Dallas 2.0: Discussion Thread

[Toups]

Dallas 2.0: Discussion Thread

[Toups]

TNT Press Release:

DALLAS – Executive producer Cynthia Cidre, writer of the acclaimed film The Mambo Kings and creator/executive producer of the TV series Cane, has crafted an update of the long-running series about the Ewings of Southfork, whose betrayals, jealousies and passions have made them famous. The story focuses on the offspring of bitter rivals and brothers JR and Bobby Ewing, who clash over the future of the Ewing dynasty while the fate of Southfork itself weighs in the balance. This project, based upon the iconic series created by David Jacobs, comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television.

[DRW50]

Cane was a big flop. Why does this = getting another series? Dallas was of a unique time and place and mostly reliant on the charisma and talent of the actors involved. When I see TNT I just see Kyra Sedgwick and Holly Hunter using very bad attempts at Southern accents.

[YRBB]

CANE had a lot of potential but ultimately was very boring and not well-written. I thought this project was dead but apparently not. Interesting, though...

[SFK]

I think marble mouthed Holly's is pretty natural. Hmm, so John Ross and Christopher are late 30s/early 40s by now. I wonder if they'll have at least ONE original back full time with plenty of cameos from the rest. Charlene Tilton in the Miss Ellie role? Not so much. Shoot, these days, Joan Van Ark's Val would look more like your typical Dallas socialite. Geesh, how can you do DALLAS without J.R.?? That's like DYNASTY without Alexis (though that's been done and they were planning on doing it again). I'm not "excited" for this as much as terribly curious to see what they have planned and who will be cast.

[SFK]

Some people really hated the idea of JLo as Sue Ellen in the Dallas movie (which I guess is out of the question for good now), and I agree with that as far as JLo l'actrice is concerned, but I don't agree about the her being a latina part. I thought that was an interesting new spin on the character. Since this isn't a remake, I think it's still a great idea to have a latina Sue Ellen-like character, a TX pageant queen with a failed wannabe-Selena-like singing career, coke addiction, yadda yadda, played by a Vida Guerra type who can actually act her ass (no pun intented) off. Making her related to Maria would perhaps be a nice yet cliched touch.

It'll be sad, yet a nice tribute and sense of closure to address Clayton and Ellie's passings.

[All My Shadows]

I'm like you SFK, not so much "Yay, I can't wait!" as much as I am "Hmm, let's see." I never saw War of the Ewings all the way through, so where exactly did we leave off in the sprawling saga that is Dallas? Hagman's pushing 80, but I'm sure he'd love to put in some appearances. And if he's up to working full time, then TPTB would be foolish to not have him. CharTilt has done such horrible things to her face, but that would make her perfect for today's Texas society.

So we know we're gonna have John Ross and Christopher, but didn't Cliff and Afton have a daughter around that age too? I remember their being a love interest for Christopher in JR Returns who was somehow related to the Barneses.

And for the love of Jesus, give me just ONE gay Ewing, and make him more Ray/Gary than Bobby/JR. I want my cowboy, damn it.

[DRW50]

TNT doesn't do gay characters does it? The only one I remember reading about is a story on The Closer about a gay man who killed his lover and tried to make it look like something else.

So is Charlene Tilton going to be a part of this or is that just speculation? I wouldn't mind seeing her again, she was great fun as Lucy.

If they were smart they would bring in some Knots ties, to help appeal to viewers who loved Knots too. Why not have Gary's and Val's twins on the show? They'd be 25.

I hope they might also bring back some characters like April's sister, or Ray and Donna. I hope they don't think winking at the past and trying to tell us so and so is the "new JR" or the "new Bobby" is enough. It's going to be tough to recreate that dynamic. JR as a character became stale fairly early on and Bobby was mostly just Patrick Duffy's charisma and looks.

[SFK]

Just speculation on my part about Charlene Tilton, I was just assuming that they'd have at least ONE mat/patriarchal figure, and I don't think Larry is likely to do it full time though I could be wrong (I actually hope I'm right because it doesn't seem right to watch J.R. playing a supporting role on Dallas ). And there's always Patrick too, Steve, even Linda, however they want to go with it.

Gary and Val's twins, EXCELLENT idea. Even better (imo), THEY are our brother-sister duo J.R. instead of the predictable John Ross.

Hmm, I also wonder if they'll still keep the new generation all under the same roof on Southfork. To me, I'd think that J.R.'n'em would all be retired, laying back under the yellow striped awnings on the terrace , it would be hard to write around the elders being in other rooms all the time. Of course they could go the "world traveling" route, or build on some extra bungalows like in the pilot (I loved how each couple had their own). But I have a feeling the kids will be living in slick condos in Dallas proper, a lot of the hot action happening in the heart of the city. I guess we'll see... Okay, maybe I'm a *little* excited. But I'm well aware of how I'm all too often let down.

[SFK]

When they were discussing the Dallas movie, they talked about scenes like Miss Ellie handing J.R. his bag lunch out the window as he pulled up in his 747 (John Travolta was still attached at this time). I wonder if they're still going to go BIG like that.

[ER Tosh]

April's sister is the only one to ever take out Erica Kane . If the show needs more young Ewing's Bobby and Jenna had Lucas and I think Ray and Donna had a girl eight before she left forever

[DRW50]

I think they should have JR as being busy running things worldwide and having his fingers in all sorts of pies, offcamera. Then he could come in every so often to set traps for the younger characters or to bail them out if they get too far in over their heads.

They could also set up Afton and Cliff's daughter as some sort of rival to the Ewings.

[Soapsuds]

So it's going to happen??? I can't wait!! Last I heard was Linda Gray and Larry Hagman were all for making guest appearances. I have feeling Patrick Duffy would return too. Christopher and John Ross are in their earlier 30's. I'd love to see Afton and Cliff's daughter back as well as Lucas Wade ...Bobby's son with Jenna and Ray and Donna's daughter.

[quartermainefan]

I don't know if it will be the real Dallas without JR, Bobby, Sue Ellen and Cliff. Also, I am not sure how I a modern style Dallas with the quick edits is going to feel. I need the freeze frame shot of Sue Ellen at the end of an episode with PHIL CAPICE written all over my screen.

[Soapsuds]

They edited the EP but close enough...lol....Sue Ellen freeze frame

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