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.
