By the time this show debuted, Dolly had "gone mainstream" and a significant portion of Parton's fan base were not necessarily fans of country music, yet the producers in charge of booking guest artists leaned heavily on country legends like Tammy Wynette and Merle Haggard. As a result, despite debuting to an enormous audience of more than 39 million viewers, the ratings dwindled over time to where ABC's guarantee of a two year run was abandoned, and Dolly was canceled in the spring of 1988.
Various sketches were attempted, but the only one to endure was "Dixie's Place," which featured Dolly as the proprietor of a small diner. Shot without an audience and broadcast sans-laugh track, the tone leaned toward drama, and each segment concluded with Dixie singing a song related to the week's story. Carlos (Sal Lopez) was the diner's chef, Bubba (Walter Olkewicz) was Dixie's childhood classmate, and Charlie (Ritch Brinkley) was an amiable trucker.
The first installment of "Dolly's Date" featured Dennis Weaver, star of Buck James (1987), which immediately followed this show on ABC's schedule. Weaver regressed to his Gunsmoke days, joked about Parton's bosom, and sang "PEnnsylvania 6-5000." This segment was ultimately scrapped and replaced by a new scene with Pee-Wee Herman.
Dolly Parton had undergone a drastic physical transformation shortly before the series began, causing ABC executives concern over her weight. An episode guest-starring Dolph Lundgren never aired, reportedly because the network brass thought she appeared too thin. Photos of Lundgren and with Parton dressed as a school teacher began to circulate shortly after the episode was shot.