Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Now That I Just Won’t Take!’

Hear her roar

Hear her roar

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “The Gathering Storm,” Lucy and Mitch (Charlene Tilton, Leigh McCloskey) argue in their living room.

MITCH: Lucy, do you realize what’s happening to us?

LUCY: No, but apparently you do.

MITCH: We’re like roommates. We pass each other either coming or going. We don’t have a marriage. We have a quick-change routine.

LUCY: And naturally, it’s my fault.

MITCH: Well, it certainly isn’t mine. I don’t have limousines calling for me at dawn every day and I don’t come dragging in at 10:30 at night.

LUCY: Oh, no. Oh, no. Now that I just won’t take! You said it, mister. You said it loud and clear. We’ll live on “our income.” [Does air quotes] Remember that?

MITCH: I didn’t say, “our income.” I said we’d live on mine.

LUCY: Oh, great. So you’re going to park cars and work at the lab for nickels and dimes. And we’re going to live happily ever after. Is that it?

MITCH: Yes, if we have to!

LUCY: I don’t believe this. What rulebook did you drag that out of? Something that was written in the Dark Ages?

MITCH: [Sighs] I don’t need a rulebook to tell me how I feel.

LUCY: Feel about what?

MITCH: Well, that damn gold chain for one thing. Don’t you know I wanna be able to give you things like that, but I can’t?

LUCY: Oh Mitch, stop it.

MITCH: Yeah, what, at nickels and dimes you’d have to wait 10 years.

LUCY: OK, I’m sorry I said that. But it’s not my money. And it’s not your money. It’s ours. What difference does it make who earns it?

MITCH: It makes all the difference in the world. Now, if you don’t see that, and if you can’t understand what’s wrong, then we’re in real trouble.

LUCY: You said it. Not me. Just remember that. [She turns and begins walking away.]

MITCH: Lucy, look.

LUCY: [Facing him, screaming] No, you look. I have had it up to here with this stupid macho act of yours. I work my butt off to bring money home so we can live decently and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna apologize for that!

MITCH: You really don’t see anything wrong then, do you?

LUCY: Not a thing!

MITCH: Well, then I guess there’s nothing left to be said. [Grabs his coat, leaves]

Comments

  1. Bruce James says:

    I liked this scene too. It also clearly reveals Mitch to be a douche bag. I don’t think Leigh McCloskey is a bad actor but he is dull and charisma challenged, add to that unappealing writing for his character and it’s an uphill battle for poor Charlene.

    • Ha ha. You’re right, Bruce. Lucy deserved better than Mitch — but at least this storyline gave Charlene a chance to show how good she is. I love her work during the fourth season and in this scene in particular.

      Thanks for commenting!

      Chris B.

Trackbacks

  1. […] Stewart, but the gender wars are also seen when Miss Ellie calls out chauvinistic Jock; Lucy gets a career; and Donna emerges as the top choice for a state senate seat. Who says “Dallas” isn’t […]

  2. […] character’s big moment comes in the second act, when Lucy comes home late after a lengthy photo shoot. Mitch is […]

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