The Cruelest Moment On FC

[Bobby Southworth]

I wasn't sure exactly how to title this..I thought of "the darkest moment on FC", but considering all the dark things that happened in the 9 seasons, this may not qualify as dark, but cruel..

In the thread where we are discussing when FC declined in quality, we are speaking a lot of season 7, and now Richard being revealed as Angela's son has come up.

This can't help but make me think of the early season 2 episode..maybe Richard's first or second episode, when Angela pays him a visit at the "New Globe" at the end of the episode, and basically tells him his whole life was a mistake, or something to that effect. After she leaves, Richard tears up the office in a rage. Wow. Just wow. I remember the impact this scene had on me the first time I saw it. It's great acting on both of their parts, and helps to fuel the fire between the two characters for the next 5 seasons or so(even longer, depending on how one views their relationship, even after the reveal at the end of season 6.)

Anyway, Angela was so cruel to Richard in this scene, and his response showed how hurt he really was by the whole situation. His life. Kudos to both Jane and David here.

I remember watching the first season on DVD, right after I lost my grandmother, and Angela really reminds me, in a lot of ways- of my own grandmother. Perhaps that doesn't sound like a compliment, but my grandmother was a complicated woman, but had a big heart deep down. The relationship Angela had with young Lance brought to mind myself and my grandmother. I missed her something awful, and watching these early episodes was somehow something of a comfort.

 

[Julia's Gun]

Angela was very emotionally cruel in the early seasons - it would be called emotional abuse these days, taking place within the family.
I thought she was awful to all her children in the first season, starting with the episode where Julia wants to leave with Tony, the way she exerts her control that prevents Julia from having the courage to go. She keeps closing Emma away, keeping her up in the attic for most of the season, and then how quickly she starts to disinherit Lance for Cole as soon as he disobeys her orders, and declines to marry Melissa.

She is also vile to Chase, blackmailing that doctor to make him ill after her own daughter tried to murder him! Then after the plane crash she blames it all on his flying and wants him struck off, after he saved most of their lives.

In a sense, Julia becoming a murderess was the ultimate retaliation against her mother's control, though perhaps even here she was subliminally just carrying out her mother's desires by trying to get Chase out of the way. Perhaps Angela was the epitome of coercive control.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Angela's delight in "accidentally" telling a hospitalized, paralyzed Chase that his mother was dead takes Top Honor, I would guess.

 

[Chris2]

Angela was much crueler than JR Ewing or Abby Fairgate IMHO. JR and Abby screwed people over because those people were in the way of accomplishing their goals. Angela was cruel for the fun of it - like telling Chase about his mother, or playing the part of Jason’s tape recording that mislead Chase to believe his father didn’t care about him.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Angela was much crueler than JR Ewing or Abby Fairgate IMHO. JR and Abby screwed people over because those people were in the way of accomplishing their goals. Angela was cruel for the fun of it - like telling Chase about his mother, or playing the part of Jason’s tape recording that mislead Chase to believe his father didn’t care about him.

Yes, JR could do the same things. But it probably seems worse coming from a woman.

As you say, Abby was just extremely pragmatic. Alexis, of course, would just east caviar and call you "an ex-stenographer." (As if the "ex" part somehow down-marketed Krystle more than if she still was a stenographer -- as if Krystle had been fired from her stenographic job and had no alternative but to marry a billionaire).

 

[Bobby Southworth]

Now I'm wanting to re-watch some of these early episodes, and cannot. At least for free. I'm not sure what's available to buy here in the states right now. I guess I'm about to find out.

Yes, I don't know that I would say my example really represents "the" actual, or "her" actual cruelest moment, but that whole scene in general. Just impressive on both of their parts. It came to mind because of the discussion about the reveal at the end of season 6. Even then, if memory serves, there's a scene where Richard goes to her, and she rejects him, and he cries to Maggie, "she didn't want me". I even remember that scene from 1987 and being 9 years old.

 

[Chris2]

Yes, JR could do the same things. But it probably seems worse coming from a woman.

Yeah, I think you’re right. JR also was funny/charming when he delivered his put downs. It was much worse coming from that withered old prune.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Taking Joseph from Melissa was up there on the cruelty scale, even if Melissa had signed him over to her before he was born.
Who was the one Gisele, I believe, framed for murder for which he went to jail? Was that Frank? Was this after he found her in bed with Michael Sharpe?

 

[Angela Channing]

Taking a new-born child from his mother and telling her that he had died is an unimaginable level of cruelty. Then allowing the child to be brought up as the son of an international criminal without any knowledge of who is true parents were was wicked.

Smothering Angela with a pillow to leave her in a coma so you could steal her property, was another of Falcon Crest's most cruel moments.