Texas

I remember I got into "Texas" as one of the newest soap on the air back in 1981 and I thought it was a good show. Too bad it didn't do much for ratings when it was against "General Hospital" (which was the number 1 soap at the time) and "Guiding Light" which I particular liked this show and the cast and I thought it was so good when they did on location scenes and the sets which they were taping in a studio in Brooklyn, NY. I wish NBC gave it more time to find an audience for the show to continue on. But they were fans (like myself) were outraged when the show was cancelled and it only proved that viewers wrote to NBC to place their complaint and it was the most mail that NBC got at the time than any other show on the air daytime or primetime. (Too bad this show was not on the air on CBS which at the time CBS cancelled "Cagney and Lacey" only to prove they got letters of protest to reconsider them to put them back on the air). But I did enjoy the show and the characters and it will always be remembered for me of this show.

Texas as it began was very different from the Texas we all loved when it ended. It started out with a lot of flash and style but little substance and gradually morphed into one of the most family-centered dramas ever. Once Beverlee McKinsey/Iris Wheeler left, the show introduced more and more characters so that by the beginning of year two, most of the original female cast had been replaced! Forgettable characters like Dawn, Terry, Shirley and Anita were replaced by Ashley, Allison, Brett, Lurlene and Ruby. Ah, that dynamic duo Ruby and Lurlene- their friendship seemed so real and genuine, whether they were on the run from a zombiefied ex-husband trying to kill them before they could use a fire compass to open up a mysterious world named Hi-To-Pah, or just sharing their insecurities about their boyfriends to each other, few friendships ever shined like that one. Lots of humor, sexy shirtless men with cowboy hats, beautifully dressed women, and characters who actually worked, whether at a bar or an oil company or a boutique. Besides the Hi-To-Pah storyline, my other favorite included the Reena/Grant/Judith triangle, which took many twists and turns before it finally climaxed with a last episode happy ending. The last few episodes jibed perfectly with the cancellation of Texas, as Victoria Bellman lost her TV station KVIK- a perfect metaphor for the end of Texas. At a party featuring every cast member but Reena and Grant, she gave a truly beautiful toast to everyone for the work they had done and the joy they had given to the viewers. Cast members are seen crying softly as she finishes her speech and then they begin singing Auld Lang Syne, followed by a slow version of what has to be one of the most exciting and dramatic TV show openings ever- if you don't believe me check out youtube for the Texas opening, particularly the Next Generation score after McKinsey left. There's a reason this show is so fondly remembered by the fans.

I was just in middle school when this soap first aired. I remember my best friend and I racing home everyday after school to catch the very next episode, it was that new and exciting. We were thrilled that Beverly McKinsey had left Another World to star in this new show. And so many other terrific actors/characters were introduced here. My friend and I fell in love with Rikki and Max Dekker. They were like the Daytime Duke boys (Bo and Luke)to us. And we also loved Elena Dekker. She was my all time favorite. I cried when after she got beat up by Billy Jo, and then left the show shortly after. Promised she'd be back. And I waited, but she never returned. I cried even harder. At times the writers could have done a much better job with story lines and character development. Some great actors left, and other mediocre ones replaced them. After Elena left, I was almost losing interest as well. What really flung out was that this soap was never given the half chance to blossom into a successful show. Too many dumb things began happening after only its first year on the air. Rena comes along sometime later and begins throwing a monkey wrench into things, including her doofus future husband Justin (whom we really hated). And the Paige Marshall romance joke which also helped to spoil events. This show just wasn't given a fair chance to succeed, where it could have. Given better writing, stories, character-development. Who knows? It could've last another 10 years, maybe. McKinsey, I believe returned back to AW, from here. Texas deserved much better longevity than it was allowed. The original characters were fresh, exciting, and wonderful to watch. Some of the earlier stories were very interesting. Kept us glued to our TV sets. A sad pity that it only lasted 2 years. Should have been much much longer.

Procter and Gamble has made several of its cancelled soaps, including Texas, available on-line and free of charge on the AOL Video site. Other P&G offerings are Another World, Edge of Night and Search for Tomorrow.

http://video.aol.com/video-category/p-and-g-classic-soaps/1744

Fans of Texas are invited to join a discussion board at:

http://awfan4ever1975.yuku.com/forums/86

Texas went through many metamorphoses before it finally gelled towards the end of its run in 1982. By that time, Gail Kobe and Pamela Long were producing and writing the show. Long had a double role on the show in also portraying Ashley Linden Marshall. If you want to watch how it all began with Beverlee McKinsey in the starring role as Iris, be sure to check out the Texas section at the Procter & Gamble link above.