Tony Comes Home (1 Jan. 1982)

Director:

Jack Bender

Writers:

Earl Hamner Jr. (creator), Katharyn Powers

Stars:

Jane Wyman, Robert Foxworth, Lorenzo Lamas

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Jane Wyman	...	Angela Channing
Robert Foxworth	...	Chase Gioberti
Lorenzo Lamas	...	Lance Cumson
William R. Moses	...	Cole Gioberti (as Billy R. Moses)
Jamie Rose	...	Vickie Gioberti
Abby Dalton	...	Julia Cumson
Susan Sullivan	...	Maggie Gioberti
Nick Ramus	...	Gus Nunouz
Stephen Elliott	...	Douglas Channing
John Saxon	...	Tony Cumson
Cynthia Sikes	...	Barbara Munroe
Stu Klitsner	...	Vineyard Broker

Storyline

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 January 1982 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Spring Mountain Vineyards - 2805 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, Napa Valley, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amanda & MF, Lorimar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chao Li Chi's on-screen credit is mistakenly omitted during the end guest credits in his episode.

User Reviews

Lost Love, Forlorn Julia

Maggie (Susan Sullivan) is intrigued by the possibility of becoming a reporter at the San Francisco Globe after Angela (Jane Wyman) arranges an interview for her with her ex-husband Douglas Channing (Stephen Elliott). Angela secretly hopes to drive Chase and Maggie apart so that they'll leave Tuscany and their vineyard so that Angela can own the family legacy all to herself.

The return of Tony Cumson (John Saxon) to Tuscany and Falcon Crest after 12 years gone upsets everyone including the wife Julia (Abby Dalton) and son Lance (Lorenzo Lamas) he left behind. But when Tony gets to spend time alone with Julia after sneaking into the winery she softens her resistance to the love of her life. Lance is less enthused.

Tony and Julia struggle with plans to leave Falcon Crest to build a life, and their own winery, outside the turmoil and Angela's scheming. Angela and Lance's manipulations confuse Julia and She sends Tony away. Julia is left the same tormented character up until certain bizarre aspects of the narrative come in to play later in the series.

We in the audience are meant to wonder if Tony and Julia couldn't make it as a couple or as independent vintners with Angela's scheming disrupting their lives then what chance do Chase and Maggie have, right? This guest appearance/departure was not a permanent exit from the show. Tony would be brought back as needed especially if a major character left and the gap needed to be filled by another character connected to the backstory.

Eventually the deficit of continuity on this show became so glaring that moves to remedy that made for questionable casting decisions which included the hiring of actors who appeared on the show in the roles of different characters.

Robert Loggia played the role of Tony in a forgettable one-off guest spot in Season Two before John Saxon reprised the role in the third episode of Season Six. The fanbase of the show was evidently intended to accept Tony as somewhat of a surrogate for Chase (Robert Foxworth) who would depart the show at the end of the sixth season.