Dallas Gets $1.2 Million of Dallas’ money

Landry Clarke's dad, aka Glenn Morshower, at this morning's Dallas City Council meeting. And my laptop, with the Glenn Morshower Wikipedia page pulled up, so I could get his name right.

The five greatest television dramas of all-time, in a very particular order:

1.) Friday Night Lights

2.) The Wire

3.) The Sopranos

4.) Breaking Bad

5.) Mad Men

So when I saw Glenn Morshower, aka Landry Clarke’s father on Friday Night Lights, sit down in front of me at this morning’s Dallas City Council meeting, I was a bit excited. “Shouldn’t you be off trying to figure out how to help your son evade murder charges,” I thought, despite the lake-dredging boredom of that season two plot line. So I asked him what he was doing at City Hall.

“I’m here for the show Dallas,” he said, and turned around. Swift, and to the point, not unlike his steadfast and honest turn as Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce in 24. Life, meet art.

A few minutes later, Item 55 on the agenda came up, and everything was made clear:

Authorize a Chapter 380 economic development grant agreement pursuant to the City’s Public/Private Partnership Program with Horizon Scripted Television in an amount up to $200,000 per year for up to six years to promote local  economic development, stimulate business and commercial activity with the added benefit of promoting Dallas in the media through the production of the television series “Dallas”

Ahhh the allure of cash. Dallas, after all, was shot in the city, and premieres tonight on TNT. After the item was announced, University Park resident and Dallas production manager Joe Dishner took the mic, thanking the city for its help.

“I just wanted to thank the city and all the different agencies for all the help they’ve given us so far,” he said. “It’s a privilege working in Dallas, and growing the Texas film community is a privilege, and I know that all that work on the show take it as a privilege, and don’t take it lightly.”

Then came the rush of compliments.

“No money could pay for this advertisement for the city of Dallas; this is a home run for the city of Dallas,” said deputy mayor pro tem Tennell Atkins. “We have over a million people in Dallas, and everyone should turn on their TV at 8 p.m. tonight.”

“Make sure you are there, in your seat, on TNT, at 7:45 tonight,” said Councilman Dwaine Caraway. “It’s very important to get your popcorn ready; I want to make sure you tune in in advance.”

Councilwoman Sandy Greyson: “We were glued to our seats, right Pauline? Oh, the backstabbing; we couldn’t wait to see the next five minutes…the treachery.

After the compliment festival, the Council approved the $1.2 million, and the dozen-plus cast, crew, and production members rose, and walked out. They had to make sure their popcorn supply was in order.

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