The Greatest Cliffhanger You Never Knew About!

By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues

Back in the 80s, the American soap operas dominated the airwaves. Dallas and Who Shot JR was the biggest cliffhanger in soap opera history and set the world talking about it in such a frenzy. Dynasty and Falcon Crest were the big boys to the point Dallas got its spin off, Knots Landing, and so Dynasty got one too in the form of the Colbys starring Charlton Heston and Stephanie Beacham.

However, unlike Knots Landing, the Colbys were cancelled after just two seasons. So in the wake of the Bobby in the shower cliffhanger in Dallas and with each show going for bigger and better showstoppers like plane crashes, earthquakes, death and terrorists at wedding massacres, the producers of the Colbys decided to go out in the craziest ending of all time. And what could be crazier than a UFO carrying off one of the cast?

Now they did put money into it with the guys behind the special effects of Close Encounters of the Third Kind designing the ship. It looks great and who couldn’t fail to get excited when the ship lifts off from the classic desert setting, does a U-turn in midair and flies right at the camera then stopping in freeze frame with the dramatic soundtrack booming.

The effect is visually stunning and utilises the common UFO scenarios of an alien abduction to great effect leaving the audience gasping. In a nice touch, Fallon’s experience aboard the UFO is referenced and shown in flashback when Fallon and Jeff return to parent show Dynasty. Casual sci-fi fans should be aware of this given the effects and the guys behind it.

If nothing else, it gives the Bobby in the shower cliffhanger a huge run for its money. Awesome!