View source for Falcon Crest

{{short description|American television series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Falcon Crest.jpg
| caption              = Main title card (season 9)
| genre                = [[Soap opera]]
| creator              = [[Earl Hamner Jr.]]
| producer             = {{ubl|Malcolm R. Harding|Barry Steinberg|Robert McCullough|John F. Perry|Phil Parslow}}
| executive_producer   = {{ubl|[[Earl Hamner Jr.|Earl Hamner]]|Michael Filerman|[[Joanne Brough]]|Jeff Freilich|Camille Marchetta|Jerry Thorpe}}
| starring             = {{ubl|[[Jane Wyman]]|[[Robert Foxworth]]|[[Susan Sullivan]]|[[Lorenzo Lamas]]|[[David Selby]]|[[Abby Dalton]]|[[Margaret Ladd]]|[[William R. Moses]]|[[Ana Alicia]]|[[Chao-Li Chi]]}}
| theme_music_composer = [[Bill Conti]]
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| company              = {{Plainlist|
* Amanda & MF Productions
* Lorimar Productions<br>(1981–1986)<br>(seasons 1–5)
* [[Lorimar-Telepictures]]<br>(1986–1988)<br>(seasons 6–7)
* [[Lorimar Television]]<br>(1988–1990)<br>(seasons 8–9)
}}
| network              = [[CBS]]
| runtime              = 45 minutes
| first_aired          = {{start date|1981|12|04}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|1990|05|17}}
| num_seasons          = 9
| num_episodes         = 227
| list_episodes        = List of Falcon Crest episodes
}}

'''''Falcon Crest''''' is an American [[prime time]] television [[soap opera]] created by [[Earl Hamner Jr.]] that aired for nine seasons on [[CBS]] from December 4, 1981, to May 17, 1990. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the California wine industry set in the fictitious Tuscany Valley, located northeast of [[San Francisco]] and modeled after the real [[Napa Valley AVA|Napa Valley]].

[[Jane Wyman]] stars as [[Angela Channing]], the tyrannical matriarch of the Falcon Crest Winery, opposite [[Robert Foxworth]] as Chase Gioberti, Angela's nephew, and later [[David Selby]] as Richard Channing, the illegitimate son of Angela's ex-husband.{{efn|Later revealed to be her own son, whom she was led to believe died shortly after his birth.}} Other notable series regulars include [[Abby Dalton]] and [[Margaret Ladd]] as Angela's daughters Julia and Emma, [[Lorenzo Lamas]] as Angela's grandson Lance, [[Susan Sullivan]] as Chase's wife Maggie, [[William R. Moses]] as their son Cole, and [[Ana Alicia]] as heiress Melissa Agretti.

Jane Wyman won a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama|Golden Globe Award for Best Actress]] for her role as Angela Channing out of two nominations. Series regular Lorenzo Lamas and guest star [[Gina Lollobrigida]] were also nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor]]/[[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Actress]].

==Production==
===Creation===
The show was created by [[Earl Hamner Jr.]], who had previously created ''[[The Waltons]]''. Hamner wanted to create a family drama involving the wine industry entitled ''The Vintage Years''. He offered Wyman the lead role of [[Angela Channing]].<ref name="Bawden">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkKWCwAAQBAJ&q=vintage+years+wyman&pg=PA287|title=Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era|first1=James|last1=Bawden|first2=Ron|last2=Miller|page=287|date=March 4, 2016|publisher=[[University Press of Kentucky]]|isbn=978-0813167107|via=[[Google Books]]|access-date=October 17, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403161149/https://books.google.com/books?id=tkKWCwAAQBAJ&q=vintage+years+wyman&pg=PA287#v=snippet&q=vintage%20years%20wyman&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> She said, "I told him I'd heard [[Barbara Stanwyck]] had turned it down. And he said that was an untrue rumor. It had never been offered to her."<ref name="Bawden"/> Hamner said he was looking for a "sympathetic actress" for the role.<ref name="Bawden"/> He called Wyman "one of the legendary stars ... a great actress", and insisted that though she was the ex-wife of [[President of the United States|US President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] who was elected as president in 1980, her casting had nothing to do with her connection to Reagan.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/29/arts/jame-wyman-i-always-did-four-handkerchief-roles-until-now.html|title=Jane Wyman: 'I Always Did Four-Handkerchief Roles. Until Now.'|first=Marianne|last=Costantinou|date=November 29, 1981|website=[[The New York Times]]|page=D29|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=April 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403163937/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/29/arts/jame-wyman-i-always-did-four-handkerchief-roles-until-now.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Hamner said Wyman was chosen to add credibility to the role, and noted "The character is a harsh one. Miss Wyman's nice-lady image gives Angie more dimension and sympathy."<ref name="NYT"/>

Hamner's concept was "the flip side of ''The Waltons''—this family was infected by wealth, whereas poverty had threatened his Depression story [in ''The Waltons'']".<ref name="Bawden"/> After shooting the original [[pilot episode]] of the series, called ''The Vintage Years'' in the spring of 1981, featuring Wyman in a silver wig, the actress pushed for changes in Angela.<ref name="Bawden"/> Hamner had warned Wyman that the press would call Angela a female [[J. R. Ewing]], the amoral [[oil baron]] from ''Falcon Crest''{{'s}} lead-in series, ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]'', played by [[Larry Hagman]].<ref name="Bawden"/> Not wanting her character to simply be a J.R. clone, Wyman said, "I feel I'm representing all women in business. I may come off as a hard, tough character, but I want Angie to show she's also capable of love."<ref name="TVHS">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvherstory.com/longform/2017/2/10/monied-matriarchs-profiles-of-ellie-ewing-angela-channing|title=Monied Matriarchs: Profiles of Ellie Ewing & Angela Channing|website=TVHerstory}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Quirk">{{cite book|title=Jane Wyman: The Actress and the Woman: An Illustrated Biography|first=Lawrence|last=Quirk|author-link=Lawrence J. Quirk|publisher=[[W. W. Norton & Company]]|date=April 1, 1986|isbn=978-0934878685}}</ref>

CBS requested that Hamner make the show more like ''Dallas'', which was the network's biggest hit at that time, and the show was retooled and the pilot reshot.<ref name="Bawden"/> The script was rewritten and several cast members changed for what became ''Falcon Crest''.<ref name="Bawden"/> The series first aired in December 1981, when CBS scheduled ''Falcon Crest'' at 10 pm on Friday nights, right after ''Dallas''.  The ''Dallas''-''Falcon Crest'' double bill proved lucrative for the network and ''Falcon Crest'' was a top-20 show in the [[Nielsen ratings]] for several years.  Both shows (like ''The Waltons'') were produced for CBS by the same company, [[Lorimar Productions]].

By 1986, each episode of the series cost around $1 million to produce.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/152672199/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805021007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution/152672199/|title=Changes in store for this season of Falcon Crest|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Constitution]]|page=410|archivedate=August 5, 2024|date=August 24, 1986|accessdate=August 5, 2024|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===Casting===
Opposite Wyman, [[Robert Foxworth]] was cast as Chase Gioberti, Angela's nephew, and later [[David Selby]] as Richard Channing, the illegitimate son of Angela's ex-husband. Other notable series regular cast include [[Abby Dalton]] and [[Margaret Ladd]] as Angela's daughters Julia and Emma, [[Lorenzo Lamas]] as Angela's grandson Lance, [[Susan Sullivan]] as Chase's wife Maggie, [[William R. Moses]] as their son Cole, and [[Ana Alicia]] as heiress Melissa Agretti.

The series also frequently cast former Hollywood royalty in guest roles: [[Lana Turner]], [[Dana Andrews]], [[Celeste Holm]], [[Gina Lollobrigida]], [[Kim Novak]], [[Cliff Robertson]], [[Cesar Romero]], and [[Robert Stack]] all appeared on ''Falcon Crest''. This aspect to the series seemed to be well-embraced by the producers, who at one stage instituted a rotating guest-star policy. [[Eddie Albert]], [[Ursula Andress]], [[Eve Arden]], [[Roscoe Lee Browne]], [[Leslie Caron]] and [[Lauren Hutton]] all made appearances during the 1987–1988 season, as did [[Rod Taylor]], who would remain with the series until its end in 1990. After producer Jeff Freilich left the series at the end of the 1988 season, fewer special guest stars appeared to boost ratings, one of them being [[Susan Blakely]] in the final year.

Wyman reportedly had had a long-running feud with fellow movie star legend Lana Turner, which dated back years.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2426130.ece | work=[[The Times]] | location=London | title=Jane Wyman | date=September 11, 2007 | access-date=May 2, 2010 | archive-date=July 18, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718203558/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2426130.ece | url-status=dead }}</ref> The two actresses supposedly refused to speak to each other and the producers had to film their confrontational scenes separately and then edit them together. Turner appeared on ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'' in 1982 and emphatically denied the rumors of the reported feud. "It's a bunch of bull. It's all publicity trying to drum up a feud between us. I adore Ms. Wyman. I respect her as a lady and an artist, and there is no feud."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj_SFsiMmhg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/sj_SFsiMmhg |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Lana Turner Interview 1982 (''Falcon Crest'') |publisher=YouTube |date=2010-01-02 |access-date=2012-09-19}}{{cbignore}}</ref> A few years after she appeared on the show, Turner stated that she believed Wyman was negative in demeanor because her ex-husband, Ronald Reagan, was elected president during the 1980s, something that Turner believed Wyman could not reconcile within herself.

In 1984, [[Sophia Loren]] was set to star in the role of Francesca Gioberti, Angela's secret half-sister, who comes to the valley to threaten Angela's control of Falcon Crest. Loren was to play 13 episodes, and producers promised a fabulous wardrobe and a dynamic character that would rival ''Dynasty''{{'s}} [[Alexis Colby|Alexis Carrington]]. At the last minute, negotiations with Loren fell through and Gina Lollobrigida (a longtime rival of Loren's<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gina-lollobrigida-90th-birthday-reignites-feud-sophia-loren-1018579|title=Gina Lollobrigida, on 90th Birthday, Reignites Feud With Sophia Loren|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 4, 2017|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126033155/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gina-lollobrigida-90th-birthday-reignites-feud-sophia-loren-1018579|url-status=live}}</ref>) was then cast in the role, but only signed on for five episodes. Lollobrigida earned a [[42nd Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe]] nomination for her guest role.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/best-performance-actress-supporting-role-series-limited-series-or-motion-picture/all-years|title=Winners & Nominees Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television|website=www.goldenglobes.com|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=August 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813202939/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/best-performance-actress-supporting-role-series-limited-series-or-motion-picture/all-years|url-status=live}}</ref> Three years earlier, Loren had also been [[Aaron Spelling]]'s first choice for the role of Alexis Carrington on ''Dynasty'', but was passed over when she demanded too much money and the role instead went to [[Joan Collins]].{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

According to ''Dallas'' creator [[David Jacobs (writer)|David Jacobs]], before auditioning for ''Falcon Crest'', Robert Foxworth turned down the role of [[J. R. Ewing]] on ''Dallas'' because he did not want to play such an unsympathetic character. The role ultimately went to [[Larry Hagman]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/Columnists/Column/0,,1754369,00.html Simon Hoggart, "Simon Hoggart's week: High-class rolling stones in Boulder", ''The Guardian''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403163950/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/apr/15/comment.uknews2 |date=April 3, 2024 }} April 15, 2006</ref>

===Filming and locations===
Searching for a location to use as the principal backdrop for the show, Lorimar producers decided upon [[Spring Mountain Vineyard]], a winery located in [[St. Helena, California|St. Helena]], in California's Napa Valley. This site contained the 1884 Victorian mansion "Villa Miravalle", the exterior of which was used as the Falcon Crest mansion where Angela lived with her daughters and grandson, as well as the winery building which had just been constructed in the mid-1970s.<ref name="Spring Mountain Vineyards">{{cite web |url=http://www.springmtn.com/a_wh_mir4.htm |title=Spring Mountain Vineyard: Winery History |publisher=Springmtn.com |access-date=2012-09-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819115629/http://www.springmtn.com/a_wh_mir4.htm |archive-date=August 19, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> As a tie-in, the Spring Mountain Winery also produced a "Falcon Crest" wine during the show's run.

===Theme music===
''Falcon Crest'''s theme tune was composed by [[Bill Conti]], who also composed the themes to ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'', ''[[The Colbys]]'' and ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''. Several variations of the main title theme were commissioned throughout the series' run. The most noticeable change to the main title theme was the version for season nine, which was done in a heavily synthetic, new-age style by musician [[Patrick O'Hearn]]. 
Stylistic changes were also made to the incidental music. During seasons 1 to 5, the music was performed by an orchestra in a classical style, composed mainly by Dana Kaproff and Peter Myers. Beginning midway through season 5, the background music became electronic-based and was performed by single artists using a [[synclavier]], a high-tech programmable synthesizer; [[Mark Snow]], who later composed the theme of ''[[The X-Files]]'', was the main composer and performing musician from 1986 to 1988. During season 8, the music returned to a more classical style, before the composers returned to the electronic style for the final season with the score provided by new-age composer [[Patrick O'Hearn]].

===Pilot episode===
A [[pilot episode]] for the series entitled ''The Vintage Years'' was filmed in the spring of 1981, but never aired.<ref name="vintage">{{cite news |last1=Greenwald |first1=David |title=An author suing the makers of 'Falcon Crest' for... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/20/An-author-suing-the-makers-of-Falcon-Crest-for/8280456552000/ |access-date=30 January 2022 |work=UPI |language=en |archive-date=January 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130112300/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/06/20/An-author-suing-the-makers-of-Falcon-Crest-for/8280456552000/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The character of Richard Channing was present in the original pilot, played by [[Michael Swan]]; this alternate Richard was Angela's biological son fighting for his domineering mother's favor. Abby Dalton's character, Julia, was called Dorcas, Jane Wyman wore a grey wig as Angela, and Chase and Maggie were played by [[Clu Gulager]] and [[Samantha Eggar]], respectively. Emma was not seen, but a subplot concerning a mysterious woman crying for her mother while locked away in one of the upstairs rooms was seen. Lamas, Moses, and Rose appeared in the same roles, and [[Chao-Li Chi]]'s character was named Lee Fong.

The pilot was written by Hamner and directed by [[Alexander Singer]]. Though never broadcast or released on DVD, it was made available for download on the [[AOL]] video-on-demand service [[In2TV]] in 2007.

==Cast and characters==
{{Main|List of Falcon Crest characters}}
[[Image:Falcon Crest Cast.jpg|thumb|Original cast (1981)|250px]]
At the center of the action is [[Angela Channing]] ([[Jane Wyman]]), an overbearing, tyrannical matriarch who rules the Falcon Crest vineyards with an iron fist. When her brother Jason Gioberti ([[Harry Townes]]) dies from a fall in the winery, his son Chase Gioberti ([[Robert Foxworth]]) arrives to claim his inherited portion of Falcon Crest. The rivalry between Angela and Chase — whom Angela sees as an interloper — sets the tone for much of the series.

Surrounding Angela are her daughters, Julia ([[Abby Dalton]]) and Emma ([[Margaret Ladd]]), and her lazy playboy grandson, Lance Cumson ([[Lorenzo Lamas]]), who aids her in her battles against Chase. Julia is chief winemaker, though often feels oppressed by her domineering mother. Kind-natured Emma does not work in the family business, but is emotionally troubled. Julia's son Lance loves money and yearns for power, but lacks Angela's discipline and determination. Her ever-tightening grip on him eventually sends him to work for his grandfather's newspaper, ''The San Francisco Globe'', although he soon returns to the fold.  Aiding Angela in her quest for more power is her crooked lawyer, Phillip Erikson ([[Mel Ferrer]]), who would later become her second husband.

Chase's wife Maggie ([[Susan Sullivan]]) is a freelance writer who later works at ''The New Globe'' newspaper; their grown son Cole ([[William R. Moses]]) works at the winery with Chase, and daughter Vickie ([[Jamie Rose]], later [[Dana Sparks]]) is just finishing school. Eventually realizing that she would not gain control over Chase's land anytime soon, Angela hopes to enlarge her empire by forcing Lance into an arranged marriage with Melissa Agretti (briefly played by Delores Cantú, later by [[Ana Alicia]]), heiress to the much-coveted Agretti Vineyards. Scheming Melissa becomes embroiled in a love triangle with Lance and Cole, even marrying Lance while pregnant with Cole's child.

In the second season, a true rival for Angela arrives in the form of conniving Richard Channing ([[David Selby]]), the illegitimate son of Angela's ex-husband Douglas Channing and Chase's mother. He inherits most of his father's shares in the family newspaper after Douglas dies, and uses his new wealth and power to seek retribution against both Angela and Chase for always treating him like an outcast. Richard crosses them at every turn and makes several attempts at gaining control of Falcon Crest.

==Series overview==
===Early seasons===
Despite its reputation as merely being "''Dallas'' with grapes", ''Falcon Crest'' soon found its niche among the primetime soap dramas of the 1980s, occupying the middle ground between the two genre extremes — being more glamorous than ''Dallas'', yet not quite as outrageous as ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]''. The distinctive location filming in the Napa Valley and the dry, wryly humorous tone of the scripts gave the series a personality of its own.

The rivalry between Angela, Chase, and Richard stayed at the core of the show for several years, as more romantic entanglements spun around them. Lance and Cole found themselves not only caught up in their family battles for control of Falcon Crest, but were also competing for Melissa's affections.

Like its counterparts, ''Falcon Crest'' employed memorable end-of-season [[cliffhanger]]s to boost ratings. The 1982–83 season ended with the resolution of a murder mystery "[[whodunit]]" plot (surrounding the death of Melissa's father, Carlo Agretti) that had spanned most of the season. The killer was revealed in front of the entire cast, only to produce a handgun. Shots were fired as the camera panned away from the mansion, fading into the final scene of a rose-draped coffin being lowered into the ground, leaving the audience to wonder who had been killed.

The third-season cliffhanger in 1984 involved a plane crash carrying most of the major characters, resulting in three of their deaths. A bomb explosion which ended the fourth season left Richard and Maggie in peril, and an earthquake that rippled through the valley ended the fifth season. The cliffhanger of the sixth season put Chase, Melissa, Richard, newcomer Dan Fixx and Maggie's baby in danger of drowning in the San Francisco Bay area. At the end of the seventh season, Melissa had finally wrested complete control of Falcon Crest away from Angela, while Richard was apparently murdered by "The Thirteen", a powerful group of shady businessmen whom he had turned against.

''Falcon Crest'' was a top ten series from 1982 to 1985 (peaking at No. 7 in the 1983–84 season), airing after ''Dallas'' on Friday nights at 10:00&nbsp;p.m.

===Later seasons===
With the departures of many of the core cast, coupled with the shifting tastes of the public in the mid-1980s, ratings began to drop (as had ratings for all of the primetime soaps of that era). By the late 1980s, U.S. ratings were dominated by [[sitcom]]s and more realistic legal/crime dramas such as ''[[L.A. Law]]'' and ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''. During its eighth season, ''[[Soap Opera Digest]]'' gave ''Falcon Crest'' the title of "Most Ruined Show"<ref>''Soap Opera Digest'' Special Issue, January 9, 1990</ref> (that season finished 52nd in the annual ratings). The series attempted to revitalize like ''Knots Landing'' had successfully done the previous year, but by the beginning of the ninth and final season in 1989, Angela, Lance, and Emma were the only three characters left from the original cast. Jane Wyman was absent for most of that season due to her own health concerns; storylines had Angela attacked and fall into a coma for several months. The final season then revolved around a battle between Richard and newcomer Michael Sharpe for control of Falcon Crest.

CBS executives made the decision to end ''Falcon Crest'' when ratings during the ninth season dropped to 63rd place. Jane Wyman returned to the series for the last three episodes. The show ended happily with a family wedding taking place on the grounds of the mansion. Taking a walk outside, Angela delivered a soliloquy (written by Wyman herself) that brought the series to a conclusion, mentioning past characters and events, but looking forward to the future. The final scene of the series shows her raising her glass to the land: "A toast to you, Falcon Crest, and long may you live."

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Falcon Crest episodes}}
{{:List of Falcon Crest episodes}}

==Reception==
===U.S. television ratings===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Episodes
! colspan="3"| Originally Broadcast
! colspan="3"| Nielsen Ratings
|-
! Season premiere
! Season finale
! Time slot (ET)
! Rank
! Rating
! Viewers<br>{{small|(in millions)}}
|-
| [[1981–82 United States network television schedule|1981–82]]
| 18
| December 4, 1981
| April 16, 1982
| rowspan="4"|Friday at 10:00-11:00 PM
| #13
| 21.4
| 17.4
|-
| [[1982–83 United States network television schedule|1982–83]]
| 22
| October 1, 1982
| March 11, 1983
| #8
| 20.7
| 17.3
|-
| [[1983–84 United States network television schedule|1983–84]]
| 28
| September 30, 1983
| May 18, 1984
| #7
| 22.0
| 18.4
|-
| [[1984–85 United States network television schedule|1984–85]]
| 30
| September 28, 1984
| May 24, 1985
| #10
| 19.9
| 17.5
|-
| [[1985–86 United States network television schedule|1985–86]]
| 29
| October 4, 1985
| May 11, 1986
| Friday at 10:00-11:00 PM <small>(Episodes 1-28)</small><br />Thursday at 10:00-11:00 PM <small>(Episode 29)</small>
| #24
| 18.1
| 15.6
|-
| [[1986–87 United States network television schedule|1986–87]]
| 28
| October 3, 1986
| May 15, 1987
| rowspan="3"|Friday at 10:00-11:00 PM
| #23
| 17.3
| 15.1
|-
| [[1987–88 United States network television schedule|1987–88]]
| 28
| October 2, 1987
| May 6, 1988
| #42
<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2017/06/ratings-history-1987-88-downward-trends.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322040712/http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2017/06/ratings-history-1987-88-downward-trends.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2018|title=1987-88 Ratings -- Downward Trends. NBC Still 1st, ABC Rebounds to 2nd After 4-Year Drought, CBS Sees All-Time Low in 3rd Place. And FOX is a Joke - The TV Ratings Guide|date=March 22, 2018}}</ref>
| 14.2
| 12.4
|-
| [[1988–89 United States network television schedule|1988–89]]
| 22
| October 28, 1988
| May 19, 1989
| #52
<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2017/07/1988-89-ratings-history-wga-writers.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322032335/http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2017/07/1988-89-ratings-history-wga-writers.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2018|title=1988-89 Ratings History -- The WGA Writer's Strike Changes The TV Landscape, NBC still rules - The TV Ratings Guide|date=March 22, 2018}}</ref>
| 12.4
| 10.8
|-
| [[1989–90 United States network television schedule|1989–90]]
| 22
| September 29, 1989
| May 17, 1990
| Friday at 10:00-11:00 PM <small>(Episodes 1–18)</small><br />Thursday at 9:00-10:00 PM <small>(Episodes 19–22)</small>
| #63
<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2018/02/1989-90-ratings-history-abc-claws.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318120257/http://www.tvratingsguide.com/2018/02/1989-90-ratings-history-abc-claws.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 18, 2018|title=1989-90 Ratings History -- ABC Claws Closer to 1st Place NBC as FOX Finds Its Next Hit - The TV Ratings Guide|date=March 18, 2018}}</ref>

| 10.2
| 8.9
|}

===Accolades===
====Primetime Emmy Awards====
{{main|Primetime Emmy Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Nominee(s)
!scope="col"| Episode
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[36th Primetime Emmy Awards|1984]]
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour)|Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series]]
| Eddie Knowles, John L. Anderson, Doug Davey, Chris Haire
| "The Avenger"
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1984/outstanding-achievement-in-film-sound-mixing|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207181621/https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1984/outstanding-achievement-in-film-sound-mixing|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour)|Outstanding Sound Editing for a Drama Series]]
| Bill Wistrom, Mace Matiosian, Joanie Diener 
| "Ashes to Ashes"
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1984/outstanding-sound-editing-for-a-series|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=August 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811205359/http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1984/outstanding-sound-editing-for-a-series|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[38th Primetime Emmy Awards|1986]]
! scope="row"| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series
| [[John Asman]], Eddie Knowles, Andy MacDonald, Ken S. Polk 
| "The Cataclysm"
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1986/outstanding-sound-mixing-for-a-drama-series|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=March 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330081744/https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1986/outstanding-sound-mixing-for-a-drama-series|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[41st Primetime Emmy Awards|1989]]
! scope="row"| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series|Outstanding Music Composition for a Series]]
| Joel Rosenbaum 
| "Dust to Dust"
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1989/outstanding-music-composition-for-a-series-original-dramatic-score|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=February 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220230402/https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/1989/outstanding-music-composition-for-a-series-original-dramatic-score|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

====Golden Globes====
{{main|Golden Globe Awards}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Nominee(s)
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[40th Golden Globe Awards|1982]]
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama|Best Actress – Television Series Drama]]
| [[Jane Wyman]]
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|title=The 40th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1983)|url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1983/all#category-33|publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA)|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012222905/http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1983/all#category-33|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]]
| [[Lorenzo Lamas]] 
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|title=The 40th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1983)|url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1983/all#category-1899|publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA)|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012222905/http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1983/all#category-1899|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
|-
| [[41st Golden Globe Awards|1983]]
! scope="row"| Best Actress – Television Series Drama
| Jane Wyman
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|title=The 41st Annual Golden Globe Awards (1984)|url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1984/all#category-33|publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA)|access-date=March 17, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012185208/http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1984/all#category-33|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[42nd Golden Globe Awards|1984]]
! scope="row"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]]
| [[Gina Lollobrigida]]
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web |title=The 42nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1985) |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1985 |publisher=GoldenGlobes.com. [[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] (HFPA) |access-date=March 17, 2023 |archive-date=March 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160326221910/http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1985 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|}

====Tp de Oro====
{{main|TP de Oro}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| Category
!scope="col"| Result
!scope="col"| Ref.
|-
| 1985
! scope="row"| Best Foreign Series
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Premios TP de Oro|magazine=Teleprograma|date=April 14, 1986|number=1045}}</ref>
|-
| 1986
! scope="row"| Best Foreign Series
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Premios TP de Oro|magazine=Teleprograma|date=March 2, 1987|number=1091}}</ref>
|-
| 1987
! scope="row"| Best Foreign Series
| {{Runner-up|2nd Place}}
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Premios TP de Oro|magazine=Teleprograma|date=February 1988}}</ref>
|-
| 1989
! scope="row"| Best Foreign Series
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite news|title=Premios TP de Oro|magazine=Teleprograma|date=March 5, 1990|number=1248}}</ref>
|}

==International broadcast==
In the UK, in contrast to ''[[Dallas (TV series)|Dallas]]'', ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'', ''[[Knots Landing]]'' and ''[[The Colbys]]'' all being broadcast on the [[BBC]], ''Falcon Crest'' was mostly shown on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. Season 1 of ''Falcon Crest'' was networked on ITV, and was shown at the same time on Thursday nights across the whole of the UK. From Season 2 onwards, ''Falcon Crest'' was no longer networked nationally on ITV, so was shown across the different ITV regional channels on different days and times, sometimes months apart in different regions. The [[Thames Television]] London ITV area moved to afternoon broadcasts midway through Season 3, while the other ITV regions carried on broadcasting at night for Seasons 2–5. Seasons 6–8 were broadcast in the afternoons on the different ITV regional channels, although Thames, being behind the other regions with the schedules at the time, didn't broadcast Season 8 due to ITV losing the rights to broadcast ''Falcon Crest'' in August 1989. Season 9 was the only season that was not shown on ITV in the UK, instead being broadcast on satellite channel [[Sky One]].

==Home media==
The rights to the series are held by [[Warner Bros.]], successor-in-interest to the original production company [[Lorimar Television|Lorimar]]. The first season was released on DVD in various European countries in April and May 2009, and the second season was released from October 2009 onwards, again in various European countries.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

[[Warner Bros.]] has released the first three seasons on DVD in region 1. Season one was released on April 20, 2010,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-1-Press-Release/13179|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205052731/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-1-Press-Release/13179|title=''Falcon Crest'' DVD news: Press Release for ''Falcon Crest: The Complete 1st Season''|first=David|last=Lambert|website=TVShowsOnDVD.com|date=December 5, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/falcon-crest-debuts-on-dvd-today|title=''Falcon Crest'' Debuts on DVD Today|date=April 20, 2010|website=Television Academy Interviews|access-date=April 15, 2020|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304010137/https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/news/falcon-crest-debuts-on-dvd-today|url-status=live}}</ref> season two on September 24, 2010,<ref name="DVD S2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-2/14384|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205052747/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-2/14384|title=''Falcon Crest'' DVD news: Delay for ''Falcon Crest: The Complete 2nd Season''|first=David|last=Lambert|website=TVShowsOnDVD.com|date=September 9, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 5, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2020}}</ref> and season three on May 28, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-3/18504|title=''Falcon Crest'' DVD news: Release Date for ''Falcon Crest: The Complete 3rd Season''|first=David|last=Lambert|website=TVShowsOnDVD.com|date=May 28, 2013|access-date=April 15, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227185601/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-Season-3/18504|archive-date=February 27, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Seasons two and three were released by the [[Warner Archive Collection]] as Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) releases.<ref name="DVD S2"/> Season four became available digitally on [[iTunes]] in 2016.

==Adaptations==
===Planned revival===
Following the [[Dallas (2012 TV series)|relaunch of ''Dallas'']] in 2012, it was reported that stars of ''Falcon Crest'' had been approached about appearing in a revival of their show. It was proposed that the series would focus on Cole Gioberti (William Moses) and Richard Channing (David Selby).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/Kecks-Exclusives-Falcon-1071878.aspx|title=Keck's Exclusives: ''Falcon Crest'' Stars Approached For Possible Reboot|first=William|last=Keck|date=October 10, 2013|work=[[TV Guide]]|access-date=February 27, 2015|archive-date=October 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025112920/http://www.tvguide.com/News/Kecks-Exclusives-Falcon-1071878.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> However, plans for a new series never came to fruition.

===Turkish adaptation===
In 2018, a remake of the series was made in Turkey called ''Şahin Tepesi'', the same name used when the original ''Falcon Crest'' aired in Turkey in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.atvdistribution.com/series/falcon-crest|title=ATV Distribution - Falcon Crest|access-date=July 22, 2020|archive-date=July 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723214229/http://www.atvdistribution.com/series/falcon-crest|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dizilah.com/show/sahin-tepesi|title=Şahin Tepesi &#124; Dizilah|access-date=July 22, 2020|archive-date=July 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723051401/https://dizilah.com/show/sahin-tepesi|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0081858|title=Falcon Crest}}
* [http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/41217/falcon-crest-the-complete-first-season/ DVD Review and production history]
* {{Cite web|url=http://www.endedtvseries.com/falcon-crest/|title=''Falcon Crest''|date=October 13, 2013|website=Ended TV Series|access-date=January 15, 2020}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.paleycenter.org/2010-fall-falcon-crest-a-look-back|title=Falcon Crest: A Look Back|website=The Paley Center for Media|date=September 14, 2010 }}

[[Category:Falcon Crest| ]]
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