Forward or back?

[Seaviewer]

Discussion about whether Dallas could return to TV generally breaks down into two main camps - those who think it should go forward with a new generation, and those who would like to see prequels or midquels dramatising previously unseen stories from past eras. There seems to be little interest in a full reboot with a new cast playing the old characters in the present.

I thought it would be interesting to have a poll on these options.

 

[Rove]

I don't believe a continuation will work now. As much as I'd love to see Bobby and Sue Ellen back on Southfork working with a strong cast including; John Ross Jnr., Lucas, Margaret etc, I just cannot see it happening with so much to choose from when it comes to entertainment. I'd love to see a prequel beginning with possibly Jock's ancestor - Duncan Ewing - leaving Scotland in 1863 and landing in America to seek greener pastures only to end up in the American Civil War.

From there we see him land in rough and tumble Texas trying his hand at many things prior to working for Lyne T. Barret who drilled the first known oil well in Oil Springs, Nacogdoches County during the year 1866.

It just all seems to fit nicely however this series would require high production values...something I don't think many commercial or streaming services are prepared to make. The youth today prefer dungeons and dragons.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Sadly, the entire DALLAS franchise -- once, and perhaps still, the most successful drama series in global television history -- has had so many bungles along the way, it's hard to envision anything working ever again. When Donna Reed stepped off that plane in 1984, the karma shifted and the series never recovered. The original show only had one good season after that, and it was only halfway through its run. There were dreams to wipe out entire years, later seasons which turned to "funny" shlock, two reunion movies which lacked any real storyline, and a 2012 sequel series which was in other creative hands predictably disinterested in the original source material. The 1986 prequel movie was okay-ish, I guess, even when the creator was at the helm.

The whole thing has been a spectacular mess. The showrunners developing a contempt for the audience at the series' peak. Resurrecting it, and how to do it -- especially at this point -- is hard to fathom. I suppose if somebody did it and did it well, most of us would applaud, but that's really, really difficult to picture.

And I don't think it's possible.



Besides, they say A.I. is going to kill us all in 2027, so what's the point?

 

[Crimson]

The original continuity of DALLAS died with Larry, even if it limped along for another season. No one is going to revive DALLAS without JR.

At some point, we will inevitably get a total reboot; considering the success of the YELLOWSTONE franchise, I'm surprised it hasn't already happened. That eventual show will have little resemblance to the original. DALLAS was a product of its time, even a bit reactionary for that era; a new series might be about a wealthy Texan family but will inevitably be so different it might as well be called HOUSTON.

 

[CeeCee72]

I also believe a reboot is likely at some point. As hard as it is for us hard core fans to imagine anyone other than Larry Hagman as JR Ewing, there's two entire generations who have never even seen the original show.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I also believe a reboot is likely at some point. As hard as it is for us hard core fans to imagine anyone other than Larry Hagman as JR Ewing, there's two entire generations who have never even seen the original show.

Like those generations who'd never seen the original DYNASTY when nuDYNASTY premiered. And that worked out great -- the lowest rated primetime show for five years. If it weren't for their Netflix deal, nuDYNASTY would have been gone in 13 weeks.

But then, Hollywood no longer seems very interested in profits. Didn't somebody smart recently suggest that Hollywood is now one big money-laundering scheme??

 

[CeeCee72]

Like those generations who'd never seen the original DYNASTY when nuDYNASTY premiered. And that worked out great -- the lowest rated primetime show for five years. If it weren't for their Netflix deal, nuDYNASTY would have been gone in 13 weeks.

Dallas could do a lot better than Dynasty in today's world. There's currently an obsession with westerns mostly due to the success of Yellowstone, as @Crimson mentioned.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Neither forward or back and Dallas was a success as it came along at the right time, with great cast, script and storylines for several years

It was an 80s show and belonged in the 80s! Leave it there - It was right place, right time, right cast and right era

Most people I work with who are under 40 have no idea who or what Dallas was / is other than a place in USA

Tastes have changed over the years and mine have too - TNT sucked and by then TNT Dallas was Larry, he carried the whole shebang until he passed away and without him it left a lot to be desired hence the reason it bombed in the ratings

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

It’s always “the middle years” for me..

Even the absolute bottom of the barrel of the writers and actors from late-period Lorimar and Cidre-era Dallas couldn’t have screwed up the “Jock in his prime, JR rising in the company, Bobby the football star, Gary and Valene and Lucy” era, right?

That stuff is just teed up perfectly, waiting for anyone or anything from a below-average LLM on up to blurt it out into a cable series…

 

[Rove]

Here's an idea. The series is still named Dallas however we now focus on another family. The opening episode begins on November 8, 1980. A father figure takes his seat at the dining table when his eldest son walks in and drops the morning paper on the table with the front headline screaming...

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As the son takes a seat he asks, "You had an appointment to see JR at Ewing Oil last night. Dad, please tell me you didn't shoot that bastard."

The father responds, "No I did not. I had last minute change of plans so cancelled the meeting...but that's going to be one long list of suspects after the Asian Oil leases fiasco."

Que the Dallas intro with the same music but introduce a new family beginning in 1980.

 

[Seaviewer]

As expected, some quite varied responses. Just to clarify, the question is about what you'd like to see, not to predict what you think is likely to happen.

 

[CeeCee72]

Personally, I absolutely do NOT want a continuation. Hagman is gone and after the damage that was done by the TNT revival, I don't have any confidence a continuation would be done well.

I suppose if I had to choose I would want a prequel. There's a lot of good material there.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

I also believe a reboot is likely at some point. As hard as it is for us hard core fans to imagine anyone other than Larry Hagman as JR Ewing, there's two entire generations who have never even seen the original show.

I guess I can somehow make this seem okay or work by thinking back to when they were talking about taking it to the big screen. Other people would have played everyone then, only possibly more famous people at the time. John Travolta as J.R, anyone?

I would probably enjoy anything DALLAS related as long as it wasn't too campy. Nothing will ever be the original, though.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

John Travolta as J.R, anyone?

Although John Travolta is a terrific mimic.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

is Gabe Kaplan still around? He could be Cliff Barnes (who picked up a New York accent in his law school days)

 

[Willie Oleson]

Would it be greedy to say: I want them ALL, including the The Hot Biscuit spinoff and its The Alan Beam Show spinoff?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Would it be greedy to say: I want them ALL, including the The Hot Biscuit spinoff and its The Alan Beam Show spinoff?

And The Roy Ralston Show to, finally, go national.

 

[Rove]

John Travolta as J.R, anyone?

Over the years I've often heard Travolta's name mentioned as playing JR on the big screen however I just don't think it's the right fit. I do however see Jon Hamm playing the role as he offers the right vibe to play the bastard we all love to hate.

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[Bobby Southworth]

Over the years I've often heard Travolta's name mentioned as playing JR on the big screen however I just don't think it's the right fit. I do however see Jon Hamm playing the role as he offers the right vibe to play the bastard we all love to hate.

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Yes, I only referenced Travolta because I seem to remember his name being dropped quite a bit as the potential J.R. I don't know how much this was really ever a possibility, vs. fans just speculating on here. I'm trying to recall when all of this talk about the theatrical version was. I'm thinking around 2001-2005.

I don't really see him as J.R. myself. Not a bad actor, but I'm just not sure he has enough of that snake like charm that Hagman so effortlessly brought to the table.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

So, I looked it up, and apparently the motion picture rumors started up around 2005, and dragged on for a couple of years, until it was decided to return to television, but dang.. that was still 5 years off or so.

I also found the following amusing:
High-profile casting discussions placed Jennifer Lopez in line to play Sue Ellen, alongside Shirley MacLaine as Miss Ellie and Luke Wilson as Bobby Ewing. -The Guardian.


Wow. I'm kinda glad this didn't end up being a thing. Shirley is a great actress, but those others..I'm also not having an easy time picturing Shirley playing Miss Ellie. I dunno, though-maybe..?