Remember that exciting feeling?

[Willie Oleson]

The season finale episode? Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest...you just knew that something big was going to happen. But what?
The fact that "it" was going to happen always made me feel so anxious, to the point of feeling sick.
Not to mention the fact that we had to wait 5 or 6 months to get all the answers.

Is it going to happen all over again with NuDynasty?

How long do we have to wait for season 2?

 

[Richard Channing]

The season finale episode? Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest...you just knew that something big was going to happen. But what?
The fact that "it" was going to happen always made me feel so anxious, to the point of feeling sick.
Not to mention the fact that we had to wait 5 or 6 months to get all the answers.

Is it going to happen all over again with NuDynasty?

How long do we have to wait for season 2?

Yes, and what a great feeling that is. And what's really great is when the season finale exceeds all your expectations. For me a great season finale is when all the strands which have been running throughout the season converge in exciting and unexpected ways. For me Dallas was the one that achieved this the best out of all the soaps. Knots Landing did a good job with this too, but the season finales didn't tend to be as big or have the wow factor that the Dallas ones did. Although Dynasty had some great cliffhangers many of them could have been tacked on to the end of any season rather than them being a culmination of long running events.

But things are different these days. I had that same feeling of excitement in anticipation of TNT Dallas first two season finales but each time it was a total anticlimax (the second time I thought the first season's was a dud but this time they'll get it right, but then realized this is just how they're gonna do season finales).

And then NuDynasty is a different kind of creature. With episodes being somewhat more self contained and so much story getting burned through in each, it's hard to get a sense of a season finale really being a culmination of the whole seasons events. Plus I don't really care enough about the majority of the characters to really be that invested if some major event should happen to them. And as much as I'd like to be I won't be too bothered if I have to wait ages for the next season.

I recently watched UK show Peaky Blinders and now there's a show that knows how to do a season finale, they pull out all the stops. The whole season comes together and things get turned on their head in ways that feel organic, the twists are exciting and make sense, and you really wanna know what happens next.

 

[Willie Oleson]

For me a great season finale is when all the strands which have been running throughout the season converge in exciting and unexpected ways.

Peyton Place did this too, although I have no idea where the seasons really ended.

But things are different these days

but then realized this is just how they're gonna do season finales

Howards' Way had some good ones too, but I hardly remember any cliff hangers from the post-80s era. Not saying that there weren't, I just don't remember them.

I have no idea where the "less is more" approach in current tv shows comes from, maybe they're afraid to write themselves into a corner or because they know they'd have to continue the story from a new point of view, which I guess requires more work.

 

[Richard Channing]

I have no idea where the "less is more" approach in current tv shows comes from,

Me either. I want to be on the edge of might seat, slapped in the face a few times, and then punched in the stomach in the final scene. I want several ticking time bombs to go off in quick succession, metaphorically and maybe even a real one. I want to be left thinking wtf just happened as the end credits roll. Is that really asking too much?

 

[Willie Oleson]

And then NuDynasty is a different kind of creature. With episodes being somewhat more self contained and so much story getting burned through in each

Although I can understand why they do it. Everything has to be as much and effective as possible, they can't afford to quietly "soap on", as it were. And TNT Dallas had to do it in only 12 episodes.
I think, or maybe they feel, that they don't have the luxury that the classic soaps had.
That said, a lot of exciting stuff happens in those post-80s series before the season finale. Much more than Dallas and Dynasty. So maybe the timing of that big moment has shifted?

 

[Richard Channing]

Although I can understand why they do it. Everything has to be as much and effective as possible, they can't afford to quietly "soap on", as it were. And TNT Dallas had to do it in only 12 episodes.
I think, or maybe they feel, that they don't have the luxury that the classic soaps had.
That said, a lot of exciting stuff happens in those post-80s series before the season finale. Much more than Dallas and Dynasty. So maybe the timing of that big moment has shifted?

Well, although I know it's a different era and different pacing, I think the 80's version of 'less is more', less constant action, more build up, meant that when events finally did come to a climax they had more gravitas because they don't happen every week and there's time for the anticipation to build. I don't buy into this notion of modern audiences needing constant stimulation to keep them from losing interest, or checking their phones. Look at Breaking Bad, sometimes that was painfully slow, but audiences went along for the ride because it was characters that you cared about and could invest in and it was a good story. Better Call Saul is much, much slower, yet it has been a great success because, once again, the characters and storytelling are top notch.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Then again, the whole premise of Breaking Bad is far more outrageous than Dynasty. I've only seen 2 and half season but I recall it had quite a bit of violence in it too. Things that soaps usually can't do.
I don't remember any season finales from The Sopranos, but could it get more violent than it already was?

One could argue that the formula of the traditional cliff hangers killed the surprise, but I really liked that feeling, knowing "it" was coming. And sometimes I was a little scared too because I liked most of the characters. To watch Pam crashing into that tanker still feels like "wow, I can't believe this is really happening". It was extremely cruel, but hey, soap is not for pussies.

 

[Richard Channing]

One could argue that the formula of the traditional cliff hangers killed the surprise, but I really liked that feeling, knowing "it" was coming.

I think a good season of a soap should be like good sex. It lasts a long time, sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's tender, sometimes it's aggressive, there are moments of adrenaline, and moments of intimacy, the pace picks up near the end, it gets really good and exciting in the last bit, and then reaches a thrilling climax in the final act.

Now if you'll excuse me I need a cigarette.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Oh...now I'm not sure if I've ever had good sex. Thanks for ruining my self-esteem!

 

[Willie Oleson]

I recently watched UK show Peaky Blinders and now there's a show that knows how to do a season finale, they pull out all the stops

I watched the first episode but couldn't get into it, although it had more to do with the presentation. But now I'm curious what that spectacular cliff hanger is.

 

[Richard Channing]

I watched the first episode but couldn't get into it, although it had more to do with the presentation. But now I'm curious what that spectacular cliff hanger is.

I wasn't that impressed with the first episode, neither was my brother, or a friend. But by the second and third episode I was hooked, as were they. It's not that the events in the shows cliffhangers are so spectacular, it's that they make you care what happens to these people, and that's what counts more than anything. And there's only six episodes in a season.

I don't know if it's your kind of show Willie, but it does get very good as it goes on. It is very violent though.

 

[Willie Oleson]

And there's only six episodes in a season

It is very violent though

Looks like I have an appointment with the Peaky Blinders this weekend!

 

[Willie Oleson]

I watched the first episode but couldn't get into it

Correction, it looks like I had only watched the first 10 minutes or so. Probably a moment of extremely limited attention span.
I'm definitely going to watch the rest of it.

OK, so it was obvious from the very beginning that the lovely new barmaid was an infiltrator, but I can already smell a romance brewing between her and Thomas Shelby.
And then there's the daughter of the Shelby dynasty who's in love with the wrong guy, the sexy communist.
This is a soap disguised as a period-crime-drama!

 

[Richard Channing]

the Shelby dynasty

Well, I'm not going to give too much away by saying that what you are seeing now is the Shelby's humble beginnings but the series charts their rise to power, so yeah dynasty is actually a good word.

This is a soap disguised as a period-crime-drama!

It is!

 

[Richard Channing]

I'm definitely going to watch the rest of it.

Btw if you do continue to watch it and want to start a thread to discuss it I will gladly contribute. I actually almost started one myself but never got round to it. The show is insanely popular, on both sides of the Atlantic apparently, so perhaps some other members have watched it too.

 

[AZLiam]

One of the earlier episodes had scenes with Blake and Crystal at the cabin. Of course, it was much bigger than Steven's cabin in original Dynasty. However, all I could think about was the cabin fire with Cristal and Alexis. I hope they revisit the cabin.

 

[Dw725]

I feel like the finale will show Liam is Adam. I also feel like we'll also see why Joseph is so nice to Sammy Jo. I feel like it's more Liam than anything else. Blake and Alexis are going to realize he's Adam, but he's about to sleep with Fallon.

Or who knows. Maybe Jeff Colby had a part in Alexis's return and she'll marry his father, who for some reason is on his death bed in the next episodes. And Jeff put everything in Cecil's name.

There is a storyline about how Michael wouldn't answer his mother at all. Could that be Domonique?

 

[tommie]

It'll be interesting if they go for the Dynasty-esque traditional cliffhanger or just do what most shows and do sort of a reset and one that sets up things for next season.

I think the closest I recall a show to those traditional cliffhangers recently was Empire's season 2.

 

[tommie]

I have no idea where the "less is more" approach in current tv shows comes from, maybe they're afraid to write themselves into a corner or because they know they'd have to continue the story from a new point of view, which I guess requires more work.

True. Part of the reason why Moldavia became such a mess was because they really didn't have a plan where to go from there. Camille Marchetta was leaving and her attitude was to let the next seasons writers handle the outcome. I also feel a lot of the time they'd throw certain characters in peril to help out with contract negotiations with certain actors/actresses - we don't really see that happening today.

 

[Michael Torrance]

True. Part of the reason why Moldavia became such a mess was because they really didn't have a plan where to go from there. Camille Marchetta was leaving and her attitude was to let the next seasons writers handle the outcome. I also feel a lot of the time they'd throw certain characters in peril to help out with contract negotiations with certain actors/actresses - we don't really see that happening today.

Season 5 was a mess through and through (save the Amanda/Dex/Alexis triangle). It was a mess with a consistent theme, unlike 6 & 7, but a Camille Marchetta mess nonetheless. Moldavia was just the icing on the cake.