Previously on "Knots Landing" -- a 14 Year Summary of TV's 2nd Longest Running Drama

"Knots Landing" is the second-longest running prime time television drama in the history of television. The show spun off from "Dallas" in December 1979 and ran 344 episodes through May 1993.

It all started in 1979 when Gary's mother, Ellie Ewing, bought Gary and Val their house on Seaview Circle. Gary's brother, Bobby from "Dallas", brought the newlyweds to California. Back then, Karen was married to her first husband Sid, who owned and worked at Knots Landing Motors, a local auto dealership.

Karen welcomed Gary and Val to the neighborhood with an overwhelming block dinner party.

Laura and Richard Avery were far from the ideal couple. They lived next to Karen and Sid on the other side than Gary's and Val's house. At that time, they had one son, Jason, and a few years later, a second son, Daniel, was born.

Newlyweds Ginger and Kenny Ward, like Gary and Val, had recently moved to the cul-de-sac. Kenny was a record producer who met Ginger when she was a struggling performer. Kenny of course promised Ginger the moon in terms of her career, but all she got was a job taking care of Kenny.

It wasn't too long after moving in that recovering alcoholic Gary fell off the wagon. Around the same time, Sid's sister, Abby Fairgate blew into town. Karen knew Abby was a troublemaker, but Karen was used to that. Sid's family seemed to have more than their share of troublemakers, including Sid's daughter, Annie, from his first marriage.

Abby got a job with Knots Landing Motors and it wasn't long before she and Gary got Sid mixed up in some stolen auto parts mess with the mob. Abby was the bookkeeper at Knots Landing Motors. Abby jury-rigged the books to hide what was really going on. When Sid got wise to it, and the feds got involved, Sid was sent hurtling off a cliff in his car. Around the same time, Abby's first husband showed up and kidnapped her two kids.

Sid was paralyzed from the accident and opted - against Karen's wishes - for an operation that could help him regain the use of his body. But the operation was not a success and Sid died on the table.