khan]

ICAM, @Soaplovers.

So, Mary Robeson wasn't really Laura's mother?  Because, to tell you the truth, I was never entirely sure.

[j swift]

Certainly true in comparison to her co-stars.

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Sorry, that's so reddit of me to post.  All women are lovely and are free to do whatever they wish to their faces in order to feel better.

Edited May 13, 2023 by j swift

[Khan]

Although what Joan Van Ark has done to herself is unfortunate, I think Michele Lee and especially Donna Mills look very good for their ages.  Whoever did their work did a good job.

[Soaplovers]

Donna Mills looks like herself...but still has lines and moves her face.

@KhanI think it turned out Mary Robson wasn't Laura's mom..but her aunt.  It was revealed in season 14 after she was murdered

[Khan]

Thanks, @Soaplovers!

Perhaps it was because the first two-thirds of season thirteen were so awful by comparison, but I've really come to appreciate what Ann Marcus did with the last third of season thirteen and with season fourteen, too.  So much of the Lechowicks' writing had become overly campy that it was nice to see KL come back down to earth.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Khan

[kalbir]

Today (May 13) is the 30th anniversary of the final episode of Knots Landing.