I didn't get interested until Lana Turner showed up and the big season finale with Julia brandishing a gun, BANG, and then the cliffhanger of all those ... feet... watching some one's coffin being interred. Great season finale.

I believe it was the following season when the opening theme was lengthened. It felt like an event.

20 hours ago, Chris 2 said:

I think the first season is as close to Hamner’s vision as you’re going to get. It’s after that that it truly became a serial (the first season had standalone stories with an overarching season-long arc. And it’s a very good season. Not as flashy as the other Lorimar serials, but solid.

To be honest, I'm not sure that would've lasted very long. The first 13 episodes are decent enough, but there's jarring moments like the Gioberti's realising Angela is messing with them, only to be friendly again without any indication of them having realized what Angela's doing. The show really got a jolt in the 14th episode which is where I suspect Hamner's original vision ended. I think he got a somewhat free reign of the first 13, then when CBS ordered a few more to close out the season, it starts changing quickly (and quite frankly for the better).

43 minutes ago, te. said:

To be honest, I'm not sure that would've lasted very long. The first 13 episodes are decent enough, but there's jarring moments like the Gioberti's realising Angela is messing with them, only to be friendly again without any indication of them having realized what Angela's doing. The show really got a jolt in the 14th episode which is where I suspect Hamner's original vision ended. I think he got a somewhat free reign of the first 13, then when CBS ordered a few more to close out the season, it starts changing quickly (and quite frankly for the better).

I remember the scenes you’re talking about. It’s very early in the first season. Chase and Maggie act surprised that Angela would do something so underhanded when Angela had JUST done something underhanded in the previous episode. Actually this happened because they reversed the airing order of two episodes, rather than the writers trying to be explicitly episodic.

I think Earl Hamner deep down liked soapy moments. His favorite scene alone confirms that:

https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/earl-hamner-jr?chapter=7&clip=56432

On 5/24/2026 at 9:58 AM, Chris 2 said:

I think the first season is as close to Hamner’s vision as you’re going to get. It’s after that that it truly became a serial (the first season had standalone stories with an overarching season-long arc. And it’s a very good season. Not as flashy as the other Lorimar serials, but solid.

Season 1 was a good start that built the foundation.

21 hours ago, Khan said:

the producers went into the Carlo Agretti murder mystery without knowing the culprit's identity beforehand

The resolution to Carlo Agretti murder felt like a cop out.

21 hours ago, Khan said:

the introduction (or, RE-introduction, depending on how you look at it) of Richard Channing, which brings some DALLAS-like energy to the show but muddies the waters in terms of where viewer interest is supposed to be directed (is it still Chase vs. Angela? or Chase vs. Richard? or Richard vs. Angela? or Chase vs. Richard vs. Angela?) - but it's definitely more solid than what's to come.

I think Richard Channing intro as the new villain in season 2 was exactly what Falcon Crest needed to reach the next level. Angela/Richard first meeting was for me the pivotal moment that set everything in motion for the rest of the series.

16 hours ago, Stevel said:

I didn't get interested until Lana Turner showed up and the big season finale with Julia brandishing a gun, BANG, and then the cliffhanger of all those ... feet... watching some one's coffin being interred. Great season finale.

Falcon Crest peak was Lana Turner first episode until the end of the war crimes storyline.

2 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

I think Earl Hamner deep down liked soapy moments.

When I watched Falcon Crest, I spotted a good amount of soap elements.

Falcon Crest's first season is like Dynasty's first season. It's good but hasn't quite gelled. Season 2 is when both shows take off. The Agretti murder mystery is arguably one of the bests in soap opera history. It could've easily been 2 different very supporting female characters yet they chose to make an opening credits character be the murderer. Watching it now - it tracks the entire season. You can tell me the producers didn't know who it was all you want but the hints that it is Julia is there...as well as hints that could be these random 2 female characters that I an remember, that's how random they were.

Season 3 - 6 are all extremely watchable and entertaining for various reasons. I agree that the sudden wrap up of the Nazi storyline in Season 4 is obviously an intent to suddenly finish it...but it worked and it ended the story.

Season 7 is the first time it's just bonkers and doesn't even make sense half the time. I couldn't get through it. I watched the final 2 episodes and told myself I was gonna stop. But I can never stop myself from "just dipping my toes in" and watching the first episode of the next season.

Season 8 (so far, I've only seen 5 episodes) instantly gets it's comedy back - true comedic moments between Channing and Garth and Lance and Chao-LI, not the forced comedy of Emma in yet another silly situation. Melissa's death...it was time. The character had been destroyed. There was nothing to do at that point but kill her. So we've got an entirely different family introduced but at least it's gone back to what I liked it for...the vineyards and the fight for Falcon Crest.

3 hours ago, adrnyc said:

Falcon Crest's first season is like Dynasty's first season. It's good but hasn't quite gelled. Season 2 is when both shows take off. The Agretti murder mystery is arguably one of the bests in soap opera history. It could've easily been 2 different very supporting female characters yet they chose to make an opening credits character be the murderer. Watching it now - it tracks the entire season. You can tell me the producers didn't know who it was all you want but the hints that it is Julia is there...as well as hints that could be these random 2 female characters that I an remember, that's how random they were.

Season 3 - 6 are all extremely watchable and entertaining for various reasons. I agree that the sudden wrap up of the Nazi storyline in Season 4 is obviously an intent to suddenly finish it...but it worked and it ended the story.

Season 7 is the first time it's just bonkers and doesn't even make sense half the time. I couldn't get through it. I watched the final 2 episodes and told myself I was gonna stop. But I can never stop myself from "just dipping my toes in" and watching the first episode of the next season.

Season 8 (so far, I've only seen 5 episodes) instantly gets it's comedy back - true comedic moments between Channing and Garth and Lance and Chao-LI, not the forced comedy of Emma in yet another silly situation. Melissa's death...it was time. The character had been destroyed. There was nothing to do at that point but kill her. So we've got an entirely different family introduced but at least it's gone back to what I liked it for...the vineyards and the fight for Falcon Crest.

I’ve been watching the show for the first time. I’m at the end of season seven and I agree with pretty much everything you said. Season seven was the first season where I felt disconnected from the show. It felt like there was no plan and characters were suddenly pawns of the plots and nothing else. Half of the cast disappeared for multiple episodes and when they WERE onscreen, they got thrown into one disjointed storyline after another. It’s kinda sad that the show fell off so far, so fast. But your opinion of season eight has me a little hopeful, at least.