Life goes on in "Knots
Landing" By Jay Bobbin, Tribune madia services
Murder, infidelity, surprise parenthood,
double-crossing.... they're all signs that it's still business
as usual in "Knots Landing."
Originally spun off from "Dallas"
in 1979, the serial about lives and loves in a Southern California
community became one of TV's longest prime-time dramas. Many
of its stars reunite for the first time since its 1993 finale
in the miniseries sequel "Knots Landing: Back to the cul-de-sac"
Michele Lee and Kevin Dobson return as
spouses Karen and Mack, whose marriage is in deep trouble, particularly
because of lawyer Mack's involvement in a case against business
tycoon Greg Sumner (again played byWilliam Devane). The latter
is being sued by employees of a factory he's shutting down,
and Sumner makes a deal with schemer Abby (Donna Mills) to help
him get the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Valene Ewing (Joan Van Ark)
findsher attempt to turn her best-selling novel into a Hollywood
screenplay thwarted by her co-writer, and she needs the support
of her husband Gary (Ted Shakelford) more than ever when tragedy
results. Nicollette Sheridan makes a cameo appearance as Paige,
and other "Knots" alumni on hand include Michelle
Phillips, Stacy Galina, Brian Austin Green ("Beverly Hills
90210"), Tonya Crowe, Pat Peterson, Claudia Lonow, and
Kim Lankford.
"It was extraordinary, and on a
lot of different levels," says Lee in discussing the making
of the miniseries. "Somehow, the characters can kind of
bleed through the on-set relationships after so long, but what
happened among the actors on this was just magical. There was
such camaraderie - probably more than we ever had when we were
doing the weekly show - and such commitment to the project ...
there was just something special about it."
Even with the comings and goings of cast
members such as Alec Baldwin and Lisa Hartman Black, "Knots
Landing" retained a consistant viewership for CBS in its
traditional late-thursday slot (against particularly formidable
NBC competition, including "Hill Street Blues" and
"L.A. Law").
Lee recalls that at the time "Knots"
finished its regular run, "We still had high (Nielsen)
numbers, certainly in relation to today's audience shares. When
you look at it that way, there are still plenty of people out
there who loved the show, and that's our audience for this revival."
Nevertheless, it did take a while for
the "Knots Landing" miniseries to come together, since
the project had initially been rumored within a year of the
serial's end. "That has to do with the success of the actors
who were involved in the show," Lee says.
"Fortunately, our careers are still
viable and we work a lot, so orchestrating everyone's schedules
fot this was herculean. Then, it had to be decided what kind
of story we wanted to tell; having to appease so many people,
I think (the miniseries' makers) did quite well. Basically,
we have six leads, and no one would want to do it if they weren't
represented in a manner they felt was appropriate."
Lee appreciated the multitude of creative
dicisions that had to be made, since the veteran of the original
Broadway staging of "How to Succeed in Business Without
Really Trying" also directed a number of "Kntos Landing"
episodes during the show's run.
CBS hoped to have the miniseries ready
fot the February "sweeps," and though the decesion
finally was made to hold it for May, Lee says the cast and crew
"literally worked around the clock on this, and they even
hired extra editors. You can't just throw something like this
together, though, so we were given more time."
Cast Photos from "Knots Landing:
Back to the cul-de-sac"
* Joan Van Ark & Ted Shakelford
return to the cast of Knots Landing as Val and Gary Ewing.
* Kevin Dobson &Michele Lee returning as Mack and Karen
MacKensie.
* William Devane & Donna Mills return as Greg Sumner and
Abby Fairgate.
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