It's Not About Big Hair, Shoulder Pads, and Bolo Ties Anymore

[Frankenstein Underworld]

Is this really all the TNT Dallas producers thought the original show was about? I think it was Mike Robin who said something like this. How in the hell are bolo ties out of place in Texas? It seemed pretty condescending to me. Just like Jesse Metcalfe constantly saying the writing on TNT was "much better" and for a more "sophisticated" audience. These people were really up their own asses, weren't they? Even Patrick Duffy said he thought the new series was better than most of the original. Of course, he altered his stance a bit once the show was cancelled.

I hear fans of TNT Dallas complain about people hating on it, but the people involved with TNT Dallas seemed to have their own snobbish views towards the original series.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Is this really all the TNT Dallas producers thought the original show was about? I think it was Mike Robin who said something like this. How in the hell are bolo ties out of place in Texas? It seemed pretty condescending to me. Just like Jesse Metcalfe constantly saying the writing on TNT was "much better" and for a more "sophisticated" audience. These people were really up their own asses, weren't they? Even Patrick Duffy said he thought the new series was better than most of the original. Of course, he altered his stance a bit once the show was cancelled.

I hear fans of TNT Dallas complain about people hating on it, but the people involved with TNT Dallas seemed to have their own snobbish views towards the original series.

Who is Mike Stern? Did he say this when promoting the TNT series or was he just heard saying that behind the scenes?

It would be ridiculous to believe that's all Dallas was about and especially ridiculous to try to promote TNT Dallas by making that statement. All that would do is diminish your project. It makes your production team the dumb bastards who decided to make a continuation of a show that was about big hair, shoulder pads, and bolo ties! Why would any intelligent person want to make a continuation of something with no substance like what the thread title describes???

Jesse Metcalfe, isn't he the one who played Christopher? He really said that TNT Dallas was for a more sophisticated audience? He also screwed up when he said he was excited about working with Victoria Principal in TNT Dallas. He's such a tool! No wonder they wanted to get him out of the show by having Christopher die in that explosion at the end of season 3. They wanted a season 4 but they didn't want him to be part of it. A cast member who makes those idiotic statements when you're trying to promote a new show is not an asset; he's a liability. Do you suppose he knew he was insulting tens of millions of fans by saying that, and therefore saying we're unsophisticated people or do you think he isn't smart enough to realize he was insulting them?

BTW, is there any difference between a bolo tie and a string tie (also known as a cowboy tie)? It's a classic western style tie and they're great. I have trouble finding them where I live because I'm in the Washington DC area but I need to get some. Do you know if there are any online stores that sell some nice ones?

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

Who is Mike Stern? Did he say this when promoting the TNT series or was he just heard saying that behind the scenes?

Mike Robin. He was one of the producers of the show. He either said it on one of those behind the scenes featurettes or an episode commentary. I think it's on a season 1 disc.

It would be ridiculous to believe that's all Dallas was about and especially ridiculous to try to promote TNT Dallas by making that statement. All that would do is diminish your project. It makes your production team the dumb bastards who decided to make a continuation of a show that was about big hair, shoulder pads, and bolo ties! Why would any intelligent person want to make a continuation of something with no substance like what the thread title describes???

There appeared to be a concerted effort to make the original seem superficial and inferior in comparison. I have no idea why, but it's funny in light of how TNT Dallas turned out.

Jesse Metcalfe, isn't he the one who played Christopher? He really said that TNT Dallas was for a more sophisticated audience? He also screwed up when he said he was excited about working with Victoria Principal in TNT Dallas. He's such a tool! No wonder they wanted to get him out of the show by having Christopher die in that explosion at the end of season 3. They wanted a season 4 but they didn't want him to be part of it. A cast member who makes those idiotic statements when you're trying to promote a new show is not an asset; he's a liability. Do you suppose he knew he was insulting tens of millions of fans by saying that, and therefore saying we're unsophisticated people or do you think he isn't smart enough to realize he was insulting them?

Jesse didn't seem to care what the original fans thought. He said he didn't want to say today's audience is more sophisticated, but he certainly thought they were more discerning. Sophisticated and discerning essentially mean the same thing. Brenda Strong wasn't any better. She said TNT Dallas was "exponentially more interesting and entertaining."

BTW, is there any difference between a bolo tie and a string tie (also known as a cowboy tie)? It's a classic western style tie and they're great. I have trouble finding them where I live because I'm in the Washington DC area but I need to get some. Do you know if there are any online stores that sell some nice ones?

I have no idea where they're sold online, but I'm pretty sure a bolo tie is the same as a string tie. Ray wore one on the TNT series, which was odd in light of Mike Robin's statement.

 

[TJames03]

Duffy says whatever is good for him at the time. His return and the dream, literally, besmirched the entire soap genre, nighttime and daytime.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

It's such a silly, nothing statement when you consider the original show was set in Texas in the 80s, therefore the fashion was indicative of the time and place and not much more. It was OTT at times to compete with Dynasty or to push the message that we were looking into the lives of people who attended events like the Oil Barons Ball, but not once was an actual plot based on big hair, shoulder pads or bolo ties. The movies look like the 90s because they were the 90s and in 10-20 years the new show is going to look like the early-mid 2010s, however that is remembered.

As for the writing, it was quick, snappy and ended up revolving around things no one wanted, then getting cancelled, compared to the original writing that has people rewatching and fondly talking about the original 40 years later. Call it what you will, but something resonated with one audience for 14 years and another for barely 3.

 

[Rove]

I'm of the opinion actors will say only positive comments for whatever series they're currently starring in. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you," is a saying which springs to mind. Those same actors might be starring in the biggest pile of garbage ever to grace the large or small screen but they'll stick by the project regardless.

The same can be said of Directors, Producers, Writers etc. If they wish to remain relevant in the industry they will say all the right things. But please don't criticize Lorimar Dallas when your continuation could not match the success of the original. I'd imagine those behind the scenes and TNT were jumping for joy when those first rating numbers came rolling in. I'd offer 2 pigs, a goat and 3 chickens to see their reactions when the rating numbers were released the following week.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I'm of the opinion actors will say only positive comments for whatever series they're currently starring in. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you," is a saying which springs to mind. Those same actors might be starring in the biggest pile of garbage ever to grace the large or small screen but they'll stick by the project regardless.

The same can be said of Directors, Producers, Writers etc. If they wish to remain relevant in the industry they will say all the right things. But please don't criticize Lorimar Dallas when your continuation could not match the success of the original. I'd imagine those behind the scenes and TNT were jumping for joy when those first rating numbers came rolling in. I'd offer 2 pigs, a goat and 3 chickens to see their reactions when the rating numbers were released the following week.

Do you think you'd do things any differently if you were in their profession? I don't understand what drove them to insult the original Dallas; that just hurt them. There is no benefit to downplaying your previous work. The other things you mentioned though I think are very natural things to do, not only very natural but necessary.

 

[Werewillie Oleson]

I'm of the opinion actors will say only positive comments for whatever series they're currently starring in

Barbara Stanwyck couldn't wait to smear The Colbys.

I'm fine with promoting NuDallas as the sophisticated soap for sophisticated people

however, a promotion should not be based on the inferiority of the other soap - especially when that wasn't the case at all.
You can say "this is good" without saying "the other one wasn't good enough".

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I'm fine with promoting NuDallas as the sophisticated soap for sophisticated people

however, a promotion should not be based on the inferiority of the other soap - especially when that wasn't the case at all.
You can say "this is good" without saying "the other one wasn't good enough".

Especially when you're basing your series on that. Why would anyone want to continue a series they don't respect? I would have said something more like "Dallas was a great show. Iconic. We've taken that concept and modernized it for 2011."

You have to believe in what you're doing. I don't fault them for that. But why insult the original? That tells me they didn't respect the original, and in hindsight, that explains a lot!

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Oh, the actors were just delivering the requisite "It's better than ever!!" rhetoric. But nuDALLAS' rapid crash in the ratings, even before Larry died, says everything.

Patrick went on to later say that nuDALLAS was "less pure" than what many fans wanted, and Linda Gray's boyfriend claims she said the scripts were awful.

 

[Alexis]

Linda Gray's boyfriend claims she said the scripts were awful.

And they were. Ann Ewing's murder trial makes Alexis' outlandish outbursts at her DYNASTY season 5 murder trial seem like intense intellectual drama.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

Barbara Stanwyck couldn't wait to smear The Colbys.

I'm fine with promoting NuDallas as the sophisticated soap for sophisticated people

however, a promotion should not be based on the inferiority of the other soap - especially when that wasn't the case at all.
You can say "this is good" without saying "the other one wasn't good enough".

This is the same show that featured a guy in a dog suit, Ann's kangaroo court trial,and an entire episode built around a car race. I'm not sure I'd qualify that as sophisticated.

That's why it's funny to me that so many people involved with TNT Dallas took pot shots at the original show. It may have had it's flaws, but you know what they say about glass houses.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

It's such a silly, nothing statement when you consider the original show was set in Texas in the 80s, therefore the fashion was indicative of the time and place and not much more. It was OTT at times to compete with Dynasty or to push the message that we were looking into the lives of people who attended events like the Oil Barons Ball, but not once was an actual plot based on big hair, shoulder pads or bolo ties. The movies look like the 90s because they were the 90s and in 10-20 years the new show is going to look like the early-mid 2010s, however that is remembered.

As for the writing, it was quick, snappy and ended up revolving around things no one wanted, then getting cancelled, compared to the original writing that has people rewatching and fondly talking about the original 40 years later. Call it what you will, but something resonated with one audience for 14 years and another for barely 3.

Exactly right. So why even mention those things? Imagine if TNT Dallas continues in 20 years. "It's not about green lingerie, Ikea homes, and manscaping anymore."

 

[Rove]

that featured a guy in a dog suit

I'd completely forgotten about that :floor:Can someone please find that scene and create a GIF.

 

[Rove]

you'd do things any differently if you were in their profession?

Short answer? Yes. That said the issue would be Warner Bros themselves and how much influence or how much muscle they wish to flex over my creativity. This could explain why commercial networks are failing while streaming services are gathering pace because Producers/ Writers and Directors appear to be given some freedom to tell their story.

 

[Rove]

Barbara Stanwyck couldn't wait to smear The Colbys.

And I have no problem with that. Someone of Barbara's standing within the industry and her age at the time is entitled to speak honestly. One day I should get around to watching The Thorn Birds to appreciate why Barbara won both a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Award.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Short answer? Yes. That said the issue would be Warner Bros themselves and how much influence or how much muscle they wish to flex over my creativity. This could explain why commercial networks are failing while streaming services are gathering pace because Producers/ Writers and Directors appear to be given some freedom to tell their story.

I didn't think the issue was over the company's influence over someone's creativity. It was about how actors and other creative people promote their current projects in a positive way no matter whether what. I was referring to this:

I'm of the opinion actors will say only positive comments for whatever series they're currently starring in. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you," is a saying which springs to mind. Those same actors might be starring in the biggest pile of garbage ever to grace the large or small screen but they'll stick by the project regardless.

If your latest project hadn't turned out as well as you'd tried to make it and it was just average, would you really admit that to the public: "It's just average." Or would you try to sell it?

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

I'd completely forgotten about that :floor:Can someone please find that scene and create a GIF.

It's right up there with JR using a video of pet tricks to fool Bobby into deleting the cloud drive. My unsophisticated brain just couldn't handle it!

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Ann's kangaroo court trial,

I remember some of Ann's trial, but maybe not as well as you do. What was it that made her trial a "kangaroo court"?

I remember the actual shooting and thinking how stupid Ann was to not even try to commit the attempted murder in a way where she might get away with it. She brought a gun there, so I have to think she already knew she was going to shoot him. She even drove her own vehicle into Mitch's driveway in broad daylight. It seemed she wanted to get caught. I don't remember the trial very well though. Was it that she didn't go to prison that you're referring to?

 

[Alexis]

I remember some of Ann's trial, but maybe not as well as you do. What was it that made her trial a "kangaroo court"?

I remember the actual shooting and thinking how stupid Ann was to not even try to commit the attempted murder in a way where she might get away with it. She brought a gun there, so I have to think she already knew she was going to shoot him. She even drove her own vehicle into Mitch's driveway in broad daylight. It seemed she wanted to get caught. I don't remember the trial very well though. Was it that she didn't go to prison that you're referring to?

I only watched it once when it originally aired. From what I recall it was Ann's daft testimony and the judge's unfathomable sentencing that made it so silly. It was like the writers had absolutely no idea about what happens in a courtroom.