Falcon Crest

[Chris B]

I'll go back and dig up some interesting story nuggets, but the casting info was what really interested me. One big writing change I noticed, is had the writers not been replaced in season 5, Julia would've returned full time, along with Tony, which explains his odd return with her quickly being written off.

As for casting, for the role of Cole, Laurence Lau, Michael O'Leary and Ethan Wayne were the other three finalists. For Lance, Christian LeBlanc was one of the finalists. LeBlanc also auditioned for RIchard Channing (which almost went to Michael Zaslow). The most interesting casting tidbit was for Vicky. We got to see two actresses in the role, but neither was very interesting. The other finalists were Julia Duffy, Heather Locklear, Janine Turner and Catherine Mary Stewart. How Jamie Rose got the part is beyond me. Another random, but interesting tidbit is that one of the producers had suggested they create a role for Susan Flannery. Based on the timing I imagine the role might have been Pamala Lynch.

 

[Chris 2]

Interesting - thanks for posting that. Any of the actors you mentioned would have been better than Billy Moses, who I thought was awfully dull as Cole; he just didn’t have a great range. I can understand why Jamie Rose got the nod if Earl Hamner was doing the picking. She’s his “type,” similar to Mary McDonough from “The Waltons” - red headed and low-key.

Michael Zaslow wound up on Lorimar’s “Kings’ Crossing”, which premiered a few months after FC, in 1982. It was also produced by Michael Filerman, which is presumably why he departed FC midseason. What’s striking in retrospect is how similar that show’s premise is to FC: troubled family returns a parent’s hometown (mother’s hometown this time) where a wealthy aunt resents their return. Oh, and the wealthy aunt has an emotionally troubled daughter she tries to keep in an attic room.

And of course, Susan Flannery wound up on “Dallas,” where she didn’t really fit.

[Chris B]

Okay I have a few minutes, so I'm going to drop some more tidbits!

- Originally, the character of Cassandra was meant to remain for the entire 5th season and marry Richard. All of her storylines were instead given to Terry.

- Despite Ken Olin hating his time on the show, his exit was always meant to be the way it was. He was contracted for 17 episodes with the option for more, but the network didn't like him so he was out. 

- I think this is commonly known, but when Ana Alicia was written off her contract had already been picked up, so they had to pay her out for it, which is why she later returned.

- Originally, Chao-Li's daughter was meant to join earlier in season 5 and be a love interest for Lance. 

- Instead of Richard being Angela's secret child, they were looking at making it a daughter and Angie Dickinson is who they wanted for the role.

- Chase was meant to return as a villain in season 7.

There was also a focus group for season 7 and the people liked that the show had guest stars, but preferred when they were brought on to enhance the story of the core characters and they hated when they took over the show. They also preferred stories about the vinyards to the business storylines. They felt that Angela and Richard were the most important characters. With Maggie they criticized Susan Sullivan's acting and said the character was an "emotional seesaw" and no longer important to the core stories. Vicki, Eric, Dan and Carly were all hated, which doesn't surprise me. Another thing I noticed across the focus groups listed is that the fans seemed to love Emma due to her comic relief and scenes with Angela. 

[FrenchBug82]

I do want to say that while FCs writing was all over the place I personally feel they did keep the characters' throughline usually consistent.

Chase changed a bit after his divorce but Angela, Maggie, Richard, Melissa (before her last episode) were pretty recognizable as characters and why they did what they did all throughout, even when what they did was all over the place.

Am I wrong?

I have AW Frankie flashback...

[Chris 2]

Angie Dickinson, really? She was a little old to play Jane Wyman’s daughter.

The network getting rid of Ken Olin was a good example of too much network interference with this show (same thing with Nazi treasure). Chris should have been a long term character and member of the family. And I thought his character worked - a nice contrast to Lance. If only they could have done something about his Chicago accent lol.

But the ratings started slipping with the 1984-85 season, so CBS felt emboldened to interfere.

I have to agree with the pretty much all of the focus group feedback from season 7.

[Chris B]

I agree with you about Angela, Maggie and Richard, but the season 6-7 writers absolutely destroyed Chase and Melissa IMO. In an interview, the writer said he was given the season 5 finale to watch and he fell asleep because he was tired. When the show reached out for his thoughts he said he had fallen asleep and because they assumed it was due to boredom, they gave him free rein to do whatever he want. As a result he never watched previous episodes and it was obvious. 

I don’t mind changes, in fact I love them, but you have to have some basic knowledge of the show you’re writing. It was clear he knew a brief outline of the characters so he often went with one characteristic for them. Only Richard and Angela maintained this complexities. 
 

 

[Chris 2]

Jeff Freilich, the season 6 and 7 showrunner, actually bragged in an interview that he didn’t watch any of the previous episodes when he took over. I’m guessing that’s the same interview you’re talking about.

[Khan]

The fact that those four, very different actors were all up for the same role proves this show never had a clear vision for Vickie.

And Michael O'Leary as Cole?  I love MOL, but thank God that never came to pass, lol.

Edited April 28, 2022 by Khan

[kalbir]

Was this in 1982 or for the pilot in 1981?

I cannot picture Susan Flannery as a henchwoman straight out of a James Bond movie.

[Chris B]

I just finished episode 21 of season 7 and it remains awful. I know Jeff Freilich likes to say he was fired due to budget concerns, but the show is so awful that I'm sure that had something to do with it. It's crazy I'm so far into the season and there is still not one storyline I would say is a success. I do like that Maggie and Richard are married, but I wouldn't say they're well written. If anything, this helps set up her death in season 9. He currently has her daughter kidnapped in a European prison and is constantly putting her life in danger. Her tragic end was bound to happen as she avoids every red flag since getting with Richard. 

[Chris B]

I just realized I didn't respond to this. Christian LeBlanc was a finalist for Lance during the initial casting and he also auditioned when Richard was going to appear during season one. Michael Zaslow was a finalist for the final version, which ended up being cast with David Selby.

I just finished season 7 and boy was it bad until the end. I thought Dallas and Dynasty had some rough seasons, but I'm going on record that this was the most unwatchable season of any of the big primetime soaps. I also watched the first episode of season 8 and it's a shame it doesn't work out because it starts off good. That dreadful synthesizer is gone and the focus is on the core characters again without so many outsiders. Kristian Alfonso's introduction is also good and the writing for Melissa has improved. I like that she finally got what she wanted (Falcon Crest), but is realizing she still isn't happy. 

[kalbir]

Thanks for the info @Chris B

SOD liked seasons 6 and 7 in the best of 1987 and 1988 issues, but season 8 was in the worst of 1989 issue. The writeups were once posted in the main board.

[Chris B]

The fans on another board I’m on also enjoy 6 and 7 which I do not understand. Ratings were good too! I think maybe they were fun at the time, but they’ve aged poorly. For example, the fashions became very 80s and the synthesizer score plays horribly now. But on the flip side there was nonstop action and lots of sex, even if the storylines didn’t make any sense. 

[kalbir]

When watching a 1980s primetime soap we have to go in with the mindset that these shows are products of their time so alot of things are not going to hold up well from a 2022 perspective. Even by the early 1990s we would've considered alot of things on these shows outdated. Also when watching daily or binge-watching the plot holes and inconsistencies are more apparent.

Edited May 8, 2022 by kalbir

[Khan]

Agree.  Not that daytime soaps don't have plot holes - Lord knows they do! - but I don't believe the primetime soaps were plotted as meticulously as the daytime soaps even WITH a "bible" for each season. 

With the primetime soaps, details often slipped through the cracks, because they had only so many episodes per season (with hiatuses), and because they were less concerned with the slow, steady build and more concerned with the instant, weekly gratification.  Watching one episode of a primetime soap was supposed to be equivalent of watching a week or two of a daytime soap, so, again, not every "i" was dotted or "t" crossed.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Khan