PEYTON PLACE is the first and has remained to this day (arguably) the best-written prime time soap opera with consistent quality across its 5-year run and 514 episodes.
Many people have utter contempt for prime time soaps and rightly so - it is a very difficult genre to get right and TV history is littered with a long list of instant flops or serials that got their magic formula right for a while, only to quickly succumb to contrived plot-driven storytelling, that many erroneously believe is the expected standard for prime time soap opera.
But PEYTON PLACE sets the bar much higher, which is remarkable given its pioneer status. It is a beautifully filmed unusually cinematic gem of a TV series that combines the slick glamour of the original movies with edgy B-movie grittiness, especially in its somewhat more compelling first black-and-white half (the first 267 episodes).
The original book and the movies are used as a starting point the 1960s series wonderfully expands on with certain changes, depicting a fictional New England small-town world with deliciously knotty almost incestuous relationships among its many characters, where a chance meeting among any two people is invariably fascinating.
The stories begin with leisurely-paced character-driven approach, but they are all ultimately built to riveting and therefore satisfying twists and conclusions. The characterizations are rounded and non-judgmental.
As it is always the case with shows that succeed, the casting is the key - Mia Farrow is perfectly cast as a shy and dreamy Alison Mackenzie as are Ryan O'Neal as a cool yet sensitive Rodney Harrington or Barbara Perkins as an ambitious and semi-trashy Betty Anderson. Movie star Dorothy Malone with her fluttery eyelashes and breathy delivery is a great choice as the town's glamorous, but humble bookstore owner Constance Mackanzie.
PEYTON PLACE also demonstrates the ability to successfully expand its fictional world and include previously unseen characters and places, folding them seamlessly into its rich back story as well as the ongoing present day narrative.
There is a cast shake-up every 30 or so episodes and many fascinating new arrivals such as the town's bitter young man Stephen Cord, the 19th century-style tyrant Martin Peyton (who literally owns the town) or his glamorous sharp-tongued housekeeper Hannah Cord. A number of actors who went on to achieve great success later on - for instance, Leslie Nielsen or Richard Dreyfuss - can be seen in early stages of their careers.
Unlike many TV series, PEYTON PLACE and its coastal setting have a strong awareness of seasons - it begins during a sultry Indian summer, moves forward in time to an eventful winter (during which it snows for a solid three months), before we suddenly jump forward to spring, to an unexpected wedding. The switch to color midway through the series alters the tone somewhat as we enter the groovy late 60s.
Only the first 64 episodes have been released on DVD, so those who wish to watch this brilliant series in its entirety will not find all of its 514 episodes in legitimate places. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it.
