Overanalyzing Knots Landing

[Jimmy Todd]

Karen, Val, and Abby have been designated Earth, air and fire by some t.v. critics. Could we also get Freudian and
say they represent the Id(Abby), the ego(Val) and the superego(Karen) This also begs the question, where is Laura in this?
@Snarky Oracle! once had an interesting thread about archetypes and how they related.to Alexis and Krystle on Dynasty. Are the most successful or memorable characters the ones who are archetypal, Freudian or otherwise? I'm rambling a bit because I just had a second glass of wine(my last), but if you look at the Cain and Abel vibe of Bobby and JR Ewing, the Eve and Lilith vibe of Krystle and Alexis, and the Freudian Blanche, Rose and Dorothy over on The Golden Girls this mining of the subconscious the secret to their success?

 

[Daniel Avery]

Laura is water---like Earth and Air, she is there from creation/Genesis, with Fire coming along shortly after (about a season in). And there's nothing like a nice, cold bucket of Water to tamp down a Fire occasionally.

 

[Laura Avery-Sumner]

Laura is water---like Earth and Air, she is there from creation/Genesis, with Fire coming along shortly after (about a season in). And there's nothing like a nice, cold bucket of Water to tamp down a Fire occasionally.

She's also deeper than all the other three and darker. Also when push comes to shove it is Laura who usually provides the power to stop. Like slapping Abby FIRST, the Empire Valley cleanup, telling Mack who Apolune is etc.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

It makes sense then that only Laura, Val and Karen could slap Abby in the series run. Just as water, air and earth can douse fire. For me it would be unacceptable for anyone else, such as Jill or Paige to do so.
@Laura Avery-Sumner 's point makes me think that while the other three were parts of the mind, Laura was the id, ego and super ego combined, working together.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Turns out she was the shrink, too!

 

[Jimmy Todd]

If only Laura had stayed. She was such a great character.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

So what about the men? Do Gary, Mack and Greg fit the air, earth and fire archetypes? I would see Gary as more fire, Mack is closer to earth, but Greg doesn't fit air.
Would Ben be water?
Then, of course, there's Sid who seemed to be more air.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Greg is cigar smoke.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Corrupted air=corrupted idealist

 

[Svengali]

Laura is clearly my favorite female character

 

[Willie Oleson]

Would Ben be water?

His precious orchids always needed to be watered, and what a cruelly ironic fate that he himself ended up as food for jungle plants.

 

[Seaviewer]

Laura is water---like Earth and Air, she is there from creation/Genesis, with Fire coming along shortly after (about a season in). And there's nothing like a nice, cold bucket of Water to tamp down a Fire occasionally.

I'll go ahead and claim credit for suggesting that some time ago.
Earth, Water, Air and Fire are the four elements that the ancient Greeks postulated.

https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/four-elements-science/