'Knots Landing' (1979-1993) followed the story of several middle-class families who lived side by side in a small suburban cul-de-sac in Southern California, known as Seaview Circle (real life Simi Valley). Joan Van Ark believed, "I think a 'Knots' revival could work. Its stories were grounded in reality." Michele Lee added, "We followed America. As America was changing, 'Knots Landing' was changing."
The characters were described as "relatable people living out their suburban angst." Kevin Dobson explained, "You could touch these characters. You knew them. They were your neighbors, your relatives. So it was easy to relate. They weren't out of touch (with reality)."
Creator David Jacobs pointed out, "'Knots' was never trendy, while 'Dallas' was. I'd always seen 'Dallas' as being very much a show of its time, while 'Knots Landing' changed and evolved with the times. 'Knots Landing' was never about its plots. What it's really about is the people that we've seen for the last 18 or 19 years (or since 1979). They're dealing with the same problems they dealt with earlier, but in a different time and at a different point in their lives."
As Valene Ewing, Joan Van Ark observed, "She was the seed of the show. I am the sole person to spin off from 'Dallas' (because actor David Ackroyd originated the role of Gary on that show). Valene gave 'Knots' a note of spirituality. There was a heart that was Valene."
On reflection, David Jacobs remarked, "When it did end (in 1993), there was a certain relief. There was a lot less work to be done. But David Selznick once ran into Somerset Maugham after Somerset Maugham had retired as a writer … and Selznick asked him, 'Do you miss writing?' and Maugham said, 'No, but I miss the company of my characters.' That sort of expresses the way I feel about 'Knots Landing.' ... You never get away from it, even though it's not on the air anymore. It's still there, and it's nice to see (the characters) again (in 1997)."
In 1997, the reunion mini-series, 'Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac' went on air. Critic Deborah Wilker reminded, "Born in a vastly different TV era, 'Knots Landing' moved with the times but never lost its suburban-'70s soul - still the essence of its charm." 'Knots Landing' was regarded one of the first primetime dramas to probe social problems.
The action of its central characters such as "helping poor people" was seen as "a vestige of their '60s idealism."
In one scene, Val's medical bill was discussed. An uninsured patient would be required to go to a different hospital. In another scene, Gary was considering a construction job offer in Michigan where the government had bought abandoned properties and was planning to turn it into low-cost housing area.
In one scene, Val's medical bill was discussed. An uninsured patient would be required to go to a different hospital. In another scene, Gary was considering a construction job offer in Michigan where the government had bought abandoned properties and was planning to turn it into low-cost housing area.
Joan Van Ark maintained, "An audience is going to return to characters that they felt they knew and that they connected with every Thursday night. And they want to reconnect with the people - with Karen, with Mack, with Gary, with Val, with Sumner, with all of them. They want to be with those friends again. And that's a really good thing. That's lucky for us."
Michele Lee reiterated, "When they watched us, they were watching what was happening to them in America with all their dreams, their hopes and their problems ... In fact, I think we had the No. 1 black audience in television at the time, other than sports.
The reason was that in 'Knots Landing', and I loved that about the show, we had neighbors who were black. And my husband on the show, his law partner was black. And we never talked about the differences of people at that time. We're talking about the '80s. We didn't get into, oh, a black man's living next to you and what are we going to do, or the whole town is going to hell in a handbasket."
Joan Van Ark insisted, "One of the reasons 'Knots' was so strong and lasted so long is that these were characters that weren't so over the top that they couldn't be revisited once a week." Michele Lee told The 'Los Angeles Times', unlike 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty', which were rooted in the affluence of the Reagan years, "This show is about the work ethic, the American family. It changes as our society changes. That's why 'Knots Landing' can run for another 20 years."
David Jacobs noted, "Unlike 'Dallas', which always returned to the struggle for control of Ewing Oil, we have always tried to change 'Knots Landing', and I guess it was inevitable that we would come upon a series of changes that didn't work. We have done some pretty absurd stories in the past, but we got away with it because the characters always behaved in a way that remained compelling to the audience."
Michele Lee concluded, "It's that wonderful thing about revisiting the past. It's never the same, but for some reason it's as if we never left. We went through marriages, deaths, boyfriends and breakups and god knows what during the course of 14 years."
Joan Van Ark insisted, "One of the reasons 'Knots' was so strong and lasted so long is that these were characters that weren't so over the top that they couldn't be revisited once a week." Michele Lee told The 'Los Angeles Times', unlike 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty', which were rooted in the affluence of the Reagan years, "This show is about the work ethic, the American family. It changes as our society changes. That's why 'Knots Landing' can run for another 20 years."
David Jacobs noted, "Unlike 'Dallas', which always returned to the struggle for control of Ewing Oil, we have always tried to change 'Knots Landing', and I guess it was inevitable that we would come upon a series of changes that didn't work. We have done some pretty absurd stories in the past, but we got away with it because the characters always behaved in a way that remained compelling to the audience."
Michele Lee concluded, "It's that wonderful thing about revisiting the past. It's never the same, but for some reason it's as if we never left. We went through marriages, deaths, boyfriends and breakups and god knows what during the course of 14 years."
