I think the reason this worked so well is threefold. One, Julia was somewhat of an ancillary character. She did have some backstory (thought her mother was controlling, was divorced, drank a bit too much), but she wasn't like Angela, Melissa or Richard who were in the forefront of mostly every episode. Two: This was only the second season - so while we had a pretty good idea of most of the characters motivations and schemes, again, Julia was just sort of in the background. Had this been season 5 or 6, her character might have been a bit more developed and possibly she may have been seen as a more likely suspect. Three: This was in the days before the internet, and we didn't have the luxury of getting 'spoilers' from 'insiders' (production for example) I think for 'shock' value - this is in the top two or three nighttime soap cliffhangers. Also: no cars parked in the driveway despite their being 20 people at the house ! :)
This season 2 cliffhanger was undermined 3 seasons later when Angela Channing discovered that Richard Channing was her own son. Jacqueline Perrault's death became a JOKE.
I remember screaming no! When they announced that Julia was the killer I know it meant that she was on her way out. And yes it was a couple of years but this was Abby Dalton's finest moment.
I’ve been to Spring Mountain. There actually is a Spring House there, but it looks nothing like the one depicted and is right near the main house itself.
Though clearly not the biggest cliffhanger of all-time when it came to sheer ratings, I do think this one is quite clearly the best, and a helluva way to end Season 2/open Season 3.
Addition to my earlier post: several alternate reveals were filmed with Lance, Richard, Melissa, Cole, Angela, Phillip, Chao-Li and Diana all confessing to the murder. No one knew whom the producers would pick until the episode aired, including CBS and Lorimar. The chosen scene was flown in the night of the episode aired under top-secrecy. Scroll down to the bottom of this page on the FC German website to read every character's scripted confession (and see a still of Lance's confession): www.falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/episodes/ai/bts/2/040
Also, according to the indispensible German website, Chase almost ended up as Julia's last victim because Foxworth was threatening to leave the show, but was enticed to stay at the last minute by promises to direct episodes.
Wow, everyone "had" a Motive but not "Emma". Ha! Ha! Neither did Vicki although she could have been angry at both Carlo & Melissa for hurting Cole since he did everything to protect her when they were still living in New York. That is so cool. Maggie could have had one since she was so fed up with the machinations and Drama at Falcon Crest from Angela, to Carlo then having a Grandson she couldn't acknowledge. Chase since his son almost was convicted for a crime he didn't commit.
Best prime-time murder reveal and cliffhanger ever. Neat trivia: that scene is a splice of several scenes they shot that revealed other characters as the murderer, including Lance, Richard and Diana Hunter. The scenes are awkwardly spliced - Wyman's non-reaction to Julia's confession doesn't work at all. Lana Turner was not in that room at all the day they filmed those scenes - her scene of arrival and watching the goings-on from the foyer were spliced in later. Rumor is that things were so bad between Wyman and Turner that they couldn't be in the same room together.
I wonder if there is any footage of the alternate endings. I remember reading at the time that they shot three or four different endings with different culprits.
Lance, Richard and Diana Hunter were filmed "confessing". Vicki and Melissa were on the list for the corpse in the coffin (Ana-Alicia was involved in critical contract negotiations at the time). It came down to Jacqueline when Wyman pulled her weight with producers and wanted her rival Turner out.
Agreed. Telling that her presence was still felt throughout Season 4. Too bad that Wyman felt threatened by Turner. It’s not as if anyone could have out acted her.
In The UK When The Soap Opera Emmerdale did a Storyline where Tom King a Businessman got killed on his Wedding Day on Xmas Day. So many folks had a motive and they all were shown throwing Tom out of a Window. It was finally acknowledged that his Youngest & Favorite Son Carl did it because he hated Tom controlling him.
@@laminage I know that Coronation Street had that crazy serial killer storyline going on for a good while. Those are always fun. I remember being in the UK a dozen or so years ago on holiday and seeing Shirley Stelfox on Emmerdale. I knew she looked familiar. I knew her as the first Rose from Keeping Up Appearances. I understand she died of cancer shortly thereafter. She was my favorite of the 2 Roses.
Julia, check yourself. Cole never did anything to undermine Lance, he did it all on his own. Lance was nothing but Angela's Whipping Boy and you were her Beck & Call Girl. Everytime Lance tried to prove that he could stand on his own two feet he couldn't make it and always came back to Falcon Crest, his butt between his legs. IE first working for his Grandfather Douglas and took a 2 Hour Lunch, then living with Laurie Stevens who kicked him out because he had no ambition. Wouldn't it have been something if it were discovered that Laurie was pregnant with Lance's Baby, and went back to Europe.
One of the best cliffhangers of all time.
One of the most surprising murder reveals that I have ever seen. I would never have suspected the real culprit!
I think the reason this worked so well is threefold.
One, Julia was somewhat of an ancillary character. She did have some backstory (thought her mother was controlling, was divorced, drank a bit too much), but she wasn't like Angela, Melissa or Richard who were in the forefront of mostly every episode.
Two: This was only the second season - so while we had a pretty good idea of most of the characters motivations and schemes, again, Julia was just sort of in the background. Had this been season 5 or 6, her character might have been a bit more developed and possibly she may have been seen as a more likely suspect.
Three: This was in the days before the internet, and we didn't have the luxury of getting 'spoilers' from 'insiders' (production for example)
I think for 'shock' value - this is in the top two or three nighttime soap cliffhangers.
Also: no cars parked in the driveway despite their being 20 people at the house ! :)
@@ericmaine. You know, I’ve watched this clip 50 god damn times and never noticed the no cars thing!
This season 2 cliffhanger was undermined
3 seasons later when Angela Channing
discovered that Richard Channing was
her own son.
Jacqueline Perrault's death became a JOKE.
I remember screaming no! When they announced that Julia was the killer I know it meant that she was on her way out. And yes it was a couple of years but this was Abby Dalton's finest moment.
One of them. Right up there with the nun with a gun kidnapping Joseph and burning in the Spring House.
I’ve been to Spring Mountain. There actually is a Spring House there, but it looks nothing like the one depicted and is right near the main house itself.
i rem this, shocking at the time
It sure was. I watched it when it originally aired
Though clearly not the biggest cliffhanger of all-time when it came to sheer ratings, I do think this one is quite clearly the best, and a helluva way to end Season 2/open Season 3.
One of the best season cliffhangers ever!
Best cliffhanger EVER!!!!
Addition to my earlier post: several alternate reveals were filmed with Lance, Richard, Melissa, Cole, Angela, Phillip, Chao-Li and Diana all confessing to the murder. No one knew whom the producers would pick until the episode aired, including CBS and Lorimar. The chosen scene was flown in the night of the episode aired under top-secrecy. Scroll down to the bottom of this page on the FC German website to read every character's scripted confession (and see a still of Lance's confession):
www.falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/episodes/ai/bts/2/040
Also, according to the indispensible German website, Chase almost ended up as Julia's last victim because Foxworth was threatening to leave the show, but was enticed to stay at the last minute by promises to direct episodes.
Wow, everyone "had" a Motive but not "Emma". Ha! Ha! Neither did Vicki although she could have been angry at both Carlo & Melissa for hurting Cole since he did everything to protect her when they were still living in New York. That is so cool. Maggie could have had one since she was so fed up with the machinations and Drama at Falcon Crest from Angela, to Carlo then having a Grandson she couldn't acknowledge. Chase since his son almost was convicted for a crime he didn't commit.
Best prime-time murder reveal and cliffhanger ever. Neat trivia: that scene is a splice of several scenes they shot that revealed other characters as the murderer, including Lance, Richard and Diana Hunter. The scenes are awkwardly spliced - Wyman's non-reaction to Julia's confession doesn't work at all. Lana Turner was not in that room at all the day they filmed those scenes - her scene of arrival and watching the goings-on from the foyer were spliced in later. Rumor is that things were so bad between Wyman and Turner that they couldn't be in the same room together.
Yeah, the reaction shots are terrible. "Oh, my daughter killed a man? I'll just stand here frowning"
Those of the days
I wonder if there is any footage of the alternate endings. I remember reading at the time that they shot three or four different endings with different culprits.
Lance, Richard and Diana Hunter were filmed "confessing". Vicki and Melissa were on the list for the corpse in the coffin (Ana-Alicia was involved in critical contract negotiations at the time). It came down to Jacqueline when Wyman pulled her weight with producers and wanted her rival Turner out.
Thank God Ana Alicia stick around!!
@@tonyatmidnight, that's interesting. Thanks for the background info!
@@tonyatmidnight. What possible motive wound Diana Hunter have? That would have been terribly lame.
They should never have killed off Lana Turner’s character, Jacqueline Perrault. She was really a great character and a great opponent for Angela.
Wyman and Turner did not get along at all. Turner was very vocal about that. She was promised a story for season 3, but Wyman wanted her out.
Agreed. Telling that her presence was still felt throughout Season 4. Too bad that Wyman felt threatened by Turner. It’s not as if anyone could have out acted her.
In The UK When The Soap Opera Emmerdale did a Storyline where Tom King a Businessman got killed on his Wedding Day on Xmas Day. So many folks had a motive and they all were shown throwing Tom out of a Window. It was finally acknowledged that his Youngest & Favorite Son Carl did it because he hated Tom controlling him.
Out of a window?? 😮😢
@@paulvoorhies8821 Yep! UK Soaps have a Mystery Vibe when someone is killed, and they get very upset if they see a mistake with a Scene.
@@laminage I know that Coronation Street had that crazy serial killer storyline going on for a good while. Those are always fun. I remember being in the UK a dozen or so years ago on holiday and seeing Shirley Stelfox on Emmerdale. I knew she looked familiar. I knew her as the first Rose from Keeping Up Appearances. I understand she died of cancer shortly thereafter. She was my favorite of the 2 Roses.
How u gonna shoot at someone with the police present
Julia was completely unhinged at that point
who was killed? Jacqueline?
Yes. And Chase was shot twice and was paralyzed. This is my favorite cliffhanger of all time.
RIP Abby
Julia, check yourself. Cole never did anything to undermine Lance, he did it all on his own. Lance was nothing but Angela's Whipping Boy and you were her Beck & Call Girl. Everytime Lance tried to prove that he could stand on his own two feet he couldn't make it and always came back to Falcon Crest, his butt between his legs. IE first working for his Grandfather Douglas and took a 2 Hour Lunch, then living with Laurie Stevens who kicked him out because he had no ambition. Wouldn't it have been something if it were discovered that Laurie was pregnant with Lance's Baby, and went back to Europe.
Julia is the murder of carlo