For the first time since 1987, Victoria Principal has taken on a regular role in a weekly TV series. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the former "Dallas" star's new show is another prime-time soap opera about a mega-rich family — "Titans" (Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Ch. 5).
And the actress admits that she was initially more than a bit reluctant to join the cast.
"Well, I did hesitate," Principal said. "I have not done a series since I left 'Dallas,' by choice. And when I was first approached about 'Titans,' I declined because I did not feel that I wanted to go back to a prime-time hour series as a life choice.
"And as the weeks went by and NBC approached me and (NBC Productions president) Ted Harbert came out and spoke to me and then (producer) Aaron (Spelling) and I had several conversations, I changed my mind. Although I'm not sure I changed my mind. Ted and Aaron may have changed my mind. But they made it very clear to me about the kind of show it was going to be, the kind of character it was."
What she was assured was that her new character, Gwen Williams, would not be a carbon copy of her old character, Pamela Ewing. After spending nine years playing a woman who became a paragon of virtue, Principal wanted to try something else — a character who, she hopes, isn't quite as one-dimensional as Pam became.
"What happened with Pam was that . . . as J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) became more and more evil, Pam became more and more good and ultimately became a completely good person," Principal said.
Indeed, when "Dallas" began, most of the characters were painted in shades of gray instead of black and white. Heck, even Pam's husband, goody-goody Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy), began as more-or-less a pimp for Ewing Oil's business interests.
While Gwen is the counterpoint to her ex-husband's nasty new wife (played by Yasmine Bleeth), Principal has been assured hers will not be a one-dimensional role.
"Gwen is a multidimensional character, and I would like to think much more well-rounded," Principal said. "We'll actually see Gwen laugh."
She's also pleased by the opportunity to act her age — something a lot of actresses her age don't have the chance to do. Gwen is the mother of four grown children in "Titans."
"I'm 50 years old, and I love the idea that I'm going to play a 50-year-old woman on television — that we're not going to pigeonhole me and make me play someone younger so that she can have a full life," Principal said. "She's going to be a 50-year-old woman with a full life. This is the new 50, and I like that."
And, unlike Pam, Principal's new character is already intimately involved in the family business. She sits on the board of the conglomerate headed by her ex-husband (Perry King) — at least until he suddenly died in last week's episode — and runs one of its divisions.
Not that "Titans" is exactly high art, however. It's a glitzy soap opera that's more than a bit over-the-top. Come on, Gwen lives in the Beverly Hills mansion across the street from the one occupied by her ex-husband until his death — and she's about to swear vengeance against his widow.
And "Titans" raced out of the starting gate with skulduggery and plot twists.
"What I remember is that in 1978 'Dallas' was the first prime-time show of its kind and that story lines developed much more slowly," Principal said. "And then, through the 1980s, they began to speed up as the American consciousness, in fact, demanded a faster and multiple story line. And by the 1990s, in fact, they had run out of multiple story lines and this, the millennium, I think in order to answer the requirements of the American public where the attention span is shorter, you must have quicker cuts, faster stories and multiple story lines. So I don't think this is where we left off. I think this is a new beginning."
E-MAIL: pierce@desnews.com