Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest or Knots Landing? (1 Viewer)

[classicmovieguy]

Of the 'Big 4' primetime soaps of the 80's, which would be your favourite, if you could pick just one?


Curious to see the responses for this...

 

[classicmovieguy]

 

[AlanP]

Dalkas until Victoria Principal left!
Dynasty until Pamela Sue Martin left !
Falcon Crest until Robert Foxworth left!

 

[whisperintherain]

Knots Landing, by a mile. The only one of the four where none of the regular characters ever got recast (a big no-no in my book, recasting only affected kids or minor recurring characters on this show) and the only one that remained character-driven from start to finish. While Dallas and Dynasty went for the shock value element in constantly trying to one-up each other, Knots Landing placed character development at the top of its priority list and thus never lost its soul IMHO.


I've only seen a handful of Falcon Crest episodes but from what I've read, it seems to me like it was fairly inconsistent in that the writers had difficulty in establishing the show's identity and this resulted in the finished product being somewhat all over the map, constantly struggling to redefine itself.


To me, although it helped in the ratings, Dallas never recovered creatively from the idiotic "it was all a dream" twist they relied upon to bring Bobby Ewing back from the dead. Thankfully, the Knots Landing creative team wisely chose to disregard it entirely and decided their safest bet was to sever the ties between the two shows, which hadn't done any crossovers for several seasons by that point anyway. Smart move, I don't think I would have bought that Pamela spent a whole season dreaming about people from California she had never met, save for her in-laws Gary & Valene. On Dallas itself, my deepest regret about the dream resolution is that it erased the storyline involving Donna & Ray adopting a deaf child, which I found interesting.


Dynasty started off very well IMHO but sadly, the creative forces behind it soon decided to give the audience what it wanted instead of what it needed. Gone was the class struggle between Blake Carrington and Matthew Blaisdel and soon enough, it all became about style over substance. Don't get me wrong, I love Joan Collins as Alexis, but to me she's as representative of the show's rise in the ratings as of its decline in quality.

 

[JohnMor]

Knots Landing was far and away my favorite (and the best, imo). But Dallas and Dynasty had their moments of saga (the former) and camp (the latter) that made them fun to watch at times. I never really could get into Falcon Crest at all.

 

[moviebuff75]

Dallas, then Falcon Crest, Dynasty, and Knots Landing. The only thing I liked about Knots was William Devane (loved his voice.)

 

[Nick*Z]

I'm sincerely torn here, being a TV junkie in the 80s and a huge prime time soap opera fan. Watched them all but would have to cast my vote for Dynasty and Dynasty II: The Colbys, but only by a hair. Number 2 pick would be Falcon Crest followed by Dallas and then Knot's Landing. Again, these are so close it's tough to choose.


Dynasty needs some minimal work to ready it for Blu-ray. But Dallas and Falcon Crest in particular look PATHETIC on home video DVD. Faded elements, moire patterns everywhere, digitized film grain, dirt and scratches, video-based noise. What in the heck were they thinking? Just awful and really, in desperate need of resurrection before it's too late.

 

[classicmovieguy]

I've just recently bought the first 2 years of "Falcon Crest" and devoured it like a plate of fudge brownies. It was sooo good. Just what a soap should be. It was all I could do to stop myself after only 2 or 3 episodes per sitting. I haven't gone through a soap so quickly since I originally got into the "Dynasty" DVDs a few years ago.


At the moment I'm just about to finish off the second season of "Knots Landing" and it's been pretty damn good as well.

 

[jcroy]

Except for Dynasty, I didn't really watch these nighttime soaps in their original first-runs.


Back in the 80's, I use to watch Dynasty with various then-gfs. Season 2 was great, but the writing quality seemed to decline after that. (Though I thought season 9 had better writing, but it was probably "too little too late" by then).



This may be going slightly offtopic, but I did watch most of Melrose Place with various then-gfs. (I don't know if Melrose Place is considered a "soap" in the sense of Dallas and Dynasty).

 

[classicmovieguy]

This is really just about the "Big 4" 80's prime-timers, but we can start a conversation about the 90's soaps too.

 

[bretmaverick2]

Knots barely edges out Dallas for me. But they are a close 1&2.

 

[ScottRichard]

We watched all of the above in my household when I was younger. My mom was a big soap lover (daytime too). I don't think I actually got to see the entire run of any of them though. I've seen about half of Dallas on DVD over the past few years and am up to the middle of Season 4 of Dynasty right now. I left off right before the dream season on Dallas but do want to pick it up again one day when I have time to watch it. I think Dallas was the best but Dynasty is my favorite! It's just great trashy high-camp fun! It'll be interesting to see if I watch it all the way to the end. I remember up until Season 5 or 6 but don't remember seeing any of it after that. I really haven't seen Knots Landing or Falcon Crest in years but really loved Knots Landing when it was originally on, definitely the most grounded soap I think. I liked Falcon Crest but probably saw that one the least. A short-lived soap I loved and would love to see again is Flamingo Road!

 

[jimmyjet]

i am not a soap person, but i started watching dynasty, i think from the very beginning


it was actually quite good for awhile - not like a typical soap opera


but then they had krystal and her "double" - that did me in. it was so ridiculous, and they dragged it on and on and on


i stopped after that

 

[mrz7]

Great topic!!!


By far "Knots Landing" takes the lead for me of the 4 soaps. Like a couple of people mentioned before.....show was very grounded and remained very character driven. And who could not love Donna Mills as Abby!!! Or for that matter, Lisa Hartman (as both Ciji and Cathy)! The show had some great storyline/subjects: Val's missing babies / Laura's Goodbye/ Jill going psycho on Val / The whole season 4 with Ciji as the pivotal character/ Abby's fight with her daughter and her daughter's drug problem/ Alec Baldwin's character going crazy and his marriage to Cathy)......the stories could go on and on. And I wish the series would get completed to be released on DVD soon!!! (only 2 seasons so far!!!)


"Dallas" is #2.....up to season 7 when they brought in Donna Reed as Miss Ellie.....I stopped watching (only periodically).....and I think the "Dream" season was not too far along from that. I had watch a couple of these episodes, and to me the show was not the same. And then further along, Victoria Principal left.....I didn't even bother checking a couple of episodes.....I was done. But the first 6-7 seasons of this show were very well done.....especially around the "Who Killed J.R." seasons. Plus there is a connection to this series and "Knots Landing" (Gary and Val)


I never cared for "Dynasty".....thought it was too fake.....but I did like the cat fights between Joan Collin's and Linda Evan's characters (stunt doubles were very bad....but watchable).


"Falcon Crest" was an interesting show.....I only liked it when Lana Turner was on the show as a guest.....lost interest in this show really fast after that.

 

[classicmovieguy]

I think Lana Turner should/could have stayed on "Falcon Crest" a lot longer... if not as one of the main cast (if her salary was a problem) then certainly on a recurring basis. She was so good playing off Jane Wyman.

 

[Frank Soyke]

Simple but basic answer for me, Dynasty, cause it had the best looking women of the bunch!

 

[JMas]

I think Lana Turner should/could have stayed on "Falcon Crest" a lot longer... if not as one of the main cast (if her salary was a problem) then certainly on a recurring basis. She was so good playing off Jane Wyman.

From what I have read, Wyman and Turner did not get along. Scenes involving them both were shot separately. Wyman made it an "either she goes or I go" situation. Again, this is what I have read.


Falcon Crest was my favorite, followed by Dallas.

 

[classicmovieguy]

That Wyman/Turner feud was completely untrue, at least according to Ms Turner who refuted those onset stories in at least 1 television interview. But who knows?

 

[AlanP]

I too thought the Wyman/Turner scenes were by far the best in the series of Falcon Crest! Turner was a great foil for Wyman and Turner really held the scenes well she and Jane were in together. I really believe there were problems between the two on set. Think of two former stars battling it out for the Spotlight. And Turner never looked better during those two seasons. From reports she was difficult on the set so where there is smoke usually a fire burns.....but I am sure Turner would have stayed on if she and Wyman were more cordial... Reminds me of the Crawford/Davis battles in Baby Jane! If you remember season three Turner's character was mentioned frequently even though she was killed off in Season two. Kept thinking she would turn up maybe as you watch that last show in season two there would have some excellent opportunities for her character to challenge Wyman's !

 

[Frank Soyke]

Still can't believe they got Ava Gardner to do Knot's Landing. I truly wish I could get my hands on these. I never saw that season first run and would love to see it.