There’s good news for fans of the classic TV series Dallas which is going to be making a comeback this year in a new pilot show by TNT - the US cable channel. The Dallas TV series was highly successful and ran from 1978 to 1991 which competed directly with the other iconic series of the 80’s Dynasty.
TNT has confirmed that Larry Hagman (J.R) Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing) and Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) are to appear in the new TV pilot with a host of other actors fresh to Dallas. It’s unclear what the storyline is going to be in the new pilot. but will include the younger members played by Josh Henderson and Jordana Brewster fighting over the future of the family business.
The History of Dallas:
The original TV series started off quite slowly in the ratings as viewers got used to a new type of programme where the good guy vs the bad guy battled through everything life had to throw at the oil giant, Ewing Oil for thirty episodes a season.
Dallas, the original TV series, revolved around J.R Ewing trying to get his evil way in business and numerous affairs while his long suffering wife, Sue Ellen, took to the bottle. J.R’s brother, Bobby, was always the good guy trying to keep his brother under control and trying to uphold his Father’s reputation of being an honest businessman.
Dallas was a record breaking show in so many ways, but even to this day still holds the world record for the highest rating episode of ‘who shot JR’. This episode caused a stir throughout the world with ‘Who Shot JR’ t-shirts appearing in many countries, and even making the BBC News headlines. An estimated 360 million viewers worldwide tuned in to see if JR survived being shot. The show was also translated into 67 different languages and broadcast in 90 countries.
After a slow start the show did well throughout the 80’s but the signs of decline were showing in the last two years of the show until it was finally axed in 1991.
To many people who were around in the 80’s, TV had so many big shows where real life was totally exaggerated and tuned in to see what it would be like to be strong, powerful and rich. The days of white suits and massive shoulder pads are fondly remembered and it will be interesting to see what the new show will be like.
