May 7, 1997

`Knots Landing's' Michele Lee is committed to TV                                                                  Deborah Wilker Sun-Sentinel, South Florida

Declining network viewership and quality are issues that Michele Lee takes to heart. ``It's not all TV's fault,'' she says. ``The viewer has really changed. If you don't hit every kid over the head with some kind of flash, they don't watch. ``We're in a different world today. I'm not sure we'll ever see the same ratings shares we saw years ago.''

Like many longtime series actresses, Lee has a solid TV movie career and her own production company. What sets her apart is that she doesn't just star in her own projects, she writes and directs them too. Her personal mandate? ``To create something different. I like women who break a lot of rules, who make inroads.'' Among several projects she's working on is a biopic of the late author Jacqueline Susann, hopefully for fall. And she'll remain committed to ``Knots Landing,'' should CBS want it back periodically. `

`There was never anything like it on television.'' The only ``Knots'' cast member to appear in all 344 episodes, Lee was also a devout fan of the show, watching every twist, every Thursday night at 10, just like the audience. So what new show has replaced ``Knots'' on her viewing schedule, if not in her soul? ``I watch `Chicago Hope.' I like `ER.' And I always watch `60 Minutes.' Always, that's my Sunday.'' If tonight's ``Knots'' reunion (concluding Friday, CBS) rates even half as well as some original episodes, there will certainly be more to come. Will the rest of the cast go for it? ``I think we'd all be willing to do it,'' she said. ``We've all always had a genuine affection for one another, and the show. But we've all moved on with viable careers, so it will always be a matter of getting everyone together at the same time. That's why it took us so long to do this one.''