Tell Warner Bros. to Keep Fighting to Save ‘Dallas’!

October 21, 2014 by 20 Comments
#SaveDallas, Bobby Ewing, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Save Dallas, TNT

Stand with the Ewings

“Dallas” fans have done a terrific job contacting various TV networks and urging them to rescue our beloved show from cancellation. Let’s not leave out Warner Bros., the studio that produces the show.

Remember: The Warner Bros. executives are leading the charge to find “Dallas” a new home. It’s important they know how much we appreciate their efforts and how eager we are to see the Ewing saga continue.

I encourage everyone to send Warner Bros. positive feedback today, tomorrow and beyond. Here’s the contact information for the studio’s television division:

Warner Bros. Television Group

Address: 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91522

Telephone: 818-954-6000

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrostv

Twitter: @warnerbrostv

If you aren’t sure what to say when contacting Warner Bros., here are some ideas. These are guidelines; you should write (or speak) from the heart and let the studio know how much “Dallas” means to you.

If you tweet:

@warnerbrostv Thanks for your efforts to #SaveDallas! Please keep trying. I love the show and want to see the Ewing saga continue.

If you post a message on Facebook:

Thanks, Warner Bros., for your efforts to #SaveDallas! Please keep trying to find the show a new home. Millions of fans like me are eager to see the Ewing saga continue.

If you call:

Hello. My name is (insert your name here) and I’m calling to express my support for “Dallas.” I love the show and want to encourage Warner Bros. to keep trying to save it.

If you write a letter:

I’m writing to thank everyone at Warner Bros. who is trying to find “Dallas” a new home. Millions of fans like me appreciate your efforts. We love the show and are eager to see the Ewing saga continue, so please keep trying to save “Dallas!”

Sincerely,

(Insert your name here)

If you have suggestions for other talking points, please share them in the comments section below. We can all benefit from each other’s ideas.

Additionally, when communicating on social media, please remember to use the #SaveDallas hashtag, which makes it easy to measure how many people are talking about our campaign. (By the way: More than 370,000 #SaveDallas tweets have been sent since the campaign began October 4, according to social media research firm Topsy Labs Inc.)

Keep in mind: The most effective tweets and posts come from fans who include heartfelt, passionate messages about how much they love “Dallas.” #SaveDallas champion @TeamSueEllen has additional tweeting tips here.

Also, if you know any “Dallas” fans who haven’t signed the “Help Save Dallas” petition, please encourage them to do so today. The petition boasts more than 78,000 signatures; let’s push it to 100,000 signatures or more.

Once again, thanks to everyone who is working so hard to save “Dallas.” This remains an uphill battle, but let’s keep giving it everything we can.

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , ,

Here Are Some Tips for Writing Your #SaveDallas Messages

October 16, 2014 by 11 Comments
#SaveDallas, Bobby Ewing Patrick Duffy, Save Dallas

Write on, Bobby!

Several TV networks have been cited as possible new homes for “Dallas,” and fans have been busy this week urging them to rescue the show from cancellation.

If you need help crafting your messages to these networks, here are some samples. It’s always best to write from the heart, so feel free to add your own thoughts. Remember the three “P’s” — be polite, positive and passionate.

If you call:

Hello. My name is (insert your name here) and I’m calling to encourage you to add new episodes of “Dallas” to your lineup. Millions of loyal fans like me would love to watch the show on (insert the network’s name here). Please save “Dallas”!

If you write a letter or email:

I’m writing to encourage you to add new episodes of “Dallas” to your lineup. Millions of loyal fans like me would to love to watch the show on (insert the network’s name here). You and your advertisers would benefit from our enthusiasm and dedication. Please save “Dallas”!

Sincerely,

(Insert your name here)

If you tweet:

(Insert the network’s Twitter handle here) Please #SaveDallas! Millions of loyal fans like me would love to watch the show on your network.

If you post on a network’s Facebook page:

Please #SaveDallas! Millions of loyal fans like me would love to watch the show on your network.

If you have other suggestions for “talking points,” please share them in the comments section below. We can all benefit from each other’s ideas.

Here’s the available contact information for the networks that many fans are targeting. If you think other networks could be contenders to save the show, by all means, contact them too.

• CBS:

Address: 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039-2112

Telephone: 818-655-5000

Twitter: @CBS and @CBSTweet

• CMT:

Address: 330 Commerce Street, Nashville, TN 37201

Telephone: 615-335-8400

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmt

Twitter: @CMT

• Reelz:

Address: Albuquerque Studios — Building D, 5650 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106

Telephone: 505-212-8800

Email: info@reelzchannel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReelzChannel

Twitter: @ReelzChannel

• WGN America:

Address: 2501 West Bradley Place, Chicago, IL 60618-4718

Telephone: 773-528-2311

Email: WGNAmerica@tribunemedia.com

Twitter: @WGNAmerica

Don’t forget to send positive messages to Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas,” by tweeting @warnerbrostv. Keep encouraging the Warner Bros. executives to continue their efforts to find a new home for the show.

Also, please keep encouraging our fellow fans to sign Sara Duckworth’s “Help Save Dallas” petition, which now tops more than 76,000 signatures. Can we push it to 100,000 signatures in the coming days? Let’s keep trying.

As I noted yesterday, many of you are already writing, calling, tweeting, signing and “liking” everything you can. Thank you, and please keep up the good work!

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: ,

Let’s Keep Sending #SaveDallas Love to the Networks

October 15, 2014 by 50 Comments
#SaveDallas, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Save Dallas

Work those phones, y’all

In yesterday’s update, I encouraged everyone to follow William Shatner’s advice and target the TV networks with our #SaveDallas love. Let’s keep at it today — and beyond.

Here’s the list of available contact information for the channels cited as possible new homes for “Dallas”:

• CBS:

Address: 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039-2112

Telephone: 818-655-5000

Twitter: @CBSTweet and @CBS

• CMT:

Address: 330 Commerce Street, Nashville, TN 37201

Telephone: 615-335-8400

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmt

Twitter: @CMT

• Reelz:

Address: Albuquerque Studios — Building D, 5650 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106

Telephone: 505-212-8800

Email: info@reelzchannel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReelzChannel

Twitter: @ReelzChannel

• WGN America:

Address: 2501 West Bradley Place, Chicago, IL 60618-4718

Telephone: 773-528-2311

Email: WGNAmerica@tribunemedia.com

Twitter: @WGNAmerica

If you can, please write and call these networks and encourage them to add “Dallas” to their lineups. You can also tweet them, and if a Facebook page is listed above, it means you can post a message to that page. Remember: Be positive when communicating with these networks. We want to make a good impression.

Additionally, if there are other networks you feel would make a good home for “Dallas,” by all means, contact them and urge them to pick up the show.

Please also keep sending positive tweets to Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas.” Don’t let the executives forget how much the show means to us, and how hard we’re fighting to save it.

Finally, please keep urging fellow fans to sign Sara Duckworth’s “Help Save Dallas” petition, which now has more than 75,000 signatures. Let’s try to get to 100,000 signatures in the coming days. You can also show your #SaveDallas passion by “liking” the Dallas: Get the Ewings a New Network Facebook page — and be sure to check out the three videos from the page’s founder, Ryan Kwasneski.

I know many of you are already writing, calling, tweeting, signing and liking everything you can. Thank you! Please keep up the good work and encourage your friends to join you. Together, we’ll save “Dallas” and keep the Ewing saga going.

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , ,

#SaveDallas: Let’s Target the Networks

October 14, 2014 by 19 Comments
Eyes on the prize

Eyes on the prize

“Dallas” fans sent more than 30,000 #SaveDallas tweets during a single hour last night, once again demonstrating the depth of the passion behind the campaign to save the recently canceled series.

The fan-organized “tweet-a-thon” began at 9 p.m. Eastern, “Dallas’s” time slot on TNT, and included encouraging messages from Mitch Pileggi, Kevin Page and other “Dallas” actors.

Fans also heard from someone who knows a thing or two about rescuing a TV show: William Shatner, who advised us to focus our efforts. In one tweet, he wrote, “[W]hy isn’t WB, CBS or other networks being targeted with fan love? Trending is a nice idea but only gets you so far.”

Shatner makes an excellent point. That’s why I encourage my fellow fans to follow his advice and focus on contacting CBS, CMT, Reelz and WGN America — the four broadcast and cable networks that have been cited as potential new homes for the series:

• CBS: Here’s CBS Corporation’s online contact page, which includes a telephone number, mailing address and more. The Twitter handle is @CBSTweet.

• CMT: The network doesn’t have an contact page, but you can post messages to CMT’s Facebook page, and the Twitter handle is @CMT.

• Reelz: Here’s the contact page. You can also post messages on the network’s Facebook page and send tweets to @ReelzChannel.

• WGN America: Here’s the network’s contact page. The Twitter handle is @WGNAmerica.

If there are other networks you feel should consider airing “Dallas,” by all means, contact them. Keep your messages positive; we want to make a good impression.

I also urge fans to keep sending positive tweets to Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas.” It’s important the Warner Bros. executives know how eager fans are to see “Dallas” continue.

Also, if you know a fan who hasn’t signed the “Help Save Dallas” petition, please encourage them to do so immediately. An additional 3,000 fans signed yesterday, putting the total number of signatures at more than 75,000. This is impressive, but as I wrote yesterday, our goal should be getting 100,000 signatures on the petition in the coming days.

We’ve made a lot of progress during the past week, but we can’t give up now. Let’s keep fighting for the show we all love.

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , ,

We’re Another Step Closer to Saving ‘Dallas’!

October 13, 2014 by 97 Comments
#SaveDallas, Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Save Dallas, Sue Ellen Ewing

Step by step

The #SaveDallas campaign is working!

Since the fan-drive effort began, we’ve had two goals: 1) to persuade Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas,” to find a new home for the show, and 2) to demonstrate our passion and loyalty so another network will want to pick up the show.

Well, we can now scratch one item off the list.

In an upbeat interview with Yahoo! yesterday, executive producer Cynthia Cidre confirmed Warner Bros. is indeed shopping “Dallas” to other networks. According to Cidre, the studio is focused on pitching the drama — which TNT canceled earlier this month — to other cable channels, including CMT, WGN America and Reelz.

Streaming services such as Netflix aren’t an option because of complications with “Dallas’s” foreign distribution deals, Cidre said. It isn’t clear if Warner Bros. is pitching the show to broadcast networks too, although many fans remain hopeful “Dallas” will go to CBS, home of the original series.

Fans will follow “Dallas” wherever it goes, of course. That’s why I believe we should channel our energies into the second item on our to-do list: demonstrating our dedication to “Dallas” so no matter which network considers picking up the show, the programming executives will know they’re going to inherit many loyal viewers who are eager to see the Ewing saga continue.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Boost the petition. The “Help Save Dallas TNT” petition remains the single most powerful expression of enthusiasm for the “Dallas” brand. The petition has more than 72,000 signatures — which is impressive — but if we could push this number to 100,000 signatures, our efforts would surely attract more attention from the press and television executives. Let’s make this our goal. Please, if you know any fan who hasn’t signed the petition yet, encourage them to do so now.

• Show your love on social media. Keep posting on Facebook and Twitter using the #SaveDallas hashtag, which makes it easy for TV execs and reporters to find our tweets. Remember to keep your messages positive — especially when communicating with networks that could become “Dallas’s” new home. We want to make a good impression, after all. Also: Some fans are planning a “tweetathon” on Monday, October 13, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern. Get online during this time and send as many #SaveDallas tweets as you can. (I won’t hold my usual Monday evening #DallasChat on October 13 so fans can focus on participating in the tweetathon.)

• Thank Warner Bros. We’ve all spent a lot of time during the past week encouraging Warner Bros. to do its part to save “Dallas.” Now that we know the studio is trying to find the show a new home, let’s all send tweets to @warnerbrostv and let the executives know how much we appreciate their efforts — and to urge them to keep fighting to save the show.

Thanks also go to the many “Dallas” diehards who continue doing their part. We should all feel proud of our achievements, but make no mistake: There’s still a lot of work to do.

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , ,

CBS, Here’s Your Chance to Save ‘Dallas’

October 12, 2014 by 114 Comments
#SaveDallas, CBS, Dallas, Larry Hagman, Les Moonves, Leslie Moonves, Save Dallas

Wheeler dealers (Associated Press)

MEMORANDUM

To: Leslie Moonves, president and chief executive officer, CBS Corporation

From: Dallas Decoder

Re: #SaveDallas

Mr. Moonves, have I got a deal for you.

You know better than anyone how hard fans are fighting to save “Dallas” after TNT canceled the show last week. There’s an online petition calling on CBS to pick up the series, and Linda Gray tells Dallas Decoder that when she ran into you a few days ago, you told her you’ve been inundated with emails from “Dallas” diehards pleading with you to bring the show home to CBS. (Sorry about clogging your inbox, sir. “Dallas” fans are a passionate bunch.)

Most tantalizing of all, there are unconfirmed reports that CBS is interested in hearing a pitch from the show’s producers. If these stories aren’t true, they should be. After all, nothing would make more sense from a business perspective — and nothing would be more poetic — than having CBS ride to “Dallas’s” rescue.

For starters, “Dallas” comes with a fan base that has stuck with it for more than three decades. We watched the original show on CBS in the 1970s and 1980s, we watched CBS’s reunion movies and specials in the 1990s and early 2000s, and we watched all three seasons of the TNT sequel. We’re nothing if not loyal.

Not all of us are old-timers either. “Dallas” has always bridged the generation gap. I started watching when I was a kid, sitting on the living room floor while Mom and Dad watched from their easy chairs. Now I’m a grown-up and I’m still watching — and so are younger viewers like my niece, a new “Dallas” devotee who thinks Josh Henderson, a.k.a. John Ross Ewing III, is a dreamboat.

This is why “Dallas” is an ideal fit for CBS, the only network that still believes in broadcasting. You and your executive team have a gift for delivering shows that everyone enjoys, from “The Big Bang Theory” to “Big Brother.” Imagine how easily “Dallas” would slide into your Friday lineup, where it would join “Blue Bloods,” another multigenerational family drama, and the “Hawaii Five-0” revival. It would be smart scheduling and a lovely nod to “Dallas’s” glory days, when the original show ruled Friday nights.

Yes, I know television has changed a lot since then. Families don’t gather in the warm glow of a living room TV set the way mine did when I was growing up. But “Dallas” still has the power to bring people together — look at how fans have united since the #SaveDallas campaign began — and viewers will always want to watch great drama, whether it’s on TV, a tablet or a device that fits in your pocket.

Besides, the Ewings never go out of style. I realize “Dallas’s” ratings on TNT haven’t always reflected that, especially toward the end of the show’s run. But you’ve got to wonder: What kind of numbers did TNT expect? When “Dallas” wasn’t airing on holidays, it was forced to compete with the Emmys and “Monday Night Football.” To make matters worse, the network scheduled the season finale on the first night of the new season, when “Dallas” was forced to go head-to-head with multiple premieres — including the debut of CBS’s newest hit, “Scorpion.” (Congrats on another blockbuster, by the way.)

But this isn’t just about numbers, Mr. Moonves. This is about tradition too. When the original “Dallas” came along in the 1970s, CBS was getting clobbered in the ratings by ABC, which was riding high with “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” and “Charlie’s Angels.” Then J.R. got shot and “Dallas” zoomed to the top of the Nielsens, taking the rest of CBS with it. Today, the original “Dallas” is remembered as one of the greatest successes in the network’s history, along with “I Love Lucy,” “All in the Family,” “60 Minutes” and “Survivor.”

There’s a personal connection here too, Mr. Moonves. You made your mark in television as a young executive at Lorimar, the storied studio that produced “Dallas,” along with “Knots Landing” and “Falcon Crest.” You arrived around the time Bobby Ewing stepped out of the shower and gave “Dallas” a new lease on life. That’s exactly what we need right now — a fresh start.

Check out the picture I’ve attached to this memo. It shows you and Larry Hagman at a party for TV critics in 1997. I love the expression on his face — I wonder what joke he’s cracking here? — but I also love the expression on yours. You look like you admire Mr. Hagman as much as “Dallas” fans do. Imagine how proud he’d be if you saved “Dallas,” a franchise that meant so much to him.

Look, Mr. Moonves, I don’t mean to get too sentimental here. J.R. Ewing didn’t become a successful oil baron by letting his emotions rule his decision-making, and I suspect you didn’t become the most powerful person in television by doing the same. I also realize the odds of a broadcast network picking up a discarded cable series are pretty long. But this show is special, for all the reasons I just pointed out.

“Dallas” once saved CBS. Here’s your chance to return the favor.

Why do you think CBS should save “Dallas”? Share your ideas below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

#SaveDallas: Where Will the Ewings Find a New Home?

October 10, 2014 by 37 Comments
#SaveDallas, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Save Dallas, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Homeless, for now

If the effort to save “Dallas” succeeds — wait, I mean when it succeeds — where might the show find a new home?

It isn’t clear if Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas,” is shopping the series to other outlets. Warner Bros. hasn’t issued a statement since the #SaveDallas campaign began last week, and a studio spokeswoman declined comment.

If Warner Bros. answers the fans’ call to rescue the series from TNT’s cancellation, the studio will probably find receptive audiences at other cable networks, according to Marc Berman, editor of TV Media Insights, an industry news site. “There are a lot of networks that could pick this show up and give it a good home,” he said.

“Dallas” would be a good fit at Lifetime, where it could be paired with the recently renewed “Devious Maids,” another prime-time soap opera, Berman said. Both shows tend to draw mostly women viewers, and the size of each show’s audience is comparable: “Dallas” averaged 1.9 million viewers on Mondays this year, while “Devious Maids” averaged 1.8 million viewers on Sundays.

If Lifetime or another cable network isn’t willing to commit to a full season of “Dallas,” they could commission a two-hour movie to test the waters — and resolve the third-season cliffhanger, Berman said.

Industry observers also see a future for “Dallas” online.

“Fans should probably focus on bringing their cause to fledgling but deep-pocketed outfits that are looking for more shows to add to their streaming line-up,” Washington Post TV critic Hank Stuever wrote yesterday.

Stuever suggested possibilities include AOL and Yahoo!, which recently picked up the comedy “Community” after NBC canceled it, but he cautioned fans that “streamingville is about buzz and cachet and the wired youth … and I don’t know that ‘Dallas’ can bring the hipster demographic.”

Berman said “Dallas’s” appeal to a somewhat older audience would be a boon for a streaming service. “If you’re Netflix or Hulu and you’re trying to expand your audience, why not do it with ‘Dallas’?”

He also pointed to the show’s popularity on social media, where “Dallas” has almost 1.6 million Facebook “likes” and more than 95,000 Twitter followers, as evidence there’s an audience for the series online. “And look at all the #SaveDallas tweets this week,” he said.

What about a move to a broadcast network? Some observers say this is less likely, although almost 7,000 fans have signed a petition calling for “Dallas” to return to CBS, home of the original series. Linda Gray told Dallas Decoder this week that CBS chief executive Les Moonves has received many emails from fans, and Highlight Hollywood reports the show’s production company plans to approach the network.

No matter where “Dallas” winds up, Berman — a longtime fan — hopes it will find a home that appreciates it more than TNT, which he said signaled its lack of interest in the series when it scheduled the two-hour finale on the first night of the new TV season.

“To end the show that way — and to leave viewers with an unresolved cliffhanger — sends a very clear message to the audience: We don’t care about you,” he said.

Where would you like “Dallas” to find a new home? Share your ideas below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , ,

#SaveDallas: Let’s Kick It Up a Notch, Fellow Fans

October 9, 2014 by 23 Comments
#SaveDallas, Bobby Ewing, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Sue Ellen Ewing, Save Dallas, TNT

Never back down

We need to make more noise, fellow “Dallas” fans.

The campaign to save our favorite show from cancellation is off to a strong start. We’re signing petitions, liking Facebook pages and tweeting our love using the #SaveDallas hashtag.

Our collective efforts have earned attention from across the media spectrum, including a brief report in the New York Times and an endorsement from Michael Strahan, Kelly Ripa’s co-host on “Live with Kelly and Michael.”

We’ve also received support from the cast, including Linda Gray, who encouraged everyone to “keep fighting” in an interview yesterday; Patrick Duffy, who urged fans to “keep going” via a tweet; and Josh Henderson, whose Facebook page includes several #SaveDallas posts.

Let’s keep the momentum going. We need more petition signatures, more attention from the press and more social media posts declaring our love for “Dallas.” Here’s what I recommend:

• Urge more fans to sign the petition. There are several petitions going at this point, but the “Help Save Dallas TNT” petition has gained the most traction. It has more than 67,000 signatures, which is impressive, but it’s still a fraction of the show’s weekly audience. If you know fans who haven’t signed the petition yet, encourage them to do so.

• Contact the entertainment industry publications. The press coverage for #SaveDallas has been terrific, but we also need to get the attention of the industry news publications and sites that television executives read every day. Let’s send them positive messages and politely ask them to report on fans’ efforts:

  • Deadline Hollywood. The Twitter handle for this site’s TV team is @DeadlineTV.
  • The Hollywood Reporter. Here’s the publication’s contact page. The Twitter handle is @thr.
  • Variety. Here’s the publication’s contact page. The Twitter handle is @Variety.
  • The Wrap. Here’s the site’s contact page. The Twitter handle is @thewrap.

• Share your love on social media. Please keep sending messages via Facebook and Twitter using the #SaveDallas hashtag, which makes it easy for TV execs and the press to search for and find our tweets. Also, remember to tweet @warnerbrostv and encourage Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas,” to find a new home for the show. The Warner Bros. folks hopefully want to save “Dallas” too, so send them positive messages.

Many other cool ideas are percolating, including proposals for rallies, “tweet-a-thons” and a “stream-a-thon” where everyone chooses a designated time and watches “Dallas” via video on demand to demonstrate the potential audience for the show on Netflix and similar outlets. Hopefully these ideas will continue to take shape.

Thanks to everyone who is fighting so hard to save “Dallas.” Your passion and creativity are inspiring. Let’s keep up the good work and build on our success!

Share your ideas and positive comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s Save Dallas Page for links to news coverage, petitions, other fan sites and more.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Dallas Decoder Interview: Linda Gray

October 8, 2014 by 46 Comments
#SaveDallas, Dallas, Linda Gray, Save Dallas, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Forever Sue Ellen

TNT has canceled “Dallas,” but don’t tell Linda Gray the show is over. I was honored to speak to her today about the #SaveDallas campaign.

Fans are so upset that “Dallas” has been cancelled. What happened?

It’s challenging to even describe what happened. We lost our two biggest cheerleaders when Steve Koonin and Michael Wright [the top executives in charge of TNT’s programming] left their positions. Meanwhile, we were left wondering if we were going to get picked up or not. We were kept waiting for someone to come in, and then when that person or persons were put into place, we were kept waiting to find out if they liked us or not. [Laughs] And then they decided, “Nope, we don’t want ‘Dallas.’”

How did you hear the news?

Our producers, Cynthia [Cidre] and Mike [Robin], called us on Friday afternoon. When you look at your phone and you see that both of your producers are on the line, it’s either good news or not so good news. [Laughs] This was not such good news.

What did they tell you?

Cynthia and Mike both said, “We haven’t given up. We’re going to see if another network wants us.” But the beauty of this has been the fans. The whole #SaveDallas campaign has been a huge revelation to me. It’s been so lovely. I’m very, very grateful for that. There’s been such an outpouring of love.

#SaveDallas, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Save Dallas, TNT

Never give up

I was saddened when I heard about the cancellation on Friday, but then I saw your tweets on Saturday and I thought, “There’s hope!”

Always, Chris. Always! There’s always hope. [Laughs] I flashed back to the original series. In the beginning, CBS had us on Saturday night. We didn’t do so well there. And then they put us on Sunday night. We didn’t do so well there either. But then they put us on Friday night and we took off! CBS loved us. They nurtured us. [The new series] hasn’t been nurtured. We were on opposite “The Voice,” the Emmys, “Monday Night Football.”

You had one of the toughest time slots in television.

Yes, but this isn’t bah humbug. I’m not bashing TNT — not at all. I just feel like what happens with corporate executives is they see numbers — and that’s it. That’s what they do, and God bless them. But there are also a lot of people who want to be entertained, and this cast loved entertaining the audience.

“Dallas” is a special show. I loved the original series, and I love this one too. They’re different, but I love them both.

They should be different. Times are different.

So what do you think are the chances of saving “Dallas”?

Personally, I think they’re great. It’s a built-in brand. It comes with publicity you can’t buy, and it’s lasted a long time. And we want to be with people who care about us and don’t just look at the bottom line. This show deserves a fair shot. We need another shot. And if TNT doesn’t do it, we hope another network will pick us up. Other shows have done that. It does happen. And if it’s meant to happen here, it will.

#SaveDallas, Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Save Dallas, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Team Ewing

The fans really appreciate the encouragement you and Patrick [Duffy] have given us.

Patrick said over the weekend he’s not done with Bobby Ewing. And amen to that, I say. I ain’t done with Sue Ellen Ewing either! [Laughs] When we spoke to Cynthia, she’s got the first script for Season 4 written — and I think a lot of good stuff is going to happen. The cast doesn’t know what it will be, but we want to get our little fingers on it and find out.

Is it official that Warner Bros. [the studio that produces “Dallas”] is going to shop the show around to other outlets?

I don’t know, but at least there’s buzz out there. I was at a function last night and [CBS chief executive] Les Moonves was there and he told me he’s been inundated with emails from fans who want him to pick it up. He was just smiling and said, “You wouldn’t believe the emails I’ve gotten.” I smiled right back and said, “Great!” [Laughs] The fans are not afraid at all. It’s not, “Oh, how do I get in touch with the head of CBS?” They just do it! They slammed the switchboards at TNT. They shut them down!

Maybe TNT will reverse its decision. I’ve been encouraging fans to be positive when they tweet at the studio and the network.

Exactly. TNT may say, “Oh, we made a mistake. We weren’t thinking. We’ve now come to our senses.” I encourage the fans to be positive too.

So what would Larry Hagman think of all this?

Oh God, he’d be furious. I’ve seen him mad. [Laughs] He’d hit them hard and it would be with humor, but he would be very honest and forthright. He’d probably say something similar to what Patrick said: “J.R.’s not finished yet.” That’s how we all feel.

He’d be right too. J.R. will never be finished! I love how the show honors him.

I think that’s why Season 3 has been so special. We were all kind of fumbling around after he died, but this season, everybody thought, “Pull up the boot straps. Get back on that horse and do it.” Patrick and I have discussed this. Everyone was shining this season — the cast, the writers, everyone. The original show had a small cast, and you got to know every character intimately. Sometimes when shows are brand new, they’re long and shallow, but they don’t go deep. In Season 3, I think, we went deep.

You were pleased with Sue Ellen’s direction this year?

I was very happy with what they did with Sue Ellen this season. You know, I cringed when she started drinking again. I thought, “My gosh, here we go again. Haven’t I done that before? Didn’t I do it well?” [Laughs] But I felt this time, it was handled very well. And I thought the scenes with Josh [Henderson] were wonderful. He really hit his stride this season.

#SaveDallas, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Scene of the season

The scene where John Ross screams, “I am not my father!” is my favorite moment of the season.

Here’s the backstory on that: It was shot at night. It was the end of the day. So Josh and I were in a back bedroom in Sue Ellen’s home while they were doing the lighting and setting up. And we were like two caged animals. We didn’t speak. We didn’t talk.

Interesting.

He’s usually tweeting and carrying on. “Hey, Mama. How you doing?” But this time, I sat in my chair and went over my lines in my head and we never spoke. I mean, we didn’t plan it that way. It wasn’t like, “Oh, we’re not talking.” And then when we came out [to shoot the scene], man, you could feel it. The crew was very quiet. They knew it was an emotional scene. It was hard, and it was intense. It was something else. It was just amazing. That’s why it was so good. You went deep with Josh’s character. You went deep with Sue Ellen. She was blaming everybody and never looking at herself. It was such an intense, intense scene — because it was real.

That’s why this cancellation breaks my heart! How do you cancel a show that delivers amazing moments like that one?

Absolutely. To be canceled after that was like, “Oh, rats!” We’re all in the groove now, and then we get canceled.

So what’s your final message to the fans?

I would love to thank the fans for their love and their support and their outcry. I hope we get to continue making the show because I don’t think we’re finished.

So keep fighting?

Keep fighting! Yes, at all times. Keep fighting.

Share your comments below and read more interviews from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Interviews, News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Fight to Save ‘Dallas’ Picks Up Steam

October 7, 2014 by 46 Comments
In the fight

In the fight

“Dallas” fans are fighting hard to save the show from cancellation — and the world is beginning to take notice.

The New York Times reported yesterday on the efforts to save the series, including the largest online petition, which has garnered more than 55,000 signatures.

Also, the #SaveDallas hashtag has been embraced by many fans, as well as stars such as Josh Henderson and Juan Pablo Di Pace, who’ve been using it in their social media posts. And this morning, Mitch Pileggi tweeted, “You Dallas fans are amazing and you should know as a certainty that your voices ARE being heard. Keep at it.”

Elsewhere, executive producer Cynthia Cidre tells Ultimate Dallas the battle cry I sounded in my first tweet — “Yesterday we cried, today we fight back” — has become the mantra for the show’s behind-the-scenes team.

I don’t know about you, but this kind of encouragement makes me want to fight harder. Here’s what I recommend:

• Help round up more support for the petition. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, do it now. Urge your friends and family to do it too. Fifty-five thousand signatures is an outstanding start, but if we want TV and studio executives to really pay attention to us, we’re going to need more signatures.

• Keep showing your support on social media. Use the #SaveDallas hashtag when sharing your love for “Dallas” on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. Remember, the hashtag makes it easier for studio and network executives, reporters and others to search for and find fans’ posts.

• Target your tweets. Many of you have been tweeting at reporters and bloggers and encouraging them to cover the campaign. Keep it up! It’s best to target journalists who report on the entertainment industry. I also encourage everyone to send positive messages to Warner Bros., the studio that owns “Dallas,” by tweeting to @warnerbrostv. Let the Warner Bros. executives know you want them to find “Dallas” a new home.

I’ve set up a Save Dallas Page to collect links to news coverage, petitions, Facebook pages, fan sites and more. Click these links to see what the press and other fans are saying. I’ll update the page as often as possible.

It’s always an uphill battle to save a TV show, but it can be done. Thanks to everyone for their efforts, and keep up the amazing work.

Do you have additional ideas to save “Dallas”? Share your passion and positive comments below.

Filed Under: #SaveDallas, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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