Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 305, Greencastle, Putnam County, 2 September 1988 — Page 26

Page 16

‘Dynasty’ out to clean up its act

By LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press Writer NEW YORK (AP) “Dynasty” isn’t exactly turning into a bastion of high morality, but its new producer promises more meaningful relationships than affairs this season, and more ginger ale than gin-and-tonics. David Paulsen, named executive producer of the show as it begins its ninth season, said he’s betting that more realism, more action and some new characters will attract more viewers even as the characters clean up their acts. “I don’t think people will be popping in and out of every bed,” he said. “In the age of herpes and AIDS, it’s irresponsible to have flagrant bed hopping and I don’t think we ought to do it” HE PROMISED THAT men and women would develop less ephemeral relationships, and there would be less smoking and drinking on “Dynasty.” “We’re going to cut that down, because I just don’t think it’s healthy,” Paulsen said, although he cautioned that any one show should not be used as a barometer of societal changes. Paulsen, who was in New York auditioning actors and actresses for the show, is no stranger to glamorous prime-time soaps. He spent five years writing or directing more than 50 episodes of “Dallas.” He also was supervising producer of “Knots Landing” for one year. “Dynasty” finished the 1987-88 television season ranked 37th out of 85 regularly scheduled series. ALTHOUGH HE IS planning some new wrinkles for “Dynasty,” Paulsen said some of the strengths of the past will be revived. “We’ll see the character of Blake (Carrington) be a driving force again. The character was allowed to weaken,” he said. Blake will “lead the charge” of men with stronger personalities, he said. “The women have always been the stronger force,” he added. Also, there will be more action in the episodes, and, he said, “we’re going to tell a faster story.” One of the new characters will be a young detective, “a street guy somewhere between Serpico and Colombo,” he said. AND ALTHOUGH THERE will be plenty of elegant clothing, diamonds and fancy place settings, there will be more people from other walks of life, “people who even live without air conditioning,” Paulsen said. Thus, viewers will see more of what it is like when

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the rich encounter the poor, experiences projected from the typewriters of three new writers, two of whom were reporters until this year, he said The changes in the show are aimed at higher ratings. But he said the effort to clean up the lifestyles of his characters came from his desire to reflect changing values in America. And he insists that television shows can affect the way viewers live. HE RECALLED THAT ONCE, in a scene of a television sitcom, a character in a car made passing mention of fastening seatbelts. “For four or five days afterward, police departments noticed a distinct drop in fatalities and serious injuries,” he said. “It was a very humbling experience that showed that although we’re not out to preach, there are subtle things you can do.”

fV channels on Greencastle cable

2 CNN (CaDle News Network) 3 USA Network (Family Appeal) 4 CBN Cable Network 5 American Movie Classics 6 WRTV-TV (ABC/6) 7 Showtime 8 ESPN (Sports) 9 Lifetime 10 WTHI-TV (CBS/10) 11 Nickelodeon

B 2 WTWO, Terre Haute, NBC H 4WTTV, Indianapolis, Indp. Q 6 WRTV, Indianapolis, ABC B 8 WISH, Indianapolis, CBS |Q 10 WTHI, Terre Haute, CBS |Q 13WTHR, Indianapolis Q] 20 WFYI. Indianapolis, PBS

12 The Discovery Channel 13 WTHR-TV (NBC/13) 14 Cable Value Network 15 The Nashville Network 16VH-1 (Video Hits) 17 Arts & Entertainment 18 MTV (Music Television) 19 Local Programming 20 The Disney Channel 21 Headline News

Off-air channels available in area

‘Lassie’ coming home to television LOS ANGELES (AP) A new “Lassie” television series is set to air in the fall of 1989, and the half-hour program will begin filming with a new family for the famous collie. Co-producers MCA and Palladium Entertainment Inc. have announced plans for the show, which is based on the classic family series that ran for 21 years on network television. The series will be filmed next spring at MCA’s Universal Studios in Florida.

22 HBO (Home Box Office) 23 C-Span (U.S. Congress) 24 WTBS-TV (Atlanta) 25 WGN-TV (Chicago) 26 WTTV-TV (lnd./4) 27 WHMB-TV (lnd./40) 28 WISH-TV (CBS/8) 29 WTIU-TV (PBS/30) 30 WXIN-TV (lnd./59)

E 3 30 WTIU, Bloomington, PBS E 3 38 WBAK, Terre Haute, ABC E 3 40 WHBM, Indianapolis, Indp. 01 59 WXIN, Indianapolis, Indp. Also available in some areas: Channel 15, Champaign, III.; Channel 18, Lafayette; Channel 23, WMCC, Noblesville; Channel 42, WCLJ. Indianapolis

The passions and conflicts fueled by wealth, power and love are the central theme of the longrunning ABC drama “Dynasty.” The Wednesday night series features John Forsythe as Denver oil magnate Blake Carrington, with Linda Evans as his wife Krystle. The series, which debuted in January 1980, is expected to be more moralistic in nature this fall, ABC officials have promised.