Falcon Crest Without Angela

[Angela Channing]

I think most Falcon Crest fans would agree that the main, although not the only, weakness of the final season of Falcon Crest was the absence of Angela Channing because the character was such an integral part of the show. However, in season 5 when Angela was written out for a couple of episodes due to Jane Wyman having issues with her health, the show was still very good. In many ways Peter Stavros became Angela Channing, running Falcon Crest while assuming a role as the head of the family and it worked very well. I wish the producers had taken inspiration from that period when they were planning season 9 and done something similar to cope with Jane's absence.

Do you think Falcon Crest would have continued to work without Angela Channing being involved?

 

[Arlene Halloran]

No, not for any considerable amount of time. FC had a last throw of the dice late in 1989 and if it wasn't ruined before then Charley & co. let the slide continue, not that this was their intention I'm sure. The show centred around Angela, even when characters played by old Hollywood stars joined the show. Mrs. Channing always in the end got the upper hand, didn't she.

 

[Falcon Crest I]

Instead of a comatose Angela for the most of season 9 she should have took the plunge and went to Greece to visit Stavros. Realistically I don't believe FC would've continued to work, without her involvement. Incidentally what a way Angela negotiated with Lance and Richard for the future, before season 9 set off into the sunset.

 

[Toni]

Instead of a comatose Angela for the most of season 9 she should have took the plunge and went to Greece to visit Stavros. Realistically I don't believe FC would've continued to work, without her involvement. Incidentally what a way Angela negotiated with Lance and Richard for the future, before season 9 set off into the sunset.

I don´t know. The point is that FC was agonizing since Chase disappeared in the SF Bay. With good writers and a great showrunner, it could have transitioned into a next generation show with no need of Sharpes or St. Jameses. Knots Landing did survive to Donna Mills´ departure for 4 years by clearly giving as much relevance to Paige and co. as to the original cast. Too bad they didn´t really try hard with Olivia, Brian or Michael.

The last season needed Cole, Vickie and Julia back, and maybe keeping Samantha Ross in it too. They couldn´t use properly the cast they had: Frank, Emma, and Lance were given pathetic plots and shown the door too quickly. It turned into The Gregory Harrison Show and David Selby didn´t look like the Richard we all loved to hate. They clearly wanted us to despise the show before it got canceled and they succeeded!

When she disappeared from the hospital, she should have used that gun and shot to death all the outsiders from that season...and get away with it of course.​

 

[Brian Kinney]

Peter Stavros worked well because he had other characters around him who trusted him. He also was respected as a successful business man. In the final season they should have given Lance the role of running Falcon Crest and Emma being the head of the family with the support of Pilar and Frank. Having those St. James guys taking over Falcon Crest so fast was ludicrous. Lance, Emma and Richard would have stopped that takeover in all other seasons due to the writers because they learned from Angela - and Richard even more so from his many experiences with evil elements. If they needed another threat to the family they still could have used Michael Sharpe. Yes, FC without Angela could have worked with other writers. To me the decline started with Melissa's death (just after getting some new relatives which could have set her in a new direction) not Angela being absent. Maggie's drowning was the final straw where I realized it's over.

 

[Jock Og]

We were used to Angela running the operation and as good as Peter Stavros was during her temporary absence the grape granny was the person who knew best. Mrs. Channing was tough, her knowledge of the wine industry top notch and heaven help anyone who stepped on her toes. As interesting as it would be to view a Richard versus Cole battle over the vineyards and winery; 30 years after the original, the cork is likely to remain on the bottle. Angela rightly pointed out that FC was hers and alas no Angela = no real FALCON CREST.


Angela steps outside to the vineyards, once Lauren and Richard are married. She reminisces and in doing so the final scene happens. The cast and crew have a party, once the series cameras stop rolling. Main actor Jane Wyman speaks about the show concluding, ('behind the scenes' from season 9, 1989 - '90):

Chao-Li Chi gives her a peck on the cheek and then Jane continues;

"It's a funny feeling because you wake up and you say that I'm not going to see my friends again. You know because I've never done anything, this long. I just wanted to say thank you and offer you all the gratitude, in the world."

 

[Gioberti84]

One thing for sure Angela and even Julia wouldn't have let Michael Sharpe anywhere near FC. Emma became tougher than Lance and Richard combined, although not tough enough.

 

[stevew]

The fact was Angela had to be gone, so they should have set it up better than they did. Angela fakes her death and sets up a series of events to test her family for who ever is best to run Falcon Crest. I think the opposite of Dallas would have been a good idea, Richard and Lance working together. That was the best part of season 9 to me. I’d have had Richard and Maggie and boys move into Falcon Crest, Maggie taking up the matriarch role, Richard running the business, splitting Angela’s character. Lance would take the Chao-Li’s role as side kick, and the boys in Angela’s daughters positions. With a new direction Susan Sullivan night have stayed. So then a new sex symbol to take Lance’s original role and we’d be off and running with a reset. Maybe Richard had an older son he’d kept hidden all these years that now that he has his family he brings to Falcon Crest as big brother and heir apparent.

Now the foil could be anyone but not the main focus we got from Sharpe and we could feel Angela pulling the strings from out of sight, much like Jock.

I’d have tied Knots Landing and Falcon Crest, maybe a merger to create ChanningSumner. Maybe Abbey showing up on Falcon Crest trying to entice Richard, ending up in bed with Lance. Pilar dead. Maggie helping raise Lisa. Something fun.

This would have been the time to expand on Chao-Li’s family. His son the head of an original Hong Kong trading house. Maybe focus on other business interests for a bit over who controls Falcon Crest for the time being.

I think what they did was implode when what they should have done was return to their roots and move forward - IMO.

 

[stevew]

The fact was Angela had to be gone, so they should have set it up better than they did. Angela fakes her death and sets up a series of events to test her family for who ever is best to run Falcon Crest. I think the opposite of Dallas would have been a good idea, Richard and Lance working together. That was the best part of season 9 to me. I’d have had Richard and Maggie and boys move into Falcon Crest, Maggie taking up the matriarch role, Richard running the business, splitting Angela’s character. Lance would take the Chao-Li’s role as side kick, and the boys in Angela’s daughters positions. With a new direction Susan Sullivan night have stayed. So then a new sex symbol to take Lance’s original role and we’d be off and running with a reset. Maybe Richard had an older son he’d kept hidden all these years that now that he has his family he brings to Falcon Crest as big brother and heir apparent.

Now the foil could be anyone but not the main focus we got from Sharpe and we could feel Angela pulling the strings from out of sight, much like Jock.

I’d have tied Knots Landing and Falcon Crest, maybe a merger to create ChanningSumner. Maybe Abbey showing up on Falcon Crest trying to entice Richard, ending up in bed with Lance. Pilar dead. Maggie helping raise Lisa. Something fun.

This would have been the time to expand on Chao-Li’s family. His son the head of an original Hong Kong trading house. Maybe focus on other business interests for a bit over who controls Falcon Crest for the time being.

I think what they did was implode when what they should have done was return to their roots and move forward - IMO.

cast for a reset without Angela:

Angela: Richard (run the business of Channing Enterprises), Maggie (the matriarch sitting in Angela’s desk over seeing the Channing Foundation and several projects in the Tuscany Valley) and Aunt Emma (providing long history and formal theatrics of woman of means)

Julia and Emma: the boys (though younger) and add Lance’s daughter Lisa

Chao-Li: Lance (with Emma and Richard each owing 1/3 of Falcon Crest) Lance, like his mother, oversees wine production as well as the side kick to Richard, Maggie and Emma (Chao-Li still around to carry out Angela’s instructions and run the household)

Lance: Henri (age 21 Richard’s son from an unseen woman who comes to see Maggie as his mother, and like Lance a playboy attempting to own his role as heir, do add drama he’d be dark and of mysterious ethnicity, speaking several languages including English, French, Italian, Spanish, Arab, Russian, Chinese, etc. along with being gay or bisexual)

Foil (originally Chase, Maggie, Cole and Vicki provided the foil, the regular people, good buys who show up to spoil things): played by members of Chao-Li’s family (Asian), the Rosemont family (Black) and tie ins to Knots Landing:

Chase: Dia Li (Chao-Li’s son, showing up to claim a piece of Falcon Crest, his grandfather helped save the winery during prohibition through a trade deal with Hong Kong. He claims the family bought half of Falcon Crest. Chao-Li, a devout Buddhist monk, claims no tie to worldly possessions shows he turned over his half to Angela’s father years ago)

Maggie: Caroline Rosemont (daughter of Rosemont, powerful business woman seeking revenge on the Channings, teaming up with Dia)

Cole: Brian Cunningham (Berkeley undergrad, becomes involved with Henri Channing)

Vicki: Ashley Scott (college friend of Brian’s)

 

[Richard Denault]

I don´t know. The point is that FC was agonizing since Chase disappeared in the SF Bay. With good writers and a great showrunner, it could have transitioned into a next generation show with no need of Sharpes or St. Jameses. Knots Landing did survive to Donna Mills´ departure for 4 years by clearly giving as much relevance to Paige and co. as to the original cast. Too bad they didn´t really try hard with Olivia, Brian or Michael.

The last season needed Cole, Vickie and Julia back, and maybe keeping Samantha Ross in it too. They couldn´t use properly the cast they had: Frank, Emma, and Lance were given pathetic plots and shown the door too quickly. It turned into The Gregory Harrison Show and David Selby didn´t look like the Richard we all loved to hate. They clearly wanted us to despise the show before it got canceled and they succeeded!

When she disappeared from the hospital, she should have used that gun and shot to death all the outsiders from that season...and get away with it of course.​

I think many viewers loved Richard
He was charming, funny and deep down very vulnerable.

 

[anndra w]

I think many viewers loved Richard
He was charming, funny and deep down very vulnerable.

It’s interesting because although Richard is a villain I can’t help but like him whereas I really didn’t take to Chase. I sympathise with Richard whereas I’m probably overly critical with Chase. I’m watching season 3 for the first time and I’m currently rooting for Angela to get Falcon Crest back and was quietly delighted when Richard was allowed to build his racetrack on Chase’s vineyards. Falcon Crest corrupts!

 

[Richard Denault]

It’s interesting because although Richard is a villain I can’t help but like him whereas I really didn’t take to Chase. I sympathise with Richard whereas I’m probably overly critical with Chase. I’m watching season 3 for the first time and I’m currently rooting for Angela to get Falcon Crest back and was quietly delighted when Richard was allowed to build his racetrack on Chase’s vineyards. Falcon Crest corrupts!

The vineyards on which the racecourse is built belonged to Angela. This becomes clear in the fifth season. Chase defends them because he does appreciate Falcon Crest
David is a great actor, a very cultured person with a lot of personal charm.
I create a very complex character, as he himself indicated in an interview.
"I never thought Richard was the man the public wanted to hate, like J.R. Ewing in 'Dallas.' There was more to him than the cartoonish villain you would have liked him to be. And if the public felt that, it's because I've managed nuance my character and let a little bit of me pass through it.
Also I don't see it as a bad one. He is a man like you and me, a little complicated to be honest, with a particular morality and not always in accordance with generally accepted norms in society, but he is not the type of man to wonder about the moral value of actions and behavior of him. This is a hustler.

 

[anndra w]

U

The vineyards on which the racecourse is built belonged to Angela. This becomes clear in the fifth season. Chase defends them because he does appreciate Falcon Crest
David is a great actor, a very cultured person with a lot of personal charm.
I create a very complex character, as he himself indicated in an interview.
"I never thought Richard was the man the public wanted to hate, like J.R. Ewing in 'Dallas.' There was more to him than the cartoonish villain you would have liked him to be. And if the public felt that, it's because I've managed nuance my character and let a little bit of me pass through it.
Also I don't see it as a bad one. He is a man like you and me, a little complicated to be honest, with a particular morality and not always in accordance with generally accepted norms in society, but he is not the type of man to wonder about the moral value of actions and behavior of him. This is a hustler.

View attachment 48906

Unfortunately for me, only seasons 1-3 are available so after I finish streaming this season I’ll not see anymore until it’s either released in full or shown on tv again.

 

[Richard Denault]

U

Unfortunately for me, only seasons 1-3 are available so after I finish streaming this season I’ll not see anymore until it’s either released in full or shown on tv again.

Have you tried to locate the rest of the season on Internet or on Ebay?
I got seasons 4 to 9 in Spanish that way

 

[Richard Denault]

Falcon Crest fans' wait is finally over. While a few seasons of the primetime drama have been available on DVD and via streaming in the past, March 2022 marks the first time that the series can be streamed in its entirety, and it is free with advertisements. Freevee

Amazon.com

is the new online home of Falcon Crest.
Links aqui

News | The Official David Selby Website

Information about David Selby's current, recent, and upcoming projects as well as new releases

www.davidselby.com

 

[anndra w]

Falcon Crest fans' wait is finally over. While a few seasons of the primetime drama have been available on DVD and via streaming in the past, March 2022 marks the first time that the series can be streamed in its entirety, and it is free with advertisements. Freevee

Amazon.com

is the new online home of Falcon Crest.
Links aqui

News | The Official David Selby Website

Information about David Selby's current, recent, and upcoming projects as well as new releases

www.davidselby.com

That’s perfect! Just in time for me finishing season 3!

 

[Jock Og]

It’s interesting because although Richard is a villain I can’t help but like him whereas I really didn’t take to Chase. I sympathise with Richard whereas I’m probably overly critical with Chase. I’m watching season 3 for the first time and I’m currently rooting for Angela to get Falcon Crest back and was quietly delighted when Richard was allowed to build his racetrack on Chase’s vineyards. Falcon Crest corrupts!

Welcome to the forum @anndra w! I'm glad you enjoyed season 1, 2 and 3. I hope you have the opportunity to see season 4 to 9 inclusive, as there is intrigue coupled with lots of exciting twists and turns down the road.

Julia has kidnapped Joseph; in the springhouse but will release him, if Angela takes his place, (a scene from season 3, 1983 – ‘84):

Julia: “Come in mother.”

Angela: “Are you just going to stand there? I thought the idea was to shoot me. Julia give me the gun.”

Julia: “Don’t come any closer. I’m not afraid of you. Not after being in prison. Not after being on the run.”

Angela: “Perhaps we can become friends.”

Julia: “Never!”

Angela: “I’m worried sick, about you Julia.”

Julia: “You should be!”

Angela: “Look we don’t really know each other very well. I have always had a difficulty expressing my feelings. I’m so much like my father. He was stubborn and so am I. Ambitious.”

Julia: “And controlling and devious.”

Angela: “If the circumstances called for it, yes.”

Julia: “And the circumstances always called for it were I was concerned. You controlled every minute of my life but I’m in control now and you’re not going to steal this moment from me.”

Angela: “If you kill me Falcon Crest will go to Melissa and Lance will be cut off this land forever. Julia I want you to come with me. I want to take you to a hospital, where you can be treated.”

Julia: “You just want me to be locked up and forgotten.”

Angela: “No. No. I want to become a mother to you. Something I have never been.”

Julia: “It's too late! It's too late, for both of us.”

Angela: “I love you! I want you to believe that. No matter what happens I always will. I love you Julia! Now please give me the gun.”

Julia: “You always win.”

Just as Julia is about to give Angela the gun; a shot is fired from another gun, through the window. Angela falls into one of the chairs. Julia is knocked to the ground. A lamp catches a curtain and sets it alight.

Sheriff Robbins says to his deputies: “Find out who fired those shots.”

Lance: “Mom!”

Angela starts shaking Julia and shouts: "Julia. Julia. Julia get up!”

Lance runs to the springhouse.

Sheriff Robbins: “Hey Lance.”

Lance pushes him aside.

Sheriff Robbins: “Lance.”

Chase then joins Lance to rescue the trapped pair, as the springhouse begins to engulf in flames.

Maggie: “Chase.”

Lance: “Mom! Mom!”

Chase rescues Angela. Lance attempts to carry his mother out of the springhouse but the roof collapses.

Chase realizes they haven’t got out yet so runs in again.

Maggie: “Chase!”

Sheriff Robbins: “Don’t Maggie. I’ll get him.”

Chase manages to get Lance out of the inferno.

Lance: “Mom! Mom!”

Sheriff Robbins: “Get a paramedic over here. What about Julia?”

Chase: “I couldn’t see her.”

Sheriff Robbins: “It's too late now.”

The camera moves to each dejected looking character and then freeze frame on the springhouse, as the fire overcomes it. Fade to black, the closing credits and the theme tune.

 

[Chris]

If the writers or those who thought of themselves as one wanted to kill of Susan Sullivan should have done good to return Billy Moses at least for a couple of episodes, same as finding a place for Abby Dalton to fit in for Jane Wyman for a couple of episodes. It was not necessary to include Andrea Thompson and Wendy Phillips if you would have got one former main cast member for the price of 2-3 new characters. In total, Billy Moses and Ana-Alicia would have been a well deserved link to the prime, but the goal to promote Kristian Alfonso was a real mistake with the audience but a real addiction by the writers. Sad. Falcon Crest ended the night when Melissa was killed.

 

[anndra w]

Welcome to the forum @anndra w! I'm glad you enjoyed season 1, 2 and 3. I hope you have the opportunity to see season 4 to 9 inclusive, as there is intrigue coupled with lots of exciting twists and turns down the road.

Julia has kidnapped Joseph; in the springhouse but will release him, if Angela takes his place, (a scene from season 3, 1983 – ‘84):

Julia: “Come in mother.”

Angela: “Are you just going to stand there? I thought the idea was to shoot me. Julia give me the gun.”

Julia: “Don’t come any closer. I’m not afraid of you. Not after being in prison. Not after being on the run.”

Angela: “Perhaps we can become friends.”

Julia: “Never!”

Angela: “I’m worried sick, about you Julia.”

Julia: “You should be!”

Angela: “Look we don’t really know each other very well. I have always had a difficulty expressing my feelings. I’m so much like my father. He was stubborn and so am I. Ambitious.”

Julia: “And controlling and devious.”

Angela: “If the circumstances called for it, yes.”

Julia: “And the circumstances always called for it were I was concerned. You controlled every minute of my life but I’m in control now and you’re not going to steal this moment from me.”

Angela: “If you kill me Falcon Crest will go to Melissa and Lance will be cut off this land forever. Julia I want you to come with me. I want to take you to a hospital, where you can be treated.”

Julia: “You just want me to be locked up and forgotten.”

Angela: “No. No. I want to become a mother to you. Something I have never been.”

Julia: “It's too late! It's too late, for both of us.”

Angela: “I love you! I want you to believe that. No matter what happens I always will. I love you Julia! Now please give me the gun.”

Julia: “You always win.”

Just as Julia is about to give Angela the gun; a shot is fired from another gun, through the window. Angela falls into one of the chairs. Julia is knocked to the ground. A lamp catches a curtain and sets it alight.

Sheriff Robbins says to his deputies: “Find out who fired those shots.”

Lance: “Mom!”

Angela starts shaking Julia and shouts: "Julia. Julia. Julia get up!”

Lance runs to the springhouse.

Sheriff Robbins: “Hey Lance.”

Lance pushes him aside.

Sheriff Robbins: “Lance.”

Chase then joins Lance to rescue the trapped pair, as the springhouse begins to engulf in flames.

Maggie: “Chase.”

Lance: “Mom! Mom!”

Chase rescues Angela. Lance attempts to carry his mother out of the springhouse but the roof collapses.

Chase realizes they haven’t got out yet so runs in again.

Maggie: “Chase!”

Sheriff Robbins: “Don’t Maggie. I’ll get him.”

Chase manages to get Lance out of the inferno.

Lance: “Mom! Mom!”

Sheriff Robbins: “Get a paramedic over here. What about Julia?”

Chase: “I couldn’t see her.”

Sheriff Robbins: “It's too late now.”

The camera moves to each dejected looking character and then freeze frame on the springhouse, as the fire overcomes it. Fade to black, the closing credits and the theme tune.

Thank you - I used to be on here years ago before it crashed.