Tonight, TNT will air a new-ish series based on the classic soap Dallas, a highly successful show that ran for fifteen years before its series finale in 1991 (though two made-for-TV films soon followed in its wake). However, this vintage revival is a bit different from most: rather than follow the reboot path of other efforts such as Hawaii Five-O and Charlie’s Angels (one of which succeeded modestly, the other failed on arrival), the new Dallas looks to be a continuation of the original, touting its re-arrival with slick promos that promise you’re not sleeping—yes, despite the fact that the series’ entire eighth season was revealed to be a dream.
All of this is gutsy, since a reboot would have been an easier way to introduce newcomers to Southfork and allow the series’ writers to redo popular storylines and add a younger, sexier flavor to the mix. However, the new Dallas wishes to have its cake and eat it too: it’s intended as a canon continuation for those who watched the original series, while also appealing to those who were too young to watch the show.
Which leaves us with the obvious question: is this show even relevant anymore? It has been years since the series’ cancellation, and the landscape of television has since changed: reality television offers its own cluster of drama and sociopathic families screwing each other over, all with the added gimmick of “reality”, and expectations for scripted drama have increased tremendously thanks in part to quality programming. Not nearly as many heads look to TNT for quality, groundbreaking drama (despite the channel’s tagline boldly stating so), when series like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Game of Thrones, and The Wire have done more for modern-day television than a show 20 years removed. As TV has changed with time—will modern audiences care to make room for Dallas?
Until Dallas’s premiere tonight, that question can’t be entirely answered, but its roots might hold the key as to whether there’s any room for a more “traditional” hour of scandalous drama. The original Dallas was a ratings beast, but does it hold up to modern-day sensibilities? Classic Dallas timelessly holds many components of a good modern melodrama (greed, murder, cowboy-shenanigans, etc.) and, most importantly, it’s really fun to watch. The show depicts the Ewings, an incredibly wealthy oil family, deal with the destructive nature of each member, particularly that of J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman): unscrupulous businessman and widely popular TV villain. Things kicked off when Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) brings home his newly wedded wife Pamela Barnes (Victoria Principle), the sister of a hard-headed lawyer determined to bring down the Ewing name.
Of course, the Ewing family reunion goes about as well as you’d expect, and they’re soon clawing at each other for our amusement.The show constantly positions the newly-wed couple at odds with their respective sexes: Bobby, who is the youngest of the Ewing clan butts heads with his older siblings (Gary and J.R. Ewing) for control of the Ewing Empire, and Pam, who is immediately ostracized by the family, struggles to find her place within the female hierarchy.
For those who completely missed the Dallas boat, the show’s “soapy” premise might not seem all that enticing, and even reminiscent of the cheesy, often overwrought, performances found in daytime soaps such as All My Children or General Hospital; however, Dallas remains an effective piece of television thanks in part to some great performances (especially from Pamela Barnes) and its glance of warring family members and the politics that govern them.
Oddly enough, Dallas is similar to another current, popular form of melodrama: HBO’s Game of Thrones. Warring families, back-stabbings, and manipulation—sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it? So Thrones is much larger in scope, and contains a heck of a lot more decapitation and actual warfare (though the idea of oil barons engaging in swordfights is mildly amusing), but it generally has the same elements that make it so easy to enjoy the southern drama: It’s about people vying for control and the consequences that arises—if you can’t play the game, then get the hell out of the way.
The second episode of Dallas (“The Lesson”) is the strongest of the first season, showcasing where each of the women fits into the overall dynamic of the show, in the same Thrones-like way of placing each character within the context of that society’s gender roles. Pamela struggles with Ewing black sheep Lucy, a foxy vixen used to using her own sexuality to get what she wants. When Pam attempts to force Lucy to attend school, Lucy manipulates the situation in order to gain an advantage over Pamela. In turn, even Pamela can’t help but use her own methods of blackmail and intimidation to not only reign in Lucy, but to also ward off her enemies. It’s a well-written episode that comments on what women are forced to do in order to gain any type of control, especially in a world where men mostly perceive them as mere sexual objects, commodities that can be used and ignored.
Since its initial season, Dallas went on to become a pop-culture phenomenon—a stunningly successful television series that continues to be regarded as one of the greatest television dramas ever made. Whether or not this new series can replicate that success remains to be seen, but if it can effectively mix the modern with the original, this new iteration certainly has a solid foundation to grow on.
What do you think? Are you interested in a Dallas revival?
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