Falcon Crest

[te.]

Pretty much - I do think he appears a bit more and sometimes get his own little storylines, but mostly he's there for Angela to banter with.

The issue with the first 13 episodes is that they're all pretty self-contained, so it sort of becomes repetitive with Angela (and Lance etc) acting like foils towards the Gioberti's, who end up overcoming whatever obstacle that's been thrown at them by the end of the episode. I imagine they might've had an initial 13 episode order and since it got a late debut they might've written most of it by that point; so when the ratings were good enough to get the go ahead for a back order they finally started going into full serialised mode.

Edited May 5, 2023 by te.

[Paul Raven]

i think the original Vintage Years pilot and projection was going to be a family drama with self contained episodes and some continuing threads.

More like The Waltons but obviously more adult and contemporary themes.

When TVY pilot was shown to affiliates CBS had already announced changes would be made. 

They were looking for something to slot after Dallas and Vintage Years was the most suitable candidate, but needed tinkering to be more compatible.

Dallas and Knots both started that way self contained. At some point Dallas decided to go full serial -looking back so many of those one episode storylines could have provided material for several story arcs.

Even with Dallas proving the continuing story worked,I think execs were not fully convinced that this was the way to go hence Knots and Falcon starting as more episodic.

[yrfan1983]

Ah, that makes sense... pretty much every ep so far ends with a return to the status quo, and the Giobertis still strangely friendly with Angela and crew, despite some nasty event having occurred.

[soapfan770]

Backstage details about that famous season two cliffhanger:

There were nine different versions of the confession scene filmed for the cliffhanger (re: Carlo Agretti's murder).
Instead of Julia's confession, the various drafts of the script of # 040 contain alternate confession scenes with Lance (b & w scene still above), Melissa, Richard, Diana, Phillip, Angela, Chao-Li and Cole.
Even the cast members themselves did not know which version the producers would choose until the episode was broadcast — except ABBY DALTON, who was called by supervising producer BOB McCULLOUGH the day it was scheduled to air. The killer was chosen on input from CBS, but the network did not dictate that it had to be Julia. So CBS did not know for certain who the producers chose as Carlo Agretti's killer until just minutes before it aired. LORIMAR delivered the final print of the season finale to the network, CBS Television City on Beverly Boulevard in Hollywood, the night it aired. CBS, of course, sent the episode to New York via satellite at the last minute, where it aired first due to the different time zones in the U.S.
 
From the alternate versions, here is each confessing character's motive for the murder of Carlo Agretti (unused segments):

Lance: "He [Carlo] kept pushing me. First the marriage. Then he threatened to cut Melissa out of his will. He was pushing me around... You [Chase] were pushing me around... She [Melissa] was even pushing me around. Then, at the baby shower, he [Carlo] threatened me. I wasn't going to stand for that. Not after what I'd already put up with..."

Melissa: "He was no father. I was nothing more than another bargaining tool to him. He wanted Falcon Crest so badly that he traded me in marriage to Lance. Then he threatened to cut me out of his will. That didn't give me much choice. With him gone, I controlled the Agretti Vineyards, I finally had my own source of power."

Richard: "Carlo Agretti was a hypocrite who spurned me in public while privately trying to bleed me dry. I offered him double the market value for his property. But he resented that and threatened to expose my own father as a Nazi. I couldn't let him do that."

Diana: "It was my only option. I had orders to get the Agretti Vineyards at any cost, and 'the company' has never recognized any limits. Results are all that count. There was an agreement... Richard had to deliver the entire California wine industry to 'the company' or give up any hope of independence. I wanted him to survive out here... to succeed. I was in love with him. I wanted him free... for me..."

Phillip: "It was the only thing left to do. Agretti had fought Angela for years. He was preparing to sell out to Richard. That would've been disastrous for Falcon Crest. With Carlo and Richard both clawing away at her, there was no time for the niceties of legal maneuvering or negotiating. I had to expedite matters. Angela has given her life to Falcon Crest, and... you see... I love her..."

Angela: "Carlo got exactly what he deserved. He sealed his own fate when he threatened to cut Melissa out of his will. I have no regrets. He would've done the same to me. You [Chase] don't understand anything, do you? From the time I sat on my grandfather's knee... until now, I was the chosen one to care for and enhance the legacy of Falcon Crest. Your father had no aptitude for that challenge. My strength, my dedication covered for his weakness. And then you came here to change all that? You're nothing but an opportunist who still has his head in the clouds at thirty thousand feet. You don't have the faintest idea what it takes to maintain the greatness of Falcon Crest!"

Chao-Li: "Mrs. Channing took me in when I was a young man with no place else to turn. She made me a part of this family. I owe her everything. Carlo Agretti... he fought her at every turn. There is nothing he would not have done to win control of Falcon Crest."

Cole: "I did it all along because he would not let me prove to Melissa how much I loved her — and she was carrying my child."

[kalbir]

Episode 12 has a great scene that paves the way for some big events in season 2.

Was it planned that 

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Edited May 6, 2023 by kalbir

[soapfan770]

I’m not sure if it was planned or not, although Wyman really wanted her off the show and character killed. I’ve read that the coffin was also supposed to hold Chase’s body as Foxworth was already wanting off the show. 
 

I’m not sure entirely what happened between Wyman and Turner, it seems there was beef between them long before the show. While Turner may have tried to play innocent in the press, I have read Turner had very strange and aloof behavior on set which turned off the rest of the cast. 

[kalbir]

Diva demands?

Lana Turner arc on Falcon Crest was quite the contrast to Ava Gardner arc on Knots Landing. I posted some links in the Knots Landing thread about Ava's arc and it seemed she was well-liked by the cast plus she admitted to taking the part for money so really wasn't in a position to throw any diva demands. In between Lana and Ava there was Dorothy McGuire on Y&R and while I haven't come across many articles about Dorothy's arc on Y&R, I got the impression she was also well-liked by the cast members she interacted with.

[Khan]

If Lana Turner had been too much of a handful BTS for the cast and crew, then why not just replace her with someone else from that era?  Why kill off Jacqueline when it was clear that more could have been done with her?

[DRW50]

I wonder if it was intended to send a message not only to her, but any other actors who might come in and put on airs. 

[Soapsuds]

Wasn't Abby Dalton also difficult on set? That's why they made her the killer and killed her off too. The only reason she was brought back was because Abby was a huge hit with the fans.

[Paul Raven]

Lana's first  appearance shot the show to #2 so that would have been a double edged sword.

On the one hand, they'd be pleased but for those working week to week a bit annoying that La Turner came sweeping in and got the attention/credit.

[Khan]

Robert L. McCullough has talked about how Abby Dalton would know next to nothing about what was happening on the show, because she'd read only her scenes and no one else's.

I don't think any solution to the murders was entirely satisfactory.

[Paul Raven]

As Deedee used to say (constantly) backstage drama...

Meanwhile welcome back Khan!

[kalbir]

Ratings for Lana Turner episodes and how they compared to the rest of the primetime soaps.

February 19, 1982: Family Reunion, rating 25.2, 3rd for the week. Finished ahead of Dynasty (February 17: The Iago Syndrome, rating 21.3) and Knots Landing (February 18: Reunion, rating 16.5). Dallas (February 19: Adoption, rating 29.9) was #1. This episode was the highest rated episode of the series.

November 12, 1982: Home Away from Home, rating 20.4, 11th for the week. Dynasty (November 10: The Wedding, rating 25.8) was 3rd and Dallas (November 12: Hit and Run, rating 24.7) was 4th. No Knots Landing on November 11.

December 17, 1982: United We Stand..., rating 21.5, 10th for the week. Finished ahead of Dynasty (December 15: La Mirage, rating 21.3) and Knots Landing (December 16: Abby's Choice, rating 18.4). Dallas (December 17: Barbecue Three, rating 26.2) was #1.

December 31, 1982: ...Divided We Fall, rating 16.6, 31st for the week. Finished ahead of Knots Landing (December 30: Block Party, rating 16.3). Dynasty (December 29: The Locket, rating 19.3) was 16th and Dallas (December 31: Mama Dearest, rating 18.3) was 24th.

January 7, 1983: Pas de Deux, rating 23.2, 10th for the week. Finished ahead of Dynasty (January 5: The Search, rating 22.5) and Knots Landing (January 6: Cutting the Ties that Bind, rating 17.9). Dallas (January 7: The Ewing Blues, rating 25.7) was 4th.

March 11, 1983: Climax (season 2 finale), rating 23.7, 4th for the week. Finished ahead of Knots Landing (March 10: Willing Victims (season 4 finale), rating 20.6). Dallas (March 11: The Sting, rating 27.7) was #1 and Dynasty (March 9: Fathers and Sons, rating 25.2) was 3rd.

[j swift]

The tradition of multiple soap endings seems more likely to be a PR stunt than an actual production choice once we break down the suspects. Just like when Dallas filmed every character pulling the trigger on JR, even though some would never be the shooter.

It would have been odd if Cole did it, given that he was a red herring

Chao-Li was never going to get such a significant role in the plot.

Alternately, Angela, Lance, and Melissa were too big to be written into a corner like that.

Richard's dialogue sounds uncharacteristic, and it seems like he is defending his father as a Nazi.

Phillip and Diana were plausible suspects, as they weren't the main characters, but it would be a lot to believe that either of them would murder someone for the one that they loved. 

I recall being surprised at the reveal but going to the trouble of filming alternate endings seems superfluous.  

Also, concerning Lana Turner and Jane Wyman, the misogyny of primetime soaps dictates that only one woman of a particular age was allowed to be an antagonist.  Dynasty had Joan Collins and Diahann Carroll, but arguably Dominique was a supporting character.  So, even if Lana and Jane were best buddies, there was only room for one bitch in the Tuscany Valley.

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by j swift