KNOTS LANDING

[DRW50]

 

I always thought their relationship was mostly about high-living (or so he wanted, anyway) Kenny and more down-to-earth, vulnerable Ginger. And the cheating. They did give a lot of that to Val and Gary. I also thought both couples were a poor match (indeed it's a credit to so much else on Knots that I watched 14 seasons in spite of never believing Val and Gary were a good couple).

 

I did like Ginger, and I thought that Kim Lankford was a unique presence. The episode in season 1 where she was harassed over her abortion was such a bizarre thing but also very touching thanks to her work. Priscilla Pointer also did a good job. 

Edited September 3, 2017 by DRW50

[te.]

Gary is an awful person if we're being honest. Why do people want him to be with, well, ANYONE?

 

He deserved to drive off that cliff instead of Sid.

[SoapDope]

Ted Shackelford even said he thought  Gary was a jerk, but it was fun to play.

[DRW50]

 

I enjoyed him with Abby, even though their relationship was about 10% sex 90% berating her for being an awful person. I think it's because I enjoyed the chemistry between Ted and Donna. 

[te.]

 

Abby *sort of* tried to push him towards being a better and more successful person. Then he went and screwed it up - as usual.

 

But their relationship is like the Amanda / Jake relationship on Melrose Place - why would such a smart person go after a loser?

[SoapDope]

Interview with David Ackroyd. He explains turning down Knots Landing at the start.

 

 

[YRBB]

I love Gary. He can be an idiot, self-destructive, & his own self's worst enemy, but I've always had sympathy for those kind of characters. It was the dark side of a nice person, and I think Shackelford played it wonderfully.

 

He and Van Ark had once-in-a-lifetime 'longing' chemistry. Their years apart, loving each other silently, were wonderful.

 

He also had great 'together' chemistry with Mills (as in, I would never care to see them pining for each other but they were a great, soapy, sexy couple). They remained together for so long if you think about it and things went mostly well, the occasional arguments etc. aside.

 

I can totally see why he'd be considered a catch. Abby wouldn't know of his bad qualities until she knew him too well, and in the meantime she did have feelings for him (like Donna and Ray on DALLAS). What she saw in him? A good-looking, sexy man, her possible ticket out of mundane suburban life, then definitely her ticket to big riches. She also found it relatively easy to manipulate him. And, finally, that d!ck. Not surprised at all she'd go after him.

 

Joan did a TV movie "Psycho Wedding Crasher". They mentioned KNOTS a little bit (how nice that it is STILL being shown somewhere in the world, in this case UK). And the clip of her playing evil and psycho is kinda fascinating.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by YRBB

[YRBB]

I started Season 11. Figured I'd bore everyone with my reviews as I watch.

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EPISODE 1: UP THE SPOUT AGAIN

 

Back to the cul-de-sac! Here’s the key, there’s the key, where’s the key? Paige quite possibly makes her stupidest decision ever by choosing Ted. Ted takes that goddamn key from her, and then Greg takes the key from him, but it turns out Paige has the REAL key and Greg hired a muscular goon for nothing. It’s all quite fun, and includes a quick scene with a funny, good-looking sleaze.

 

 

Mack, Karen, and Paula are stuck doing their comedy routine as Karen gets released from the hospital, Paula gets dropped off, and Mack confesses all but, guess what, Karen's in the back of the car, so she didn’t hear! OK. What was once really funny in the ending episodes of the season now feels tired.

 

 

Val fears the worst when Danny cancels their date because he’s sick. Understandable, considering her history. She pays him a surprise visit and is ecstatic to find out he’s indeed sick. She runs away when Danny offers his peen. While he’s sick?! Come on, dude. Chicken soup is good but it doesn’t work that fast.

 

 

Meanwhile, Gary is caught in an endless succession of high angle shots and coffee-pots obscuring faces. Both Val and Pat teasing Gary about Sally's friend was very funny but this, too, feels a little tired. This aired after a several-month break, and it’s all still the same. But, at least in this case, we see some exciting movement when yet another disembodied voice (OK, kinda) attacks Can’t-See-My-Face in her apartment and Gary is left stupidly yelling on the phone, "What’s your number? What’s your name?!" I can’t tell if he’s worried or shocked he's finally getting a freezeframe.

 

 

  

Edited September 15, 2017 by YRBB

[DRW50]

Ah the "Sally's friend" storyline. This was when you could really tell that the show had no idea what to do with Gary or Valene, but I have to admit I enjoyed it. Ted's own personal charm carried most of Gary's material anyway (even that can't salvage saying "tidal energy" 5000 times). Looking back I also wonder if this was thrown together due to the show having to run away from a story with Pat and Gary. 

 

Is that poor Pat in the shot? Don't get me started on her...

Edited September 15, 2017 by DRW50

[YRBB]

 

I honestly think the Lechowicks would have written Gary and Val out by now if it weren't for Jacobs and Filerman. Ted is literally carrying the entire storyline. I'm guardedly enjoying "Sally's friend" but I'm ready for it to move on. Was the show seriously going for Pat and Gary? I thought Pat's crush was just a running gag. 

 

Yes, that's Pat. She had only one scene but she was hilarious as she teased Gary about Sally's friend. Too bad she wasn't in almost half of Season 10. I always enjoy her scenes and have accepted her as part of the cul-de-sac, despite that initial story.

Edited September 15, 2017 by YRBB

[YRBB]

EPISODE 2: POETIC JUSTICE

 

Gary desperately tries to explain his bizarre soapy life to the authorities. After trying out several ways to locate Sally's friend, he begins to lose hope. Mean-while, the show has changed its format: The episode opens with a new scene, then cuts to the opening credits. This is where things get weird: In the middle of the goddamn credits, they stop to do a recap, before returning to the music. As if that weren’t a bizarre choice to begin with, they’ve already shown us new material, so the recap that’s meant to catch you up comes after that. I appreciate their return to the original music and their attempts at originality, but here they are breaking the wheel and attempting to reinvent it for no reason.

 

 

The race to Rick Hawkins’ mailbox continues! Honestly, I’m not even sure why it matters, but the whole thing reminds me of a Shakespearean comedy with twins gone dramatic (only, in this case, the twins are replaced by keys). You know this is Lechowick work because tires go flat, steering wheel bolts mal-function, and we get a whole scene about an elderly couple reporting their truck stolen (complete with comedy bits). Also, everyone’s jogging. Paige trapped in a dirty bathroom while Ted breaks through the door (insert your own, "Heeeeeeere’s Ted!" joke) is absolutely great. In the end, Ted gets away with what he thinks is everything and Paige and Greg believe him dead after his truck is found in a lake (great production work here).

 

 

Winner of the episode: Greg's muscular abductor, who is hilariously serious about playing Monopoly.

 

 

For once, Mack and Karen take a backseat to the action. They’re preparing a barbecue and Mack acts all awkward when Paula's name is brought up. He might as well put a sign on his head.

 

 

I really enjoyed the Danny/Val stuff. Everything in Val's house has turned pastel (Bliss Colby's bedroom could not compete!) and she’s beginning to fall in love with Danny, unexpectedly. She makes several speeches about it in the episode. Oh, you just know it’s all going to go very, very bad. I really liked the ocean scene (it always feels right when Val is there) and what a surprise ending: Val breaks things off with Danny, so what does he do? He asks her to marry him!

 

 

 

 

[Khan]

Rick Hawkins!  HA!  I totally forgot that shout-out to "Mama's Family"!  (Hawkins was the show's producer; KL story editors Chuck Bulot & M.J. Cody served similar functions at MF.) I think it wasn't too long afterward when MF's writers returned the favor, so to speak, by having Thelma say there was more skulduggery going on at the Harper house than on KL.

[YRBB]

 

I didn't know about this. Very sweet. Of course, Rick was murdered....

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[DRW50]

Yesterday I had a dream where Gary learned that Mack was secretly involved in criminal activities while hiding behind a badge. In a confrontation, Gary dropkicked him, and he stood trial. Mack, of course, got away with it, and the storylines went on. 

 

If the last 4-5 seasons had included a scene of Gary dropkicking Mack it would have filled me with immense pleasure, and improved on most of their stories too.

[KMan101]

LOL Carl. But I agree.

 

I was never a fan of Kevin Dobson or Mack really.

 

Keep the recaps coming @YRBB ! I'm enjoying them and realizing it's been way too long since I've watched Knots.

 

Also to add I agree that Gary/Val sort of made Kenny/Ginger redundant. I never thought of it before but now looking back on storylines, a lot of what could have been given to Kenny/Ginger was given to Val/Gary.

 

Also great comparison on the Gary/Abby and Gary/Val chemistry/relationship, I agree with you @YRBB