"A show like Knots or any other show that can be called a soap opera does terribly in syndication because if you're a viewer and you miss a week you don't know what's going on"

This quote by William Devane is referring to the problem of syndicating soap operas, such as Knots Landing. He is recommending that if an audience misses a week of the program, they will be lost and unable to follow the plot. This is due to the fact that daytime soap are known for their long-running stories and complex character arcs, which can be hard to follow if you miss an episode. This makes it challenging for syndication business to market soap operas, as audiences may be reluctant to invest in a show that they might not have the ability to stay up to date with. Devane's quote highlights the value of consistency when it pertains to daytime soap, and how missing even one episode can be damaging to the viewer's experience.