TNT's Dallas will catch a second wind, as will on-location shooting in Dallas

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom
TNT has both re-upped Dallas and upped the ante.

The network announced Friday that its mix of old and new Ewings will get a second season of 15 episodes, a 50 percent increase over the 10 made for the ongoing Season 1.

Dallas currently has six more episodes left in its freshman year, with the Fourth of July hour following on the heels of a 4 to 8 p.m. (central) marathon of the first four. Season 2 of Dallas is due sometime in 2013. And as with Season 1, it will be filmed entirely on location in Dallas, TNT spokeswoman Karen Cassell confirmed Friday to unclebarky.com.

TNT president Michael Wright said in a publicity release that Dallas "has been a success for us on every level: pitch-perfect writing, smart directing and buzz-worthy performances by a new generation of stars and their iconic counterparts. With Dallas' top-flight ratings, robust growth through time-shifted viewing and the extensive online buzz, it's clear the Ewings of Southfork have once again captured the imagination of viewers."

National Nielsen ratings have dropped off for the first four episodes of this season. But Dallas still ranks as basic cable's No.1-rated new series, TNT said.

Dallas re-premiered on June 13th with back-to-back episodes that averaged 7.8 million viewers nationally in Nielsen's Live+3 ratings. Those numbers include DVR viewing during the first three days after a show's premiere.