Hammond On Cannes: Suspense Builds To Sunday’s Palme … 
Record-Breaking Memorial Weekend 2013! ‘Fast & … 
Cannes: Un Certain Regard Winners Include ‘The … 
SAG-AFTRA Sued For Witholding Foreign Residuals And … 
Harvey Weinstein Closes Prolific Cannes With Deals For … 
Cannes: Competition Movies Divide Critics; How Much Do … 
Zach Braff Ends $3+M Kickstarter Campaign 
Fox Unscripted TV Czar Mike Darnell To Exit 
NBC Sets Oklahoma Tornado Benefit Concert For May 29 
Cannes: Directors’ Fortnight Honors ‘Les … 
SHOCKER: Tom Cruise Exits ‘Man From … 
A+E Rebuild: BBC’s Jana Bennett To Run Bio And LMN … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Hannibal’ Hits Low, … 
‘Katie’ Shakeup: Rachel Miskowiec Replaces … 
Hammond On Cannes: French Hero Jerry Lewis On His Return To … 
Cannes: Another Jewelry Heist? $2.6M Necklace Missing After … 
Hammond On Cannes: Leo DiCaprio’s Moon Trip Tops … 
Specialty B.O. Preview: ‘Before Midnight’, … 
2012-2013 Season Network Rankings: CBS Sweeps In Final … 
Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings 
TOLDJA! Paramount Pocketing $190M From Disney For Marvel … 
They did not have a good night at Southfork last night. The season two premiere of Dallas on TNT was down Monday almost 60% in terms of viewership from the reboot’s season one debut last June. Starting at 9 PM, Dallas pulled in just 2.98 million viewers compared to the 6.9 million who welcomed the return of the Ewings in the less crowded summer. That’s a series low for the new Dallas. Last night’s two-hour premiere was also significantly down from the 4.3 million who watched the season one finale on August 8. Among Adults 18-49, the season two premiere brought in 1.02 million viewers, down 27% from its season one average. Dallas pulled in 1.22 million viewers in the Adults 25-54 demo on Monday. That was a big drop from the 2.5 million in the demographic who watched the series premiere on June 13, 2012. It was also a 32% fall from the season one average. For its first season, Dallas averaged 4.5 million viewers in live plus same day delivery, with 1.4 million adults 18-49 and 1.8 million adults 25-54. The second season of Dallas has a 15-episode run, much of which will likely be without its villain J.R. Ewing played by Larry Hagman. The actor passed away on November 23, 2012 while filming the second season in the Texas city. Hagman is expected to appear in only the first six or so episodes of Dallas’ season two.
Related: ‘Dallas’ Will Hold Funeral For J.R. Ewing
Deadline's Dominic Patten - tip him here.
Loading ...
Those numbers are very disturbing for such a show and can’t fathom seeing this return once this second and possibly final season of the show bids adieu. They’ll get a little mileage from the JR transition but that’s about it. Look no further than 8 Simple Rules as an example. They never recovered after John Ritter passed away.
I agree they didn’t promote this like they did last year, I almost missed it but found it when I flipping through the channels. I love this show, I will miss J.R. but will continue to watch it.
The best show on TV now is Dallas. Boo oh they have low ratings.
Also, they didn’t promote it all. Last season, there were ads everywhere. This season, my DVR caught it but I had no idea it was starting up again. (Yes, I watch it. It’s trashy fun.)
Yep, no promotion at all. I had no idea it was returning. I’ll set my DVR now…maybe catch the season 2 premiere on a rerun during the week.
They also will rerun them on Saturday morning at 11 AM & 12 Noon eastern, I believe – you could check the TNT schedule.
Right! No promotion! I happened to see it on the cover of TV Guide the next day. I was really upset that I had missed it. I’m on the intertubes right now hoping I can watch it here. Trust me…next Monday I will be watching it on TV!!!
Watched it and loved it!! I don’t think the people counting viewers took into account folks like my daughter and others who decided to watch it on demand.
the fact is it just isn’t very good…i LOVED the classic Dallas episodes, looked forward to this reboot, and was mildly entertained as light”summer fare”…but there aren’t many likeable characters (or even ones you love to hate.)…and it looks pretty low budget too. Will stick around though for the death of JR…
Well you gotta flow forward with the future. Anything BUT low budget, just unknown actors except for the leads. If you watched the first showings of Dallas, pretty soap-opera amatuerous too. But those characters (actors) seasoned quickly, and the chemistry between them had to develop. You can tell (and it’s been explained by the producers) that they filmed a lot in Dallas itself, took advantage of HD technology, and are using real property sets, with a lot of action, and backdrop. Those things are not cheap. Nothing is ever as good as an original, because it’s just different. And has to be accepted for what it is. How many major motion pictures out there have sequels? Probably all a step down from the first, but entertaining for what they are.
THe new actors on Dallas are exceptional. I think they are doing a tremendous job and I love this show and watch it every Monday night as do lots of my friends. Bobbi is great and the new JR is going to carry this and be just like his Dad. I hope they don’t take this off the air as it is so nice to have a show from the past that so many people watched. The writers are also doing a really good job.
love the show but other than ken kercheval tweeting it was starting, i didnt know it was on. Also…i didnt know there were TWO episodes on..watched them backwards after the bachelor ended… All in all HORRIBLE MARKETING for the return.
What!!! Two episodes! Yikes! I’m really having to catch up now!
Too bad. Watched the first few eps and liked the show. Look for it to drop more as the weeks go on, especially after they run out of Hagman episodes. I wish the cast and crew well, though. Not a hater by any means.
It was fine for the summer when nothing else was on, but I’m guessing a lot of people have other (better) shows they’d rather watch right now.
Big difference premiering in-season v. summer. It’s not unusual for cable original dramas to drop significantly when they shift from summer to in-season. Not sure why TNT made the change. Dallas 2.0 seemed like the perfect summer drama.
8 Simple Rules actually did recover, it got a full third season. It would have stayed on another couples seasons but ABC knew it would be a hard sell in rerun land.
The premiere of season 2 was HORRIBLE! Don’t blame poor marketing for the drop this is all Cynthia Cidres fault and seems to be falling into line with all the other shows she’s been attached to!
While your entitled to your opinion I thought it was better than last season (and I liked that one). I think the tweaking she did in the first 2 episodes made for a great show. It’s up against stiff competition and performed better in the demo than most of TNT’s other original programming airing in “prime” tv season. .8 isn’t a bad 18-49 demo I was more suprised by the drop in 15-54 demo whic is suppose to be TNT’s prime target. I’ll enjoy it while it’s here as cable ratings\decisions are impossible to predict. The show could be cancelled by season’s end or go another 3 or 4 seasons.
Agree with you but I now know there is no substitute for good marketing.
ITA. Cidre is clueless about Dallas. People watched for JR/SE and you wouldn’t have even know they were THE couple if you just tuned in. Linda Gray was treated like some extra – even though they used her every chance they got to PROMOTE the damned thing.
Shoved boring Ann/Elena down viewers’ throats. Thought the 20 minute birthing of a calf was ‘an important plot development’ so she cut scenes showing attempts at a reconcilliation between JR/SE.
Then claimed she ‘didn’t know’ viewers wanted to see those two – um Dallas became a mega hit because of ‘those two’ – and she’d do better next time. (If you don’t even have a clue who the stars are why do you have this job?)
Watched a few eps of the original and read poorly, inaccurate synopses as her knowledge base as did her writers and couldn’t even get the locale or the BALL they all attended correct.
Woman NEVER should’ve been allowed near this once great show. I’m pretending Dallas ended Season 10 and am going to forget any of this happened.
I know Christopher is not technically a Ewing, but does any one find it strange that he is married and about to have children with his cousin ( through marriage)? The family lines become somewhat distorted at times. Just putting it out there.
The strangest thing on the show is Judith Light playing the mother of a guy she is actually 3 years older than and they didn’t make her up to look older. Very Bizarre.
The industry has a history, regarding age casting. Nothing new. I agree, however, that she looks a bit young for this role. This character’s mother could have been British, right? Hell – I would have really @#*# things up, and hired Joan Collins.
They didn’t HAVE to make her look older. She’s already “light” years beyond her dancing heydays in “Who’s the Boss.” But in this show she just looks creepy!!
Well noooo, not exactly. The storyline is convoluted but that’s what makes it so fun for all the dedicated viewers. Here’s the really fun part! Christopher is actually the son of JR and Kristen. You know? Mary Crosby or the one who shot JR in that famous episode. She tried to blackmail JR against Sue Ellen. And JR bought off her attempt. The baby got “rehomed” with Kirsten’s deadbeat boyfriend, who tried the same thing, once Kristen was dead. Bobby learned about the baby’s availability (but not necessarily that JR is the father. I believe only he knew). And Bobby adopted the baby in a personal adoption for money transaction, to make available to “Pamela” when she was in a deep depression about not being able to have children. So, that makes Christopher JR’s blood son, blood brother to Jon Ross, and Bobby’s Nephew. Enter Rebecca, the woman he is married too (as of Season II, Episode 2). Rebeccas is (supposedly) Cliff Barnes daughter by Afton Cooper (Audrey Landers) though viewers (apparently) have no proof of that. And I’m personally wondering how Sue Ellen figures in this, because of her (sort of) long term (but temporary) relationship with Cliff Barnes. Anyway, supposedly the Barnes and the Ewings are rivals, and of no relationship to one another (at least in terms of how the patriarchs of each family have been characterized). So no Cousin is married to any other Cousin that I know of. Yes, more than you needed to know I’m sure. But you’re still welcomed!!
Christoper is the son of Kristin and her photographer/blackmailer boyfriend Jeff Farraday. She didn’t carry to term the one JR supposedly fathered – whore was with so many men who knows who the REAL daddy was.
Christopher is Sue Ellen’s bio nephew but NO bio relation to JR.
Christopher is NOT JR’s son! They thought so because he had an affair with Kristen, but after she was dead the real father contacted Bobby and actually wanted to basically sell the baby. Bobby took him home to confront JR and Pam saw him before he could do that and they eventually adopted him.
Christopher is adopted. So she isn’t his cousin. There’s no blood between them.
Actually, Christopher and John Ross are related by blood. Christopher’s birthmother was Kristen Shephard, Sue Ellen’s younger sister. JR is not Christopher’s father. He thought he was because Kristen was pregnant with his baby when she shot him. She later miscarried after she left town. Jeff Faraday was Christopher’s birthfather.
Steve, what does THAT have to do with the price of cheese? NOTHING! (although that thought crossed my mind since last season’s finale, of which the whole adopted-Ewing aspect neatly covers)
Anyway, we as fans of Classic TV have to cover up for TNT’s poor media or timing and rally around this show, build its viewership, and boost ratings in an efort to save a multi-generational enjoyment and its future on-air!
All the true dallas fans, especially fans of the original dalllas, must stick together. I’ve watched tnt’s dallas from the very beginning, and yes I will admit, it could be better. Chalk it up to poor script writing. Cynthia Cidre needs to wake up here and realize what is going on. But anyway, I honestly believe that it will take awhile for dallas to get off the ground. Let’s all remember how it took the original dallas a couple of seasons before it got going. I believe tnt’s dallas will find it’s place…eventually. Don’t give up all you true dallas fans out there. Give it time. It’ll click.
Is there a more inept network (if that’s the right term) than TNT? A big ole clown car, front to back.
You mean TNT is ACTUALLY a whole Network? Yikes. I thought it was just the home of re-treads like Castle and the Mentalist, ad nauseaum. And that the “New” Dallas got lost on it’s way through the Cable Number line-up. Truth be told, I didn’t even know TNT existed until Dallas started it’s publicity campaign through the general media outlets. Now I see it’s trying out a whole bunch of new shows. Wonder where it’s getting all it’s funding??? It sure isn’t spending the money on publicity for it’s own shows!!! Maybe it doesn’t WANT to have to keep paying those mega-stars of the original cast. How sad.
The premiere episodes were fantastic and loved Julie Gonzalo and Judith Light! My suggestion: move it back to Wednesday, future seasons make it summer only: and Bring Back Pam: not a one episode stunt either. Bring Back Victoria Principal or recast with another top actress. Having the character back would be awesome!
Her character was “badly burned”, when Principal exited the show, and temporarily replaced with another actress (eventually). I dunno – guess that they can forget the past…
My guess is doing that is part of the master plot line. When this kind of episodic TV is pitched and begins filming, the story line has already been written through to the end. Just like a novel. Not everyone knows all the details, so leaks won’t happen. But every twist is leading towards an ultimate conclusion. My guess is that’s why a few unresolved details were left in the original Dallas. Especially about Victoria Principle leaving, through the circumstances that became part of the story. The fact that she was affected in a fire, meant she wasn’t killed off, but could return, portrayed by another actress, if enough “money” couldn’t sway her to reprise the role. The perfect intertwining is happening because Ann’s blood daughter has been raised by a mysterious woman (Judith Light) who may have sought to keep some distant (and I might add “sick”) connection to Bobby & family. Hoping to reunite one day. Or maybe not? And maybe that’s why they’ve lied to the daughter to alienate her so badly from Bobby & Ann. That’s part of the intrigue of course. I hope other Dallas History Fans will post their own theories!!!
Also: Bring Donna Mills back as the new villan: Abby Ewing!!
A very good suggestion.
I also think Monday at 9pm is a bad night for it.
Poor ratings on Dallas = bittersweet news for a couple of different reasons. Still – can’t stop smiling at this one.
I do agree that I think it has to do with winter. Look at most shows that air on summer (I’m looking at you USA) that premiere down when they return in winter (I’m still looking at you USA).
Poor Ratings, I for one did not watch it as i never knew it was on! Where was the advertising for season 2? The only reason I knew today was by tvbythenumbers website…………should HAVE been promoted!
Lack of promotion, and a bad night and time of year for the return killed the show. TNT goofed up this one.
Actually, this season has started out quite well, story-wise, and the show is produced with quite a bit of class, and money. It was not promoted well by TNT, perhaps in deference to Hagman’s death. However, the media in general has been beating it to…….um, has been really “discussing” these final JR episodes.
TNT should have left it on Wed nights, where a lot of viewers probably thought it would be on its return. Monday is a tough night. And it’s not yet avail on VOD here in Orange County, CA. DVD viewing should pump the numbers, but I would say move it back to Wed where it had an established following. Imagine the original Dallas if it had been on Mondays instead of Fridays!
People don’t give up on Dallas The Show was very good. J.R. was still on the show and very he was excellent last night.
Hard to be up against Biggest Loser and The Bachelor. I kept flipping between them! The only reason I knew it was on because I saw Linda Grey promoting it that morning!
Are you kidding? That people would rather watch a bunch of losers whining about losing weight and saving their life? Ya, sure. Or another loser bachelor lamenting the fact he only has 20 ex-beauty pagent girls to have sex with? Where is anyone’s sense of “drama” and classic “story-line” episodic TV? All TV is entertainment, even Reality (not) TV. So let’s call it what it is, contrived, and give due to the product of honest creative process!!!