A Family Matter

Knots Landing 

Season 2 Episode 9

Airdate:  January 22, 1981

Recap:  Val, Karen and Abby are all in the car, and talking about JR coming to town for an oil convention.  Abby tells them that she is interested in him, and Karen tells her about the last time he was in town.  They ask her who she is meeting at the hotel, but she won’t tell them.

   Gary is talking to the two thugs; they remind him that he has until Thursday to come up with the money, he tells them that he won’t have it by then.

   They drop off Abby at the hotel, and she knocks at a door, and JR lets her inside his room.

   Sylvie asks Kenny why he lied to her, and shows him the divorce papers she found in his pocket.  She asks him if they can start over and get a new place that is their own, he tells her it won’t work out, he tells her that he wants to get Ginger back.

   Abby tells JR that Gary doesn’t know she has come to see him, and she tells him about what Gary is trying to do for Sid.  She asks him that if Gary came would he give him the money, and JR tells her that he would.

At the dealership Abby goes to Gary and he tells her no, he won’t have anything to do with his brother, she tells him that they will do something to him a lot worse and she doesn’t want to see that happen to him if he doesn’t come up with the money.  She tells him to think of Sid, he reminds her that Sid didn’t want anything to do with the stolen parts, and he tells her that every time he gets tangled with JR he loses, and he won’t go to him.

   Diana comes in and finds Michael making a collage for his class, and gets upset when she finds that he went into her room and took her yearbook and cut out pictures of basketballs that he needed.  She gets upset when Karen reminds her that everyone is trying to help Michael and be patient with him.

   Abby meets JR at the restaurant, he tells her that she is working really hard for someone who doesn’t seem to want any help.  She changes her approach and tells him that Val is talking about moving back to Texas, so if Gary can’t make a success at the dealership, they will move back, and Gary will go back to the family business.  She tells him that 50,000 will help him.  She suggests that he go to see Gary at the dealership.

Gary is trying to sell a car to a guy whose hearing aid doesn’t work, when JR arrives.  Abby comes over and suggests that they show JR around.  When they get into the garage and JR is talking to Sid about his engine, Gary pulls her aside and asks her why she brought him here, she tells him to trust her.  They go back over to JR and Sid and Abby suggests that they all come over to her house for dinner; Gary isn’t thrilled with the idea.

  Ginger is helping Karen with her groceries, and tells her that she is pregnant.  Karen is excited for her and asks her if it is good news, Ginger tells her that it would have been last year, but now with the separation she isn’t so sure.  She tells her that she is she is afraid to tells Kenny, because of what he might or might not say to her.  Karen tells her that she needs to talk to him.  Diana comes in and is eating an ice cream cone, Karen asks her where she got it, Diana tells her that she bought it.  Karen tells her that it wouldn’t be fair to Michael who is on a special diet to see her eating that when he can’t.  She tells her that she is tired of it all and walks out on her.

   Val tells Gary that she doesn’t want to go, he tells her that he doesn’t want to go either, Karen walks into the kitchen and tells them that if she has to go then they have to go.  At the dinner party, JR is trying to give a toast, but Abby’s kids keep interrupting him.  Sid tells JR more about his engine, he asks him about his patent, Sid tells him that it’s not ready for that just yet.  JR mentions Gary’s deal, and Sid asks what deal, JR sees the look on Gary’s face, and tells him that he confused his brothers, it’s Bobby with the deal, not Gary.

Richard is looking out the window at Abby’s house; he asks Laura if she knows what’s going on.  She tells him that Abby doesn’t talk to her.  He tells her that they don’t go out anymore now that she is working, and all she talks about is her work.  She asks him if his problem is that Abby is having a party without him, he denies it, and walks out, when Laura tells him that she knows that is what is bothering him.

   JR is talking to everyone about Lucy and her new boyfriend and that he will have to set him straight and get in going on the right path, Val goes off on him and leaves the house.  When they get home, she tells Gary that she won’t apologize to JR; he tells her that he wouldn’t ask her to.  She asks him what JR wants with them, and makes him promise not to get involved with him.

   Michael listens to his parents talking about him in the hallway.  Sid is telling her to stop treating him like he is a freak.

   JR tells Abby that he wishes his brother had married someone like her; she would be someone he could talk to.  He tells her that he knows that Gary is involved with stolen parts; she says that she wishes she could change his mind.  He tells her that he will give Gary the loan, only if he asks for it himself.

   The next morning Gary asks Abby what she is up to, she tells him that she is only trying to help him, and that she doesn’t want to see him get hurt.  He tells her that nothing is simple with his brother.  Abby tells him that going to his brother will keep him out of a wheelchair.

   JR is on the phone in his hotel room when there is a knock at the door, he goes to answer it and its Val, she tells him that she wants to talk to him about Gary.  He tells her that he didn’t come here for anything but the convention and he doesn’t want anything from Gary.  JR tells Val that she is dragging Gary down, that he could be so much better.  She tells him that she is glad that someone shot him and wishes she had done it.

Kenny comes into the house and tells Ginger that he broke things off with Sylvie, she realizes that he thinks he can move back in now, she tells him that she had been asking him for months to break things off with her and now that she started seeing someone he wants her back.  He admits that it’s true; he tells her that he thought that this is what she wanted.  She tells him that she wishes that things could be as simple as he wants them to be.

   Karen asks Michael if he is ready for their jog, he tells her he doesn’t want to go, and tells her that he heard them talking about him last night.  He tells her that he doesn’t want to be a freak.  She tells him that he isn’t a freak.  He tells her that Diana is always mad at him, and that the rest of the family is always trying to keep him busy, he tells her that he isn’t worth it.  She tells him that he is her son, and he is worth it, and that everyone is just trying to help him.

   The two thugs come by the dealership; they split up one going through the back way, checking to see if anyone is around.  Gary comes out and attacks him, when the other guy gets in from the front, he grabs Abby and tells Gary to let him go, they tell him that they only came to talk, and remind him about tomorrow. 

JR hands Gary the check, he tells Gary that he knows that he isn’t interested in helping Sid out, he wants the power.  Gary notices that the check isn’t sign.  JR takes the check back and gives him a suitcase full of money, he tells Gary that he wants to talk to him about Sid’s engine.

Guest starring Larry Hagman

Final Thoughts:  I thought this was a good way to bring JR back to Knots Landing.  Val got on my nerves in this episode though, she keep going on and on about how JR wanted something from Gary, when he probably would never have come seen him if Abby hadn’t gotten involved.  I know that she doesn’t like him, but come on.  I like that Karen is telling Michael that everyone is trying to help him when it’s clear that Diana hasn’t done much to help him or anyone else for that matter.  I hope this stolen parts story line doesn’t last much longer, I’m not sure how Gary is going to get away from it, once he pays them for the parts how exactly is he going to explain it to Sid?
Best Outfit:  Why would you go out of the house in this, it's fine going around the house in, but to go to your neighbors house.