OK, so this is probably revealing parts of my personality best left unspoken...but I admit, I'm a (now-not-so)-closeted fan of the great 80s TV series "Dallas". It actually ran for 13 seasons from 1978-1991, and is now running again on the SOAP channel with two episodes a day. I happened to see it one day and when they started over on Season 1, I was hooked - and with the power of DVR, have been watching every episode since then and am on Season 8.
The show was EXTREMELY popular during the early 80s - I can remember people having "Dallas" parties that my parents would go to, and everyone was waiting on pins and needles to see "Who Shot J.R." in Season 3. Even though the show is incredibly cheesy now, I love watching - probably because of the memories it brings back, and laughing at the horrible acting and occasional slap from Sue Ellen or Pam.
BUT...the most interesting/comical thing about "Dallas" was the sequence from the end of season 7 through season 8 - the infamous "Dream Season" that ultimately killed the show's ratings. Patrick Duffy (who played Bobby Ewing) decided to leave the show at the end of Season 7, and the writers gave him a heroic, noble death, jumping in front of a car to save Pam the love of his life. He died in full view of everyone in a hospital bed, with a full funeral, and no mysterious circumstances - thus it was impossible to bring him back (on most soaps they usually leave an opening to bring a character back if necessary). Season 8 went on as usual without Bobby, with some great new characters, plot twists, storylines, etc. But apparently the show's ratings were falling, and the producers thought it was because of the loss of Bobby's character. So they convinced him to come back. There were many rumors of how they would bring him back (the standard soap opera "evil twin" theory came up a lot) but one far-fetched ridiculous theory was that all of Season 8 would be a dream by Pam Ewing. No one seriously believed they would do that - throw away a whole season? But the producers thought it was great idea, that it would boost ratings, and in the final scene of Season 8, Pam wakes up to find Bobby in the shower. In the first episode of Season 9, she tells Bobby that she had an awful dream...and that's the end of it. Everything picks up where it left off at the end of Season 7 - all the new characters, stories, etc. GONE. The fans hated this, and it eventually led to the show's demise.
So I'm now staring to watch the "Dream Season" and it's interesting to see all the inconsistencies and things that Pam "dreamed" that she couldn't have possibly dreamed (things going on with other characters and people she didn't even know). I'm repulsed and yet strangely drawn to watching this (maybe somehow this satisfies both my need for drama and sci-fi?)
If you really want to know all about the "Dream Season" these are good links:
http://www.ultimatedallas.com/episodeguide/dreamzone.htm
http://www.kevinmccorrytv.com/dallas.html
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Oh, I totally remember this! I was in Jr. High at the time, and would keep up on Dallas with my bus-driver, Carlis. Man, I haven't thought about that show in a long time. Kind of funny that you're watching it now, but I'm laughing with you, not at you! ;-)
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