Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Too much about the plot just didn't add up, the writing was bad, some of the scenes were cringey and awkward,

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

I know, I know. These days the 80s are reviled by lefties as the 'decade of greed,' and other self-righteous, 'sour grapes' nonsense. Let those people wallow in their bitterness. I was young in the 80s and I had a ball.Because of that, I love to watch the 80s soap operas: Dynasty, Falcon Crest, The Colbys, etc. Dallas I was never fond of because JR was just too revolting, even for a soap opera villain, and Sue Ellen was such a neurotic loser and a pain in the nether region.Yes, the 80s soaps were this, this and the other. But what fun! And how refreshing to see good-looking people, slim, fit, well- dressed and made-up. I am fairly sick to death of fat, ugly, people who look like the spent the night in the hamper. And don't give me the "real life" spiel. After a day of dealing with the 'realities' of life I want escapism. I want glamour, luxury, beauty. Life's grievances are so much more bearable in luxurious surroundings. I'm into Dynasty now (thank you, Amazon!). Next will be Falcon Crest.Forget the bitter, gloomy negativity of these days, folks. Put the Do Not Disturb sign up, kick off your shoes, pour yourself a glass of wine, and come to the cabaret of 80s soaps!

I don't know if Jane Wyman was chosen to play the lead of hard-as-nails Angela Channing because she was then newly-elected President Reagan's first wife or not. The rumor back then was that the producers wanted her in the role as a kind of side-swipe at Reagan, whose right-wing politics they detested. Then came the rumors that first lady Nancy Reagan wouldn't let the president watch the show because Jane Wyman was in it. Back when we all had a common culture at the dawn of cable, this was all really very amusing. However, regardless of why and how she got the part, Jane Wyman owned that role and made it something special. Starting out playing the lead at age 64, she didn't miss a step until the last season or so, when bad health finally got the best of her.The setting is the fictitious Tuscany Valley of California and its lush vineyards. Chase Gioberti, played by Robert Foxworth, was Angela's nephew who was always going round and round with her. This was the principle conflict - Chase's principled stand versus Angela's dog-eat-dog approach to all problems. This first season has a kind of Romeo and Juliet theme to it as Chase's son and wealthy heiress Melissa Agretti fall in love and Melissa finds out she is pregnant. Fate being what it is on soap operas, Melissa ends up in an arranged marriage to Angela's lazy grandson-heir, Lance, with everyone outside the principle trio - Melissa, Angela, and Lance - believing Lance to be the father. Angela arranged this marriage to give her eventual ownership of the Agretti vineyards. This show was one of the popular night-time soap operas of the 80's along with Dallas, Dynasty, and Knot's Landing. Most of the characters weren't as rich as in Dallas - after all, we're talking grapes here not gasoline - but the stories didn't have the goofiness that Dynasty always had and Dallas eventually descended into.Highly recommended for people who remember the old nighttime soap operas and loved them like I did, and also for people who like soap operas in general.

FALCON CREST, like DALLAS and DYNASTY, was a popular prime-time soap with attitude. Premiering in 1981, the show follows the conflict between the Channing and Gioberti families over the Falcon Crest vineyard located in the Napa Valley region of San Francisco. Angela Channing (Jane Wyman) ruled Falcon Crest with an iron fist. Her nephew Chase Gioberti (Robert Foxworth) demanded a bigger piece of the profits for Falcon Crest wine that his father Jason, Angela's brother, left him. This set the stage for 9 years of fiery battles and even hotter sexcapades. Characters included Lance Cumson (Lorenzo Lamas), Angela's playboy grandson, his one-time scheming wife Melissa Agretti (Ana Alicia), Cole Gioberti (William R. Moses), Chase's son who fathered Melissa's baby, Richard Channing (David Selby), Angela's co-arch-enemy who was later revealed to be the son she thought dead 45 years earlier, and of course, Chase's beloved wife Maggie (Susan Sullivan), who would marry Richard and become Angela's daughter-in-law when Chase drowned trying to save a life. I stopped watching after Maggie was killed off. I think a lot of people did for they really loved her and rooted for her.

Who could have thought that Earl Hamner,the creator of The Waltons would follow in the footsteps of series creators Lee Rich and Aaron Spelling? Well,Lee Rich was the brains behind "Dallas" and "Knots Landing",while Aaron Spelling was at the helm behind "Dynasty","Hotel",and "The Colbys", Hamner was the creator behind "Falcon Crest" one of the solid classic soap operas that ever came to prime-time. While it rivoted viewers from 9 seasons on CBS-TV,it was one of the top ten shows of the 80's and early 90's. This show was totally different and it didn't take it stories too seriously since it was set in the Tuscany Valley of California which consisted of wealthly vinyardists who would bickered at each other,and plot and scheme their way to the top of the empire. Leading by some heavy hitters including legendary actress Jane Wyman,Susan Sullivan,Robert Foxworth and Lorenzo Lamas and not to mention special appearances by Ursula Andress and actor Eddie Albert,this show was to make the expected the unexpected and so forth. Great series! Catch it on SoapNet!