Being only elementary school age during the 1980s, I wasn't allowed the opportunity to enjoy the two supreme 1980s television "guilty pleasures," Dallas and Dynasty. Mom never watched Dynasty, but was a Dallas fan and would send me to go play when she and Dad watched Dallas on Friday nights (I can remember hearing Dad make fun of the plot developments while Mom grew more exasperated with every remark).
Partly out of a weird sense of nostalgia and partly because of the fact that I'm a devotee of melodrama, I bought seasons of both series and over the past couple years have plowed through several seasons of both shows. While I have a very definite opinion about which was better, I'll go ahead and open up the question for the benefit of those who might've been fans of either or both:
Which do you think was the better 1980s primetime soap - Dallas or Dynasty?
(And while I realize that there may also be fans of Falcon Crest, Hotel, Knots Landing, The Colbys, etc. out there, I'm more interested in your opinions of the two shows in question.)
Dallas vs. Dynasty
I was a big fan of Dynasty but can't compare because I never saw an episode of Dallas - in fact, I had no idea who they meant when I saw the headline "Who shot J.R.?"
Actually, more than the plot or storyline, I loved to see the clothing on the women in Dynasty.
Anne
Actually, more than the plot or storyline, I loved to see the clothing on the women in Dynasty.
Anne
Anne
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charliechaplinfan
- Posts: 9040
- Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am
Anne, I'm with you. I never saw Dallas, I was too young. I got in to Dynasty when the babysitter watched it with us one night. I was hooked from then. I loved the opening credits, it seemed the epitome of glamour.
Who did shoot JR?
Who did shoot JR?
Last edited by charliechaplinfan on February 10th, 2009, 1:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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MissGoddess
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My Mom watched DALLAS every week no matter what---it was her favorite show and I remember fights because I'd want to watch an old movie that might have been airing on another network and that just wasn't going to happen, lol.
My personal favorite was DYNASTY because of the clothes. I used to copy the fashions in my little notebook; I think that show, along with old movies, was what pitched me headlong into a love of beautiful clothes.
My personal favorite was DYNASTY because of the clothes. I used to copy the fashions in my little notebook; I think that show, along with old movies, was what pitched me headlong into a love of beautiful clothes.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
Interesting - this was one of the main reasons Mom watched Dallas. I will say that after watching Dynasty, I think the fashions on Dallas would likely have been more to my Mom's tastes. There've been times I've literally burst out laughing at some of Joan Collins' get-ups. Often the headwear (hats, scarves, etc.) was way over the top.mrsl wrote: Actually, more than the plot or storyline, I loved to see the clothing on the women in Dynasty.
Anne
MissGoddess wrote:My Mom watched DALLAS every week no matter what---it was her favorite show and I remember fights because I'd want to watch an old movie that might have been airing on another network and that just wasn't going to happen, lol.
I remember getting mad several times because I wanted to watch a movie on cable and couldn't because Mom had to see Dallas. And Dallas was the only show Mom really liked to watch. (Of course, these were back in the days when many families only had one TV - seems like forever ago). And then Fridays were the only nights I could stay up late, so it was even worse to have to wait til Dallas was over before I could find something to stay up and see.
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MissGoddess
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There you go! We had the same mother!srowley75 wrote: I remember getting mad several times because I wanted to watch a movie on cable and couldn't because Mom had to see Dallas. And Dallas was the only show Mom really liked to watch. (Of course, these were back in the days when many families only had one TV - seems like forever ago). And then Fridays were the only nights I could stay up late, so it was even worse to have to wait til Dallas was over before I could find something to stay up and see.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
I guess we were the lucky ones. My kids had a 24 inch color TV back in the soundproof family room to watch whatever they wanted. Mr L and I had one in the living room and there was still another one in our bedroom, so no problem in who watched what.
I never liked the cast that was previewed for Dallas, and that's what turned me off of it, yet John Forsythe was a huge come-on for Dynasty. You're right about Joan Collins hair and outfits though, and the shoulder pads were like football padding.
Anne
I never liked the cast that was previewed for Dallas, and that's what turned me off of it, yet John Forsythe was a huge come-on for Dynasty. You're right about Joan Collins hair and outfits though, and the shoulder pads were like football padding.
Anne
Anne
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Dynasty fans might be interested to know Stephanie Beecham, who played Sable has recently joined the cast of long running UK soapCoronation Street. Her character has made a special friend of the shows longest serving part the married Ken Barlow with a possible romance in the future. Sadly that might be up in the air now as William Roache, who plays Ken, lost his wife at the weekend and has been given as much time off as he needs.
Ten things about Dallas and Dynasty
Before I begin, understand that I've only viewed the first seven seasons of Dallas and the first three of Dynasty.
Also: bear in mind that this message is intended for people who've seen at least one of the shows. Depending on your situation, the references to certain characters and situations may be meaningless to you.
1. The theme music for each show rocks. Each sets a different tone, yet both are appropriate given their representative series. I enjoy listening to the various incarnations of the Dallas theme, from the original of the late 1970s with its wocka-chicka beat to the brassier, louder 1980s versions. You get the feeling you're in for some intrigue.
Dynasty, on the other hand, oozes glamour and glitz and melodrama. Have to say, though, that I prefer the original theme with its prominent strings to the headache-inducing brass of the second season and following. The final note of the brass version reminds me of the note Fred MacMurray trumpeted in the opening to The Absent Minded Professor to shatter the drinking glass. And let me just inject here that the photo montages for Dynasty were nothing short of hysterical. Linda Evans descends a staircase, giving an oddly timed look of mild surprise (even then her lips looked botoxed); Joan Collins, looking very stiff, takes a drag from her long cigarette holder; and where Steven Carrington #1 Al Corley rather peevishly pulls off his tuxedo tie in the credits for seasons 1-2, Steven Carrington #2 Jack Coleman angrily yanks said tie from his neck in mid-season 3.
2. Both shows experienced a rocky start, but Dallas far moreso than Dynasty. In fact, Dallas in its early days wasn't even a real soap opera. Each show seemed to have its own story, and that story comprised the entire hour. Only later were several storylines woven together into a continuing series.
Dynasty's early problems stemmed partially from oddball casting and partially from uninteresting plots. The show seemed glitzy but early on wallowed in the mire of oil drilling and the day-to-day grind of Claudia Blaisdel transitioning from mental hospital to humdrum huswifery. Thank God Alexis entered early in season 2 to spice things up with some melodrama.
3. Early on, Dallas faced issues with stock characterization that would worsen in its later years. It's established from the beginning that patriarch Jock was a somewhat ruthless oilman, yet he really loves little woman Ellie Southworth. Son JR (Larry Hagman) became the villain he was virtually out of need to please his parents and divert their attention from goody-two-shoes golden boy Bobby (Patrick Duffy). And at the beginning Ray (Steve Kanaly) isn't exactly on the straight and narrow, seeing as how he's been screwing young hot-to-trot Lucy. And the entire family isn't thrilled about Bobby's having married Pamela Barnes. Already the stage is set for the makings of some complex characterization, but that isn't what we wind up getting. Along comes season 3 and JR has become Snidely Whiplash out to manipulate everyone else in Dallas. If there's a problem or tragedy anywhere - whether a car accident or a miscarriage or drug/alcohol addiction or lumps in the mashed potatoes, odds are JR is responsible somehow, as his tentacles extend virtually across the globe into the lives of everyone the world over. And while the "Who Shot JR?" cliffhanger was a true publicity work of a art, it exponentially worsened the characterization problem.
Dynasty, on the other hand, gave viewers some more complex characters and more complicated storylines. Blake Carrington seemed an OK sort at first but we eventually find out he's a bigot; we understand some of Alexis' motives for wanting to destroy him; we understand why Steven is so pissed at everyone; and Fallon and Claudia Blaisdel both have issues and are fairly unpredictable at times. The only reliably good characters are Jeff and Krystle, and even they face complicated problems that extend beyond "It's all Alexis' fault!" In fact, when slimy Adam enters the picture, at times we wind up rooting for Alexis to get the better of him.
4. There's just something about Pamela Sue Martin (Fallon, Dynasty) and her voice that I find irresistable (it has a Tanya Roberts quality). And she makes a perfect brat. She's made Fallon one of my favorite soap characters ever (though the list is admittedly not that long).
5. As mentioned before, the fashions for Dynasty have often provoked me to fits of laughter, especially as worn by Joan Collins. Perhaps during the 1980s her look was considered all the rage, but at times I just wonder if designers weren't involved in some sort of silent contest to make her look as ridiculous as possible without losing all credibility.
6. By the third or fourth season of Dallas I started giggling whenever I heard Barbara Bel Geddes maternal-sounding drawl on certain character names: "Paaaammmm"; "Jaawwwwk"; "Jay Aaaarrrrr." She really perfected that earnest old country gal act.
7. Charlene Tilton (Lucy, Dallas) is the single worst actress ever. Period. Pia Zadora, Dolores Fuller, Madonna, Connie Mason - all of them are thespians of the highest order in comparison to Charlene Tilton. She reads her lines with no believable conviction or enthusiasm at all. She makes no effort at communicating through body language or facial expression. She can't even express rage convincingly (possibly the easiest task when it comes to acting). I can only assume she acquired her part through means other than her supposed acting talent.
8. Even though throughout Dallas we're supposed to despise villainous JR, at the same time I find it difficult to sympathize with good guy Bobby (Patrick Duffy) because the character proves unintentionally nauseating. Given his good looks, great bod, commitment to truth and justice, and devotion to his momma and daddy, he's tailor-made for the adoration of audiences, but after a while I began to feel ill every time he and All-American girl Pam (Victoria Principal) made cow eyes at each other and wandered around the sets with weepy music playing in the background. After several successive episodes depicting their perfect lives, you're thankful that JR is around to occasionally knock them on their behinds.
That's not really the case with Dynasty. From the outset Krystle and Blake don't have a perfect marriage; Krystle's still carrying a dimly-lit torch for a married guy and she's almost driven away by husband Blake and his insufferably dysfunctional family. Even Jeff and Fallon, hot young couple though they be, are always fighting.
9. The catfights of Dynasty beat the all-out brawls of Dallas hands down. It's not that impressive to see virtual no-name men (save Larry Hagman) dogpiling on each other. It's wild to see Joan Collins and Linda Evans throwing dignity to the wind and jumping into a lily pond, with John Forsythe coming along and subtly rubbing salt in the actresses' wounds by comparing them to mud wrestlers.
10. Once you get 2-3 episodes beyond each season's cliffhanger on Dallas, the suspense subsides and you're left in a rather boring lull. Not so Dynasty - it's as though the writers juggled the multiple storylines so that you were kept in suspense from week to week over one character or another's fate.
So, my take: Dallas may have been the pick of the masses, but I prefer Dynasty far more. Campier, better written, and less predictable.
Also: bear in mind that this message is intended for people who've seen at least one of the shows. Depending on your situation, the references to certain characters and situations may be meaningless to you.
1. The theme music for each show rocks. Each sets a different tone, yet both are appropriate given their representative series. I enjoy listening to the various incarnations of the Dallas theme, from the original of the late 1970s with its wocka-chicka beat to the brassier, louder 1980s versions. You get the feeling you're in for some intrigue.
Dynasty, on the other hand, oozes glamour and glitz and melodrama. Have to say, though, that I prefer the original theme with its prominent strings to the headache-inducing brass of the second season and following. The final note of the brass version reminds me of the note Fred MacMurray trumpeted in the opening to The Absent Minded Professor to shatter the drinking glass. And let me just inject here that the photo montages for Dynasty were nothing short of hysterical. Linda Evans descends a staircase, giving an oddly timed look of mild surprise (even then her lips looked botoxed); Joan Collins, looking very stiff, takes a drag from her long cigarette holder; and where Steven Carrington #1 Al Corley rather peevishly pulls off his tuxedo tie in the credits for seasons 1-2, Steven Carrington #2 Jack Coleman angrily yanks said tie from his neck in mid-season 3.
2. Both shows experienced a rocky start, but Dallas far moreso than Dynasty. In fact, Dallas in its early days wasn't even a real soap opera. Each show seemed to have its own story, and that story comprised the entire hour. Only later were several storylines woven together into a continuing series.
Dynasty's early problems stemmed partially from oddball casting and partially from uninteresting plots. The show seemed glitzy but early on wallowed in the mire of oil drilling and the day-to-day grind of Claudia Blaisdel transitioning from mental hospital to humdrum huswifery. Thank God Alexis entered early in season 2 to spice things up with some melodrama.
3. Early on, Dallas faced issues with stock characterization that would worsen in its later years. It's established from the beginning that patriarch Jock was a somewhat ruthless oilman, yet he really loves little woman Ellie Southworth. Son JR (Larry Hagman) became the villain he was virtually out of need to please his parents and divert their attention from goody-two-shoes golden boy Bobby (Patrick Duffy). And at the beginning Ray (Steve Kanaly) isn't exactly on the straight and narrow, seeing as how he's been screwing young hot-to-trot Lucy. And the entire family isn't thrilled about Bobby's having married Pamela Barnes. Already the stage is set for the makings of some complex characterization, but that isn't what we wind up getting. Along comes season 3 and JR has become Snidely Whiplash out to manipulate everyone else in Dallas. If there's a problem or tragedy anywhere - whether a car accident or a miscarriage or drug/alcohol addiction or lumps in the mashed potatoes, odds are JR is responsible somehow, as his tentacles extend virtually across the globe into the lives of everyone the world over. And while the "Who Shot JR?" cliffhanger was a true publicity work of a art, it exponentially worsened the characterization problem.
Dynasty, on the other hand, gave viewers some more complex characters and more complicated storylines. Blake Carrington seemed an OK sort at first but we eventually find out he's a bigot; we understand some of Alexis' motives for wanting to destroy him; we understand why Steven is so pissed at everyone; and Fallon and Claudia Blaisdel both have issues and are fairly unpredictable at times. The only reliably good characters are Jeff and Krystle, and even they face complicated problems that extend beyond "It's all Alexis' fault!" In fact, when slimy Adam enters the picture, at times we wind up rooting for Alexis to get the better of him.
4. There's just something about Pamela Sue Martin (Fallon, Dynasty) and her voice that I find irresistable (it has a Tanya Roberts quality). And she makes a perfect brat. She's made Fallon one of my favorite soap characters ever (though the list is admittedly not that long).
5. As mentioned before, the fashions for Dynasty have often provoked me to fits of laughter, especially as worn by Joan Collins. Perhaps during the 1980s her look was considered all the rage, but at times I just wonder if designers weren't involved in some sort of silent contest to make her look as ridiculous as possible without losing all credibility.
6. By the third or fourth season of Dallas I started giggling whenever I heard Barbara Bel Geddes maternal-sounding drawl on certain character names: "Paaaammmm"; "Jaawwwwk"; "Jay Aaaarrrrr." She really perfected that earnest old country gal act.
7. Charlene Tilton (Lucy, Dallas) is the single worst actress ever. Period. Pia Zadora, Dolores Fuller, Madonna, Connie Mason - all of them are thespians of the highest order in comparison to Charlene Tilton. She reads her lines with no believable conviction or enthusiasm at all. She makes no effort at communicating through body language or facial expression. She can't even express rage convincingly (possibly the easiest task when it comes to acting). I can only assume she acquired her part through means other than her supposed acting talent.
8. Even though throughout Dallas we're supposed to despise villainous JR, at the same time I find it difficult to sympathize with good guy Bobby (Patrick Duffy) because the character proves unintentionally nauseating. Given his good looks, great bod, commitment to truth and justice, and devotion to his momma and daddy, he's tailor-made for the adoration of audiences, but after a while I began to feel ill every time he and All-American girl Pam (Victoria Principal) made cow eyes at each other and wandered around the sets with weepy music playing in the background. After several successive episodes depicting their perfect lives, you're thankful that JR is around to occasionally knock them on their behinds.
That's not really the case with Dynasty. From the outset Krystle and Blake don't have a perfect marriage; Krystle's still carrying a dimly-lit torch for a married guy and she's almost driven away by husband Blake and his insufferably dysfunctional family. Even Jeff and Fallon, hot young couple though they be, are always fighting.
9. The catfights of Dynasty beat the all-out brawls of Dallas hands down. It's not that impressive to see virtual no-name men (save Larry Hagman) dogpiling on each other. It's wild to see Joan Collins and Linda Evans throwing dignity to the wind and jumping into a lily pond, with John Forsythe coming along and subtly rubbing salt in the actresses' wounds by comparing them to mud wrestlers.
10. Once you get 2-3 episodes beyond each season's cliffhanger on Dallas, the suspense subsides and you're left in a rather boring lull. Not so Dynasty - it's as though the writers juggled the multiple storylines so that you were kept in suspense from week to week over one character or another's fate.
So, my take: Dallas may have been the pick of the masses, but I prefer Dynasty far more. Campier, better written, and less predictable.
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Garbomaniac
- Posts: 348
- Joined: May 11th, 2007, 10:00 pm
Re: Dallas vs. Dynasty
Oh, Dynasty has got my vote! Now, those people were RICH and knew how to use it! I did watch many episodes of Dallas, but although they had money, it was mostly from the land. They were people of the land. They were really just down-to-earth everyday folks who happened to have a lot of money. And, even though I was a big fan of Larry Hagman in Jeannie, I didn't care for his charater of J.R. at all. I just felt it was too close to home for some reason. He did it so well. Now, you take Joan Collins as Alexis. She was playing close to type as well, but I think we all knew that. So, when she was brought into the cast, everyone cheered! And, I am with you, srowley, Pamela Sue is one of the MAIN reason I watched the show. When they replaced her, I was very disappointed. Emma Samms just never did it for me. But, then they replaced Steven! Well, I wasn't sure it was the same show! But, I loved it when they brought in Stephanie Beacham; what a foil for Alexis! I continued to watch, though, because I am a sucker for watching big bucks. That is why my favorite era was the over-the-top THIRTIES! Talk about money. Those sets! Those Clothes! Those Vacation RESORTS! The FORTIES slid more into family and home life, and then into Noir. I was overjoyed that America was going back to money with Dynasty, but Reagan and Nancy were on the throne, and everything seem to be top drawer. Of course, it all came crashing down. And, in just a couple of decades we are back to a depression. Ha! I keep waiting for Fred and Ginger to make a comeback!