Courier Express, 24 August 1980
LOS ANGELES:(AP) - Had a television executive created this world, there would be nothing but Mondays. He would have stopped after the first day, assessed his work, and copied it six times to fill out the week. In television, a new product is unique for just as long as it takes to imitate it. The captains of television, dedicated competitive capitalists for the most part, become absolutely communal in the matter of original ideas. And so it is that CBS' ''Dallas" has multiplied into so many likenesses of itself. CBS cut "Knots Landing" and "The Secrets of Midland Heights' from the "Dallas" prototype. NBC borrowed the idea for its "Flamingo Road." It is noted that "Dallas" itself was not an original idea, deriving from television's daytime soaps. They, in turn, extended from radio's soap operas, which could probably be traced back to some prehistoric original thinker who was promptly devoured by his neighbors, the antecedents of modern TV executives.
The latest incarnation of the "Dallas'" idea is NBC's ''new"' daytime soap opera, shamelessly titled 'Texas." It is about lust and greed among the Texas gentry - oilmen, land barons and the like. To complete its incestuous pedigree, 'Texas" is not only a derivative of "Dallas," but is a spinoff from one of NBC's own soaps, ""Another World." So, in the matter of its lineage, ''Texas" is a television blueblood, created completely from extant ideas. As dictated by its position on the NBC schedule, "'Texas'" resembles "Another World" more than "Dallas" in that it requires from its viewers that special daytime soap opera state of mind. That is, the patience of a jigsaw puzzle addict and the dexterity to juggle dozens of character and plot pieces at once. And a willingness to indulge clumsy exposition devices - the favorite being the whispered soliloquy - doesn't hurt.
The series opened on an airplane, where we see one Iris Bancroft (Beverly McKinsey), a faded fower who, sources tell me, was a witch on "Another World." She is surprised to learn that the plane is turning around and returning to Houston on her behalf. It seems that a long-ago boyfriend, penniless charmer Alex Wheeler, has become a rich Texan. So rich that he can order an airline to turn around and deposit his long: lost lover into his arms. Happy for Alex is Terry Dekker, his secretary (I think), who seems to be in love with a no-good former Houston Oiler named Clipper Curtis. It is suggested that Clipper had something to do with the murder of Alex's oil sheik partner, whose daughter, Princess Jasmine, is in love with a fellow named Connor, who was the sheik's head of security. Clipper thinks Connor is with the CIA, which seems --possible in light of the sheik's fate. Connor thinks Clipper iced the sheik, which seems possible because Clip per says things like this: "I came to Houston because the Oilers had the bucks and they laid them on me. Do you think it was because of love? Hell no! Money talks." Princess Jasmine's friend is Dawn Marshall, whose wealthy and powerful father has committed suicide. Dawn is depressed, but her boyfriend, Dennis Carrington(Jim Poyner, also from 'Another World") cheers her: "You still have the present, and the future," he tells her. "'This is the summer of our lives, Dawn."
As I say, certain mental equipment is necessary to handle this thing. And I only rented it for a day.
By
Paul Raven ·
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