Civil Wives

Knots Landing

Season 1 Episode 8

Air Date:  February 14, 1980

Recap:  Karen, Val and Laura are coming back from shopping, as they are helping her carry the stuff in the car, Laura tells them that she wants to go to visit her father, who isnt’ feeling well, but Richard told her that they can’t afford it, Val and Karen tell her just to tell him that she is going.  Karen goes to get the box from the car as a taxi pulls up.  A lady gets out and introduces herself to Val, it’s Sid’s ex-wife Susan.  Karen invites her inside and introduces her to Val and Laura

   Ginger is just getting home from grocery shopping, Eric rides over and helps her bring them inside.  They discover that they both like jazz.

   Sid calls Karen back after getting her message, she tells him that Susan is there about something about their daughter and some paper that he needs to sign.  Karen invites her to dinner, but Sid thinks that this is a bad idea.  Karen leaves them to go change leaving Laura and Val alone with Susan, Laura leaves quickly after that to go pick up Jason.

   Ginger and Eric are listening to the records, she doesn’t get to listen to them often because Kenny doesn’t like jazz.

   When Sid gets home he finds Karen still trying to find something to wear.  He asks her what she’s thinking, and he tells her that nothing but trouble will come of Susan being here.  He tells her that she wants something.

   Later Susan tells them she doesn’t understand why the lawyer didn’t call Sid, but he is out of town till Monday, so she is going to stay in town till then.  Diana makes a sarcastic remark about her staying at the house, and Karen insists she stay.

   When Kenny gets home he tells Ginger that he has to go out of town for the weekend for work.  Eric is invited to stay for dinner.

   Laura tells Richard that she and Jason are going to go visit her father, he tells her to cancel the fight, Sid calls interrupting them, Richard agrees to go over and look over the papers Sid’s ex brought with her.

   Richard goes over and tells Sid that they are pretty routine, but Sid deosn’t think Annie should get all that money right away, so he won’t sign the papers. 

   Richard goes home and tells Laura that she should go visit her father, he is lusting after Susan.

   In their room Sid tells Karen that it’s crazy of her to invite Susan to stay with them, he tells her that he knows what Susan is after, but he wants to know what Karen is after.

   Later that night Sid is downstairs drinking a glass of milk.  Susan comes down and tells him that she knew that he would be there, he asks her why she’s here.  She won’t give him a straight answer, she kisses him and tells him that they will continue in the morning.

   Richard gets home from dropping Laura and Jason off at the airport, he goes over to Karen’s and when she suggest he join them for dinner, he suggests that they all go out dancing, Karen says she isnt’ sure what Sid will say, but Susan comes out and says that he will agree.  She goes over to Knots Landing Motors and meets Gary, who tells her he heard all about her from Val.  Sid tells her to go home, she tells him that she can’t since they are going out.  He asks her what she wants, and she reminds him about when they first met.  She tells him that he made her feel worthwhile.  She tells him that her mother wore her down and that’s why she left him, she tells him that her mother died, and that she needs him to make her feel like he used to, she doesn’t want to interfere with his marriage, she just needs him, and she tells him she knows that he won’t let her down.

   Karen tells him that she is sorry that she invited Susan to stay, while they are getting ready for dinner, she tells him that if he has anything that he needs to do then he should do it.

   Eric surprises Ginger bring over more records.

   At the restaurant Susan and Richard are dancing, Karen asks Sid what happened that afternoon, but he tells her to drop it.

   Ginger talks to Eric about her younger sister, she wants them to spend sometime together, he gets up quickly telling her to keep the records.  I think that he got upset with her since he’s got a crush on her.

While Sid and Susan dance, Karen and Richard dance, the whole time Karen is watching them.  Susan tells him that she is going to check into a hotel and wants him to meet her there Monday  He tells her what Karen told him, and she says that she is very understanding.  He tells her that Karen understands him.  Susan tells him that she doesn’t want to interfere, Sid tells her that he won’t betray Karen only for the one moment Susan wants to have with him.  Susan gets upset and makes Richard leave.  Karen is shocked about what happened, and Sid tells her that Susan is bad news.

   Richard asks Susan if she comes out to California often, she tells him she hates it here.  She tells him to keep driving.

   At home Karen tells Sid that she is sorry.  He tells her that she was testing him and that he doesn’t like it.  He reminds her that Susan was the one who left him.

   Richard and Susan stop at a cheap motel. 

   The next morning Karen tells Sid that Richard still isn’t home.  At the motel Richard asks her if she want s to get some breakfast, because he always gets hungry after sex yuck, why do I need to know that.  He suggests calling Laura and having her stay with her father longer so that they can spend more time together, but she asks why would they want to do that, clearly this is just a one night stand to her. 

   Susan gets back to Sid and Karen’s, she goes to the kitchen and sits with Karen, she tells her that she had Sid at the shop.  Karen tells her that wanting is one thing, doing something is another.  Susan tells her that she didn’t lose, she just moved to fast for Sid.  Karen tells her that she knew why she came back, she just wanted to make it easier for Sid to finish it with her.  She says that Sid would never have chosen her because he’s too good for her.

   Sid tells Susan goodbye and watches her taxi drive away.  Richard comes over and tells Sid that he and Susan just drove around and talked all night.  When Sid goes into the hose he tells Karen what Richard said, she asks him if he believes him, he tells her that he decided to.  She tells him that she was testing him, but only because she needed to be chosen.  She tells him that she would do it again.  He tells her that he loves her and doesn’t love Susan.  She asks him when he stopped loving Susan, he tells her that he thinks I twas when Diana was really sick and she was crying, which made Diana cry, he tells her that was when he realized he had never been closer  to another person till then. 

Final Thoughts:  Sid reminds me of Gene Kelly for some reason, I think it must be his voice,  Could they have made Richard a bigger ass-hole?  Susan was a bitch too, it was great the way Karen put her in her place.  I hope she made her feel worthless, instead of worthwhile.

Best Outfit:  This reminds me of something Anne Shirley would wear in Anne of Green Gables, even the way she did her hair is similar.