The Ladies of Dallas - a night time soap that reigned supreme in three decades ranging from the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. This series had a very strong storyline, fantastic cast, fabulous guest stars, beautiful clothing, bigger the better everything, and the season cliff hanger's such as; Who Shot J.R.?! & Bobby coming out of the show, was it all a dream?!
This CBS long running series had some of the most beautiful and most talented ladies on the tube. The whole Ewing's versus Barnes saga seems to be a never ending feud. The series opens with Bobby Ewing bringing home his newly married bride; Pamela (Barnes) Ewing. Pam is literally scared to her core to go to the Ewing ranch to be greeted by the back stabbing family. J.R.'s debutant bride; Sue Ellen drinks away her misery which is called her life being the wife to someone that share's everyone's bed in Dallas, as long as they are pretty and can make him happy for the night they are prime targets. The verbal spars that these ladies have between one another and towards the men are great. A gun may show-up but the look and quit witted responses were enough to kill.
The Ladies of Dynasty - that's right I could not go on without a focus on the major powerful leading ladies on Dynasty. Each held their own in the battle for supremacy. The most beautiful gowns with those shoulder pads, big hair, and diamonds (can not forget about those!) took our attention as the decade of the 1980s with wealth and power was shown perfectly in this nighttime soap.
When watching you were either backing Linda Evans or Joan Collins whose knock-down and fist fights were phenomenal. These ladies knew what looked beautiful on them and used their words in a very choice weapon of queen bitch at it's finest. The storylines one had to love every week that they were; bold, brash, and way over the top, just the way WE ALL WANTED! The camera getting a gaze from Joan when she is at her best and the quips that were given right back from Linda are timeless and so campy, talk about those brawls these ladies had! We all had our favorite in the series and rooted for this week's episode maybe just maybe our favorite leading lady will have her due time and reign supreme taking all the power, the men, wealth, for themselves with no apologizes.
A series that is a great time capsule for the 1980s and the POWER and RUTHELESSNESS that people were willing to do. Money seemed to never have an end, it was like a tree of money for these ladies that had a house especially dedicated to their wardrobes. A walk and visit to a company meant for Joan to take over a company in her crown glory of QUEEN BITCH! These ladies knew how to keep our attention and keep us tuning in week after week looking to find out what new over the top situation these ladies of DYNASTY would find themselves in.
The Ladies of Knots Landing! The TV screen turned on and the dial or clicker hurriedly found CBS to watch the intro of the panoramic instrumental swell with the cast coming onto screen, such as it was for me to enjoy this Thursday at 10 pm masterpiece for a child's eyes! The bold storylines, clothing choice, the quipped verbal and physical battles going-on. A series the ran for 14 years spanning the 70's, 80's and 90's (running from 1979 to 1993). A show that started to be a vehicle for the other Ewing child Bobby whom moved away from the mental abuse of his brother J.R. to move to California in a cul-de-sac town called Knots Landing.
Valene (a.k.a "Val") his beautiful wife inhabits one of the lovely homes. One see's that each neighboring home has a story that plays out typically behind closed doors and other times right out front on the street for all to see. The ladies and gentlemen of this TV Night Soap bring their wonderfully scripted war wounds that they have within themselves, their family, career and simply was thrilling to watch the continuing story unfold weekly for us the watches to turn into. When getting ready to write a new article series it was a simple blast of brain storming and looking at my pen and paper of topics/films/a topic of the 80's which I have never done for my youth for TV via this blog.
I wanted to place a focus on not only the art of the motion picture but the art from television. There is no doubt I went to an area that I have wanted to write about and finally decided it was "the right time" to do it. Being in my early forties I am looking as in my generation is now doing at the gems we grew-up to. In my head nd now penning and typing what would be My Dream List of re-boots and one the top of my list is; Knots Landing. It is undoubtedly a question that the cast can bring a rich script and done with class and style it would be not a tool to hi-light young but where has time taken the beloved cast to 2020....a twist and turn of what true life takes...surprises of Val having a hold on her mental anxieties and being a strong advocate for women supporting women getting back on their feet due to mental instabilities. Having a campaign and showing each has a important story brings her into a full circle and writing her own book/memoir of her life brings Valene to Knots Landing. We see flash backs of Val and her peaks and valley's living on the cul-de-sac. It would bring all back to the forefront for a strong and gripping series re-visited with fresh material. It is about time to give time not to just a reunion but rich stories.
The Ladies of Knots Landing:
Valene Ewing - Joan Van Ark
Karen MacKenzi - Michele Lee
Abby Ewing - Donna Mills
Lucy Ewing - Charlene Tilton
Lilimae Clements - Julie Harris
Laura Avery- Constance McCashin
Cathy Geary / Cathy Geary Rush / Ciji Dunne
- Lisa Hartman Black
Paige Matheson - Nicollette Sheridan
Ginger Ward - Kim Lankford
Anne Matheson - Michelle Phillips
Claudia Whittaker - Kathleen Noone
