Falcon Crest

- Season 4

(1984)

Michael and Philip are killed in the plane crash, and Linda is clinging to life. The cartel meets to discuss its ultimate goal: recovery of a Nazi treasure buried on Falcon Crest land.

Angela offers Greg Reardon a job and a political career and Richard is threatened by the cartel, which is undergoing power shifts as Gustav murders his own father to gain control.

Angela and Lance bribe a mechanic to claim Chase was drinking prior to piloting the fatal flight. Maggie's celebration for her father's return turns painful when Angela makes a startling announcement.

Maggie is angry that her father never told her she was adopted. Terry's husband arrives, jeopardizing her inheritance from Michael. Cole moves back to his parents' home with baby Joseph. Gustav, masquerading as Jean-Louis de Bercy, "bugs" Falcon Crest.Richard is ousted from the newspaper and shot twice by Padgett. Chase's pilot license is revoked.

Padgett did not succeed in killing Richard. Lance becomes publisher of the newspaper. Joel mugs Maggie for drug money and is later hired by Cole as transportation foreman for the vineyards. Emma learns that Julia is alive.

Gustav tries to acquire the Giannini land adjoining Falcon Crest. Richard acquires a radio station and makes Frank Taggart its new general manager. Chase and Maggie travel to New York to uncover her past. Richard's stepdaughter, Lorraine Prescott, reenters his life. Julia appears to Emma again.

After Sam Giannini is murdered, Gustav threatens Sam's widow. Maggie takes a job at Richard's radio station. Stephanie's mother warns her daughter about Richard. Francesca Gioberti arrives from Italy seeking help from her American cousins.

Francesca can prove that she is Angela's half-sister and heir to one third of Falcon Crest. Julia surrenders to skeptical police. Emma helps Chase obtain evidence of bribery in the crash investigation. Cole and Melissa rekindle their love, which Greg vows to destroy.

Chase is absolved of all blame for the plane crash. Lance tries to seduce Lorraine. Richard and Gustav romance Francesca, who signs over her share of Falcon Crest to Angela. Melissa tries to end her relationship with Greg.

Chase hears that Jasper's case is being reopened, he's very doubtful of Angela's motives, and confronts her, who also learns that Francesca is selling her third of Falcon Crest to Angela to save her vineyards in Italy. Confused, Francesca had listened to Angela, telling her that Chase would be very pleased. Cole wants to love Melissa enough to move in with her, especially against his parents' wishes. Richard, unsuccessfully attempts to prevent Lance from seeing Lorraine, and cautions his nephew not to hurt his stepdaughter. Francesca wants to throw a farewell party, ...

Gustav and Spheeris kidnap and drug Julia.Melissa agrees to sell the Agretti harvest to Chase.Francesca sells her share of Falcon Crest to Richard, making him an equal partner with Angela and Chase.

Richard and Terry strike a bargain. Gustav and Spheeris torment Julia. With her divorce from Lance final, Melissa agrees to marry Cole. Maggie meets her biological mother, Charlotte Pershing, a compulsive gambler.

Angela cuts Melissa out of her will and makes Lance her sole heir. Gustav gains Julia's trust. Greg's romantic advances toward Melissa threaten her relationship with Cole. Terry's estranged husband, Joel, asks Terry to remarry him. Angela encourages Charlotte to gamble.

Paid by Melissa to discredit Lance, Joel masquerades as Lance and uses his car to run Angela off the road. Lance is arrested for Angela's attempted murder. Spheeris follows Chase and Ben to Paris, where, searching for clues to Gustav's father's whereabouts, Ben is killed.

Angela disinherits Lance again. Chase learns that Ben never worked for the government. Charlotte loses big at the racetrack. Richard sends Joel to a drug rehabilitation center to get him away from Terry. Lance moves in with Lorraine.

Maggie uncovers evidence of Lance's innocence. Angela agrees to help Lance if he ends his relationship with Lorraine. Maggie cries when she discovers her pearls, which her mother pawned, are missing. Gustav romances Emma after learning that she is Angela's new heir.

Chase and Cole destroy hundreds of gallons of tainted champagne, which they believe either Angela or Richard poisoned. Maggie quits her job. Chase discovers his mother's dangerous cartel connection. Lance must stand trial for attempted murder.

Richard blames Chase for the loss of a shipment of wine, but Chase suspects the cartel. Gustav learns that Chase believes that Jean-Louis is really Gustav. Lorraine is pregnant with Lance's baby. Angela is taken at gunpoint to see Gustav and Julia.

Chase, Richard and Greg follow Gustav, hoping he will lead them to Angela. Gustav dies when the old mine shaft where the Nazi treasure is buried collapses. Lance opposes Lorraine's planned abortion. Melissa and Cole opt for a civil ceremony instead of a church wedding.

Lance is shocked to see his mother, Julia, again. Richard is attracted to advertising agent Cassandra Wilder. Angela tells Cole what Melissa couldn't: that Melissa cannot have any more children. Feeling deceived, Cole leaves Melissa at the altar.

Melissa confronts Angela when she realizes that Angela had provoked Cole into walking out on their wedding. Although Melissa tries to seek comfort with Greg, she cannot put Cole out of her mind. After arguing with Melissa, Cole swallows his pride, reunites with her and marries her in a meadow in a small private ceremony. Lance proposes to Lorraine and surprisingly receives Angela's support. Unfortunately, Judge Holder has denied a change of venue for Lance's trial. Before Lorraine has a chance to discuss her pregnancy and engagement with Richard, Angela deviously ...

Cole and Melissa honeymoon in Tahiti. Chase convinces Connie Giannini not to sell her land to Angela. Pamela advises Richard not to reject Lorraine, who is forced to move into Falcon Crest. Lance's trial is set to begin.

Richard bribes the judge presiding over Lance's trial. Cole and Melissa consider a surrogate mother as a way to have a child. Chase hires Connie Giannini.Cassandra and Damon plot revenge against Angela. Melissa's cousin Robin arrives and lustfully sets her sights on Cole.

Cole resents Connie Giannini's interference in his champagne operation. Maggie suspects a conspiracy against Lance. Robin uses Melissa and Cole's surrogate search to get closer to Cole. Cassandra and Damon use Richard and Cole to get further "in" at Falcon Crest. Lance is sentenced to seven years in state prison.

Lance goes into hiding to avoid prison, Angela takes over The Globe, and Robin tries to seduce Cole.The powers at Falcon Crest split over a proposed contract with Helios Foods, but two unsuspected players are at work in the deal.

Maggie disapproves when Chase sides with Richard and Angela in the Helios Foods deal. Melissa must pay Pamela to remain silent about Melissa's participation in framing Lance. Terry tells Greg where to find Joel.Angela hides Lance in Chinatown. Chase vehemently objects when Maggie accepts Angela's offer to be acting publisher of the newspaper.

Cole realizes that Connie poses a threat to his parents' marriage. Greg learns that Joel died of a drug overdose. Angela makes arrangements for Lance and Lorraine to flee to Italy. Lance evades Richard and the police. Lorraine falls from a second-story fire escape in Chinatown.

Lance is taken into police custody when he goes to see Lorraine at the hospital. Lorraine begs Richard to help get Lance out of jail. Greg finds proof to convict Melissa and orders her to surrender to authorities within 48 hours. Robin has a shocking announcement for Cole.

Lorraine is depressed over the loss of her baby and Lance's imprisonment. Pamela gives Maggie a recording of a conversation between Richard and the judge. Melissa confesses her involvement in framing Lance to Cole, who tells her that Robin is pregnant. Lance is freed, and he and Lorraine immediately marry.

Angela gets unexpected new partners in Falcon Crest: Cassandra and her vengeful mother, Anna Rossini. Connie offers to make Chase a partner in Giannini Winery. Maggie catches Connie and Chase in an embrace. Angela testifies on Melissa's behalf in return for the Agretti harvest. Maggie seeks comfort at Richard's house, which explodes.