Dallas‘ spin-off, Knots Landing, ran for 14 seasons, from 1979 to 1993, and got a two-part sequel movie in 1997. Dynasty’s spin-off, The Colbys, barely squeaked out two years on the air, from 1985 to 1987. Knots Landing may be streaming on Amazon. But The Colbys is perfectly positioned for a weekend binge. The complete run is available on DVD on Amazon. Here’s why it’s worth your while to give it a watch.
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Super Soap Stars
Dallas launched with The Man From Atlantis and Major Nelson from I Dream of Jeannie in the lead. Dynasty had Bachelor Father and John Derek’s ex-wife, then hired the woman who’d starred in Empire of the Ants. The Colbys, on the other hand, burst out of the gate with a cast that included Katherine Ross, who’d co-starred opposite Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, and Robert Redford and Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, four-time Academy Award nominee Barbara Stanwyck, and Oscar winner, not to mention Moses himself, Charlton Heston.
At the time of the show’s premiere episode, Stephanie Beacham was the least-known cast member in America. She was an instant fan favorite by the time the hour was over. Beat that, any other show!
Home Improvement
The first season of The Colbys was…fine. But uber-producer Aaron Spelling realized it wasn’t quite firing on all the cylinders he was used to. He returned to the drawing board, and the show’s second season was markedly better.
Out went boring love interests for the show’s three younger leads, and in came three new ones. Now, instead of pining for Fallon (Emma Samms), Miles (Maxwell Caulfield) met Channing (Kim Morgan Greene), a woman uninterested in non-stop whining. Now, instead of a boring executive who couldn’t handle a woman more successful than him, Monica (Tracy Scoggins) came face to face with the Senator she’d had an affair with. And his wife. And the baby Monica gave up for them to raise.
Even the most boring Colby, youngest sister, Bliss (Claire Yarlett), dumped the dull nephew of Ricardo Montalban (who, personally, couldn’t be dull if he tried), and took up with a slightly more interesting Soviet defector ballet dancer, played by a pre-Highlander Adrian Paul.
Oh, and there was a UFO. You have to watch, if only, to see the UFO.
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