THE BEST IN SOAPS When Daytime Went Prime Time
From J.R. Ewing And Blake Carrington To Amanda Woodward And Susan Mayer, Prime Time Soaps Left Us With Some Memorable Characters.
When soap operas made their mark on the evening airwaves, they retained every bit of their daytime counterparts’ nailbiting drama. Here we look at a few of prime time’s most famous soaps.
DALLAS
Oh, those oil-rich, feuding Ewings! Set on the Southfork cattle ranch, which is still a popular tourist destination, Dallas began with a focus on Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pamela Ewing (Victoria Principal). But scheming J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), Bobby’s swaggering brother, gradually stole the spotlight, and was the only character to appear in every episode. Anchored by Barbara Bel Geddes as matriarch Miss Ellie and Jim Davis as rugged patriarch Jock, the series was famous for its “Who Shot J.R.?” cliffhanger and Duffy’s “dreamy” return, winning four Emmys.
KNOTS LANDING
Though David Jacobs pitched it to CBS a year before creating Dallas, Knots Landing finally made it to the air as a Dallas spinoff, centering on Ewing family black sheep Gary (Ted Shackelford), his new wife Valene (Joan Van Ark) and their lusty neighbors in the fictional California cul-de-sac Seaview Circle. Though the series, like plenty of other nighttime soaps, was fraught with behind-the-scenes drama, Knots Landing lasted 14 seasons, bolstered by a top-notch cast and plenty of Dallas crossover appearances, including Patrick Duffy’s Bobby Ewing.
DYNASTY
We all know that the wealthy aren’t like the rest of us … they’re larger than life! Like Denver’s Carrington clan, headed by oil tycoon Blake (John Forsythe). Marrying his secretary, Krystle (Linda Evans), didn’t sit well with either her ex-lover Matthew Blaisdel (Bo Hopkins) or Blake’s spoiled, promiscuous daughter Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin), nor did it sit especially well with Blake that his son Steven (played by Al Corley, and later Jack Coleman) was gay. When the silverhaired patriarch accidentally killed Steven’s former lover and was tried for murder, who showed up to testify against him but his devious ex, Alexis Carrington (the delicious Joan Collins)? And that was just the first season. Dynasty’s highly campy plots and over-the-top fashions were on par with Dallas for the coveted spot of No. 1TV show in the U.S.
FALCON CREST
The campy younger sib of Dallas and Dynasty, Falcon Crest was created by The Waltons’ Earl Hamner Jr. Debuting in December 1981 and centered on a family of feuding wine magnates, the drama marked glamorous Hollywood golden girl (and former Mrs. Ronald Reagan) Jane Wyman’s return to a starring role on series television after nearly a quarter century and augmented a young Lorenzo Lamas’ heartthrob status. As notorious for Wyman’s offscreen feuds with the show’s writers and her castmates, Falcon Crest also starred Susan Sullivan, Mel Ferrer, Robert Foxworth, Margaret Ladd and Morgan Fairchild.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Like Peyton Place, everyday life in the suburbs wasn’t as pictureperfect as it might seem for divorcée Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Martha Stewart clone Bree (Marcia Cross — former Melrose star), ex-model Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) and frazzled mom Lynette (Felicity Huffman), friends whose world is rocked by the suicide of friend and neighbor (and series narrator) Mary Alice (Brenda Strong). While the tragic reason for Mary Alice’s untimely demise is revealed in the first season, things only escalated as the ladies of Wisteria Lane.
MELROSE PLACE
A spinoff from Beverly Hills, 90210 executive producer Aaron Spelling was the uber-popular Melrose Place, which followed a group of young adults living in the same apartment complex.they survived everything from bankruptcy and drug addiction to impotence and helicopter crashes, AND even being buried alive, but at least they were young, fit and genetically blessed.the series made stars out of its cast, and Heather Locklear, who appeared in Season 1 as a special guest star, defined what a bitch of a boss could be with her character Amanda Woodward.