Knots Landing, television's second longest running drama (after Gunsmoke), ran from 1979 to 1993 on CBS television. Produced by Lorimar (owned by Time/Warner) the 14 seasons focused on the lives and loves of neighbors who lived in a southern California cul-de-sac.
Originally conceived by producers Michael Filerman and David Jacobs, they wanted the drama to be like a television version of "Scenes From a Marriage". The drama was to focus on the marital relationships between a long married stable couple (Karen and Sid Fairgate), a couple with marital difficulties (Laura and Richard Avery) and newlyweds (Ginger and Kenny Ward). We were to meet the neighbors, and get to know them through a new couple just moving in to the neighborhood (Val and Gary Ewing). They decided to make the Ewings a couple who had remarried after several years of separation, with a problematic past, estranged from rich relatives, and trying to start their married life anew.
The pilot was written by David Jacobs and pitched to CBS. CBS liked the pilot, however they wanted some changes. They wanted the couples to be rich, and to be more saga-like instead of focusing mostly on the personal relationships. Jacobs and Filerman held fast to their vision of Knots Landing, and instead decided to create a different series. They had already made the character of Gary Ewing estranged from his family, so they decided to create the new series about his rich family, and called it "Dallas." CBS loved Dallas, but Jacobs and Filerman saw it as a stepping stone to Knots Landing, so they included Gary's story in the drama. With the great success of Dallas, CBS gave the green light to Knots Landing.
