TNT brought out its cast and producers for the upcoming “continuation” of the eighties primetime drama, Dallas, to Saturday’s TCA press tour in Pasadena. Faced with several questions as to how they were preserving its legacy, the group was clear that it was staying true to its predecessor.
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“The script that [executive producer Cynthia Cidre] wrote for the pilot honored all the intricate elements of what Dallas was in the past,” says executive producer Michael Robin. “And basically we dropped back in 20 years later. And a lot of the story elements are very similar in the way that we have an epic family drama, the interpersonal fights… We’re not taking it to a whole different place.”

Here are five other things we learned during the session.

It’s not a “primetime soap.” “Epic family drama” seems to be the preferred description among the group for the series. The phrase was used several times by different panelists. Is “soap” a bad word with the current state of daytime TV?

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And the next TV show to get a re-boot is… “Dallas.”

TNT announced Friday that the cable network has ordered 10 episodes of a new “Dallas,” describing the show as “an all-new series based upon one of the most popular television dramas of all time.”

In case you don’t believe them, you can expect to see former “Dallas” stars Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Larry Hagman.

The drama, starring Brenda Strong, Josh Henderson, Jordana Brewster and Jesse Metcalf, will debut in summer of 2012 — but the network will air a sneak peek during Monday’s episodes of “The Closer” and “Rizzoli & Isles.”

Source – WashingtonPost.com

Jesse Metcalfe is moving to “Dallas.”

The former “Desperate Housewives” actor has signed on for TNT’s revamp of the popular ’70s and ’80s nighttime soap “Dallas,” with Metcalfe talking on the role of Christopher Ewing, the adopted son of Bobby and Pam Ewing.

Former “Veronica Mars” actress Julie Gonzalo has also joined on with the cast, as Christopher’s fiancée Rebecca.

The “Dallas” revamp, which comes via “Cane” creator Cynthia Cidre and Warner Horizon, will kick its predecessor’s narrative a generation into the future, focusing on the offspring of brothers/rivals J.R. and Bobby Ewing.

Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy, who played them in the original are also locked in to appear in the pilot episode, as is Linda Gray, who immortalized the role of Sue Ellen in the original series.

Source – TheWrap.com