Applause! (Paley Center for Media)
I want to take a few moments to applaud everyone who participated in the #SaveDallas campaign. We’re all disappointed with the outcome, but we shouldn’t be disappointed with ourselves. We put up a good fight.
If nothing else, the past few weeks revealed how much “Dallas” means to its fans. When you read the tweets, Facebook posts and reader comments on sites like this one, you begin to appreciate how this show about fictional feuding families brought many real families together. An entire generation came of age while watching “Dallas” at the knees of their moms and dads. Now many of those kids are adults who watch “Dallas” with their own children. Few other shows can make that claim.
The #SaveDallas campaign also provided fans with an opportunity to share wonderful stories about how “Dallas” touched their lives. I loved hearing from the woman who told me about the Friday evening in 1981 when her mother went into labor with her; it seems mom wouldn’t leave for the hospital until “Dallas” was over. “I was a fan before birth!” the daughter tweeted. Other stories were poignant, like the one from the widow who wanted “Dallas” saved because she enjoyed watching the show with her late husband. “Dallas is all I got left,” she wrote. I wish the series could’ve been rescued for her alone.
It was also gratifying to see the extended “Dallas” family come together to support the fans as we tried to support them. We received so much encouragement from Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and other cast members, as well as several stars from the original series. Since #SaveDallas ended yesterday, it’s been equally heartwarming to read the thank-you messages the cast has sent everyone through social media. Not only do the fans love “Dallas,” but “Dallas” loves the fans back.
Special commendations go to everyone who did the heavy lifting behind the scenes, beginning with executive producers Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin, who poured their hearts into getting “Dallas” back on the air. I also admire the good people at Warner Horizon, the studio that produced “Dallas.” These folks knocked on a lot of doors in their quest to find a new home for the show. They deserve our gratitude.
Above all, I salute my fellow fans. Everyone who participated in this campaign tried their best, including the fans behind the petitions, Facebook pages and videos, as well as everyone who jammed the switchboards at the networks we targeted and filled the inboxes of the industry’s top executives. Special thanks go to the fans who sent approximately 1 million #SaveDallas tweets during the course of our six-week effort. I recommended the hashtag and so I’m quite biased, but as far as I’m concerned, each tweet was an expression of love for the show and the people who made it.
I wish all the tweets, Facebook “likes” and petition signatures had been enough to keep “Dallas” going — and for a while, I thought they might — but I guess that wasn’t realistic. Television is a business, and this show’s fate was destined to be decided on a spreadsheet, not on social media. This doesn’t mean fans didn’t have an important role to play, because we did. Our job was to raise our voices and let the world know how much we love “Dallas” and wanted the show to go on.
By that measure, #SaveDallas was a huge success.
What did you think of the #SaveDallas campaign? Share your comments below.
Dallas Decoder 
I have a suspicion, based on what I know about business, that when decision makers look at the spreadsheets and add up the numbers, they will know in their mind and in their heart that canceling “Dallas” was a mistake. I also know that they will never admit it.
You know what? Working for only 6 weeks on a problem shows there wasn’t much persistance put forward. At all.
Well, there’s only so much they can do. There’s X amount of networks that they could pitch to, to pick up the show. And cast and crew contracts typically last around 2 months past cancellation, so that’s the time-frame in which they had to get the show picked up. After which, everyone is free and so a renewal would require renegotiation everyone’s contracts, which would be an extra disincentive for any new network that was interested. And we can’t expect everyone to wait around just hoping for a renewal. Hollywood’s a tough business, they have to start looking for new work, as some already have (Linda’s got a role in a play next month, Julie’s got an role in a small film, Juan’s also got some other role, I don’t recall if its a TV show or a film). So I’d say they did their best in these 6 weeks.
I really want Dallas on tv please! I love Dallas very much!
Really sad we didn’t succeed in bringing DALLAS back. I can only hope one day it will return. If I had the money I’d happily pay for the whole thing myself. Any lottery winners looking at this ? LOL . Love to all.
I am very, very sad. Thank you all for your efforts. This show will me missed by so many and we all grew to love the characters AND the actors that played those characters so very much.
Dallas & their fans deserve better. Still hoping CBS or some other network is smart enough to give Dallas another chance. @CBS Hear Your Viewers Roar #SaveDallas Young & old alike love the new Dallas. Reconsider & #SaveDallas. It will make you millions & increase your viewer’s. CBS don’t let your viewer’s down.#Netflix
I am biased towards the BBQ sauce campaign that I suggested, and was really pushing the charity donation idea this week. I wish it had worked out. But somehow, I don’t think this is the permanent end. Just this incarnation. I’ve learned to never say never. Let’s continue to keep the spirit alive and remind Warner Horizon that we’re still here.
Thanks Josh. I thought the barbecue sauce was a clever idea. I sent 17 bottles — one for each season of the show. (I wonder what The CW did with them?) And I agree with you: This isn’t the end. Not forever.
If I had to guess, the best chance for any return of Dallas in the future would be most likely in the form of a big screen movie which would be a reboot with a new cast, like the film David Jacobs had been working on for years before the TNT revival started getting developed. I could see that happening someday, it may even be a bit more palatable now that Larry Hagman is dead, making it easier for audiences to accept someone else as J.R. Ewing (just hopefully better than John Travolta), but I doubt will ever see any direct continuation of the original series again.
I agree with you.. It’s going to be tougher to start all over but not impossible. I have yet to hear what Linda and Patrick have to say if this is really the final curtain call or not. I am supporting the campaign to get a t.v. movie made that will tie up loose story lines.
I am going to really miss Dallas.Sad that no network would pick it up.
It felt good to stand with so many fans in support of our show with #SaveDallas and thought it’s hard not to focus on failure to get a network, it’s important everyone involved recognize that putting our love for Dallas into words as we did during this campaign is more valuable than a stack of ratings numbers; maybe not to the finance department, but certainly to the human condition.
We told cast and crew that we loved their work and wanted it back literally a million times on Twitter alone. That is amazing when you think about everyone pausing busy lives to tweet about this for six weeks.
I’m proud of the effort, grateful for the new friends I made and inspired by the hurricane of creativity swirling around online every day.
It’s remarkable that this show runs in the DNA of so many families and generations, mine included. Just to share a memory, all the neighborhood moms came to our house to watch on Fridays, eat pizza, drink and do each other’s hair. It was like a mom slumber party. To this day I remember the sound and smell of Aqua Net hairspray when I hear the epic Dallas theme, and telling everyone as a little girl how I was going to marry a Ewing. That worried my mom. I don’t say it anymore though 😉
Beautifully stated, as always. I love your memories of growing up with the show. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that I wanted to marry a Ewing too.
Thanks so much for everything, Corina.
CB
Hey Chris…Bravo to you. You are absolutely awesome and we all appreciate your tremendous effort to save a show that will live on in our hearts and in our minds forever. Much thanks.
Thanks, Marc! I appreciate all the expertise and insight you shared over the years. I’m glad I have TV Media Insights to keep me informed about what’s happening in the industry!
CB
So sad cant hardly bellieve its over. Well it came back to us after being on on the 80 back in 2012 , could be back in the future again. There are many more stories to be told about our family the Ewings yet.
It is always a good thing to stand for what you believe in and we made history with our support, I am also thankful for all the hard work Warner Brother’s fought to shop for a new home and I really truly believed they did all they could do to make this happen. Thank you Chris B for all the wonderful updates thru all these seasons I have enjoyed Dallas Decoder and it has been a true short lived blessing being reunited with Dallas back on our screens. God bless all of you
love dallas frist and second series jr the whole ewing fam
If anyone is interested, I am continuing the Ewing saga online, picked up right where TNT left us hanging. I know it’s not the same, and the Networks have really let us down. But here is the link: http://dallasthelegacy.weebly.com/
Refreshing to see no one bashing TNT too harshly so far. That has grown so tiresome to me. I’m as sad as anyone about the demise of our show, but I see no reason to vilify the network that was open-minded enough to bring it back in the first place, despite the poor ratings on CBS in the early 90’s, as well as for the second reunion movie, War of The Ewings. I’ll take it a step further and express gratitude to them for having the patience to give it a Season 3 when viewership steadily declined after its initial splash in Season 1.
I’m not saying TNT is blameless. Undoubtedly some marketing blunders were made…and it confounds me that they won’t come back with a handful of episodes in 2015 with the understanding they were merely wrapping things up with no loose ends. But, that is why they are television executives and I’m just sitting here tapping away on a keyboard about the whole thing. I must grudgingly accept that, for the most part, they are smart people who know what the hell they are doing. If I were a network big-shot, you would be hard pressed to sell me on a program that couldn’t even draw 3 million viewers on a consistent basis too. Point to the grueling Monday night competition all you want as an excuse, but it wasn’t working on Wednesday either after the first few episodes.
Thank you, TNT, and thank you, Cynthia. In retrospect this was an uphill battle from the word “GO” back in 2011 or 2012. I wanted more, of course, but I’m quite appreciative of what we did get. You gave JR a wonderful send-off, and you gave near perfect closure to the Pam Ewing mystery that went on far too long. Thank you!
TNT did not accurately or effectively promote the show. I am with you on being thankful that TNT did bring the “Dallas” back. I am as disapointed in TNT and have as much criticism for them as I do the rest of the television industry.
I thank TNT for bring Dallas back and all but to drop it like this is just wrong. I have been a fan of Dallas from the very birth of it all. TNT has somthing great in there hands and now they have a black cloud over them. They don’t see it but they will have it over them forever now. I will Not watch TNT now for what they did.
There’s really a HUGE international audience for the new Dallas series from Europe to the Middle East to Australia to South America. Why don’t they take this into consideration?
Very nice article, thank you! However, we are NOT giving up on our #savedallas campaign! When there’s a will, there’s a way! We are all very willed and Dallas fans are not quitters! Don’t shut us down yet! We are a determined bunch who knows the network made a huge mistake! TNT & it’s affiliated stations have lost this viewer for good! They didn’t realize Dallas isn’t just a television show, it’s a legacy, a family tradition. No way will we go away!
The network that gave it back to you after a 21 year absence has lost you for good? The thing is, the portion of Dallas fans who aren’t quitters are presumably among the sub-3 million people who cared enough to watch in the first place. Anyone else, well, they should have stepped up to the plate when it mattered. Those are the folks I’ll always harbor some resentment for, not Cidre, TNT, or anybody else who actually worked to keep the only nighttime soap I’ve ever cared about alive and kicking.
Hi Chris,
Thanks so much for your ongoing dedication to the show in all its forms. I can’t quite believe that it is over and we will bever get resolution for the gripping finale. I can’t articulate why this show has meant so much to me for so many years and why it resonates so strongly worldwide. Perhaps for me it is the simple fact that Dallas was born in 1978, as was I! It has featured in my life for 36 years from watching with my parents as a small child to the massive excitement when I first heard that it was to be renewed.
I love the TNT continuation, particularly the addition of Brenda Strong and Julie Gonzalo. And of course the magnificent work by Patrick, Linda and the wonderful Larry.
Josh Henderson was superb as John Ross. I truly feel that the new show was and is part of the Dallas legacy.
Chris: J.R., Jock, even Brother Bobby would definitely look at the balance sheet as u say. I for 1 would like to commend Miss Izzy Braton of #saveDALLAS & Miss Tonia Lavender of Ireland. Two truly great fans. Now if the fans & the actors themselves put up the monies for each episode to say continue online or another network, wouldn’t we gain “complete & utter total control of Ewing Global?!”
I think Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin didn’t try hard enough, there are more than a few networks to try, they should have tried Fox, Own, WGN, Lifetime, I think even WaVE would have been a good one if anyone can watch How to get away with murder, they would watch DALLAS better come on now. they did not try hard enough. TNT made a huge mistake I am done with that Station.
I am so disappointed in the way that Dallas ended and even more Disappointed that they are not going to be back on even if TNT doesn’t want to take them back they should still be on another network Please don’t leave this show this way.
I’m disappointed too, Angie. I wish the show hadn’t ended like this.
I want Dallas back….. I grew up with Dallas and now at 48 , I have watched all episodes and I love it..John Ross is Jr but younger and Linda grey you rock….Patrick Duffy my hero …..I really want your company to find another net work…Give me back real shows like dallas not that stupid show real house wives of atlanta …..
I wish the show would come back too!
I agree that there was not enough promoting of the show. I found it while channel surfing, saw the first 5 episodes by watching Video On Demand and the remainder on TNT. I’ve just finished watching all 40 episodes on Netflix and plan to watch it again. BRING BACK DALLAS!!!
I’ve been considering watching the episodes on Netflix too, B. Thanks.
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