Knots Landing featured significant LGBTQ+ storylines in its later seasons, notably with characters Danny Waleska and Peter Sumner. The series explored themes of coming out, family acceptance, and the impact of homophobia, including a hate crime. These depictions were handled with empathy and dignity, framing external prejudice as wrong and ultimately affirming the worth of its queer characters, making the net impact positive.

Knots Landing featured a storyline where a character, Frank, was revealed to be Fran, a post-operative transsexual woman. While the narrative explored Fran's struggles and Gary Ewing's journey from shock to acceptance, the use of the 'secret' and 'reveal' trope for dramatic effect balanced out the empathetic elements. The portrayal was neither overtly affirming nor denigrating, resulting in a neutral net impact.