Most Under-utilized Later Season Character

[Matt Sumner]

In the last 4 seasons of the series (or so), there were several characters that had potential that never fully developed. Claudia is a prime example. Watching Seasons 13 & 14 reminds me how the writers seemed to half-a** the last season. Watching them waste a character with so much complexity irritates me. They just let her slide as a one-dimensional manipulator who liked to blackmail people into sex (Nick/Alex?) and had a damaged relationship with her daughter.

Of the characters added later in the series. she had the lineage/connection and brass to actually shake things up! Too bad she wasn't on earlier in the series!

I attribute none of this to Kathleen Noone whom I enjoy watching. As someone with a television background, I understand you can only do so much with crappy script.

Any thoughts out there about characters who were under-utilized/wasted in the last few seasons?

[Alex Wade]

Kathleen Noone was used, but just not effectively. She should have held Greg captive or something, ala Whatever Happened to Baby Jane or Misery... She would have been MOST effective as Knots' last great psycho. Forget Pearce. That role should have gone to Noone.

Nick was also underused, but so was Harold and Aunt Ginny. They were just wasted, as was Linda.

[klmotors]

Bob, of Bob and Mort fame was the most under used late series character.

[ChrisSumnerMatheson]

If you wanna go back a little earlier, I'd have to say Laura was the most under-utilized character in the later years. This is why it was so easy for them to pick her to axe, because they never used her. She had great chemistry with William Devane, but once she married him the character became more segregated and didn't have the frontburner work the other ladies had.

Others I'd have to agree with you guys about Claudia. Kathleen Noone was great in the role, but I always wished they had gone further with it. I agree with Alex that she should've gone after Greg. Maybe when he needed the new liver (was it a liver?) he could go home and she could watch him.

And I don't even think I need to say it, but Linda was definitely a wasted character.

[Apploon]

Defenitely Laura. I will never understand why she just became a housewife after she married Greg and was never more involved in both his buisness and Lotus Point. Especially that Abby was always invloved in Sumner's buisness, you would think that Laura would step in now that she was equal to Abby and no longer struggling.

I also think Linda could have been used a lot more effectively. Lar was a good actress, but that character was such a mess.

[Daniel Avery]

I am so, so sorry that we never got to see Laura square off against Claudia. The heat of their hatred for one another could have run California's power grid for a decade. We all saw how Ruth and Laura could mix it up, and since Claudia was very much her mother's daughter--the wasted opportunities just boggle the mind. I agree that it was a shame that Claudia was not introduced sooner; she was given enough depth and backstory (and a kick-ass portrayer, IMO ) to fit in with the others of the middle years, and her introduction as Laura's nemesis would have breathed new life into post-marriage Laura just as the Peter Hollister thing gave her a purpose (and a million great quips) when he was pretending to be Greg's brother. In her motivation to protect Greg from the manipulations of his sister, Laura could have taken a job in the Sumner Group offices, watching Claudia like a hawk while gaining a new understanding of the sometimes-rotten things Greg did to people in the name of the corporation.

[Apploon]

And how cool would it have been if Laura and Abby had teamed up against Claudia! I would love to see those two working together again. Like the way thay Abby and Karen hated eachother but always came together for a common cause.

[klmotors]

And how cool would it have been if Laura and Abby had teamed up against Claudia! I would love to see those two working together again. Like the way thay Abby and Karen hated eachother but always came together for a common cause.

Laura hated Abby. She worked for her at Appaloon for the money. The 2 would never "work together." Besides, Abby didnt like Laura either, but did respect the fact that she scored Sumner. Claudia on the other hand was a nothing character, she was a college professor that wanted a piece of her brother's money. I mean Nick played Claudia. Nick couldn't touch Abby, I actually think Nick worked for Abby in the last episode. Claudia and Abby are not in the same class, you wouldn't to team up against Claudia..I mean Alex Barth walked all over her!

[Matt Sumner]

I disagree about Alex/Claudia and Nick/Claudia. To me, Claudia was in charge of both of those situations shortly after they started. She got manipulated by Alex, but turned the tables on him. She scared him at dinner by pretending his soup was poisoned and then slept with him because she knew Kate wouldn't want him if he porked her mother first. As for Nick, she operated carefully and never totally trusted him if I recall. Sometimes you have to give a little info. to get the other party to give a lot of info. Just part of the risk-- and I think she was ready for that.

You're right that she was no Abby. But she also came at a time in the series when an Abby-esque character may have been beyond the means of the writers. Not necessarily due to ineptitude, but more likely because of all the stops in production and the possibility of the series being cancelled. That's not the time to start a year-long storyline and/or romance and/or manipulation and/or power-grab that made many Abby stories so juicy.

Yes, had she come in around season 8, seeing her and Laura go toe-to-toe would have been great!! Would have been interesting to see her and Ben interact as well.

[sunshineboyuk]

Claudia was used heavily during her time on the show , just not used very well. The writers never had any idea of who she was or what she wanted . Her goals changed so much that it became difficult to care about the character , it is Noone's performance that is worth watching not the character arc.

p.s
I think the final season of Knots is wonderful in terms of the content of the show , it seems to come full circle and really focus on character .
I had lost interest in Knots by the time of season 14 so only recently watched it in full thanks to James and I was totally surprised at how great it was. From the moment you see Karen in a dirty raincoat , tired and beleagured at the cop shop u know ur in for a great season , it's very real just like the early years . Philips is at her best in s14 , actually they all are , there's a journey in s14 - rewind that tape!

[sunshineboyuk]

pp.s DARE i say it? - yes I dare - it benefits from the absence of Val who like Gary had come full circle. It's just a shame they kept Gary as a character , would have been best had they both exited and freed up the Ewing house. hee hee

[Alex Wade]

I quite agree that Shackleford should have left with Van Ark - and I can't believe that he didn't for the sake of the storyline. Gary and Val should have been written out together. Maybe they could have bought an RV and gone to visit LilliMae and Lucy. That would have been nice. Gary and Kate are quite sickening together, as he's old enough to be her father. Perhaps their absence would have breathed new life into the show. Maybe Ginger could have moved back along with a completely new mysterious family. Molly could have been a troubled teen. In that sense, it would have been a brand new show.

And Paige could have slept with the new family's husband - just like Abby did.

[KnotsKnutt]

Olivia. Kate was such an underwhelming substitute for her in the later years. Olivia, being Abby's daughter, had so much more possiblities over Kate being a dead-ringer to Mary Frances. I loved Kathleen Noone, and Claudia, was okay, but a tumultous mother/daughter relationship was already in progress with Anne and Paige. Olivia really had the potential to shakes things up if she was ever tempted to follow in the ways of her mother.

[ChrisSumnerMatheson]

I love the idea of Ginger returning. There was so much to explore with that character, it's a shame she never returned. Especially once Laura left, she could've given Val and Karen a friend to talk to. I really hated the Karen/Val relationship so that was one of the most lacking things once Laura left, imo.

I also agree that Shackelford could've gone with Van Ark. Something strange about season 14 is that I really didn't miss her! She was my favorite, but I really didn't care that she was gone. Maybe it's because the season was so good, but I do wish she had finished out her final storyline. I wanted her to hook up with Greg so badly!

[juppiter]

I love the idea of Ginger returning. There was so much to explore with that character, it's a shame she never returned. Especially once Laura left, she could've given Val and Karen a friend to talk to. I really hated the Karen/Val relationship so that was one of the most lacking things once Laura left, imo.
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I also agree that Shackelford could've gone with Van Ark. Something strange about season 14 is that I really didn't miss her! She was my favorite, but I really didn't care that she was gone. Maybe it's because the season was so good, but I do wish she had finished out her final storyline. I wanted her to hook up with Greg so badly!

I agree, I didn't really miss Joan Van Ark in season 14. Probably because the season is so short and the story moves fast, and also because you were prepared for it by getting less Val in seasons 12 and 13.

[abbyfan]

For main characters: Overall, I would have to go with Laura. Although in the early years, I would have to say Kenny & Ginger.

[sunshineboyuk]

Yes it's very interesting that the Val/Karen friendship really doesn't materialise as the " main " core friendship until season 4 when the writers really go with it.Until then it's an element yes, but it doesn't become Cagney & Lacy until much later.
Actually that's an insult to the Caggers & Laccers writers as their relationship was far less sentimental than the Val/Karen thing.

I agree with Chris , to me it's just not that interesting - it's more interesting perhaps for the actresses . I still can't remember more than 1 " pizza " reference and thats in season 1 and yet to hear Lee and Van Ark bang on about it you'd think it was Pizza every week for 13 seasons...

One of the great - and perhaps underused - elements of Knots in the early years was the complicated nature of the 5 main female friendships. They all interacted very differently with each other and I think the show would have been much better if that was really explored properly!

[sunshineboyuk]

p.s I'm glad there's support for s14 , I was overly harsh about it in the past but it's really great!

[Alex Wade]

Another completely underused character was that of Michael, who apparently drove off in a van to live down by the river. I think the characters of Michael and Olivia should have been recast by first rate actors. By the time they are written out, Crowe and Paterson are completely exhausted and bored with their parts. It makes sense.

I like the character of Kate, I just think it was bad writing to pair her with Gary, who was ancient by the time he bones her. They could have bought Lucy back to watch the twins and keep him company for a few episodes. I would much rather have seen the writers explore their relationship rather than pair him with a child.

[waynestevens]

I felt that Steve Brewer, Kate, Linda Fairgate, Michael Fairgate, and Mary Frances were all underused. These characters had the potential for taking over some of the established characters. Instead, Steve gets killed by his mother and Kate forgives her mother like nothing ever happened. The most sickening moment of season 13 was Linda Fairgate getting her throat slit by one of those weekly "revolving door" psychos the writers were so fond of. By the time David Jacobs halted production and tried to re-tool the show, the damage had been irrevocably done. Instead, the writers gave us Alex Barth, Pierce Lawton, and Vanessa "I need acting lessons" Hunt. These guys couldn't even do a decent guest role stint. Another thing, the nwhole Gary and Kate affair was sickening. She is younger than Lucy Ewing and his wife just "died".