Original dallas was not destroyed by TNT

[Werewillie Oleson]

Since most viewers didn't return for episode 2 THE question remains, Why?

There's always a bunch of let's-see-what-this-looks-like viewers, viewers who don't really have the intention to watch the entire show.

Another reason could be that they weren't interested in the next generation, but that doesn't say anything about the quality of the show.
Or maybe they had expected more sex & gore & vampires....who knows?

When I watched the first (and in my case, only) episode of "Stranger Things", it suddenly dawned on me that I never liked those 1980s King/Spielberg movies in the first place.
So, obviously, this wasn't going to be my thing. But that doesn't make it a bad show.

 

[Ome]

There's also another factor in all this.


When original Dallas aired, we didn't have much choice in what programmes we were watching compared to what's available today. If a show doesn't grab you straight away, or you are quickly finding fault, you will simply turn away and look for something.

Plus, back then Dallas was groundbreaking in many ways and people were always discussing what was happening. That's never going to happen today and that will reflect on peoples opinions to how a show is perceived. Two big shows out today are GAME OF THRONES & THE WALKING DEAD, but not everyone is talking about them the way people talked about shows before the Internet. They're expressing their views via Twitter, IMDb and specialised forums dedicated to those shows.

We were with friends last night and we must have covered about 8 shows we're currently watching, when I asked them about New Dynasty, they had no idea of its existence.

The world of TV is so different today, that's it's not always fair to compare.


And let's not forget that original Dallas had many, many flaws with it, from continuation to acting, to incredibly stupid stories, most things that were not as visible to the viewer back then.

 

[Werewillie Oleson]

most things that were not as visible to the viewer back then.

This, exactly.

When my mother and I watched these soaps, we just watched them, and we always did this sigh-of-disappointment when the episode ended because we always wanted more.
And we never complained or discussed how stupid it was.

 

[Karin]

There's also another factor in all this.


When original Dallas aired, we didn't have much choice in what programmes we were watching compared to what's available today. If a show doesn't grab you straight away, or you are quickly finding fault, you will simply turn away and look for something.
.

True, back then we only had two TV channels to chose from so no wonder that half of the Swedish population were watching Dallas every week! :lolo:

There's also another factor in all this.

We were with friends last night and we must have covered about 8 shows we're currently watching, when I asked them about New Dynasty, they had no idea of its existence.

The world of TV is so different today, that's it's not always fair to compare.

I know what you mean. These days it's hard to find a show that everyone watches. It's happened to me too. If I am out with friends and we start talking TV most of the time we are watching different things.

Amazingly however a few years ago when I was out with a group of 5 friends (all girls) and the conversation turned to TV, 3 out of 6 (myself included) had watched the new Dallas!

So I think that says something too. The new Dallas had a unique position in today's TV landscape as it already had a built in audience of people who had watched the original, or who had heard about the original and were curious what the fuss was all about. This gave the show an edge and it should have become a hit as it was riding on the popularity of the original show and yet it flopped! :hair:So why did it flop? :thinks:

 

[Rove]

So I think that says something too. The new Dallas had a unique position in today's TV landscape as it already had a built in audience of people who had watched the original, or who had heard about the original and were curious what the fuss was all about. This gave the show an edge and it should have become a hit as it was riding on the popularity of the original show and yet it flopped!

And over 8 million American viewers could not be wrong. The interest was still there. The Brand was still strong. Jock Ewing would be proud. I remember here in Australia there was a buzz surrounding the return of Dallas. Larry, Patrick and Linda were available to any, if not all, media outlets for requests for interviews. I'll add they must have felt quite chuffed they were reprising roles they began in 1978!
Karin you are correct when you say Dallas was in a unique position in today's TV landscape as it already had a built in audience of people who had watched the original. I believe most of those would have been original viewers with some curious newbies who follow the likes of Josh Henderson on social media. Why did it flop?
It's why I keep visiting this site to discuss such matters. It may appear to be repetitive but it's fun reading others opinions, even when I disagree.
I caught up with a friend over the weekend and the topic of Dynasty 2.0 came up. She was a fan of the original while Dallas was my baby. I asked her if she had watched the new series (knowing she subscribes to Netflix Australia). I won't repeat her comments here except to say #^%@(___ @#$#%____^ $^%%____$#&^?, which gives you a general idea of her thoughts on Dynasty 2.0.
She now fully appreciates my frustration with TNT Dallas and added, "With TNT Dallas you had the continuation. They seriously couldn't stuff it up but they did.

 

[Sarah]

There is nothing that could spoil original Dallas for me, nothing.

I don't get the whole GOT fandom, but appreciate what's it done for the film industry and especially for Northern Ireland's acting industry. But Dallas had an impact that is still being talked about 40 years on....not many shows today will have that impact.

 

[Werewillie Oleson]

not many shows today will have that impact

 

[Rove]

I don't get the whole GOT fandom

But Sarah. Isn't this the exact same feeling we have with Dallas, while others have that with Dynasty, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest etc? I enjoy watching Game of Thrones, I'm yet to watch the last two seasons, but I appreciate the fandom it has.

 

[pete lashmar]

But Sarah. Isn't this the exact same feeling we have with Dallas, while others have that with Dynasty, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest etc? I enjoy watching Game of Thrones, I'm yet to watch the last two seasons, but I appreciate the fandom it has.

The big difference with Game Of Thrones, Walking Dead etc is that they understand the huge importance of fans and now get involved in events that cast & fans can attend worldwide, there are dedicated online media feeds and lots of interaction. With Dallas, both Lorimar & TNT they always took their fans for granted. Considering Dallas was the biggest TV show in the world at one point, it did what it wanted without any care as to how the audience and fans felt. Likewise TNT didn't give a fig about them either.

 

[Rove]

The big difference with Game Of Thrones, Walking Dead etc is that they understand the huge importance of fans and now get involved in events that cast & fans can attend worldwide, there are dedicated online media feeds and lots of interaction. With Dallas, both Lorimar & TNT they always took their fans for granted. Considering Dallas was the biggest TV show in the world at one point, it did what it wanted without any care as to how the audience and fans felt. Likewise TNT didn't give a fig about them either.

Game of Thrones and Walking Dead have the benefit of tapping into social media. I'm not sure how the actors from Lorimar Dallas interacted with their fans. I'm assuming they may have had their fan clubs, same with Lorimar Productions I'd imagine. I was so furious with the demise of Katherine Wentworth along with Bobby I wrote a letter to Lorimar Productions in California. I look back and think by the time "Swan Song" aired in Australia (possible months after airing in America) and my letter arriving to the production offices all had been corrected in the world with Pam have a season long dream.

As for TNT Dallas. No excuses. :rant:

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

The big difference with Game Of Thrones, Walking Dead etc is that they understand the huge importance of fans and now get involved in events that cast & fans can attend worldwide, there are dedicated online media feeds and lots of interaction. With Dallas, both Lorimar & TNT they always took their fans for granted. Considering Dallas was the biggest TV show in the world at one point, it did what it wanted without any care as to how the audience and fans felt. Likewise TNT didn't give a fig about them either.

I'm not sure if they even understand that this type of show has fans that would want to get involved like that.

I've always said that there is a similarity between soap fandom and those for comics or sci-fi but the marketers don't seem to see it.

 

[Rove]

I've always said that there is a similarity between soap fandom and those for comics or sci-fi but the marketers don't seem to see it.

An interesting thought Seaviewer. Events like Comic Con draw thousands of fans to their events and it would seem the actors genuinely like to appear. It's a great connect between fans, actors, producers and writers. Is there such an event which encompasses Soaps? If not, why not? Wouldn't have anything to do with those daytime soap actors having egos would it? I'd imagine some would raise their nose at the mere suggestion of attending such an event. Could partially explain why soaps are a dying entity.

 

[ChrisEwing2003]

Dallas will always have it's place in television history. Because of Who Shot JR?, and the infamous Dream.

 

[Rove]

Considering Dallas was the biggest TV show in the world at one point, it did what it wanted without any care as to how the audience and fans felt.

Were the top brass of Lorimar listening when there was a backlash against the possible return of Jock Ewing, only this time played by Steve Forrest? It would seem us viewers did have some influence as this story was quickly dropped. It felt like the fans of Dallas around the world had a collective voice of one. We were protecting both the character of Jock Ewing and Jim Davis. How strange that a fictional TV Series can become so real. I guess that was the magic of Dallas.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Were the top brass of Lorimar listening when there was a backlash against the possible return of Jock Ewing, only this time played by Steve Forrest? It would seem us viewers did have some influence as this story was quickly dropped. It felt like the fans of Dallas around the world had a collective voice of one. We were protecting both the character of Jock Ewing and Jim Davis. How strange that a fictional TV Series can become so real. I guess that was the magic of Dallas.

No, the Steve Forrest plotline was dropped because he was already contracted to do a GUNSMOKE reunion movie in Canada that winter.

He finished shooting DALLAS before his episodes regarding his identity as the patriarch even aired. So the brass wasn't responding to viewer complaints.

They likely never intended to have Forrest stay on as Jock. The actors were all told different things about whether Wes Parmalee was or wasn't really Jock Ewing. But the anxiety it created for the family was dramatic gold.

 

[Werewillie Oleson]

How strange that a fictional TV Series can become so real.

While I like to ponder about the should-haves & could-haves, I don't think I would really want to be involved with someone else's story.
Or song.
Or painting.

It should be good because it's good, not because of some collective interactive fan-fest.

But I wish we had the collective interactive power to bring TNT Dallas back.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

While I like to ponder about the should-haves & could-haves, I don't think I would really want to be involved with someone else's story.
Or song.
Or painting.

It should be good because it's good, not because of some collective interactive fan-fest.

But I wish we had the collective interactive power to bring TNT Dallas back.

I agree with all of that -- fan fiction proves many fans have no idea what makes a show they love actually work.

Then again, when reboot producers also totally miss what made the original show work, the sequel winds up going down like the Edmund Fitzgerald... or, y'know, one of those Ewing tankers.

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

I agree with all of that -- fan fiction proves many fans have no idea what makes a show they love actually work.

Then again, when reboot producers also totally miss what made the original show work, the sequel winds up going down like the Edmund Fitzgerald... or, y'know, one of those Ewing tankers.

That's why I'd like to see a fan involved just as an advisor to maintain consistency - but don't let them actually write it.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

That's why I'd like to see a fan involved just as an advisor to maintain consistency - but don't let them actually write it.

If they could be a good advisor, they might have made a better writer than the ones running nuDALLAS (into the ground).

There are a couple of people here who could've acted as advisor/writers.

 

[Michael Torrance]

I am sure this was posted before, probably in the old forum, but I didn't see it anywhere here.

https://www.showbiz411.com/2012/06/...aster-how-shows-creator-was-cut-out-of-reboot

And from another interview, once the show was running

Well, what about you? Do you like the new show?

I do. It’s great to see Southfork in H.D. and widescreen. Beautiful. I do wish they would slow things down. Mike and I were talking recently and said we could’ve gotten 10 shows from the first five. [Laughter] And not by stretching, but by making it more complex and by making the stories less plot-driven and more character-driven. I think it was Chekov who said plot is character. Whoever said it, I agree with.

https://dallasdecoder.com/2012/12/03/the-dallas-decoder-interview-david-jacobs/