Gary and Val began their new life in Knots Landing just after the start of their second marriage in 1979, where they met their new neighbors, Sid and Karen Fairgate, where Gary was offered a job at Knots Landing Motors by Sid. Gary settled down into his new life in California, had a great marriage and was good at his job. However, after being given more responsibility by Sid, who promoted Gary to the position of vice-president of Knots Landing Motors, Gary had a few glasses of champagne, at the urging of his neighbors, who didn't know Gary's past problems with alcohol. It was the first time that Gary had drank alcohol in over 2 years. After the initial glasses of champagne, Gary's drinking quickly turned into nasty mood swings and a full blown alcoholic binge. Gary's drinking quickly caused him to hit rock bottom, where he would become extremely aggressive and violent in his desperation for more alcohol, even to the point of possibly killing somebody, and stealing a small bottle of beer from a sleeping homeless man. Val has Gary committed to a rehab facility, lying that Gary had tried to commit suicide in order to get Gary committed. Gary's aggression and violence from falling off the wagon, eventually made Gary admit out loud to himself and to other members of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, that he was an alcoholic.