Before Dallas and Dynasty and Falcon Crest and Knots Landings captured the imaginations of American viewers, there was a British soap import that was even more compelling.
From 1971-75, PBS aired the British upper crust soap Upstairs Downstairs. And now Upstairs Downstairs is going to be remade. It'll be filmed and shown in England first before coming to America in 2011.
What made Upstairs Downstairs classic television – it won Emmys, BAFTAs and Golden Globes – was the way it depicted of the British class system. Upstairs you had the rich, privileged Bellamy family. Downstairs there were the servants who worked for them. The lives of all these characters intertwined in a well-written, brilliantly acted drama series.
It worked for Star Trek, right? The CW has gone to the next generation well with both 90210 and Melrose Place the past couple of years, to less than stellar results. So would it even be a good idea for TNT to pick up a sequel series to the '80s classic Dallas?
The premise of the relaunch would be for the show to focus on the next generation of Ewings, featuring J.R. and Sue Ellen's son John Ross and Christopher, the adopted son of Bobby and Pam, as the new leads. The producers have already been in touch with original actors Larry Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy to discuss their possible involvement.
While there's no guarantee of a series, it does look like a pilot at least will be filmed. They'd have to be careful to make sure it appeals to people who've never seen Dallas, because that's getting to be a long time ago now. But there's always room on television for a well written family soap opera. Me, I'm still holding out for a next generation iteration of Soap.
Of all the names bandied about as replacement judges and guest judges on American Idol, I can honestly tell you that today's name made me smile. How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris is filling in as a guest judge on American Idol as they conduct auditions in Dallas, Texas.
Neil is not only one of the funniest talents around, but he is a legitimate singer who has appeared on Broadway, hosted the Tony Awards (and the upcoming Emmys, too) and knows what it takes to sing professionally. And let's not forget Dr. Horrible.
I love Battlestar Galactica, Dallas and cheesy opening credit sequences where the cast stops and poses for the camera. That's why my favorite thing on the Internet this morning is this Battlestar Galactica/Dallas mashup video I found over at Galactica Sitrep.
The funny thing is, this video really reveals BSG's '70s roots. The shot with the retro-looking (but modern) BSG logo popping up over the Dallas theme seems oddly appropriate. Kudos to the videomaker for including action shots featuring multiple Cylon Centurion models. The old school toasters mesh very well with the music. So does Lee Adama's season four Lorenzo Lamas hairdo, dontcha think?
I'd like to apologize to the makers of My Own Worst Enemy. I enjoyed the show to a certain extent, but I have no intention of buying the complete series set (complete series meaning one season). It's one of those shows that I kinda enjoyed each week, yet at the same time I'm not going to miss it, and I can't imagine grabbing the DVDs off of my shelf and watching the episodes again.
There's actually nothing I want to buy this week, so my wallet/bank account will be happy.
There is no better way to get inside a character's head (without resorting to charging up some power cutting tools and laying down some newspaper) than writing in a dream sequence.
Some of them, however, try to explain too much or cover too much ground and end up becoming the kind of dreams that keeps our Paxil dosage high and GlaxoSmithKline's stock price higher.
Are you available Saturday, November 8th? Will you be in Parker, Texas? If the answer to these questions is yes, then maybe you'll head out to Southfork Ranch for a reunion with cast members of the classic CBS mega-hit Dallas. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the primetime soap, several actors from the show -- those still around -- will gather for a huge celebration. J.R. -- Larry Hagman -- will be the unofficial host, with Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Bobby (Patrick Duffy) also confirmed. No, this is not a dream. It's a real anniversary get together!
And what's really terrific about this event, if you ask me, is that it's not a private party. You can buy a ticket and take part. Tickets go on sale August 22 and will cost between $100 and $1,000. And for that money there will be a chance to ask questions of the stars, enjoy a concert of country music, tour Southfork and watch a fireworks display. Presumably that will not be a re-enactment of "Who shot J.R.?"
The Nielsen ratings for last Friday night showed that NBC did really well with the Olympic opening ceremonies. Good for NBC, bad for fans of CBS's Swingtown. It didn't take a psychic to predict that all that NBC Universal hype would draw those who love pomp and spectacle. It also didn't take a seer to see that CBS wasn't giving Swingtown a fair shot by asking it to go up against the Olympics.
Still, in CBS's defense, Swingtown just hasn't grabbed the kind of ratings all summer long -- mostly on Thursday nights -- to warrant the network believing that it has a potential hit on its hand. The New York Times pondered Swingtown's fate, too.
I think it does, but only if CBS gives Swingtown some time. I'm not alone in thinking this either. Josef Adalian agrees, as do and many TV Squad readers have expressed their passion for this show. Will CBS hear them as they chant, "All we are saying, is give Swingtown a chance."
We all know that studios go ga-ga for big screen movies based on TV shows. Even if they tank, there seems to be an unending appetite to bring a beloved (or even semi-beloved) TV show to a theater near you: The Fugitive, Charlie's Angels, Transformers, The Beverly Hillbillies, Serenity (Firefly), The Simpsons, South Park, The Flintstones, The Jetsons...the list is endless. Now Den of Geek has a list of 23 shows that studios are planning to bring to the big screen.
But this list is really incomplete in so many ways. We've all heard that Magnum, P.I. might get the movie treatment, but this list only says that Matthew McConaughey might star and doesn't mention other people who have been rumored to have been attached to it in the past, including Ben Affleck and George Clooney.
This week's letter comes from a reader named Elaine and I definitely need any help I can get.
"I'm looking for the name of a TV series that ended with a group of people walking up to a truck and it exploded with someone in it. The show was cancelled a few years ago and I need to know the name or I'm gonna go crazy"
So, did you hear that they did a poll they did to determine which presidential candidate people would like to hang out with at a barbecue? Obama won 52 to 45 percent over McCain, which may not mean very much in the long run, but the day before July 4th it made news.
The thought of barbecues and July 4th parties got me thinking about which TV characters with whom I'd like to spend Independence Day. I wouldn't want them here at my place, though, I want to go to their places. I have high expectations, too, and a vivid imagination.
Here's the six TV characters who could expect me to join them to watch the rockets red glare -- if only they were real live folks and not just my fictional faves.
Gallery: Six characters I'd like to spend July 4th with
No need to adjust your glasses at the title of this post. What we're talking about here is the inflation-adjusted price of the Bionic Man in the year 2008. This is according to CNNMoney.com, which looked at a number of pop culture icons and programs to see what the costs for various things would be. Using tools from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they were able to put estimates not only the inflation adjusted costs but the actual cost in today's world.
Take Steve Austin, for instance. The six million dollars that it cost to make the former astronaut stronger and faster in 1974 would actually be an inflation-adjusted $26 million dollars today. Factor in the actual cost of the bionic parts, more than $100 million, and Steve would probably be stronger, not faster.
There are many, many good actors and actresses in daytime. Some shine brighter than others simply because they are so supremely talented that they raise the level of the drama they are creating. There are two women I'm writing about now. They are both daytime actresses of the highest order. One celebrated her birthday yesterday, May 7th. She's One Life to Live's inimitable Dorian Cramer, actress Robin Strasser. The other, I'm sad to report, passed away last weekend. The incomparable Beverlee McKinsey was famous for two characters: Iris Carrington on Another World and Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light. Ms. McKinsey, who'd retired from daytime -- and acting overall -- in 1992 (except for a brief cameo on General Hospital) died on Friday evening from kidney failure after undergoing a transplant.
I remember vividly watching Another World when Beverlee McKinsey was front and center. She was a dynamic actress, a real scene stealer. She commanded your attention as the spoiled, grown daughter of millionaire scion MacKenzie Cory, Iris, on Another World. Her voice saying, "Daddy," is embedded in my memory.
Just to prove that no news is too small when it comes to their ratings juggernaut American Idol, FOX has announced that the two-night four-hour season premiere (EXTRAVAGANZA!) of Idol will feature the auditions from Philadelphia (Tuesday 1/15 8pm/7 Central) and Dallas (Wednesday 1/16 8pm/7 Central). That's it. They'll tell us later what nights to tune in for the auditions in San Diego, Omaha, Atlanta, Charleston and Miami.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as big an Idol geek as the next guy, assuming he's a big Idol geek, but, really? This is your Idol announcement? My favorite part is how they tease us about the other cities. We could tell you now which episodes are which cities but we won't. Maybe they'll tell us ... "after the break." Ryan? Anyone? If I don't know what night Omaha is airing right now, I'm going to boycott the whole season!
Before Dallas and Dynasty and Falcon Crest and Knots Landings captured the imaginations of American viewers, there was a British soap import that was even more compelling. 
It worked for Star Trek, right? The CW has gone to the next generation well with both 90210 and Melrose Place the past couple of years, to less than stellar results. So would it even be a good idea for 
Of all the names bandied about as replacement judges and guest judges on American Idol, I can honestly tell you that today's name made me smile. How I Met Your Mother's 
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.
There is no better way to get inside a character's head (without resorting to charging up some power cutting tools and laying down some newspaper) than writing in a dream sequence. 
Are you available Saturday, November 8th? Will you be in Parker, Texas? If the answer to these questions is yes, then maybe you'll head out to 
The Nielsen ratings for last Friday night showed that 
We all know that studios go ga-ga for big screen movies based on TV shows. Even if they tank, there seems to be an unending appetite to bring a beloved (or even semi-beloved) TV show to a theater near you: 
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.
This week's letter comes from a reader named Elaine and I definitely need any help I can get.
So, did you hear that they did a 
No need to adjust your glasses at the title of this post. What we're talking about here is the inflation-adjusted price of the Bionic Man in the year 2008. This is according to CNNMoney.com, which looked at a number of 
There are many, many good actors and actresses in daytime. Some shine brighter than others simply because they are so supremely talented that they raise the level of the drama they are creating. There are two women I'm writing about now. They are both daytime actresses of the highest order. One celebrated her birthday yesterday, May 7th. She's One Life to Live's inimitable Dorian Cramer, actress Robin Strasser. The other, I'm sad to report, passed away last weekend. The incomparable 
Just to prove that no news is too small when it comes to their ratings juggernaut American Idol, FOX has announced that the two-night four-hour season premiere (EXTRAVAGANZA!) of Idol will feature the auditions from Philadelphia (Tuesday 1/15 8pm/7 Central) and Dallas (Wednesday 1/16 8pm/7 Central). That's it. They'll tell us later what nights to tune in for the auditions in San Diego, Omaha, Atlanta, Charleston and Miami.
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
