Mommy’s home
Here’s what happened in “Trust Me,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:
• John Ross got lucky. When John Ross (Josh Henderson) saw Christopher ask nebbish seismologist Howard Rieder (Christian Clemenson) to confirm whether the shale formation is within Southfork’s surface rights, John Ross tried to bribe him to make sure the test came out his way. Howard confessed the bribe to Bobby (Patrick Duffy), who was amused by John Ross’s antics and told Howard to keep the money. John Ross’s scheming turned out to be for nothing: When the test results came in, they showed the shale is indeed within the surface rights. “That settles it. … We’re fracking Southfork,” John Ross said.
• … And then John Ross got luckier. Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) asked Bum (Kevin Page) to follow John Ross to see if he’s cheating with Emma (Emma Bell). Bum photographed John Ross and Emma cavorting in John Ross’s penthouse, but Bum lied and told Sue Ellen that her son “never went near” Emma. Instead, Bum showed the pictures to John Ross, explaining that he followed him because J.R. asked him to keep an eye on John Ross. Said Bum: “Your father was a great man. He did great things. But the way he ran around on your mother was a sin — and he figured that out too late. Grow into your father’s greatness, not his weakness.”
• Pamela got suspicious. Sue Ellen wasn’t the only woman who grew concerned about John Ross’s fidelity. Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) spotted her husband flirting with his new secretary, Candice, and warned him: “If I ever find out you’ve been stepping out on me, God’s wrath will be the least of your worries.” Later, when Pamela saw John Ross chatting with a pretty blonde at the Ewing Barbecue, she danced with Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace), which seemed to arouse John Ross’s jealousy.
• Elena and Nicolas got closer to the truth about the Ewings. At the Ewing Barbecue, Elena (Jordana Brewster) snooped around Bobby’s laptop and came across an email to Carlos del Sol in which he wrote, “Talked to Rhonda Simmons. She agreed to play ball with us about JR.” Elena showed the email to Nicolas and explained that Rhonda was the witness whose testimony placed Cliff in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, on the night J.R. was killed. “That’s got to mean something,” Elena said as she studied Bobby’s email.
• The Ewings got closer to the truth about Elena and Nicolas. At the Ewing Barbecue, Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) quizzed Nicolas about his business dealings with Cliff and realized the details didn’t add up. He got together with Bobby and John Ross and explained his suspicions: “I think it’s a phantom deal. Cliff and Nicolas probably never worked together, so there’s got to be some connection — some other reason — why Nicolas is doing this for Cliff.” The barbecue wasn’t all business for Christopher, though: Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) planted a kiss on him and they danced, although he seemed more than a little bothered by Nicolas’s interest in Elena.
• Carmen got put in a tough spot. On the day of the barbecue, Elena told Carmen (Marlene Forte) that she’s working with Nicolas and Cliff but didn’t provide details. “You just have to believe that everything I’m doing is justified,” Elena said. This put Carmen in a tough spot; she pretended not to know Nicolas when Ann (Brenda Strong) introduced them at the party, although when Carmen and Nicolas had a moment alone, she touched the medal around his neck and said, “If even for a moment I sense that you are leading either of my children into the darkness, not even St. Christopher will be able to save you.”
• Judith got down to business. While Bobby and Ann tried to find out how Harris (Mitch Pileggi) got out of jail, Emma sprung Judith (Judith Light) from the rehab hospital. Judith seized control of Ryland Transport and demanded Harris take her to Nuevo Laredo, where she met with drug lord Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), negotiated a new deal to smuggle his cocaine into Texas — and then sampled his product. “Hot damn! Mama like,” Judith said after snorting a few lines of coke.
• The audience got shocked. Little did Judith know Harris was secretly recording her dirty dealings. But for whom? In the final scene, we got our answer: Gun-toting federal agents brought Bobby and Ann to a darkened warehouse and told the couple to stop snooping into Harris’s release. The reason: Harris is working with the CIA to bring down the Mendez-Ochoa cartel. Harris emerged from the shadows and told Bobby and Ann their questions are jeopardizing his sting against the cartel. “They have pictures of our daughter — and you, Annie,” Harris said. “Now if they find out who I’m working for, they’ll kill both you and Emma.”
What did you think of “Trust Me”? Share your comments below and look for Dallas Decoder’s critique later this week.
Dallas Decoder 
So now we have to believe Harris is a good guy?!?
No we don’t!
Rosanne and Dan, it’s still kind of up in the air, isn’t it?
I liked the season opener better but this one was pretty good. Judith’s coke snorting made total sense as a way to convince the drug lords she is not an informant. I’m really liking the cartel plot because of the “ripped from the headlines” feeling. This stuff is in the news here in Texas every single day. Bum’s warning to John Ross was poignant. I am missing Pamela and wish we could see more of her. Nicolas continues to intrigue and makes every character around him intriguing but I’m surprised he would make a small mistake like the price of the deal. I’m liking Heather. My only complaint is the fracking storyline seems a little repetitive but the way Bobby handled it was so classic Dallas.
I liked “Trust Me” better than “The Return,” but otherwise I agree with you fully, Garnet. Thanks!
loved Harris & Judith every single scene…except when she snorted the drugs….I get that she needed to convince the cartel but was a bit too graphic for me (I know it’s 2014)…loved Bum and every line he delivered last night…he has to be a season regular!! where is Cliff? I want to see more of him and consistently…how about Bobby? why weren’t there any barbecue scenes with him? all that fussing in the kitchen, there should have been more going on outside…the jealous scenes with John Ross & Pamela were too awkward! sorry just my opinion…
This recap was so professional, i don’t even hav 2 c the episode online. But C.B., if I am going 2 take 51% of Ewing Global away from every1 I guess I better keep up & c it online hadn’t i.
Yes, yes. R.J. Thank you for your kind words about the recap, but nothing beats seeing the episodes for yourself.
I can’t believe Harris is in any way a good guy! I’m doubting the whole thing. Would government agents really pull aside private citizens by flashing a gun and saying pretty please and wait until they are in a dark warehouse before getting around to showing actual identification? This has to be an elaborate ruse on Harris’ part to rid himself of all his headaches: The Ewings and his mother.
I found the whole Judith getting involed with the drug trafficing troubling. Is she really the type of person who would do that? Maybe. I guess we don’t know a ton about her background yet. Is it believable believable that someone who is the mother of a past middle age man (no matter what see looks like) could sex her way through a pat down with a 30 something drug lord? Not very likely unless said drug lord has a grandma fettish. Then having Judith do the coke?!?!? You lost me there. I don’t see this as a way to convince them she’s not an informant at all. I have no practical knowledge of the drug trade myself but I’ve always been under the impression that the people at the top aren’t dumb enough to be users. They just want the profit. Maybe I’m way off base here but that seemed like an amatuer move on Judith’s part.
And why would the drug cartel want to deal with the Rylands anymore anyway. Luis logically points out that Ryland trucks are forevermore going to be highly suspicious. So forget unmarked trucks and backroads. It really seems a fresh start with new dupes would be the way to go here.
Finally how dumb can Emma be for springing Judith in the first place? Judith was half of the duo that make her entire life hell. Why suddenly trust her now? She has nothing to hold over Judith to keep her in line. We’ve all seen the clip where Sue Ellen is going to tell Emma about Kristen. Well I don’t think Kristen would have been that stupid. This is going to blow up in her face and Emma is going to deserve whatever she gets!
Now that Elena has that email, I’m convinced it’s a matter of time before they find Rhonda and flip her. So yes JR’s Masterpiece will be completely undone and Elena will have her revenge (justice my a**) against Bobby: The Ewing who never did anything to her… The only chance of this stopping lies with Carmen. Only she can get to her daughter and straighten her head out a bit. But I just don’t think it will happen.
Boy I feel like one of those total negative types after watching this episode. I don’t want to be one of the countless internet types who is contantly dumping on the new show but this episode really didn’t feel like my Dallas of old. I’ll say it again. I want to like this show. Luckily I can find a little positive to end with here:
Bum: Wow. Someday I want to learn more about his background and history with JR. When did they meet? What kind of work did he do for JR in the past? Where did he get his perspective on JR’s greatness despite the fact he must know as much about the bad things JR is capable of as anyone. It really feels like JR’s relationship with Bum was much different than the one he had with Harry McSween or Ratigan. It feels like it was more of a mutual respect with Bum instead of just a paid pawn. It just feels like there is a really cool story to be told there.
Anyway here is a guy who just showed me that not only is he loyal to JR but to the entire Ewing family. He lies to both John Ross and Sue Ellen about what he was doing and what he found not because he was out for himself. He is trying to protect and straighten out all parties involved.
Hell I’ll say it. The Ewings need to adopt this guy because he is all Ewing.
Who would have thought two supporting characters (Bum and Carmen) would become the moral center of the new show?
Dan, I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I know this episode didn’t feel like the “Dallas” of old, but I still got a kick out of it. I appreciate your comments about Bum and Carmen too. Thanks.
I think Bobby & Anna should help our Ryland.
Danielle, I’m two weeks late responding to your comment (so sorry!) and we’re still waiting to see how the Bobby/Ann/Ryland storyline is going to play out! Perhaps we’ll get some answers in the next episode. Thanks for weighing in.
I think “Dallas” went from one of the best episodes of the TNT version to the worst. Christopher and Heather look good together, Judith came back and had a great “Easy Bake” quote, Sue Ellen drank in a fur coat, but it got barfed over by the end of the episode. The Harris storyline – which is going to be tedium to sit through, hopefully it’s a two episode arc – was done on “Chicago Fire” last season (more or less). And I’m afraid the Judith character is going to be ruined by over-the-top antics.
Sunnycd, sorry you didn’t like the episode. You make a good point about Judith: Here’s hoping she doesn’t go too far over the top.
“Later, when Pamela saw John Ross chatting with a pretty blonde…”
I am certain that the attractive blonde lady John Ross was chatting it up with so nicely is Josh Henderson’s real life girlfriend, Andrea Boehlke,
It was indeed, Jump Good eye!
I John Ross a lot and wish we could see more of him and Pamela. I love Bum and agree we need to know more about him and how he met J.R.
Judith Light is a good actress but watching her snort coke was not something I liked at all
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The Ramos family still does not work for me and takes away from the core of Dallas. First Elena is Miss Pure and does nothing wrong and now she is the bad girl helping Cliff’s getting woman to help him fight the Ewing’s is getting to be a old story line.
Harris Ryland a good guy yeah all right I believe that
Loved the one liners, Ann’s Duck Dynasty comment and John Ross’s” Damn Skippy’
Ellen, I loved that “damn skippy” line too. It reminded me of J.R., and yet it’s not something I could imagine him saying. Thanks for your feedback.
I know everyone has their own opinion, but I like the Ryland family personalities…they are so devious and scary nutty! Harris is my fav next to John Ross. Just enjoy the evil and don’t get so goody goody about it! Dallas is a soap opera which is far better than the day time crap on every day.
Nico-Joaquin/Elena is boring as dirt. I like Christopher’s new gal friend.
I love them Rylands too, Melissa. Nice to hear you like Christopher’s new girlfriend too. We don’t hear much about her. Hopefully she’ll get more screen time in future episodes.
I don’t think Harris is a good guy either. His cooperation with the FBI is just an opportunity. He’ll be into his own shady stuff soon enough. If anything the experience will help him learn how not to get caught.
We’ll see if you’re right, dearest. Thanks for commenting.
I agree that Judith snorting coke was a bit much, BUT, wasn’t the original Dallas over the top too? That’s what made it entertaining…alot of it wasn’t realistic but who cared? If I wanted realism, all I have to do it look at my own life. It’s not what I want to watch on TV.
Thank you, Donna. I think the original “Dallas” did a good job of never going too far over the top, and so far the new show is upholding that tradition.