(Image: IMDB)
Dark Shadows became a movie. The CW tried to resurrect Melrose Place. It’s no wonder that Dallas is getting a modern makeover. However, unlike the other recent reboots of popular soap operas that didn’t go over so well, Dallas has what it takes to succeed where others have failed.
Cable network TNT’s modern take on this classic is unique in that it is a continuation of the original Dallas rather than a remake. It picks up a couple of decades after the original went off the air. With a successful premiere and a second season already announced, it looks like TNT has found the secret formula for bringing back a classic series and seems like Dallas is here to stay.
Here are five reasons to tune into TNT Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET and add Dallas to your summer line-up:
1. The backstory is easy to follow for new fans.
You don’t have to be a fan of the original or know its plotlines to enjoy this new incarnation. The premise is simple. After decades of feuding, brothers Bobby and J.R. Ewing have passed the torch onto their sons, Christopher and John Ross. At the center of it all is the family home of Southfork Ranch and the right to drill for oil on the land. Who will come out on top? You’ll have to watch and find out.
2. The original actors reprise their iconic roles and play a pivotal role in the series.
Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing) and Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) all reprise their original Dallas roles as well as play key roles in the plot. Unlike Melrose Place 2.0 where the veterans were pretty much there in the background and only interacted with the main cast to push along a story, the Dallas veterans all have their own interactions, personalities and (gasp!) storylines. Plus, there is no topping the brilliant one-liners that continuously come out of J.R.’s mouth. The best so far? “Bullets don’t have much of an effect on me, darling.” (He was shot three times on the original series and lived.)
(Image: IMDB)
3. The characters are on Twitter!
Want to get inside the head of your favorite character? Need something to hold you over in between episodes? You can follow all of the main characters (yes, the characters not the actors who play them) on Twitter. Unlike a lot of Twitter accounts that are fan-made, these are all verified and run by the show as a cool promotional tool that allows you to interact with the world of Dallas in a whole new way.
4. There is no shortage of drama at Southfork Ranch.
Love triangles, feuding family members and some crazy chicks oh my! All the soapy goodness, abet a bit toned down to fit with the modern television landscape, of the original abounds. Each episode brings a new twist, a new secret or new cliffhanger that always leaves you wanting to come back next week to figure out what the heck is going to happen next.
5. The Ewing boys are hot.
Christopher (played by Jesse Metcalfe, left) and his cousin John Ross (played by Josh Henderson, right) give a whole new meaning to summer heat. Though On The List is officially Team John Ross, both Ewing boys are complex, seductive and just plain good looking.
(Image: IMDB)
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