Drill Bits: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Finale Draws a Crowd

August 10, 2012 by 4 Comments
Dallas, Linda Gray, Revelations, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Still a crowd pleaser

TNT’s “Dallas” went out with a bang: “Revelations,” the first-season finale, scored 4.3 million viewers on August 8, becoming the evening’s most-watched cable program. The audience included 1.6 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the demographic advertisers covet.

The show soared despite stiff competition from NBC’s Olympics coverage, which drew 29 million viewers, including 12 million 18-to-49-year-olds.

The “Revelations” audience represented “Dallas’s” third biggest Wednesday haul since the first two episodes, “Changing of the Guard” and “Hedging Your Bets,” averaged 6.9 million viewers on June 13. “The Price You Pay” delivered 4.8 million viewers on June 20.

Overall, “Dallas” averaged 4.2 million viewers – and 1.4 million 18-to-49-year-olds – on Wednesdays this summer. When DVR users who record the show and watch it later are counted, the show’s weekly audience climbs to 6.4 million viewers.

Production is slated to begin next month on “Dallas’s” second season, which TNT will begin showing in January. The cable channel has announced plans to produce 15 episodes in Season 2, up from 10 hours this year.

Rebecca Redux

Changing of the Guard, Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Rebecca Sutter Ewing, TNT

Full of surprises

When I wrote my “Revelations” critique this week, I figured we’d have to wait until “Dallas’s” second season to find out who the heck Julie Gonzalo is playing.

Wrong.In a new interview with TV Guide, executive producer Cynthia Cidre reveals Gonzalo is, in fact, portraying Pamela Rebecca, the daughter we learned Cliff fathered toward the end of the original show’s run.

Also in this must-read interview, Cidre reflects on the show’s first season (“a few too hairpin turns,” she says), reveals plans to add Elena’s brother Drew to the cast and drops the tantalizing suggestion that we might see a John Ross/Rebecca coupling.

Meanwhile, Gonzalo tells TV Line she knew her character’s real identity all along – and found it difficult to be coy when meeting fans of the original series. “‘They’d say, ‘Why else would your name be Rebecca?’ and I had to be like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about….’”

Honoring ‘Dallas’ History

In another insightful interview, “Dallas” executive story editor Gail Gilchriest says the TNT show’s writers have a better handle on the original series’ history.

“This year, we’re more familiar with who’s who, and what’s happened in the past, and have tried to remain pretty true to it,” Gilchriest tells the CultureMap Houston site. “We don’t pretend that certain things in the original series didn’t happen if it doesn’t serve our story.”

Katherine Speaks

Speaking of history: Our pal David, the creator of Dallas Divas Derby, recently interviewed Morgan Brittany, who immortalized Katherine Wentworth on the original “Dallas.”

In one of two segments David posted this week, Brittany speculates about what the future might hold for her villainous character. “At some point, she would get back at Cliff Barnes. Some way, somehow, she’s going to get even with Cliff,” Brittany says.

Look for more segments from David’s interview in the coming days – and someone tell Cliff to watch out for Katherine!

Still Standing

In the early 1980s, when the producers of the original show needed a stand-in for Patrick Duffy, they turned to Dallas model Paul Heckmann.

Three decades later, when TNT came to North Texas to shoot the new “Dallas,” who did they tap to stand in once again for Duffy? You guessed it: Heckmann, who was profiled this week in the Dallas Morning News.

Oh Baby!

“Dallas” diehards are intense: Josh Henderson tells the New York Daily News he was recently asked to sign a fan’s baby. “I felt really weird and so I was like, ‘Can I just sign her dress or shirt?’ And they were like, ‘No just sign her arm.’”

Line of the Week

“You know you’ve hit a low when even a lawyer won’t take the time to insult you.”

J.R. (Larry Hagman), after legal eagle Lou (Glenn Morshower) snubs him in “Revelations.” And in case you missed it: We’ve collected many of J.R.’s best quips from TNT’s first season, along with memorable lines from “Dallas’s” other characters.

Along Came a Cider

The final “Dallas Drinks” cocktail recipe from Cook In/Dine Out is Cynthia Cider, which pays tribute, of course, to Cidre, the new show’s creative force.

This is as good a place as any to acknowledge my husband Andrew, who not only created all nine “Dallas”-themed cocktail recipes for Dallas Decoder – he also puts up with my incessant chatter about the show and this website.

Honey, I love you and appreciate your support. Thank you.

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

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Drill Bits: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Wins Cable Ratings Gold

August 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dallas, Family Business, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

You should see the other guys

“Dallas” brought ratings gold to TNT this week: Despite tough competition from the Olympics, “Family Business,” the show’s latest episode, debuted to 3.2 million viewers on August 1, becoming the evening’s most-watched cable program.

The “Dallas” audience included more than 1 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the demographic advertisers pay a premium to reach. Ratings in this demo were up 8 percent from July 25, when roughly 850,000 18-to-49-year-olds watched “No Good Deed,” TNT’s previous “Dallas” episode.

This makes “Dallas” one of the few shows to get a ratings boost in the crucial demo during NBC’s Olympics coverage, which has delivered blockbuster numbers each night since the games began last week.

J.R. Ewing, Superlative Senior

Younger viewers may love “Dallas,” but the show is making waves among older audiences, too.

TNT’s depiction of J.R. as an elderly man who is nonetheless full of life is smart and refreshing, writes Elizabeth Newman, senior editor for McKnight’s, a trade publication for caregivers.

“[I]n all our pop culture portrayals of either lauding saintly grandmother types, trying to make people cringe laugh at the idea of old people being sexual (I’m looking at you, Betty White), or introducing the wacky grandfather, it’s refreshing to see a complex character in his 80s get a new lease on life,” Newman writes.

The Woman Who Saved J.R.’s Life

Speaking of superlative seniors: The Star Newspapers of Plano, Texas caught up this week with Barbara Kain, who was a stand-in for Barbara Bel Geddes on the original “Dallas” series and also played the nurse who treats J.R. after his shooting in “No More Mr. Nice Guy, Part 1.”

“I always say that I helped save J.R’s life,” Kain tells the publication.

The Double-Crosser’s Double

While we’re nosing around community newspaper websites: The Abilene Reporter-News recently profiled Gregg Dickerson, a J.R. Ewing lookalike who hires himself out for parties and other events. By the way: The Reporter-News has a long history of finding local angles in its “Dallas” coverage.

Department of Misleading Headlines

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jordana Brewster, Last Hurrah, TNT

She loves it

The Toronto Star and a handful of other news outlets carried the following headline this week: “Brewster: I couldn’t live in Dallas.”

What’s this? Is “Dallas” heroine Jordana Brewster dissing show’s namesake city?

No, silly. Read the whole story.

“I love it there,” the actress says, adding that she met her husband while filming a movie in Texas.

Here’s the rest of Brewster’s quote: “We would love to be able to have a house there, but I don’t know if I could live in Dallas. I live in California, where you can basically wear whatever you want and be pretty casual and the lifestyle is laid back. In Dallas the women are dressed up at 7 a.m. and they’re always in heels and if you go out to a restaurant they’re never in jeans.”

See? Brewster likes Dallas just fine, thank you very much.

Line of the Week

“No, J.R., your lapses aren’t when you do wrong. Your lapses are when you do right.”

Bobby (Patrick Duffy) to his older brother in one of the many moving scenes from “Family Business.”

A Twist, But No Zing

The latest “Dallas Drinks” recipe from Cook In/Dine Out: The Sue Ellen. To honor Linda Gray’s reinterpretation of her classic character, this drink is a fresh take on an old standard: the Cosmopolitan.

And yes, it’s a “mocktail.” Who do you think we are, Harris Ryland?

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

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Girds for an Olympics Onslaught

July 27, 2012 by 4 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, No Good Deed, TNT

He survived jail. What about the Olympics?

TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode, “No Good Deed,” was seen by 3.3 million viewers on July 25. The audience included about 895,000 viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the demographic advertisers pay a premium to reach.

The show was the evening’s second most-watched cable program behind USA’s “Royal Pains,” although this was the smallest audience yet for a Wednesday night “Dallas” telecast. Previously, the lowest-rated episode was “Truth and Consequences,” which was seen by 3.4 million viewers on Independence Day.

Keep in mind: “Dallas’s” ratings often soar when DVR users who record the show and watch it later are factored in. For example, “Truth and Consequences” was seen by 5.1 million viewers altogether within a week of its July 4 debut.

“Dallas’s” real ratings test comes next week, when the show begins competing with the Summer Olympics, which often draw huge audiences.

NBC will broadcast the games for 17 days, beginning tonight. This means the final two episodes of TNT’s first season of “Dallas” will be telecast in the midst of the Olympics onslaught.

On Wednesday, August 1, when TNT telecasts “Dallas’s” ninth episode, “Family Business,” NBC is scheduled to broadcast swimming and diving finals, beach volleyball and the crowning of the men’s gymnastics champion. One week later, on the night TNT shows “Revelations,” the “Dallas” season finale, gold medals are expected to be awarded in women’s beach volleyball and men’s track on NBC.

This will be the first time “Dallas” has competed with the Summer Olympics, although the original series aired opposite the Winter Olympics six times – twice each in 1980, 1984 and 1988.

Back then, “Dallas” beat the games every time – except once: On February 22, 1980, the classic episode “Jock’s Trial, Part 1” was crushed by ABC’s coverage of the “miracle on ice” hockey game, when the U.S. men’s team scored an upset victory over the Soviets.

Shooting J.R. at Home

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT, Truth and Consequence

Their own turf

“Dallas” has lifted TNT’s ratings, but the show has also brought major economic benefits to its namesake city, Christopher Kelly reported this week in the New York Times.

The first 10 episodes were shot in North Texas in 2011 and 2012, pumping $28.8 million into the local economy and boosting civic pride.

Says Janis Burklund, head of the Dallas Film Commission: “Everywhere I go, I’m hearing from people about how cool it is to see the city on the show. And it looks great. When you watch the show, you have to say, ‘Wow, our city looks great.’”

‘Dallas’ After Dark

Three “Dallas” stars made the late-night talk show rounds during the past week: Last night, Josh Henderson appeared on Andy Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live” on Bravo. Meanwhile, Julie Gonzalo visited the “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on July 23, three days after Jordana Brewster dropped by the CBS show.

High Brow Humor

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Price You Pay, TNT

Those brows

Larry Hagman’s eyebrows “kind of have a life of their own,” says Lynn Barber, “Dallas’s” makeup artist, in an interview published yesterday by Entertainment Weekly.

We don’t doubt it, but we also wonder if J.R. might have competition for television’s top brows.

In a meeting last week with the nation’s television critics, PBS officials discussed the popularity of public broadcasting’s hit soap opera “Downton Abbey,” citing the Twitter feed Lady Mary’s Eyebrows as an example of that show’s cultural impact.

Of course, Hagman and J.R.’s brows have their own Twitter feeds, too. Could a J.R.-vs.-Mary eyebrow beat-down be brewing in the twitterverse?

Line of the Week

“How much time do you have?”

The response from Bobby (Patrick Duffy) in “No Good Deed” when Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) asks, “How could J.R. do this to his own family?”

Bottoms Up!

If you love Brewster’s refreshing performance on “Dallas,” you’ll enjoy The Elena, the latest “Dallas Drinks” cocktail from Dallas Decoder’s favorite mixologist at Cook In/Dine Out. Enjoy!

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

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Drill Bits: Ratings Rise Again for TNT’s ‘Dallas’

July 20, 2012 by 8 Comments
Charlene Tilton, Collateral Damage, Dallas, Lucy Ewing, TNT

Viewers love Lucy

TNT’s “Dallas” isn’t pulling the kind of numbers it did on opening night, but the show continues to perform well. The July 18 telecast of the latest episode, “Collateral Damage,” was seen by 3.9 million viewers, making it that evening’s second most-watched cable program behind USA’s “Royal Pains.”

“Dallas’s” July 18 audience included 1.2 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the group advertisers covet.

This is the second week “Dallas’s” audience grew. The July 11 telecast of “The Enemy of My Enemy” attracted 3.6 million viewers, ranking 26th in the weekly cable ratings. On July 4, “Truth and Consequences” was seen by 3.4 million viewers, finishing 16th.

“Dallas’s” numbers haven’t gone unnoticed by the press: Larry Hagman graces this week’s Entertainment Weekly cover, while USA Today, in an article this week about the broadcast networks’ summer struggles, called the series “a summer bright spot.”

Read All About It

Speaking of Entertainment Weekly: Karen Valby has penned a terrific spread that includes some juicy tidbits from the season’s remaining episodes (murder! near-death experiences! marriage proposals!).

Also featured: a preview of the second season’s overarching theme and sidebars on Patrick Duffy and Hagman’s bromance, Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe’s rivalry and yes, J.R.’s eyebrows.

The other highlight: Jill Greenberg’s fantastic photos, including a cute recreation of this season’s best scene.

If you’re a “Dallas” fan, you owe it to yourself to purchase a copy (or two).

Strong Emmy Contenders

“Dallas” won’t be eligible for Emmys for another year – and if Hagman isn’t nominated, Dallas Decoder is going to raise hell – but Brenda Strong, a.k.a. Ann Ewing, received a nod yesterday for her voiceover work during the final season of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.”

This is Strong’s second Emmy nomination for narrating “Desperate Housewives.” The award will be handed out during this year’s Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, which will be held Saturday, September 15.

What is Ann’s Secret?

While we’re on the subject of Brenda Strong: In a new interview with Celebuzz, the actress reveals Ann is “going to have a mini breakdown, and then it’s like a phoenix rising from the ashes. She’s going to come back stronger than she was before.”

To hear Strong describe it, “No Good Deed,” next week’s “Dallas” episode, will be essential viewing. “[B]y the time I got the script for episode eight, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough,” she says. “I called our writer and said, ‘Thank you for giving me such an interesting woman to play.’”

Gray and Gonzalo in the News

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Rebecca Sutter Ewing, TNT

Many faces of Rebecca

Two other “Dallas” leading ladies – Linda Gray and Julie Gonzalo – also gave revealing interviews in the press this week:

• In a chat with the McClatchy-Tribune newspapers, Gray recalls what it was like to balance the demands of fame, family and career during the original show’s heyday. “I was just kind of going along, this is part of the job and trying to fit it all in. And I couldn’t do it,” Gray says.

• Gonzalo tells the entertainment news site Collider.com she uses “different voices” to play the mysterious Rebecca. “The scenes that I have with Tommy and another member of the family, I’m changing faces all the time, but that’s the most fun I had,” Gonzalo says.

Hagman’s Ten Grand Ten Gallon

Larry Hagman wears a $10,000 Stetson and has a “personal costumer” who holds it for him between takes. These and other interesting tidbits – including cool insights from “Dallas” wardrobe designer Rachel Sage Kunin – are included in USA Today’s recent article on prime-time television headgear.

Line of the Week

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Yep, he’s his mama’s son.’”

Lucy Ewing (Charlene Tilton) in “Collateral Damages,” recalling the time she found John Ross drunk after he broke into the Southfork liquor cabinet as a child. Only on “Dallas” do sentimental childhood memories involve children getting soused.

Pow!

In “Truth and Consequences,” we saw Metcalfe’s character, Christopher Ewing, beat the stuffing out of brother-in-law Tommy Sutter (Callard Harris). Fittingly, The Christopher, the latest cocktail from Cook In/Dine Out, also packs a punch. If you like your “Dallas Drinks” spicy, be sure to give this one a try.

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

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Drill Bits: This Week, Ratings Rose for TNT’s ‘Dallas’

July 13, 2012 by 5 Comments
Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT, Truth and Consequences

His blood pressure rose too

Ratings for TNT’s “Dallas” rebounded this week after dipping on Independence Day.

Approximately 3.4 million viewers watched “Truth and Consequences,”the show’s fifth episode, on July 4. Although the audience was down about 18 percent from the previous week – no surprise there, TV audiences always shrink on holidays – “Truth and Consequences” still managed to become the evening’s top original cable show and the 16th most-watched cable program of the week.

TNT’s sixth “Dallas” installment, “The Enemy of My Enemy,” did better: It scored 3.6 million viewers on July 11, including 1.3 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the group advertisers pay a premium to reach. “Dallas” and USA’s “Royal Pains” tied for second place among the 18-to-49 crowd that evening; the top-rated cable show in that demographic: ESPN’s “ESPY Awards,” which was seen by 1.5 million viewers in that group.

“Dallas” is averaging 4.5 million viewers of all ages on Wednesday nights, although the numbers go up when people who record the show and watch it later are counted.

‘Who Shot J.R.?’ Still Making News

“Who Done It?,” the “Dallas” episode that reveals Kristin as J.R.’s shooter, remains one of the most memorable television moments of the past 50 years, according to a study published this week.

The 1980 broadcast ranked 44th on the memorable moments list, ahead of “events” like Chaz Bono’s participation in “Dancing with the Stars” (No. 59) and Kim Kardashian’s marriage to Kris Humphries (No. 76), but below ABC’s 1977 miniseries “Roots” (No. 36) and the Beatles’ performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” (No. 43).

Sony Electronics and the Nielsen television research company conducted the study. The findings are based on a survey in which people were given a list of landmark TV events and asked to rank them.

News stories dominated the list: Coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks ranked first, followed by reporting on the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster (No. 2) and the 1995 verdict in the O.J. Simpson murder trial (No. 3).

Dressing ‘Dallas’

Here at Dallas Decoder, we’re big fans of Rachel Sage Kunin, costume designer for TNT’s “Dallas,” which is why we’re pleased to see her get a little love in the press.

In a new interview with the design site Artinfo, Kunin reveals why Linda Gray is her favorite cast member to dress – and why we’re unlikely to see John Ross sporting a Stetson with his business suits.

ICYMI: Gray Speaks

Ultimate Dallas’s revealing interview with Gray stirred the Ewing-verse this week, prompting us to weigh in with a call for more screen time for Sue Ellen. Of course, we weren’t the only ones. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out the Dallas Morning News’s blog post and Dallas Divas Derby’s wish list for the new show’s second season (No. 3: Save Sue Ellen!).

Line of the Week

“What now?”

John Ross’s exasperated response to seeing Bobby and Christopher barge into his room at the end of “The Enemy of My Enemy” made me laugh. Look, I love Bobby and Christopher, but you gotta admit: These two can be a little too Dudley Do-Right for their own good. I see why John Ross finds them a little hard to take sometimes.

Sweet and Strong

A reminder: This week’s “Dallas Drinks” offering is The Bobby, named for Patrick Duffy’s all-American hero. The recipe comes from Dallas Decoder’s favorite spouse at Cook In/Dine Out.

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

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Drill Bits: At the Real Southfork, Business is Booming

July 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Changing of the Guard, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

See you at the souvenir shop

Call it the TNT Effect: Since the cable channel’s new “Dallas” series debuted June 13, tourists have flocked to the Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas.

The number of weekday visitors to the property has doubled to about 300, the Austin-American Statesman reported last week. Southfork’s attractions include daily tours of the ranch house, as well as a museum where props and other memorabilia from the old show – including the gun used to shoot J.R. and Lucy’s wedding dress – are displayed.

“I’ve seen people cry when they get here and say, ‘Oh my Lord, I’ve tried to come here my whole life,” Sally Peavy, Southfork’s sales manager, told the Abilene Reporter-News.

The ranch also evokes a lot of nostalgia for the “Dallas” cast, who filmed several outdoor scenes there for the TNT episodes, just like they did throughout much of the original show’s 1978-1991 run.

“It’s very interesting to drive down that driveway at Southfork because it brought back so many memories,” Linda Gray told me and other bloggers during a recent press call. “And it’s still small. People are always surprised at how small it is. But then on film, they made it look so big and expansive.”

Just Go

Speaking of that press call, it yielded a cute moment that’s too good to not share.

TNT set up the call so folks like yours truly could interview Gray and Josh Henderson, and while Gray was telling us about the camaraderie among the TNT show’s older cast members, two unexpected visitors popped into the room where she was seated.

The transcript:

Larry Hagman: Hello lovely lady, this is Larry Hagman here.

Patrick Duffy: And this Patrick Duffy.

Gray: See what I mean? … Get out. I love you. Get out of here. Go into the other room. Go.

Hagman: I’ve been thrown out of better places than this.

Ratings, Please

Since “Truth and Consequences,” this week’s TNT episode, debuted on Independence Day, the show’s weekly Nielsen ratings have been delayed. Hopefully they’ll be announced sometime today.

A word of caution: Television viewership always plummets on the Fourth of July, so the numbers for “Truth and Consequences” are bound to be lower than usual. “Dallas” averaged 5.2 million viewers during its first three Wednesday telecasts, although the numbers go up when people who record the show and watch it later are counted.

The good news, of course, is TNT announced last week it has renewed “Dallas” for a second season. For the show’s second go-round, the cable channel will produce 15 episodes, five more than we’re getting this summer.

Filming is expected to begin in the fall; no word on when the season will be telecast.

Line of the Week

“I know all the things Daddy used to say.”

Bobby’s line to J.R. in “Truth and Consequences” made me laugh aloud. As much as I love it when J.R. quotes Jock (even though Jim Davis’s character probably never said half the things his eldest son attributes to him), it’s about time someone told J.R. to quit using those down-home euphemisms to justify his schemes.

Drink and Be Wary

A reminder: This week’s “Dallas Drinks” offering is The Rebecca, a refreshing summertime cocktail inspired by Julie Gonzalo’s character.

The recipe comes from Andrew, the devilishly handsome and clever blogger at Cook In/Dine Out. The essential ingredient: Bénédictine liqueur, an herbal beverage from France whose recipe is so secret supposedly only three people know it.

How many people know Rebecca’s secret? We can hardly wait to find out.

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

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Drill Bits: For Patrick Duffy, Edits Go with the TV Territory

June 29, 2012 by 2 Comments
Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Price You Pay, TNT

Don’t cut Bobby!

TNT’s “Dallas” has given audiences lots of great scenes this season, but some of the best moments – like J.R. and Sue Ellen’s dance at the Ewing barbecue in “The Last Hurrah” – have been left on the cutting room floor.

As Patrick Duffy sees it, that’s showbiz.

“Several of my favorite scenes didn’t make it to the show,” the actor told me during a conference call with bloggers and critics last month. “These scripts are so compact and so intense and every scene is so brilliantly done. You finish filming and you think I can’t wait to see that – and then it’s edited out. … You just can’t put everything in each episode.”

In some cases, scenes are merely shortened, not completely cut. “I had a scene with Jesse [Metcalfe] in a barn, which they only kept the lead-in scene for that,” Duffy said. “And they eliminated it. It was one of my favorite ones [from] that episode.”

TNT’s “Dallas” is the fourth weekly series for Duffy, who takes a Zen-like approach to the cuts. “I’ve learned to let those feelings go and just enjoy what I see,” he said.

Besides, the footage isn’t really lost. “It still exists somewhere,” Duffy said, adding the deleted scenes could wind up on TNT’s “Dallas” DVD releases.

Red, White and Ewing

TNT’s next “Dallas” episode, “Truth and Consequences,” will debut Wednesday, July 4, at 9 p.m. The cable channel had planned to pre-empt the show on Independence Day, when prime-time viewership levels tend to plummet, but reversed course and announced the schedule change yesterday. No reason was given for the about-face.

Speaking of ratings: “The Last Hurrah,” “Dallas’s” June 27 telecast, was seen by 4.1 million viewers, a small dip from the previous episode’s numbers. This week’s audience included 1.4 million adults between the ages of 18 and 49, the viewers advertisers covet.

Hopefully “Dallas’s” numbers will hold steady on July 4. Before “Truth and Consequences” premieres that evening, TNT plans to show back-to-back reruns of “Dallas’s” first four hours, beginning at 5 p.m.

And in case you’re wondering: No, this won’t be “Dallas’s” first holiday premiere.

The old show aired fresh episodes on at least seven official or “almost official” holidays: “Barbecue Two” (New Year’s Day 1982), “Mama Dearest” (New Year’s Eve 1983), “Ray’s Trial” (Veteran’s Day 1983), “Dire Straits” (Valentine’s Day 1986), “Territorial Imperative” (Halloween 1986), “The Call of the Wild” (Veteran’s Day 1988) and “The Sting” (Inauguration Day 1989).

Line of the Week

“Rebecca, you strike me as an extremely resourceful woman. I’m sure you’ll figure that out.”

I loved John Ross’s comment to Rebecca in “The Last Hurrah” – not just because Josh Henderson’s delivery was so Hagman-esque, but also because the line kind of paid tribute to the enigmatic Rebecca, who is becoming one of my “Dallas” favorites. (By the way: If you thought Julie Gonzalo was terrific in this week’s episode, wait until you see next week’s installment.)

I also couldn’t help but notice John Ross’s line echoed the “compliment” J.R. gave his favorite sister-in-law (“You’re a very clever woman, Pam. You’ll think of something.”) in “Fallen Idol,” an episode from the original show’s second season.

Take a Shot of J.R.

A reminder: This week’s “Dallas Drinks” offering is The J.R., a shot of bourbon, peppermint schnapps and black-as-oil coffee liqueur. It’s mighty delicious – the recipe comes from Cook In/Dine Out – but it has a lot of kick. You’ve been warned.

While I’m shamelessly plugging my own stuff, a reminder that I’m in the midst of critiquing the original show’s “Who Shot J.R.?” episodes. My “A House Divided” critique was posted this week; I’ll get to the “No More Mr. Nice Guy” two-part episode next week, followed by “Nightmare” (Monday, July 9) and “Who Done It?” (Tuesday, July 10).

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

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Drill Bits: Another Ratings Win for TNT’s ‘Dallas’

June 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dallas, Josh Henderson, John Ross Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Viewers came back too

The real test for new TV shows isn’t the number of people who tune in for the premiere – it’s the number who come back during the second week. If a series holds onto enough of its audience during week two, it’s a good sign viewers like what they see and will keep coming back for more.

TNT’s “Dallas” didn’t just pass its second-week test – it aced it!

The series premiered June 13 with 6.9 million viewers, including 1.9 million adults between the ages of 18 to 49, the group advertisers prize above all others.

One week later, TNT’s June 20 “Dallas” episode, “The Price You Pay,” drew 4.8 million viewers, becoming the evening’s most-watched cable show. Here’s what’s really impressive: This audience included 1.7 million viewers between 18 and 49.

In other words: Almost all the 18-to-49-year-olds who watched “Dallas” during week one came back during week two.

This doesn’t guarantee “Dallas” another season, but it’s an encouraging sign. Hopefully TNT will renew the series soon.

More Numbers

While we’re on the subject of “Dallas’s” June 13 debut, it’s now official: The two-hour premiere was cable television’s most-watched telecast last week, boosting TNT to a first-place finish among all cable channels.

And when you include the number of viewers who watched “Dallas” on DVRs within three days of the original telecast, the show’s total viewership rises from 6.9 million viewers to 7.8 million viewers.

By the way: This is the first time “Dallas” has finished first in a weekly ratings race since “Swan Song,” the 1985 episode that ended with Bobby’s “death.”

Hagman’s Advice to Henderson

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson

Enjoy the ride

In “The Price You Pay,” J.R. dispenses a lot of wisdom to John Ross, including Jock’s famous maxim that “real power is something you take.”

In real life, what advice has Larry Hagman offered advice Josh Henderson?

“You know, the first thing he ever said to me when we were on set was, ‘Enjoy the ride.’ He literally just said, ‘Have fun,’” Henderson told me and a group of other bloggers and critics during a conference call last month.

“I think what made the original [series] so special was that Larry, Linda, Patrick – the original cast – they truly had fun and they really like each other. And I think that when that happens, you can trust your coworker or the actor that you’re with in the scene more, meaning that you can go deeper with the characters to make a better TV show.”

Line of the Week

“Bullets don’t seem to have much an effect on me, darlin’.”

J.R.’s comment to Ann in “The Price You Pay’s” storage barn scene was a winking nod to his tendency to get shot on the original “Dallas.” Everyone knows J.R.’s sister-in-law/mistress/secretary Kristin pumped lead into him in 1980, but casual fans might have forgotten he also got plugged during a hunting trip (1979’s “The Dove Hunt”), by Sue Ellen (1988’s “The Fat Lady Singeth”) and by a crazed business rival (the 1998 reunion movie “War of the Ewings”).

Speaking of plugs: Dallas Decoder will critique the 1980 “Who Shot J.R.?” episodes, beginning next week. If you need a refresher on “Dallas’s” most famous storyline, be sure to check them out.

Power Trip

Are you playing “Rise to Power,” TNT’s online “Dallas” game?

Each week, fans are asked to align themselves with the character who has what it takes to “rise to power” during TNT’s next “Dallas” episode. Players earn points based on each character’s weekly “power ranking,” but additional points can be earned by touting the show on Facebook and Twitter.

The grand prize is a trip to Southfork. Weekly prizes include autographed posters, Ewing Oil hardhats and a collection of TNT’s “Dallas Quickies” tweets in book form.

That’s One Strong Drink

A reminder to check out the “Dallas Drinks” cocktail recipes from Cook In/Dine Out. This week’s drink is inspired by Ann Ewing, played by the awesome Brenda Strong. Make sure you serve it in a tall glass!

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

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Drill Bits: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Wrangles Big Audience

June 15, 2012 by 1 Comment
Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Changing of the Guard, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Reason to celebrate

The June 13 debut of TNT’s “Dallas” drew 6.9 million viewers, becoming the year’s most-watched premiere of a cable drama or comedy. The audience included a healthy 1.9 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the group advertisers pay a premium to reach.

“Dallas’s” two-hour premiere drew more viewers than any program on the broadcast networks between 9 and 11 p.m. and made TNT the evening’s most-watched basic cable channel.

Also worth noting: “Dallas’s” opening night drew a bigger crowd than the first episodes of other top cable dramas, including “Mad Men” (1.65 million viewers in 2007), “Breaking Bad” (1.35 million, 2008) and “Walking Dead” (5.3 million, 2010).

Yes, “Dallas’s” 6.9 million number is nowhere near the 83 million viewers who saw the old show’s most-watched episode: “Who Done It?”, the 1980 broadcast that revealed the identity of J.R.’s shooter. But c’mon, there were only three networks back then!

Comparing TNT’s two-hour premiere to other episodes from the original “Dallas” series is trickier. In those days, Nielsen usually counted the number of households that watched television, not individual viewers.

For example, the fourth-season episode “No More Mister Nice Guy, Part 2,” the old show’s second highest-rated broadcast, was seen in 31.1 million homes. “Dallas’s” lowest-rated episode, “Fathers and Sons and Fathers and Sons,” which aired during the final season, was seen in 8.9 million homes, ranking 52nd for the week.

And in case you’re wondering, “Digger’s Daughter,” the original “Dallas’s” first episode, was seen in 15.7 million homes, ranking 18th in the weekly ratings, while “Conundrum,” its 1991 finale, was seen in 20.5 million homes, ranking 2nd.

Metcalfe’s Favorite Scenes

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe

Jesse speaks

In my “Changing of the Guard,”critique, I praised Jesse Metcalfe’s terrific performance in the scene where Christopher and Elena finally come clean with each other on the day of his wedding to Rebecca.

When I spoke to Metcalfe during a conference call with bloggers last month, he told me he likes that scene, too. So does he have favorite moments from other episodes?

“I probably have a favorite moment from every episode,” Metcalfe said. “It’s really difficult for me to pick just one scene. I mean, the fun thing about this show is that it’s a magnificent ensemble.”

We agree!

‘Dallas,’ Then and Now

How does “Digger’s Daughter,” “Dallas’s” first episode from 1978, compare to “Changing of the Guard,” the first hour of TNT’s “Dallas” series?

• First line of dialogue

1978: “Bobby James Ewing, I don’t believe you!” (Pam)

2012: “John Ross, wake up!” (Elena)

• Saltiest language

1978: “You jackass!” (Jock)

2012: “It’s bullshit!” (John Ross)

• J.R. loves red …

1978: Files

2012: Jell-O

• Bobby’s reason to celebrate

1978: A wedding!

2012: A birthday!

• Words spoken by Sue Ellen

1978: 38

2012: 120 (approximate)

• Get a room! (But not that one!)

1978: Lucy and Ray in the hayloft

2012: Christopher and Rebecca in the locker room

• Last line of dialogue

1978: “Well, I surely won’t do that again.” (J.R.)

2012: “The fun is just beginning.” (John Ross)

Line of the Week

“You are still the prettiest girl at the ball.”

There were a lot of great lines in the back-to-back “Dallas” episodes TNT telecast June 13, but if I had to pick a favorite, it was J.R.’s parting words to Sue Ellen at the end of their long-awaited reunion in “Hedging Your Bets.”

In the first episode of “Dallas Round-Up,” TNT’s post-show webcast, “Dallas’s” executive producer and head writer Cynthia Cidre revealed the line was suggested by another of the show’s writers, Robert Rovner.

When Rovner pitched the line to her and the other writers, “we all got misty-eyed,” Cidre recalled.

Diva Declared

The arrival of TNT’s “Dallas” wasn’t the only big event in the Ewing-verse this week: A few hours before the show debuted, Katherine Wentworth was crowned the winner of the Dallas Divas Derby race.

David W., whom I interviewed last month, created the derby, which pitted 32 of the original show’s heroines and villainesses against each other in a two-month brackets-style competition. The final race came down to Katherine (Morgan Brittany) and Sue Ellen (Linda Gray); when all was said and done, Katherine received 2,494 votes, or 424 more than Sue Ellen.

Be sure to also check out David’s insightful review of the TNT series, as well as his sentimental introductory post, in which he recalls his childhood love of “Dallas.”

Get Your Drink On

A reminder: This week, my husband Andrew and I began offering “Dallas Drinks,” a series of cocktails inspired by the characters on the TNT show. First up: The John Ross; we’ll post another recipe next week.

Be sure to visit Andrew’s blog, Cook In/Dine Out, too. As you’ll see, he’s an amazing cook. Heck, he could probably teach Carmen Ramos (Marlene Forte) a thing or two!

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

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Summer!

May 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

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!

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