DALLAS: The Dream Season

[Sedrick]

As I sit watching the infamous "dream Season" for the first time as a true mature drama critic (I saw it when it originally aired, but I was only a first grader then), I am struck by what a tragedy the whole thing turned into!

The first several episodes of that season were, I have come to realize, some of THE BEST the show ever produced! At the time that the shows originally aired, remember that DYNASTY had finally passed DALLAS in the ratings thanks to the Moldavian Massacre mess. However, if one were to few both shows at the beginning of the 1985-86 season, it is perhaps the most precise period in which you can truly differientiate the two programs...DYNASTY was pretty much all style and little substance while DALLAS, although at times over-the-top and larger-than-life, was at heart a real human drama powered by character-driven conflicts and motivations. On DYNASTY the aftermath of the 'massacre' played out like a bad John Waters movie...meanwhile on DALLAS, the very basic storyline threads planted in 1978 continued to spin, driven totally by the desires and motivations of characters being brought to life by true acting professionals dedicated to their material.

Off the bat, Barbara Bel Geddes returns as Miss Ellie and takes masterful control of the proceedings from her very first scene. While time has softened my once extremely-critical opinion of the late Donna Reed's interpretation of the character, the contrast between her and Bel Geddes' takes on Ellie is stark and obvious...Bel Geddes is masterful and exqusite in expressing the pioneer spirit of Ellie, and she is the obvious glue that holds the entire show together.

I have noticed in the credits for the Dream Season that Peter Dunne had come on board as supervising producer...Dunne had been the show-runner at KNOTS LANDING from 1982-85 and was responsible for building that show into a true hit using quiet, yet sometimes explosive domestic drama. His influence is apparent from the first show of the season, as DALLAS sparkles with domestic wit and conflict...at the heart of the drama was the lasting effect that Bobby's death had on the Ewings, which leads to the conflict over what is to become of Ewing Oil...unlike the previous battles for the company, this time the struggles and squabbles between the characters are sharpened with heartfelt clashing of their real personal motivations and desires.

In addition, instead of stories that highlight the big business aspect, at the start of DS the business angle has been considerably soft-pedaled and human relationships brought to the forefront of the drama.

In my opinion, I believe DALLAS could have weathered the departure of Patrick Duffy well and come out on top as an even BETTER show if all this had been followed through. But then I saw what I dreaded most in the opening credits: SPECIAL GUEST STAR BARBARA CARRERA as ANGELICA NERO. As soon as that DYNASTY-reject character slid onto the scene, the bottom dropped out of DALLAS.

More of my observations on this matter to follow...

[JamesF]

I haven't seen the season for 6 or 7 years but for me the rot really started with the preceding season. There was a general sense of ennui about the whole thing and the bloating that usually sets in to a successful series when the writers are burning out and the actors are picking up great paychecks. Apart from the finale 'Swan Song' there was nothing in that season that hadn't been done better before.

But that is why the Dream Season is such a let down. With Bobby's death there were plenty of story opportunities that could have revitalised the show organically. Pam's taking over at Ewing Oil, JR's feelings of guilt, Ellie losing a son -- instead they decided to just throw random ideas at the screen like Pam hunting for emeralds and Sue Ellen the charity Stepford wife. Far from creating conflict, instead there was a determined effort to turn the Ewings into the Waltons with JR making gooey proclamations at Jamie's bedside for example.

Angelica Nero (who btw even Dynasty wouldn't have touched; she was more Falcon Crest) was perhaps the most bizarre creation of all and an obvious ploy to create the threat that was no longer present within the Ewing family itself. The antithesis of everything that had been Dallas but most offensively her story was crappily told, poorly paced and boring.

[sheilaforever]

Totally agreed, Sedrick. The more serious tone of DALLAS was amazing in the early dream season before it went beyond camp with Angelica Nero.

I didn't watch DALLAS during its original run and therefore watched it knowing of IT being a dream in the end and by that you can easily grasp the point in time when they decided to make it a dream.

Too bad, because e.g. the Donna/Ray-story was exquisite. I also loved the post-dream-season and especially the season when they had just killed Pam off but after that it went reallllllly downhill with the last season being an utter disgrace.

[quartermainefan]

I have to come realize it is the dream season which was when Dallas lost it's mojo, not the cliffhanger with Bobby. This was the year a bunch of new characters came on, none from Dallas, none with accents, none worried about cattle, and Dallas because just another stupid soap continuing just for the sake of continuing.

[Egeria]

I wonder if we will ever get another show like Dallas. The location shots were amazing. Now every show is set in LA, NY or SF and filmed mostly in the studio. Yawn!

[EricaKane70]

I don't know if the show could of weathered the storm without bobby, I think jr needed someone that really could compete with him yet befriend in a brotherly way. Because lets face it it would of been odd for jr to start befriending ray.lol I like that jr actually cared about bobby and they were great as brothers. The one thing I liked about the dream season is sue ellen kicking her drinking addiction. I also liked pam/jr fighting over ewing oil and donna/ray having a down syndrome baby. It really sad that all of those storylines were ruined because it was all a dream.