History Characters / Knotslanding

* * 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.

* * SexyVillainsChasteHeroes: She is a beautiful bitch, and is the most beautiful woman in the series (see MsFanservice above). She's also a manipulative SpoiledBrat.

%%** EvilIsSexy

%%* SpoiledBrat

* AuthorityEqualsAssKicking: He's a tough Brooklynite and works as a federal prosecutor, then later at a government level on Greg Sumner's crime commission.

* StockholmSyndrome: Diana met and fell in love with Chip Roberts, who moved in next door with Valene and Lilimae. At Chip's suggestion, she ran off with him when Ciji discovered that he was really Tony Fenice, a con-man wanted by the police, although Diana didn't know this at the time. On the road, Chip's behavior became increasingly possessive and Diana, frightened, tried to make contact with Karen. The police tracked them down when they discovered Diana had used her credit card to pay for fuel and Chip was arrested. However, by that time Diana had succumbed to Chip's charms and revealed (proudly) that she was now "Mrs. Tony Fenice".

* TeensAreShort: Her mother, played by the very petite Donna Mills, is easily taller than her.

* RecordProducer: Ostensibly, his job. And considering he's in his twenties, he's doing well to be living in the rad pad he and Ginger own on the upscale Seaview Circle. Kenny's FakeBand{{s}} include Cosmic Steeple, populated by {{Fake Brit}}s, and Kiwi Surprise, who are from New Zealand, as their name suggests.

->'''Played by:''' Julie Harris

* DistressedDamsel: 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".

->'''Played''': Joan Van Ark

->'''Olivia''':''What are you gonna do? Lock me out?''
->'''Abby''':''No, I'm not gonna lock you out. I'm gonna lock you in with me!''

->'''Played by''': Kevin Dobson

->'''Played by''': Donna Mills

->'''Played by''': Tonya Crowe

->'''Played by''': John Pleshette

* WidowWoman: Briefly, following the death of her first husband, Sid.

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kennyward_3965.png]]

* TheHedonist: He's immature and loves to party, which strangely (given he's meant to be part of the young, hip couple) starts to date him, as his free-love, partying 70s attitude begins to contrast with Reagan-era conservatism creeping in around him.

* LargeHam: Early on in the series, Michele Lee's Broadway background is obvious, as she's at time theatrically over the top.

* TheDutifulSon: Compared to his rancorous sister...

* RecordProducer: Ostensibly, his job. And considering he's in his twenties, he's doing well to be living in the rad pad he and Ginger own on the upscale Seaview Circle.

->'''Lucy Ewing''': ''"Daddy, I was just telling momma that, since neither of you got married again, you both must still be carrying torches."''
->'''Gary Ewing''': ''"Oh, you see, if I carried a torch I'd have blown myself up a dozen times from all the alcohol on my breath."''

->''"All my life, I'd wanted to see the ocean. Even when I was little, I knew that the ocean would probably be the biggest and the most beautiful and most powerful thing I'd ever see. I thought just by being close to it, it would just make me better; make me think clearer and feel deeper and just know more."''

->''"Look at me! I don't take up much room, but I seem to be getting in everybody's way."''

->''[looking at a hair product] "Contains no lye. Well, I should hope not. Ask me no question I'll tell you no lye."''

->''"Do you see any irony in a mother telling her son to go somewhere else....to go to someone else for help?"''

->''"I don't want to look at the world through rose-colored glasses, I want the world to BE rose-colored! I want people to be nice. People should be nice. Nice should be the norm."''

->''"Would you just do what you know and I know has to be done?"''

->''"Chip is my husband and I love him and there's nothing you can do about it!"''

->''" I never give a gift unless I like it myself and I love hot dogs -- especially when they're charcoal barbecued. I'll even put your names in them. You know, Karen, I love our house and listen...I love how quiet it is on our cul-de-sac."''

->''"Well, I'm not saying we're having an affair and I'm not saying we're not. I ''am'' saying that I can have him any time I want him."''

->'''Olivia''':''"What are you gonna do? Lock me out?"''
->'''Abby''':''"No, I'm not gonna lock you out. I'm gonna lock you in with me."''

->''"She's not the worst person in the world....even for a sister. I hate it when you guys fight."''

->''"Richard, I am so tired of your blaming me and using me! I'm so tired of taking it and taking it -- I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE!"''

->''"Laura, you hung my jacket up with the wrong trousers. Look at this. I mean there's no point in spending a lot of money on clothes if you're going to treat 'em like rags."''

->''"I'm not Ciji!"''

->''"Ah c'mon Ginger, don't be so square!"''

->''"Kenny, we're not having a party! We're going to get a pizza and go down to the beach, just the two of us, like we used to."''

!!Greg Sumner [-(Creator/WilliamDevane)-]

->'''Paige Matheson''': ''"Well, why don't you join me?"''
->'''Greg''': ''"No, I never swim in shark-infested waters."''

Mack's ex-best friend and classmate who attended law school with him and even offered him a job working for the crime commission. Initially a politician, Greg became a businessman after inheriting his father's corporation. He often plotted with Abby, whom he later married.

* ReallyGetsAround: Rivals even Gary for the number of the cast he bedded -- including Abby, Laura, and Paige.
** MayDecemberRomance: With Paige, who is easily young enough to be his daughter (and at one stage, claimed she was!).
* ThrowItIn: Devane re-wrote most of his character's dialogue, to the point where, in co-star Michele Lee's words, "most people (on set) were (probably) frightened of him."

* FakeBand: Ciji/Cathy frequently perform in-series, and Lisa Hartman did launch a music career during her tenure on the show. Entire segments were given over to her having a [[OutOfGenreExperience musical interlude]].

!!Kenny Ward [-(James Houghton)-]

One half of the cul de sac's hot younger couple, as the show began, Kenny was just an immature young male sleeping around with all kinds of women, from his neighbour's daughter to his co-worker; Kenny was like a male-slut. However, he matured when he became a father and realized that happiness meant family. In four years, his character matured.

%%* SeventiesHair: In the first season especially.
%%* TheCharmer
%%* TheHedonist
%%* HandsomeLech
* HerosMuse: Kenny knew that with Ciji his career would not only boost, but Ciji would become a superstar. Kenny saw an opportunity to climb the ladder of success. Ultimately, it's his wife Ginger who becomes his main muse, and the couple move to Nashville to grow her singing career.

%%* PrettyBoy
%%* ReallyGetsAround
%%* RecordProducer

%%* TotallyRadical

!!Ginger Ward (née Kilman) [-(Kim Lankford)-]

Ginger was a good neighbor, she would always turn to Karen for advice, ask Valene for extra help at the school, and she was also very close to Laura. As a new bride, Ginger tried to make her marriage strong from the beginning, but Kenny's cheating ways always got in the way.

%%* SeventiesHair: In the 1st and 2nd seasons.
%%* BabiesMakeEverythingBetter
* EarnYourHappyEnding: She eventually realized her dream of becoming a singer when she and Kenny moved to Nashville to further her career.

%%* HotTeacher

%%* NaiveEverygirl

!!Ciji Dunne & Cathy Geary [-(Lisa Hartman)-]

Ciji and Cathy were both singers. Ciji, who was something of a fantasy woman for Gary, was murdered, leaving almost everyone in Knots Landing as a suspect. Some months later, Ciji's {{Doppelganger}} Cathy Geary showed up after being released from prison. Gary was interested in helping Cathy get a fresh start on life, even falling into a brief affair with her, but it was revealed she was hired by Abby to distract him. Despite this, they remained friends.

* EightiesHair: Knots' definitive example -- as Ciji, she rocked a Billy Ray Cyrus fe-mullet, then as Cathy, an unbelievable hair-metal bouffant.
* ActingForTwo: One of the most famous (or indeed infamous) examples on TV.
%%* BreakoutCharacter
%%* TheCastShowOff: But to be fair, Lisa Hartman has a great voice.
%%* ContrivedCoincidence

* {{Doppelganger}} / IdenticalStranger: When the Ciji character was murdered, [[PanderingToTheBase reaction from fans]] prompted the producers to create a new "look-alike" character for Hartman -- Cathy Geary.
** CriminalDoppelganger: Cathy was hired by Abby to distract Gary from her machinations surrounding the Lotus Point project, as she knew Gary would be memorized by her resemblance to Ciji.
** BecomingTheMask: Cathy soon develops feelings for Gary, and admits the ploy to him.
%%* FakeBand
%%* InnocentBlueEyes
* KilledOffForReal: Poor Ciji.
** EveryoneIsASuspect: Ciji's growing popularity among the close-knit neighbors and friends prompted many bouts of jealousy. Richard blamed his marital problems and financial distresses on Ciji, even insisting that Ciji and Laura were having an affair. Chip didn't want anyone to know about their affair as he was having another affair with young Diana Fairgate. He led people to believe that Ciji and Gary were having an affair thus prompting even more animosity, this time from Gary's lover and business partner Abby Cunningham and Gary's ex-wife Valene; who thought Ciji led to Gary's new bouts with alcohol. Kenny's wife Ginger became increasingly jealous as Kenny spent so much time with Ciji while ignoring her own dreams of singing success; Ginger had her final straw when Kenny gave Ciji a song to sing that Ginger had written. Kenny began resenting his protégé as well when Gary and Abby signed on famous producer Jeff Munson to take over her album. Turns out, it was Chip AKA Tony Fenice.
%%* LesbianSubtext: Between Ciji and Laura Avery.
%%* LustObject: Ciji (and Cathy) for Gary.

%%* PowerBallad / HairMetal: With the emphasis on the ''hair''....
* StuntCasting: The character of Ciji Dunne was originally created to help launch Lisa Hartman's singing career.

* ChickMagnet: He's one of the hottest guys in the series, and is he subject of Abby's attention as soon as she moves onto the cul-de-sac. It's very rare to find Gary single -- if he's not with Val or Abby (his two long-term partners throughout the series' run), he'll be hooked up with some other beautiful woman.

* HighSchoolSweethearts: He and Val have known each other since she was just 16 and, after countless dramas over the course of the series' run, they're still together by the finale.

* MiddleChildSyndrome: He's sandwiched between his go-getting, powerful older brother JR and his heroic, beloved younger brother Bobby and struggles to make his mark and fit in with the Ewing family -- hence the move to knots.

* TheBusCameBack: Returned to the Dallas/Knots universe in 2013, around the time of JR'S funeral.

* 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 raising his niece, Lucy.
* DeepSouth: In her capacity as a poor but beautiful teenage bride (and mother), hailing from deep out in the Tennessee Pine country. "Valene" (and her mother's name, "Lilimae") are also archetypal Southern-sounding names -- it's even lampshaded in-series by a diner owner who comments:

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: One of the sweetest characters in the series, if at times tragically naive.

* IJustWantToBeLoved: Val's eager to please and craves approval and love, from both friends and partners.

* 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.
* NaiveNewcomer: The cosmopolitan, breezy Californian vibe of Knots Landing initially unsettles her, and after they move in, she tells Gary "I don't think we should have moved here..."

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Turns up at Gary and Val's and immediately causes them grief by heading to a wild party at Kenny and Ginger's.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Considering she is Gary and Val's ''daughter'', following one CrossOver in Season 1, she's never seen again, and even mentioning her becomes non-existent due to Dallas' "[[AllJustADream Dream]] [[{{retcon}} Season]]".

* CoolOldLady: She becomes this as she and Val repair their relationship, and is not to be messed with in defence of her daughter.

* GreenEyedMonster: He pressures Cathy to sing on his show, but when she starts becoming more popular than him, cracks in his sanity appear...
* HolierThanThou: Following his sanity slippage, he uses the bible as a means of justifying his crazed behaviour.
* KilledOffForReal: He dies after slipping backward off the roof, following an ''astronomic'' TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Lilimae.

* ParentalAbandonment: Lilimae abandoned ''both'' he and Val to pursue her career and he arguably had it worse, as fro years she denied he was her son, maintaining that she was his aunt.

* DoggedNiceGuy: In his pursuit of Val -- whom he knows never truly got over Gary.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: His fate was never revealed, following his departure from the show.

* EightiesHair: Less so than Abby, Val, and Cathy but she sported some gravity-defying perms in her time, as well as the heavy-fringed bob in her image above.
* AudienceSurrogate: She was arguably written so as to be the most relatable character in the series.

* GoodIsNotSoft: She's a decent, campaigning sort, but will absolutely not stand for any nonsense, and is very capable of sticking up for herself, and dressing down those who cross her.

* AnyoneCanDie: Sid was one of the series' lead actors and husband to the lead female in the cast, and yet is killd by mafia thugs in Season 2.

* [[PsychoExGirlfriend Psycho Ex Wife]]: His FemmeFatale ex-wife turns up in Season 1, determined to win him back.

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Begins the series as a sweet good girl, but becomes a complete brat after her father Sid's death, culminating in her hooking up with the psychotic Tony Fenice and refusing to let her parents help her.

* TheRunaway: Falls in love with conman Tony Felice, and goes on the run with him.

* [[DatingWhatDaddyHates Dating What Mommy Hates]]: Eric meets Linda at college, who he very quickly married, much to the dismay of his mother.

* LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: Poor Michael did not have much chance with the women. There was Paige Matheson, Mack's daughter. Michael really liked her but she dumped him for Peter Hollister. Then, Michael met Jodi Campbell by saving her from drowning. But the relationship did not work out. Then, his study partner, Ellen, preferred Johnny Rourke over him. Lastly, there was Linda Fairgate, his own brother Eric's wife.

* AbusiveParents: He had a very tough childhood due to he and his sister Megan being constantly abused by their father, Pete Mackenzie.

* LongLostRelative: In series 7, Paige Matheson arrived on his doorstep claiming to be his daughter.

* AmbitionIsEvil: Coming from a humble background, Abby claws herself ever upwards and personifies the "greed is good" having it all decadence of the 80s.

* BigBrotherWorship: Adored her old brother, Sid -- one of the only men she had much respect for.

* FemmeFatale: She's exceptionally beguiling and beautiful and literally has both Richard and Gary in the palm of her hands and panting minutes after she arrives on the cul de sac.

* MsFanservice: She's the most beautiful woman in the series, sports a variety of revealing outfits and is the most likely to stand about in a towel or her underwear. She also famously has an early jacuzzi scene with Richard which, as the water was ice-cold according to Mills, has her shuddering and gasping in such a way that it caused moral outrage post-viewing, as sensors thought she was being pleasured(!)

* SugarAndIcePersonality: She ''can'' be nice, but only really to her kids (and Sid) -- most of the time, she's on the make.

* BrattyTeenageDaughter: She's an absolute brat in her later teenage years, becoming hooked on pot/coke and even threatening Abby with physical violence when she won't let her leave the house.
* [[CallingTheOldManOut Calling The Old Lady Out]]: A lot -- mostly for breaking up with Gary, whom she viewed as a father.

* EpiphanyTherapy: Her friends eventually convince her to empower herself and become independent from Richard, so she begins her own career, carving out a career as a realtor.
* ExtremeDoormat: In her first few seasons, especially, she is a pitiable, put-upon woman.

* HostageSituation: Richard goes completely ''mental'' when she says she is divorcing him and holds her and son Jason hostage at the Avery house.

* FrenchCuisineIsHaughty: When recovered from the above, he begins a radical career shift and opens a French restaurant, named ''Daniel'' after his second son.

%%* NeverMessWithGranny

* TeamMom: For the other women of the cul de sac (except Abby), she's an anchor and de facto 'leader'.

%%* BecauseImGoodAtIt

!!Laura Avery Sumner (née Murphy) [-(Constance Mccashin)-]

The wife of {{Jerkass}} Richard Avery, and later, Greg Sumner. Initially an oppressed housewife, she later became a successful real estate agent. Laura died in 1987 of a brain tumor.

* AwfulWeddedLife: To Richard, Laura was just another housewife. He occasionally cheated on her and as time went by, his treatment towards her kept getting worse to the point of abuse.
%%** DomesticAbuse
%%** TheMasochismTango
** ParentingTheHusband: During Richard's depressive phases.

%%* DeadpanSnarker

** EpiphanyTherapy: Her friends eventually convince her to empower herself and become independent from Richard, so she begins her own career, carving out a career as a realtor.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Despite bumps along the way, she ends up happily married to Greg Sumner....until she is diagnosed with a brain tumor, that is.

%%* HomeMaker: When first introduced.

* KilledOffForReal: She was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor.
** DeadManWriting: In the fall of 1987, Laura passed away. After her death, she left a videotape for her friends.
* LesbianSubtext: Between she and Ciji -- it's never really made clear if it's all in Richard's head or a genuine dalliance.

!!Richard Avery [-(John Pleshette)-]

A lawyer, and later a restaurant owner. Unhappily married to Laura, he struggled to assert himself after she launched a successful career in real estate. In 1982, he suffered a nervous breakdown (where he held Laura hostage at gunpoint) and left town in 1983 without his family, as he and Laura divorced.

%%* AmoralAttorney
%%* CasanovaWannabe
%%* DomesticAbuse: To poor Laura.

%%* IrrationalHatred
%%* {{Jerkass}}
%%* NapoleonComplex

%%* SanitySlippage

** TheBusCameBack: He reappears briefly in 1987 when Laura (who was dying) leaves their sons in his care.

!!Jason Avery [-(Justin Dana / Danny Gellis / Danny Ponce / Michael Newmark )-]

Eldest son of Richard and Laura, Jason seems to have adjusted well when his parents were going through some drama in their marriage. He became a big brother when Daniel was born in 1982.

* TheOtherDarrin: Was played by no less than ''four'' actors during the series run.

!!Olivia Cunningham [-(Tonya Crowe)-]

Abby's rebellious daughter who became addicted to drugs. She later married mobster's nephew Harold Dyer against her mother's wishes, making Abby cut her off financially.

%%* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Hoo boy...

* DisappearedDad: Following a brief custody back and forth in series 2, Olivia and Brian's father is never seen (or discussed) again in the series.

** MyGodWhatHaveIDone: When Brian was beaten up as a result of Olivia's drug usage, she finally agreed to get help, and stopped taking drugs.

%%* TeensAreShort

!!Brian Cunningham [-(Bobby Jacoby / Creator/BrianAustinGreen)-]

Brian basically was the good, dutiful son. Abby kept a close rein on him, right down to monitoring what his activities were (ie. eating habits, watching television, hanging with friends). When Abby moved to Japan, he went to live with her.

* TheOtherDarrin: Bobby Jacoby was replaced by Brian Austin Green in 1985.

%%* AuthorityEqualsAssKicking

!!Abby Cunningham Ewing (née Fairgate) [-(Donna Mills)-]

Sid's sister, and the neighborhood troublemaker. After divorcing her first husband, Abby decided to move to Knots Landing where she began working as a bookkeeper at Knots Landing Motors. She engaged in affairs with Richard, and later Gary, destroying his marriage to Val. Abby then married Gary herself (mainly to get his inheritance) but they divorced a couple of years later. Although Abby adored her brother Sid, Abby and Karen rarely got along.

%%* EightiesHair: Holy ''shit''.
%%* AesopAmnesia
%%* AmbitionIsEvil

* BigBrotherWorship: Adored her old brother, Sid.
%%* BlondeRepublicanSexKitten

* TheFashionista: Anytime including any one (or all) of the below:
%%** GemEncrusted
%%** GiantPoofySleeves
%%** PimpedOutDress
%%** PrettyInMink
%%* FemmeFatale

%%* ManipulativeBitch
%%* MsFanservice

%%** IHaveBoobsYouMustObey
%%* RichBitch

%%* SugarAndIcePersonality

*** BrainyBrunette

!!Sid Fairgate [-(Don Murray)-]

Karen's first husband, and the owner of Knots Landing Motors. Hard-working, fair, and at times stubborn, Sid was the emotional rock of the show during the first two seasons. Sid was killed when his car was sabotaged by shady mafioso thugs.

%%* AnyoneCanDie

* KilledOffForReal: He was killed after his car was sabotaged.
* MayDecemberRomance: Always looked far more mature than Karen.
** In "Players", Karen mentions that she is seven years younger than Sid. In real life, Don Murray was thirteen years older than Michele Lee.

* [[PsychoExGirlfriend Psycho Ex Wife]]: His FemmeFatale ex-wife turns up in series 1, determined to win him back.
* SacrificialLion: After mafia thugs blackmail his dealership into accepting stolen parts, he volunteers to work with the police (despite the obvious danger) in a stinger operation to bring them to justice.....which ultimately leads to his death, when a mafia plant at his dealership sabotages his brakes.
%%* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules

!!Diana Fairgate Fenice [-(Claudia Lonow)-]

Diana was the eldest child of Sid and Karen Fairgate.

%%* BrattyTeenageDaughter
%%* DaddysGirl

%%* TheRunaway
* StockholmSyndrome: Diana met and fell in love with Chip Roberts who moved in next door with Valene and Lilimae. At Chip's suggestion, she ran off with him when Ciji discovered that he was really Tony Fenice, a con-man wanted by the police, although Diana didn't know this at the time. On the road, Chip's behavior became increasingly possessive and Diana, frightened, tried to make contact with Karen. The police tracked them down when they discovered Diana had used her credit card to pay for fuel and Chip was arrested. However, by that time Diana had succumbed to Chip's charms and revealed (proudly) that she was now "Mrs. Tony Fenice".

** TheBusCameBack:....And only returned years later in 1997 for the "Back to the cul de sac" special.

!!Eric & Michael Fairgate [-(Steve Shaw & Patrick Petersen)-]

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.

* AdorablyPrecociousChild: Michael, again in the early seasons, complete with obligatory "gee whizz, mister!"
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Michael, in the early seasons
dialogue.

%%* NiceGuy: Eric

!!Marion Patrick "Mack" Mackenzie [-(Kevin Dobson)-]

Karen's second husband; an attorney who worked for the Governor's office before opening his own private practice. He first met Karen when he worked as the Federal Prosecutor, helping to catch the men responsible for Sid's death. He later worked for his old classmate, Senator Greg Sumner, at his crime commission though later quit because he could not tolerate Sumner's schemes which led to the pair of them becoming rivals.

%%* BrooklynRage: When pushed.

%%* GenderBlenderName
* ForGreatJustice: Seeks to stamp out corruption of any kind.

%%* HelloAttorney

%%* NoIndoorVoice

%%* DumbBlonde: At times.

%%* GossipyHens

!!Joshua Rush [-(Creator/AlecBaldwin)-]

Lilimae's son whom she abandoned as a baby. He was raised by his preacher father and came to Knots Landing as a rather innocent young preacher. He later became a televangelist and married Cathy Geary, but became mentally ill and extremely violent. After he tried to kill Cathy, he accidentally fell off a roof and died.

%%* AxeCrazy

%%* FaceOfAnAngelMindOfADemon

%%* TheFundamentalist

%%* HolierThanThou: Following his sanity slippage.
%%* MommyIssues

%%* ParentalAbandonment: Oh Lilimae -- ''both'' your kids?

%%* SanitySlippage

* TakingYouWithMe: At the zenith of his madness, he decides that Kathy and he must die together as one, and so kidnaps her, taking her to an abandoned building downton -- with Lilimae in hot pursuit.
** KilledOffForReal: He dies after slipping backward off the roof, following an ''astronomic'' TheReasonYouSuckSpeech from Lilimae.
--->'''Lilimae''': “Don’t call me momma, I’m NOT your momma! You’re NOT my son! How could I have given birth to anyone as cold and cruel as you!!”

!!Ben Gibson [-(Douglas Sheehan)-]

Ben entered the Knots Landing scene in the fall of 83. He was a reporter who wanted to get information on Valene Ewing whose soon to be ex-husband Gary Ewing was to be convicted for the murder of the late singer Ciji Dunne. At first, he dated her for a story, but he soon found himself falling in love with the beautiful blonde. By the fall of 84, Ben was married to Val and working at the World Pacific Cable. He let everyone believe that he was the father of Val's twins, despite knowing that Gary was in fact the father.

* GoingForTheBigScoop

%%* IntrepidReporter

%%* NiceGuy

!!Karen Fairgate Mackenzie (née Cooper) [-(Michelle Lee)-]

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.

%%* EightiesHair: Less so, however than Abby, Val, and Kathy.

%%* BrainyBrunette

%%* GoodIsNotSoft
* HappilyMarried: She and Mack -- despite bumps on the way, they're one of the enduring couples in the series.
** In 1987, the writers wanted Mack to have an extramarital affair with Anne. Michele Lee protested this to [[ExecutiveMeddling David Jacobs]], saying, "There has to be ''one'' stable couple on the show." The extramarital affair storyline was nixed.

%%* HotBlooded
%%* TheIdealist
%%* LargeHam: Early on in the series

%%* PlatonicLifePartners: With best friend Val.

%%* StatuesqueStunner
* StrawmanPolitical: A little -- of the liberal persuasion.
%%* TeamMom

!!Lucy Ewing [-(Charlene Tilton)-]

Gary and Val's daughter, Lucy grew up hating JR after he separated her from her parents when she was a baby, driving them out of Texas and threatening to kill Valene if she ever returned for her child. She appeared as a guest star in series 1 and is then only infrequently mentioned after that.

%%* BrattyTeenageDaughter
%%* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome
%%* CrossOver: Just the once, in series 1.

!!Lilimae Clements [-(Julie Harris)-]

Valene's mother. Though they'd been estranged for many years, after Lilimae virtually abandoned Valene as a teenager in her quest to become a country singer, Lilimae reappeared in Valene's life during Season 1. In Season 3, she moved in with Valene and Gary, remaining in Knots Landing until Season 7.

%%* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents

%%* CoolOldLady
%%* CountryMusic: Her specialty.

%%* DeepSouth: A mild example, but she still qualifies.

!!Valene Ewing Gibson (née Clements) [-(Joan Van Ark)-]

Valene is a sweet, naive woman, originally from a poor Tennessee family. Her storyline in the first season of Dallas focuses on the rebuilding of her former marriage to estranged ex-husband Gary. When Valene arrives in Texas to find her daughter, Lucy Ewing, she is brought back into the drama of the Ewing family. Upon arrival, she is reunited with Gary with whom she slowly falls back in love. Once Dallas became a hit, series creator David Jacobs decided to transplant the couple to Knots Landing, which would feature Valene and Gary prominently.

* EightiesHair: Her hair was usually quite feminine and pretty in the early seasons -- but come the late eighties, she began sporting an astonishing fe-mullet.

%%* CountryMouse
%%* CrossOver
%%* DarkAndTroubledPast
* DeepSouth: A mild example, but she still qualifies in her capacity as a poor (but beautiful) teenage bride (and mother), hailing from deep out in the Tennessee Pine country.
** "Valene" (and "Lilimae") are also archetypal Southern-sounding names -- it's even lampshaded in-series by a diner owner who comments:

* DistressedDamsel
* FanserviceWithASmile: Was working as a waitress when Gary first met her.

%%* GirlNextDoor

* HighSchoolSweethearts: She and Gary.

%%* LoveHurts
%%* NaiveNewcomer
%%* NiceGirl
* ParentalAbandonment: When Valene was 5 years old, her mother Lillimae left to pursue her music career, leaving Valene to be looked after by her father.
* ParentalIssues: The above causes a tense atmosphere for many years, and it took a long time for Val to make peace with her mother.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With best friend Karen.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: Following the break-down of her marriage to Gary, and the abduction of her twins, Val berates herself in an [[TearJerker upsetting]] MirrorMonologue. Joan Van Ark lists it as her proudest, but most difficult scene:
-->'''Val''':''"How could anybody love you? How could anyone want you? Look at you. You look like a man, you're as flat as a board! No, you look like an old lady, your arms are so skinny and scrawny. That long, sad face and those eyes. You're always trying to be so sweet. Sweet Valene, sweetpea....you're always trying to make everybody love you.....well you got what you deserve! So stupid....stupid little...sweet Valene."''

** WriteWhoYouKnow: Her debut work "Capricorn Crude" is a thinly-veiled reference to the Ewing family, her in-laws.

!!Garrison Arthur "Gary" Ewing [-(Ted Shackelford)-]

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.

%%* SeventiesHair: In the first few seasons.
%%* TheAlcoholic (usually recovering)
%%* BlackSheep

%%* ChickMagnet
%%* CrossOver
%%* HighSchoolSweethearts: He and Val.
%%* {{Jerkass}}: When drunk.
%%* MiddleChildSyndrome

%%* MrViceGuy
* ReallyGetsAround: Slept with most of the main women in the cast - Karen is just about the only exception.

%%* TroubledButCute

* TheUnfavorite (of Jock, he's actually Miss Ellie's favorite)
%%* WeakWilled
* WhatTheHellHero: Gary is a fundamentally good guy, but his drinking and womanizing ways will have you yelling this at the screen.