Knots Landing

Set on a quiet cul-de-sac in California, Knots Landing centers on five neighboring families whose private lives spill into public drama. Rather than a single protagonist, the series spreads attention across spouses, siblings, and lovers as marriages fray, business deals turn sour, and neighborhood alliances shift. Day-to-day routines — school runs, dinner tables, office meetings — are just as important as betrayals and affairs, because small choices ripple outward and change who people trust. The show moves slowly at times, letting personalities and grudges build over seasons, so character history matters as much as any particular plot twist.

Created by Michael Filerman and David Jacobs, Knots Landing premiered in 1979. Its ensemble cast included Michele Lee as Karen MacKenzie, Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing, Kevin Dobson as M. Patrick MacKenzie, William Devane as Greg Sumner, and later Nicollette Sheridan as Paige Matheson, helping anchor a long-running television soap.

Over its run the series became one of the better-known primetime soaps, familiar to viewers who followed serialized family drama on network TV. Several storylines and character beats stuck in the public imagination, and the show proved that suburban settings could fuel multi-season drama. Its steady presence on weekly schedules also helped normalize the ensemble, long-form storytelling approach that influenced later TV dramas.

Critical reaction varied through the years, with some reviewers praising the ensemble acting and others calling out melodramatic turns, but the show developed a loyal audience and sustained ratings that kept it on the air for many seasons. Common themes include the clash between personal desire and family duty, the costs of ambition, shifting loyalties, and how neighbors become extensions of family. On the fan side it holds a modest viewer rating, reflecting steady appreciation rather than runaway acclaim.