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Dallas: A Primer & Homebase!
Isn't that the show from the 80s with the shoulder pads and the who shot J.R.?
Yes. Yes, it is. The same show. Not a remake, but a continuation with many of the same characters and actors. But fear not: you can absolutely watch it and love the crap out of it without having seen any or all of the fourteen seasons that came before. In fact, I'm going to write this assuming you haven't seen the original, but if you're a fan and you want to know how something fits in, I'll be glad to answer questions in the comments.
Dallas is a drama about the Ewing family, who live -- somewhat ironically -- outside Dallas, Texas, on a ranch called Southfork. They're super wealthy and super powerful thanks to the oil company that granddaddy Jock Ewing started back in the 1930s. When a bad guy comes calling, the Ewings will do anything for each other.
And when there's no bad guy knocking at their door, they'll do anything to each other.
This is a family that takes sides, and, conveniently, the promo picture up at the top illustrates the family divide (and if you search out the promo pictures for season two, you'll notice some shifts). Let's break this down.
| Team J.R. | Team Bobby |
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The central conflict for season one is over who owns Southfork and what they get to do with it. It is, essentially, a fight for control of the family legacy. But what I love about it is how every other story line eventually ties into, unravels because of, or branches off from it: Bobby's cancer, Ann's secret, Sue Ellen's political ambitions, the John Ross-Elena-Christopher love triangle, Rebecca's lie... everything. It's quite the tangle of plot lines, and for that reason, I'd strongly recommend watching the episodes in order. There are twenty-five in total: ten to the first season and fifteen to the second.
The first season is out on DVD; the second season will be out February 11 in the U.S., but it's already available in other regions. If you like your shows in digital format, both seasons are on Amazon Instant Video and iTunes, and they should be on Netflix later this month, if they aren't already.
The actors and official character accounts tend to live tweet episodes, so here is a not-necessarily-exhaustive list of relevant accounts to follow.
Characters
- J.R. Ewing
- Bobby Ewing
- Sue Ellen Ewing
- Ann Ewing
- John Ross Ewing
- Christopher Ewing
- Pamela Barnes
- Elena Ramos
Actors
- Patrick Duffy
- Linda Gray
- Brenda Strong
- Jesse Metcalfe
- Josh Henderson
- Julie Gonzalo
- Jordana Brewster
- Emma Bell
- Mitch Pileggi
Season three starts Monday February 24 at 9:00 Eastern on TNT. TNT will be re-running all 25 episodes beginning at 8:00 Eastern on Sunday February 23.
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Not that I've watched it yet, but kudos for not being just another remake.
Your character descriptions make it sound interesting though. Tempting even! ;)
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It's a lot of fun and totally worth checking out! (It's also great marathon viewing, if you're inclined that way.)
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Awesome Things She Didn't Mention:
1. Don't Mess With Texas becomes hilarious canon. I have a head canon that this occurs in SPNverse and Crowley's just afraid to show his face.
2. John Ross is physically incapable of going the episode without stripping. This includes the episode dedicated to Larry Hagman's RL passing.
3. The random normal people that work for them and apparently live in abject terror that they will get involved with their lives.
4. Family dynamics that make the Winchesters look well adjusted.
5. The women. The original series had Momma Ewing - Miss Ellie. The most awesome scene ever was when JR and Bobby had gotten on her last nerve and she called them into the office and yelled at them - and it worked. The women on this show have an insanely high tolerance for bullshit. But when they've reached their limit, it is the most awesome thing.
Join us!
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*adds it to the enormous TV list of doom*
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THIS SHOW IS CRACK THAT MUST BE EXPERIENCED TO BE BELIEVED.
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...
I blame you. :P
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Can't wait for the 24th, not long now.
Why don't I have any Dallas icons?
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1x01 - 2x15 MARATHON
Some of the actors and characters will be live tweeting/answering questions throughout the marathon and premiere, so I've added the Twitter links to the post.
3x01 "The Return" (2/24/2014)
Re: 3x01 "The Return" (2/24/2014)
Weren't the new credits a fantastic throwback?
How are you liking Nicholas?
Can you believe Emma is CEO of Ryland Transport? (Although with Harris out of jail, I guess she won't be for long!) Or that her room is across the hall from John Ross and Pamela's?
Are you excited about Pamela and John Ross's wedding?
Are you digging bad!Elena and her new glasses?
Honestly, I'd been kind of getting nervous, thinking this episode could in no way stack up to my expectations... and it totally surpassed them. The hour flew by and I loved every too-fast minute of it.
3x02 "Trust Me" (3/3/2014)
Re: 3x02 "Trust Me" (3/3/2014)
Do you like Heather and Christopher together? Or is he way too hung up on Elena for this to be anything other than doomed?
And how about Elena's mother immediately figuring out Elena and Nicolas and Cliff are out to destroy the Ewings?
Pamela dancing with Nicolas was awesome, right? I love that she's onto John Ross, but doesn't have him figured out quite the way Sue Ellen does.
3x03 "Playing Chicken" (3/10/2014)
Re: 3x03 "Playing Chicken" (3/10/2014)
Nicolas being married was quite the shocking twist... now, the question is, is he really? And if this is for real, why can't poor Elena catch a break when it comes to romance?
Did anyone else think Ann looked rather alarmed when Sue Ellen said she'd handle the John Ross and Emma situation herself? Like, "Crap. I better find a way to make this stop before Sue Ellen does. Even if it means talking to my ex-husband."
The Lesser Prairie Chicken was the true star of the show, though. God damn, Bobby, that was good.
3x04 "Lifting the Veil" (3/17/2014)
Re: 3x04 "Lifting the Veil" (3/17/2014)
Did anyone else start to feel bad for Emma? I think John Ross hit the nail on the head when he said, "You may screw like a woman, but you act like an attention-starved little brat." Because I think that's the thing: she is attention-starved, and she's by far the youngest of the kids.
How great was the almost-fight between Sue Ellen and Afton? And what's with Ann and Sue Ellen being nicer to Pamela than her actual mother? Sigh. I guess we're kind of seeing why she ended up spending all that time with her father and being Pamela Rebecca Barnes instead of Pamela Rebecca Cooper. :(
Sooo, Nicolas's wife, huh? What does he owe, and to whom does he owe it? (Also, hi, Drew! I miss you. Come back and be a decent boyfriend for Emma.) And again I ask, why can't poor Elena catch a boyfriend break?
Are you ready for the John Ross and Sue Ellen war?
3x05 "D.T.R." (3/24/2014)
Re: 3x05 "D.T.R." (3/24/2014)
How ugly is that statue in the Ewing Global offices?
Bobby as the Railroad Commissioner! Did anyone see that coming? I did not, not at all. I shrieked when the former commissioner step aside to reveal Bobby.
Judith gets worse and worse every week, doesn't she? And how do you feel about Harris being nice to Ann?
3x06 "Like Father, Like Son" (3/31/2014)
My heart is in my stomach because I know what's coming. :\
Re: 3x06 "Like Father, Like Son" (3/31/2014)
Do you think John Ross will actually be able to buy up a controlling interest in the company when it goes public?
Elena knows about John Ross and Emma now! How's it going to go over when she tells Pamela? Will it be a shoot-the-messenger situation?
3x07 "Like a Bad Penny" (4/7/2014)
Re: 3x07 "Like a Bad Penny" (4/7/2014)
What's Emma planning to do with that dress?
So, Nicolas is working with the gangsters and Hunter McKay. Did you see that coming? I kind of expected the gangsters, but Hunter McKay? Nope, not even a little bit.
Exactly how dead do you figure Drew is?
3x08 "Where There's Smoke" (4/14/2014)
Re: 3x08 "Where There's Smoke" (4/14/2014)
What did you think of Pamela's reaction to the sex tape? To finding out Ann and Sue Ellen knew and hid it from her? And how about her revenge?
What are your feelings on that kiss between Ann and Harris? And what's Judith going to do now that she saw that?
Any thoughts about the fire? I feel like that place could use a good cleansing... but I'd really, really prefer it if Sue Ellen, Bobby, and Christopher weren't in it.