But if we HAD to re-cast Miss Ellie...

[Snarky Oracle!]

As a rule, I'm against A.I. sweetening old classics -- except when I'm not. (And my grasp of technology is so pathetic that I'm not the one to do it).

But DALLAS, the most successful drama series in global television, so utterly self-destructed -- something I watched in real time, my jaw fully in agape-hood -- as the Emmy-winning matriarch was unnecessarily re-cast, Bobby was resuscitated in a two-minute scene, and the last three seasons became silly camp (instead of the series getting dustier and darker), I might become ruthless enough to "fix" them via A.I..

Realizing that that sets a disastrously bad precedent which will, inevitably, be used to fix things that don't need to be corrected.

And the related guild/union stuff would be a disaster in its own right.

But when something's already been thoroughly ruined, as oldDALLAS' last half was, ruthlessness seems less ruthless-y.


"Let's paint this thing gold, Sugar...!"

 

[Grangehill1]

As a rule, I'm against A.I. sweetening old classics -- except when I'm not. (And my grasp of technology is so pathetic that I'm not the one to do it).

But DALLAS, the most successful drama series in global television, so utterly self-destructed -- something I watched in real time, my jaw fully in agape-hood -- as the Emmy-winning matriarch was unnecessarily re-cast, Bobby was resuscitated in a two-minute scene, and the last three seasons became silly camp (instead of the series getting dustier and darker), I might become ruthless enough to "fix" them via A.I..

Realizing that that sets a disastrously bad precedent which will, inevitably, be used to fix things that don't need to be corrected.

And the related guild/union stuff would be a disaster in its own right.

But when something's already been thoroughly ruined, as oldDALLAS' last half was, ruthlessness seems less ruthless-y.


"Let's paint this thing gold, Sugar...!"

Having rewatched the final season there is a darker tone throughout.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Having rewatched the final season there is a darker tone throughout.

It's weird. You're not really wrong about that. There is. And yet it's all too stupidly silly simultaneously.

I guess the "darker" part -- and you're not alone in that observation -- feels forced or manufactured, or even dumbish. And so the silly stuff wins out... Obviously, they didn't get the balance right, as rating spiraled pretty quickly.

 

[Seaviewer]

if she'd dressed as Miss Ellie did we'd then be accusing her of trying to imitate Barbara Bel Geddes.

I'd argue that she should have tried to imitate Barbara Bel Geddes.

 

[Crimson]

With hindsight of knowing BBG would return a recast seemed unnecessary. I hate when shows use the "character is traveling the world" excuse to explain an actor being missing and even Jock being in South America was such a delaying tactic contrivance, but in this case just getting Ellie offscreen for a few months might have been preferable.

The only recast suggestion that doesn't rankle me is Dorothy Malone, who I could see as a short term sub for BBG; and since Malone was short term replaced by Lola Albright on PEYTON PLACE, it seems appropriate.

 

[Seaviewer]

As a rule, I'm against A.I. sweetening old classics -- except when I'm not. (And my grasp of technology is so pathetic that I'm not the one to do it).

As long as they don't do a George Lucas and lock the original away I don't mind it. They colourised the first season of I Dream of Jeannie but it they made the black and white available too. (But not in Australia, mind you.) If they made a Geddes-ised season available alongside the Reed one, then where's the harm?