Dallas 2.0: Discussion Thread

[Khan]

It didn't help matters, though, that the Roger Grimes mystery was both obvious and dull, and probably the last nail in that show's coffin. Frankly, David Paulsen never should taken on the gig. He just should have waited until Katzman was ready to promote him to Supervising Producer, which I am certain would have happened after Calvin Clements Jr. had left the show.

[Khan]

Sorry to take this discussion even more off-topic, lol, but I don't think it was even a matter of topping that particular cliffhanger. I believe the bigger issue was the simple fact that viewers felt let down by its denouement. You can't undertake a "massacre" of that size without using it to shake up the show significantly. What if Blake had died in the ambush, for example, leaving Krystle to hold together his legacy (I could see Alexis turning the whole show on its proverbial head with the sudden revelation that her and Blake's divorce was never finalized, thus leaving the Carrington empire in limbo)? Or what if Krystle had died, paving the way for Blake and Alexis's eventual (after YEARS of buildup) reconciliation and remarriage? Something, anything, just don't off the gay son's flavor of the month and then call it a day!

[Soapsuds]

I really dont know who had the worst last season of them all...Dynasty, Dallas, Falcon Crest or Knots. But I would have to go with Falcon Crest...it had no resemblance of what it once was...a shame.....and who the hell was Calvin Clements Jr.?...LOL....He was on for one season and then left...I dont recall seeing him in the credits before that...

[Soapsuds]

Bwahahahahaha...true....although i did think Steven and Luke were cute together.....Steven really didnt have a gay relationship per say ..even the reunion movie we got a short glimpse of his new bf.

[dragonflies]

Watching the Dallas marathon, I truly can't stand JH as John Ross, he's just awful, he stinks up the show big time

[Khan]

Same. It is truly shocking how much of a mess FC became toward the end of their run. By far, though, KNOTS had the best final year of the four, despite the Treadwell "mystery" turning into an incomprehensible, boring mess. DALLAS' final season comes second; it was just more of the same (which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it). DYNASTY attempted to rally; however, between the absences of Joan Collins and Linda Evans and the fact that David Paulsen hadn't much respected the show in the past, I felt like it was too different to appeal to lapsed viewers, and too late in the game to try and reel in new ones. (Allegedly, too, when the Paulsen-produced season led to DYNASTY's cancellation, the Pollocks and Shapiros felt vindicated, as they had been shoved aside by the network in a last-ditch attempt to save the show.)

[Khan]

Calvin Clements Jr. was a veteran writer/producer who had worked previously with Leonard Katzman on "Gunsmoke," and would work with him again on "Walker, Texas Ranger."

[Khan]

And you know, I really can't recall offhand an example of someone starting out poorly on a primetime series but improving over time. If anything, if JH and/or JM suck now, they'll become even more so as time goes on.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It's really torture watching Jesse Metcalfe and Jordana Brewster in scenes together. It's like they're both trying to compete and see who can be more duller and useless than the other.

Henderson is so awful, it's really hilarious when he tries to play hard and sinister.

Worst of all, the tone of this TNT abomination just feels all wrong and un-Dallas. I think this is what hurts it the most. It's just a show with the same name that tries to ape the history and characters of the original series, but it just feels so wrong and misguided.

[Chris B]

I'd rank the final seasons 1. Dynasty 2. Knots Landing 3. Falcon Crest 4. Dallas

I loved all of them, but Dynasty gets points for combining everything that made the show good, but making the characters more three dimensional. I also LOVED Linda Evans exit story (her first chance to act in 5 years), the more interesting take on Fallon, a fresher fued with Alexis and Sable, a brilliant character who should've arrived sooner. With Knots Landing it was very consistent and I felt everyone was sent off well. I also liked that we got to see Diana again. Falcon Crest was brilliant. Very dark and it reminded me of the early seasons. The writers had a clear plan for a change and took lots of risks. Emma had a brilliant exit story and Maggie's death was so haunting and set the tone well. Dallas I found to be enjoyable in those final years and the final season had a lot going for it. I loved the younger generation, particularly the females. Cally, April and Michelle at their worst were better acted and more interesting than any of the ladies on the new show. I HATED Cliff's storyline and felt they should've kept Lesley Ann Down for Cliff, but otherwise it was good.

[dragonflies]

Robert James JR ??????

[Khan]

Say what? "Bobby," in this case, isn't short for "Robert."

[dragonflies]

yeah I thought it was just Bobby James Ewing, I don't think it ever was Robert

The guy who delievered the letter he got called him "Robert James Ewing JR" unless my hearing is going bad

[Khan]

And "Junior" on top of that, too!

Apparently, a continuity supervisor was too expensive.

[dragonflies]

I am going to rewatch that scene, it's possible I might have heard wrong