Settling an old debt

[Arlene Halloran]

When it was revealed who Cassandra and Damon's mom was there was a bit of mystery involved, up until the fourth season finished. I thought the introduction of the Rossinis after the treasure plot was as interesting an alternative as could be served up. Anna was quite the hoot, with her stick and an old lady who meant business. So what about the Rossinis and their acquisition of 2/3 of Angela's family wine business?

 

[Jock Og]

When the cartel were dead and buried in the middle of season four the show needed a new power dynamic, lasting into season 5. With an interesting back story and love interests for both Richard and Emma the Rossinis' certainly provided that. Fr. Christopher was also part of the family, much to Anna's resentment because of her husband Dominic's affair with Julia.

To sum up the Rossini's input:

They achieved what the other opponents of Angela (the cartel, Jacqueline and the 13) were not successful in doing i.e. obtaining a controlling interest in the wine business. Melissa Agretti and Michael Sharpe also got one over the grape granny but both of them owned the whole shoot and bang. Therefore Angela and in the case of season 9 her family were outside the business, with no say at all. A split in any business will undoubtedly create the power struggles the 80's prime timers were noted for. As for the Rossini estate fire it was blamed on Angela but before Anna exited it was discovered she was a pyromaniac (a disorder in which the individual can't resist the temptation to start fires).


Anna Rossini, her daughter Cassandra and their accountant are visiting Angela, Chao-Li and Greg to look over the Falcon Crest ledgers. The Rossinis with their majority share of the wine company have a plan to build a resort on the land where the winery sits and the 500 acres of vineyards, (a scene from season 5, 1985 - '86):

The meeting takes place in Angela's study.

Angela to Anna: "Well what can I do for you?"

Anna: "First of all I want a comfortable chair. This one is a disaster."

Angela: "Your court order says you can look at my ledgers. It doesn't say I have to make you comfortable."

Anna: "I think you ought to know I'm about to move into that little guest cottage, up near the winery. I think I can oversee things better from there."

Angela: "Will you now. No one has stayed in that cottage for years. Watch out for the rats!"

Angela then walks away from Anna and goes to her desk where Cassandra is looking at her new business renderings. Mrs. Channing says that the resort will be an instant slum and that it will over her dead body before the vineyards are ploughed through.

 

[Willie Oleson]

the Rossinis' certainly provided that. Fr. Christopher was also part of the family, much to Anna's resentment because of her husband Dominic's affair with Julia.

It's quite similar to the Angela/Douglas/Jacqueline/Richard story, isn't it?

 

[Jock Og]

Yeah the two storylines are quite similar in that both babies (Fr. Christopher and Richard) were taken away from the Valley, to other destinations. We were laid to believe for years about Richard's parentage i.e. when it was revealed that Jacqueline was his mother, in season 2. Then low and behold 4 years and 5 months later the shock of all shocks, Richard was Angela's son. Mrs. Channing convinced Julia about her baby (who became Fr. Christopher) being stillborn, when in actual fact Angela had cruelly sent him off to a Catholic orphanage.

Of course Richard was left as a orphan too. If anything there was more of an impact for the mechanics of the show adjusting who Richard really was because Father Christopher was forgot about, after season 5. He could easily have carved his own niche for another two seasons at least and maybe if Father Bob had taken more of a back seat he could have assumed his role. If Jane Wyman had permitted this to happen.


Angela and her ex husband Douglas are having dinner, in one of their favourite old restaurants, (a scene from season 1, 1981 - '82):

Angela: "Be my friend Doug."

Douglas: "Have I ever let you down?"

Angela drinking her wine replies: "Only once!"

 

[Chloe-Fusco]

History was rewritten with the twist in the finish to season six and when I watched the episode for the first time it was jarring. Should the brass have left well enough alone. The aftermath is always eye opening. For the longest time it was Angela versus Richard then the fall of 1987 we wondered would olive branches be extended. Would they heck.