TNT greenlights 'Dallas'

[Sawyer]

From TVLine:

TNT's Dallas: 10 Highlights From the Show's Nostalgia-Heavy TCA Press Tour Panel

Jokes about showers, shootings and senior citizenship set the tone for a lighthearted, nostalgia-heavy Dallas panel Sunday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.

Joining Southfork veterans Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray to talk up the forthcoming TNT update (premiering this summer) were the next generation of Ewings, including Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Jordana Brewster and Brenda Strong.

Here are 10 highlights from the session:
1. TNT’s top exec, Michael Wright, insisted the show was not a reboot or a remake, but rather, “A continuation of the story of the Ewings.”

2. A palpable chill could be felt (and a smattering of snickers heard) when a reporter asked whether Victoria Principal would make an appearance as Bobby’s first wife Pam. “I don’t know yet,” responded exec producer Cynthia Cidre rather icily. (FYI: The show is set to wrap its first season on Jan. 31).

3. Cidre later confirmed that Pam is alive. “Pam is not dead. The mythology that we carry forward is that after she had that crash with the oil tanker [in the 80s], and left the family and abandoned [her son] Christopher, she went and eventually had plastic surgery and married [her surgeon].” (Bobby, meanwhile, has similarly moved on with Strong’s character.)

4. Further underscoring the huge generational gap between the old and new guard, Brewster announced that she was “born the year J.R. was shot.”

5. The series does not marginalize the original cast post-pilot. “It was never our intent to use the big three as bait,” maintained Cidre. “It was really to integrate them with the full cast.” Added Duffy: “So far we’ve been in every episode.”

6. Hagman’s recent cancer diagnosis has had little impact on production. “They gave me a little time off, but in this biz you can shoot three or four episodes at the same time,” he told TVLine. “My treatment is going very well. They’re not writing me out, I can tell you that.”

7. Asked why he agreed to ressurect J.R., Hagman cracked, “Working at 80 years old! How many people can say that?” (He later joked that the Friends cast “owes me at least 10 percent” for the precedent-setting hard line he took during contract negotiations during Dallas‘ original run.)

8. J.R. and Sue Ellen’s relationship remains as tempestuous as ever. “Yesterday we did a scene after 13 years and she gave me my first slap,” revealed Hagman. Grey quickly added with a laugh, “It was great.”

9. Metcalfe took a subtle dig at Desperate Housewives while raving about the bond he shares with his Dallas co-stars. “I’ve had great experiences [before],” he said, “but I never felt that my cast was my family, and it makes for great chemistry and bleeds into the work.” Less subtle was his reaction when a reporter reminded him that he remains best known for playing a shirtless gardener on DH. “Please don’t tell me that,” he sighed.

10. Asked about his iconic season-erasing shower scene during the original Dallas, Duffy gamely replied, “I don’t do showers anymore,” before turning to Henderson and Metcalfe and adding, “That’s these guys.”

[Primal Slayer]

Metcalf was never really part of DH anyway so I dont feel a dig. He only had scenes with Eva. But it annoys me when actors become ashamed of the role that made them famous.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by Primal Slayer

Metcalf was never really part of DH anyway so I dont feel a dig. He only had scenes with Eva. But it annoys me when actors become ashamed of the role that made them famous.

Eh. In most cases, I agree. But if he's still known for being the "shirtless gardener" role he played seven years ago, I'd be a bit annoyed with it too.

[marvelrobbins]

I am glad TNT Is calling this a contunion.People In press keep calling this a reboot.This
Is Dallas:The Next Generation with surving original cast members around like Jock,Miss Ellie,and Clayton were In original series.With Dallas you will see what a primetime Soap opera really Is.And I am directing that to Desperate Housewives.Revenge Is closest thing on primetime that can be called a true primetime soap Opera.

[Primal Slayer]

So glad they put the right people in the front of this lol

[Dark Raven]

If JR showers with his cowboy hat on, some of the water will get trapped on the rim, and his hair (or what is remaining) won't get washed.

[Primal Slayer]

His hat is his hair, thats all he cares about. Gotta keep it clean.

[Prison Mike]

the women on this show are smoking hot!

[Sawyer]

New Extended Trailer

This show looks ****ing good.

[Dark Raven]

Hmm. It somehow feels like old hat now that I watch the trailer. It's just like the next season along - season 10 or 12 or whatever it was. It really is like Dallas never left, and I don't know if that's a good thing. I might check it out, but I don't know if I want to go back to watching that. It just might seem a little stale. It might be good, but I just feel like I've been there, done that.

[Sawyer]

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

Starts tomorrow.

[Dark Raven]

Can't watch that behind the scenes footage as it's not available in the UK.

[rashad]

Watching it right now.

[Matt]

Not bad, not bad at all.

[rashad]

Leonor Varela (Blade 2) is smoking hot.

[Dr. Evil]

I missed it, so was the theme the same?

[Whiskey Tango]

It's airing again right now. Theme song and intro are updated but basically the same.

It's not bad.

[FVD]

I think I'll give this a watch. Never was an avid watcher of the show back in it's heyday either. And looking back into it's history I had no idea there was a 3rd Ewing in Gary, who was a mainstay on Knots Landing. Did he actually ever appear on Dallas itself? Perhaps give Ted Shackleford a guest appearance as well should the show do well further on down the road.

[Whiskey Tango]

here's the intro, it's on youtube already -

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Sawyer]

Patrick Duffy really hasn't aged since Step by Step ended...

[Obsidian Idea]

My sisters watched the soaps: daytime and primetime. I grew up watching with them. Our favorite primetime was Knott's Landing...Dallas came on on Friday nights, and at the time we were strict Seventh-Day Adventist, so they didn't get a chance to watch it. They were rerunning Dallas on Soap Net for a while...but I never watched it...

I say all that to say I know Dallas has presence on TV and it's an iconic show...well watching the premiere tonight let me know why...my sis and I enjoyed what we saw and will be tuning in.

[Sawyer]

Larry Hagman has awesome old man eyebrows. Almost makes me want to be old so I could just let mine go wild like that...

[rashad]

A lot of intrigue, mystery, doubling dealing, and characters with hidden agendas right off the bat. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story progresses.

LOL JR with that walker.

[obin_gam]

Watching the pilot right now and I like it The best part tho, was that THEY KEPT THE INTRO!!!!!!

[Prison Mike]

So were the kids ever mentioned/seen in the original Dallas?