I was invited to a screening of TNT's new version of Dallas -- set to premiere June 13 -- last night, and when I read "screening" in the email, I thought I'd sit in a room with other bloggers, watching the pilot and tweeting. (My brain, it is adorable.) Guys, I can watch/tweet the heck out of a TV show, just ask anyone who has ever met me, and I also like going out on work nights from time to time, where there might be adult beverages and fancy snacks. So, yeah. I was game.
I noticed the screening was at a somewhat fancyish opera house in town, but the dress said business casual, so my mind assumed it was in a room within the opera house or maybe that was just the point of reference and it would be nearby? Or maybe they were pulling out the stops for a small group of tv-loving bloggers.
I invited A'Dell and we grabbed dinner beforehand. I was wearing a (cute, I think) dress from Target, and while I wasn't going to stop traffic, I thought it was appropriate for a small blogger-type event with a business casual dress-code.
Yeah. My thoughts. They were off-base.
It was the premiere! Of the show! With all the actors and media and probably C-list stars from Dallas-based reality shows! On a red carpet!
As far as I could tell, not a single other person was wearing Target.
There were plenty of people wearing ballgowns, though. With sequins. That kicked-off a fun game in my head I now call Who Invited the Poor Suburban Mom to This Fancy Event?
(At one point, we had to actually walk down the red carpet and on one side was a fountain-type wading pool and A'Dell said, "Please don't fall in," as I was taking a picture. She said it with experience as my friend, you guys. She said it because if there was anyone in the world to be invited to a fancy tv show premiere and then FALL IN THE FOUNTAIN, it would be me.)
Still, you know, it was a crazy awesome people-watching opportunity and I don't think I'll ever be in a room with Patrick Duffy again (or Parker from Veronica Mars!) so I enjoyed it. Even though I kept thinking WHY AM I WEARING COTTON? It was exciting. Also, a high-up at TNT gave a very sweet talk about how he took his now-wife out on their first date the night of the original Dallas series finale and they're still married and look! He's J.R.'s boss now! It was really cute.
Unfortunately, the show was....oh guys....not great. I know, this is coming from a girl who is very liberal with her DVR "record" button and who just last week watched (and enjoyed!) a few episodes of Hart of Dixie.
I thought it might have potential, being filmed in Dallas -- a grittier, less-produced feel or something -- but it fell short. The storyline also went wildly all over the place and the dialogue was so cheesy and emotionless, I literally rolled my eyes at times. While the end had a fun twist (sorta) that might lure viewers to tune in again, the twist happened standing on the star of Cowboys Stadium. Who schemes on the 50-yard-line of a football field? It was reminding you, too often, that this was happening in Texas, YEE-HAW.
Pilots are generally bad, I know, so perhaps the kinks will get worked out. I just couldn't help but think of Friday Night Lights, a show also filmed in Texas -- a show with "Texas Forever" as one of its catchphrases -- but a show that was basically about Anytown USA. It had such heart. (Why was I not invited to THAT premiere, I wonder!)
Anyway, some photos I snapped.
You can't tell, but I'm wearing my new Texas necklace. This is what I planned to lead with if anyone questioned my non-ballgown-attire. DO YOU SEE MY TEXAS NECKLACE. I HAVE MAD STATE PRIDE.
Do you see the very faint arrow? That guy was hugging a lot of people. He was either Someone Very Important or just huggy. Hard to tell.
You can kinda see the pool at the mid-left section of the photo. I did not fall in, praise everything.
I've circled Jesse Metcalfe. He's very pretty. He's also quite possibly the worst actor there has ever been.
This is Josh Henderson. He has been in ... some shows and stuff. I mainly know him as the guy who was dating Ashlee Simpson when her reality show first kicked off. (And I have vague memories of him dumping her via...text or something? Jessica was not impressed.) Anyway, if you just cringed because I WATCHED the Ashlee Simpson Show, I should tell you that it was better than Dallas.