<Tr> <Th> Followed by </Th> <Td> Knots Landing: Back to the Cul - de-Sac </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Related shows </Th> <Td> Dallas </Td> </Tr> <P> Knots Landing is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993 . A spin - off of Dallas, it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles, and centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul - de-sac, Seaview Circle . By the time of its conclusion, Knots Landing had become one of the longest - running primetime dramas on U.S. television after Gunsmoke and Bonanza . </P> <P> Knots Landing was created by David Jacobs (one - time writer of Family and later producer of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) in conjunction with producer Michael Filerman (who would also later co-produce Falcon Crest). Although a spin - off of Dallas, the concept predates that series, and was initially rebuffed by CBS in 1977, as the network wanted something more "saga - like". Jacobs then created Dallas, which the network accepted and premiered in 1978 . After Dallas became a hit, Jacobs was then able to adapt Knots Landing as a spin - off series by way of incorporating characters originally introduced in the parent series . The series was largely inspired by a 1957 movie No Down Payment but also by the 1973 Ingmar Bergman television miniseries Scenes from a Marriage . Storylines included rape, murder, kidnapping, assassinations, drug smuggling, corporate intrigue and criminal investigations . Though initially not as popular as Dallas, Knots Landing eventually outlasted it and garnered much critical acclaim . The series peaked during the 1983--84 season with a 20.8 rating (finishing in 11th place) and a 20.0 rating for the 1984--85 season (when it finished 9th). This can be attributed, in part, to more dramatic storylines as the series became more soap - opera like, and the gradual inclusion of newer characters to interact with the original cast . By the 1988--89 season, Knots Landing was ahead of Dallas in the ratings, though audiences for both shows by this time were less than their earlier years . </P>

When did the program knots landing start and finish