KNOTS LANDING
Premiere Date: December 27, 1979
Finale Date: May 13, 1993
Created By: David Jacobs
Overview: While technically a spin-off of DALLAS, Jacobs actually created KL, which centered around a group of friends and foes who lived in and around a California cul-desac, first — but CBS didn’t green-light the series until after DALLAS became a hit. The show peaked in the prime-time ratings in the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons, finishing in ninth place each season.
We Knew Them When: Daytime vets in the cast included Donna Mills (Abby; exrocket, SECRET STORM), Ted Shackelford (Gary; ex-ray, ANOTHER WORLD), Alec Baldwin (Joshua; ex-billy, THE DOCTORS), Kathleen Noone (Claudia; ex-ellen, AMC), Sam Behrens (Danny; ex-jake, GH), Peter Reckell (Johnny; ex-bo, DAYS), Doug Sheehan (Ben; ex-joe, GH), Robin Strasser (Dianne; ex-dorian, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) and Jane Elliot (Judy; ex-tracy, GH).
Just Getting Started: Brian Austin Green (Brian) went on to even bigger success as David on BEVERLY HILLS, 90210; and two future Oscar winners — Helen Hunt (Betsy) and Halle Berry (Debbie) — and another nominee, Gary Sinise (Lee), held roles.
Crossing Over: Visitors from DALLAS included Mary Crosby (Kristin,
1980), Patrick Duffy (Bobby, 1979, 1981, 1982), Larry Hagman (J.R., 1980, 1981, 1982), and Charlene Tilton (Lucy, 1980).
We Had It Covered: Digest featured KL on several covers: Joan Van Ark and Doug Sheehan were spotlighted on 12/3/85 for Val and Ben’s wedding, and Van Ark appeared alongside Shackelford on 10/30/90; and
Alec Baldwin and Lisa Hartman Black’s onscreen wedding as Cathy and Joshua covered the 4/23/85 issue.
Trophy Case: KL won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Prime-time Soap in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Leave Me Hanging: The show’s most memorable cliffhangers included the doomed Sid’s car toppling over a cliff in 1981 and the 1988 season ender, in which Jill forced Val to swallow a mouthful of sleeping pills at gunpoint.
Grand Finale: When the series wrapped in 1993, Val returned from the dead and reunited with Gary and their twins; Greg and Paige reconciled; Claudia, Anne and Nick moved to Monaco; Mack and Karen kissed and made up after a major fight; and Abby moved back to the neighborhood.
Spin Cycle: Most of the show’s cast reunited for a four-hour miniseries, KNOTS LANDING: BACK TO
THE CUL-DE-SAC, in 1997. And in 2005, the gang appeared in KNOTS LANDING REUNION: TOGETHER AGAIN, a special featuring the cast reminiscing about their time on the show.