How 'Knots Landing' pulled the biggest plot twist by bringing Bobby Ewing back to life after his death
'Knots Landing' ended 27 years ago, but no show since then has managed to have a plot twist like it.
When the show was first announced as a sequel to the hit CBS show 'Dallas', people had their eyes set on it. With 'Dallas' becoming an instant hit among people, they had the same expectations from the spinoff. The show also managed to pave way for some of the characters to be introduced on 'Knots Landing' as it followed the lives of four couples who were settled in Seaview Circle.
Even though 'Knots Landing', which ran from 1979 to 1993, failed to gain viewership like 'Dallas', the show managed to outrun its original. At first, the show was having trouble catching the attention of the viewers but as time and seasons went by, the show managed to pull in viewers with different storylines that explored topics such as rape, drugs, among others.
However, the biggest plot twist that the show pulled off was by bringing the character of Bobby Ewing back to life after his death. Bobby's character was played by Patrick Duffy and loved by many. Duffy's character was brought to an end after he was run down by a car driven by his sister-in-law Katherine, as reported by bt.com.
While the rest of the season continued without the actor, it seemed like the producers felt the need to bring his character back to life. During this time, Duffy had also been struggling to find a show that would be the perfect platform for him to showcase his talent. With not a lot to move forward with, Duffy thought going back to his previous role might be the best solution for himself.
It might have sounded like an easy task to do if the writers hadn't killed his character. They had to think of a way to bring his character back to life while making sure that everything, when put together, added up. It so happened that Duffy got a little help from his wife who suggested that the only way to bring his character back was to make it look like the entire thing was a dream.
Even though it might sound far-fetched to some, the show managed to loop this idea into the story and brought Duffy's character back to life. The show managed to pull this off by showing Ewing's wife, Pam, played by Victoria Principal, waking up from her sleep hearing the shower running.
At this point, Victoria, who had remarried after Ewing's death, assumed it had been her second husband. However, when she goes to the shower to see what her husband has been up to, she is surprised and shocked to find out that it is none other than Ewing himself. The show painted a picture that had everyone convinced the entire season had been a dream.
Unfortunately, bringing one character meant letting go of many others. Even though the show managed to bring back Ewing into the storyline, they had to let go of some of the characters that had made appearances and ceased to exist in the season after Ewing was pronounced dead.
While some characters were able to make a return as the show progressed, not everyone had the same opportunity.
Sadly, even the biggest plot twist could not save the show. As the show progressed, its viewership dropped and which forced the network to cancel the show. In 1993 the news was confirmed that the show would not be making a return.