My Thoughts on Back to the Cul-de-Sac (1997)

[Mustard]

It has all our people in it—YES, it does.

Except for Constance McCashin's voice as Laura on the VHS videotape. I heard that she vetoed her original 1987 voice being used, so another actress did the voice. I don't even know who that other actress was.

It's far superior to Dynasty's ignominious return.

Absolutely. As a matter of interest, are you referring to the 1991 Dynasty return, or 2017-2022?

 

[Seaviewer]

I don’t consider BTTCDS part of my “head canon.” Meaning, to me, it’s akin to fanfiction and doesn’t “count.” Do others here consider it to be canon?

I do.

 

[Stillwitty]

I do.

Any clue where to access it? Just finished Season 14 on PRIME, but no Cul-de-sac....Can't even buy it on Amazon on EBAY...smh

 

[Daniel Avery]

If it were to pop up someplace* it would likely be sold to some entity that airs a lot of older movies made for theaters and/or TV, not necessarily someone who reruns television shows. It's been a long time since I watched it, but I don't think it was produced in a way that allowed for it to be divided into four, one-hour episodes.

* I can picture a streaming service like Tubi wanting to acquire it, given their affinity for TV-movies from that 1990s period. Tubi seems to pride themselves on having an "eclectic" mix.

 

[Billy Nolan]

Harold was doofus. Not sure where Cathy would have fit in.

Harold was "dumb"? In what way?
The scriptwriters considered bringing Cathy back after her departure. With a little imagination, they could have found a reason for it.

 

[Toni]

Harold was "dumb"? In what way?
The scriptwriters considered bringing Cathy back after her departure. With a little imagination, they could have found a reason for it.

Oh yeah. There still were a few "available" husbands to steal...

 

[Laura Avery-Sumner]

There still were a few "available" husbands to steal...

Now don't narrow the field. Maybe she could have been living with Diana in New York as Karen's new daughter-in-law!

 

[Stillwitty]

I don’t think I agree with her. I think about 5 years is the perfect timing. Longer than that, and people have forgotten about the show. Shorter than that, and people haven’t had enough time to miss the show.

It wasn't too soon. It was just not good.

Dynasty’s was too soon though. And that one I’ve actually never seen, though I doubt I’m missing anything.

"It wasn't too soon. It was just not good." Truer KL dialogue was never spoken...

This feels less like a meaningful project and more like a blatant cash grab.

Bingo!

 

[Chase Gioberti]

There were two major unresolved issues at the end of the series: Meg not knowing that Greg was her father, and the fate of Ben.
I was pleased to see the first settled in BTTCDS but I thought Greg's newfound relationship with his daughter would prompt him to change his mind about more kids and go searching for Paige and was disappointed when that didn't happen.

Of course during the series Tom Ryan wanted kids (while he and Paige were engaged) and she was adamant that she was never going to have kids and sacrifice her career. Then a short four years late she’s leaving the love of her life over the lack of children. It didn’t make sense.

 

[Chase Gioberti]

I thought the first half of the miniseries worked fine, but the second half largely dragged aside from a few choice moments, such as the final scene. I admit to actually watching the miniseries before tackling Season 14, because I was already let down hard by Season 13 (unpopular to say but seasons 10, 11, and 12 are extremely high-quality TV and I was horrified by what happened in the first half of Season 13), and, knowing in advance many of the plot points of the final season and also that season 14 is generally much better regarded than the miniseries, I decided to get that miniseries out of the way so that the show could go out on a high note.

Agreed. The drop off in quality from 12 to 13/14 was very noticeable.

 

[Svengali]

Agreed. The drop off in quality from 12 to 13/14 was very noticeable.

always thought that KL was not made for the 90s , neither Dallas or Dynasty , they are so 80.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Then a short four years late she’s leaving the love of her life over the lack of children. It didn’t make sense.

Having kids with Greg would likely not involve making any sacrifices for her "career" since she was having those kids with her boss.

If Greg had been on board with her plan to have kids with him, he would have pulled out all the stops to make sure she could balance both kids and career. But you can be sure that if she were having kids with Tom Ryan, jealous Greg would have made a work/life balance impossible for her.

 

[Chase Gioberti]

They couldn’t get Constance McCashin to read a few words off camera for this movie?

 

[Seaviewer]

They couldn’t get Constance McCashin to read a few words off camera for this movie?

Apparently she refused to allow the use of her voice. But it might have been less jarring if Meg had watched another of the many tapes that Laura was supposed to have made.

 

[Chase Gioberti]

Apparently she refused to allow the use of her voice. But it might have been less jarring if Meg had watched another of the many tapes that Laura was supposed to have made.

I really don’t understand, with all the Knots Landing fans out there, why they couldn’t have found someone with a voice closer to her. This one was not in the same universe.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

always thought that KL was not made for the 90s , neither Dallas or Dynasty , they are so 80.

Knots I think made it to the 90s because it was more grounded than Dallas, Dynasty and Falcon Crest were, those soaps were about the super rich, Knots was about the middle classes who made good, so I can see why it’s shelf life was longer than the other soaps.

 

[Stillwitty]

It has all our people in it—YES, it does. It's far superior to Dynasty's ignominious return.

None of the characters were true to themselves. Plays out like it was written by someone who had never seen a single episode of KL. Not canon...

 

[Svengali]

None of the characters were true to themselves. Plays out like it was written by someone who had never seen a single episode of KL. Not canon...

awful ! painful to watch and the sets!!!! have you seen Karen's kitchen ??? hideous

 

[Stillwitty]

awful ! painful to watch and the sets!!!! have you seen Karen's kitchen ??? hideous

I was guessing the residents had remodeled in the 5 yrs since KL went off the air - using some of the $$$ they were paid for the use of their abode...How about that sketchy motel they had Mack living in while separated? Like, was that really a Murphy Bed I thought I saw???

 

[Mustard]

They couldn’t get Constance McCashin to read a few words off camera for this movie?

It looks like Constance McCashin was not on good terms with Knots Landing at all in 1997, presumably due to how she was axed back in 1987 alongside Julie Harris. Constance refused permission for her 1987 video voice to be used on Back to the Cul-de-sac.

I know that she's been giving interviews and some social media posts etc. in recent years on Knots Landing, but I'm sure that there was a long period of time before that (perhaps even dating back to 1987) where she didn't publicly comment on Knots Landing at all.

always thought that KL was not made for the 90s , neither Dallas or Dynasty , they are so 80.

I thought Knots Landing was fine for most of its time in the 1990s. Past its best, but still very good.