Did every soap have a bad guy?

[ClassyCo]

Just a kindly, supportive grandmother offering the benefits of her wisdom to the younger family members.

And if they choose not to follow her advice, she crushes them under the tires of her limo. But in a kindly, supportive way.

Couldn't have said it any better myself!

 

[Grant Jennings]

David Jacobs said he originally considered making Karen the villain of "Knots Landing" before changing his mind. "Knots" tended to paint its main characters more in shades of grey instead of black and white (which was the case at "Dallas") and left the really nasty deeds to "big bads" (a term used for "Dexter" villains but I think is appropriate here) like Chip, Joshua and Danny.

I think "Dynasty" initially also had characters who were more "in the grey": Blake was a bastard but he truly loved Krystle and his children (though he had horrible ways of showing it); Fallon was a spoiled little rich bitch but she also had a vulnerable side. Even Krystle had an affair with a married man. Alexis causing Krystle to miscarry definitely painted her as a true villain.

I've always considered Angela Channing to be much more sympathetic than J.R. of Alexis; it's been a while since I've seen "Falcon Crest" but I can't remember her doing anything as evil as either of them. Was Richard really a villain?

 

[James from London]

I've always considered Angela Channing to be much more sympathetic than J.R. of Alexis; it's been a while since I've seen "Falcon Crest" but I can't remember her doing anything as evil as either of them.

I think Angela's exploitation of the vineyard workers as depicted in FC's early years is pretty despicable: paying minimum wage, no health, no pension, housing them in shacks with inadequate sanitation. There are several stories of employees or smaller vineyardists in the valley whose lives and homes she ruined, and who then ended up dying broke or sick. That's not to say JR would have treated his workers any better but he (and the show) was distanced from them; he didn't live on top of his oilfields the way Angela did her vineyards. And of course, FALCON CREST wasn't as interested in poor immigrant workers as it was in its glamorous lead characters so they didn't have as much dramatic impact. But she was pretty cruel to her family too: breaking up Julia's marriage, 'taking' Lance to raise as her own, keeping Emma hidden in her room for the best part of a year. Of course, as the years went on, she became increasingly diluted and comedic until she was almost harmless.

Was Richard really a villain?

Again, in his first couple of years, he was really twisted and ruthless and maybe even a little unhinged. You understood why - he was the exiled orphan like Adam Carrington, but he was more dangerous and more powerful than Adam. But then he got softer and nicer too.

 

[Willie Oleson]

but I can't remember her doing anything as evil as either of them.

She had people to do her dirty work, including her callous grandson Lance. And when things got too dirty she conveniently distanced herself from the situation.
"I never said you had to do...(whatever)"

But then he got softer and nicer too.

I liked the amorphous change of both Chase and Richard, one becoming darker, the other one becoming lighter. And with Maggie in the middle of it all it was a process that just felt right (regardless of the reasons why they did it).

 

[James from London]

I liked the amorphous change of both Chase and Richard, one becoming darker, the other one becoming lighter. And with Maggie in the middle of it all it was a process that just felt right (regardless of the reasons why they did it).

Me too. Dark Chase was quite exciting and it's been kind of refreshing seeing Richard become the good(ish) guy after Maggie's death in Season 9. However, I did find some aspects of Richard and Maggie's relationship, once they finally got together, a little tiresome this watch-around, which surprised me.

 

[Brian Kinney]

Same here. Maggie and Richard were my favourite couple on any prime time soap (except maybe Gary and Val) as long as they were struggling to get together. I also think they had more chemistry than Maggie had with Chase. However once they were together they missed something. Something Richard had with Terry - or Greg Sumner with Abby or Anne Matheson, it's much funnier to see a couple that has a sense for shared sarcasm. Maggie, aside from her many health problems and despite being played by one of the strongest actresses on that show was a pretty boring character - though I preferred her to Pam Ewing or Krystle.

 

[TJames03]

Dynasty never really did. Adam was a bit inept, frankly, in his schemes. They all seemed to fall apart. Dynasty's villian was all Alexis.....