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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the BEST Seasons, July 16, 2008
First of all, I am extremely happy and impressed that the popularity of the Dallas DVDs continues to surge, prompting Warner Bros. to release DVDs of the more "unpopular" seasons (the big question is whether Warner Bros. will release the dreadful final 4 seasons of the show). When Warner Bros. released the first 2 seasons on DVD, I never imagined that they would ever get to the so-called "dream season".
The reason this season was erased had more to do with producers' egos and control and less to do with satisfying the fans. Producer Leonard Katzman and his preferred "writing crew" were basically pushed out by Executive Producer Phil Capice at the end of last season. Hence, Katzman chose to erase this season to "stick it" to Phil Capice and the replacement writers. By erasing the entire season, Katzman was trying to reaffirm to himself and everyone else that without him, Dallas could not be a success. He explained to the press that he just couldn't fix "the mess" that was Season 9. So, he made sure everyone knew that he had no other choice because Phil Capice and his new writing crew had screwed Dallas up so much with these storylines. What most people do not know is that Dallas had lower ratings in all seasons subsequent to the "dream season" (i.e., all subsequent seasons where Leonard Katzman was Executive Producer, replacing Phil Capice).
Although Leonard Katzman's creativity and brilliance were essential to making Dallas the success it became, the dream season was actually a pretty good season, particularly the first 12 - 14 episodes. Yes, it emphasized more "Dynasty glitz". However, the storylines were still far superior than any other stories in other prime-time soaps. As far as "silly storylines", this season may have had a few, but so did almost EVERY season of Dallas. Emerald Mine storyline? Yes, a little silly, but not as silly as the "Wes Parmalee/Jock" storyline to occur in the next season, or Clayton's obsession with a girl in a painting that played out in the 11th season. Angelica Nero storyline too long? Maybe. But so was the "Jenna Wade/Naldo Murder" storyline in the previous season. Ironically, the Angelica Nero storyline was created by Leonard Katzman (who still wrote a handful of episodes during this season and was credited as a "Creative Consultant" during this season).
The early episodes of this season included some of the best writing and acting in the entire run of the series. The first episode tugged at your heart as you watched Miss Ellie asking J.R. to pour her a drink, and J.R. at first being non-responsive due to the shock of Bobby's death. Then J.R. lashes out at Sue Ellen for not being at Bobby's deathbed, showing the audience that J.R. needed to lash out at someone to help mitigate the mourning that J.R. was enduring for the death of his little brother. You cannot help from tearing up watching Pamela crying herself to sleep and blaming herself that her little boy would never see his father again. Gary and Ray offering to help J.R. at the office causes an uncalled-for hurtful response from J.R., showing that he isn't invincible and can hurt just like anyone else in the family. One of the best monologues in the show's history is when J.R. is standing alone at Bobby's casket at the end of the funeral: "Never really told you how much you meant to me. All the fights, all that time buttin' heads with one another. I'm sorry we were never friends. I wish I'd taken time to tell you that I loved you. I do. And you tell Daddy I love him too. Goodbye, Bobby. I miss you."
Linda Gray's acting in the first few episodes should have earned her an Emmy. It was amazing to watch her character reach rock bottom and attempt to climb out of the depths of hell. One memorable scene involves Sue Ellen looking at herself in the mirror at a motel room after a night of heavy alcohol consumption and yelling at herself about how terrible of a person she has become. "J.R. is right!" she screams at herself, after learning that her 10-carat diamond ring had been stolen from her while she was passed out in the dingy motel room.
Susan Howard and Steve Kanaly had brilliant scenes involving Donna's pregnancy, miscarriage, and subsequent attempts to adopt a deaf child.
Pricilla Presley's acting is....well, yes, it still sucks. Worse than it did in previous seasons.
Bobby's return in the shower? Well, yes, it was cheesy. But let me just say that this "cliffhanger" and "cliffhanger resolution" was not the worst in the series' history. The way the writers got rid of Pam at the end of Season 10 was the biggest fraud in the history of the show. After Patrick Duffy opted to return, the writers never felt comfortable writing any character off the show in any permanent fashion. Hence, the explanation that Pam would simply leave her beloved husband and child because of her "vanity" was one of the most stupid explanations to any character's departure. So, Bobby's return in the shower, as ridiculous as it may have been, was not as ridiculous as Pamela's decision to leave her family. That was completely out of character. And THAT is when the show "jumped the shark".
Give this season a chance. Yes, it becomes irrelevant, but it still has some of the best stories and acting in the show's entire run. In retrospect, I wish they hadn't erased this season. However, in light of the need to get Patrick Duffy back and in light of Leonard Katzman's incredible ego to stick it to those who ran him out of town, the "dream resolution" is not entirely unexpected and somewhat understandable.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dream Season, March 27, 2008
Well, here we are finally, at the release of the famous dream season. Now, after my last review where I got down on the last season, I found upon re-watching it that it was really quite good-I think all of Dallas is brilliant in it's way really. So, this season is different to be sure-Leonard Katzman was gone and the style of the show went very glamorous, very Dynasty-esque, and it is not at all like Dallas of before or after in many ways. Lucy is gone and that doesn't matter of course, but Bobby is also gone and that does indeed make a difference. The season itself has of course been hampered in retrospect by the fact that we now know none of it really happens. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of interesting twists and turns that keep the season good dramatically. The only question is how you will react to the different ways that the characters speak and act, and that I've found is more a matter of personal taste than anything else. I am not going to lie that this is probably my least favorite season of the show for these reasons I've listed above-but it still beats almost anything else from other shows, and it's still Dallas so it gets 5 stars, especially after I was pleasantly surprised by my re-viewing of the last season on DVD. With Barabara Bel Geddes back as Miss Ellie, and also starring Jared Martin as Dusty Farlow, Steve Forrest as Ben Stivers, Deborah Shelton as Mandy Winger, Jenilee Harrison as Jamie Ewing Barnes, Dack Rambo as Jack Ewing, Marc Singer as Matt Cantrell, and John Beck as Mark Graison.
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25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Dallas Season 9" - This "Dream Season" Should Have Remained Reality!, April 8, 2008
"Dallas" Season 9 (1985-86) begins with final goodbyes to Bobby as the Ewing clan come together to pay their respects. This season sees the departure of Patrick Duffy, as Bobby, and the return of the much beloved Barbara Belle Geddes, as she reprises her role as Miss Ellie. Donna Reed, of course, exits the show, and new faces abound as Jenilee Harrison (Three's Company) as Jamie Ewing Barnes, Dack Rambo as Jack Ewing, Marc Singer as Matt Cantrell, and John Beck returns as Mark Graison. As mentioned in the previous reviews, "Season 9" is Pam Ewing's "dream season," and is quiet enjoyable in it's storyline and characters. The return of Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing in the following season, was no doubt an attempt to boost the shows TV ratings and put it back in the top spot. "Dallas" fans have seen "the best" of the series with these 9 season sets, with the shows producers and directors loosing the show's identity with far-fetched shcemes and over-the-top glamour that strays way too far from the original formula that made "Dallas" the traditional TV drama that viewers loved to endulge themselves in. The original formula of TV's "Dallas" guaranteed the viewer a season filled with fun and creative storylines which remained in a believable setting that the viewer had not only become familiar with, but enjoyed looking forward to the suspense and drama that came with each episodes deals, plots, and schemes! And as the season came to it's close it always gleefully culminated into a "season finale cliffhanger" that left you begging for more!
Here's a listing of "Dallas" Season 9 episodes:
1- The Family Ewing- The Ewings come together for Bobby's funeral; Dusty tells Sue Ellen he loves her; Miss Ellie is happy to have Gary back for a time
2- Rock Bottom- Sue Ellen goes on a massive bender, as a worried Clayton and Miss Ellie search for her; Bobby's will is read, leaving Cliff hoping to take advantage of its orders; Mandy presses J.R. to divorce Sue Ellen
3- Those Eyes- Clayton and Miss Ellie keep searching for Sue Ellen; Pam is courted by two offers for Christopher's Ewing Oil shares; J.R. and Dusty clash over Sue Ellen
4- Resurrection- Miss Ellie ponders Jeremy Wendell's offer for her Ewing Oil shares; Dusty vows to stick by Sue Ellen; Pam is tailed by a mysterious figure
5- Saving Grace- Pam is stunned to discover Mark Graison really is alive; J.R. digs into Jack's background; Ray and Miss Ellie question whether to accept Weststar's offer for their Ewing Oil shares; Dusty worries his attempt to help Sue Ellen may actually be a hindrance to her recovery
6- Mothers- Sue Ellen's mother comes to Southfork, hoping to get her and J.R. together again; Mark explains his absence to Pam, who decides what to do with Christopher's Ewing Oil shares; Jack grows fond of Jenna; Miss Ellie wrestles with her decision on her own Ewing Oil shares
7- The Wind of Change- Miss Ellie and Pam make their final decisions on the Weststar offer; Donna and Ray get bad news about her pregnancy; Sue Ellen continues to progress in her recovery; Jack woos Jenna further; Mandy shows up at the Oil Baron's Ball
8- Quandary- Ray and Donna investigate options to deal with their retarded baby; Dusty claims he's staying in Dallas; J.R. immediately seeks to find a way to rid himself of Pam; Cliff wants Jamie back; Angelica Nero wines and dines the town's oilmen
9- Close Encounters- Angelica attends a Southfork Rodeo; Sue Ellen's mother warns her away from Dusty; J.R. offers Jack a job at Ewing Oil
10- Suffer The Little Children- Donna is rushed to the hospital, with hers and the baby's life at risk; Cliff tries to repair his relationships with Jamie and Pam; Sue Ellen renews the custody battle with J.R., who's busy discovering Angelica's past
11- The Prize- John Ross runs away as the custody fight comes to a close; Angelica tries to rush her deal with Ewing Oil, while J.R. continues to investigate her motives
12- En Passant- J.R. appeals his loss of John Ross' custody; Donna and Ray deal with the loss of their baby in very different ways; J.R.'s kidnapped detective is used by Angelica and Nicholas to futher the Marinos venture; Sue Ellen and her mother argue over her future
13- Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen- J.R. hopes to trick Sue Ellen into giving up custody; Jenna breaks things off with Jack; Pam wants to vacation with Mark; Clayton makes a deal without Miss Ellie's knowledge
14- Curiosity Killed The Cat- Clayton shields Miss Ellie from his financial pinch; Ray and Donna move into Southfork; Cliff tries to tell Mandy that J.R. doesn't care about her; Jack goes missing
15- The Missing Link- Pam seeks answers about the emerald from Matt Cantrell; Mandy double-crosses J.R.; Jack is still missing, and his presence is needed more than ever; Sue Ellen starts working
16- Twenty-Four Hours- The search for Jack takes new urgency as Jamie lay near death; Donna starts working with downs syndrome kids; Angelica reveals why Jack is so important to her; Pam seeks a way to work with Mark.
17- The Deadly Game- Jamie slowly recovers at the hospital; J.R. recruits Marilee Stone into the Marinos deal; Clayton's problems ease, not knowing Miss Ellie is the source; Pam arranges for a visit to Mark's Colombian emerald mine
18- Blame It On Bogota- J.R. and Cantrell continue their plot to set up Pam; Angelica grows unhappy over the profit sharing arrangement from the Marinos deal; Mark feels he and Pam may not have a future
19- Shadow Games- Pam and Matt get to Colombia; Sue Ellen's newfound stability makes J.R. reevaluate her; Clayton finds out Miss Ellie balied him out; Donna confides to Miss Ellie that her baby would've had downs syndrome; Jenna becomes increasingly despondant over Bobby's death
20- Missing- J.R. and local authorities try to locate Pam, who has disappeared in Colombia; Jack succumbs to Grace's wiles; Mandy stops working for Cliff
21- Dire Straits- Mark and Cliff work to secure Pam's release; Jenna sinks deeper into depression; Donna grows close to a retarded child; J.R. thinks he understands Dimitri; Mandy confesses her treachery
22- Overture- J.R. shows an increasingly active interest in reconciling with Sue Ellen; Jenna begins to realize she can't deal with her grief over Bobby alone; Pam wants to explore the emerald mine; Ray takes interest in a deaf foster child
23- Sitting Ducks- J.R. grows more suspicious of Angelica and the Marinos deal; Pam must defend her job at Ewing Oil; Lucy's wedding rattles Jenna; Ray continues to grow fond of a parentless deaf boy
24- Masquerade- J.R. and Jack are unaware of the danger they're in at the Martinique conference; Pam questions her role at Ewing Oil; Jenna nears a total mental breakdown
25- Just Desserts- Angelica disappears in the aftermath of the assassination attempt; Jenna plans to leave Dallas; Ray talks to Donna about adopting; Pam makes a decision regarding her employment at Ewing Oil
26- Nothing's Ever Perfect- Having regained control of Ewing Oil, J.R. sets his sights firmly on Sue Ellen; Ray and Donna start adoption procedures; Angelica plots revenge; Jenna second-guesses leaving Southfork
27- J.R. Rising- J.R. tries to get a bigger piece of the Marinos deal; Ray's manslaughter conviction hampers the adoption proceedings; Matt makes an emerald strike; Angelica comes back to the United States
28- Serendipity- Cliff thinks J.R.'s set up he and the cartel for failure in the Marinos deal; Donna and Ray work on Tony's reluctance to be adopted; Jamie fears a new Barnes/Ewing feud is brewing; Angelica makes a beeline for Dallas
29- Thrice In A Lifetime- The cartel is ready to join Cliff to battle J.R.; Pam and Mark make wedding preparations; Angelica moves forward with her revenge scheme; the Krebbs meet more obstacles in their quest to adopt Tony
30- Hello, Goodbye, Hello- New ranch hand Ben Stivers prompts suspicion from Clayton and Punk; J.R. gets valuable information against Mark Graison, but finds Ewing Oil in danger; Ray and Donna get a hearing in their adoption case; Angelica gets closer to her revenge
31- Blast From The Past- J.R. pledges himself anew to Sue Ellen; Angelica brings her revenge plot to fruition; Ray and Donna learn if they'll be allowed to adopt Tony; Pam and Mark are married, but she awakens to a surprise in her shower...
"Dallas - The Complete Tenth Season" is probably scheduled for a late Autumn release this year, and will continue where Season 8 left off, which makes this "Season 9" sadly "obsolete." I just don't understand how the show's writers could simply toss out Season 9's storylines and happenings and think that the show wouldn't be damaged in some way by it? Bobby Ewing was a great part of the "Dallas" cast, however, his resurrection became the death of it.
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