Members Paul Raven Posted April 13, 2023 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 In March 86,Lorimar ran a full page ad in Variety touting Dallas' success in syndication, but my overall impression was that the soaps didn't do well overall. The fine print states that the figures were taking from various weeks of the season and obviously cherry picked to highlight the positive. I'm sure they could have listed a similar number of markets where the show tanked. I guess one of the measures of syndication success is that the shows can be repeated over and over and maybe once viewers had watched Dallas reruns once, didn't really want to sit through it the following year. In its first year in syndication DALLAS dominated! Market Station Mon -Fri /Rating Share/ Rank In Time Period/ Rating Share W18 -49/ W25 -54 DALLAS WFAA 3:00 PM 11/35 #1 #1 #1 #1 ATLANTA WXIA 4:00 PM 9/31 #1 #1 #1 #1 DENVER KMGH 3:00 PM 5 22 #1 #1 #1 #1 PHOENIX KPNX 3:00 PM 6/26 #1 #1 #1 #2 MEMPHIS WHBQ 3:30 PM 8/26 #1 #1 #1 #1 SAN ANTONIO KENS 11:00 PM 6/27 #1 #1 #1 #1 NORFOLK WTKR 4:00 PM 9/26 #1 #1 #1 #1 TULSA KO1V 3:00 PM 9/36 #1 #1 #1 #1 RICHMOND WXEX 4:00 PM 7/24 #1 #1 #1 #1 WICHITA KAKE 3:30 PM 6/25 #1 #1 #1 #1 JACKSONVILLE WJXT 5:00 PM 16/38 #1 #1 #1 #1 JACKSON, MS WLBT 2:30 PM 10/34 #1 #1 #1 #1 COLUMBIA SC WIS 4:00 PM 11/29 #1 #1 #1 #1 BATON ROUGE WBRZ 9:00 AM 9/32 #1 #1 #1 #1 GREENVILLE WNCT 4:00 PM 11/31 #1 #1 #1 #1 AUGUSTA WJBF 4:00 PM 16/40 #1 #1 #1 #1 CHARLESTON, SC WCSC 4:00 PM 18/42 #1 #1 #1 #1 SAVANNAH WTOC 9:00 AM 14/49 #1 #1 #1 #1 COLUMBUS, GA WTVM 7:00 PM 19/30 #1 #1 #1 #1 McALLEN KRGV 3:00 PM 10/33 #1 #1 #1 #1 BEAUMONT KFDM 3:00 PM 14/46 #1 #1 #1 #1 WHEELING WTRF 4:00 PM 10/24 #1 #1 #1 #1 WICHITA FALLS KAUZ 3:00 PM 7/30 #1 #1 #1 #1 WAUSAU WSAW 10:30 PM 8/31 #1 #1 #1 #1 MACON WMAZ 4:00 PM 16/42 #1 #1 #1 #1 TOPEKA WIBW 3:30 PM 7/30 #1 #1 #1 #1 MISSOULA KECI 12:00 PM 6/35 #1 #1 #1 #1 TYLER KLTV 10:00 AM 9/45 #1 #1 #1 #1 MERIDIAN WTOK 3:30 PM 13/39 #1 #1 #1 #1 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 13, 2023 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 Found a report from Jan 86 which sums things up re primetime soaps off network In off -network nighttime soap operas which some stations paid dearly for, high prime time ratings did not spell success it syndication. In it second season, Dallas, sold by Lorimar in 92 markets covering 51.7% of the country, and Dynasty, in its first season, sold by Metromedia Producers Corp. in 47 markets covering 48.7% of the country, came out tied with five other shows for 93d, with a 3.4/10. Lorimar's Knot's Landing, seen in 20 markets covering 12.5% of the country, had a 3.3/10. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GLATWT88 Posted April 13, 2023 Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 Look at Knots getting those Live+7 day ratings before that was a thing Please register in order to view this content Interestingly, I remember Melrose and BH getting quite of bit of play post run. I wonder what may have played into 90s soaps fairing better in syndication. I do feel that 90s soaps tend to have a faster pace and are a big more theatrical so can feel more exciting in isolation. You can get swept into the action without the context. Also, cable was notorious for marathons so being able to binge several episodes at once could have helped to engage viewers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GLATWT88 Posted April 13, 2023 Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 I currently finished season 7 of Dallas and started season 8. Season 8 is when Dallas gets overtaken by Dynasty in the year end ratings due to its audience steadily growing with each season. I wonder how much this may have impacted the direction of Dallas. I noticed the fashion in season 7 of Dallas to have become a bit more dramatic for lack of a better word, and more so in season 8. Everyone is wearing a hat, shoulder pads on everything, turbans, etc. I wonder if this was just merely a reflection of the time or if Dallas was "inspired" by its competitor. Similarly, season 8 feels a bit different as far as pacing compared to previous seasons (at least so far) and season 7 did bring about this cattyness between Pam and Katharine and Pam and Jenna, that usually was written in a more subtle way. Giving Donna to step in for Bobby was a good way to give her this power woman feel, which she seemed to have at first but faded with more recent seasons. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted April 13, 2023 Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 1984/85 the primetime soaps pulled out all the stops to out-do each other. That could have also played a part in why they all tanked the following season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 13, 2023 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2023 Much was made of famed Hollywood designer Travilla being hired to glam up the costuming. From Dallas Decoder Season 8 brings us “Dallas’s” most famous costume designer: Travilla, who immediately cranks up the glam factor. His looks are often classy, such as the timeless white gown Priscilla Beaulieu Presley sports in “Deliverance” and “Swan Song.” Other Travilla creations are woefully wrong. Example: Linda Gray’s feathery “Deliverance” / “Swan Song” number. Yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also damn distracting. Instead of focusing on Sue Ellen’s meltdown, I keep wondering: How many pillows died to create this dress? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted April 14, 2023 Members Share Posted April 14, 2023 I'm about to watch the oils baron ball from that season next. I hope you're watching them in HD. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soapfan770 Posted April 14, 2023 Members Share Posted April 14, 2023 Yeah I had alluded to this in my post, and you make a good point about the faster pace. What also helped for shows like Melrose, 90210, Party of Five, Sisters etc was also good mix of shorter story arcs and a lot of episodes contained at least one or two self contained episodic plots. Melrose and BH in particular had the benefit of getting picked up by cable early on at their height and then later streaming services. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GLATWT88 Posted April 14, 2023 Members Share Posted April 14, 2023 Yes! It looks so good. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted April 14, 2023 Members Share Posted April 14, 2023 Saw this infamous scene last night in HD and it looked outstanding! Please register in order to view this content 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted April 16, 2023 Members Share Posted April 16, 2023 Ratings for the week ending March 29, 1981 Knots Landing season finale aired plus a regular episode. Please register in order to view this content 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 16, 2023 Author Members Share Posted April 16, 2023 (edited) Some further info on the week above- Week 28 of the season. CBS 19.9 -it's sixth win in a row. ABC 17.4 NBC 14.4 -it's worst week of the season. CBS took 5 nights with the others each winning a night. Mon CBS led by MASH #4 House Calls #8. ABC took the 8pm hour with That's Incredible #11 but the movie The Monkey Mission had only a 12.8/20 Tues CBS win with GWTW part 2 #6. ABC usually the winner suffered with Happy days down to #19 and 3's Company #20 (probably repeats) NBC had Walking Tall @ 10pm with a 21 share Wed NBC 's winning night although Greatest American Hero #13 on ABC tied with Real People #14 @8 Facts of Life aired the spinoff pilot Brian & Sylvia which scored 18.6/30 and the a Hill St Blues special @10 with a 24 share. CBS aired a 3 hr TV movie Berlin Tunnel 21 26 share. Thurs CBS win Magnum #9 and two Knots Landing eps ranked #17 and #18 NBC had a special Command Performance The Stars Salute The President 9-11 24 share Fri CBS Dallas #1 Dukes #3 NBC Nero Wolfe #64 NBC Magazine #65 ABC Mr Majestyck movie 11.5/19 #62 Sat ABC win Love Boat #7 Eight Is Enough debuting Sat won 8pm slot 15.9/28 NBC 2 hr Hill St Blues 11.8/21 #61 CBS Inside Hollywood 90 minnews special 11.2/19 #63 Sun CBS win 60 Minutes #2 Jeffersons #5 hour long special launching Marla Gibbs spinoff Checking In Alice #8 and Trapper John #15 ABC aired rpt movies Benji 21 share Live and Let Die 31 share NBC Duchess and Dirtwater Fox rpt 14.3/23 Edited April 17, 2023 by Paul Raven 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted April 16, 2023 Members Share Posted April 16, 2023 (edited) That week on Dallas, episode The Gathering Storm: Jock threatens to sell Ewing Oil if Miss Ellie divorces him; Lucy's career puts her marriage in jeopardy; Cliff learns of the Asian coup. 1980/81 Dallas was at its peak and it was a killer show. 18 out of 23 episodes finished #1 and the remaining 5 episodes finished 2nd. Edited April 17, 2023 by kalbir 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted April 17, 2023 Author Members Share Posted April 17, 2023 The following week 'Checking In' debuted Thurs @8 as CBS was looking for a replacement for The Waltons , which was finally coming to an end. On ABC Mork & Mindy was on its last legs and NBC was weak there also, so CBS thought sitcoms might work there. Checking In debuted #18 and follow up 'Park Place #24 but they dropped in the following weeks. CBS had tried Magnum @8 the week before and that had done well, so the decision was made for the following season to move Magnum and Knots up an hour. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted April 17, 2023 Members Share Posted April 17, 2023 (edited) In the early 1980s CBS was successful in replacing their aging dramas and dramas with short runs that showed little to no growth with new dramas that would become hits. Thursday line up The Waltons, Hawaii Five-O, Barnaby Jones gave way to the eventual new Thursday line up Magnum, P.I.; Simon & Simon, Knots Landing. The Incredible Hulk gave way to new Friday drama Falcon Crest. Lou Grant gave way to new Monday drama Cagney & Lacey. Edited April 17, 2023 by kalbir 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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