Season 13 and the shutdown

[Abbylexis]

In season 13, production was temporarily suspended because of the show's poor quality. I often felt that the excuse they gave such as change in writers, storytelling was not credible. Knots Landing while still good had been gradually decreasing in quality since season 9, the show had mostly been a hit and miss at this point, a good storyline here and there. By the end of season 12, while to me I was enjoying the show again since DM's departure, you could feel that the show was aging and it seems destined to end. Regardless of changes, by season 13 the show could no longer be creative. I never agreed with the actors/producers who said that the show could have continued on and on and that cancellation was done for budget reasons. Even if there had been a season 15, I think I would have lost interest.

While theme based shows like legal, criminal or medical shows could go on and on, primetime soaps could not. With the former, as long as you follow the formula, it's fine, every week, there is a new case, a new crime, a new patient. Daytime soaps have the ability to go on forever because plots tend to move slower, even with the doses of over the topness, the down to earth appeal of daytime soaps, indoor sets and everday appeal makes it easy to tune in for years because the characters and settings become an extension of your everyday life. This was not the case with primetime soaps. By the 1985-1986 season, primetime soaps had reached the maturity level, the following season, Lorimar re-invented their three soaps with a cooler aspect but from then on, everything went downhill. Knots Landing was able to live because of that daytime appeal I explained but by season 13, I don't think there was anything the show could have done to rejuvenate itself.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Tidal Wave reminded me of Gary's methanol cars adventure. I liked it.
Of course, everything looked better after the infamous season 12...

 

[micmic]

Knots Landing WAS canceled due to budget reasons. Ratings were high enough and CBS wanted another seasons. Based on ratings they offered Lormiar a budget of $X per episode. However, by then the main cast's salary was so high that it ate most of the budget.
So the creative solution Lorimar found for season 14 was that actors would take a salary cut in a way of not appearing in a certain amount of episodes. Actors had to agree to that, which they did.
Maybe for a season 15 salaries would have been too high to do that or maybe it got too challenging on the creative side. But CBS DID NOT cancel the show, the producers did.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I got the impression that the main reason the actors chose to take those reduced appearances because otherwise, there would not BE a season 14. It showed a certain amount of class. I mean, if one or two actors had decided they were "above" a salary cut and held the show to their contractual obligations, the others would likely have refused, as well, leaving the viewers never knowing what happened after the season 13 cliffhanger, and not getting a proper 'closing' (like the situation with the Dynasty fans). Everyone involved likely felt the fans were owed that proper ending. The writers could "write around" the characters for an episode or two without their being missed in that final season (and it was accomplished fairly easily). Their class, however, was not limitless--it was likely a one-time offer on their parts, just to give the show a proper ending. They weren't going to let this be some kind of 'new normal' and continue to accept reduced guarantees past that. Devane and Sheridan even said in the press that they would not return if a season 15 was somehow financed.

It's not mentioned much, but I'm sure Joan Van Ark's departure at the end of 13 helped the bean-counters a great deal, since she was likely making as much, if not more, than any of the principals at the time she left. That, along with Michele Lee's agreement to accept a reduced salary in order to appear in every episode, likely helped a lot more than anything.

 

[Abbylexis]

But in terms of quality, I don't think the show would have been that good. Sometimes less is more. By season 14, even as a viewers you can see fatigue.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Every story has to end at some point, the only option is to write for the "next generation", hence the Kate-Vanessa-Michael-Linda storylines. I guess it works for daytime drama, but not for prime time soaps because these stories have a more specific premise, as it were.
The last episodes really felt like "wrapping things up" but at least it was better than the Dynasty reunion movie and overall it was not such a bad season (especially, compared to Dallas and Falcon Crest).
But it's always difficult to say "goodbye". I miss my happy spin-off tv families.

 

[AbbyCunningham]

I think when KL started moving away from its core characters that made the show great (and I'm not referring to Karen, or Mack), the show went down the drain. Paige was badly written with no personality or likeable traits yet she was attractive and became the main player (Hell, at least Anne Matheson had a personality, and I enjoyed her homeless storyline). I wished that The Williams were more invested in, as I found that family were refreshing and watchable until they killed Pat and had no idea what to do with them. Season 8 had such a slow start, but just got better and better, but in 9 when Laura died, that to me was the moment things really started sliding down. Then when my dear Abby left, I didn't have too much reason to watch it, and I really liked season 10. Jill and Val and Morikame were the last good storylines. If Donna stayed, Abby would have been ruined by 13 as by that season, the characters that were remaining- even the cores had completely lost the core of their personality. Val had been regressed back to the neurotic mess she was at the start (and I heard JVA wasn't happy about this either), Karen was the almighty saint, Greg's actions post Laura and post Abby were just.. would Greg, after Laura really go around chasing someone as shallow as Paige? Yawn. Season 13 was just a mess from the start to the end. And as I was never a Karen fan, season 14 was almost unwatchable. So I wasn't gutted there wasn't a Season 15. I am down for a TNT Dallas style KL revival though.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Season 13 was just a mess from the start to the end.

I find it interesting that the opinions of Knots' best & worst seasons are much more diverse than that of other shows. Actually, everyone's view of KL seems to be completely unique.

 

[micmic]

I have to agree with this dude:

 

[Daniel Avery]

In the old forum, Snarky (wherefore art thou?) drew such a graph--in fact, that might be the one he drew. It's hard for the KL crew to dispute/argue its merits, since we got the best marks. I will say I don't think the season 13/14 dip should dip quite that low. 13 was at least as entertaining as season one, and 14 was certainly better than season one.

 

[Mustard]

Season 12 was probably the worst, but even that's good. Knots Landing was very good in how it kept going for 14 seasons without a big decline in quality. They even survived the big budget cuts of Season 9, and the departure of two long-term characters.

 

[Stillwitty]

I have to agree with this dude:

View attachment 1712

Looks like a Florida Hurricane Spaghetti model...

 

[Chase Gioberti]

I think when KL started moving away from its core characters that made the show great (and I'm not referring to Karen, or Mack), the show went down the drain. Paige was badly written with no personality or likeable traits yet she was attractive and became the main player (Hell, at least Anne Matheson had a personality, and I enjoyed her homeless storyline). I wished that The Williams were more invested in, as I found that family were refreshing and watchable until they killed Pat and had no idea what to do with them. Season 8 had such a slow start, but just got better and better, but in 9 when Laura died, that to me was the moment things really started sliding down. Then when my dear Abby left, I didn't have too much reason to watch it, and I really liked season 10. Jill and Val and Morikame were the last good storylines. If Donna stayed, Abby would have been ruined by 13 as by that season, the characters that were remaining- even the cores had completely lost the core of their personality. Val had been regressed back to the neurotic mess she was at the start (and I heard JVA wasn't happy about this either), Karen was the almighty saint, Greg's actions post Laura and post Abby were just.. would Greg, after Laura really go around chasing someone as shallow as Paige? Yawn. Season 13 was just a mess from the start to the end. And as I was never a Karen fan, season 14 was almost unwatchable. So I wasn't gutted there wasn't a Season 15. I am down for a TNT Dallas style KL revival though.

The main problem with the Williams family was that they killed off the wrong Williams.

 

[Toni]

The main problem with the Williams family was that they killed off the wrong Williams.

Yes. Julie should´ve died instead. Obviously.

 

[Chase Gioberti]

Yes. Julie should´ve died instead. Obviously.

I wish she would have accidentally pointed at Frank and pulled the trigger when she had Danny hostage.

 

[Stillwitty]

I got the impression that the main reason the actors chose to take those reduced appearances because otherwise, there would not BE a season 14. It showed a certain amount of class. I mean, if one or two actors had decided they were "above" a salary cut and held the show to their contractual obligations, the others would likely have refused, as well, leaving the viewers never knowing what happened after the season 13 cliffhanger, and not getting a proper 'closing' (like the situation with the Dynasty fans). Everyone involved likely felt the fans were owed that proper ending. The writers could "write around" the characters for an episode or two without their being missed in that final season (and it was accomplished fairly easily). Their class, however, was not limitless--it was likely a one-time offer on their parts, just to give the show a proper ending. They weren't going to let this be some kind of 'new normal' and continue to accept reduced guarantees past that. Devane and Sheridan even said in the press that they would not return if a season 15 was somehow financed.

It's not mentioned much, but I'm sure Joan Van Ark's departure at the end of 13 helped the bean-counters a great deal, since she was likely making as much, if not more, than any of the principals at the time she left. That, along with Michele Lee's agreement to accept a reduced salary in order to appear in every episode, likely helped a lot more than anything.

Too bad they couldn't have come to some agreement for a 15: Devane could have been assassinated, Mack tries to find the killer, any one of the 4, 368 people Greggie screwed over in his lifetime, feeling he owed justice to his old frenemy. Nicolette would have been unable to recover from Greg's death and joined the Silent Sisters Convent in Madrid...

 

[Toni]

Too bad they couldn't have come to some agreement for a 15: Devane could have been assassinated, Mack tries to find the killer, any one of the 4, 368 people Greggie screwed over in his lifetime, feeling he owed justice to his old frenemy. Nicolette would have been unable to recover from Greg's death and joined the Silent Sisters Convent in Madrid...

Paige wouldn't have lasted one week there...There was too much nightlife then to remain silent in Madrid.

 

[Stillwitty]

Paige wouldn't have lasted one week there...There was too much nightlife then to remain silent in Madrid.

My husband actually had a female cousin - party girl - who moved to Espana, gave up the fast lane, and joined the Silent Sisters...shocked the entire family of lapsed Cath-o-lics...lol