Dallas 2.0: Discussion Thread

[dragonflies]

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Dallas-Knots-Landing-1055182.aspx?rss=news&partnerid=spi&profileid=05

Looks like Audrey Landers is back as well

TNT's Dallas will reunite Lucy Ewing (Charlene Tilton) with her mom, Valene (Joan Van Ark), and father, Gary (Ted Shackelford), this spring. "I haven't been in a scene with Joan since my character's wedding [in 1981]," says Tilton, 53, who caught up with Van Ark at the Carousel of Hope diabetes fundraiser in Los Angeles on October 20. "Fans were always asking why I didn't cross over to Knots Landing" — the spin-off that featured Gary and Val.

Van Ark and Tilton are scheduled to shoot their scenes at the Southfork Ranch in January. "I'm so excited to revisit Valene," says Van Ark, 69, who has a feeling Val's marriage is on the rocks. "All I hope is that Val is successful and has become empowered, as they've done with Sue Ellen."

Exec producer Cynthia Cidre confirms that Shackelford will pop up as J.R. and Bobby's brother a couple episodes before Val and Lucy. "Gary comes because he is a third owner of the oil under Southfork," says Cidre. "Then Val comes for a big event. We have some really fun stuff with Gary and Val back together with J.R. and Sue Ellen."

Shackelford, 66, says he hopes Gary has remained sober but isn't opposed to a return to his philandering ways (with fellow recovered alcoholic Sue Ellen, perhaps?)."You have to have conflict or you have no drama," says the actor, who reports to the ranch in late November. "I'm looking forward to seeing all of them."

Besides Lucy, Cidre has no plans to re-introduce Gary and Val's other grown-up children, twins Bobby and Betsey, or any other Knots actors. "I'm already feeling a little squeezed by serving all the characters on our plate," says Cidre, who will welcome one more return: Audrey Landers will be back as Cliff's ex and Rebecca's mother, Afton Cooper, in the same episode where Van Ark and Shackelford reunite.

[SFK]

I'm excited for this. I don't even care if it'll "probably suck", or any of that premature negative thinking we tend to do around here. Just looking forward to seeing everyone again.

[dragonflies]

I agree, it sounds like CC is doing everything RIGHT. now to recast John Ross, Elena & Christopher

[DRW50]

Everything right but they need to recast their three leads

I don't think Sue Ellen and Gary would ever hook up, so I hope that just stays an idea.

Too bad they won't bring Abby on, I think she would always add a spark. But if there is a third season then maybe something will happen.

[SFK]

I can understand why they'd want to draw the Knots line somewhere, but given Abby's history with J.R., she's the strongest Knots choice for a Dallas appearance after Gary and Val (I know quartermaine is against this! ). Maybe just a one episode special guest star stint for a big gala or something, in town on business, whatever. I must say, I think a Sue Ellen/Abby scene would be pretty electric.

[dragonflies]

Can you give some Dallas Season 2 spoilers, please? –Allyson In addition to this casting (24 alum!), this one (yo, Angela!) and these two (GarLene!), I have lassoed one small detail: A total of four weeks will have passed for the Southfork faithful when Season 2 picks up on Jan. 28, 2013.

http://tvline.com/2012/11/01/castle-once-upon-time-haven-spoilers/

[KMan101]

Gary, Val AND Afton all in the same episode? Hot damn. And probably Lucy too. Wonder if Steve Kanaly will get his cameo appearances? Poor guy. Ray and Donna could add so much. I hope they're revisted at some point. Hopefully Cidre is fully aware of Ray/Lucas/Jenna and then of course Donna. Wasn't there rumors about Susan Howard making an appearance. I remember he being lumped in earlier with the then potential returns of Val/Afton/etc. I think they could use Donna with Sue Ellen as Sue Ellen moves further into politics. Easy tie-in. Would have liked to have seen the actor playing Tommy as Lucas. I think him being tied to Rebecca would have been very interesting instead of just Tommy and then introducing Tommy's sister (WTF, why?)

I do agree they should have a line with Knots/Dallas. I'd be fine with Abby only because of her history with Gary/Val and JR. I'm sure we'll see her. Maybe not this season.

Any word on Ken Kercheval? Is he even slated to guest star or is he just now unofficially appearing whenever?

Agreed. She's really listening and trying. I SO appreciate that and understand she has some restrictions in terms of budget (it is still just a modest rated cable show) and probably actor availability.

I agree that Elena and Christopher are miscast. I really don't understand the Josh Henderson dislike. He's not perfect but I think he's very fitting in the role. At least compared to Metcalfe and Brewster. I mean, Cidre was really dumb to cast Metcalfe as Christopher. Period. Huge mistake with him. HUGE.

[dragonflies]

See I don't think Henderson remotely fits as the son of JR and Sue Ellen. Plus he overacts ALOT

[London]

Sad news... Larry Hagman has passed away.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/larry-hagman-dies-in-dallas/#utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breakingnewsalert

May he R.I.P.

[Khan]

I don't care what anyone says: the new series is nothing without J.R. and Larry Hagman.

[ChitHappens]

You got that right. They were using him 30 seconds/eppy, and there was no way the others were going to compensate for the lack of Mr. Hagman. The ratings were dropping like a hot rock. People will tune in to see his final eppies (as will I), but that's it. I pretty much lost interest before the season ended when I didn't get JR like I thought I would.

May that great man RIP! Truly the best character on television EVER!

[Chris B]

Hopefully they have improved things drastically because I do agree that he was the runaway star of season one. I recall the producers saying they had scaled back his workload and were shocked he still ended up being the driving force. When it comes time to honor his passing, they need to do it big. The original series was lucky since they had enough time to give Jim Davis one last big story arc (the Takapa development and near-divorce with Miss Ellie) and then the next season they kept him alive until they were ready to write him off. Once Jock was dead his death drove story for the next four or five years. I hope they do JR as much justice.

[DRW50]

I'm glad he got to play the role again in his last few years. I can't imagine how much that meant to him.

[quartermainefan]

Terrible news. His was such a talented guy being able to make everyone forget Major Nelson, and I think it goes without saying he created the biggest, most important soap opera character ever. So unfortunate for the revival because it is tough to see how it continues without him.

[Roman]

Well, my guess is they may kill off J.R. in a plane crash, the same way they killed of Jock (Jim Davis) in the jungles of South America. It's just mind blowing to even say that. Killing off J.R. Ewing. They can use his death for story though. Now John Ross will have all the power he wants and ever needed to do battle with Christopher to see who will now handle the business thrown left by both J.R. and Bobby. If done right, it could match the intensity of the former's war over EO....

if these two guys learned how to act.