Worth it?

[DF414]

My husband and I just finished Dynasty. We absolutely loved it. Sure, some say the latter seasons falter until season 9 but we really enjoyed the entire run - we just took it for what it was, a guilty pleasure.

We are thinking about watching another prime time 80s soap - we're thinking of Dallas or Falcon Crest. Is Falcon Crest worth it over Dallas? The dream season of Dallas has us reconsidering if we should do Falcon Crest. My mother was a huge fan of Dallas and hated it after the dream season.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Toni]

My husband and I just finished Dynasty. We absolutely loved it. Sure, some say the latter seasons falter until season 9 but we really enjoyed the entire run - we just took it for what it was, a guilty pleasure.

We are thinking about watching another prime time 80s soap - we're thinking of Dallas or Falcon Crest. Is Falcon Crest worth it over Dallas? The dream season of Dallas has us reconsidering if we should do Falcon Crest. My mother was a huge fan of Dallas and hated it after the dream season.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

First, your mother was right.

I myself would recommend watching the first 9 seasons up to when Patrick Duffy returns (no spoilers but you must know, don´t you?). This would also make you easier to watch all "Falcon Crest" (in my opinion the 2 last seasons are not worthy). But hey, enjoy the ride because you will not get bored at all!!

 

[Richard Denault]

First, your mother was right.

I myself would recommend watching the first 9 seasons up to when Patrick Duffy returns (no spoilers but you must know, don´t you?). This would also make you easier to watch all "Falcon Crest" (in my opinion the 2 last seasons are not worthy). But hey, enjoy the ride because you will not get bored at all!!

I wouldn't watch the first season of Falcon Crest either. Except some episodes it has a slow and deadly pace.
In the second Ana Alicia gained prominence. The character of Richard appeared and the series won a lot

 

[Chase Gioberti]

My husband and I just finished Dynasty. We absolutely loved it. Sure, some say the latter seasons falter until season 9 but we really enjoyed the entire run - we just took it for what it was, a guilty pleasure.

We are thinking about watching another prime time 80s soap - we're thinking of Dallas or Falcon Crest. Is Falcon Crest worth it over Dallas? The dream season of Dallas has us reconsidering if we should do Falcon Crest. My mother was a huge fan of Dallas and hated it after the dream season.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Seasons 1-4 are as good or better than any of the other shows. It loses a bit of steam after that but I enjoyed it until the season 9 debacle.

 

[Richard Denault]

Seasons 1-4 are as good or better than any of the other shows. It loses a bit of steam after that but I enjoyed it until the season 9 debacle.

Season one premiered in Spain in January 1985 and was unsuccessful.
Although I really liked Susan Sullivan ever since I saw her in Rich Man Poor Man II with Peter Strauss. I didn't like that season
I found Chase unfriendly and unattractive.
However, the second season that premiered in Spain in the summer of that year was a great success.
Ana Alicia and Richard's character gave a lot of play
Focusing the publicity of the series on Jane was perhaps a mistake, Jane was not J.R, who had a better sense of humor, nor Lana Turner, who was a great star.
If it had been released in other countries after the second season, it would have worked better

 

[Richard Denault]

In one of the newsletters of the German club Story editor story Garner Simmons says
CBS originally ordered only 13 episodes.”
“We were not sure the show would make it. Even Earl thought that the show would not make it for another year while season 1 was produced and running. But they eventually ordered the bottom 6," Garner remembered the CBS executives' decision to give it a chance. “Even after the first season ended, and because the ratings hadn't been that good, CBS still wasn't sure what to do with Falcon Crest, but they finally gave the go-ahead to do a second season,
One of the reasons might have been Lana Turner.
“Her appearance de ella was something everyone had high hopes for,” Garner added, referring to boosting the ratings.
Indeed, the ratings went up finally into the top 10. Although the remainder of the season still had its ups and downs, the decision was made that the show would be back for another season.

 

[Richard Channing]

They're both great. I certainly wouldn't be put off by the dream season. There are many seasons of first rate soap to enjoy before that. Both Falcon Crest and Dallas have mostly self contained episodes in their first season (which I'm generally not a fan of), and contrary to what some may think, I think Falcon Crest does them better than Dallas. I think FC season 1 is more enjoyable and easier to get through than the first season of Dallas (not including the mini series). But both really get momentum in their following seasons. Dallas is better, with better quality writing, for much longer than FC. Twice as long actually.

 

[Angela Channing]

Both series are good and whichever you choose to watch next I don't think you will be disappointed. If you haven't seen either before, I would go for Dallas which overall is the stronger series and maintained a higher standard for longer.

Personally, I think the season after the dream was a good one but the decline really set in during the seasons subsequent to that.

Have you considered Knots Landing?

 

[Falcon Crest I]

I thought the first season of Falcon Crest was overall quite good. Some episodes were tedious but when you get into the theme which drives the opening season you should enjoy it. The show really takes off in season 2 and maintains a high quality up to the end of season 4. After the 30th show of season 4 the show moves into different eras (5th - Earl Hamner's last season creativity, 6th/7th season - Jeff Freilich, 8th season - Michael Filerman and the 9th season - Messers Surnow + Thorpe) some aspects just don't gel, even if there is still plenty to enjoy. Take the FC plunge.

 

[ClassyCo]

I know a lot of people dismiss FALCON CREST and it gets left on the back burner when discussing the "Big Four" of the prime time soaps from the '80s.

For me, I've enjoyed what I've seen so far. I've just recently completed Season 5, and it's going good thus far. There have been some things done that I don't necessarily like... But what show doesn't do that?

Angela Channing is easily one of TV's greatest "love to hate" characters. Jane Wyman slides right into the part and wears it like a glove. There are several good actors and characters in the ensemble, and some really good, strong plots and cliffhangers, especially in the first three seasons.

But, to answer the OP's question, I watched DALLAS up until Bobby died. I've seen an episode or two passed that, but I honestly haven't any desire to watch the rest of it. The "Dream Season" seems like a complete waste of time, and I don't want to watch the show without Pam, much less with Sue Ellen. I watched all of DYNASTY (excluding the 1991 miniseries), but only Seasons 1, 2, and 9 are strong; Seasons 3 through 8 are sloppy and frustrating (even though I enjoyed it pretty much all the way through).

So, I'd definitely recommend FALCON CREST to you. If there's a way you can get a hold of KNOTS LANDING, I'd also recommend it. KNOTS had the strongest cast and consistency in terms of longevity and quality.

 

[Monzo]

Dynasty is more plot-driven than character-driven and you enjoyed it, that's why Falcon Crest is the right choice because of the other three big soaps, Falcon Crest is the one to have been more plot-driven than character-driven. You will be surprised by many twists coming out of the blue.

 

[ClassyCo]

Dynasty is more plot-driven than character-driven and you enjoyed it, that's why Falcon Crest is the right choice because of the other three big soaps, Falcon Crest is the one to have been more plot-driven than character-driven. You will be surprised by many twists coming out of the blue.

Yes, as much as FALCON CREST might spiral out of control as it lingers on, it is plot-driven and has several twists and turns.

 

[DF414]

Both series are good and whichever you choose to watch next I don't think you will be disappointed. If you haven't seen either before, I would go for Dallas which overall is the stronger series and maintained a higher standard for longer.

Personally, I think the season after the dream was a good one but the decline really set in during the seasons subsequent to that.

Have you considered Knots Landing?

I have that on my list too - I heard that was great and a lot of my family watched that. I was thinking originally doing Dallas and then Knots Landing before the Dream Season discussion.

I think we can get through the slow first season of Falcon Crest. My husband actually loved the first season of Dynasty and at some points I was wicked bored.

 

[ClassyCo]

I think we can get through the slow first season of Falcon Crest. My husband actually loved the first season of Dynasty and at some points I was wicked bored.

The first 10 episodes of FALCON CREST might have been a tad slow, but it sped up quickly. By mid-season it was a full-blown serial, with continuing stories and developing plots and characters.

DYNASTY, on the other hand, was slow at the start. There's a lot of hype surrounding that premier season, however, so I just might revisit it one of these days.

Keep in mind, though, we're talking about prime time soap operas from the 1980s. They typically did 25+ episodes a season. Their pacing story-wise is far slower than what is on TV today.

 

[Richard Denault]

From the first season I liked the story of Douglas and Angela
Douglas and Maggie even thought that Douglas fell in love with her
Angela will try to make Lance jealous with Cole
The trip to Italy
And when Ana Alicia enters the story
Here is a link to an interview with Hamer who talks about the principles of Falcon Crest. He also loved it when Melissa told Lance that she was pregnant at the wedding.

 

[Arlene Halloran]

You should most definitely give the wine producing folks of Tuscany Valley a try. There are lovely vineyard scenes abd very dramatic goings on which can lead to a lot of death, love, power struggles, also disaster. The mansions are fine too. Keep an eye on that Angela one, she is always full of tricks and schemes.

 

[Richard Denault]

You should most definitely give the wine producing folks of Tuscany Valley a try. There are lovely vineyard scenes abd very dramatic goings on which can lead to a lot of death, love, power struggles, also disaster. The mansions are fine too. Keep an eye on that Angela one, she is always full of tricks and schemes.

It must be recognized that the subject is little cinematographic.
As Earl mentions, there was only one movie and although it had a good cast, it had little success.

 

[DF414]

The first 10 episodes of FALCON CREST might have been a tad slow, but it sped up quickly. By mid-season it was a full-blown serial, with continuing stories and developing plots and characters.

DYNASTY, on the other hand, was slow at the start. There's a lot of hype surrounding that premier season, however, so I just might revisit it one of these days.

Keep in mind, though, we're talking about prime time soap operas from the 1980s. They typically did 25+ episodes a season. Their pacing story-wise is far slower than what is on TV today.

That's what I like though - I like the longer seasons. They actually write a story instead of just blazing through every storyline at warp speed. I actually think the writing for soaps (even like Dyansty) is better than a lot of shows today.

 

[DF414]

You should most definitely give the wine producing folks of Tuscany Valley a try. There are lovely vineyard scenes abd very dramatic goings on which can lead to a lot of death, love, power struggles, also disaster. The mansions are fine too. Keep an eye on that Angela one, she is always full of tricks and schemes.

I feel I would like Angela. Alexis was by far my favorite on Dynasty - I mean there was no one even close to a second favorite character for me on Dynasty.

 

[ClassyCo]

That's what I like though - I like the longer seasons. They actually write a story instead of just blazing through every storyline at warp speed. I actually think the writing for soaps (even like Dyansty) is better than a lot of shows today.

DYNASTY really just spirals out of control. Seasons 3 thru 8 are drab and cluttered, but I'd agree that I would prefer to re-watch DYNASTY over what's on TV now.