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Knots Landing is an American prime time television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993, on CBS. A spin-off of Dallas, it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles, and centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle. By the time of its conclusion, Knots Landing had become one of the longest-running primetime dramas on U.S. television after Gunsmoke and Bonanza.
Knots Landing was created by David Jacobs (one-time writer of Family and later producer of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) in conjunction with producer Michael Filerman (who would also later co-produce Falcon Crest). Although it became a spin-off of Dallas, the concept predates that series, and was initially rebuffed by CBS in 1977, as the network wanted something more "saga-like". Jacobs then created Dallas, which the network accepted and premiered in 1978. After Dallas became a hit, Jacobs was then able to adapt Knots Landing as a spin-off series by way of incorporating characters originally introduced in the parent series. The series was largely inspired by a 1957 movie No Down Payment but also by the 1973 Ingmar Bergman television miniseries Scenes from a Marriage. Storylines included rape, murder, kidnapping, assassinations, drug smuggling, corporate intrigue and criminal investigations. Though initially not as popular as Dallas, Knots Landing eventually outlasted it and garnered much critical acclaim. The series peaked during the 1983–84 season with a 20.8 rating (finishing in 11th place) and a 20.0 rating for the 1984–85 season (when it finished 9th). This can be attributed, in part, to more dramatic storylines as the series became more soap-opera like, and the gradual inclusion of newer characters to interact with the original cast. By the 1988–89 season, Knots Landing was ahead of Dallas in the ratings, though audiences for both shows by this time were less than their earlier years.
Knots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993. The show centered on the personal and professional lives of the residents of Seaview Circle, a cul-de-sac in the suburb of Knots Landing, California. Over the 14 seasons, 344 episodes aired, which were followed by a two-part mini-series in 1997 and a non-fiction reunion special in 2005.
At present, the first two seasons have been released on DVD by Warner Home Video.
Season one of Knots Landing consisted of 13 episodes which aired between December 27, 1979 and March 27, 1980.
Season two of Knots Landing consisted of 18 episodes which aired between November 20, 1980 and March 26, 1981.
Season three of Knots Landing consisted of 22 episodes which aired between November 12, 1981 to May 6, 1982.
Season four of Knots Landing consisted of 22 episodes which aired between September 30, 1982 to March 10, 1983.
Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac is a 1997 television miniseries that served as a reunion for the prime time soap opera Knots Landing. It aired on CBS in two two-hour parts on May 7 and May 9, 1997.
The miniseries takes place four years after the series ended in 1993, and brings back castmembers William Devane, Kevin Dobson, Michele Lee, Donna Mills, Ted Shackelford, Joan Van Ark, Michelle Phillips and Stacy Galina in starring roles. It also includes cameo appearances by former cast members Tonya Crowe, Brian Austin Green, Kim Lankford, Claudia Lonow, Patrick Petersen and Nicollette Sheridan.
Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again is a 2005 television special celebrating the long-running prime time soap opera Knots Landing (1979–93) which aired on CBS on December 2, 2005.
A retrospective of Knots Landing made after a similar reunion show, Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, aired the previous year. Produced by the same team, the Knots Landing reunion enlisted most of the main cast of the show, who reminisced about their time working on it. It also included clips from the show, as well as outtakes and bloopers. The special was filmed on location at the famous Knots Landing cul-de-sac "Seaview Circle" (in reality Crystalaire Place in Los Angeles), with interiors filmed at a newly made studio set reconstruction of the MacKenzie house.
Although not appearing with the main cast, separate segments with stars Alec Baldwin, Don Murray and Nicolette Sheridan were included. Julie Harris (who was in the original series until 1987) made a "surprise" appearance towards the end of the special, much to the delight of the other castmembers. The special actually aired on Harris's 80th birthday.