Knots Landing

[Franko]

We probably all know this, but for the record, the first time Knots beat Dallas in the ratings was the week of Dec. 11, 1987, "Noises Everywhere, Part II."

[kalbir]

Knots Landing tanked for me in the aftermath of Val's babies. Empire Valley became a mess, and Joshua's descent into madness and eventual death was difficult to watch.

Knots Landing went off the rails for me in the aftermath of Laura's death. The rest of season 9 wasn't very good (Charles Scott, Johnny Rourke, Jill's descent into madness) and the final five seasons were a chore to get through (for me a lot of it was due to Paige practically eating the show). Knots Landing was effectively over when Abby departed. In the grand scheme of things, Donna Mills was smart to walk away when she did.

[Vee]

Granted I've not been able to start S7 yet due to uh, lack of resources, but how much longer could they have really strung it out? A long manhunt for the kids? I feel like that might just be insult to injury given the very, very extended (if satisfying) build to the baby story.

[Khan]

Why not?  It isn't as if the show wasn't setting up the audience for it at the end of S6, with Harry Fisher driving off with one of the twins.

All they needed to do was keep it going long enough - 2-3 episodes max - to set off enough story bombs that would keep the audience from tuning out once the story was over.  As everyone is on the lookout for Harry and the one twin, they're also keeping an eye on Sheila and the other twin, because they suspect that Harry will contact them at some point.  In the meantime, Gary would learn he's the twins' biological father and everyone else would begin piecing together Abby's role in the whole thing, with the threat of criminal prosecution hanging over Abby's head.  And it all culminates with the Fishers finally getting caught and the twins being reunited with Val (as Gary looks on and Ben panics).

[DRW50]

I do think that season 12 is something of a return to form, although I hate the finale - truly the beginning of the end (along with a certain incident in early season 13). 9-11 are up and down for me - some good moments but a lot of dregs. 

And I really do not like most of Noises Everywhere.

[Vee]

With the tragically brief Patrick Mulcahey era ending at GH, I am back on the Knots grind while also tackling Dallas' dream season c/o Peter Dunne for the infamous Lorimar creative swap year! I'll talk about it more soon in fulsome and bloated terms absolutely no one asked for, but I will say the show is already a bit more arch in its first episode. I'll probably keep my Dallas comments to its thread, which is no stranger to my diss tracks for the show. I hope the dream season defies my expectations. I'm very curious to see how this strange creative switch affects each show's DNA.

I also need to remember where the hell the Empire Valley story left off, and who is left at Galveston Industries (besides Sumner and the now absent Ava Gardner) who could know about the still-murky circumstances surrounding why that one exec did all this for Abby. Props to Laura for apparently diving back into real estate and securing another job in uh, 24-72 hours.

[Chris 2]

I just did a rewatch of the Dallas dream season, run by the Knots team. It’s worse than I remembered. The whole showrunner succession plan was such a corporate move - as if these creative teams were in sales. “Hey, we’ll let Dallas’ deputy cut his teeth as showrunner on the lower-profile show, and we’ll promote the Knots showrunner to run the flagship show!”

[Vee]

So I've gotten several episodes into Season 7, the year of the big Lorimar creative swap between Dallas and Knots. It's very interesting and yes, notably different - the drama is often both more blunt and more arch, and there's a lot more scenes and story threads either beginning on, driven by or between men alone. Greg Sumner in particular has taken on some jagged edges. But it's still Knots, and still largely solid thus far. Here's some obnoxious, longwinded notes on the first few eps:

Ep 1 (The Longest Day):

• Written by David Paulsen from Dallas (later to reportedly revitalize Dynasty in its final, cash-strapped season) with Arthur Seidelman directing, this leans into the action quickly and even invokes horror movie vibes as Val tries to bust the Fisher house open while Sheila Fisher cowers in the shadows of her living room. The cutting and pacing is great. Joe Regalbuto as Harry Fisher is excellent as ever. The woman playing Sheila is extremely variable, but she really sells their final scenes (which I'll get to). My question now is who is still covering for the baby theft and why? I guess Fisher calls the nefarious lawyer or adoption dude from last season who also talked to Ackerman, but who could have the clout to swap the birth records, etc. and why? More people inside Galveston Industries connected to Scott Easton? It better not be Greg.
• Abby's very poor cover story on how she found out about the babies - a random anonymous call - stuck out to me, and sure enough it sticks to her for several eps as people just keep asking her about it. (I know it comes out in the end.) Just like the nonsense she engaged in with Ruth and faking a sleepover at Greg's at the end of last season, she's smarter than this. If I were Abby I would've made the cover about Galveston's incriminating papers, since those are gonna come out anyway - she could say she stumbled upon them and found the information.
• I do really like that the entire baby situation descended into a bureaucratic nightmare with people standing around helpless in the suburban streets, playing he said/she said with the cops, waiting to disperse and having to agonize and struggle through the legal system for a couple episodes. That's realistic to the scenario, as opposed to the whole thing magically tying up at the Fishers' front door.
• Sumner showing up at Pacific World Cable to taunt Abby in expository terms re: last season while Abby seethes is very Dallas, and a bit too arch for him.
• Ever enterprising, Laura is already back in the real estate game and ensconced in a new realtor job with a faux-Scooter office buddy to boot within like 24 in-universe hours of last season's finale. Sure, whatever. I don't think the Dunne team would've pulled that. At least her hair is great. Greg’s deranged romantic gesture, luring her to a glamorous empty house on the job also feels Dallas-esque. Greg does get off one characteristically great line: "Things are really hoppin' at the ol' cul-de-sac."
• Val posting up outside the Fisher house at night is how we roll. I wouldn't leave either! We never close!

Episode 2 (Here in My Arms): 

• In brief: There's a wonderful set of scenes here where Val monologues about having been where Sheila Fisher is, and understanding exactly how she feels. But the tearjerker ending is the real centerpiece, with Nick Sgarro doing the great handheld POV shot of Val coming down the stairs to see her children, then crumpling and taking the babies in her arms. It's incredibly cathartic and deeply earned after the teeth-grinding bureaucratic drama and potholes and switchbacks of most of the last two hours. Also done with minimal dialogue, which will happen again.

Episode 3 (When the Cat's Away):

• The show seems to be set on ultimately moving towards pitting Gary against Greg a la Bobby and J.R. Ewing, to fit into a comfortable power male soap framework. I'm not sure if I'll buy it, Empire Valley or no Empire Valley. I just don't think they've ever had that intense a relationship. It is worthwhile that to Paul Galveston, Gary was the son he wanted and never had, and that's an emotional beat they could play out - I'm just not sure they ever will. The more compelling dynamic here is the relationship between Abby and Greg, which has straddled an edgy line since the day they met. I've said before that I think Abby wants to be Greg Sumner more than she wants to be with him, but I also can't remember if they've actually consummated their desire before now. Nonetheless what they have between them remains almost a torrid, dysfunctional emotional affair; they so clearly relish each other's company and the constant gameplaying re: Empire Valley, and Abby has a real spring in her step prancing out to the EV site to intercede with Greg and this poor hot architect of Gary's, who has been through a lot.
• Watching Val and Lilimae get used to the twins is cute. I still can't get over seeing Val as an active mother with small children, though I know it heavily dominates the second half of the series run. It's such a major change for her and it's exhilarating to see her and her family and friends adjust, as I know Gary ultimately will too.
• Gary seeing an old drill bit and having an audio flashback to his childhood with Bobby on Southfork (and a mention of Bobby's special treehouse fort, which Miss Ellie beautifully monologues about in the Dallas season premiere) is an interesting touch. But Gary's total meltdown and panic attack late in the episode with Abby feels histrionic and OTT to me - I don't really buy that Gary would be this traumatized and insensate by his brother's death given the state of those relationships. I haven't seen him like this since his freakout over Val's hospital stay in Season 2, let alone his bender in Season 4. The clock-watching race with Gary, Abby and Greg to the big blast at Empire Valley over the wrong parcel of land all feels a bit over the top, but the blasting climax is well-edited together.
• Olivia's back! She just keeps getting bigger. There's a nice classic Knots bit of family business with Abby juggling both Olivia and her homework and Greg on the phone and getting them mixed up as Gary returns early.
• Greg calling Laura after a night with his secretary? a hooker? is a jarring choice. Have we ever seen him casually pick up or smash random women? I don't think so. He's not J.R.
• Joshua trading on Val's baby miracle on TV to Val and Ben's disdain as the Fishers watch the sermon at home is a nice umbrella story touch like ones the show has done in the past. Also nice was Val finally telling him off.
• Poor Ben gets to squirm as Gary shows at the house to see Val. Doug Sheehan is always very good, and has wonderful chemistry as ever with JVA where they don't often feel that scripted; it was sad to hear the story from Joan years later about how she tried to give him a gift when he was let go only to discover he let her balloons float away into the sky and vanished from showbiz. It really is amazing though given what's already heavy in the text and subtext here that they managed to hold off on a Gary/Val reunion and instead kept playing the tension and longing with other partners for what, 5 more seasons? If they hadn't tanked Ben (over budget cuts, possibly?) who knows what else you could've done.

Episode 4 (The Christening):

• Sheila Fisher is still not doing great in her old nursery. Not the gigantic Mickey Mouse phone!
• Freeloading Joshua is already whining about the crying twins, fully locked into his unsubtle villain rush arc, as the new creative team allegedly came in with orders from on high to dispose of Alec Baldwin ASAP (I wonder why). It was already being set up last season very well, but now it's full throttle. He clashes with Ben as the new manager of Pacific World Cable (an interesting angle in and of itself), fúcking with him re: Bobby Jr., etc. Does Joshua know about Gary being the dad? I can't remember but I certainly got that vibe in this episode. Then of course there's tossing Cathy around and pretending his momma is dying.
• As noted up top, many scenes now begin on either the male POV (like dashing Ben waking to discover intruder Valene at his beach house) or are about male agency or between dueling men (Mack's many travails, Greg's schemes, Ben vs. Joshua at the TV station being played up more and more). The intimacy between Ben and Val is still so playful and tender though, as they tease each other on the floor and then later as she hesitantly and emotionally suggests naming her son for Bobby Ewing, caring for how he feels. The emotional core of the show is still there, particularly in the scenes with the women but not limited to them. And it's nice to see the Mack/Ben friendship remaining such a deep throughline.
• More scenes of Sumner this episode feeling like he's been snorting male supplements between seasons, increasingly framing his scenes around eager young women who are either willing casual sex partners or prospective new assets like his overeager would-be secretary - again, seemingly trying to make him a more cosmopolitan J.R. More out of character though is his losing his cool and hauling Laura out of her car by the arm when he sees her with her co-worker, which feels alien to his character but of a piece with a new creative team clearly fascinated by William Devane.
• Jill Bennett returns! Once again she's threaded in via Mack, who's still investigating the illegal adoption of the twins (maybe he can actually figure out who knew what in this scheme, or did what when and why - remember the Tidal Basin murders? I forgot all about that). While the show is clearly more masculine this season and Jill's behavior is part of that, there’s also a refreshing forwardness to Jill that is new for the show; she is a single woman a generation removed from most of the others, who calls Mack on his shameless flirting with her last season then kisses him first. Is this a male-gaze take on the material, sure, but it's also bracing and new for the show, and Jill is a career woman with agency (so far) and not a blow-up doll a la recent developments with Greg or J.R.'s many conquests. Mack then goes home and guiltily buys Karen flowers - were they floating a Mack/Jill affair at this time? She hasn't seen hide nor hair of Gary Ewing yet.  
• Nice to see Lotus Point as Val and Karen crash the office with Bobby and Betsy! Poor Abby.
• The Fishers' farewell to the twins is impressively dialogue-free, silent but unexpectedly heartbreaking to watch as the regular characters on the scene are all clearly deeply moved, watching the lonely couple slink away alone. Knots is still Knots, still finding unexpected pathos and angles.
• Eric and Michael are back! Very weird seeing Gary and Abby walk into Val's house for the christening. Is it their first time together since Season 3? In other news I caught a glimpse of them together in the same frame and I'll tell you what would really be scandalous: Cathy robbing the cradle with Michael or Eric.
• Are they already teasing Paige Matheson by Mack pondering having his own kid while marveling at the twins in the nursery?

I'll get to the final Dallas crossover (and my thoughts on the Peter Dunne dream season) in the Dallas thread - suffice to say, I've been intrigued and mostly pleased so far, which I rarely am with Dallas. Thank you for suffering through the return of this.

Edited June 17, 2024 by Vee

[kalbir]

Great recaps @Vee

Laura saw right through Greg, and she had some great dialog too.

Even though they began as friends with benefits, I believe Greg genuinely loved Laura. Of all Greg's main pairings (Abby, Laura, Paige), Laura was the only one that was genuine love.

Abby/Greg hooked up in season 5. 

Abby was all about the come up. Abby/Greg were more power couple, there was no love.

[Vee]

You're right, I forgot.

[yrfan1983]

Love the deep dive @Vee keep ‘em coming!!

Re: Doug Sheehan, I think, per SOD, he was originally going to exit at the end of season 7 but he was enticed back for season 8. His exit was his choice at the time and not a budget firing.

He didn’t leave show biz immediately. He did a 2-season sitcom from ‘88-89 “Day by Day” notable for featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus directly before Seinfeld.

Trivia - polo was a hobby of Doug’s and he played with William Devane.

I watched the ‘85-86 Dallas season original airings as a teen but literally have no memory other than Jenilee Harrison. Look forward to your observations.

[Vee]

Oy, I spoke about her dreadful performance (and the pigeonholed role she found herself in as Jamie) in one of my many past longwinded Dallas diss posts in that thread. I thought she came on with real promise in that first episode or two and quickly became terrible. I will speak a bit more on her when I get back to that thread. 

Good to know about Sheehan, the one both GH and KL let get away. I just know that by the time of Season 14(?) when they allegedly went looking for him to return he supposedly couldn't be found.

[kalbir]

There was also the episode when Gary kicked Abby out and Abby went to Greg's place for a booty call only to find Greg with Laura. Recall that a few episodes earlier the audience found out that Greg and Laura had hooked up.

So season five Greg/Abby hookup, then the shocker Greg/Laura hookup which turned into friends with benefits and eventually genuine love.

[DRW50]

Great to see your detailed overviews back @Vee . I had not noticed the shift in tone for Greg until you mentioned it, but you are right about how much the show did change around this point - more generic primetime soap, which means a coarser and less involving identity. 

[Vee]

A mystery man moves along: