History Characters / Knotslanding

For an index of the actors and actresses who have their own page on this wiki, see [[UsefulNotes/DallasActors here]].

->Gary was the second son of oil baron Jock Ewing and his wife Miss Ellie Ewing. He was often considered the black sheep of the family, as he would become an alcoholic, and was never treated as an equal by his father and elder brother J.R. However, Gary was loved by his mother and younger brother Bobby. As Jock was not with Miss Ellie during her pregnancy with Gary, she tended to view him as more hers than Jock's and he became her favorite son, while the relationship between Jock and Gary was always distant. Gary was married (three times) to Valene Ewing, and the couple's on-off relationship lead much of his story arc throughout the series.

* TheAlcoholic: Gary is a chronic, relapsing alcoholic and much of the drama surrounding his (and Val's) storylines involves his struggles to stay on the wagon. His addiction also causes many of his lapses in judgement -- affairs included.
* BlackSheep: Compared to the thrusting, powerful (if corrupt) JR, and heroic NiceGuy Bobby, Gary is the overlooked middle brother who has a good relationship with his mother, Miss Ellie, but a strained, distant relationship with his father, Jock -- which likely caused his alcohol dependence.

* {{Jerkass}}: When drunk, he's violent, unfaithful and exhibits a nasty, quick tongue.

* CountryMouse: Valene grew up deep out in the Tennessee Pine Country and is poorly equipped to deal with her intimidatingly powerful in-laws, especially JR. It also takes her a while to settle into the more cosmopolitan setting of California, versus her bucolic upbringing.

* DamselInDistress: Frequently in the earlier seasons, Val is subject to multiple dramatic scenarios and emotionally-destroying setbacks (Gary leaving her, her twins being abducted etc) which resulted in her fan nickname of "Poor Val".

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Valene was abandoned by her mother, became a child bride (quickly becoming pregnant) and was chased out of Dallas by her evil brother-in-law, JR, when he disapproved of her relationship with Gary (due to the class-chasm between them), and her raising his niece, Lucy.

* FishOutOfWater: The upscale Ewings, especially J.R, dislike the idea of a "poor, trashy girl" from Tennessee like Val raising Lucy.

* LoveHurts: Her relationship with Gary is this generally after he leaves her for Abby in Season 2. And after that, she endures a "will they, won't they?" scenario for literally ''years'' before they get back together.

* RageAgainstTheReflection: Following the break-down of her marriage to Gary, and the abduction of her twins, Val berates herself in an upsetting MirrorMonologue. Joan Van Ark lists it as her proudest, but most difficult scene:

* CountryMusic: She's a wannabe country singer, and she does play music and sing a couple of times on the show (Julie Harris is a Broadway actress, afterall), but her career in-series never took off.

* DeepSouth: She and Val hail from deep out in the Tennessee Pine Country and flashbacks reveal that the family home was basically a two room ''shack''.

* AxeCrazy: Eventually becomes a crazed, religious firebrand in love with his own ego, culminating in him attempting to murder Cathy.

* DrunkWithPower: When he first arrives at Knots, he is sweet-natured and naive (much like his half-sister, Val). But as soon as his preaching spot on local cable sends his popularity sky-rocketing, he becomes controlling, aggressive and eventually psychotic.

-> A native New-Yorker, Karen got on with everybody in the neighbourhood, except for her sister in law, Abby. She always saw through her conniving, manipulating ways, even when Sid didn’t! However, it was Valene, her next-door neighbour, who was to be her closest and dearest friend. Karen was arguably the main character of the series.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Of the cul de sac's three original wives, Karen's the brunette, Val the blonde and Laura the redhead.

->Eric and Michael are the sons of Sid and Karen Fairgate. Eric is a sweet-natured, chilled out guy, whereas Michael was a very active child, who suffered from disorders of hyperactivity.

* AesopAmnesia: She's occasionally regretful for her behaviours, but as he series' lead villainess, her contrition is always short lived.

* SexyVillainsChasteHeroes: She is a beautiful bitch, and is the most beautiful woman in the series (see MsFanservice above). She's also a manipulative SpoiledBrat. {{Downplayed|Trope}} for Chaste part in that Gary is also a ChickMagnet.