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S2 Ep4 Knots Landing - Chance of a Lifetime: The "Ambitions, Lies, and Morning Sighs" Episode

• Jett Shae • Episode 221

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What happens when personal ambition clashes with professional and familial responsibilities? Join us as we unpack the dramatic twists and turns of Knot's Landing, season two, episode four, "Chance of a Lifetime." We'll explore Richard's relentless quest for validation amidst career chaos, Laura's steady rise in real estate, and Gary's risky business venture that threatens his friendship with Sid. Plus, we introduce exciting new characters, including Brian Dennehy as James Cargile and a boundary-breaking female mechanic, adding fresh layers to the narrative.

Valene's journey of self-improvement becomes a focal point as we examine the balance between personal growth and familial duties. Experience the morning chaos with Karen, Abby, and Richard, offering both comedic relief and drama. The striking dynamic between Laura and Karen foreshadows Laura's potential evolution into a tougher persona. Meanwhile, Richard's unexpected rise within his law firm highlights both his expertise and the challenges he faces, creating a rich tapestry of professional and personal turbulence.

Gary's entanglement with organized crime provides a thrilling subplot, while Richard's confrontation with his superiors and subsequent antics reveal deep-seated frustrations. Laura's career tensions and the strain on her relationship with Richard culminate in a pivotal moment, setting the stage for significant changes ahead. Don't miss our analysis of these riveting storylines and character arcs, where we also give practical tips on avoiding deceit and staying drama-free. Grab a drink, get comfortable, and join us for a deep dive into the layered world of Knot's Landing.

Speaker 1:

Turns out, this doormat can flip a house like Sunday morning pancakes, baby Hot butter, hot grease whatever you need, she's got it crispy on the edges if that's what you want. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome, or welcome back to SoFloor, the official gathering place for newbies, novices and OG diehard fans of the golden age of primetime. I'm your host Jett, viewing and reviewing the, the Sophia Sudsia's Primetime Storyline of 1980. That's right, we're back on the West Coast doing the absolute most on not landing. So, whether you're new to this or true to this, sit back and enjoy. Tell the kids it's time to play outside or out of sight, to obey no questions, suggestions or concerns, anyone else in earshot, cool, quiet or kicked out those are your options. Choose wisely, because we are jumping into our stories. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this is SoFloor. Welcome back, party people, to another fun full edition of SoFloor. I hope you are well rested, revved and ready to go, because we are going to go through three episodes of Not Slanding this week. That's the plan at least, trying my darndest to get all these out in a row. I don't know. I feel like the topic is it's light enough to be enjoyed, but it's also kind of heavy enough to where you really have to ponder this one enjoyed. But it's also kind of heavy enough to where you really have to ponder this one.

Speaker 1:

Knot's Landing, season two, episode four Chance of a Lifetime. I will be reading the fan mail and comments at another time. I'm not in my normal place, but I hope the sound quality is a little bit better, because one of my birthday gifts was a new microphone. Yay, got a little soundboard too. I'm not going to drive you guys crazy by pushing random buttons because I don't know what they all do right now. I'm going to give myself a few weeks to get acclimated and we'll see what happens going forward. Very exciting things on Soap Floor, but that's not it. We're not here to chatter, chatter, chit, chit about my birthday and the week and the celebrations. Maybe we'll do that. Another episode.

Speaker 1:

Today we got to talk about chance of a lifetime. It's one of those phrases that always gives me a little bit of pause. Now, as I've gotten older, I think it's one of those words. It's one of those phrases that I don't actually want to utter, because when you're like this is a trip of a lifetime, you mean to tell me I'll never do anything this cool again. I can't live the rest of my life thinking. I need to think of the affirmative Chance of a lifetime presents itself as an opportunity for something that is going to get to better your life. You've heard the phrase be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I think there's an even better phrase that needs to accompany that Be careful what you're good at, or you might always have to do it.

Speaker 1:

We're going to explore both of these themes on this episode today, along with a few others. This one is for the books. I say that about every episode, but this is. You know, it's that Falcon Crest and Oats landing thing. Somebody sat down and thought these stories through. I wonder how much of this is about real life situations. So many things going on this episode. Go ahead and settle in, pour yourself up something bubbly and let's go ahead and get into it. Season two, episode four Chance of a Lifetime. So among the many topics we're going to discuss today, we're going to explore Richard's pursuit of validation, laura's rising star in real estate, gary's questionable deal that may just jeopardize his friendship with Sid. We're also going to enjoy some sister-in-law shade the appearance of the heavily and almost exclusively typecast Brian Dennehy as James Cargile and apparently the first woman mechanic ever in humanity.

Speaker 1:

The show opens up, as usual, with a kind of a throwaway scene. We start off with Vidalia, the Onion Queen. That's Valene Getting ready for school. She's getting her education First thing in the morning. Her mind's on her money Well, her mind's on her mind and she's minding her business. She's excited. She's in community college. So proud of this woman. And I'll tell you what I don't care if this is 40 plus years old. When Valene graduates college, we are celebrating. Okay, I don't know what's going to happen. We are celebrating. I'm doing a giveaway or something. Shout out to my girl with her mind, getting her mind right, getting her life together, educating herself every step of the way. I love this.

Speaker 1:

Valene is a little bit concerned, not so much that the kids are young. She expected the kids to be young, but she didn't expect the professors to be young. Get out there and do it. And people always say you can do it for your kids. Do it for your kids, be a role model. No, do it for yourself. Not that your kids aren't important, but at some point in your life. It does not make you altruistic, doesn't make you this benevolent human being if you're like well, everything I do is for other people. Yes, there is a give and take. Yes, I have. I'm assuming a lot of your time is going to go towards other people, but do things for yourself. You are important enough to do it. She, I'm so glad she sees herself as important enough to be like I'm going to do something with my life. I love this.

Speaker 1:

I think a lot of women in particular struggle with sort of staying put in their familial roles, and it's okay to shake it up from time to time. It's good to shake it up by challenging yourself, and that's the through line. That's sort of the through line of this episode. And that's the through line, that's sort of the through line of this episode. It sort of weaves in and out of the space that you hold for yourself, the way you see yourself, your hopes, your future and your present. And then that question like is it possible to maintain what I have outside of what I want? Is it possible to have my cake and eat it too? Can I keep what I need and grow at the same time? The onion is peeling itself. Do you see the, the relationships? Uh, a little deeper this episode. There's this really funny exchange.

Speaker 1:

So after Valene rushes out of Karen's house why she was at Karen's house the first thing in the morning, I don't really remember, but Gary, gary's there, not important Karen goes outside to clean up her yard from the destruction that her kids or her nieces and nephew have destroyed on her front lawn, and up comes Abby. Abby comes running up, karen has her back to her first. We get to see karen roll her eyes because she already knows this heifer wants something. Dang girl, it's eight in the morning. What she turns around and she sees abby is in this red and purple outfit.

Speaker 1:

Women. You're gonna know exactly what I'm talking about if you've ever been in like the hallmark store, if you still have them any sort of greeting card section. There is this, I'm assuming. There's like a club of women who wear red and purple, specifically Seem to be older women. I can picture it in my mind right now. They have like these greeting cards with these old ladies, but they're wearing the red and purple. I don't know what they mean, but that's the first thing I thought when I saw her. I was like, oh, that's cool. I thought she looked cute, she looked professional. It's like a skirt suit. But Karen looks at her and she's like, oh, that's some outfit. Are you leaving or are you just now coming home?

Speaker 1:

Okay, karen still feels a way about Abby storing herself into the house at 4 am when the baby needed to go remember, remember, her son was babysitting. Karen still feels a way about that. But light and airy Abby just kind of smiles and laughs it off. She's like Karen oh my gosh, please help me. I need to drop. I have an interview today, but I got to drop the kids off. They're already late. Karen's like I cannot take your badass kids to school today. I have stuff to do. I can't do it. I can't do it. So this kind of this goes back and forth.

Speaker 1:

And then we see Richard come out of his house and he's yelling at Laura because he too is running late. But he's supposed to take Jason, their son, to school. He don't want to do it. Why can't you do it, karen? Why can't you? No excuse, why can't you do it, laura? Why can't you do it? He's like Richard, I told you last week, I wrote it on the fridge. I remind you again last night. You have to take him. I'm helping with this sale today I got to be there.

Speaker 1:

Richard has become such a whiny little turd on the show that I'm starting to love to hate him. This episode did kind of change a little bit of how I feel about him, but I love to hate him and you can tell that he hates on her, like why can't you still be? I need you to get this job. I need you to pay off my debt, my mistake. The requirement is that she has to maintain the status quo at home cooking, cleaning, taking the kid to school. You need to do everything you're doing and you need to pay this debt and you need to work and you need to not brag about it, because all you are is a glorified stamp licker. Let him tell it.

Speaker 1:

Abby's watching and waiting in the wing. She sees this exchange and she's all she hears is uh oh, he's getting in his car. He needs to leave too. He's taking a kid to school. I have kids that need to be to school, so she runs over and they have an exchange. He doesn't want to do it. Abby, I can't, absolutely can't, please. Your kid's school is like a mile from mine. He's like it's a mile in the opposite direction. I have somewhere to be today. Well, karen is watching all this and she's just.

Speaker 1:

Maybe she's just annoyed by all of the back and forth or maybe she's trying to soften up Richard, I didn't. I'm going to be honest with you guys. I did not pick this up originally watching this episode. I picked it up on the next, which I can't wait to talk about. But there seems to be a lot of animosity between the Farragates and Richard. He feels a way about them kicking him off of the case. So maybe it's Karen's just like. She's tired of hearing the jaw jacking. She says Abby, I'll call the school and let them know that the kid's going to be late and Richard finally agrees to take her kids. Abby has not forgot that slight about her dress or the hour she keeps when she entertains her gentleman callers. She says thank you, karen, just make up a crazy lie. You're really good at that. I love it. We got a little bit of Alexa, alexis shade going back and forth and I don't clock Karen as a liar. But I can't wait to find out Now. This is where the real story begins Now.

Speaker 1:

At first glance I wouldn't have said that all of these people had anything to prove. I certainly didn't think Karen did. I thought Richard wanted something and I think he felt the need to prove anything. And Gary, although he has kind of a checkered past, he has shown himself to be worth his weight in gold time and time again. Unless he got a little bit of that gold tequila in him, little Jose, he goes all the way crazy. But other than that, they seem to be doing okay, karen in particular.

Speaker 1:

So Karen, as you recall, has started working at this real estate firm. She was super pumped about it and if she's not doing a lot, she's doing what she can and I think her enthusiasm would earn her presence at this particular sale. So her boss is male and he is showing this widow, this really beautiful tutor. She's not really feeling him, or it she's just, I mean, she's from the East coast. She just can't really believe that this is it. She's not really feeling him, or it she's just, I mean, she's from the East Coast. She just can't really believe that this is. It's just not really hitting all the notes that she wants it to hit, for whatever reason. We've all been there. You just got it. You have an image of your mind. You expect something. This just isn't quite doing it. She was looking for something probably a little more breathtaking.

Speaker 1:

If I'm understanding it correctly, they're about to lose the sale and this woman has very, very deep pockets thanks to having a couple of dead hubbies who had really, really big bank accounts Steps in just out of pure enthusiasm, she breaks it down. She breaks down a Tudor style home so that this woman understands that. She's like basically, if you want an original Tudor, we're about 300 years past that None of them are going to be 100 authentic. But the guy who built this house was an anglophile, wood is from england. It's if you, this is as authentic as humanly possible in socal. Now, if that doesn't hit it for you, we can get you something a little more authentic. And the woman's like authentic. And what Karen means by that is if you want something that is true to date, if you want something that is modern, like right now, if you went out and bought a 2024 car, that's as authentic as you can get as a real deal in real time. So the woman is sitting back and she's thinking and she's like okay, well, I mean original pieces. It's Southern California. It ain't like they had Tors in Southern California. You know what I think I'll buy it. Well, she doesn't say that right then, and there we don't know that she wants to buy it.

Speaker 1:

Until a little bit later Karen's in her office sitting at her desk or at her cubicle eating her quickly prepared lunch and her boss comes out Boss's name is Skip Kisses her right in the mouth. There, something about 1980, there were no sexual harassment clauses, there was no such thing as personal boundaries, apparently, and it was perfectly acceptable to kiss a woman who's not your wife at work. Kiss her in the mouth. This is the second time this has happened on this show. Mr crane kissed karen and then she almost you know, she almost did what she needed to do.

Speaker 1:

This man, man, kisses Laura in the mouth. She doesn't even bat an eye. She never even stopped chewing her salad. But he is overcome with excitement because he's like let me find out. I have a little whiz kid here. She wants to buy the property. She loved you. Okay, so we need to get you. He's excited. He's not threatened by her presence. His thing is cool. You're good at this. You're so good, you're a natural. Let's go ahead and get you studied. I want you to come with me on some other things. They start making the plans and she's extra pumped because this is something she's loved.

Speaker 1:

She has tapped into something she didn't realize she had something that she's extraordinarily good at, and this is probably one of the first times. This is me projecting a little bit, but oh well, this is what we do on the show. This is probably one of the first times that she has been outwardly rewarded for doing something that could benefit her as well. Her dad complimented on her ability to keep all of her trauma repressed, because that's what a good girl does. Her husband, I don't know. He's kind of nice about the way she cooks sometimes. She's really great at being a doormat but now turns out this doormat can flip a house like Sunday morning pancakes, baby Hot butter, hot grease, whatever you need, she's got it crispy on the edges if that's what you want. Butter, hot grease, whatever you need, she's got it crispy on the edges if that's what you want.

Speaker 1:

Sold a tutor to a tight-fisted thrice-widowed woman. I don't know how many she's definitely been. Definitely has more than one dead husband. I know that it's a fantastic day Roll. This seems to be the theme for the Averys this episode. I want to apologize.

Speaker 1:

I called Laura Karen 147 times previously. I don't know what it is about those two. I think there's a similar energy. I think they're two sides of the same coin. I think when Laura finally gets tough which I feel like she's well on her way she's going to be a whole lot like Karen and I think if Karen didn't have that kind of tough outer shell, she'd be a whole lot more like Laura. She'd be a little more vulnerable, but love them the way they are.

Speaker 1:

Anyway, while Laura is selling tutors to widows, richard is trying to transport three very rowdy children to their respective schools. He feels duped by his wife because this alleged schedule she told him about more times in a little bit. But then he's also taking Abby's kids over. As luck would have it, no good deed goes unpunished. So of course. Of course he gets a flat tire and of course he has to change said flat tire, which makes his work clothes all sort of dirty and soiled. He still has to drop those kids off at their respective schools and he still has to make it to a meeting that now he's late for. The meeting consists of I don't really know how law firms work, but I'm assuming these are the partners and there is this really tricky case where this major shady corporation wants to. They want to put a pipeline in lands that are reserved as territories, or let me make sure I can't really I don't remember the exact details, but it's either on like national forest land or it's on tribal land. There's a reason they're not supposed to dig it, dig on this property and they want to once again ignore the rules and regulations set before them, which is not a surprise, and sadly, things haven't changed.

Speaker 1:

This is as old as time, at least in the Americas, in North America. I don't know about anywhere else. Actually, I don't know about Canada, I know. In the Americas, at North America. I don't know about anywhere else. Actually, I don't know about Canada, I know in the US. This is not an uncommon story, I want to say last year, the year before, there was kind of a very similar situation in the Dakotas, but I get the feeling this happens a lot. I also remember this being a storyline on Yellowstone, so 40 plus years and it's the same song different day. It works for storyline then it works for storyline now. Quite embarrassing actually.

Speaker 1:

Anyways, this is a big shot meeting and it seems as if the law firm that Richard works for they did not expect this to be a meeting up like this. They thought they were just going to kind of shoot the breeze with this hotshot lawyer from Chicago. Now this is where I get a little bit confused and I don't understand how law firms work. I didn't know that other like law firm A and law firm B from two totally different states would kind of merge on a project unless it's like a really, really big project. Didn't seem like the partners would need to be there. It seems like you have some of the lower level or entry level lawyers come in and assist if they need to, just because the locale makes sense. I don't think you would have to do that in 2024 or even probably from like the year 1990 on. Doesn't seem like you would need to physically fly to the West Coast to talk to another firm about representing this guy in this corporate. It's not really a fiasco. If he just would obey the law it'd be fine. But he don't want to. And later on this guy, the corporation guy, is like from he's in tech's, our Canada business. So I really don't know how this worked out out, but for the sake of this episode, for the sake of character development and character arcs, this had to happen.

Speaker 1:

Now, the hotshot lawyer from chicago who is representing this corporation is played by none other than brian dennehy. Look him up. He is one of those guys. Who's that guy? You've seen him in 177 movies and, dare I say, I haven't bothered to look any further than his name because I'm like I know that guy. I thought he was on that show, coach, but doesn't seem like he was. He's definitely been on other cop shows and, if memory serves me correctly, soap fiends. I do believe he was one of the prosecuting lawyers in Stephen's first case or Blake's first case. No, I forgot. How many times have the Carrington's gone to trial? I believe he was the lawyer in Blake's murder trial. That's right. Yes, in Blake's murder trial. That was it.

Speaker 1:

So he has shown up to Knott's Landing or Beverly Hills or wherever this place is, and Richard has to come in smelling like tires and small children. He's dirty. His secretary is like Richard, what the heck Did you not know there was a meeting? He's like there's very little I can do about what's been done. I'm just going to go sit in there. He's fully expecting to just be a workhorse and to be looked over. They've been ignoring him Let him tell it for nine years Now. These are little facts that we did not know.

Speaker 1:

Richard has always appeared to be ambitious and sort of a sawed off little turd who likes to bark at his wife. But many things can be true at once. Let's always keep that in mind. Several things can be true at once. You can be a that in mind. Several things can be true at once. You can be a sawed off little turd and still be a great lawyer. You can be a great lawyer, but just not a good criminal lawyer. He's walking in there, tired over it, already thinking about why Laura should get her butt back home in that apron, start taking care of this kid so that he can be on time, so he can be ignored properly with dignity, like a real man.

Speaker 1:

So as he's sitting in this meeting, his superiors are stutter, stepping because they are thrown off by Brian Dennehy's character, mr Cargile well Cargiled, as I'll refer to him for the rest of this episode. They're they're flummoxed because they did not expect him to want them to have solutions, which seems very odd for a meeting. I mean it could have been a phone call, it could have been an email if there were emails around. He, you know Karen was working on the internet at this time. I guess she didn't have it up and running so he couldn't send an email to say hey, I need you guys to have a plan in place. But luckily Richard is an astute lawyer. He had been looking into cases very similar to the one that this hotshot from Chicago was representing.

Speaker 1:

So while his superiors are like oh, I didn't really know, mr Cargo is like you know what? I flew way too far to hear you stutter. Step over this. Why don't we try meeting again after lunch? Maybe then you'll have some ideas. Well, richard shoots his shot. He sees this as an opportunity. Over this. Why don't we try meeting again after lunch? Maybe then you'll have some ideas.

Speaker 1:

Well, richard shoots his shot. He sees this as an opportunity. Oh, they don't have ideas. Guess who has an idea? He says, oh, but sir, a word. And he pulls out an article from a very similar case.

Speaker 1:

As he begins to speak, you can immediately tell that Richard isn't paranoid. His superiors do not think very highly of him. Tell that Richard isn't paranoid. His superiors do not think very highly of him. His boss cuts him off and he's like I really don't think Mr Cargill will be interested in your little article and Richard could have thrown them under the bus, but I guess he's used to kind of being looked over and he goes. Well, of course he would. This is just. You might not have been able to look over this because I just now got you know he makes some excuse so that his boss doesn't look bad. He's still very respectful, but he passes this over to Cargill and Cargill's like oh well, it's so refreshing to know that actually one of you showed up to work today. Okay, cool dude, do you want to come with me? So Richard is feeling himself and not only is he feeling himself because he handled that the way he did. It does make his bosses look extra, extra dumb that they, a didn't realize that he would have a solution and, b that they never had one, and, c they were completely unaware of this other case that was very, very similar to the one that they need to help Cargill with. So you see this really great moment where Richard by all intents and purposes, he showed up prepared to be overlooked and turns out to kind of be the hero of this case. Now, as time goes on, he really is that dude his research and the, the information and all the things the, his savvy, his law savviness or savvy is very valuable and Cargill sees it. He's like dude. I'm really glad you were here.

Speaker 1:

Where Laura has discovered that she's good at something and she now has a possibility quote, unquote the chance of a lifetime to pursue a career, something she never thought could happen for herself. She's super excited, like, oh my gosh, you see me, now I see me. Richard is a little bit different. He's always okay. I am this guy. I've always been this good of a lawyer. I know this. I see myself as this powerful, really respectable, really hot shot lawyer. Now his law firm is seeing him that way. So he, where Laura is dealing with like the elation and the discovery he is dealing with kind of the way that the power plays have shifted. Now he's thinking to himself okay, if this hot shot lawyer understands that I'm that good, that means I am that good, I better strike while the iron is hot.

Speaker 1:

So meanwhile, on the other side of town, gary Ewing is flexing his business muscles. It's fun to see what kind of Ewing he is. We can see he's got a little bit of a rough side, seems like he can fight, but he's honest. So there's a whole lot of Bobby and Ellie. We don't really know who. Jock is not like that and I guess we can start considering Ray. Hmm, that's a whole another episode now, isn't it either way?

Speaker 1:

When it comes to selling cars, when it comes to the business of selling cars, gary is wonderful. He's thorough, like he's great with people. He's great with customers, he's great with the staff, he's great with the guys in the shop. He's great with potential, you know, buyers, which I guess would be customers, like I've already said, and he sees that people aren't coming into the dealership to buy cars as much because of the whole gas shortage and crisis and all that. Nobody knows what's going to happen. That doesn't stop them from taking extra good care of the vehicles they have, which he sees as a business opportunity. He's running the shop, the business I keep saying the shop because he has decided to expand that part of the enterprise. So there are more mechanics.

Speaker 1:

One of them happens to be a woman, a broad, a chick, if you can believe it, a real life girl, slash woman. Sid can't hardly believe it. He was like I thought we weren't hiring any more salespeople. Gary explained to him no, we're not going to hire salespeople. We're going to hire more people in the shop because they put together some sort of package. It's a better deal. People are coming in left and right Now why he decided it was okay to put this broad in there with a screwdriver in her boobs and whatnot.

Speaker 1:

He has to explain Karen's husband, who should be very progressive. It's actually really funny. He explains that this girl is a she's. I guess she's at college or maybe she just graduated college. She's a mechanical engineer and she realized at some point in her education that she didn't really fully understand how an engine worked. So she got this job so that she can spend her time learning the ins and outs of an engineer, of an of an engine, so that she can be a better engineer. Brilliant, shout out to her.

Speaker 1:

Let just can we just point out that the ladies on this episode are showing up and showing out. They're seeing the opportunities kind of sliding in there accidentally. I love that. She's like there's a gap in my education. Let me get a more tactile experience so that I can know what I'm talking about when I'm pointing out these different things. So awesome that I wish more people were like that.

Speaker 1:

So Sid is kind of pleased with this, and this is the first episode that I noticed that Sid does lean a little more heavily into the repair of an automobile versus the sale. Now he's always in his coveralls I've mentioned that more times in a little bit but he seems to really care more about it. You can tell it's like a passion for him. He likes cars. This is how he deals with cars. Selling them, that's great, but you know, working on them, that's where the magic happens. Well, gary sees all of that. He understands that we can expand this by focusing. We're only going to be able to sell that car one time, but we can fix it over and over again, or we can at least sell packages to fix it over and over again.

Speaker 1:

So he happens upon an opportunity when these two less than savory characters come breezing in and they are claiming to be from Albuquerque. They have some sort of moving company there and they want to try their luck at cabbing or taxi cabbing. And they want to try their luck at cabbing or taxi cabbing. What is it called? I almost said Uber. But they want a fleet of cars so they can start a cab business.

Speaker 1:

And this is where we get to see the difference between Sid's mind for business and Gary's mind for business. Now Gary is hearing cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching. All he's hearing is the money rolling in and the guys claim to want to buy 15 of their bigger cars, which is a bigger sale. Sid is like that's wonderful, we can give you about 3% off. How does that sound? Gary's like no, no, no, we can do like 8% and throw in like a service package. He didn't really consult with the boss. Now, up until now Sid has been letting him do his thing. But there's something that Sid sees that Gary doesn't quite see as his thing. But there's something that Sid sees that Gary doesn't quite see.

Speaker 1:

As the show progresses, they finally come and they have a little decision. They have a little chatter, chatter, chitchat about, first and foremost about Gary hiring that ovary totem broad, a woman, a dame in the shop. It reassures Gary, reassures him. Everything's going to be fine. The girl's not perfect. She is making kind of some dumb mistakes. So there is, it's not that Sid is tripping on the fact that she is a woman. It's like is she a mechanic? And I totally see where he's coming from. But Gary seems to be very confident in who she can be. She's resilient, she's going to be fine.

Speaker 1:

But when it comes to this fleet, gary can't understand why Sid isn't jumping all over this. Dude, aren't you tired of losing money're losing money like faster than than normal? You would expect Sid, the owner, to freak out, but I start to think about this more and more and I got some some insight about his age, thank you. I'm going to shout you out on the next episode during the fan mail. But it Sid has been doing this for many years, so he's seen it ebb and flow, come and go. He didn't seem to be super worried about that. Plus, he has a whole reputation he needs to rebuild, although he's never was. He was never actually charged, he never actually went to trial and he, you know, there's evidence that proves that this girl was lying. It doesn't really matter. In the court of public opinion there's always going to be people who are going to look at him a little bit differently. So he's got a lot of work to do and that means he has to make really wise decisions.

Speaker 1:

But Gary is also like dude, you are not, let me. Let me pimp this out the way it needs to be. Let me get this where it needs to be. Let me put a little ewing magic on it and you can have like this could be amazing, but you're just not taking the opportunity. Sid finally tells him well, listen, gary, I call the better business bureau. These guys do not exist in Albuquerque. I don't feel good about doing business with them. He's like this feels shady, I'm not really feeling it. Gary's like oh crap, okay, so far we have Karen, laura, richard and Gary with brand new opportunities, life-changing opportunities potentially.

Speaker 1:

Laura is the only one who seems to be out right. Her boss wants to basically teach her his ways. She's going to be his apprentice. He's like okay, take these courses, let's get you licensed, let's get you set up so that you can start selling. You need to be selling this. This is verbal confirmation, all sorts of things.

Speaker 1:

Now she's starting to hesitate because, like, this is a great opportunity, but she still has responsibilities at home. Her husband is not the type of man who's going to be okay with her working these late hours, having to drop off the sun. He's not going to be okay with her not being the exact same woman she's been all this time. Dare, I say it. Her having a little bit too much power probably scares her too. Now, it's not power in the traditional sense. But the fact that she will be bringing in money, the fact that she is getting her name out there, the fact that she can be successful at something she already knows, is a direct threat to him. But she has her boss looking at her out the side of his eye because he can tell that she's hesitant because of her husband.

Speaker 1:

So I'm like I really like this man. I think I called him Skip earlier. His name is Scooter. Scooter is telling her not so many words. Girl, forget that man. Let him make his own sandwich, let him learn to wash his own clothes, and you can be a superstar. When I tell you you got it, you got it, babe. As a matter of fact, we'll start splitting the deals 50-50. This is a sure thing.

Speaker 1:

Well, richard is still being kind of. He's schmoozed by Cargill Guys telling him dang, you really got it, you're really killing it. He ends up basically you know it's not a case, I don't know how to say it, but they're gonna follow his format in order to maneuver around the law and maneuver around all of this red tape so that this big corporation can do exactly what it wants to do. Cargill's like well, hey, if you're ever in Chicago. You know he's just kind of throwing it out there. He doesn't say, richard, come join me, I'd love to have you. He's just like I throwing it out there. He doesn't say, richard, come join me, I'd love to have you. He's just like I'd love to have you if you're in Chicago. If you're in Chicago, look me up. Richard hears something and we all know that he's not very good at social cues or reading the room at all. So he hears this as bam, boom, bam, we moving to Chicago. Baby, I'm going to be top of the ladder. Now.

Speaker 1:

A couple of things have come out since the beginning of this episode. This is the first time he really expresses what is going on at his particular law firm. He has been there for nine years. He feels like he's being treated as if he is fresh out of law school. Only, he's 37. So he's been practicing law for quite a while. Every time he thinks about leaving, he kind of second guesses himself, because if he leaves he will actually have to compete with people coming out of law school and the last thing he wants to do is start over.

Speaker 1:

It's a very odd place to be in in life. If you're a Z. You probably haven't hit that yet. I'm an OG. Older millennial Like this is, I understand, putting in the time somewhere and think, okay, can I start over? Luckily, I feel like I've seen I've got a better example. Gen X has been really awesome at reinventing themselves. You know what I mean. Nobody thinks 50 is super, super old. It's like you can do whatever you want. 37 is certainly not old, certainly not at all. You could literally relive your whole life over and over again. You're fine, but I understand what that means in the law firm. So he's like I'm already in the sucky situation. The last thing I want to do is make a lateral move. I don't want to move across town and do the exact same thing. I'm ready to be who I am, showing these people who I am. I just hate that it took so long for people to see this and it seems that they have really seen him. The partners at the firm have really really seen them. He saved their butts, essentially.

Speaker 1:

So there's a moment where he goes back to the office and he's casually talking to his secretary who, like dude, what are you talking about? Like you think he tells her that Cargill offered him a job. Now she said now listen, why I just kept. This man has a reputation for saying stuff like that and never delivering. Richard, do not let him suck you into all this and telling you and he didn't really want to hear it. Richard's not. He didn't listen. He don't listen to anybody. He's certainly not going to listen to abroad a secretary are you kidding me? It's just like his wife, a glorified state liquor. What does she know?

Speaker 1:

He goes into his office and his superiors are like hey, rich, can we talk to you? And they, they pretty much they don't eat crow, but they, they nibble at it and they say you know, so you've been here what? Six years? No, I've been here nine. Because we, we're just really sorry that we didn't see what a superstar you are.

Speaker 1:

And this is where he lets them have it in the most respectful way. This is the most respectful I've ever seen. Richard. It's like well, you know, I've all you, you guys were content to let me do grunt work, but I've always been that good. I just hate that it took you nine years to see it. So I know the real reason you haven't given me the opportunity. It's because I'm not an Ivy League graduate, it's because I don't live in Beverly Hills, it's because me and my wife aren't blue bloods, we're just regular degular people from regular degular schools who live in regular degular North's. So I mean, I appreciate the fact that you can see me now, but yeah, it's too little, too late. Well, his superiors are shocked, richard. What do you mean? I forgot to mention this part. They offered him partnership. He's like yeah, I don't think I will.

Speaker 1:

Now he's saying all this while he's pouring himself some of the finest brandy money can buy. He's about through two glasses in. If I'm watching this correctly, he basically quits his job and instead of just going home like a normal person, I guess he goes and he has more. Or he's like a lightweight, because Karen God, stop calling her Karen Laura is in her office minding her business with the widow, because now the widow's like I don't know, I kind of want to pool. This isn't really working out. Scooter's trying to tell her woman shut up. There's like four acres. There's plenty of room for an Olympic-sized pool. Calm down. Well, as they're going over this, laura is softening the blow. She's talking the lady down, you, she's talking the lady down.

Speaker 1:

You can hear somebody singing in the background and when you turn and look, it's Richard. Richard is drunk. He is day drunk, middle of the day, rooftop party in Vegas drunk, and he's singing the Chicago song. He has a bottle of Dom Perignon or something, or Moet, I don't know some sort of champagne. He shakes it up like he's at the club and sprays everyone in the room, including Laura, and she's oh Lord, she's taking it like a champ. Oh my God, this guy is a psycho.

Speaker 1:

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, gary Ewing is in the backseat of an unmarked car with one of the less than savory characters from Albuquerque. Well, the other one's in the front seat, so one's looking over the back seat. They're having a chatter, chatter, chit-chat, which is never the way you want to do business. I don't really care what the circumstances are If we have to park on the side of the road and one of you gets in the back seat with me, the other one gets in the front. I just feel very uncomfortable with this setup. Gary up, gary is not reading the room. He's like well, fellas.

Speaker 1:

Sid looked into the business a little more and it looks like you guys aren't popping up on any of the registries. And they explained away by saying oh no, no, of course we wouldn't be under Dirtbags Anonymous. We're under the state flowers. If you go to Texas, we're like the blue bonnet. If you go to New Mexico, it's the New Mexico flower escapes me. I actually don't know any other state flowers. I'm being perfectly honest. That's interesting. So Gary's like oh, okay, so you guys are legit. Like yeah, yeah, we're totally legit. Now I don't know. I don't know if they're telling the truth. Everything in my body is telling me they're probably not. But they start playing to Gary's weaknesses. Well, gary, aren't you Sid's right hand man? Oh, sure, gary, surely he'll listen to you. You trust us, don't you? This is going to be a great deal. We're going to have 15 cars from you guys. So Gary's like OK, well, just let me take care of it. Let me talk to Sid.

Speaker 1:

Back at Sid's business, the broad, the woman, the woman mechanic, the lady who has a nerve to want a job and wants to fix engines and whatnot, happens upon Sid and she goes Gary's really working us to the bone. We're supposed to get all these cars ready by next week. And he's like slow down, lady, what are you talking about? This is the first time Sid's hearing about this fleet deal going through. So he goes to confront Gary like you can see that, it's becoming increasingly more tense, or as this episode progresses, because Gary is not honoring Sid as the owner and boss. He's kind of making these decisions because he feels like we're missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime.

Speaker 1:

I also want to point out that when Gary went on that what was that Two week bender? He missed out on a fleet deal. At that point. That was one of the things he was working on, but he was two sheets to the wind and couldn't get it done. So when he, when he talks to sis, it's like well, I can't believe you went behind my back and did that.

Speaker 1:

And he's like, no, not the Rico part. What would it be? The guys who basically like what's that movie with Johnny Donnie Brasco, kind of like that he works for the government. He's like Donnie Brasco where he watches all of the organized crime and he says, oh, these guys are not affiliated with the organized crime at all, they're perfectly fine. Now I don't know where organized crime? And he says, oh, these guys are not affiliated with the organized crime at all, they're perfectly fine. Now, I don't know where organized crime came up in the conversation. Sid was just like. They're shady. They're not really registered under what they say they are. And Gary's thing is oh well, they're not in the mob, so we should be fine.

Speaker 1:

Maybe I misheard something, but the question that we are left with is but the question that we are left with is is Gary telling the truth? Is there a random South War or a random Ewing in the New Mexico Senate that happens to watch mob bosses move throughout the Southwest? I don't believe that. I don't believe that at all and I don't even see why they would bring it up if it's not going to come back and blow up in Gary's face and you're left questioning Gary why go through all these hoops? I can't stress this enough.

Speaker 1:

He saw an opportunity with the service department and he has expanded that and it is doing well. No, you're not selling fleet. No, you're not selling a ton of cars. But nobody is selling cars. Nobody in the continental US at that time is selling cars like that.

Speaker 1:

So it strikes me as odd that he would be so eager. Yes, it feels like a good opportunity, but the moment you hear that these people are not operating under what they said they were, that's a bigger point. That's the bigger point to me versus all of this potential money because Stead is going to want to do. We need to look at bank records. We need to look at, you know, relationships with other people which Gary mentioned, in the backseat of that shady car doing this shady deal. But when push comes to shove he is now telling Sid that no, this is legit. My cousin looked into it. It's all good. I'll tell you what. I hope it works out because, as I'm counting, not many of the men in their cul-de-sac are friendly anymore. Richard's not talking. Richard and Gary are not friends. Richard isn't talking to Sid. Kenny doesn't live there anymore. I don't know. They're fading fast.

Speaker 1:

The Avery situation is such a conundrum because it should be a celebratory week for both of them. Laura just got her first sale. It was sort of accidental. She discovered that she is talented and very much wanted at her real estate agency. She has the opportunity to be taught by the best to get a really hefty commission. It's a wonderful opportunity, better than anything she'd imagined. She should be able to celebrate this right. Richard should be on the high. He just won a major major, not a case, whatever, let's for the sake of this argument. He won a major case for his firm. They finally see what a wonderful guy he is. A hotshot from middle America thinks he is that dude, sort of offered him a job. It's just a really, really great day. It should be.

Speaker 1:

But Richard still found a way to make this about himself and bring her down and I say that because they've been talking throughout the episode about what's going on. So he understands that she sold this house. He doesn't really like the fact that she's celebrating it. He doesn't like that and it's. It's not strange if you consider the relationship that we have got to witness as viewers, but it is strange in the sense for someone who likes to brag a lot, this is a wonderful thing to brag about. Hey, my wife, who's been a housewife for the last, however many years, just waltzes into this major real estate agency and sells the biggest, one of the biggest houses they've ever sold. She's awesome. This is a great thing and she's not being super bag of doshas. She's so wholesome and genuine and her just just her all shucks. Wow, this is amazing. I can't believe these opportunities are in front of me and behind closed doors.

Speaker 1:

He's a little bit supportive. He's only supportive because in his mind he is that dude now? Now the firm sees him as who he should have been seen as for years, for many years, and they're moving to Chicago. So while she's riding this high, he breaks it to her like the next morning, let's go past this after he drenched the entire, her entire office, including the rich widow Okay, I forgot to mention she's sitting there, her whole hair everybody's wet, the maps are wet. He's put champagne like it's the VIP section in the club. It is terrible. The next morning he wakes up like nothing happened and he's like hey, maybe you could ask Guder for some recommendations for Chicago we're moving. And you see, laura kind of crumble, she can't even really be excited because oh no, oh no. He said I should get some recommendations but I'm leaving. I really. She really, really, really doesn't want to leave.

Speaker 1:

Richard makes his way to have this meeting with Cargill. Cargill's about to get back on a plane and head wherever else he needs to go Texarkana or Chicago and Richard just wants to talk, base with him. Talk, you know. We want to figure out what the logistics are of him moving, what the pay is going to be, that sort of thing. I want to say it is it's not across the entire continental US, which is massive. But it's a it's a massive move. It's a huge, huge move. It's halfway across the continental US.

Speaker 1:

Anyway, he goes to this meeting on a boat with Cargill and they're talking turkey and he's really expressing like how excited he is to come and work with them. And Cargill, he's not surprised. He seems pleasantly intrigued, like, oh, you're willing to move to Chicago? Absolutely I'm willing to move. So what are you going to pay me? And Cargill plays hardball at first Well, what are you asking for? Richard's like I always let the other guy make the first move. So Cargill says okay, I'll start you off at $27,000 or $28,500. And then in the next couple of years you can work your way up to $30,000.

Speaker 1:

Richard's face collapses. He's like Mr Cargill, I am making 37 where I'm at now. Mind you, he's already spilled his heart out to this man. So Cargill is well aware of how Richard feels and how he's viewed at his current position. And he's like hey, people who work for me already know they're going to come in on the cheap and you'll get the reputation, you'll be a part of this. It is what it is. That's why I get people so cheap, because they understand what you're getting.

Speaker 1:

And at 37 years old, rachel was like I'm not really trying to start over, I've been told you that. Did a little math so it'd be something like the 27, the 28-7 would be something like $104,000 in 2024. And the 37 or 38 he said that he was making would be more like 140K. I mean nothing to thumb your nose at in either decade. However, richard explained that he's barely making it on this 38. He was expecting a much, much bigger salary. So now he's stuck with the realization that not only is he not going where he thought he was going, he's not going to get paid what he thought he was going to get paid, he's not going to have the position he thought he was going to have and he's quit his job where he's just recently been offered the partner position, and he's told his wife to quit her job. This is just it's not feeling great. He's like, oh, this is horrible.

Speaker 1:

So he goes home and he's still king of the castle. He's very much barking at her and you know, karen takes. Stop calling her, karen. Laura is taking it. Laura deals with him how she deals with him by just accepting it.

Speaker 1:

But for whatever reason, this episode it's just something about the spark that was ignited in her. She couldn't ignore it. She convinces him, wink wink convinces him that, richard, I mean we can figure out something, but I really want to stay here, I really want to get my. Please just let me stay six months. Let's just let's just stay here six months and then we can go to Chicago. And he, wink wink, begrudgingly agrees that that's a pretty good idea. We can do that, honey, we can do that. But then his facade cracks before you know it. All those emotions, all those overwhelming emotions of disappointment, the highs and the lows, and he just crumples and he begins to just boohoo. He is wailing in her arms. I felt so bad for him, even though he's a sawed off little turd 99% of the time. He's a sawed off little turd 99% of the time.

Speaker 1:

There is something to be said about the absolute agony of really, really, really believing you had something and then finding out not only do you not have just a piece of it, it's not going to happen at all. Devastating, and he's just in my mind. He's realizing that In order to change, he's going to have to start change. He's going to have to start over. He's going to have to start over. He burned a bridge that he probably needed to. I'm sure he would have much rather have burned that bridge with an actual job offer.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, it's a devastating feeling. It's almost like it's better to not have known that that was an option rather than to have that option waving your face and then snatched away. It's heartbreaking, it's horrible and it's very difficult to move through. But Richard made that assumption. He kind of proved Karen's point. You're kind of a hothead, you don't really follow anything through, You're not following through and it costs you majorly. But he's still a man, you know, he's still the man. So the man of the house. All right, karen, I'll allow you to work. Oh, I love it.

Speaker 1:

I love this angst, I love what it is building up to and I love putting Lorem side by side with Gary and Richard this episode, because they all had opportunity. She didn't necessarily see the opportunity, she was just happy to be there. Gary saw an opportunity to make big money and to kind of bring in more. He's his heart's in the right place. You know what I mean. He absolutely is picking this option because he thinks it's going to benefit Sid. It's not even like another notch in his belt, it is to benefit the business. So he's got his heart in the right place. Is his mind there? No, he's not following through, he's not seeing the entire picture. And that's very similar to what we've seen before with him, or at least what we're led to believe about his character as a Ewing on Dallas.

Speaker 1:

Karen has the exact same opportunity, or has an opportunity. It would be very easy for her to have folded into what Richard wanted and not gone against that grain. She could have very easily said, okay, I'll go home and start packing. But she thought you know what? I'm so close. I've actually tasted this victory. I've tasted this sure thing I have. All the dominoes are in place. Let me strike while the iron is hot.

Speaker 1:

Fantastic episode with a lot of really good layers, a lot of character development. Like it has to change from this point on. Relationships are challenged. The women by and large are changing the way they're going to be viewed by their spouses, except Karen. But we have the real Karen y'all this time, not Laura. All right, guys, that's it. That's all for this riveting episode of Knott's Landing. Join me next time. Oh my God, I can hardly wait. It is season two, episode five. Kristen, the North Texas man snatcher is taking over the West Coast and she does not disappoint. In the meantime, in between time, listen to your secretary when she tells you this guy is a snake's oil salesman. We ain't got no job, he didn't come to give you a job. Listen to her Also. Don't jump in the backseat of the car to do any business. I'm telling you no good comes of that. Ever, ever. Stay hydrated, stay moisturized, mind your business and keep all of your drama on TV. Bye.