World Cup Tournament The World Cup of Falcon Crest Cliffhangers

Jock Og

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The 2nd season finale is a clinker. Everyone is gathered at the wedding, as Carlo’s killer is revealed. Then there is another death but who is in the coffin? I liked the closing episode of season 5 and would have voted for it, if it was up against season 4 or 8 but ‘CLIMAX’ has my vote.


Chase arrives at Vicki’s wedding reception, held in Falcon Crest. He found Charles Fong, after searching most of the morning. Fong was attending a wake, in China Town. Chase persuaded him to return to Falcon Crest and lift the cloud, on Melissa’s fathers’ murder, (a scene from season 2, 1982 – ‘83):

Sheriff Robbins goes to hand cuff Charles before saying, “Where did you find him?”

Chase: “You won’t need those Dan. Mr. Fong is here to tell us what he knows.”

Sheriff Robbins: “I’m placing you under arrest, on a charge of accessory to murder. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you, in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have that attorney present, during questioning. If you desire one and can’t afford it an attorney will be appointed to you, without charge, before questioning. Do you understand these rights?”

Charles Fong nods, in agreement. He then moves in front of the wedding party and says; “It is time for honour and the truth. For the Chinese in this Valley life has never been easy. Mr. Agretti was a powerful figure, a rich man but he had no heart. To him we were nothing!”

Chao-Li: “That was no reason to kill him!”

Charles Fong: “My mother was a never allowed to leave China. Mr. Agretti said he would make a loan. He never did! My mother was very old. There was not much time left. Then someone offered, offered the money, I needed. I took that money and showed the way into Mr. Agretti’s house.”

Sheriff Robbins: “Through the tunnel?”

Charles Fong: “Through the tunnel. I didn’t know that he would die. That he was murdered. I did not know that…….he would be killed by you!”

Charles then points, at one person. The others all look around at the killer, as the camera moves to each wedding attendee.

Chase walks over to Julia. He says, “Agretti was going to ruin everything, wasn’t he Julia?”

Julia: “First he forced Melissa, onto Lance. Then he fought my mother, at every turn. He was going to bring Falcon Crest, to its knees. With Melissa here it was only a matter of time before Carlo had everything, in the palm of his hand. That would have left Lance and me with nothing!”

Chase: “Why try to frame Cole? Why try to kill him and Maggie and me?”

Julia: “Cole was made to order; a little hothead, with a history of trouble, with Carlo. He always did everything he could to undermine Lance. Another few minutes in the garage and the Agretti murder case would have been closed. My accident was a fake too. Mr. Fong helped me set that up and your accident well you just wouldn’t get off my back!”

Chase: “You’re really full of surprises, aren’t you Julia?”

Julia: “That’s right! I’ve saved one more surprise, just for you!”

Julia then pulls out a revolver. Sporadic gunfire ensues. The camera switches to the mansion’s exterior and then freeze frame, on a coffin, lowering into a grave. Fade to black, the credits & the closing theme.



’ULTIMATE ANSWERS’ was subdued compared to the drama everywhere of ‘DESPERATION’. Yet the concluding episode of the first season set the scene so well for things to come and must be applauded for that. However the helter skelter of season 6 is the better of the two cliffhangers.


Just before Peter leaves Falcon Crest he presents Angela with a letter, (a scene from season 6, 1986-‘87):

Angela remembers what Peter said, before he left, “once you’ve read it my dear, your life will never be the same.”

She begins to read the letter, after Peter has flown out of California, on his private jet.

“My darling Angela what you’re about to open is a Pandora’s box. I pray I have made the right decision, in giving it to you. When I went first to find something to help destroy Richard Channing I discovered his father Douglas Channing had left a safe deposit box, in a Swiss bank.

The bribe worked and the box was mine. Inside were several documents and a confession; you’re ex husband’s confession. Angela my dear, Douglas and his mistress hated you so much they did a terrible thing. The first child the one before Julia and Emma was born healthy and yet died so mysteriously, (the beginning of flash back scenes). He didn’t die. Douglas and Jacqueline Perrault stole him, to hurt you.

They faked the death certificate and sent him off, to be raised in Europe. The boy grew up, fed on hate. Richard Channing is your son. The proof is in the enclosed envelope.”

For the first time in a long time the steely Falcon Crest matriarch sheds some tears.
 

Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
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Today is your last chance to pick your cliffhanger winners of match 2 and 3. The poll closes at midnight.

Match 2: Season 5 vs Season 2
Match 3: Season 1 vs Season 6
 

Angela Channing

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Awards
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The polls is now closed and your votes have been counted and verified.

Five of us voted for our favourite season finales in the matches between season 5 & 2 and between seasons 1 & 6. The totals were as follows:

Match 2: Season Five - 1, Season Two - 4
Match 3: Season One - 1, Season 6 - 4



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The season two cliffhanger (who did Julia kill?) and the season 6 cliffhanger (Melissa's car plunges into the bay) go through to the semi-finals.

Thank you to everyone who voted.

Details of the final 2 quarter final matches will be posted on this thread later today.
 

Angela Channing

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The final 2 quarter final matches in the World Cup of Falcon Crest Cliffhangers will take place this week. They are as follows:

Match 4:
Season 8 finale (Maggie takes the children away before the police arrest Richard) vs season 3 finale (The plane carrying most of Channings and Giobertis goes down).

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Match 5: Season 7 finale (Angela asks a mystery figure "When are you going to tell Maggie you're still alive?") vs season 9 finale (Angela toasts Falcon Crest after Richard marries Lauren).

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You are voting for the end of season cliffhanger you would like to go through to the semi-finals for each of the 2 matches.

The vote will end at midnight on Monday 27th November (UK time).
 

Angela Channing

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Match 4
The season 8 cliffhanger went for pathos rather than the usual intrigue and suspense that the show usually served up. I liked the touch of seeing the police car driving past Maggie's as she drove away from Richard's house. However, the ending was lame when compared with previous end of season finales. The earlier scene of Tommy and Kelly's boat capsizing wasn't particularly exciting as I didn't really care much for either character. In contrast, the season 3 cliffhanger was one of the great cliffhangers of all the prime time soaps as it felt like almost anyone in the cast could have died, especially as Julia had been killed off recently so we knew the producers weren't afraid of disposing of major characters.

Match 5
The mystery of whether Chase or Richard was still alive was interesting enough but I preferred the end of season 9. Angela's soliloquy was a bit cheesy but it did round of the series nicely, paying tribute to many of the characters that made the series great. I liked the wedding scene immediately before it especially in how Chao-Li was treated like any other of the guests with Angela getting him a drink instead of it being the other way around. The smile on his face was a picture.

My votes:
Match 4: Season 3
Match 5: Season 9
 
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Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
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A reminder of the cliffhangers competing in this week's matches:

Match 4: Season 8 vs season 3

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Match 5: Season 7 vs season 9

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You are voting for the season cliffhangers that you would like to win each match and go through to the next round. It's entirely optional whether or not you give reasons for your decision. The poll closes at midnight on Monday.
 

Jock Og

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IMHO the finale of season 3 is miles ahead of the equivalent season 8 episode. My reasons for saying so are similar to when it was up against season 4, in the first match. Even though Richard gets a change of surroundings in the opener of season 9, the ending for the season before is the bottom of the pile.

Season 3 is my choice.

Richard seemingly dying; his subsequent funeral, Melissa taking over FC, Maggie’s talk with the boys and Angela in the chapel with the mystery figure all provided a decent finish, for the fans in the 1987-’88 season. In competition with the closing episode of the entire series leaves the seventh season concluding show in a tough position.

Given that the 9th and final season was collectively so dire Jane’s return as Angela to provide a dignified send off would have been in stark contrast, had she obeyed the Doctor’s orders.

With the narrowest of margins season 9 is my choice.


Melissa has arrived at the Falcon Crest mansion, with two deputies and the Sheriff. This is the day Angela, Lance, Emma and Chao-Li relinquish their home and ownership of the winery / vineyards, (a scene from season 7, 1987-’88):

Sheriff Buckman: “Are you just about through in here?”

Lance: “Yeah Sheriff. We are going to send some trucks tomorrow, to pick up the furniture, if that’s okay with Ms. Agretti?”

Melissa: “Lance don’t treat me like this!”

Lance: “You made the choice.”

Emma: “I hope you never forget how much you hurt us all. Enjoy your new home.” She then fires her house keys, at Melissa.

Melissa: “Lance I never asked you to take sides just to keep an open mind.”

Lance: “Look, forget it! I don’t want to talk about it.”

Melissa: “Lance you have asked me to make an impossible choice, a choice between you and Falcon Crest.”

Lance growls: “It was a choice between love and greed and greed won!”

Melissa: “I love you very much! I don’t want to loose you.”

Lance: “You don’t love me. You can’t. You love your dreams and you love your schemes, nothing else!”

A slower more militant like snippet of the theme commences, with Angela coming down the stairs to leave the mansion but vows to Melissa that she will be back!



Months have passed since Eric was brain washed by the 13, to kill Richard. Angela is in the chapel, lighting candles. A hooded man appears with a beard. Angela approaches him and asks, “Isn’t it about time Maggie knew you were still alive?” Who is he? Is the man the presumed drowned Chase, (a scene from season 7, 1987-‘88).

The frame freezes, the executive producer’s credits appear, fade to black and the theme tune starts.
 

Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
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IMHO the finale of season 3 is miles ahead of the equivalent season 8 episode. My reasons for saying so are similar to when it was up against season 4, in the first match. Even though Richard gets a change of surroundings in the opener of season 9, the ending for the season before is the bottom of the pile.

Season 3 is my choice.

Richard seemingly dying; his subsequent funeral, Melissa taking over FC, Maggie’s talk with the boys and Angela in the chapel with the mystery figure all provided a decent finish, for the fans in the 1987-’88 season. In competition with the closing episode of the entire series leaves the seventh season concluding show in a tough position.

Given that the 9th and final season was collectively so dire Jane’s return as Angela to provide a dignified send off would have been in stark contrast, had she obeyed the Doctor’s orders.

With the narrowest of margins season 9 is my choice.


Melissa has arrived at the Falcon Crest mansion, with two deputies and the Sheriff. This is the day Angela, Lance, Emma and Chao-Li relinquish their home and ownership of the winery / vineyards, (a scene from season 7, 1987-’88):

Sheriff Buckman: “Are you just about through in here?”

Lance: “Yeah Sheriff. We are going to send some trucks tomorrow, to pick up the furniture, if that’s okay with Ms. Agretti?”

Melissa: “Lance don’t treat me like this!”

Lance: “You made the choice.”

Emma: “I hope you never forget how much you hurt us all. Enjoy your new home.” She then fires her house keys, at Melissa.

Melissa: “Lance I never asked you to take sides just to keep an open mind.”

Lance: “Look, forget it! I don’t want to talk about it.”

Melissa: “Lance you have asked me to make an impossible choice, a choice between you and Falcon Crest.”

Lance growls: “It was a choice between love and greed and greed won!”

Melissa: “I love you very much! I don’t want to loose you.”

Lance: “You don’t love me. You can’t. You love your dreams and you love your schemes, nothing else!”

A slower more militant like snippet of the theme commences, with Angela coming down the stairs to leave the mansion but vows to Melissa that she will be back!



Months have passed since Eric was brain washed by the 13, to kill Richard. Angela is in the chapel, lighting candles. A hooded man appears with a beard. Angela approaches him and asks, “Isn’t it about time Maggie knew you were still alive?” Who is he? Is the man the presumed drowned Chase, (a scene from season 7, 1987-‘88).

The frame freezes, the executive producer’s credits appear, fade to black and the theme tune starts.

Good choices.

I got to say I love the bits of Falcon Crest dialogue the that you include at the end of your posts.
 

Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
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Today is your last chance to pick your cliffhanger winners of match 2 and 3. The poll closes at midnight.

Match 4: Season 8 vs season 3
Match 5: Season 7 vs season 9
 

Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
LV
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Awards
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The polls is now closed and your votes have been counted and verified.

Seven of us voted for our favourite season finales in the matches between season 8 & 3 and between seasons 7 & 9. The totals were as follows:

Match 4: Season Eight - 0, Season Three - 7
Match 5: Season Seven - 3, Season Nine - 4

Season 3 (the plane crash) and season 9 (Angela's soliloquy) therefore progress to the semi-finals.

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Thank you to everyone who voted in this round.

Details of the semi-final matches will follow later today.
 
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Angela Channing

World Cup of Soaps Moderator
LV
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Awards
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We are already at the semi-final stage of the World Cup of Falcon Crest Cliffhangers. The remaining end of season cliffhangers compete against each other this week for a place in the final.

The draw for the semi-finals have produced the following 2 matches:

Match 6: Season 3 (the plane carrying the Channings and Giobertis goes down) vs Season 2 (Julia is revealed as Carlo's killer and she shoots someone dead but who is it?)

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Match 7: Season 6 (Emma is about to jump off the roof, Chao-Li collapses , Richard is revealed to be Angela's son and Melissa drives her car into the bay) vs Season 9 (Richard marries Lauren and Angela makes a toast paying tribute to Falcon and the people who have passed through it).

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You are voting for what you want to WIN the matches between the finales of seasons 3 & 2 and between seasons 6 & 9. It's entirely optional whether or not you want to give reasons for your vote.

The vote will close at midnight on Monday 27th December.
 

Angela Channing

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I love all 4 remaining cliffhangers and they are probably my favourite 4 season finales. I think seasons 2 and 3 are probably the best examples of a soap opera cliffhanger with surprise, action and mystery but on balance I think the season 2 cliffhanger is stronger.

The season 9 finale is my favourite ever end to a prime time soap; yes it was cheesy but a fitting end to a great series and pulled up what was overall a very frustrating and disappointing season. However, for me, the best twist ever in a soap opera was Richard being revealed as being Angela's son so I vote for season 6.

My votes:
Match 6: Season 2
Match 7: Season 6
 
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