I read Paul Mavis's DVD review of Dallas - The Complete Ninth Season at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=33948 and...

Paul nailed it! I was a rabid Dallas viewer and diehard fan. When the producers pulled that "it was all a dream" b.s. on us fans, it was the final straw. At the time, I wrote an angry letter to Philip Capice (Executive Producer) and gave him an angry piece of my mind. I'm glad the ratings plunged in season 10. Season 9 will be the last season of Dalls that I purchase. From what I recall, the storylines became even more far-fetched stretching the limits of credibility.

I think Capice, Hagman and company wanted to wash the bad taste of the previous season(s) and try and re-boot the show. They had spent too many years trying to copy "Dynasty" instead of doing what "Dallas" did best.

Even though a lot of fans bolted (let's face it, a lot of fans bolted BEFORE Duffy returned to the show), those final few seasons after Duffy returned were actually much better than the one he missed (and frankly the one before that as well).