NuDallas featured in TvLine's "What Would've Happened Next"

[tommie]

https://tvline.com/gallery/cancelle...ext-spoilers/cancelled-chasing-life-spoilers/

DALLAS (TNT)
Ended: Sept. 24, 2014 (after three seasons)

What Would Have Happened in Season 4: A fourth season of TNT’s revival would have picked up six months after Christopher’s fatal car explosion, with “flashbacks to things like the funeral and the graveyard” filling in the emotional blanks, executive producer Cynthia Cidre told TVLine. In addition to revealing the father of Elena’s baby, the premiere would also find John Ross connecting with his long-lost sister, only to discover that she’s “very different from [J.R.’s] other spawns.” Meanwhile, Tracey (played by Melinda Clarke) would stick around as a frequent scene partner for Bobby — and presumably a thorn in Ann’s side.

Nothing new, but nice to see it get a mention I guess.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

https://tvline.com/gallery/cancelle...ext-spoilers/cancelled-chasing-life-spoilers/



Nothing new, but nice to see it get a mention I guess.

Oh my Gawd, what a blast from the past! The Cider House! I hate that woman...:fp:

 

[Rove]

I like this from the full article....
TVLINE: So much of the fun of the show came from watching John Ross butt heads with Christopher. Who will be his main adversary now?
If I said that, I would spoil something, so let me just tell you that there will be one. It’ll be a new character.

Another new character? Would this have been really necessary? Little wonder this show-runner was the wrong choice for a continuation of Dallas. I'm thankful the TNT sports department cancelled Dallas before any further damage could be done.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

I like this from the full article....
TVLINE: So much of the fun of the show came from watching John Ross butt heads with Christopher. Who will be his main adversary now?
If I said that, I would spoil something, so let me just tell you that there will be one. It’ll be a new character.

Another new character? Would this have been really necessary? Little wonder this show-runner was the wrong choice for a continuation of Dallas. I'm thankful the TNT sports department cancelled Dallas before any further damage could be done.

With Christopher killed off, JR dead, Cliff in prison, and the Ewings side-lined, I honestly wouldn't have had any interest in what was to come. I couldn't care less who fathered Elena's baby, JR's long lost daughter is right up there with his long lost son (James) turning up, and a new adversary for John Ross would lack the history and connection he had with Christopher. As for Tracey, she was a brief fling of Bobby's in the original series. Having her stick around as "a thorn in Ann's side" sounds quite contrived to me. Personally, I would have rather had Jenna and Lucas return. With Lucas being Bobby's biological son and Bobby almost marrying Jenna (twice), Ann would have a more legitimate reason to be jealous.

New Dallas could potentially still be airing today, but it was given the wrong show runner and aired on the wrong network.

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

And yet I'd still like to see a novelisation.

 

[stevew]

With Christopher killed off, JR dead, Cliff in prison, and the Ewings side-lined, I honestly wouldn't have had any interest in what was to come. I couldn't care less who fathered Elena's baby, JR's long lost daughter is right up there with his long lost son (James) turning up, and a new adversary for John Ross would lack the history and connection he had with Christopher. As for Tracey, she was a brief fling of Bobby's in the original series. Having her stick around as "a thorn in Ann's side" sounds quite contrived to me. Personally, I would have rather had Jenna and Lucas return. With Lucas being Bobby's biological son and Bobby almost marrying Jenna (twice), Ann would have a more legitimate reason to be jealous.

New Dallas could potentially still be airing today, but it was given the wrong show runner and aired on the wrong network.

100% right: “New Dallas could potentially still be airing today, but it was given the wrong show runner and aired on the wrong network.”

 

[stevew]

And yet I'd still like to see a novelisation.

if only to point out its flaws.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

if only to point out its flaws.

That would be a long book. If they ever make another Dallas, I'd prefer they ignore TNT Dallas, pretend it ever existed, and continue the story from original Dallas. I wouldn't want a new show to be burdened with that many flaws in its foundation.

 

[stevew]

That would be a long book. If they ever make another Dallas, I'd prefer they ignore TNT Dallas, pretend it ever existed, and continue the story from original Dallas. I wouldn't want a new show to be burdened with that many flaws in its foundation.

I do see your point. Personally my choice would be to start from Bobby flatlining - 40 years later, 2025 (and use all the discarded stuff for flash backs to what happened in a retold 40 year history). Scene 1: John Ross and his brother Bobby standing over the family graves to bid fare well to their father, JR, followed by a series of events which reveals JRs entire sorted life and the empire he left behind. But that’s my opinion.

I never right it that way because I know there are people vested in the stories. That’s why I found the Dream Season and the igniting it the Post Original movies unacceptable. A bit of retelling, but not a whole wipe the slate clean. Again just my opinion.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I do see your point. Personally my choice would be to start from Bobby flatlining - 40 years later, 2025 (and use all the discarded stuff for flash backs to what happened in a retold 40 year history). Scene 1: John Ross and his brother Bobby standing over the family graves to bid fare well to their father, JR, followed by a series of events which reveals JRs entire sorted life and the empire he left behind. But that’s my opinion.

I never right it that way because I know there are people vested in the stories. That’s why I found the Dream Season and the igniting it the Post Original movies unacceptable. A bit of retelling, but not a whole wipe the slate clean. Again just my opinion.

I agree with you in part. I didn't think "it was all a dream" was a reasonable thing to expect the audience to accept, and I can see your point regarding the movies too. TNT Dallas was a different type of situation. I think when you've established a show with the popularity and longevity of Dallas, there's an obligation to the fanbase of upholding a certain standard whenever presenting a product with that Dallas name attached to it. If you're going to use the name "Dallas" for your show, then there is a certain amount of responsibility that goes along with that. That responsibility was not upheld in this situation. That obligation they had to the Dallas fans was not fulfilled.

Instead, what we got was a project designed to get Cynthia Cidre's name better known by leeching off of the brand name recognition Dallas still had. Using the name "Dallas" assured her of a good sized budget from the network for her project. Using the Dallas name ensured her a large audience for the premiere of her show, but she wasn't respectful to that audience. That's why she lost that audience and got cancelled in less episodes than are in two seasons of original Dallas. There is a term in business known as "good faith" and she didn't show any of that to the Dallas fanbase. She misrepresented her product. It was not a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy. If someone were to make a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy, I wouldn't want them to be constrained or burdened by having to follow the story of the failed project known as TNT Dallas.

 

[stevew]

I agree with you in part. I didn't think "it was all a dream" was a reasonable thing to expect the audience to accept, and I can see your point regarding the movies too. TNT Dallas was a different type of situation. I think when you've established a show with the popularity and longevity of Dallas, there's an obligation to the fanbase of upholding a certain standard whenever presenting a product with that Dallas name attached to it. If you're going to use the name "Dallas" for your show, then there is a certain amount of responsibility that goes along with that. That responsibility was not upheld in this situation. That obligation they had to the Dallas fans was not fulfilled.

Instead, what we got was a project designed to get Cynthia Cidre's name better known by leeching off of the brand name recognition Dallas still had. Using the name "Dallas" assured her of a good sized budget from the network for her project. Using the Dallas name ensured her a large audience for the premiere of her show, but she wasn't respectful to that audience. That's why she lost that audience and got cancelled in less episodes than are in two seasons of original Dallas. There is a term in business known as "good faith" and she didn't show any of that to the Dallas fanbase. She misrepresented her product. It was not a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy. If someone were to make a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy, I wouldn't want them to be constrained or burdened by having to follow the story of the failed project known as TNT Dallas.

I agree 100% and I don’t think a good writer would be constrained or burdened by TNT Dallas. There were pieces that were good and fans that enjoyed the show. I just don’t see a benefit to ignoring it. Just move on 10 years later.

 

[Pamela_E]

I agree with you in part. I didn't think "it was all a dream" was a reasonable thing to expect the audience to accept, and I can see your point regarding the movies too. TNT Dallas was a different type of situation. I think when you've established a show with the popularity and longevity of Dallas, there's an obligation to the fanbase of upholding a certain standard whenever presenting a product with that Dallas name attached to it. If you're going to use the name "Dallas" for your show, then there is a certain amount of responsibility that goes along with that. That responsibility was not upheld in this situation. That obligation they had to the Dallas fans was not fulfilled.

Instead, what we got was a project designed to get Cynthia Cidre's name better known by leeching off of the brand name recognition Dallas still had. Using the name "Dallas" assured her of a good sized budget from the network for her project. Using the Dallas name ensured her a large audience for the premiere of her show, but she wasn't respectful to that audience. That's why she lost that audience and got cancelled in less episodes than are in two seasons of original Dallas. There is a term in business known as "good faith" and she didn't show any of that to the Dallas fanbase. She misrepresented her product. It was not a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy. If someone were to make a sincere attempt at continuing the Dallas legacy, I wouldn't want them to be constrained or burdened by having to follow the story of the failed project known as TNT Dallas.

Funny enough we had a long running soap here called Crossroads. It was axed then returned years later, early into it they axed and killed off the original characters.

Then the reboot ended, in the final episode they made out the whole reboot had been in someones head. So it didnt happen.

 

[stevew]

Funny enough we had a long running soap here called Crossroads. It was axed then returned years later, early into it they axed and killed off the original characters.

Then the reboot ended, in the final episode they made out the whole reboot had been in someones head. So it didnt happen.

That is too funny.

 

[Rove]

I don’t think a good writer would be constrained or burdened by TNT Dallas

So true. In fact a continuation of Dallas wouldn't need to address the strengths or weaknesses of TNT Dallas at all. A continuation simply starts with the core cast; Bobby, Ann, Sue Ellen, John Ross, his wife and a couple of kids all residing at Southfork. Bobby has become custodian of Southfork and part owner of Ewing Energies with John Ross. All appears content with the Ewing's as they enjoy a bar-b-que beside the Southfork swimming pool.

But a dark cloud appears at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when a mysterious couple step out into the hot Dallas sun from their private Learjet. They step straight into a scorching hot red Lamborghini and journey along the Lyndon B Johnson Freeway towards Braddock.

There is a touch of familiarity with this opening scene, a sense we've been here before. At Southfork the Lamborghini snakes its way along the famous driveway when the Ewing family becomes aware unknown guests have arrived. They walk towards the driveway, a character within itself with stories of greetings and goodbyes. The Lamborghini stops and out steps the hot couple. Bobby instantly recognizes the young man before him....

Lucas.
​

In my continuation the Barnes/Ewing feud is dead. Cliff was laid to rest next to his sister Pam. We discover this in a touching scene when Bobby attends the grave of Christopher. Bobby however is puzzled when he notices fresh flowers at Pam's gravestone on each visit.

A continuation of Dallas does not need to be filled with characters which dwarf the Ewing family, they need to be front and center. No coke-snorting madams. No drug cartels. Stories focused solely on the new battle for Ewing Energies when Lucas demands his cut of the pie. If its not given, he'll take it. Sounds very Jock like. A new battle has begun.

Ewing versus Ewing.
​

Now can someone please explain to me why such a continuation would be so difficult to create especially with the rich tapestry that Dallas has to offer.

 

[stevew]

So true. In fact a continuation of Dallas wouldn't need to address the strengths or weaknesses of TNT Dallas at all. A continuation simply starts with the core cast; Bobby, Ann, Sue Ellen, John Ross, his wife and a couple of kids all residing at Southfork. Bobby has become custodian of Southfork and part owner of Ewing Energies with John Ross. All appears content with the Ewing's as they enjoy a bar-b-que beside the Southfork swimming pool.

But a dark cloud appears at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when a mysterious couple step out into the hot Dallas sun from their private Learjet. They step straight into a scorching hot red Lamborghini and journey along the Lyndon B Johnson Freeway towards Braddock.

There is a touch of familiarity with this opening scene, a sense we've been here before. At Southfork the Lamborghini snakes its way along the famous driveway when the Ewing family becomes aware unknown guests have arrived. They walk towards the driveway, a character within itself with stories of greetings and goodbyes. The Lamborghini stops and out steps the hot couple. Bobby instantly recognizes the young man before him....

Lucas.
​

In my continuation the Barnes/Ewing feud is dead. Cliff was laid to rest next to his sister Pam. We discover this in a touching scene when Bobby attends the grave of Christopher. Bobby however is puzzled when he notices fresh flowers at Pam's gravestone on each visit.

A continuation of Dallas does not need to be filled with characters which dwarf the Ewing family, it needs to be front and center. No coke-snorting madams. No drug cartels. Stories focused solely on the new battle for Ewing Energies when Lucas demands his cut of the pie. If its not given, he'll take it. Sounds very Jock like. A new battle has begun.

Ewing versus Ewing.
​

Now can someone please explain to me why such a continuation would be so difficult to create especially with the rich tapestry that Dallas has to offer.

Not difficult at all. The family back at it and when we need to pull them together we bring in Jeremy Wendell’s children for a new feud and we’re off and running.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

So true. In fact a continuation of Dallas wouldn't need to address the strengths or weaknesses of TNT Dallas at all. A continuation simply starts with the core cast; Bobby, Ann, Sue Ellen, John Ross, his wife and a couple of kids all residing at Southfork. Bobby has become custodian of Southfork and part owner of Ewing Energies with John Ross. All appears content with the Ewing's as they enjoy a bar-b-que beside the Southfork swimming pool.

But a dark cloud appears at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when a mysterious couple step out into the hot Dallas sun from their private Learjet. They step straight into a scorching hot red Lamborghini and journey along the Lyndon B Johnson Freeway towards Braddock.

There is a touch of familiarity with this opening scene, a sense we've been here before. At Southfork the Lamborghini snakes its way along the famous driveway when the Ewing family becomes aware unknown guests have arrived. They walk towards the driveway, a character within itself with stories of greetings and goodbyes. The Lamborghini stops and out steps the hot couple. Bobby instantly recognizes the young man before him....

Lucas.
​

In my continuation the Barnes/Ewing feud is dead. Cliff was laid to rest next to his sister Pam. We discover this in a touching scene when Bobby attends the grave of Christopher. Bobby however is puzzled when he notices fresh flowers at Pam's gravestone on each visit.

A continuation of Dallas does not need to be filled with characters which dwarf the Ewing family, they need to be front and center. No coke-snorting madams. No drug cartels. Stories focused solely on the new battle for Ewing Energies when Lucas demands his cut of the pie. If its not given, he'll take it. Sounds very Jock like. A new battle has begun.

Ewing versus Ewing.
​

Now can someone please explain to me why such a continuation would be so difficult to create especially with the rich tapestry that Dallas has to offer.

I haven't said it would be difficult to continue on with the Dallas story by acknowledging TNT Dallas as part of Dallas history, but why be constrained by it? That's my point - I don't think a writer should have to be constrained by the ideas of a failed project that was so inauthentic, that had such little respect for Dallas, and made so many mistakes.

Suppose a writer has a vision for a continuation of the show where John Ross and Christopher have distinctly different personalities than what TNT Dallas portrayed them as having. Suppose the writer thinks it would work better having John Ross not be an ungrateful kid who says JR failed him as a father (which we saw was not true in the original)? TNT had John Ross trying to screw over his own dad in a business deal and then threaten him. John Ross actually threatened to have JR put back in the rest home. In TNT Dallas, John Ross is an ungrateful little bastard who'd stab his own father in the back. That was their idea for the character, but it may be entirely different from the way the new writer or producer wants to have John Ross portrayed.

If the producer says: "Nobody wants to watch a Dallas where John Ross is anything like that because the character is just so unappealing" then I think he's got the right to create the character the way he wants. I don't think he ought to be stuck with continuing the John Ross that was the vision of a woman who couldn't be bothered to watch more than third of Dallas' episodes. If you've got an idea for why you think he should be then by all means let me know.

Maybe the writer for the new show has got a great idea for how to use Christopher. Well, TNT Dallas killed Christopher, so again, why be constrained by that?

If we're ever fortunate enough to have a continuation of Dallas come along that respects the original, I think whoever is in charge should be free to create the characters with the best ideas he's got, even if they'd be contradictory to what TNT Dallas showed us. Whatever TNT made the characters or did with the storylines should be a complete non-issue to someone wanting to make an authentic Dallas continuation.

 

[stevew]

I haven't said it would be difficult to continue on with the Dallas story by acknowledging TNT Dallas as part of Dallas history, but why be constrained by it? That's my point - I don't think a writer should have to be constrained by the ideas of a failed project that was so inauthentic, that had such little respect for Dallas, and made so many mistakes.

Suppose a writer has a vision for a continuation of the show where John Ross and Christopher have distinctly different personalities than what TNT Dallas portrayed them as having. Suppose the writer thinks it would work better having John Ross not be an ungrateful kid who says JR failed him as a father (which we saw was not true in the original)? TNT had John Ross trying to screw over his own dad in a business deal and then threaten him. John Ross actually threatened to have JR put back in the rest home. In TNT Dallas, John Ross is an ungrateful little bastard who'd stab his own father in the back. That was their idea for the character, but it may be entirely different from the way the new writer or producer wants to have John Ross portrayed.

If the producer says: "Nobody wants to watch a Dallas where John Ross is anything like that because the character is just so unappealing" then I think he's got the right to create the character the way he wants. I don't think he ought to be stuck with continuing the John Ross that was the vision of a woman who couldn't be bothered to watch more than third of Dallas' episodes. If you've got an idea for why you think he should be then by all means let me know.

Maybe the writer for the new show has got a great idea for how to use Christopher. Well, TNT Dallas killed Christopher, so again, why be constrained by that?

If we're ever fortunate enough to have a continuation of Dallas come along that respects the original, I think whoever is in charge should be free to create the characters with the best ideas he's got, even if they'd be contradictory to what TNT Dallas showed us. Whatever TNT made the characters or did with the storylines should be a complete non-issue to someone wanting to make an authentic Dallas continuation.

I agree except he can do it and keep the TNT version. The death of JR, where he actually heard his father get shot, forced him to grow up and change. Easy explanation. Chris survived the explosion but came out of it changed as well. Nothing holds them to the TNT version. But I disagree, they should start a new series with the same mistakes as we saw in TNT and with the Dream season - they shouldn’t ignore what we saw no matter how bad it was or how bad they want to.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I agree except he can do it and keep the TNT version. The death of JR, where he actually heard his father get shot, forced him to grow up and change. Easy explanation. Chris survived the explosion but came out of it changed as well. Nothing holds them to the TNT version. But I disagree, they should start a new series with the same mistakes as we saw in TNT and with the Dream season - they shouldn’t ignore what we saw no matter how bad it was or how bad they want to.

I see what you're getting at- anything the writer doesn't like about TNT Dallas, figure out a way to undo it. If you don't want a character to have the personality Cidre made up, then just make up a reason for why your character's personality is nothing at all like the personality of the TNT version of the character - he or she matured, had a life changing experience, etc. If you have a great idea that requires Christopher to be alive, then say he miraculously survived the car bombing. The guy in Casino had a steel plate underneath his car seat. Maybe come up with something like that. If you want Cliff to be the man he was in original Dallas and not the Cliff of TNT Dallas, that would be tricky. They really wrecked Cliff. But yeah, something could be made up. He's not responsible for killing his daughter's babies because he had an undiagnosed brain tumor that took away his ability to think rationally and turned him into a monster, but now the tumor has been successfully removed and he's back to the goofy, but much more humane Cliff we knew.

It could be done that way. The new show could also decide that since so few people watched TNT Dallas after the first night, and fewer yet liked it or even respected it since it was so inauthentic and unprofessionally done, it doesn't deserve to be recognized as Dallas history. It's all in how you look at it.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Ms. Cider?​

 

[Rove]

but now the tumor has been successfully removed and he's back to the goofy, but much more humane Cliff we knew.

Just one problem with this theory Kenny...Ken Kercheval passed away...unless of course you are up for a recast if a continuation of Dallas ever came to light. The treatment of Cliff in TNT Dallas was unforgivable. No explanation was offered why he hated the Ewing family still. This is one of those scenarios where the writers of a continuation of Dallas would not need to address the failures of TNT Dallas. Simply put, let sleeping dogs lie. It's why in my continuation I'd leave Christopher dead because I wouldn't wish to be lumbered with their failings when in a fit of desperation The Cider House decided a Ewing will die. A simple scene of Bobby visiting Christopher's grave followed by a wide shot reveals the final resting place of Cliff and Pam, side by side, offers fans closure on the Barnes family. No explanation is required on what happened to Cliff and why he did the things he did in TNT Dallas.