She’s done it all: Cookbooks, theme parks, movies. She’s even authored children’s books and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But there was also a time when multi-Grammy-winning country music legend Dolly Parton set a major primetime TV record. Back in 1987, ABC gave the “Jolene” superstar her very own weekly variety series, simply titled “Dolly.” And when the show made its grand debut, legions of fans tuned in.
The series premiere pulled in a whopping 39.47 million viewers, making it — at the time — the most-watched new series premiere in television history. That historic record remained unrivaled for more than two decades, until CBS’ reality hit “Undercover Boss” finally caught up by scoring 38.6 million viewers in a coveted post-Super Bowl slot.
Conceived as a revival of the classic variety-show format, “Dolly” — not to be confused with her 1976 variety show, also called “Dolly” — offered Parton a platform to showcase her powerhouse vocals and signature charm, along with a star-studded roster of guest talent throughout the season. Everyone from country legends like Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt to pop-culture giants like the late Burt Reynolds, legendary Pee-wee Herman, and “Queen of All Media,” Oprah Winfrey, dropped in to perform alongside the host.
Parton was relieved when 1987’s Dolly was cancelled by ABC
Even though it had a stellar debut, reviews for the variety show weren’t very kind. The Los Angeles Times noted that while Parton’s natural charisma and singing talents really shone bright, the comedic elements didn’t quite play to her down-home strengths. Critical reception aside, the show’s numbers were clearly front-loaded, as ratings steadily trickled downward throughout the 1987–88 television season, ultimately prompting ABC to pull the plug after just 22 episodes.
During a 2020 interview with USA Today, Parton reflected on the failed variety show. “It got so much hype,” she told the outlet. “The producers and all the Hollywood people, they were trying to bring variety back. But see, I was not that type of person to do a Hollywood-type show, and I kept wanting to be myself. The show didn’t do that well, and it didn’t last too long.” Despite being disappointed with how the series played out, Parton was able to find some good in the cancellation, “I was almost relieved in a way, because I always pray that everything will go out of my life that ain’t right.”
As reported by Country Thang Daily, the singer once playfully poked fun at the timing of her show’s demise — which happened shortly after Winfrey appeared for a duet. “I’m not saying that Oprah can’t sing,” Dolly Parton told Winfrey during an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” “But my show went off the air right after that. So I’ve always thought … you should give me a piece of this show, Oprah.”
Leave a Reply