Warner Bros. | 1981 | 900 mins. | Not Rated
Earl Hamner, Jr. lauded for his work on The Waltons, which had just finished its last season in 1980–1981, wanted to create a series involving the California wine industry. Hamner has said in several interviews that he had had intended that that the show be more in line with the sensibilities of The Waltons. However, CBS requested he make the show more sensational. With J.R. and the Ewing’s of Dallas ruling the airwaves, sex, debauchery, and backstabbing were in. Thus Falcon Crest, often thought of as more glamorous than Dallas, yet not quite as outrageous as Dynasty, made its debut on December 4, 1981.
Since what happens in the first couple of episodes set the stage for the series, here’s a bit of background for those unfamiliar with the Falcon Crest story. Falcon Crest vineyard and winery, situated in the Tuscany Valley has been there for generations. It’s around midnight, and spoiled Emma Channing (Margaret Ladd), interrupted during a tryst with a no good ranch hand, has just accidentally pushed her uncle Jason Gioberti (Harry Townes) off the high-dive in the vat room. Hysteria ensues, until mother Angela Channing (Jane Wyman) quickly and assertively takes control of the situation. She commands her loyal manservant Chao-Li Chi (Chao Le Chi), to take her brother’s body and stuff it behind the wheel of Jason’s old truck, which is then unceremoniously pushed off a cliff where it explodes in a huge fireball. Problem solved. Not so fast…as I said earlier, that nights events set into motion a chain of events that will simmer throughout the series entire run.
As it turns out, there was a codicil in the will of Falcon Crest founder Joseph Gioberti. Knowing that his son and daughter despised each other, he stipulated that if either sibling died under mysterious circumstances, the surviving sibling would be forced to give up their half of the Falcon Crest fortune. Delicious! The incident in the vat room meant that Chase Gioberti (Robert Foxworth)—an airline pilot, and Vietnam War veteran, married to blonde bombshell Maggie (Susan Sullivan), an up-and-coming freelance journalist, and father to kids Cole (William R. Moses), and Vickie (Dana Sparks), living in New York City—would be out his half of the Falcon Crest fortune. Called back to California for the reading of his estranged father’s will, Chase is soon compelled to abandoned life in New York City, and move with his family to the California vineyard. Angela is none-to-happy about chase’s return, as this hurts her plan to control all of the vineyards at Falcon Crest. Angela, who knows that any good empire has an heir apparent, had everything set: because she can’t depend on her weak, alcoholic, oldest daughter Julia Cumson (Abby Dalton), she’s taught her grandson Lance (Lorenzo Lamas), all of her power scheming ways.
Like Dallas, at its core, Falcon Crest is about inter-family fight over a very profitable business. Perhaps because of the Earl Hamner influence though, things are more believable and bed-hopping isn’t a common occurrence (at least in this first season). Dare I say, Chase has some John-Boy sensibilities, considering his steadfast determination to bring his splintering family together? Early on, Chase actually works in the fields of the vineyards. Later, this overly “Waltonish” Chase is abandon as he runs for county supervisor on what amounts to an anti-Angela platform. Falcon Crest is a soap opera, and it plays better when one of the main characters isn’t working the fields.
While Robert Foxworth, Lorenzo Lamas and the rest of the Falcon Crest cast do a great job, the one who really shines during this first season is Jane Wyman. A veteran actress (she won an Oscar for Johnny Belinda in 1948), she seemed to relish the role of the nasty matriarchal figure. Working hard to keep her unstable daughter Julia from spilling the beans about her brother’s death, Angela also sets in motion various plans to ensure she controls all of Falcon Crest and all of the Tuscany Valley. Angela wants things done her way, and her way only. Not one for drama, her underhanded tactics are done quietly, smoothly and without a trace.
It was great to watch Falcon Crest again after all these years. I had forgotten that the first season of the show really avoided a lot of the outright bed hopping and debauchery that would become more prevalent as the years wore on. As it is, the eighteen episodes contained in the first season set effectively introduces us to a group of characters that would go on to entertain us for the rest of the 1980’s.
The video quality brings up some interesting issues. At least one of the episodes—Heir Apparent—is edited, coming in at 45:17. Unfortunately, subpar video dupes have been used here as the source materials for the DVD transfers. Colors are washed out, while video noise is excessive and the image often fuzzy.
The Dolby Digital English mono audio track is adequate, as dialogue is clear throughout.
There are no special features.
[xrrgroup][xrr label=”Video:” rating=”2.5/5″ group=”s1″ ] [xrr label=”Audio:” rating=”3.5/5″ group=”s1″] [xrr label=”Extras:” rating=”0.0/5″ group=”s1″] [xrr label=”Film Value:” rating=”3.5/5″ group=”s1″] [/xrrgroup]
