| It was the soap opera that gripped us with the feuding and love-lives of the Ewing family, oil millionaires from Texas, who despite their vast wealth, all chose to live side by side in a huge ranch. Dallas became so popular that it was sold to TV networks around the world and the 1980 cliff hanger of "who shot JR", the show's resident villain, was watched by 80 million people. JR of course, survived the shooting, and now his character, played by Larry Hagman, is swaggering through Texas once more, alongside his saintly brother Bobby, and alcoholic ex-wife Sue-Ellen. The original series became synonymous with a free-market "greed is good" view of the world, where it was acceptable, and even expected, that the rich would flaunt their wealth. So making money will still be the main motivator for most of the Ewings. Yet in the middle of a global downturn, with real Americans struggling to find jobs and pay their bills, will anyone want to watch it again? Larry Hagman is optimistic. He says the original series became popular during a US recession, as people chose to stay at home to save money, and watched TV instead. Of course, what viewers will really want to see, is JR getting away with double-crossing his own family again and again and again. |
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