8.8/1019 votes#1 - Just Disappeared (1)
Season 8 Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1986
A kidnapper imprisons Karen. Ben returns to Val, and Sumner confesses to Peter his real plans for Lotus Point.
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
8.2/1016 votes#2 - Distant Echoes (2)
Season 8 Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/1986
Gary confronts Sumner about the clean-up at Lotus Point and decides to vie for state senator against Peter.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.5/1017 votes#3 - Reunion
Season 8 Episode 3 - Aired 9/25/1986
Jean calls Ben and he tells her never to call him at home. Ben poses Val a hypothetical question: Should he do a report on a man who was once in a subversive group that bombed a building, but had gotten out and was now a responsible man with a family? Val says no, as it would hurt his family. Abby shows up at a speech that Gary gives, and tells Jill that she will be with Gary morning, noon and night. However, she gives Peter copies of Gary's speeches and schedule. Phil tells Karen that he wants Mac to feel what it's like not to know where his wife is. Phil says that Mac sent him to jail and he didn't know what was happening to his wife, and then she died. He says he'll let Karen go in a year. Greg decides to really clean up Empire Valley. Phil stops by to see Greg. Greg excitedly tells Laura that he's a good friend from law school.
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
8.3/1016 votes#4 - Past Tense
Season 8 Episode 4 - Aired 10/2/1986
After hosting Phil at the ranch, Sumner realizes Phil's involvement with Karen's kidnapping.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.8/1018 votes#5 - Slow Burn
Season 8 Episode 5 - Aired 10/9/1986
The kidnapper tries to kill Karen, but someone intervenes. Gary's affair with Jill is exposed.
Director: N/A
Writer: Joel J. Feigenbaum
8.2/1016 votes#6 - For Appearance's Sake
Season 8 Episode 6 - Aired 10/16/1986
Abby and kids move back to the ranch to help out Gary's family image. Gary catches Abby in bed with Peter, but doesn't care. Olivia smokes pot and is suspended from school and steals Abby's car. She's is in a minor accident and picked up for driving without a license. Gary gets her, and misses a debate. Mac tells Karen about Paige and they invite her to dinner. Roses are delivered from Phil with a card that says ""You won't get away next time."" Greg changes his tires and gives Phil's name to police, saying he recognized him from the police sketch. They show his picture to Karen, who ID's him. Mac is shocked. Seeing his picture on TV, Phil shows up at Greg's office and says that police think 2 people were in on the kidnapping, and he'll tell police that Greg hired him unless he will help him get out of the country.
Director: Joseph L. Scanlan
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
8.6/1016 votes#7 - All Over But the Shouting
Season 8 Episode 7 - Aired 10/23/1986
Mac thinks Greg has something to do with Karen's kidnapping. Greg puts Phil up in a motel until he can make arrangements to send him to Hong Kong. They agree to meet the next morning. Phil orders a pizza. The delivery boy recognized Phil from TV and calls Mac. Michael is uncomfortable with his attraction to Paige, but they begin to kiss. Jean introduces herself to Val as an old college friend of Ben's, and Val invites her to dinner. Ben tells Jean to leave him alone or he'll expose her on TV. While grocery shopping, Ben loses Bobby and later finds him with Jean. Scared, he goes along with her and supports Peter on TV. Abby is furious, but tells Peter it was her idea. Peter wins the election.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.5/1016 votes#8 - Pressure Points
Season 8 Episode 8 - Aired 10/30/1986
Lotus Point reopens. Phil has an accident. Peter takes an interest in Sylvia's medication.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.3/1015 votes#9 - Brothers and Mothers (a.k.a.) Brotherly Love and Family Business
Season 8 Episode 9 - Aired 11/6/1986
Paige and Michael keep a secret, while Mack plots to have his daughter move in with his family.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.5/1017 votes#10 - Over the Edge
Season 8 Episode 10 - Aired 11/13/1986
Gary and Olivia strike a deal. Sumner meets a dangerous person. Abby keeps an important secret from Peter.
Director: N/A
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
8.6/1017 votes#11 - A Turn of Events
Season 8 Episode 11 - Aired 11/20/1986
Abby suggests Sylvia have an attorney draw up a letter with the truth about Peter, to be released to the public if anything happens to her. The attorney then gives the letter to Abby. Sylvia gives another copy to Olivia. Karen walks in on Michael and Paige cuddled up asleep, and tells Mac that they're sleeping together. Ben and Mac try to figure out the link between Peter, Jill, Abby and Sylvia.After Jill falls off cliff, Peter calls 911. At the hospital, Gary apologizes to Jill for his ultimatum. Peter tells Mac and Ben he used to date Jill, but now they're good friends. Gary tells Abby that he loves Jill. Something goes wrong, and a code blue is called for Jill. Abby and Gary overhear a Doctor saying that Jill is pregnant. Jean tells Ben to report that Peter was seen with Jill before the accident. Another man tells Ben he saw Jill fall off the cliff and that Peter was with her.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/1015 votes#12 - Touch and Go
Season 8 Episode 12 - Aired 11/27/1986
Mack and Karen confront Paige and Michael. Sylvia threatens Peter, as an eyewitness implicates him.
Director: Lorraine Senna
Writer: N/A
8.3/1015 votes#13 - The Inside Man
Season 8 Episode 13 - Aired 12/4/1986
Sumner makes Ben a lucrative offer. Paige takes an interest in Peter, while Karen suspects Paige is a liar.
Director: Paul Tucker
Writer: N/A
8.1/1016 votes#14 - Gifts
Season 8 Episode 14 - Aired 12/11/1986
Paige dates Peter. Olivia has a crash while on cocaine with Lilimae in the car.
Director: N/A
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
8.7/1017 votes#15 - Truth Will Out
Season 8 Episode 15 - Aired 12/18/1986
Olivia gets caught with cocaine. Karen catches Paige in another lie. Gary discovers Jill's big secret.
Director: N/A
Writer: Scott Hamner
8.9/1017 votes#16 - The Unraveling
Season 8 Episode 16 - Aired 1/1/1987
Abby encounters a situation she can't manipulate - Olivia's cocaine problem. Paige sees her grandfather.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
9.4/1024 votes#17 - No Miracle Worker
Season 8 Episode 17 - Aired 1/8/1987
Mac flies to New York to see Anne. Under house arrest, Olivia sneaks out and does drugs in the barn. Olivia locks herself in the bathroom, so Abby chops the door down and finds drugs which Olivia tried to flush. Olivia makes calls, and tells Brian that her friends will bring her homework to his school. Abby catches Olivia stealing money from her purse, and they fight. Olivia trashes Abby's room, and Abby has to restrain her. Olivia gives Brian an envelope and tells him it's her homework to give to her friends. Lilimae brings Brian to school, but comes back with Olivia's ""homework"". It is actually money. Upset, Olivia says she had to give it to Brian, or her friends would beat him up. Abby rushes to Brian's school, but he's already been beaten up. Abby brings him home and forces Olivia to face her bruised and bloodied brother. Upset, Olivia runs to the chicken coop and gives Abby all of her drugs.
Director: N/A
Writer: Bernard Lechowick
8.2/1017 votes#18 - My True Love
Season 8 Episode 18 - Aired 1/15/1987
Mack reunites with Anne and brings her back. Gary and Abby discuss the divorce, and Sumner suspects Ben.
Director: Lorraine Senna
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
7.9/1014 votes#19 - Never Trick a Trickster
Season 8 Episode 19 - Aired 1/29/1987
Sumner discovers a listening device in his home. Paige and Anne reunite, while Ben gets a bad assignment.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/1016 votes#20 - A Plan of Action
Season 8 Episode 20 - Aired 2/5/1987
Paige accepts a job at Lotus Point. Anne asks Karen to arrange for her to live at Lotus Point. Greg and Laura disagree about her having the baby, so she moves back to the cul-de-sac. Abby opens a nightclub at Lotus Point. Peter asks Abby to the opening, but tells Paige it is only for PR purposes. Ben refuses to kill Greg, and Jean says she'll kill his family. After someone tries to run Val off the road, Ben tells her that he was part of a subversive group that bombed a building and an innocent man was killed. Ben says they want him to kill Greg. Ben and Val decide to run away. Val won't tell Lilimae what is up. Ben is being followed, and steals a car to lose them. Val, Lilimae, and the kids follow Ben's plan to meet him secretly. As they drive away, Jean pulls up next to them in her car.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/1016 votes#21 - Survival of the Fittest
Season 8 Episode 21 - Aired 2/12/1987
Jean catches the Gibson's, and they know that their house is bugged. She instructs Ben to kill Greg at the Lotus Point Club Opening. At the opening, Greg and Laura make up. He says he's happy about the baby. Anne hangs all over Mac at the party, and Karen pretends not to mind. Mac is amused at Karen's jealousy. Ben tells Val that they'll escape in a catering truck after the party. Jean tells Ben that if he doesn't kill Greg, she has people at the party who will kill Val. Ben says the time isn't right, so Jean tells him to make an opportunity. Gary and Jill tell Val that they're getting married and Val runs off crying. Ben confronts Greg in his office and pulls out a gun. He tells Greg to help him find a way out of this, because if he doesn't kill him, they'll kill his family. Jean listens in on the bug. Ben can't bring himself to kill Greg, but then a shot rings out.
Director: Michael Preece
Writer: N/A
8.2/1016 votes#22 - In Mourning
Season 8 Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1987
Val and the kids are brought home in a catering van. Val is frantic about Ben. Mac hires bodyguards posing as construction workers to protect Val and instructs Val to say that Ben is on a business trip. Lilimae asks Karen if she knows what's going on as Ben had her close her bank account, they drove around in a stolen car, then in a Catering van all night, and now there are 2 carpenters at the house who aren't doing anything. Karen asks both Mac and Val what is going on, but neither will tell her anything. Greg's death is in the paper. Abby rushes to Peter's and says he'd better be prepared to take over Galveston Industries and pressures him to make a public statement. Gary and Jill had planned to marry in Las Vegas, but he postpones it. Val goes to the ranch to comfort Laura, then Greg walks in, and Val suddenly wonders if Ben is dead.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/1018 votes#23 - Nightmare
Season 8 Episode 23 - Aired 3/5/1987
Jean's superior tells her she needs to kill Greg. Mac, Greg and an agent find out that Jean and her associate are trying to kill Greg. Mac punches out Jean's superior, and he's arrested. Not knowing he's on to her, Jean invites Greg to her hotel room. Greg says he knows what she's up to and pulls a gun. Mac and the agent come in and arrest her. Mac explains to Karen that he couldn't tell Val that Ben was alive, because she would give it away. Val, hysterical about Ben, tries to buy a gun. Unsuccessful, she goes to the ranch and takes Gary's gun. Val breaks into Jean's store, and almost shoots a cleaning woman by accident. Gary finds her and brings her home. Ben walks in and they hug and kiss and cry. That night Ben dreams that Jean kills Val. Abby tells Jill, ""Let the second Mrs. Ewing give the soon to be third Mrs. Ewing some advice. The first Mrs. Ewing doesn't go away - ever!"" Gary and Jill decide to get married some other time.
Director: Bill Duke
Writer: N/A
7.9/1016 votes#24 - Neighborly Conduct
Season 8 Episode 24 - Aired 3/12/1987
Ben is upset that Greg sent Jean to Paraguay instead of pressing charges. He is ultra paranoid and thinks he sees Jean everywhere. Greg fires Ben. Jill questions Gary about whether she comes first in his life. Olivia joins Peter's Youth Commission against drugs. She admits to Paige she has a huge crush on Peter.Abby and Paige vie for Peter's affection. To win his affection, Paige tells Peter that Sylvia gave Olivia a letter, and that he can use Olivia's crush on him to get the letter back. Peter sends Olivia flowers, thanking her for her help. Anne rents Laura's house, and hangs out at the MacKenzie's. Karen doesn't like this, and tells Anne to stop coming on to Mac because she doesn't stand a chance. Anne sends herself a package, but has is delivered to the MacKenzies. When Mac brings it over, she tells him she wants him to stay and get reacquainted.
Director: Lawrence Kasha
Writer: Lynn Marie Latham
8.7/1017 votes#25 - Deadly Combination
Season 8 Episode 25 - Aired 3/26/1987
Laura's furious with Val over the whole incident, and even quits Lotus Point so she won't run into her there. Ben is still paranoid, and wants the family to go into hiding, but Val says that is no life for the twins. Ben has an elaborate security system installed. Lilimae accidentally sets it off, and Ben, thinking she's Jean, gets her in a choke hold. Peter appoints Olivia as his youth advisor. He tells her she is prettier than Abby, and asks if she's heard from Sylvia. Anne and Mac discuss old times, and she tells him that she still loves him. Karen and Mac argue over Anne. Karen tells him to tell Anne to leave. Mac tells Anne that he loves Karen and will never leave her. Anne asks Mac to meet her for a goodbye breakfast. Anne then takes a bunch of pills. Mac decides to eat breakfast with Karen instead of meeting Anne. Anne is passed out on her living room floor.
Director: Beth Brickell
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Knots Landing Season 8
Every episode of Knots Landing Season 8 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Knots Landing Season 8!
The domestic adventures, misdeeds and everyday interactions of five families living on a cul-de-sac in a small California community.
Genres:DramaSoap
Network:CBS
Season 8 Ratings Summary
"Just Disappeared (1)" is the best rated episode of "Knots Landing" season 8. It scored 8.8/10 based on 19 votes. Directed by Joseph L. Scanlan and written by Bernard Lechowick, it aired on 9/18/1986. This episode is rated 0.6 points higher than the second-best, "Distant Echoes (2)".