2 hours ago, Chris 2 said:

I always found it odd that CBS called the season finales “the season climax”.

I guess it's the idea that everything that's happened in the season has built up to that cliffhanger, which of course wasn't true in most cases.

I think it's because they were afraid if they were to say "finale," viewers would assume that the show(s) wouldn't come back next fall? I dunno, it's a good question!

5 hours ago, Khan said:

I think it's because they were afraid if they were to say "finale," viewers would assume that the show(s) wouldn't come back next fall? I dunno, it's a good question!

It's too bad it wasn't the finale when they offed Pam. They decided to drag that rotting corpse of a show around for another 4 years.

Patrick & Larry kept getting smarmier and smarmier. They may have had their big salary and behind the scenes boys club, but they killed the show with their stupid antics.

54 minutes ago, SoapDope78 said:

It's too bad it wasn't the finale when they offed Pam. They decided to drag that rotting corpse of a show around for another 4 years.

Patrick & Larry kept getting smarmier and smarmier. They may have had their big salary and behind the scenes boys club, but they killed the show with their stupid antics.

Dallas goes off the rails in the aftermath of Pamela disappearance and was effectively over with Sue Ellen departure. The final two seasons were a waste of time and they only happened because CBS was in their third place primetime mess era.

Remember too that budget mode kicked in about 1987. We saw budget mode lead to the salary dumpings of the long-time female cast members and sweet young things hired on the cheap.

In the grand scheme of things, Victoria Principal and Linda Gray were smart to walk away when they did. In theory getting Victoria Principal and Linda Gray expensive contracts off the books should have freed up cash but budget mode probably lead to a salary cap and I think the bulk of the salary budget at that point was probably going to Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy.

Forty years ago this coming week ...

Dallas still beat Miami Vice after the time change.

2 hours ago, Soapsuds said:

Dallas still beat Miami Vice after the time change.

True. But Steve Kanaly made a good point: when you pit popular shows against each other like that - especially shows that appeal to a similar demographic - both shows lose in the end. That's why I believe in counter-programming: see what's the most successful in that time slot, figure out who's watching that show the most and why, and then give an alternative to those who AREN'T watching.

Edited Friday at 07:12 PM1 day by Khan

I would have thought that MV and Dallas would appeal to a different demographic. MV more to younger men and men in general, while Dallas was more female and older skewing. Some overlap of course.

When Dallas moved to 9pm

ABC scheduled

81/82 Darkroom, Best of the West/Making A Living/The Pheonix

82/83 Greatest American Hero/Movie/Renegades

83/84 Lottery/Blue Thunder/Masquerade

84/85 Hawaiian Heat/Street Hawk/Benson/Off The Rack

85/86 Diffrent Strokes/Benson/Mr Sunshine/Joe Bash/he's The Mayor

86/87 Sidecicks/Sledge Hammer Dads/Gung Ho Movie

87/88 Max Headroom Mr Belvedere/The Thorns/Pursuit of Happiness/Family Man/I Married Dora

88/89 Mr Belvedere/Just The Ten of Us

89/90 Perfect Strangers/Just The Ten of Us

So from 85 on they counterprogrammed with comedy, which eventually worked

NBC

81/82 McClains Law/Movie/Chicago Story

82/83 Knight Rider

83/84 Manimal/Movie/The Master/Legmen

84/85 Hunter/Miami Vice /V/Half Nelson

85/86 Misfits of Science/KnightRider/Last Precinct

86/87Miami Vice

87/88 Miami Vice/ Night Court/beverly Hills Buntz/The Highwayman

88/89 Something Is Out There/Miami Vice/Quantum Leap

89/90 Hardball/True Blue/Nasty Boys

NBC went with action/adventure sometimes kid oriented

I don't believe Miami Vice ever beat Dallas?

22 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I don't believe Miami Vice ever beat Dallas?

1985/86 Miami Vice new episodes were 13-9 vs. Dallas.

When Miami Vice and Dallas were time slot rivals, one new episode of Miami Vice won the time slot.

..

Charlene isn't looking too happy in that shot.

It's not easy for a 67-year-old to squat like that and keep smiling.