There was much needed changes made between the pilot episode, "The Vintage Years", and the actual premier episode of "Falcon Crest" in December of 1981. Gone is Jane Wyman's Barbara Stanwyck hairstyle (which worked for her, but not for Jane) and the ridiculous character name of Dorcas for the beautiful Abby Dalton. There's better casting for Chase and Maggie Gioberti with Robert Foxworth and Susan Sullivan who seemed better fit to be the parents for Billy Moses and Jamie Rose, repeating their roles as Cole and Vicky Gioberti. Lorenzo Lamas tones down his nastiness (to be redone in a more subtle way) and the unseen Emma (Margaret Ladd) is introduced in quite the dramatic way.
The writing is quite a lot better too with much more fleshed out characters and less cliches for the situations. Certainly there was the connecting mystery with Angela manipulating the facts surrounding Jason Gioberti's death. Jane Wyman's hair isn't quite Mamie Eisenhower as has been joked about, but she's slyly charming even if she obviously has an agenda.
Dalton's Julia still is said to have a drinking problem but seems stable. The more I look at her the more she reminds me of Faye Dunaway minus the scenery chewing. Margaret Ladd at the beginning wasn't comic relief, but a troubled young lady who needed help to reclaim herself and become the vivacious fun loving truth teller she was in later seasons. It doesn't quite set out to be "Dallas" or "Dynasty", but the fabulous opening credits with that lush Bill Conti score gets me every time.
The writing is quite a lot better too with much more fleshed out characters and less cliches for the situations. Certainly there was the connecting mystery with Angela manipulating the facts surrounding Jason Gioberti's death. Jane Wyman's hair isn't quite Mamie Eisenhower as has been joked about, but she's slyly charming even if she obviously has an agenda.
Dalton's Julia still is said to have a drinking problem but seems stable. The more I look at her the more she reminds me of Faye Dunaway minus the scenery chewing. Margaret Ladd at the beginning wasn't comic relief, but a troubled young lady who needed help to reclaim herself and become the vivacious fun loving truth teller she was in later seasons. It doesn't quite set out to be "Dallas" or "Dynasty", but the fabulous opening credits with that lush Bill Conti score gets me every time.
