Between the Lines and Behind the Scenes of "Dallas"
We love you, darlin’
This week, Dallas Decoder shines a spotlight on Sue Ellen Ewing, played by the magnificent Linda Gray.
It begins tonight with a special edition of #DallasChat, followed later in the week by posts on her most memorable moments, her witticisms and some surprises.
Visit each day and join the celebration.
Mr. All-American
Have you “liked” Dallas Decoder on Facebook? If not, I hope you’ll consider doing so. You’ll find lots of special content there, including holiday “cards” like the one shown here and J.R. and Sue Ellen’s wedding album.
Dallas Decoder is also on Twitter, where I conduct one-hour #DallasChat discussions most Monday nights at 9, as well as Pinterest.com.
If you have ideas for Dallas Decoder, please share them in the comments section below or e-mail me at dallasdecoder-at-gmail.com. I always love to hear from you.
Thank you for reading, and Happy Independence Day!
Stay tuned
Now that TNT’s “Dallas” has completed its second season, I’m ready to get back to writing about the classic series. I plan to post a critique and “Dallas Scene of the Day” transcript each Monday and Wednesday, beginning next week.
I’ll pick up with the sixth season, the year that gave us Jock’s will, the contest for Ewing Oil, Holly Harwood, the Trotters, cut-rate gas, Cuba, Walt Driscoll, the McLeish brothers and of course, the Tundra Torque. (If you don’t know what any of this means, what better time to start reading Dallas Decoder?)
I also hope to continue offering interviews, the “Drill Bits” news column and other features, including special content for social media. By the way: If you haven’t liked Dallas Decoder’s Facebook page or followed the Twitter.com feed, please consider doing so.
If you have ideas or other feedback for Dallas Decoder, share them in the comments section below or send me an e-mail me at dallasdecoder-at-gmail.com. I always appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks for reading, and have a great summer!
I’ll have a splash too
“Dallas” debuted on April 2, 1978, but there’s a second reason this day is special to me: I introduced DallasDecoder.com exactly one year ago.
My initial goal was to use this site to get reacquainted with my all-time favorite TV show before the arrival of TNT’s continuation. I figured I’d dash off a critique a day and wrap things up within a year or so. It hasn’t quite worked out that way.
Twelve months later, I have fallen in love with the TNT series and write about it much more than the original show, although I’ll get back to the classic critiques soon enough. I’ve also been lucky enough to interview people I’ve admired all my life, including the man who started it all: “Dallas” creator David Jacobs. I still pinch myself over that one.
The best surprise remains the people who read Dallas Decoder and comment on my posts. Please know how much I appreciate your insight and thoughtfulness. More than anything else, your support makes this the best hobby I’ve ever had.
I have no idea what the future holds for “Dallas,” but if it turns out people are still talking about the Ewings and the Barneses 35 years from now, I won’t be surprised. I just hope I’ve finally gotten through my classic critiques by then!
Look what’s in store
The start of “Dallas’s” second season signals some changes at Dallas Decoder. Here’s what you’ll see:
• “Burning Questions.” This weekly feature, which debuts today, will address the questions left unanswered at the end of the previous “Dallas” episode. The goal: to help fans refresh their memories before TNT telecasts the latest installment each Monday night.
• Critiques and Scenes of the Day. Like I did last season, I’ll review each new episode and highlight one notable scene. My critique of “Battle Lines,” the first half of tonight’s two-hour opener, will be posted tomorrow, while my “Venomous Creatures” review will be available Wednesday. I’m taking a break from critiquing the classic series for awhile, but those posts will return eventually.
• “Drill Bits.” This is where you’ll find news about “Dallas’s” ratings, as well as trivia and other tidbits. I hope to post a new “Drill Bits” each Wednesday, although you might see this feature pop up on other days too.
• Tweets and Facebook posts. I plan to tweet throughout the East Coast telecast of each new episode, beginning tonight at 9. Please join me! My Twitter handle is @DallasDecoder and I’d love to hear from you during the show. Also: If you haven’t done so already, please consider “liking” Dallas Decoder’s Facebook page.
If you have ideas for other things you’d like to see, please share them in the comments section below or e-mail me at dallasdecoder-at-gmail.com. I want to make this site lively, fun and above all useful to my fellow fans, so if there’s something I’m not doing that I should be, please let me know.
Thanks for reading and enjoy the new season of “Dallas”!
With the holidays upon us, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who reads Dallas Decoder. Your support is the gift that keeps giving, and I appreciate it.
Special thanks go to the folks who share their thoughts in the comments section of each post. Reading your feedback is always the highlight of my day. Your opinion counts as much as mine, and I always learn a lot from you. I feel fortunate to have so many smart, thoughtful and polite readers.
In many ways, this is a bittersweet holiday season for “Dallas” fans. We all feel saddened by Larry Hagman’s death, but I know the community we’re building here at Dallas Decoder will do its part to keep his memory alive next year and beyond. (By the way: The terrific image of Hagman you see here comes from a 1981 People magazine cover.)
So thank you again. I’m going to take a break from posting for a few days, but I’ll be back soon. Until then, have safe and happy holidays.
Nice to be back
After taking a breather in August, Dallas Decoder is back.
This week, I’ll post “Best & Worst” reviews for each of the original “Dallas’s” first three seasons, as well as my wrap-up of the TNT series’ inaugural season.
Next week, I’ll resume critiquing the classic show’s episodes, picking up where I left off in the middle of the fourth season. I also plan to add some new features and drop older ones – and then before you know it, 2013 will be here and it’ll be time to dive back into TNT’s “Dallas,” which is slated to begin its second season in January.
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads Dallas Decoder. Your support means a lot to me. I hope you’ll continue to read and share your feedback – and if you haven’t already done so, please consider “liking” Dallas Decoder on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Pinterest.
Enjoy Labor Day and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!
Thanks, Teresa
I’m making some changes at Dallas Decoder, just in time for summer.
Starting next week, I’m going to begin critiquing “Knots Landing” episodes that feature J.R., Bobby and other “Dallas” characters. If you haven’t seen these installments, think of them as the Southfork saga’s lost chapters. My “Knots Landing” posts will be sprinkled among my usual “Dallas” critiques, in the order in which the episodes were originally broadcast.
In addition, I plan to write about the new “Dallas” episodes that TNT will telecast on Wednesdays, beginning June 13. My goal is to post these items on Thursdays and then take Fridays off because, hey, even “Dallas” fanatics deserve a little down time in the summer, right?
In this spirit, I want to thank everyone who reads Dallas Decoder. I’m having a blast blogging about “Dallas” and I appreciate your support. I hope you’ll leave some comments on my posts. I really want to hear what you think.
(Also, don’t forget to “like” Dallas Decoder on Facebook and follow Dallas Decoder on Twitter and Pinterest.)
With the premiere of TNT’s “Dallas” just 16 days away, this promises to be the Ewings’ biggest summer since 1980, when the whole world waited to find out who shot J.R. Let’s enjoy this “Dallas” renaissance and make the most of it.
See you at the Southfork swimming pool!
Between the lines
Hello, darlins!
My name is Chris and I’ve been watching “Dallas” since I was a kid. I’m starting Dallas Decoder to pay tribute to the show, explore its enduring appeal and maybe figure out why I love it as much as I do.
My goal is to critique each “Dallas” episode in the order in which they were originally broadcast and post a new review each weekday. I also plan to offer a daily transcript of a memorable “Dallas” scene, along with occasional essays about the show’s broader themes.
Other periodic posts will focus on the fashions seen on “Dallas” and the photography used to publicize the series during its original run from 1978 until 1991. There’ll also be some surprises along the way, and when TNT’s “Dallas” revival begins in June, I’ll write about the new show, too.
Please visit regularly and share your comments – and be sure to check out Dallas Decoder on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook.
Hopefully, Dallas Decoder will become a forum for fans to gather and celebrate “Dallas,” which is as fascinating now as it was when it debuted, 34 years ago today.
Let the fun begin!
Dallas Decoder 