Was 'Dallas' To Soapy For Its Own Good? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 08-27-2011, 11:48 AM

In daytime soaps it is more acceptable to bring back dead characters, recycle storylines and have crazy dream sequences. For a primetime soap, however, it is an entirely different thing I think. Dallas had all those things listed above. Do you think it hurt the show as years went on?

Mr. Television · 08-27-2011, 11:59 AM

The dream killed the show of any credibility. They lost half their audience after that. I remember watching it when it originally aired. I was so excited. I bought a bunch of snacks for the occasion. It was the most hyped Dallas season premiere since Who shot J.R. It was all over within a minute. I was so disappointed in how they handled that . I couldn't even enjoy the rest of the episode. The season as a whole was pretty good and I consider it the last great season but the explanation was awful. It seemed like an awful big price to pay for just one more great season. What did Dallas in though was losing the rest of the original cast and the dumbing down of J.R. They made him a cartoon. As far as the rest of the gimmicks, I didn't mind them that much. It certainly wasn't grounded in as much reality as Knots Landing was but Dynasty was more outlandish than Dallas.

Marvo301 · 08-27-2011, 01:38 PM

I agree with Sonny. Having an entire season turn out to be a dream in order to return Bobby to the cast was completely unrealistic and was the worst thing the writers did over the course of this series.

08-27-2011, 11:48 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was 'Dallas' To Soapy For Its Own Good? In daytime soaps it is more acceptable to bring back dead characters, recycle storylines and have crazy dream sequences. For a primetime soap, however, it is an entirely different thing I think. Dallas had all those things listed above. Do you think it hurt the show as years went on?
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08-27-2011, 11:59 AM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	The dream killed the show of any credibility. They lost half their audience after that. I remember watching it when it originally aired. I was so excited. I bought a bunch of snacks for the occasion. It was the most hyped Dallas season premiere since Who shot J.R. It was all over within a minute. I was so disappointed in how they handled that . I couldn't even enjoy the rest of the episode. The season as a whole was pretty good and I consider it the last great season but the explanation was awful. It seemed like an awful big price to pay for just one more great season. What did Dallas in though was losing the rest of the original cast and the dumbing down of J.R. They made him a cartoon. As far as the rest of the gimmicks, I didn't mind them that much. It certainly wasn't grounded in as much reality as Knots Landing was but Dynasty was more outlandish than Dallas.
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08-27-2011, 01:38 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	I agree with Sonny. Having an entire season turn out to be a dream in order to return Bobby to the cast was completely unrealistic and was the worst thing the writers did over the course of this series.
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