Last Time, On Dallas

[Bobby Southworth]

Did anyone else here catch the syndicated airings of Dallas in the late 80's where every episode started with a recap of the previous episode, with the Dallas theme playing in the background, and a dramatic narrator? I was only 11 years old, and had just started enjoying the new episodes of Dallas with my mom around this time. (1988). I also just assumed that the original episodes featured those dramatic recaps, and was disappointed years later to see on TNN that the episodes just began with a short preview. The recaps really worked better for a serial like Dallas, in my opinion, and obviously, the last four seasons did start with a recap. They should have begun this practice earlier.

 

[bspooky9]

The recaps really worked better for a serial like Dallas, in my opinion, and obviously, the last four seasons did start with a recap.

That is correct-- however, I remember the wording at the top being "Last on Dallas."

 

[Bobby Southworth]

That is correct-- however, I remember the wording at the top being "Last on Dallas."

Perhaps you're right. Its been so long since I've seen the syndicated episodes with the recap. I remember when Dallas was airing on TNN back in the late 90's, a few of the episodes still had that dramatic recap tagged on. "Jock's trial, if I remember correctly, and "Mastectomy".

 

[bspooky9]

I also just assumed that the original episodes featured those dramatic recaps, and was disappointed years later to see on TNN that the episodes just began with a short preview.

To also address that-- that was part and parcel of many series in the 80s (this, crime shows, adventures, action series, you name it).

 

[DallasFanForever]

I liked it when they went to the “Last On Dallas” as opposed to seeing a preview of the upcoming episode. It came in handy if I happened to miss an episode and forgot to record it on the good old VCR.

 

[bspooky9]

I liked it when they went to the “Last On Dallas” as opposed to seeing a preview of the upcoming episode. It came in handy if I happened to miss an episode and forgot to record it on the good old VCR.

True-- with the previews, you wouldn't have known what happened before if you missed a show. With the recaps, you could catch up in the space of a minute or two.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Do you also remember the same announcer setting up the preview:

"Tonight on Dallas. With J.R. Ewing, the man you love to hate."

 

[Bobby Southworth]

What actually worked best was what Falcon Crest did during the 1988-89 season(possibly prior to this as well, but I didn't see earlier episodes) when they would have a recap and then show a preview for that night's episode. I think this would have worked best for Dallas as well, once it really began to be serialized during season 3.

 

[bspooky9]

What actually worked best was what Falcon Crest did during the 1988-89 season(possibly prior to this as well, but I didn't see earlier episodes) when they would have a recap and then show a preview for that night's episode.

The 1982-88 NBC medical series St. Elsewhere did that as well, when Ed Begley, Jr. said at the top, "Previously on St. Elsewhere" (recap), and then, to preview that night's/week's show, "Tonight on St. Elsewhere."

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

In the UK on BBC1 I don't think we ever got a pre-credit teaser or a Last time on Dallas review.

I could be wrong, I'm open to correction.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

What actually worked best was what Falcon Crest did during the 1988-89 season(possibly prior to this as well, but I didn't see earlier episodes) when they would have a recap and then show a preview for that night's episode. I think this would have worked best for Dallas as well, once it really began to be serialized during season 3.

Hahahah when I started watching Dallas in the last decade I thought I missed an episode when Digger's Daughter started with a recap. I hate it from a modern perspective. It's almost like watching the trailer for a movie right before you go to the cinema to see that movie, it's all too fresh and you're expecting the big moments before they happen.

 

[Guzzler’s Frightening Hair]

it makes more sense to me to show a quick recap before a new episode, but unfortunately, in a present-day rewatch anyway, the appearance of “Last on Dallas” pretty much coincides with the point when I stop caring what happened in the previous episode!

 

[Spooky Owl!]

To clarify, the primetime original airing of DALLAS had 30 second preview-teasers before the opening theme, but they switched to "Last time on DALLAS" recaps in the fall of 1987 (and VP refused to allow her face to appear in those, so her car crash was manned by a ghost). That's not to be confused with the 1984 syndicated version of DALLAS which were all recaps.

 

[bspooky9]

To clarify, the primetime original airing of DALLAS had 30 second preview-teasers before the opening theme, but they switched to "Last time on DALLAS" recaps in the fall of 1987 (and VP refused to allow her face to appear in those, so her car crash was manned by a ghost). That's not to be confused with the 1984 syndicated version of DALLAS which were all recaps.

And here is one of those openings with preview, sixth-season episode "The Wedding" (OAD Fri. Dec. 3, 1982 on CBS):

 

[One Mighty Hobble]

Gotta remember back then we had no streaming or DVD options to rewatch or catch up. (Unless you were one of the brainiacs that actually knew how to program the vcr). Plus the amount of new viewers being added weekly just by word of mouth. Seemed like a good way for us locals to relive last week's drama and for newbies to get a context preview of what we they were about to see.

For me, the last line always stood out:
"AND NOW...!"

 

[Rove]

I've always detested the "Last time on..." or "Tonight on...". Recaps are for lazy people not keeping up with their favourite series and previews may as well scream, "Spoiler Alert!"