Top Ten Videos of Falcon Crest

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Time for a glass of fine Cabernet Sauvignon! Here is my video of the Top Ten Falcon Crest Episodes! Remember, as I did with "Dallas" and "Knots Landing", that Season Finales and Premieres were not considered for this list. Enjoy it and express your opinion here or on my YouTube Channel!

 

[Angela Chilling]

Great video @Toni and some great choices for best episodes and I agree with your choice for number one. Watching the final scene in your compilation, the one in which Angela shows regret for not visiting Julia while she was away at school was Jane Wyman at her very best, such a great performance.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Great video @Toni and some great choices for best episodes and I agree with your choice for number one. Watching the final scene in your compilation, the one in which Angela shows regret for not visiting Julia while she was away at school was Jane Wyman at her very best, such a great performance.

That´s double a compliment coming from Mrs. Channing herself! I wish I could put the complete scenes but there are enough restrictions this way (if you know what I mean). More videos coming soon...

:ty:

 

[Count Jockula]

A fine compilation of videos there, Toni. The top episode is a good choice.


Lance goes into the study, to see his grandmother. Julia has gone on the run and Angela is understandably concerned. She has been looking at a letter Julia sent her, from college years ago. There was a parent's weekend and Lance asks Angela did she attend, (a scene from season 3, 1983 - '84):

Angela: "I was a business woman before it became fashionable and I didn't have the time to do the things I wanted to do."

Lance: "A weekend doesn't seem like much."

Angela: "Julia understood. She had such promise. Only ........"

Lance: "Everything went wrong!"

Angela becomes emotional: "And now it's too late to make it right."

 

[Chloe-Fusco]

Thanks so much for making the collection of videos. A tremondous tribute, although I would have another number one.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Thanks so much for making the collection of videos. A tremondous tribute, although I would have another number one.

Please mention here as many episodes as you want. Probably, maybe, there will be "Another Top 10 FC episodes" in a not so distant future...and I will take into account all those you consider your favs!

 

[Angela Chilling]

Thanks so much for making the collection of videos. A tremondous tribute, although I would have another number one.

I'm really intrigued about which episode would have been your choice for number 1.

 

[Arlene Halloran]

Thanks so much for making the collection of videos. A tremondous tribute, although I would have another number one.

Ah AVENGER deserves first place, a real roller coaster of emotions. Jane acted like a true legend and the ending was one of the saddest in the whole series . I'm glad that CONFESSIONS and THE ARRIVAL are also placed in the top ten.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Here is my first video of the week. This time I went for something a bit more ambitious and, instead of a Top Ten, I decided to do a Top 39. Why this number? Because it turns out to be the number of Season Finales that were aired by the American networks in the 80´s (1980-89) but didn´t end up being Series Finales. So the endings of "Dynasty", "Falcon Crest" and "Flamingo Road" are left out. On the contrary, I did include the fabulous Series Finale of "The Colbys" because it sort of continued on "Dynasty"...

The "Falcon Crest" Season Finales you can see here belong to its first 8 seasons, though the first one didn't end with a cliffhanger. Sorry for the low quality of some of the clips, but you know, better than anyone, how hard can be to get decent clips of "Falcon Crest" or "Dynasty". It´s a countdown list, from the one with a lower number of viewers to the one who topped the list (shhhh...). I used the Nielsen audience numbers for the respective weeks, not the overall ranking for the whole season nor the "share" info. I hope TPTB allow me to keep this video online, but so far it seems there´s hardly anything in it that deserves my beheading...

As usual, please express your opinions in this thread (though I will post the video in the other forums' thread for my Top Ten videos). Enjoy the images and think that some excellent cliffhangers were seen by not too many people (for the era, because now all of them surpass most of the cable shows...).

 

[Count Jockula]

Even though the shows from the eighties were waning in popularity later in the decade I'm surprised by the placing of THE COLBYS second and final cliffhanger i.e. the U.F.O. I remember watching the episode originally and my view was just how capitivating the sequence of events were. Alas the viewing figures are understandably the foundation for the places.

The plane crash from season 3 of FALCON CREST and Julia loosing the bap big time, after her open confession the previous year were IMHO top notch season finales. Both of these season endings were right up with the finest season finishes from DALLAS, DYNASTY and KNOTS LANDING. Wine making and the lives of the characters associated with the same was never as fatal as it was on FALCON CREST.


Chase is piloting Richard's private jet to Italy. The occupants are going to scatter Julia's presumed ashes, in the Tuscany Valley over there. Everybody is on board except Cole, Melissa, Pamela, Fr. Bob and Chao-Li, (a scene from season 3, 1983 - '84):

Chase says to his co-pilot Jack: "We've been sabotaged."

He continues: "Mayday Denver, mayday. We've lost our hydraulics and both engines."

They try increasing the trust.

Chase: "Hell Denver we're going down!"

In the night sky the jet is plummeting like a stone.

The passengers are at their wits end. Angela closes her eyes and starts praying.

Season 3 concludes.

Freeze frame; fade to black, the closing credits and the theme tune commences.

 

[Falcon Crest I]

The FC earthquake was well done too. Bye bye Daniel Greene and Laura Johnson.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

"Falcon Crest" did exceptionally well its cliffhangers, even the one that was placed last (too bad this cliffhanger had the worst resolution ever in the first episode of Season 9). I myself was surprised to see that only the first 3 seasons ranked considerably high. I guess that the rivalry with both "D"´s led to soap exhaustion and a lot of viewers probably only followed one or two of them at that point.

I must confess that I was going to do a video of my Top Ten favorite cliffhangers instead, but I went for something more "official", so to say. I would have included at least 3 FC cliffhangers in that list, and also at least 3 "Dynasty" cliffhangers too. Those two used to mess things up very often (especially the latter), but you can´t deny they really knew how to cook up a good cliffhanger...

It was also a surprise that "Dallas" had so many of its initial cliffhangers in the Top Ten and in such high positions. Then I came to think that when those aired, either there was no "Dynasty" or "FC", or they were just trying to find their identities and audiences still were hooked to "Dallas" after the big hype of "Who Shot JR".

I think it was a shame that "Falcon Crest" was (partly) overshadowed by the other flashier soaps, because its cast remained in the show for most of the run and there was a constant renewal of writing/producing talents, no matter which seasons we love or hate. I also found very consistent the way the producers handled the bible of the show and gave the characters a solid foundation, even in the Pilot. Of course, that went down the toilet at the same time that Chase drowned in the San Francisco Bay...

As I have mentioned other times, "Falcon Crest" started its running late (the mid-80´s) in Spain and other European countries, so its life spanned in a more natural way for a soap (meaning there were the usual US hiatus and audience anticipation for the Who Done It / Who Died?). IMO that´s one of the reasons it lasted 9 years: it was a good business in the foreign market. And of course, "Dallas" being aired in US prior to "FC" every Friday also helped a lot.

​

 

[Gioberti84]

Chase's episode before his last was interesting because he lost his butthead attitude. Boy he was unlikeable more than any other season, this year. Still he resembled the mannerisms from his 1st season character, in the pre episode finale.

 

[Chloe-Fusco]

I'm really intrigued about which episode would have been your choice for number 1.

Requiem, the opening episode to season 4 which included the reintroduction of the cartel and they meant business. Maybe even more so than at any time before. Paul Freeman was a convincing baddie, in my opinion.

 

[Angela Chilling]

Requiem, the opening episode to season 4 which included the reintroduction of the cartel and they meant business. Maybe even more so than at any time before. Paul Freeman was a convincing baddie, in my opinion.

That episode was a strong season opener. I really liked the Nazi treasure storyline and I agree Paul Freeman was a great baddie.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Here´s this week´s first Top 10 video, now for the best Character Introductions in a Primetime Soap. "Return" scenes are discarded because they will have their own Top 10. Meaning that, Alexis´ is in, but not Abby´s in the last episode of KL. This is actually another Dynasty-fest, so I will have to go to the doctor´s for a check-up! Again, sorry for the poor quality of some clips and the expanded version of others. I didn´t really mean for Beacham´s breasts to look so...well, you will know what I mean when you watch it. Two Falcon Crest stars (+plus another "honorably mentioned") are in this!

Enjoy this video and get ready for another one soon!

 

[Angela Chilling]

Another great video @Toni. I probably would have chosen some different characters (Francesca Gioberti, Skylar Kimble/Kit Marlowe, Pat Williams, Jamie Ewing) but your choices are just as valid.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Another great video @Toni. I probably would have chosen some different characters (Francesca Gioberti, Skylar Kimble/Kit Marlowe, Pat Williams, Jamie Ewing) but your choices are just as valid.

I´m glad you mentioned that, Mrs. @Angela Channing, because those were on my list but I discarded all of them for specific, different reasons. First of all, I don´t want every video showing the same clips over and over again. I wanted "character introductions" that were glamorous, mysterious and original. To be honest, Francesca´s debut in her little (Italian) Tuscany town wasn´t too glamorous. Her arrival was, but I already put that clip in a previous Top 10 (anyway, I always want some Gina for my FC videos!) and I didn't want it to oversee the fact that her arrival at (real) Angela´s home wasn´t her first scene. Actually, my first title for this compilation was "Arrival Scenes", but I changed it to "Character Introductions" for this reason.

The Kit/Skyler affaire: Kim Novak´s entrance wasn´t too well staged to me: the video quality was quite atrocious and the lightning too, plus there are no good clips of that on YT. And her black wig was beyond awfulness. I thought that my very dear Kim deserved better and she will be in my future videos. Jamie Ewing: Ugh. My video would have been disliked 1.000 times...Poor Jamie is highly unpopular though I prefer her over April, for instance. Original? Yes, her arrival was original. But glamorous or camp? Definitely not. I might show cousin Jamie in a potential "long lost relatives" videos along with bro Jack (I thought about him - like every night... - but again, he debuted in a scene via telephone and his first scene was a meeting with J.R. where he didn´t even say what his name was). Oh Jack will appear in a few videos (probably X-rated...lol!)


And well, Patricia who? To be honest, I didn´t even remember what her first scene was like, and I had re-watched it a few months ago. I only remembered that first came she and Julie, and later on Frank. I had no memory of that, and in a show like "Knots" which dedicated so much love to glamorous entrances as to fine storylines (see Ava´s debut), I felt it wasn´t memorable. Of course, if/when I handle the subject of non-caucasian actors in the 80s soaps, she and Frank will be there, side by side with Miss Dominique Deveraux, sharing a good can of caviar...

​

Thanks for your questions, Mrs. Channing! I loved answering to them!:danc::danc::danc:

 

[Angela Chilling]

I´m glad you mentioned that, Mrs. @Angela Channing, because those were on my list but I discarded all of them for specific, different reasons. First of all, I don´t want every video showing the same clips over and over again. I wanted "character introductions" that were glamorous, mysterious and original. To be honest, Francesca´s debut in her little (Italian) Tuscany town wasn´t too glamorous. Her arrival was, but I already put that clip in a previous Top 10 (anyway, I always want some Gina for my FC videos!) and I didn't want it to oversee the fact that her arrival at (real) Angela´s home wasn´t her first scene. Actually, my first title for this compilation was "Arrival Scenes", but I changed it to "Character Introductions" for this reason.

The Kit/Skyler affaire: Kim Novak´s entrance wasn´t too well staged to me: the video quality was quite atrocious and the lightning too, plus there are no good clips of that on YT. And her black wig was beyond awfulness. I thought that my very dear Kim deserved better and she will be in my future videos. Jamie Ewing: Ugh. My video would have been disliked 1.000 times...Poor Jamie is highly unpopular though I prefer her over April, for instance. Original? Yes, her arrival was original. But glamorous or camp? Definitely not. I might show cousin Jamie in a potential "long lost relatives" videos along with bro Jack (I thought about him - like every night... - but again, he debuted in a scene via telephone and his first scene was a meeting with J.R. where he didn´t even say what his name was). Oh Jack will appear in a few videos (probably X-rated...lol!)


And well, Patricia who? To be honest, I didn´t even remember what her first scene was like, and I had re-watched it a few months ago. I only remembered that first came she and Julie, and later on Frank. I had no memory of that, and in a show like "Knots" which dedicated so much love to glamorous entrances as to fine storylines (see Ava´s debut), I felt it wasn´t memorable. Of course, if/when I handle the subject of non-caucasian actors in the 80s soaps, she and Frank will be there, side by side with Miss Dominique Deveraux, sharing a good can of caviar...

​

Thanks for your questions, Mrs. Channing! I loved answering to them!:danc::danc::danc:

Like I suggested, it's all a matter of personal preference. I thought Pat Williams introduction was mysterious, she arrived late at night with a group of people that we knew nothing about. I thought it was really intriguing but maybe that's a discussion for the Knots forum .

I wasn't particularly fond of Kit Marlowe/Skylar Kimble's character but I always thought her introduction was kind of spectacular with Skylar being murdered in place of Kit and the latter then phoning Angela to tell her she was Skylar Kimble. That said, there is nothing wrong with your choice and you put together a very entertaining video.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

From now on this character will be played by...

No, seriously, TPTB are against me again and I re-posted the Top 10 Character Introductions video here:
https://dai.ly/x7bon6u