Drill Bits: Will ‘Dallas’ Get a New Dance Partner?

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Last Hurrah, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Ready to dance again?

Now that TNT has cancelled “Monday Mornings,” we wonder: Will “Dallas” be paired with another show next season?

TNT says “Dallas” will return for its third season in “early 2014,” but the show’s time slot hasn’t been announced. The cable channel’s roster next year also includes two new dramas: “Legends,” a spy series from “Homeland” producer Howard Gordon, and “The Last Ship,” a post-apocalyptic saga from director Michael Bay. The new shows will each produce 10 episodes.

TNT also has several unscripted shows on tap, including two that will roll out early next year: “Life Flight,” which follows air-ambulance crews, and “Nashville Confidential,” a behind-the-scenes look at the country music business. The latter might be the best potential match with “Dallas,” although TNT has ordered only eight episodes of “Nashville Confidential,” while “Dallas” has a 15-hour order.

During “Dallas’s” first season last summer, TNT encouraged viewers to go online after each episode to watch the 15-minute chat show “Dallas Roundup.” This year, TNT paired “Dallas” with the hospital drama “Monday Mornings,” which held onto about half of the 2.7 million viewers that “Dallas” averaged.

TNT has more shows in its pipeline. During yesterday’s “upfronts” in New York, where television executives pitch their shows to advertisers, TNT announced plans for a Steven Spielberg-produced revival of the 1960s private eye series “Peter Gunn” and “A Bend in the Road,” a mystery show based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Neither show will be ready anytime soon.

Also on the horizon: “Crushed,” which TNT describes as a prime-time soap opera about rivalries in the wine industry.

Prime-time soap? Rivalries? Wine? Sounds like an ideal show to follow “Dallas.”

Stream ‘Dallas’ Live

Fire up your Microsoft Surface: Next year, you’ll be able to stream “Dallas” live.

TNT and its sister TBS will become the first major channels to stream their on-air content, allowing subscribers to watch them live on any mobile device. The streaming will begin with TNT’s summer lineup, which will include “Major Crimes” and “Rizzoli & Isles.”

More Soaps Coming

Speaking of the upfronts: It looks like ABC will do its part to keep alive the prime-time soap opera genre. The network has renewed “Nashville,” “Scandal” and “Revenge,” which will be paired on Sunday nights with a new serialized drama, “Betrayal.” Meanwhile, PBS confirmed it will begin the fourth year of “Downton Abbey” in January 2014 – right around the time “Dallas” is expected to return for Season 3.

Support Your Local Sheriff!

If you missed my interview with Akai Draco, who plays Sheriff Derrick on the new “Dallas,” I hope you’ll check it out. Also, be sure to read the profile of Draco published last month in his hometown newspaper, the Upper Marlboro Gazette.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: TNT Renews ‘Dallas’ for Season 3

May 1, 2013 by 12 Comments
Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Guilt by Association, Harris Ryland, Ken Kercheval, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Back for more

Giddy up! “Dallas” will return early next year with 15 new episodes, TNT announced yesterday.

Fans have been anxious about the show’s future since last fall, when Larry Hagman died while filming the second season. When TNT began televising the episodes in January, ratings dipped amid tough competition from the broadcast networks.

Michael Wright, programming chief for TNT and its sister channels, acknowledged Hagman’s death in yesterday’s news release. “‘Dallas’ has many more stories left to tell, and the Ewing clan will continue to honor J.R.’s memory by keeping its audience surprised and delighted,” Wright said. He also praised the show’s “passionately loyal following” and its “expertly woven storylines, clever twists and turns, and numerous outstanding performances.”

Indeed, “Dallas” hit its creative stride in the second season, which was shown on Monday nights opposite hits like NBC’s “The Voice” and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” “Dallas” averaged 2.7 million viewers, although the audience climbed to 3.8 million when DVR users who record the show and watch it within seven days are counted. The weekly haul includes 1.6 million adults between ages 25 and 54, a demographic that TNT targets, and 1.4 million between 18 and 49, another crucial group in TV ad sales.

“Dallas’s” first season averaged 4.5 million viewers on Wednesday nights last summer, when the broadcasters are in rerun mode. The first-season audience soared to 6.1 million viewers with DVR playback.

Even with softer numbers in the winter and spring, “Dallas” is TNT’s most-watched series so far this year. By bringing the show back in early 2014, the cable channel seems to be continuing its strategy to become more competitive year-round, building on the success it enjoys with its summertime lineup of popular police dramas like “Major Crimes” and “Rizzoli & Isles.”

Economics were also likely a factor in “Dallas’s” renewal. The series is filmed in Texas, and as the Dallas Morning News pointed out yesterday, the real-life Dallas City Hall helps cover production costs. The cast and crew are expected to begin shooting the third season in early fall, the Morning News reported.

In recent interviews, “Dallas” executive producer Cynthia Cidre has dropped hints about the show’s third-season storylines, including the possibility that John Ross might build his own home on Southfork and that Ann’s brother might be introduced. Yesterday’s news release mentions the show’s 10 regular cast members, a signal they’ll all return for Season 3. Also mentioned: Ken Kercheval, whose character Cliff was jailed in the season finale.

Season 3 Wish List

What do you want to see during “Dallas’s” third season? Let’s discuss your wish list during Dallas Decoder’s next Twitter chat this Monday, May 6, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: DVR Users Give the ‘Dallas’ Finale a Big Boost

April 24, 2013 by 29 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Legacies, Pamela Rebecca Barnes, TNT

Flying high

DVR users have been boosting “Dallas’s” ratings all year – and they didn’t disappoint last week.

“Guilt by Association” and “Legacies,” the last two episodes of “Dallas’s” second season, averaged 2.9 million viewers when TNT telecast them back-to-back on April 15. During the next three days, DVR users boosted the combined average for the two episodes to 3.8 million viewers, a 26 percent increase from the previous week.

“Legacies,” which resolved the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery, performed especially well. When DVR users are included, the episode hit season highs in two important categories: It drew 1.9 million viewers between the ages of 25 and 54, an audience that TNT targets, and 1.5 million adults between 18 and 49, another crucial demographic.

TNT hasn’t announced if it will renew “Dallas” for a third season. Perhaps the cable channel will announce the show’s renewal at its May 15 “upfront,” when executives from TNT and sister station TBS will pitch their programming to advertisers?

Say Uncle

Who is Joaquin, the Mexican mystery man that Elena (Jordana Brewster) visited at the end of “Legacies”? Elena’s Twitter feed offers a clue. Here’s what she tweeted yesterday: “Can’t wait to introduce you all to my uncle Joaquin. He’s quite a character. And a potentially powerful ally.”

Meanwhile, is Ann (Brenda Strong) ready to get out of the Southfork kitchen? Here’s one of her character’s tweets: “I’ve been thinking about venturing away from the ranch, maybe get involved in some Dallas charities or politics. Sue Ellen inspired me.”

Let’s Play ‘Dallas’

When I was a kid, I used to play “Dallas” with my “Star Wars” action figures. Han Solo made a pretty good J.R., while the Bespin-gowned version of Princess Leia was glamorous enough to be Sue Ellen. Now it seems “Dallas” fans like me will be able to collect the real thing: Figures Toy Company has announced plans for a line of classic “Dallas” action figures, beginning with two versions of J.R. – “oil tycoon” and “Who Shot J.R.?”

No word on when the figures will become available. The company encourages fans to “like” its Facebook page for updates. Hopefully we’ll eventually get a Sue Ellen figure – complete with a flask and pearl-handed pistol.

And while we’re on the subject of “Dallas” merchandise: J.R.-branded bourbon will go on sale this fall. Plan accordingly.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Ends the Season with Bigger Ratings

April 17, 2013 by 33 Comments
Dallas, Guilt by Association, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes, TNT

Compounding interest

“Dallas” got a nice ratings boost on April 15 with a season-ending double feature that revealed what happened to Pam and who killed J.R.

“Guilt by Association” the first of the evening’s two episodes, was seen by 2.82 million viewers, including 1 million adults between ages 18 and 49, an important demographic in TV ad sales.

“Legacies,” the second hour, drew 2.99 million viewers, including 1.1 million in the 18-to-49 demo. This makes “Legacies” the season’s second most-watched “Dallas” telecast after the landmark “J.R.’s Masterpiece” funeral episode, which drew 3.6 million viewers on March 11.

“Dallas” averaged 2.7 million viewers on Monday nights this year, although DVR users who record the show and watch it later in the week have boosted its weekly average to 3.4 million viewers. “Dallas” averaged 4.2 million viewers on Wednesdays last summer, when there is much less competition on other channels.

TNT has not announced whether it will order a third season, but this week the Hollywood news site Deadline suggested “Dallas” is “a slam dunk for renewal.” Although ratings fell this season, the well-known “Dallas” brand generated strong international sales for the studio that produces the show, Deadline reported.

Name that Tune!

Dallas, Faran Tahir, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes, TNT, Venomous Creatures

Liars

Forget “Who Killed J.R.?” Here’s the question “Dallas” fans really want answered: What’s the name of the song that kept popping up on the show this season?

You know the song I’m talking about. It was first heard in “False Confessions” when the police arrested Frank Ashkani (Faran Tahir) for Tommy’s murder. The song played again in “Legacies” when Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) planted the gun in Cliff’s trunk.

Here’s the answer: The song is called “Liar” and it comes from a band called The Unknown, a TNT spokeswoman told us yesterday.

The bad news: This appears to be an unreleased track. I can’t find it on iTunes or anyplace else. So if you want to keep hearing it, just do what I do and watch those scenes over and over.

Speaking of “Dallas” music: The song that played at the end of “Legacies,” when John Ross (Josh Henderson) proved again he’s his daddy’s son from tip to tail, is “Come Unto Me” by the The Mavericks. Meanwhile, the terrific tune that appeared at the end of “Love and Family,” when Bobby (Patrick Duffy) took that slow-mo stroll out of Ewing Energies, is “My Time Has Come” by The Bowery Riots.

Cidre Speaks

In case you missed it: “Dallas” producer Cynthia Cidre gives TV Guide the post-mortem on the second season, including her reaction to Victoria Principal’s statement-hear-round-the-world, whether Katherine Wentworth is really dead and those cocaine shoes. Earlier this week, Cidre spoke to Yahoo! about what we might see during a third “Dallas” season, including the possibility that – gasp! – John Ross might build his own house on Southfork.

Divas II

Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) had a good week: Not only did she track down Ken (Lee Majors), turn the tables on McConaughey (Steven Weber) and announce Cliff’s arrest, she also defeated sister Kristin (Mary Crosby) in Dallas Divas Derby’s second brackets competition. Get it, girl.

Killing J.R.

Last December, not long after Larry Hagman’s death, I asked three writers and a director from the original “Dallas” how they think J.R. should die. Now that the character has been laid to rest once and for all, it’s interesting to go back and read their ideas, which aren’t far off base from what ended up happening.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Faces Tough Ratings Competition

April 10, 2013 by 8 Comments
Bobby Ewing, Call to Arms, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT

No match

“Dallas” felt a ratings pinch on April 8, when TNT telecast back-to-back episodes against tough competition on the broadcast networks.

TNT showed the first hour, “A Call to Arms,” at 8 p.m., an hour earlier than usual. The episode drew 1.9 million viewers, including roughly 760,000 adults between ages 18 and 49, a group advertisers pay a premium to reach.

“Dallas’s” second hour, “Love and Family,” was shown in the 9 p.m. time slot, where it was seen by 2.4 million viewers, including more than 1 million people between 18 and 49. Through last week, “Dallas” has averaged about 2.7 million viewers in its Monday telecasts.

The April 8 “Dallas” double feature was seen opposite NBC’s two-hour “The Voice,” which drew 13.7 million viewers, including more than 6 million between 18 and 49, a season high for that series. Meanwhile, the second half of “Love and Family” faced CBS’s coverage of the NCAA basketball championship, which averaged 20.7 million viewers between 9:30 and 11 p.m.

“Dallas” continues to perform well with DVR users too. Last week’s telecast, “Let Me In,” attracted 2.6 million viewers on April 8, but during the next three days, DVR users boosted the audience to 3.6 million. This included 1.3 million adults between 18 and 49, a 16 percent increase over the previous week, and 1.5 million between 25 and 54, a 9 percent jump.

Et Cetera

• TNT has made no announcements, but Patrick Duffy says “Dallas” will return for a third season, according to a report in yesterday’s New York Daily News.

• “Lost” alum Sam Anderson will play Dr. David Gordon, Pam’s plastic surgeon, during the two-hour “Dallas” season finale, which will TNT will show Monday, April 15, from 9 to 11 p.m. Anderson replaces Josef Rainer, who played Gordon in 1988. Producers couldn’t locate Rainer to reprise the role, TV Guide reported yesterday.

• Dallas Divas Derby’s second brackets competition is down to its final two contestants: Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray) and Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby). Vote for your favorite through April 15.

A Dallas Decoder Programming Note

I’ll be posting a little less regularly through the rest of this week. My goal is to post critiques for “A Call to Arms” and “Love and Family,” along with my selections for Scene of the Day, sometime between now and April 15. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific.

Until then, please keep the conversations going in the comments section of my recent posts. I’ll do my best to approve comments as they come in, but I probably will be unable to chime in as often as I’d like. Please know how much I appreciate your contributions, though. I hope things will get back to normal next week. Thanks for understanding.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Draws More Younger Viewers

April 3, 2013 by 18 Comments
Dallas, Drew Ramos, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Let Me In, TNT

Young love

This week’s “Dallas” episode, “Let Me In,” was seen by 2.6 million viewers on April 1, the same number that watched the TNT drama the previous week. By one measure, though, “Dallas’s” numbers grew: The latest telecast drew more than 1 million viewers between ages 18 and 49, a crucial demographic for TV advertising sales. This was the fifth time this year the show cracked the 1 million mark in that category.

“Dallas” is holding steady in one of the toughest times slots in television. TNT shows the series Monday nights at 9, where it faces the second hour of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” which averaged 13.9 million viewers on April 1, as well as the second hour of NBC’s “The Voice,” which averaged 13.1 million. “Dallas’s” competition also includes Fox’s “The Following,” which drew 6.6 million viewers this week.

“Dallas” is getting a boost from people who record shows digitally and watch them a few days later. Last week’s episode, “Guilt and Innocence,” drew 2.6 million viewers on March 25, but by the end of the week, DVR users had pushed its audience to 3.3 million viewers, including 1.2 million between ages 18 and 49 and 1.4 million between 25 and 54, a demographic cable channels like TNT target.

Meanwhile, “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” the episode where the Ewings bid farewell to Larry Hagman’s famous character, was seen by 3.6 million viewers on March 11, but within a week of its telecast, DVR users had increased its audience to 4.9 million viewers. The audience included 1.6 million viewers between 18 and 49 and 1.9 million between 25 and 54.

‘Dallas’ Double Features

Call to Arms, Dallas, Governor Sam McConaughey, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, Steven Weber, TNT

Double trouble

Four episodes remain in “Dallas’s” second season, and TNT will show them during the next two weeks:

• On Monday, April 8, the cable channel will telecast “A Call to Arms” at 8 p.m., followed by “Love and Family” at 9 p.m.

• The following Monday, April 15, TNT will show “Guilt by Association” at 9 p.m., followed by the season finale, “Legacies,” at 10 p.m.

TNT is doubling up on “Dallas” to clear its schedule for the NBA basketball playoffs, which will dominate the cable channel’s lineup in late April and May.

Brewster Hits the ‘Runway’

Jordana Brewster will appear as a guest judge on the next episode of Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” which will debut Thursday, April 4, at 10 p.m.

Speaking of “Dallas” and fashion: If you haven’t already done so, check out my interview with the new show’s costume designer, Rachel Sage Kunin, who discusses the secrets behind the show’s wardrobe. Who knew the Ewings wore clothing from secondhand shops?

Bottoms Up

My partner Andrew, who blogs about all things food at Cook In/Dine Out, is serving up his latest “Dallas Drinks” cocktail recipe: The Emma, a fiery concoction inspired by Emma Bell’s what-will-she-do-next wild child. Make yourself one today; just don’t consume it with Clonazepam!

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Holds Steady in the Ratings

March 27, 2013 by 12 Comments
Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Guilt and Innocence, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Steady fellas

“Dallas’s” March 25 telecast, “Guilt and Innocence,” was seen by 2.6 million viewers, including roughly 890,000 adults between ages 18 and 49, a demographic that advertisers pay top dollar to reach.

The numbers are down slightly from the March 18 telecast, “Ewings Unite!,” which scored 2.7 million viewers, including 1 million people between 18 and 49. Like all new “Dallas” episodes, “Ewings Unite!” received a healthy boost from people who record shows digitally and watch them later. By the end of last week, DVR users had boosted the “Ewings Unite!” audience to 3.5 million.

What does all this mean for “Dallas’s” future? It’s hard to say, but consider this: Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the show’s numbers are in line with what TNT promised advertisers.

Koonin, who says he’s “incredibly proud” of the show, knew the risk of bringing it back in the winter after its successful run last summer, the Journal-Constitution reported. He also told the newspaper he’s a longtime “Dallas” fan who recalled taping the show on a new-fangled VCR in 1983 so he could take his future wife on a date.

New Album from Landers

Audrey Landers, Dallas, Dallas Feels Like Home

Afton sings!

Here’s something I’m delighted to write: Audrey Landers, fresh off her sensational guest spot in “Guilt and Innocence,” has dropped a new album full of the songs she wrote and performed on the original “Dallas”!

The album, “Dallas Feels Like Home,” is available from iTunes and includes favorites like “Steal Me Away” and “Let Me Down Gently.” Five of the album’s songs comprise my latest “Dal-List,” which honors Afton Cooper’s greatest hits.

Paging Dr. Gordon

In case you missed it: “Dallas” plans to bring back Dr. David Gordon, TV Guide reported this week. “Dallas” diehards know Gordon, the plastic surgeon who treated Margaret Michaels’ version of Pam, was seen in “Carousel,” the 12th season premiere. He was played by Josef Rainer, who previously portrayed Mr. Barton, one of Sue Ellen’s lingerie industry associates, as well as Sam Culver in “Dallas: The Early Years.”

J.R. Ewing: TV’s Top Villain

Speaking of TV Guide: The magazine ranked J.R. as television’s top villain in last week’s issue. He beat “The Simpsons’” Mr. Burns, “The Fugitive’s” one-armed man and Al Swearengen, the anti-hero of “Deadwood,” portrayed by “Dallas” alum Ian McShane. TV Guide also ranked J.R. and Sue Ellen as one of TV’s all-time best couples.

And while we’re on the subject of Larry Hagman: In a new documentary about the Starck Club, a famed real-life Dallas nightclub, the actor recalled how he unintentionally scuttled a planned drug bust. The Dallas Morning News has the story.

Bottoms up

Product placement alert: TNT has struck a deal with MillerCoors to incorporate the beer company’s beverages into the cable channel’s programming, Variety reports. So grab your Microsoft Surface, pop open a Miller Lite and do your part to support “Dallas.”

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: After J.R.’s Funeral, ‘Dallas’s’ Ratings Dip

March 20, 2013 by 7 Comments
Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Ewings Unite!, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Back to normal

“Dallas” lost almost all of the extra viewers it picked up during J.R. Ewing’s funeral last week.

“J.R.’s Masterpiece,” the sendoff for Larry Hagman’s iconic character, was seen by 3.6 million viewers on March 11. It was the TNT drama’s most-watched telecast this year, beating the show’s second-season average by about 1 million viewers.

The latest telecast, “Ewings Unite!,” scored 2.7 million viewers on March 18. This audience included more than 1 million viewers between ages 18 and 49, a demographic that advertisers pay a premium to reach.

A ratings decline was expected. Television series often get a boost from “milestone” episodes, and the death of J.R. – whom Hagman began portraying in 1978 – fit the bill.

Meanwhile, the audience for “J.R.’s Masterpiece” continues to grow. Within a few days of the episode’s March 11 telecast, DVR users had pushed its audience to 4.6 million viewers, a 26 percent increase from the previous week’s episode. When DVR users are counted, “J.R.’s Masterpiece” averaged 1.8 million adults between ages 25 and 54, an audience that TNT targets, and 1.5 million adults between 18 and 49.

TNT has not announced whether it plans to renew “Dallas” for a third season. The cable channel renewed the show for a second season two days after the third telecast.

Austin to Dallas

I haven’t seen next week’s episode of “Dallas,” but I’m calling it now: The highlight will be Lee Majors’ guest appearance as Ken Richards, one of Sue Ellen’s old flames. (Well, that and the return of Audrey Landers as Afton Cooper.)

As regular readers of Dallas Decoder know, “The Six Million Dollar Man” was my other favorite show growing up, so you can imagine how excited I am to have Col. Steve Austin visit “Dallas.” You can also imagine how thrilled I was to interview Majors a few weeks ago. If you haven’t already checked out our chat, please do so.

Derby II

Dallas Divas Derby, a March Madness-style brackets competition that pits the women of “Dallas” against each other, is back for more fun. The most recent round ended earlier this week with victories for Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster), who beat Jenna Wade (Priscilla Presley) in a matchup between “The Outsiders,” and Pamela Rebecca Barnes (Julie Gonzalo), who defeated Serena Wald (Stephanie Blackmore) in a showdown between “The Setup Queens.” Voting in the next round will end Monday, March 25.

Drinking Drew

If you’re a fan of Kuno Becker’s performance as Drew Ramos, be sure to check out The Drew, the latest addition to Cook In/Dine Out’s “Dallas Drinks” collection. Like Mr. Becker, this drink is hot stuff!

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: Who Watched J.R.? Funeral Episode Boosts ‘Dallas’

March 13, 2013 by 6 Comments
Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Carmen Ramos, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, J.R.'s Masterpiece, Linda Gray, Marlene Forte, Patrick Duffy, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Fit for a king

J.R. Ewing’s funeral attracted 3.6 million viewers on March 11, giving “Dallas” its biggest audience of the season. Viewership soared 38 percent above the season average and included 1.1 million adults between ages 18 and 49, a demographic that advertisers pay top dollar to reach.

“Are these numbers spectacular? No. But are they promising? Yes, because this could be close to 5 million viewers [once DVR users are counted],” said Marc Berman, editor in chief of TV Media Insights, a top industry news site.

Last week, 2.8 million viewers watched the “Dallas” episode “The Furious and the Fast” during its Monday telecast on TNT, but over the next three days, DVR users pushed the audience to 3.6 million.

Increasingly, television executives take DVR numbers into consideration when deciding a show’s fate. Berman, a “Dallas” fan, said he’s “hopeful” TNT will give the show a third season.

The new “Dallas” debuted to an impressive 6.9 million viewers last June and went on to average 4.2 million viewers on Wednesday nights during its summertime run. In January, TNT brought the show back for its second season in a tougher Monday slot, where “Dallas” averaged 2.6 million viewers through March 4.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering: Viewers in 20.5 million homes watched Bobby’s funeral on the original “Dallas” in 1985. It was the week’s seventh most-watched show, while the resolution of “Dynasty’s” Moldavian massacre (spoiler: they all survived) ranked third.

Who Killed J.R.?

Besides giving “Dallas” a ratings boost, “J.R.’s Masterpiece” also kicked off the new “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery, which is expected to dominate the remainder of the second season. If you haven’t already done so, check out my list of eight possible suspects. Who do you think killed J.R.?

Latest ‘Dallas’ Dirt

If Larry Hagman hadn’t died, “Dallas’s” second season would’ve ended with a triumphant J.R. taking over Ewing Energies, executive producers Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin tell Entertainment Weekly’s Mandi Bierly in an interview that’s chock-full of good tidbits.

The “Dallas” duo also explain how they created the scene where J.R. is shot, as well as the special title sequence that opened “J.R.’s Masterpiece.”

Meanwhile, TV Guide’s William Keck has a preview of Audrey Landers’ appearance in “Dallas’s” March 25 episode. Be warned: The piece ends with a cryptic hint about Pamela’s storyline.

Honoring J.R.

The tributes to J.R. came furious and fast this week. One of my favorites was written by New York magazine’s Matt Zoller Seitz, whose piece ends with a lovely description of Patrick Duffy’s final scene in “J.R.’s Masterpiece.” I also appreciated Hank Steuver’s smart review in the Washington Post, as well as the fun list of J.R.’s 15 best moments from Bierly and her Entertainment Weekly colleague Karen Valby.

‘Dallas’ Among TV’s Best Shows

Speaking of TV critics: Did you know “Dallas” has one of the highest scores on Metacritic, the site that aggregates entertainment reviews? “Dallas’s” score is 82, which places it 10th on the list of the best TV shows that started within the past six months. Some context: “Homeland” and “Enlightened” are tied for first with a score of 96, while “Downton Abbey” – which, let’s face it, is just “Dallas” with British accents – scores an 83.

Now, How About Some Fun?

If you’re like me, you feel emotionally exhausted after witnessing the funeral of “Dallas’s” hero. So cheer yourself up by watching the fun-filled panel discussion that the show’s cast recorded March 10 in Los Angeles. Trust me: You haven’t laughed until you’ve seen Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe read John Ross and Christopher’s dialogue from 1980s “Dallas” scripts.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Adds More Viewers in Week 6

March 6, 2013 by 4 Comments
Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Gary Ewing, Jordana Brewster, Patrick Duffy, Ted Shackelford, TNT

Ewing watch

TNT scored 2.8 million viewers with its most recent “Dallas” episode, “The Furious and the Fast.” The audience for the March 4 telecast included about 890,000 viewers between ages 18 and 49, the demographic that advertisers pay top dollar to reach.

This is the fourth week in a row that “Dallas’s” audience has grown. It’s also the closest the show has come to matching the 2.9 million viewers that its two-hour second-season premiere attracted on January 28.

“Dallas” continues to get a boost from DVR users too. The previous episode, “Blame Game,” drew almost 2.6 million viewers on February 25, but by the middle of last week, DVR users had pushed the audience to 3.4 million. The haul included 1.2 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, a 10 percent increase from the previous DVR-fueled audience, and 1.5 million viewers between ages 25 and 54, a 15 percent increase.

TNT’s next “Dallas” episode, the star-studded “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” will be telecast Monday, March 11. The show’s competition will be mixed: CBS’s popular sitcoms “2 Broke Girls” and “Mike & Molly” are slated to be in reruns that night, while ABC’s “The Bachelor” will offer its season finale. Fox’s “The Following” and NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” will have fresh episodes too.

Larry Hagman Day

Speaking of J.R.’s masterpiece: Mike Rawlings, the real-life mayor of Dallas, has declared March 11 as Larry Hagman Day. Sounds good to me, although every day tends to be Larry Hagman Day in my world.

A Matter of Principal

In cast you missed it: Victoria Principal has dismissed the idea of playing Pam Ewing again. In a statement last week to Deadline, a Hollywood news site, Principal said she wishes to leave Bobby and Pam’s tragic love story “undisturbed and intact.” She added: “I made this decision a long time ago with a loving and respectful heart for ‘Dallas,’ Bobby & Pam and all faithful fans.”

What, No Prune Juice?

The latest addition to my husband Andrew’s “Dallas Drinks” collection: The Judith, a cocktail he created to honor Judith Light’s indomitable character, Judith Brown Ryland. The recipe calls for bitters and a tart lemon twist. How appropriate!

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

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