DJariya

By djariya at 2012-06-07

Synopsis:



10 episodes ordered by TNT

2 episodes are airing tonight back to back

Starring:

Josh Henderson
Jordana Brewster (Fast and Furious series)
Julie Gonzalo
Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives)
Larry Hagman
Brenda Strong (Desperate Housewives)
Linda Gray
Patrick Duffy

Guest starring:

Charlene Tilton
Steve Kanaly
Ken Kerchevel

PacMan2006

I'm too young to remember this show from back in the day, and I have no clue if this TNT version is even good, but I think the concept of sort of doing a remake but bringing back the old stars is kind of cool.

Can't imagine watching a new version of "24" in 25 years, and they bring back Kiefer Sutherland and his Jack Bauer character. This just seems like a pretty unique TV opportunity for the people who loved the original.

TheKing

Well it's not like it hasn't been done before. 90210 on the CW did the same thing. As did Melrose Place. Leave It To Beaver and The Brady Bunch came back as dramas with most of the original casts.

That being said, I'd rather see something like this than a remake. Larry Hagman is J.R. Ewing, and much of the reason the character is so well remembered is because of his performance. Someone else playing the role just wouldn't seem right.

I wish TV would do more of this. I'm not a big fan of Dallas, but there's plenty of shows I'd love to see get another run.

mwbmis

It's been so many years since I watched Dallas that I had to look up what exactly happened to Pam Ewing. I guess her character is still alive so I wonder how long before Victoria Principal shows up.

Also, if this works, I hope they don't forget about Gary and Val. There are a few younger generation Ewings they have access to in actual show continuity (as long as you forget about the Bobby dying part).

Nostalgia, Julie Gonzalo, and Jordana Brewster are enough for me to give this show a chance.

aktick

Never watched Dallas (too young), but I always remember hearing about the "Who shot JR?" thing...did he not die in the original when he was shot?

Dragon Tattoo

You better grow eyes in the back of your head, cousin.

'Cause I'm comin' for ya!

auto

He was shot many times throughout the run, but never kicked it.

DJariya

I was only a kid when Dallas was on in it's hey day and in High School when it ended.

I vaguelly remember the Who shot Jr episode and the whole Bobby in the shower thing. Plus, IIRC, Dallas had tons, I mean tons of smoking hot women over the years as guest stars.

I don't know how I remember this, but I actually remember when Jim Davis, who played Jock Ewing (The father of JR and Bobby) died of a heart attack and the writers were forced to write his death into the show. So, they killed him off by having him die in a plane crash.

I'm looking forward to this tonight. I miss having a good primetime soap and summer seems like a good time for this show to be on.

Dr. DVD

Who's that playing the del Sol chick?

Shannon Nutt

Leonor Varela

Joe Schmoe

I really liked it! I feared it would suck, but it greatly exceeded my expectations. I loved the old Dallas, so I'm glad this is a continuation, but I'm also glad the production style has been updated to look and feel modern. And I love that characters are now saying words like "bullshit" and "asshole" in the show! Can't wait for next week.

A few nitpicks... It seems like the writers have chosen to ignore a few important characters (like family members) from the old show. For instance, J.R. had 2 sons in the old show, but there was no mention of his bastard son, James Richard Beaumont, in tonight's episodes. Also, it was hard to believe that both Christopher's Uncle Cliff (Barnes) and his mother Pamela (Barnes) would skip his wedding. And what about his Uncle Gary? If his cousin Lucy bothered to show up, why not Lucy's father Gary? Oh well.

I'm glad they kept the same theme music, but I wish they hadn't shortened it. I also wish Hagman would stop combing his eyebrows upward to look evil. It just looks silly.

Shannon Nutt

Well, it had a couple of "iffy" plot points (like when Christopher is trying to hide the earthquake stuff, even though the Internet seemingly has news articles about it), but overall it was a pretty solid opening pair of episodes.

Larry Hagman may be 80, but he's still got it...not a lot of screen time, yet he still comes across as THE STAR of the show.

Norm de Plume

That was my impression too. Our family (parents, sister) used to watch Dallas religiously every Friday night, and I was afraid this new show would discard everything that made the old show entertaining. Sure, the old Dallas was just a trashy soap opera, but it was highly watchable trash.
Thankfully, good old J.R., Sue Ellen, Bobby, "Bruiser" Ray, and even Juicy...er, Lucy, are back. I was rolling my eyes at the introduction of all these new young bimbos and himbos, and was ready to flick it off, but the drama and the presence of the oldsters and their rivalries was enough to keep me hanging on...for now.

But did anyone else notice that they have taken a few years off the scions? John Ross and Christopher would be well into their weathered mid-thirties now.
I wonder if Ken Kerchieval will be showing up at some point.

mwbmis

Ken Kercheval will supposedly show up at some point this year. Maybe he's still feuding with J.R. so he didn't want to go to the ranch. As for Pam, and I only know this b/c I looked it up when I saw Victoria Principal wasn't in the cast, she left the show in the late 80s when her character was terminally ill, but her death was never acknowledged. The characters on the show probably think her dead, but from what I've read, Principal has an open invitation. We'll see if she ever takes it.

As for Gary and Valene, I'm sure they still live in Knot's Landing. I'm hoping for a small role at some point (though Joan Van Ark is awful scary looking now). Bobby and Betsy Ewing need to get into the fight though.

DJariya

Watched the first 90 minutes before I had to hit the sack for work. I'm chime in more tomorrow, but really good trashy fun so far. Surprised how much Patrick Duffy carried the 1st hour.

Welcome back Dallas.

DJariya

Oh and what are the odds that Chris sleeps with Elena?

Mike86

Just finished watching both episodes. Really like it a lot thus far. It basically feels like the show never left. I was worried that I wouldn't care for the new cast but I like both Christoper and John Ross's characters so far as well as the other new characters. It's also really nice that we get Bobby, Sue Ellen, and even though he's not been in a ton some J.R. thrown in.
I can see where you're coming from with the nitpicks but it's only two episodes in. They have time to bring some of those characters back or at least mention them at some point. I do agree about the theme song though. I love the opening music and would also like to see them throw in the scenes of the actors with their names like the old show.

JeffTheAlpaca

Was CBS too snobby to pick up this reboot since they are the #1 network in ratings?

It would be a shame in the future if they decide to ditch all the veterans and just feature the younger stars.

If anyone cares

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9zbPbR1B2M8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Shannon Nutt

Actually Ted Shackleford was offered a part in the pilot, but he didn't want to come in just to do a "cameo"...which is all Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton (did she even have a line?!) had. Ray used to be one of my favorite characters, so I hope they find more room for him in the future (I think last night was all we see of Ray and Lucy in the first run of episodes).

Regarding the ages of John Ross and Christopher: John Ross was born in 1979, which would make him 33. Josh Henderson is 30, so the age of the actor is about right. Christopher (who is the son of the gal who shot JR, in case some of you don't know!) was born in 1981, which would make him 31. Jesse Metcalfe is 33, so the age of that actor is about right too!

Next week!

DJariya

Just finished it

Holy shit that was awesome.

As I said earlier, Patrick Duffy did a great job carrying the 1st hour. He was a solid presence onscreen.

JR isn't a stupid man. Loved his reaction at the end when he realized he was being screwed with.

Did not see that twist coming at all with the Marta Del Sol character. Can't wait to see the wrath of JR.

at JR when he said..."Old Fogies like me don't e-mail" And I LOL'd when he used a walker at the party.

Question for those familiar with the background of some of the characters.

I got that Christopher is adopted. How/When did he become Bobby's adopted son? Was that a story from the original series? Also, so Bobby and Pam never had any biological children?

Really liked how they made this a continuation of the series and brought back some of the originals. I don't think it would have worked at all as a re-boot with solely the younger generation.

and of course it wouldn't be a primetime soap without another twist with Rebecca and her brother. Some people on the Dallas Facebook page are theorizing that she may be related to Cliff Barnes.

It was good to actually see Brenda Strong onscreen as Ann. She has some good chemistry with Duffy. And man, she's a tall woman.

I hope this does really well in the ratings.

DJariya

That's nonsense. This continuation was developed and conceived as a cable series. CBS had no involvement with it. Plus it helps that TNT is owned by Warner Brothers, who produced the original series and now this version.

RocShemp

I really liked this. I'm not too fond of the younger cast but they did improve in the 2nd episode. Although, I must say I hope the acting from the guy playing John Ross improves. His character was better written in the 2nd episode but his acting left a lot to be desired. I really dislike Christopher due to how he's written like a wheeny. But I love JR. Patrick Duffy may have done a masterful job of carrying the first hour but Hagman still managed to overshadow him.

I doubt it'll happen but I hope the show brings back more and more of the older cast and keeps them in the foreground. I know the new cast needs time to grow into their roles (and they are mostly off to a good start) but I'm really in this for the older cast.

Burgundy LaRue

Christopher's biological mother was Kristin Shepherd, Sue Ellen's younger sister. Kristin had an affair with JR, became pregnant, but miscarried. She then turned around and got pregnant again by some guy named Faraday, and tried to pin Christopher's paternity on JR.

IIRC, Christopher's adoption was almost by accident. Pam was depressed because she had suffered two miscarriages and was told she would never be able to carry a child to full-term. She was on the verge of cracking up. Bobby brought Christopher to Southfork to give JR what was thought to be his son at the time, and Pam in her mental state thought Bobby had somehow found her a baby. They eventually learned of Christopher's true paternity, with Pam and Bobby officially adopting him.

Bobby does have a biological child, Lucas, whose mother is Jenna Wade (played by Priscilla Presley). Jenna left Dallas with Lucas and had married Ray at some point. I wouldn't be surprised if the 20-something Lucas eventually shows up and stakes a claim in the Ewing fortune as Bobby's sole blood heir, especially since they seem to playing up Christopher's adoption.

Glad to hear the good reviews. I'll try to catch these two episodes soon.

cdoug57

Woohoo - Dallas is back!

I was worried that the reboot/remake would be truly terrible, but I can safely say that this seems to be a true continuation of the original.

I replayed the 1978 pilot on tnt the other day and noticed a similar reaction from J.R. When Pam out maneuvered J.R. he said that he would never make that mistake again (underestimating Pam), and he had the nearly identical look when he realized that John Ross had fully tricked him. Great to see continuity like that.

Only complaint is that this is not on Friday like it is supposed to be.

Doug

Dr. DVD

Was Ann in the original show? I only caught snippets of the old show between playtime breaks (it was Friday night afterall ) when I was a kid and Nintendo breaks when I was an early teen.

Good to see that Duffy still has it, and while Hagman as aged a lot, he jumped right back into the role as if JR never left. I'm just curious if they intend to gradually have the older characters fade into the background and let the younger people take more of a center stage. Not that I would want that, as most of the young people are annoying, but I think Duffy and Hagman's physical age might limit them a bit.