Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

hnt_dnl KNOTS LANDING was a favorite show of mine as a kid and still think of it as a top nighttime drama! A very dramatic show, amazingly, I never found it sappy or boring to watch. FOURTEEN solid years! KL was the DALLAS spin-off where Gary and Valene Ewing moved to the cul-de-sac of Knots Landing in 1979. KNOTS surpasses DALLAS as the best nighttime soap opera because in EVERY season, you can find something to enjoy while DALLAS teetered on boredom in its last couple of years. The real greatness of KNOTS was in it's sense of community, family, friendship, and all these qualities were realistically and brilliantly translated to the viewer. Originally focusing on 4 couples Sid and Karen Fairgate (Don Murray and Michele Lee), the aforementioned Gary and Val (Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark), Richard and Laura Avery (John Pleshette and Constance McCashin), and Kenny and Ginger Ward(James Houghton and Kim Lankford) who resided in Knots Landing, each week we got to see these couples interact. Amazing how solitary everyday life could be so enjoyable to watch! Of course there was a fair share of 'issue' episodes: adultery, troubled children, alcoholism, teenage drug use, etc. The first 3 seasons were mostly self-contained eps focusing on all these issues, but the main thing is that we got to learn about all these great characters, their quirks, values, beliefs, what made them tick. The show always stayed true to the characters. The main cast ended up being the originals Karen, Gary, Val, then Abby (Sid's younger sister and Karen's worst enemy!) came in Season 2, Mack in Season 4, and Greg Sumner in Season 5. These 6 characters pretty much carried the show until it's end in Season 14. Karen was the wise everywoman and everyone's friend and confidante. Gary was the weak-willed alcoholic with good intentions. Val was the sweet, innocent woman who trusted people too much. Abby was the bitchy, devious, ambitious vixen. Mack was the street-smart, everyday joe who believed in true justice. Sumner was the rich, corporate goliath who wanted to control the world.Special mention should go to other long-running and short-running characters: Lilimae (Val's folksy mother played by the great Julie Harris), Anne (Mack's first love played wonderfully by Michelle Phillips), Joshua (Lilimae's troubled son played by the now famous Alec Baldwin).There was an eclectic mix of other fine characters that came and went over the years: Chip, Ciji, Ben, Peter, Jill, Paige, Ben, Frank, Pat, Olivia, Danny,Claudia. And there were many others! What do you expect for a show that ran 14 years! A great show with something for everyone!

Reginald D. Garrard Unlike other nighttime soaps of the 80's and 90's, "Knots Landing" never really ran out of steam. With a strong cast headed by Ted Shackelford, Joan Van Ark, Michelle Lee, Donna Mills, William Devane, and Broadway legend Julie Harris. the show was filled with all the soap opera trappings but mixed with a bit of realism. Though the show deviated somewhat from its middle class beginnings in season one, the opulence that some of the characters had never seemed out of reach or over the top as in "Dallas" or "Dynasty". Even when "black sheep" Ewing brother Gary (Shackelford) fell into his own financially, the character never stretched into unbelievability.Many of the story lines reflected the day-to-day trials of normal life: wayward children, drugs, spousal abuse, child abuse, alcoholism, strained marriages, divorce, and death. The latter was no better handled when cast member Constance McCashin's character "Laura" died of cancer and left her grieving husband Greg (Devane) a previously recorded videotape. This 200th-show episode was one of the highlights in the series's long run.Even the real death of cast member Larry Riley was worked into the story lines, as characters had to deal with a "death in the family." Also, the show had its share of big names joining the cast for pivotal episodes; both movie legends Ava Gardner and Howard Duff appeared as the separated parents of Greg Sumner.The show was also a "stepping stone" for up-and-comers like Alec Baldwin ("Joshua Rush"), Halle Berry, and character actor Bruce Greenwood.With over three hundred installments, "Knots Landing" remains one of the best dramas in television history.

brandon_locasto Even though Dallas was much more popular, Knots Landing was a much stronger, more realistic, and better written show. First of all, shows like Dallas and Dynasty insulted viewers intelligence by constantly keeping a character and changing the actor. Remember how Barbara Bel Geddes turned into Donna Reed on Dallas, and then back again. Or how Jeff Colby went to bed with Pamela Sue Martin and woke up with Emma Samms on Dynasty. This is not Broadway where someone just takes over someone else's role. When Constance McCashin left Knots, did a new Laura come on...NO!...she died and we all cried. That's why Knots Landing was a far superior serial. For fourteen years, viewers were engrossed in these people's lives, because you felt like you knew them. The best characters on the show were Val and Abby. And they're friendship turned feud was riveting. It was actually Val who convinced Abby to move to Knots Landing early in Season 2 while they were on a picnic. And she grew a deep attachment to Abby's daughter, Olivia, mainly because she needed to fill the void left when J.R. took her daughter, Lucy, away from her. It was Val who comforted Abby when her ex-husband ,Jeff, stole her children. And it was Val, not their Aunt Karen, who was Brian and Olivia's second mom. All of this made it even more scandalous when Abby had an affair with Gary. These women lived across the street from each other, and cared about each other. But Abby wanted Gary. The best scene of the entire series is during the episode "China Dolls", when Val finally confronts Abby. The seconds when Val is walking across that street from her house to Abby's seem like hours. And when she opens that door and Abby comes down those stairs in that pink bathrobe...it was so HOT! When Val asks Abby if she is having an affair with her husband, she looks right in Val's eyes and says "I'm not saying we're having an affair, and I'm not saying we're not, I am saying I can have him anytime I want him". When Val slaps Abby in the face, Abby actually gives her a look like...I know I deserved that because I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I want Gary and I don't care, so I'll take the hit. You actually feel like your watching your neighbors fight. There are no women like this on television anymore. These ladies could act. Donna Mills makes Joan Collins look like a cartoon character. And Joan Van Ark makes Linda Evans seem like an empty vessel. The scenes between Val and Abby over the next few seasons continued to shine. Val finally gets her revenge by becoming pregnant with Gary's babies, who is now married to Abby. And then Abby makes a comment to Scott Easton saying that she wishes the babies were never born. The fact that Easton takes her seriously makes the way for the best storyline of the series, and it is when Abby finally comes to her senses that we see how she truly cares for Val. When Abby finds Val alone on the beach and tells her she knows where the babies are, Val immediately knows she is going to see her twins. If it would have been anybody else, she probably wouldn't have believed them. But Abby doesn't mess around. When Abby is driving Val to her babies, they are alone in the car together, and you can feel all the years of history these two women have together. They were once like family, then bitter enemies, but through it all they are still in each others lives. They may not like each other, but they KNOW each other very well! Years later, when Laura dies, Val and Abby hug each other, sharing the pain of losing someone so close to them. Even though they don't like each other, they are once again sharing a very intimate moment. When they hug, you can feel they are reaching out to each other, actually comforting each other. And when Jill tries to kill Val and everyone thinks she tried to kill herself, Abby genuinely seems devastated by the news. When Val gets out of the hospital, Abby confronts her in Karen's kitchen, offering to help her in any way she can. And she REALLY means it. And now having to deal with psycho Jill, Val realizes that Abby is not so bad after all. The dynamics between these two actresses was phenomenal and understated. While Karen may have served as the shows backbone, it was Val and Abby who gave the show life, and spice. Both characters added depth and layers to the show that are unfounded on any other soap. Joan Van Ark, as the passive-aggressive Valene, who manages to drag everyone into her dramas and make her problems seem like the greatest problems in the world. And Donna Mills, as Abby, the greatest bitch in the history of television. Joan Collins' Alexis, and later Heather Locklears' Amanda on Melrose Place, were nothing more than Abby wanna-be's. No other bitch in television history had the multi-layered humanity of Abby Fairgate-Cunningham-Ewing. Even though she was a schemer and a manipulator, she had morals. She loved her children, and she would hurt people to get what she wanted, but nothing they couldn't recover from. Mac Macenzie once said..."Abby doesn't kill, she gets even". And that about sums it up. How amazing for once to see a woman not be a victim, and not have to pay for not being a victim. Through all their fascinating story lines, Val and Abby seem most real when they are playing off each other. And their feuds were the most dramatic moments of the series. If there is ever another Knots Landing reunion, how nice it would be to see Val and Abby sit down together for a cup of tea, and reminisce about all the insanity they've been through together.

Totallyrad80 I got into Knots Landing during its 4th season and I didn't watch it when it first began and when primetime soaps were becoming an in thing I wasn't interested in "Knots Landing" mainly because of the title and because it didn't hold viewers like the other shows (i.e. "Dynasty", "Dallas" and "Falcon Crest", but after watching it I became totally hooked on this show. I like the structure of the show where they all lived on the same block and took place of their lives and who were sleeping (mainly Abby) with who. This was a soap opera and now that I think of that show it was more interesting than "Dynasty" (which a show I cannot stand to look at on SoapNet), "Dallas" and "Falcon Crest". I was glad that they didn't have to wear these $10,000 dress (the female characters that is). Nor they made themselves jokes for a drama. Because it was more of a realistic drama than the other nighttime shows. I like the topics of the characters such as Gary's alcoholism, Karen's addiction to painkillers and Olivia's abuse on drugs. These characters had real issues and it made the show more to look at. I did catch the reruns on cable and was amazed how much I missed out on such as Sid's car accident, Abby and Richard's affair, and Abby's affair with Gary. Abby was the best! She was better than Alexis Carrington and was more real. She was soft hearted when it came to her kids, but Abby was more interesting than Alexis on "Dynasty". I remember when they fazed out on Kenny, Ginger and Richard which was sad because I did like Kenny and Ginger. When they brought on Greg and Ben it was cool. One of the only characters that I didn't like was Diana Fairgate. I was so glad when the actress Claudia Lonow was gone. I was happy they brought back Lisa Hartman (Black)as Cathy Geary than her first stint (Ciji Dunne). But Cathy was boring. They could of gave Lisa a little better to do. Now when Jill came on I thought her and Mack would of got it on, but enter Gary who had it on. I love Teri Austin and thought she was so beautiful. But it was noted that the only way to get through Gary's heart is to get him past Val (who was so boring, but I did say Gary and Val always belong together and thank God that CBS allowed to keep the show on to put them back together for a couple of more seasons) but it was the best finale they ever had when Jill attempts to murder Val. (I always remember that one because I was in my senior year in high school when that happened). But Jill bit the DUST!!! I also like Paige and all about her when the show focused on her because she was this young heroine, that all the women was not a young spring chicken (Karen, Val, Laura and not Abby). But it worked out for the show. I did like her love scenes with Tom (Joseph Gian). But the show was geared to put her and Greg together which they had great chemistry!!!! But of course I loved it when Greg was together with Laura and I cried myself when Laura died and how was Greg going to get by without Laura. I thought of her as one of those special characters that was sympethetic, unselfish, classy lady and the producers should of did whatever to keep Constance McCashin on the show. But there is Karen (Michele Lee, who was the best actress on the show). Karen was so awesome. She had her moments like putting Abby in her place, like Greg (even sometimes she wanted to kill him). Karen was great!!! I also like the fact that Abby started out as a garage girl going after horny alcoholics and a sleazeball (Richard), affair with Senator Greg and that ambitious Peter Hollister who wound up dead. This show was so good that it ran for 14 seasons and I wish it was still around for another 14 seasons. Maybe CBS could do another special like it did over 6 years ago. The best primetime soap in history