RandallAdams
Telly Talk Active Member
What I find intriguing about these promos is that they really are about the Death of Dallas, portending that the show will end on a fittingly violent and unsentimental note!
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Dallas finale promos (1991)
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Michelle Stevens
'The Lovely Michelle'
I remember these promos as if it were yesterday. I wish the final episode was a good the promos lead us to believe.
RandallAdams
Telly Talk Active Member
I kind of love that they included Susan Lucci in the promo montage. It just goes to show what a big TV star she was in that era despite having only a minimal role in the final season.
LMLDallas78
Telly Talk Enthusiast
Truth be told Dallas had already died a slow agonising death before those promos.
Bigging it up for the finale wasn't going to make any difference sadly.
Bigging it up for the finale wasn't going to make any difference sadly.
the-lost-son
Telly Talk Well-Known Member
Watching these promos feels like false advertising. I blame CBS/Lorimar both for the writing of the last years and foremost the series' finale. It's management responsibility to ensure a certain level of quality. Why did they not replace Katzman at a certain point (certainly after having read the concept of the finale)?
It's not rocket science to produce a series' finale. Give us familiar faces and try to reward viewers who stuck with the programme for so long or came back one more time.
People certainly did not tune in to watch a different universe in a dream (what a slap in the audience's face).
How on earth can you come up with an idea like that? How could management grant the funds for so many returning characters for such a concept?
Actually I liked the initial situation with JR at an empty Southfork. But then JR should have found his mojo, getting EwingOil back with Bobby.
Then a BBQ at Southfork with many characters - it needs some smart writing as BBG, Howard, Principal were not attending.
But it was possible.
It's not rocket science to produce a series' finale. Give us familiar faces and try to reward viewers who stuck with the programme for so long or came back one more time.
People certainly did not tune in to watch a different universe in a dream (what a slap in the audience's face).
How on earth can you come up with an idea like that? How could management grant the funds for so many returning characters for such a concept?
Actually I liked the initial situation with JR at an empty Southfork. But then JR should have found his mojo, getting EwingOil back with Bobby.
Then a BBQ at Southfork with many characters - it needs some smart writing as BBG, Howard, Principal were not attending.
But it was possible.
Matthew Blaisdel
Telly Talk Star
Why? "Trust us, it ends with a bang!" - And that was the truth!
the-lost-son
Telly Talk Well-Known Member
During its last season Dallas mostly didn't make it the top50 most watched TV shows. It was dead definetely.
The series finale though was advertised as a final exclamation mark and many returning faces like Gary&Val were published upfront. It was no.2 of the week, something the show hasn't achieved since S8 (DVD7).
They could have given us a decent finale (Ewing BBQ) or a decent scene (like Angela's soliquoy in Falcon Crest - sth. from the Ewing brothers speaking to their guests). If the series had been picked up again (which was possible, resulting in VP's absence), they could have declared it a dream and continue with Michelle, James etc.
It's just a very bad finale. But to be honest, most shows back then ended poorly. The good ones are the exception. Today it seems much more important to end on a high note than in the 80s/90s. A satisfying finale seems important to advertise a show today.
jmn3
Telly Talk Newbie
It was brutally dumb and hasn’t aged well at all. A terrible ending to what was at one time the most popular thing going. Once they knew it was over, they should have quickly wrapped up all the garbage stories and characters from the last two seasons and dedicated 3-4 episodes to wrapping up the show and characters people actually cared about. They should have bent over backwards sideways and inside out to get EVERYONE back for the finale - Bel Geddes, Keel, Tilton, Kanaly, Gray, AND Victoria Principal!
I love the idea of a BBQ episode - something that harkens back to the shows roots. It gives a reason for all the guest star’s characters to be there. I would skip Gary and Val - since the dream there was no KL connection anyway and their importance to the series was always limited anyway. Same with Mary Crosby - totally unnecessary and not plausible in this scenario anyway. I’d make the show a bit more positive/happy ending (ish) but then the big cliffhanger would be a helicopter showing up and disrupting everyone. Finally two women get out and as the camera focuses in, it’s Pam and Katherine. Bobby gasps “Pamela?” and the show ends on a freeze frame of Bobby, JR, and Cliff standing with their mouths agape.
I love the idea of a BBQ episode - something that harkens back to the shows roots. It gives a reason for all the guest star’s characters to be there. I would skip Gary and Val - since the dream there was no KL connection anyway and their importance to the series was always limited anyway. Same with Mary Crosby - totally unnecessary and not plausible in this scenario anyway. I’d make the show a bit more positive/happy ending (ish) but then the big cliffhanger would be a helicopter showing up and disrupting everyone. Finally two women get out and as the camera focuses in, it’s Pam and Katherine. Bobby gasps “Pamela?” and the show ends on a freeze frame of Bobby, JR, and Cliff standing with their mouths agape.
the-lost-son
Telly Talk Well-Known Member
I think it's rather obvious that the producers dod not have a bigger budget than for a regular S13 (DVD14) episodes.
JR, Bobby and Cliff were given.
So there are 6 more spots which were given to
Gary&Val, Ray, Sue Ellen, Kristen and Nicholas.
If I had 6 spots to hand out I'd give them to:
Miss Ellie, Pam, Sue Ellen, Donna, Ray and Katherine. The plot would be about a Southfork B-B-Q, maybe EwingOil back to Bobby&JR and Katherine scheming one more time. I agree with your good-ish ending with some Ray&Donna, JR&SueEllen.
As BBG supposedly would turn down an offer to return, I'd have Afton to give Cliff some closure.
As VP was only willing to return if promised if that was the last Dallas episode (which was probable but not definite), I'd have Cliff driving an unseen person next to him the road towards Southfork. "I don't know what you want there anymore. The Ewings are going to throw you off this ranch."
Maybe Bob and JR standing with their mouths open as the door is opened.
JR, Bobby and Cliff were given.
So there are 6 more spots which were given to
Gary&Val, Ray, Sue Ellen, Kristen and Nicholas.
If I had 6 spots to hand out I'd give them to:
Miss Ellie, Pam, Sue Ellen, Donna, Ray and Katherine. The plot would be about a Southfork B-B-Q, maybe EwingOil back to Bobby&JR and Katherine scheming one more time. I agree with your good-ish ending with some Ray&Donna, JR&SueEllen.
As BBG supposedly would turn down an offer to return, I'd have Afton to give Cliff some closure.
As VP was only willing to return if promised if that was the last Dallas episode (which was probable but not definite), I'd have Cliff driving an unseen person next to him the road towards Southfork. "I don't know what you want there anymore. The Ewings are going to throw you off this ranch."
Maybe Bob and JR standing with their mouths open as the door is opened.
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing
Telly Talk Champion
The final scene after thirteen years and 357 episodes.
Dallas was over and it did end with a bang....!
Dallas was over and it did end with a bang....!
DallasFanForever
Telly Talk Supreme
I’ve never called the end a bang. It was a total misfire.
tommie
Telly Talk Hero
Because they hadn't 100% pulled the plug when they wrote and filmed it. So they had to keep open the possibility that there might've been a season 15 - and I guess setting it all in an alternative universe meant that they wouldn't have had to explain where all these characters disappeared to in a follow-up. Supposedly it's why Victoria remained principled about staying away since they couldn't promise her that it was it.
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing
Telly Talk Champion
I hope you don't mean a blowback buddy!
It would've been more fitting if Dallas had ended on the DVD season thirteen cliffhanger.
That at least would've tied into the TNT Dallas continuation much better.
DallasFanForever
Telly Talk Supreme
It could’ve ended here, sure. Although I’ve always said the perfect ending was Swan Song. If I could’ve ended it at the perfect time that would’ve been it for me.