Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 134 — ‘The Letter’

This is how it ends

In “The Letter,” Katherine forges a note from Pam in which she “confesses” she no longer wants to be married to Bobby. When Bobby sees the note, he’s so distraught he resolves to give his wife the divorce he’s been tricked into believing she wants. It’s another example of a “Dallas” character making a major life decision based on half-truths and false assumptions, and yet Patrick Duffy manages to sell it. He makes Bobby’s anguish feel real and believable; I’ve never wanted to reach through my screen and give a television character a hug as much as I do during this episode’s final scene, when Bobby tells Pam he’s decided to let her go.

Of course, Duffy gets help from scriptwriter David Paulsen, whose dialogue casts Bobby as the more sympathetic spouse. The scene opens with him sitting in Thanks-Giving Square, a downtown Dallas plaza, waiting for Pam to arrive and watching a young mother read to her child. When Pam finally shows up, she cheerfully recalls how she used to visit the square with Liz and Jackie, her coworkers from the Store. Bobby’s response: “I know. I used to meet you here too. Remember?” The exchange leaves me with the impression Bobby and Pam’s marriage meant more to him than it did to her. For Bobby, the square holds memories of the times he spent there with his wife. For Pam, it’s notable mostly as the site of workday lunch breaks.

No mention is made of Katherine’s letter during this scene because really, it isn’t all that important; the letter is merely the plot device that brings Bobby and Pam to the moment of truth in their relationship. The real breaking point came during the middle of “Dallas’s” sixth season, when Pam left Bobby because she felt he was too preoccupied with his fight for control of Ewing Oil. This represented a significant change of tune for Pam, who once urged Bobby to take his role within the family business more seriously. In the Thanks-Giving Square scene, Paulsen seems to have Pam allude to this when she mentions how much she and Bobby have changed. Says Bobby: “I don’t think people change so much, really, Pam. It’s feelings that change.”

This is the line that best captures the spirit of the scene, although the dialogue that “Dallas” fans seem to remember most is Bobby’s declaration that his and Pam’s feelings for each other are “just yesterday’s memories.” It sounds harsh until you consider what Bobby is doing: He’s pushing Pam away because he believes it’s what she wants. Regardless, I appreciate how Paulsen doesn’t cast blame for the marriage’s failure on either spouse. Yes, Bobby comes off as the more sympathetic figure, and he sacrifices his own happiness when he agrees to let Pam go. And yes, Pam’s shifting values and dawdling about whether or not to return to Bobby makes her seem a bit wishy-washy. But how can you not feel sorry for both characters in the final shot, when husband watches wife walk away in tears? Katherine’s manipulations notwithstanding, this marriage failed because the spouses grew apart. It’s a breakup with no real villains — just two victims.

Nevertheless, “The Letter” is Katherine’s finest hour. Even if she isn’t the root cause of Bobby and Pam’s split, she still gets bragging right for breaking them up, something J.R. himself couldn’t achieve. I get a kick out watching Katherine slink around Pam’s hotel room in this episode, playing the role of supportive sister while secretly plotting against her. And even though I generally prefer “Dallas” when it resists its campier impulses, I love when Katherine fools Pam into signing the forged letter, then steps into the hallway and says — to herself — “I think you may have just signed away your marriage, sister dear.” It reminds me of something you would see in an old black-and-white potboiler, which is why casting Morgan Brittany was so brilliant. Brittany, with her striking features and piercing eyes, has always exuded old Hollywood glamour. Other actresses could have played this role, but no one but Brittany could have made Katherine this delicious.

“The Letter” is notable for a few other reasons. Composer Bruce Broughton won an Emmy for this episode’s underscore, which soars during Bobby and Pam’s Thanks-Giving Square scene. The episode also marks Christopher Atkins’ debut as fair-haired camp counselor Peter Richards, and seeing him come face to face with Larry Hagman for the first time is a little like watching Luke Skywalker clash with Darth Vader. Speaking of J.R.: My other favorite moment in this episode is the scene where he visits Serena, his favorite call girl, and laments the turn his life has taken. It’s a rare moment of introspection for the character, and it also makes him seem like as a bit of a hypocrite, given his opposition to sending John Ross to therapy. After all, what is Serena, if not J.R.’s headshrinker?

Grade: B

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Counterfeit correspondence

‘THE LETTER’

Season 7, Episode 3

Airdate: October 14, 1983

Audience: 18 million homes, ranking 12th in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: Katherine forges a letter from Pam in which she confesses she no longer loves Bobby. When Katherine shows him the note, he tells Pam he wants a divorce. To help John Ross deal with his emotional problems, J.R. and Sue Ellen enroll him in a day camp, where they meet counselor Peter Richards.

Cast: Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), John Beck (Mark Graison), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Diana Douglas (Dr. Suzanne Lacey) Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Tony Garcia (Raoul), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Kate Reid (Lil Trotter), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

“The Letter” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.