The WORST episodes of Knots Landing
Every episode of Knots Landing ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Knots Landing!
Hoping to ride the crest of its success with Dallas, CBS spun off this series featuring the black sheep of the Ewing Family, Gary Ewing. Gary was a weakened reformed alcoholic who had deserted his wife Valene Ewing, and then remarried her and moved to Southern California to escape the formidable nature of life with the Ewings in Dallas. All the equals in this series lived on the same cul-de-sac in the quiet little community of Knots Landing. In addition to being neighbors, their lives intertwined in other ways. Gary worked for Sid Fairgate, owner of Knots Landing Motors, the local classic car dealership. Sid and his wife Karen Fairgate had three teenage children: Eric Fairgate, Michael Fairgate, and Diana Fairgate. The other two couples on the cul-de-sac were young recording executive Kenny Ward and his attractive wife, Ginger, and Richard and Laura Avery.
#1 - Just Disappeared (1)
Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1986
Karen's kidnapper, Phil Harbert, brings her to a guestroom in his home. He's laden it with food and new clothes for Karen, telling her he wants her to be comfortable. He tells Karen she hasn't been kidnapped, she's just disappeared. Greg uses the cleanup of Empire Valley as publicity for Peter. Greg tells him that he won't really clean it up until Lotus Point goes bankrupt. Peter tells Jill, who tells Gary.Val is overjoyed when Ben comes home. Later Ben receives a note from his old friend Jean Hackney to meet her. He goes to her boutique, which is a cover from underground activities. She asks him to spy on Greg, and kisses him. He tells her he no longer can do either activity. Flashback Scene: Young Mac, Greg and Phil go to the Matheson's, only to find out they've gone to their summer residence. Mac is upset because he didn't get to say goodbye to Anne.
#2 - Community Spirit
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/3/1980
J.R. Ewing is in town planning an offshore drilling project on the beach, which everyone is opposed to, except for Richard who asks Laura to get together with Chip Todson, J.R.'s PR man. He asks her to do this so he can get the account. J.R. has an afternoon rendezvous with Karen (big mistake!). Gary goes to J.R.'s office to steal an important file he can use against his brother. Along with the rest of the community, Gary protests by picketing on the beach.
#3 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 12/27/1979
Gary and Val move to their new home in Knots Landing that Miss Ellie Bought for them, and then get acquainted with their new neighbors. Sid's 18-year-old rebellious daughter, Annie from a previous marraige, is visiting the Fairgates and is causing havoc among the family. Val attempts to fix Annie's relationship with her father.
#4 - Forsaking All Others
Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/5/1984
Mac has Karen admitted to a hospital chemical dependency program. Karen denies she has a problem .Abby is angry at Greg for getting her involved with Mark St. Claire. Mark tells Abby that the Marcus's house has burned down, so Abby tells Laura to make them another offer. St. Claire tells Greg he has one more chance to drop Mac, or else he will give incriminating information to his opponent. Greg has a press conference and says that Mac abused his power and got a variance for Karen's property on Lotus Point, and so he's asked Mac to resign. Mac questions Karen about Lotus Point. She says she gets checks, but doesn't remember anything else. Gary barges into Abby's office and says he is going to have her books audited. Jane and Mary Francis apologize to the MacKenzies for Greg and go back to Sacramento. Jane berates Greg for making the election more important than friendship. Greg wins the primary race.
#5 - Remember the Good Times
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/4/1980
Gary meets Judy Trent who wants his help in getting her husband support from AA. Abby begins to show her manipulative nature (Already?) as she takes advantage of Eric and treis to seduce Kenny. Karen confronts her about this.
#6 - Hitchhike (1)
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/20/1980
Sid picks up a young hitchhiker who sets him up by asking him to give her money. When he refuses, she accuses him of rape. Diana has difficulty facing people. Sid's sister, Abby Cunningham, arrives in Knots Landing with her two children. Karen persuades Sid to find a new attorney instead of Richard.
#7 - The Lie
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/17/1980
Laura is feeling unappreciated, so she goes to a cocktail lounge in the middle of the afternoon and meets an artist. The artist buys her a drink, then invites her to his studio to do a portrait of her as a ruse to rape her. She hides the truth from Richard by saying a serial rapist that is on the loose in Knots Landing just had raped her at home before Richard got home. Val knows that this is not the case, and as she goes down to the police station to identify her attacker; the police end up arresting the wrong man.
#8 - Calculated Risks
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/1984
The doctor tells Karen that she'll die within the year unless she has a risky operation with only a 50% survival rate. Mac wants to get back together with her, but Karen lies and says she doesn't love him. Mac moves in with Ben. Diana moves to New York. Joshua Rush shows up at Val's. His mother was Lilimae's sister. She abandoned him and he wants to learn about her from Lilimae. She says her sister was a vicious, wicked tramp and he should be glad that she's dead. Val invites Joshua to stay with them. St. Claire threatens Greg and he comes to the yacht. Abby sees a gun in a drawer and gives it to Greg. Greg shoots Mark St. Claire.
#9 - Truth and Consequences
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1984
Val asks Mac to be her birthing coach, and Gary tells her he wishes she would have asked him. Val and Gary try to get Karen and Mac back together, but Abby's worried that Val will tell Gary about the babies. Abby asks Scott Easton if the babies can be heirs and complains about them, but says there's nothing she can do about it. Easton replies, "You never know..." Abby hires Joshua to work at the cable station. Gary tries to use reverse psychology on Karen and tells her to divorce Mac, but to his surprise, Karen agrees and goes to see a divorce lawyer. Cathy has a romantic dinner with Joshua. Ben gives Mac a tape about Gary Loader, who was in prison with Tom Jessick. Greg wins his election to become Senator. He gives his acceptance speech. Afterwards, Jane tells him that she wants a divorce.
#10 - One of a Kind
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/17/1981
Karen's old boyfriend, Teddy Becker, comes to visit. Teddy is convinced that Diana is his daughter, but Karen assures him that she is Sid's. After hearing Teddy tell Diana that his sons asked to be adopted by their stepfather, Karen decided to let him think that Diana could be his. However, Karen shows Diana a photo of Sid's grandmother, who looks exactly like Diana. Richard gives Laura a new car for her Christmas gift, but then Scooter comes by with a brand new Mercedes for her. Val is upset by past Christmas memories of her when her father died and Lilimae abandoned her. Gary reminds Val that Lilimae was only 14 when she got married, so Val should give her a break. Lilimae gives Val a quilt and they make up.
#11 - Weak Moment
Season 9 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/17/1987
Greg hires Paige to buy him investment art. Charles tells Abby that marrying Judith is a mistake he's lived with for 20 years. She screams that she hates him, but he kisses her and they sleep together. Gary and Val make love. She feels guilty about Jill, and rejects Gary after he helps her and the twins decorate the tree. Val tells Gary it was a mistake and she doesn't want him coming over anymore. He storms out. Gary tells Jill that he doesn't love her, but wishes he did. Jill confronts Val, and tells her that she could give Abby lessons in manipulation. Jill moves out of Gary's but then returns. Greg drops Meg off at the MacKenzies, saying he has business in New York.
#12 - Missing Persons
Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1987
After 5 weeks, no one can find Peter. Val grieves over Ben, and makes up with Laura. Abby's really worried about Olivia, who has been having nightmares, and has reverted to infantile behavior. Mack becomes friendly with a man from his messenger service, Al Baker. Paige goes to Greg, concerned about her paternity. He plants a passionate kiss on her to prove he's not her father. Then Mack and Paige discover that they are both allergic to cantaloupe, so he must be her father! The crack at the Lotus Point playground gets worse. Workmen say it's structural, and needs to come out. Abby just wants it patched, but Gary and Karen out vote her. The workmen remove the cement and find Peter's body.
#13 - Hitchhike (2)
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/27/1980
After Sid fires Richard as the attorney, Richard, in a drunken stupor, causes a scene in the cul-de-sac. Karen is angry when she discovers Richard tried to pay off the hitchhiker to drop the charges. Karen remembers a vital clue which results in getting Sid cleared. Abby decides to move to Knots Landing, and becomes a part of prime-time soap history.
#14 - Designs
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/26/1981
J.R. comes to town (again). He wants to form a corporation with Sid and patent the engine that Sid invented. Sid refuses. Abby steals the engine plans and gives them to J.R., and has him sign a contract to protect her interests. They sleep together. Karen tells Sid that Abby stole the plans, but he doesn't believe her. Karen and Val are suspicious when Jeff comes to pick up the kids, and packs all of their things into his van. Karen goes to J.R.'s hotel to tell Abby she thinks Jeff kidnapped the kids, but Abby doesn't believe her and says Jeff is just trying to scare her again.
#15 - Bottom of the Bottle (2)
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/27/1980
Gary and Richard get drunk. A drunken Gary takes an unconscious Richard home. Gary passes out and Laura offers Gary some coffee. Gary wants a drink and is very aggressive towards Laura. Laura calls Val as Gary tries to break into Laura's liquor cabinet. After Gary slaps Val in the face, she commits him to a detox ward. Kenny has an affair with Sylvie and his marriage with Ginger is strained. They make up at the Zoo as Kenny turns up in a gorilla suit. Gary escapes detox and goes to the bar for a drink. He is reminded of the doctor's trick when she made Gary choose between having a drink or Val. Gary decides to go to AA. (Way to go, Gary!)
#16 - 1,001 Nights of Anne Matheson
Season 13 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/14/1991
Anne's show is a success, and she tells Benny that she's getting her own apartment. He's upset because he has fallen in love with her. Joseph quits the University to work full time at Tidal Energy. Joseph and Kate declare their love for one another and sleep together. Debbie breaks up with Frank because she wants a serious relationship. Pierce has nightmares of sailing in a storm with Victoria. Victoria tells Paige that Pierce has a dark side and will turn on her, but Paige doesn't believe her. Victoria tells Pierce she still loves him, and asks if Paige knows about the data list. Pierce tells her to leave him alone. Brian follows Greg to Meg's birthday party. After the party, he pulls a gun on Karen and Meg in the backyard.
#17 - The Question Game
Season 13 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/19/1991
Brian tells Linda that his wife sent a detective after him, and he killed the detective. He needs Linda to pose as his wife to get gold coins out of his gym locker. She does, and he gives her the tape. Then Linda goes to his wife and tells her she knows where Brian is. Anne decides to pose nude for a fashion magazine. Gary and Joseph go to Greg to back their new company. Greg doesn't want to work with Gary again, but Paige is interested. Kate moves to a new apartment, and won't talk to Claudia. The DA wants Karen to plead guilty for reckless endangerment, but Mac says not to.Val meets a waitress, Lynette, from Mule Shoe Texas where Lilimae grew up. Paige and Pierce spend romantic time together, and he tells her he loves her.
#18 - Noises Everywhere (2)
Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/10/1987
After Laura's funeral, everyone goes to Greg's. Mac is belligerent and snide. He spends all his time with Meg. Karen overhears him tell Gary that he's a father who never got to raise his kids. Richard tells Karen that Laura emasculated him, but he's matured a lot since then. Jill's upset that Gary is taking care of fragile Val. Jill starts to drink heavily and gets drunk. She tells Val that she lost her family and wants to help with the twins. She steals Peter's ashes and puts them in her purse. Jill then drunkenly goes up to Paige and asks her how she can sleep at night. Jill whacks Paige in the back with her purse. Everyone watches Laura's videos and cry their eyes out. Val and Karen cry and make up. Greg watches his video of Laura by himself, and sobs. He asks how she could leave him all alone, because he loves her. On the way home, Jill scatters Peter's ashes off a mountainside. On tape, Laura reads "Goodnight Moon" to Meg.
#19 - Yesterday It Rained
Season 5 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/22/1984
Ben comes home and Val cries with joy. The hitman actually shot Ray, not Gary. Cathy calls Ray's mom to tell her, and Laura overhears. Laura tells Greg, who asks Karen why none of the Ewings came to Gary's funeral, and tells St. Claire that he thinks Gary is still alive. Abby mourns for Gary. Greg tells Abby to sell Lotus Point to Wolfbridge, but she won't. Greg tells St. Claire that he is through dealing with him, and calls Abby to tell her Gary's alive. Ben figures out what Mac is doing, and is furious with him because Val could have lost her babies. Ben punches Mac. Abby goes to the MacKenzies and tells Karen that Gary's alive and Mac is using him to get to Wolfbridge. Karen feels very betrayed and confronts Mac. She's upset at all the pain he has caused and tells him their marriage is over, and gives him her wedding ring back.
#20 - The Surprise
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/10/1981
Richard's boss asks him to procure prostitutes for clients and he does. When Val receives a postcard from Olivia, a detective is able to find the kids. Abby goes there and Jeff tells her that the state won't honor California custody laws. Abby begins manipulating Jeff, but he tells her that he knows what she is doing. Abby perseveres, and soon has Jeff back in love with her. She agrees to remarry him and they all drive back to Knots Landing. On the day of the wedding, Jeff and his mother wait at the Court House for Abby to show up. Instead, a deputy shows up and serves Jeff a restraining order so he can't see his children or esle he will be arrested for kidnapping. Karen later tells Abby that she really hurt Jeff. Abby replies, "He hurt me. Nobody does that!"
#21 - Scapegoats
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/15/1981
The Fairgates find out that Michael suffers from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). Sid hires Abby as the bookkeeper for Knots Landing Motors. Frank Kolbert and Roy Lance from "Orchid Cab Co" offer Gary a deal on cheap parts, but Sid declines, thinking it sounds illegal. Frank and Roy tell Gary they had a verbal agreement and threaten him, telling him he'd better have $50,000.00 for them by the end of the week. Abby overhears and suggests Gary ask J.R. for the money, as she read in the paper that J.R. will be in town soon.
#22 - Chance of a Lifetime
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/11/1980
Gary makes a car deal with "Orchid Cab Co." againest Sid's better judgment. Gary also hires a female mechanic, Linda Stryker. Laura starts her real estate job. After her first sale, her boss, Scooter Warren, kisses her.Val starts college. Richard thinks a prestigious Chicago law firm will hire him, so he tells off his boss and quits his job. Then he finds out the Chicago firm's offer is for a salary several thousands less than he was already making. He cannot accept the job. He tells Laura he declined the job since she didn't want to move, but then starts crying.
#23 - Small Surprises
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/6/1980
When Karen learns that she's pregnant, she isn't sure she wants the baby, while Sid can't understand her mixed feelings regarding the pregnancy. When medical complications develop, Karen decides she wants to have the baby, but she miscarries. Eric takes a liking to Ginger's 14-year-old sister who is visiting from Knots Landing. However, when he takes her out on a date, he finds her too sophisticated for him. Ginger tells Kenny she is ready for them to start a family.
#24 - Distant Rumblings
Season 7 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/13/1986
Abby finds a joint in Olivia's purse, and makes her tell the truth. Olivia threatens her with the twins, and Abby says to go ahead and tell. The judge lets Olivia off, but says she has to join a support group. Greg offers Peter 5 million dollars. Peter doesn't accept, and tells Sylvia it's a test. Jill tells Mac that her father used to own Empire Valley, and Galveston swindled him out of it, so her father shot himself. Cathy tells Ben she wants to leave the show. He confides in her (and later Mac) that he is tired of Gary being in his life whichever way he turns. He and Cathy kiss. Mac tells Gary that his little trust fund stunt could cost Val her marriage, and he needs to think of consequences before he does things. Abby tells Gary that he failed Olivia, Lotus Point, and their marriage. Gary says he's decided to divorce her.
#25 - ...So Shall You Reap
Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/9/1984
Ben proposes to Val and says he'll raise the baby as his own. She accepts.Cathy tells Gary that she killed a man in self defense (but she really took the blame for a murder that Ray committed). She says Abby hired her to divert him from her business dealings, but she fell in love with him. Laura tells the MacKenzies about Apaloon and Mark St. Claire. Mack barges into Abby's office, but she denies knowing anything. She tells Westmont if Gary finds out and sues her she would win. She can claim he's mentally unstable because he's been trying to re-create Ciji, a dead girl. Greg gives a press conference saying Abby got the variance and re-instates Mac. Gary confronts Abby, who feigns innocence. He loses it and starts trashing the room and screams at her to get out of his life. Abby runs to Greg's, only to find him in bed with Laura. Abby tries to talk to Gary, but he tells her to contact him through his lawyer.