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Dallas the TV series
Knots Landing
KNOTS LANDING versus DALLAS versus the rest of them week by week
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<blockquote data-quote="TommyK" data-source="post: 40020" data-attributes="member: 107"><p>I was so looking forward to your reaching the fall of 1986, James; sorry I'm a few weeks late in posting. These are obviously pivotal seasons for <em>Knots</em>, <em>Dallas</em> and <em>Falcon Crest</em> (the only three soaps I watched during this period), and heaven knows, I have strong opinions about all three. I look forward to seeing how our thoughts match up (or don't). I knew you were a fan of this season of <em>Dallas</em>, as am I. (It might well be the one I most enjoy re-watching.) I happen to love the Freilich seasons of <em>Falcon Crest</em>; as I recall, you do not. And I have absolutely no idea what you'll make of <em>Knots</em> Season 8, so I'm anxious to find out.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Longest aside ever: ever since I was a teenager, I quoted from the TV shows I watched; memorable phrases from them became part of my everyday vocabulary. When I met my (now) husband, he slowly adopted my penchant for quoting. After 25 years together, it's become commonplace. So that, for example, if we're driving along, and someone slowly crosses in front of our car, we both scream, "What are you doing in the middle of the road?" (Danny to Pat, <em>Knots Landing</em>, Season 11). If the lights go off during the winter and they tell us it'll be 10 hours till the power is restored, the word "power" triggers us to either go "Power is something you take" (Jock Ewing, <em>Dallas</em>) or "Power. We have it. They don't. This bothers them." (Buffy to the Watchers' Council, Season 5). However, no phrase gets used around here more than "That's what she's there for. That's what she's good for" -- except we've adopted it for use in first person singular, and usually with an air of exasperation. "Can you pick up some ice cream on your way home?" "Sure. That's what I'm here for. That's what I'm good for." Or, "Thank you for changing the light bulb." "Yup. That's what I'm here for. That's what I'm good for."</p><p></p><p>I would actually wager I've seen "Once and Future King" more than any episode of <em>Dallas</em>, simply for the pleasure of watching Linda Gray in that scene, revitalized and unleashed. The only thing better is the following scene, where she runs into J.R. at a restaurant and flaunts her newfound sass. When he mentions that Mandy's at work, she responds, "Is there a convention in town? Or maybe the fleet's in." And when he counters that she's with her agent talking about a modeling job, she's quick to one-up him: "Modeling... Let me guess: mattresses?" Of course, it's not only a chance to revel in her independence, but also to plant a seed in J.R.'s mind: a side of Mandy that Sue Ellen intends to exploit, to drive a wedge between them. The cultivation and liberation of Sue Ellen -- which occurs without her losing any of the qualities that made her so much fun, unlike the previous season's reimagining of her -- remains one of <em>Dallas'</em>s great achievement. It ultimately, as you've noted before, dead-ends her, but what fun it is while it lasts!</p><p></p><p>On a different note, many many moons ago, in the summer of 1988, I did a rewatch of the first nine seasons of <em>Knots</em>, all of which I had (and still have) on VHS. The moment Season 8 began, I was struck by how the characters started behaving "naturally" again; they instantly sounded like they were once again scripting their own dialogue (one of <em>Knots</em>' great strengths) and not reading lines written by another (i.e., David Paulsen). So yes, indeed, I understand your saying that at the top of Season 8, we suddenly welcome the restoration of "playfulness and pace." The oppressive writer-driven plotting of Paulsen disappears instantly; you sense that Lechowick and Latham understand these characters in a way he never quite did. Unfortunately, what they don't yet understand is how to tell a good story: how best to have it unfold without seeming confusing or slightly disorienting. It's telling that, so far this season, <em>Knots</em> has finished last in every one of your weekly rankings. I'll be curious to see if and when it starts to rise.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TommyK, post: 40020, member: 107"] I was so looking forward to your reaching the fall of 1986, James; sorry I'm a few weeks late in posting. These are obviously pivotal seasons for [I]Knots[/I], [I]Dallas[/I] and [I]Falcon Crest[/I] (the only three soaps I watched during this period), and heaven knows, I have strong opinions about all three. I look forward to seeing how our thoughts match up (or don't). I knew you were a fan of this season of [I]Dallas[/I], as am I. (It might well be the one I most enjoy re-watching.) I happen to love the Freilich seasons of [I]Falcon Crest[/I]; as I recall, you do not. And I have absolutely no idea what you'll make of [I]Knots[/I] Season 8, so I'm anxious to find out. Longest aside ever: ever since I was a teenager, I quoted from the TV shows I watched; memorable phrases from them became part of my everyday vocabulary. When I met my (now) husband, he slowly adopted my penchant for quoting. After 25 years together, it's become commonplace. So that, for example, if we're driving along, and someone slowly crosses in front of our car, we both scream, "What are you doing in the middle of the road?" (Danny to Pat, [I]Knots Landing[/I], Season 11). If the lights go off during the winter and they tell us it'll be 10 hours till the power is restored, the word "power" triggers us to either go "Power is something you take" (Jock Ewing, [I]Dallas[/I]) or "Power. We have it. They don't. This bothers them." (Buffy to the Watchers' Council, Season 5). However, no phrase gets used around here more than "That's what she's there for. That's what she's good for" -- except we've adopted it for use in first person singular, and usually with an air of exasperation. "Can you pick up some ice cream on your way home?" "Sure. That's what I'm here for. That's what I'm good for." Or, "Thank you for changing the light bulb." "Yup. That's what I'm here for. That's what I'm good for." I would actually wager I've seen "Once and Future King" more than any episode of [I]Dallas[/I], simply for the pleasure of watching Linda Gray in that scene, revitalized and unleashed. The only thing better is the following scene, where she runs into J.R. at a restaurant and flaunts her newfound sass. When he mentions that Mandy's at work, she responds, "Is there a convention in town? Or maybe the fleet's in." And when he counters that she's with her agent talking about a modeling job, she's quick to one-up him: "Modeling... Let me guess: mattresses?" Of course, it's not only a chance to revel in her independence, but also to plant a seed in J.R.'s mind: a side of Mandy that Sue Ellen intends to exploit, to drive a wedge between them. The cultivation and liberation of Sue Ellen -- which occurs without her losing any of the qualities that made her so much fun, unlike the previous season's reimagining of her -- remains one of [I]Dallas'[/I]s great achievement. It ultimately, as you've noted before, dead-ends her, but what fun it is while it lasts! On a different note, many many moons ago, in the summer of 1988, I did a rewatch of the first nine seasons of [I]Knots[/I], all of which I had (and still have) on VHS. The moment Season 8 began, I was struck by how the characters started behaving "naturally" again; they instantly sounded like they were once again scripting their own dialogue (one of [I]Knots[/I]' great strengths) and not reading lines written by another (i.e., David Paulsen). So yes, indeed, I understand your saying that at the top of Season 8, we suddenly welcome the restoration of "playfulness and pace." The oppressive writer-driven plotting of Paulsen disappears instantly; you sense that Lechowick and Latham understand these characters in a way he never quite did. Unfortunately, what they don't yet understand is how to tell a good story: how best to have it unfold without seeming confusing or slightly disorienting. It's telling that, so far this season, [I]Knots[/I] has finished last in every one of your weekly rankings. I'll be curious to see if and when it starts to rise. [/QUOTE]
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Knots Landing
KNOTS LANDING versus DALLAS versus the rest of them week by week
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