Dallas 2.0: Discussion Thread

Patrick Duffy leaving didnt help either.....I think had the show not brought him back it still would have dropped heavily. But all the soaps at that time dropped sharply except for maybe Knots.

After the 88 season ...Dallas became just blah......I only kept watching cause of Sue Ellen...once she left the last two seasons were rather painful to watch.

Once JR hitched his wagon to that hillbilly, Callie, the show was over for me! I can't even explain how that destroyed me!

Then don't have the Cattle Baron's Ball in the second episode. Seriously, that could have been pushed back until, like, episode 9.

Wow! Great minds

But all the soaps at that time dropped sharply except for maybe Knots.

DYNASTY declined, because the constant push to best DALLAS and top their own "Moldavian Massacre" had resulted in a show that had become more OTT and ridiculous than the laws of human decency should have allowed. (DYNASTY always had been campy. After Moldavia, though, it just became downright bizarre.) And FALCON CREST declined, IMO, because the constant back-and-forth between Angela, Richard, and others over who controlled what was just too confusing. Conversely, although KNOTS wasn't exactly like it had been in seasons past, there still was enough about it that had remained recognizable and comfortable to viewers. IOW, KNOTS didn't really lose ground at that point, because they had remained somewhat consistent.

I would have never relaunched this show. I just think it was too definitive, associated with, and iconic to its time period to ever attempt to recapture some of its essence again decades later.

I respect those who enjoy it, but I still think sometimes you have to let things stay where the are - in the past.

Same.

Dynasty just lost any sense of believability or humanity in the characters. I read somewhere that the producers asked the actors to move as little as possible in scenes, to just be wooden, to put focus on the story only, not the performances. If that's true then it really did wreak some havoc, as the early seasons worked thanks to lively characters like Fallon. Just compare that to the loser Emma Samms played for most of her run.

Although I don't necessarily want a reboot, I think Knots would be a lot easier to reboot than Dallas, even if it was filled with entirely new characters and the "younger" generation. I think what helped that show was that it was more about community and more of an ensemble than its sister show.

Once JR hitched his wagon to that hillbilly, Callie, the show was over for me! I can't even explain how that destroyed me! Wow! Great minds

Callie was just awful but luckly Sue Ellen was there to make fun of the whole marriage. Thats the only thing that kept me watching....The JR plots became insane and him being out smarted by Callie and James was just plain stupid.

They could have thought of a better way to bring him back but they didnt.

Frankly, I don't think so. Look, DALLAS is a soap, but it isn't a daytime soap. You couldn't bring Bobby back from the dead, or say Patrick Duffy is coming back as Bobby's long-lost twin brother, without it coming across as the most absurd plot twist ever (and contrary to what others might think, if they had tried either of those scenarios, DALLAS itself would have been gone in a year, tops). Nor could you pull a Ken Corday and just have him come on as a new, unrelated character, because viewers will want to know why these people are acting as if he doesn't resemble Bobby Ewing. I'm sorry that Duffy had to learn the hard way how much he needed DALLAS to keep working as an actor. Dwindling ratings or not, though, the show should have turned down Hagman's and others' suggestion to bring him back. Simple as that.

Although I don't necessarily want a reboot, I think Knots would be a lot easier to reboot than Dallas, even if it was filled with entirely new characters and the "younger" generation. I think what helped that show was that it was more about community and more of an ensemble than its sister show.

Sadly, that wouldn't be allowed on TV today.

The original series of DALLAS also had one of the worst series finales I have ever seen on television.

That's because Hagman and Katzman refused to see the writing on the wall, so to speak, and give DALLAS a proper send-off. Did they know the ratings were in the toilet? Yes. However, even now, I recall reading SOD and Katzman referring to it as a season, rather than a series, finale.

Frankly, I don't think so. Look, DALLAS is a soap, but it isn't a daytime soap. You couldn't bring Bobby back from the dead, or say Patrick Duffy is coming back as Bobby's long-lost twin brother, without it coming across as the most absurd plot twist ever (and contrary to what others might think, if they had tried either of those scenarios, DALLAS itself would have been gone in a year, tops). Nor could you pull a Ken Corday and just have him come on as a new, unrelated character, because viewers will want to know why these people are acting as if he doesn't resemble Bobby Ewing. I'm sorry that Duffy had to learn the hard way how much he needed DALLAS to keep working as an actor. Dwindling ratings or not, though, the show should have turned down Hagman's and others' suggestion to bring him back. Simple as that.

I think the show would have lasted the same amount of years whether or not Bobby's death was a dream seaon or something else. Bobby leaving killed the show.

Once JR hitched his wagon to that hillbilly, Callie, the show was over for me! I can't even explain how that destroyed me!

That's Larry Hagman's influence for you. He really believed that viewers would accept J.R. remarrying a barefoot hillbilly bimbo such as Callie.

That's because Hagman and Katzman refused to see the writing on the wall, so to speak, and give DALLAS a proper send-off. Did they know the ratings were in the toilet? Yes. However, even now, I recall reading SOD and Katzman referring to it as a season, rather than a series, finale.

There were reunion movies planned..or they hoped so.....I didnt care for the finale and neither did Principal that's why she didnt participate in it.

After finishing the 2nd episode. I can honestly say. This is one of the best shows on TV right now.

I'm team John Ross. He's so freaking awesome! Just like his daddy! Crazy mothershutyomouth!

I actually liked Callie.

Say what? Oh, Carl. I'm so disappointed, lol.

I actually liked Callie.

CARL!!!!!!!