KNOTS LANDING: BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE {PART 1 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
One in this night-time drama serial, spun off from the series "Dallas," about the residents of the small southern California community of Knots Landing. In the first half of this two-part episode, at a party, Gary is stunned to be made vice-president by Sid, who congratulates him on his good work at the dealership. They all celebrate, and though Gary states that he does not drink, he is soon talked into having a glass of champagne, followed by a few more. At home, when Val attempts to ask him about his drinking, he immediately becomes angry and picks a fight. Sid, Karen and Laura soon overhear their argument, and when Gary gets in his car and leaves, Val tells the others that Gary is an alcoholic and has fallen off the wagon. Gary goes to a bar and dismisses the bartender’s suggestion that he has had enough, choosing to leave with a rather questionable woman. Elsewhere, Ginger receives a phone call from Sylvie saying that Kenny just left her house, and when he arrives home, she implies that he is having an affair. He says that he is merely producing Sylvie’s music and she is just a “product,” but she is unconvinced. Val tells the others that Gary is unlikely to come home any time soon now that he is on a bender, so they venture out to look for him, searching many different bars. They finally find the bartender who spoke to him, and Sid reluctantly tells Val that Gary was seen leaving the bar with a woman.
They soon find Gary’s car at a motel and find the woman, but she states that she bought the car from Gary for $400 and that he left, continuing his bar-hopping. At another establishment, Gary gets into a fight with another patron and when Val and the others find him, he is being arrested. At the police station, Sid updates Karen and tells her that Gary is unlikely to be charged with a crime and is being released, and Val drives him home, having recovered the car. At home, however, Gary is angry and embarrassed and does not talk to Val, instead heading off for work as if nothing is wrong. Sid tries to prevent him from attending a business lunch, but Gary attends the meeting anyway and resumes drinking. At the same time, Sylvie and Kenny have a romantic rendezvous, and she tells him that she is sick of being in the middle and that he “doesn’t seem married,” but he tells her that she should not bother waiting for him to choose. Gary arrives back at work drunk and Sid finally confronts him about his addiction, but Gary just denies it angrily and leaves. Sid returns home and tells Karen and Val what happened, and Val is upset that Sid did not prevent it, but then admits that she now knows that Gary “doesn’t need a reason” to drink. She explains that their lives are going well and does not understand why he would choose to resume drinking.
At home, Kenny asks Ginger her opinion on Sylvie’s photos, and she accuses him of “flaunting” his affair. She asks him flat-out if he is involved with Sylvie, and he denies it. Karen and Val talk and Val wonders if it is time to “give up” in trying to make Gary better, but Karen counters that marriage is never “smooth sailing” and that it was always likely that Gary would relapse, and tells Val that she is strong enough to handle it. Gary gets mugged and attempts to buy more booze with his pocket change, getting into an altercation with the store clerk when he is refused. As his friends, minus a disgruntled Richard, continue searching for him, Gary eventually passes out on a beach. When he awakens, he attempts to steal alcohol from a homeless man nearby. Realizing that he is on his way to becoming just like the bum himself, he breaks down in tears. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 20, 1980 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:27054
- GENRE: Drama, night-time serial
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, night-time serial
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1979-1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Filerman … Executive Producer
- David Jacobs … Executive Producer, Created by
- Joseph B. Wallenstein … Producer
- Calvin Clements, Jr. … Writer
- Robert W. Gilmer … Writer
- Roger Young … Director
- Ron Grant … Music by
- Jerrold Immel … Theme Music by
- James Houghton … Cast, Kenny Ward
- Kim Lankford … Cast, Ginger Ward
- Michele Lee … Cast, Karen Fairgate
- Constance McCashin … Cast, Laura Avery
- Don Murray … Cast, Sid Fairgate
- John Pleshette … Cast, Richard Avery
- Ted Shackelford … Cast, Gary Ewing
- Joan Van Ark … Cast, Valene Ewing
- Louise Vallance … Cast, Sylvie
- Jerry Hardin … Cast, Bartender
- Hal Williams … Cast, Store Owner
- Carolyn Conwell … Cast, Hooker
- Bob Levine … Cast, Mandel
- Vernon Weddle … Cast, Partner
- George Planco … Cast, Manny
- T.K. Harris … Cast, Derelict
- Ted White … Cast, Tough
- Jeff Seymour … Cast, Gang Kid
- Marco Rodriguez … Cast, Gang Kid
- Charles Penland … Cast, Gang Kid