Flame on!
Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Battle Lines” and “Venomous Creatures,” the first two episodes of “Dallas’s” second season:
• What’s Pamela’s plan? At the end of “Revelations,” the first-season finale, Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo) went to an airport hanger to meet with the mastermind behind her scheme against Christopher: her father … Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval)! Showrunner Cynthia Cidre has since confirmed Rebecca Sutter Ewing is really Pamela Rebecca Barnes, the daughter Cliff and Afton conceived during the original “Dallas’s” run. Pamela promised Cliff she wouldn’t lose focus, and as he boarded his jet, his henchman Frank (Faran Tahir) turned to Pamela and asked, “So what’s our first move, Miss Barnes?” Good question, Frank.
• Ewing Energies: How’s that working out? As the battle for Southfork ended, John Ross (Josh Henderson), Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) and Elena (Jordana Brewster) formed a startup with Bobby (Patrick Duffy): Ewing Energies. Things were going well until Elena discovered John Ross’s duplicities, broke off their engagement and resumed her romance with Christopher. Now that Christopher and Elena are back together, how awkward are things going to be around the Ewing Energies watercooler?
• What’s Ann’s secret? This was one of the few storylines that “Dallas” didn’t get around to wrapping up last season. Here’s what we know: Ann’s ex-husband Harris (Mitch Pileggi) knows what she’s hiding and gave Bobby an envelope with evidence that would supposedly reveal everything – but Bobby tossed the envelope into the Southfork fireplace. As it burned, we saw a photo of Ann (Brenda Strong) holding a child. Harris also sent Ann a locket that made her cry. What’s it all mean?
• Will Sue Ellen win the election? When John Ross was falsely accused of murder, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) blackmailed a medical examiner to alter the evidence against her son so he could get out of jail. Meanwhile, when Harris tried to blackmail Sue Ellen, Ann secretly recorded him confessing to his crimes and gave the recording to Sue Ellen. Will gubernatorial candidate Sue Ellen make it through the rest of the campaign with these secrets intact?
• More questions: Will anyone discover Pamela shot and killed Tommy, her accomplice in the scheme against Christopher? Is Tommy’s sister Becky (Alex McKenna) still trying to get ahold of him? And J.R. (Larry Hagman) was looking awfully sneaky when the season ended. What’s he up to?
What “Dallas Burning Questions” are on your mind? Share your comments below and watch TNT’s “Dallas” tonight.
Dallas Decoder 
It will be interesting how they deal with Tommy’s death. Has a main character on Dallas ever killed another character (not counting failed attempts)?
Oh, yes. Cliff shot and killed a mobster (!) named Johnny Dancer (!!) during “Dallas’s” final season.
Ha! I remember that!
And don’t forget: Digger shot and killed Hutch McKinney. Shooting people — it’s a Barnes family tradition.
Hey don’t forget JR killed Sue Ellen’s boyfriend by accidentally throwing him over the balcony of JR’s penthouse! Similar to Rebecca, it was ‘self defense’ but he certainly was not sad for a second!
Good one, Hel! That slipped my mind.
Depends how you define a “main character.” There are some examples of important recurring characters who have been killed off. But I can only think of one main cast member (credited during the show’s main title theme music) who was killed: April Ewing but she was only killed by a recurring villian’s scheme.
No main title credited character has ever killed another main title creditied character.
Sigh, poor April. What did you think of her character, Dan? I ended up liking her and being quite shocked when she was killed at the beginning of the original show’s final season. I didn’t see that one coming. It triggered some interesting stories — Bobby’s darker persona and the sale of Ewing Oil — but I think I’ve read where Leonard Katzman later called the killing of April one of his biggest mistakes.
I liked April, as a character. Not so much in the beginning, when she was Jack Ewing’s scheming ex-wife, or J.R.’s mistress. But they did a good job of redeeming her, by the time she’d married Bobby. Especially since her death led to them making Michelle a main character, and I didn’t like HER. They should have kept Bobby and April as a happy married couple, and had @ least one kid, preferably a daughter, so there would be a female Ewing cousin in the mix right now.
I liked April too, and I love your idea of a female Ewing cousin. Remember after April’s death when Bobby dreamed he and April brought home a daughter — “Janine Robin Ewing”? How cool would it be to have another J.R. Ewing running around Southfork — but this time it’s a scheming woman?
Chris,
I enjoyed pretty much all aspects of April as Sheree was a multi-faceted actress. The femme fatale intro of the character was great and she was believable in it. Furthermore when she turned from heel to face Sheree did that very convincingly as well.
I’m a bit of a hopeless romantic myself so the storyline where she met Bobby in Vienna was pretty neat and rooted from them as a couple the rest of the way.
I didn’t like her death either but I can understand why it was done. I read somewhere along the way that Sheree was pregnant at the time and by then they either pretty much knew or maybe even definitely knew that was the show’s last season. So since she wouldn’t have the chance to contribute any more due to the pregnancy they killed her to shake things up a bit. If the show still had a future they probably don’t do that.
I agree with you, Dan. Sheree was an interesting actress and a good match for Bobby. I know some fans who prefer the Bobby/April pairing to the Bobby/Pam coupling. I can understand that appeal.
I’m one of those people feel April was the best for Bobbi. So far Ann is in no danger of taking that title either.
There I said it. And I’ll say it again if I have to.
I salute your courage Dan! I haven’t taken a good, hard look at the April era of the show. I’ll be curious to see how I feel once I get through those critiques. Maybe I’ll end up joining you on Team April.
CB
What will Bobby do this season that will be out of character?
I just want to see Bobby use his “real” name. No more “Robert James” please.
CB
Oops… You’ve already been disappointed on this one…
Sigh. Every time “Robert James” is mentioned, I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear it.
Chris,
I think that is similar to how in my mind everytime Derick is mentioned as a Dallas PD officer I magically hear Braddock Sherif in my head.
Ha ha! Yes. I think I’m going to pretend the badge that Derrick wears reads, “Braddock County,” not “Dallas.”
Sorry to be hogging this thread.
Here’s a burning question I have: What happened to Cliff between the end of the original series and now to make him go so hard after the Ewings? Someone will have to help me out on the specific episode where it happened but remember right after he and Dandy had that falling out which forced Cliff to examine the Jock and Digger story from a fresh perspective. He came to the conclusion there was probably more misunderstanding in that Jock and Digger falling out than anything else. Then he had that great park bench scene with Miss Ellie where he declares the fued over with all Ewings except JR. He was even best man at Bobby and April’s wedding.
Now a lot of time passed between the end of the first series and now. I can accept something happened to put him on the warpath against ALL Ewings again. Granted his exit from the Ewing Oil partnership with Bobby over the oil tanker disaster wasn’t good I don’t think it was enough to make Cliff this bitter again. He seemed to blame that all on JR at the time. And since Bobby spent all the time since the first series retired from oil and only ranching I can’t imagine what that would be. So I really want to know how Cliff got back to where he is today.
Agreed. Within the context of where Cliff was left off @ the end of the original series, and considering that we’re told that he’s spent the past couple of decades amassing great wealth, while J.R. has gone bankrupt and was in a nursing home for depression his continued vendetta against the Ewings, to the point where he would have his own daughter spend two years of her life scheming to defraud Christopher (whom Cliff used to love as his nephew), just doesn’t make any sense.
The Cliff/Christopher relationship is the one that perplexes me the most. What would make Cliff want to treat his nephew so cruelly? Cliff was a pretty good uncle to Christopher after Pam died. There were several scenes of Cliff coming by Southfork to spend time with his nephew. It would be good to know what happened to make Cliff turn on him.
How could Christopher ot know that she was his cousin? Even if it is his adoptive cousin. I know it is a TV show.
Me too! I’ve assumed the show is going to kind of gloss over this, but maybe not. In the trailer for the forthcoming episodes, it looks like Ken Kercheval has a scene with Josh Henderson. Perhaps we’ll hear something in their exchange that will explain — or at least offer a hint — as to why Cliff is more revenge-minded than ever?
Oh, and please don’t apologize for “hogging” any thread! I love these conversations and value your input!
CB
Hmmm…I don’t remember that dream you speak of, but the idea of an adult “Janine Robin Ewing” running around now sure is intriguing, especially if she were J.R.’s daughter (I can see him being ego-maniacal enough to want to name his daughter “J.R.”, too), and grew up to be just as power-hungry as he is. I can picture her being pitted against Pamela Rebecca, with the J.R./Cliff rivalry continuing through their daughters. That would have been a nice twist.
I love that idea! J.R.’s daughter versus Cliff’s daughter. I wouldn’t want to see it turn into a Krystle/Alexis cartoon, but it could be a lot of fun! Brilliant.
CB