2014 April – Dallas Decoder

We’ve Got Lots of ‘Mama Drama’ Tonight on #DallasChat

April 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Serial moms

You’re invited to join Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Monday, April 28, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. Since Mother’s Day is right around the corner, our theme will be: “Mama Drama.”

Leave your suggested questions in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I’ll choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

If you’re new to #DallasChat, here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet a series of questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, so your answers should do the same. Please include the show’s official hashtag, #DallasTNT, in your tweets too.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Who is a better mother: Miss Ellie or Sue Ellen? #DallasTNT #DallasChat

A1. Definitely Sue Ellen. She at least tries to reign in John Ross. Miss Ellie always looked the other way with J.R. #DallasTNT #DallasChat

Here are two tips:

• During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

This will be a fun conversation. I hope you can join us!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Judith Light, Linda Gray, TNT

The Dal-List: 10 Reasons TNT Should Renew ‘Dallas’ (Again)

April 25, 2014 by Chris Baker 58 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Never turn your back on a Ewing

We’ll find out who survived the Southfork fire when “Dallas’s” third season resumes on Monday, August 18, but there’s an even bigger cliffhanger afoot: Will TNT give the series a fourth season? To ensure the cable channel’s executives make the right decision, here are 10 reasons TNT should renew “Dallas” again.

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

Watch like you mean it

10. “Dallas” is TNT’s most-watched show (right now). “Dallas’s” midseason cliffhanger episode clocked 2.1 million viewers on April 14, making it TNT’s most-watched regularly scheduled show last week. Only the cable channel’s NBA coverage performed better. One week earlier, “Dallas” finished first overall, besting basketball and the ever popular “Law & Order” reruns. TNT, surely you wouldn’t drop your top show at the moment!

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, TNT

Audiences grow back too!

9. “Dallas’s” ratings are growing. Yes, we all know “Dallas’s” numbers dipped this year, but they’re bouncing back. Since March 17, when the show hit a series low of 1.78 million viewers, “Dallas’s” audience on Mondays at 9 p.m. has grown 15 percent, with that cliffhanger episode hitting 2.1 million viewers. This means for the past five consecutive weeks, the show’s numbers went up. This is what’s known as “momentum,” TNT.

Not that kind of hit, dude

8. “Dallas” is a DVR hit. Last season, roughly 800,000 DVR users recorded “Dallas” each Monday night and watched it within the next three days. This number has pretty much held steady this year, lifting “Dallas’s” Monday night average of 1.9 million viewers to 2.8 million viewers overall. This means “Dallas” has one of the most reliable DVR audiences in prime-time cable television. That’s nothing to skip over, TNT.

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Real. Love.

7. Adults love “Dallas.” This might be the most important number of all: “Dallas” is averaging 1.2 million adults between ages 25 and 54 (including DVR users). Why should you care? First, TNT targets 25-to-54-year-olds, so these are the viewers the channel cares about most. Second, last year, “Dallas” averaged 1.5 million 25-to-54-year-olds, so even though the show has declined overall, it’s held fairly steady with TNT’s favorite viewers.

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jordana Brewster, TNT,

Who knew?

6. “Dallas” is TNT’s biggest show on social media. “Dallas” has 1.6 million Facebook “likes” and 88,800 Twitter followers — more than any other TNT series. In fact, TNT’s biggest hit, “Major Crimes,” has only 488,000 Facebook likes and 12,500 Twitter followers. That’s right: “Dallas” is three times as big as “Major Crimes” on Facebook and seven times as big on Twitter. Suck on that, “Major Crimes”! (Sorry, “Major Crimes.” Couldn’t resist.)

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Feel the heat

5. “Dallas” has buzz. “Dallas” raised a ruckus with that notorious three-way in the midseason cliffhanger, but the show has made its mark in other areas too. Entertainment Weekly went gaga over Judith Ryland’s coke-snorting scene, and on separate occasions, Judith and Sue Ellen each wound up near the center in EW’s weekly “Bullseye” feature. You know what show hasn’t hit EW’s “Bullseye” this year? “Major Crimes.” Just sayin’.

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Love. Really?

4. Metacritic loves “Dallas.” From a creative standpoint, “Dallas” has never been better, but don’t take my word for it: Users at Metacritic, the online review aggregator, currently give the show’s third season a score of 8.6 (out of 10), up from a 6.7 for Season 2 and a 7.3 for Season 1. This means “Dallas” outranks the current cycles of “Scandal” (7.4), “The Walking Dead” (7.4), “Downton Abbey” (7.3) and, yes, “Major Crimes” (5.5).

A star is born

3. Two words: “Josh Henderson.” “Dallas” is blessed with one of the strongest acting ensembles on television, but this season, Henderson has emerged as first among equals. He’s delivering a remarkably complex performance, alternately making John Ross a source of scorn and sympathy. (Remind you of someone else we once knew?) Trust me: Henderson is going to be a big star someday. Hold on to him as long as you can, TNT.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Always our darlin’

2. Two more words: “Linda Gray.” As much as we love everyone on “Dallas” — and we adore them all! — Gray is special. Our admiration for her knows no limits. Dare I suggest she’s the main reason most of us watch, DVR, tweet and Facebook the show? No one does a better job evoking the old Hagman magic, and if there’s any justice in the world, TNT will renew “Dallas” and campaign like hell to get Gray the Emmy she deserves.

Grrr

1. If you don’t renew “Dallas,” Bobby Ewing will be pissed. And take our word for it: You don’t want him mad at you. Just ask Ann.

Why do you think TNT should renew “Dallas”? Share your thoughts below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT

9 Questions (and Answers) About ‘Dallas’s’ Future

April 23, 2014 by Chris Baker 34 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Give it to us straight, Uncle Bobby

“Dallas” fans have questions about the show’s future. Dallas Decoder has answers.

1. “Dallas’s” third season has reached its midpoint. How’s the show doing?

Creatively, “Dallas” has never been better. The performances are top-notch, the writing is strong and the pacing has slowed down. The show no longer moves at the speed at light, making it easier for the audience to keep up with the stories.

Unfortunately, fewer people are watching “Dallas” this year. The series is averaging 1.9 million viewers on Mondays at 9 p.m., down from the 2.7 million who watched on Monday nights last year. However, when you count DVR users who record the episodes and watch them within three days of their debut, “Dallas’s” audience grows to 2.8 million viewers.

Last year, “Dallas” averaged 3.5 million viewers with three-day DVR playback added in. But don’t overlook this fact: Even though “Dallas’s” audience is down overall, the show is adding roughly 800,000 viewers through DVR usage each week — essentially the same number it added each week last year. In other words: DVR users are true-blue “Dallas” loyalists.

Watch them Ewings

2. OK, so the DVR numbers are encouraging. Do they really matter?

Yes, they matter. Remember: Television is a business, and the purpose of ratings is to let advertisers know how many people see their commercials.

Studies show DVR users don’t skip every ad, and so TV networks now sell commercial time based on several factors, including: 1) the number of people who watch shows when they air, and 2) the number of people who record shows and watch them a few days later.

3. How does “Dallas’s” ratings compare to other shows?

It depends on which shows you’re referring to. The most popular show on broadcast television last week was CBS’s “NCIS,” which grabbed 17.1 million viewers; on cable, the top show was HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” which snagged 6.6 million viewers.

It’s probably fairer to compare “Dallas” to the other shows in TNT’s lineup. Since the beginning of the year, the cable channel has shown four original dramas: “Major Crimes,” which averages 7.4 million viewers, including the people it picks up through DVR playback; “Rizzoli & Isles” (5.6 million); “Perception” (3.3 million); and “Dallas” (2.8 million).

4. Are ratings the only numbers that matter?

No. Ratings are important, but other factors contribute to a show’s bottom line. For example, studios can also make money by selling their shows overseas, and the 36-year-old “Dallas” brand retains a lot of international appeal.

Additionally, there’s money to be made from DVD sales and licensing products based on a show — hello, J.R. Ewing Bourbon! — and it’s worth pointing out that Dallas the city gives “Dallas” the TV show tax breaks to film there.

Does any of this make the show a financial success? Who knows? TV networks rarely discuss a show’s finances (or its ratings or the network’s programming deliberations) publicly. Nevertheless, “Dallas’s” other potential revenue streams could be part of the calculus that goes into deciding the show’s future.

5. TNT pulled “Dallas” off its schedule after last week’s episode. Isn’t that cause for concern?

Nope. “Dallas’s” third season will consist of 15 episodes; TNT always planned to divide the season into halves — eight episodes in the winter and spring and seven episodes in the summer. TNT does this with its other shows, and so do other cable channels; AMC routinely splits “The Walking Dead’s” seasons, for example.

Summer lovin’

6. But TNT won’t start showing the second half of “Dallas’s” third season until August 18! What’s up with that?

Yeah, that news was kind of unexpected. Fans like me were hoping “Dallas” would return in June or July and regain some of the glory from its first season during the summer of 2012, when the show averaged 4.2 million viewers on Wednesday nights.

By holding the show’s return until mid-August, it might be harder for “Dallas” to stand out. If TNT runs one episode a week for seven weeks beginning August 18, “Dallas” will spill over into the fall TV season, when the competition is much tougher.

On the other hand, if “Dallas” shows its third-season finale in September and begins televising Season 4 in January or February 2015, that’ll amount to a four- or five-month hiatus — which is a lot better than the 10-month wait we had to endure between the second and third seasons.

7. What’s the deadline for TNT to decide if it wants to renew “Dallas” for a fourth season?

This isn’t clear. TNT announced “Dallas’s” third-season renewal on April 30, 2013, about two weeks after the second-season finale. The show traditionally begins production on each new season in September or October and wraps up filming six months later, and so if TNT wants to stick to a fall-to-spring production schedule, it probably needs to decide whether to renew “Dallas” soon so scripts can be written, sets can be built, costumes can be created, et cetera.

One date to watch: Wednesday, May 14. This is when TNT and sister channel TBS will hold their “upfronts,” the annual presentations where they pitch next season’s shows to advertisers. If TNT decides to renew “Dallas,” this could be a good place to announce it.

8. So will TNT renew the show?

Golly, I hope so. But I’m hardly an unbiased observer, so I took this question to one of the smartest guys I know: Marc Berman, editor in chief of TV Media Insights, a top industry news site. Berman is a “Dallas” fan too, but he promised to give us his honest viewpoint.

His prediction: Yes, TNT will give “Dallas” a fourth season. The fact that the show adds almost 1 million viewers through DVR playback is a plus, and so is “Dallas’s” status as a recognizable commodity in an increasingly cluttered media environment, Berman said.

9. OK, you seem to have a lot of answers, Dallas Decoder. So what’s going to happen to Pamela after her overdose in the midseason cliffhanger?

Beats the heck out of me, but I can’t wait to find out.

What did I miss? Share your questions about the future of TNT’s “Dallas” below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: News, News Tagged With: Emma Bell, Josh Henderson, Marc Berman, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Cliffhanger Hits 3 Million Viewers

April 22, 2014 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Things are looking up

DVR users have been boosting “Dallas’s” ratings all season long, and last week was no exception. “Where There’s Smoke,” the TNT drama’s spring cliffhanger, debuted to 2.1 million viewers on April 14, but during the next three days, DVR users boosted the audience to 3 million viewers.

The episode — which featured the notorious three-way between John Ross, Pamela and Emma — scored 1.4 million adults between ages 25 and 49, a demographic TNT targets, up 25 percent from the previous week. The show grabbed 1.1 million adults between ages 18 and 49, a 27 percent increase.

“Where There’s Smoke” remains the year’s second most-watched “Dallas” episode. In first place: the season premiere, “The Return,” which drew 2.7 million viewers on February 24 and 3.5 million viewers through three-day DVR playback.

“Dallas” averaged 1.9 million viewers on Mondays at 9 p.m. during the first half of its third season, but with DVR playback, the audience rose to 2.8 million viewers. Last season, “Dallas” averaged 2.7 million viewers on Mondays, but DVR users boosted the audience to 3.5 million viewers.

“Dallas’s” third season will resume Monday, August 18.

Sue Ellen, Superstar

Congratulations to Linda Gray, who’ll be honored at the USA Film Festival in Dallas on Saturday, April 26. Among her fellow honorees: Morgan Fairchild, who originated the role of Jenna Wade on the classic “Dallas” series in 1978. For details, click here.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Morgan Fairchild, Return, TNT, Where There’s Smoke

‘Dallas’ is Bringing the Heat. Now Let’s See Some Heart.

April 21, 2014 by Chris Baker 26 Comments

III

Did “Dallas” go too far by showing John Ross, Pamela and Emma’s three-way in last week’s midseason finale? I say no. The scene put a fitting punctuation mark on a storyline that’s been building all year while continuing some longtime “Dallas” traditions, including the original show’s practice of pushing the envelope in its depiction of sexuality. I liked it, but now it’s time for the new series to get back to emulating its predecessor in other ways — starting with restoring its focus on the Ewings and delving deeper into their lives. To put it another way: “Dallas” has shown us the heat; now it needs to show us some heart.

Before I get to that, let’s address the controversy over the threesome. Many viewers have taken to Facebook and Twitter to decry the scene, saying they were offended by the sight of John Ross, Pamela and Emma making out — especially when the women kissed. If you find this distasteful, probably nothing I can say will change your mind, but let me point this out: These characters are consenting adults. They’re acting in the privacy of a hotel room, and no one is being forced to do anything against their will. (Yes, Pamela is under the influence of drugs, but she apparently decided to sleep with her husband and his mistress before she popped the pills.) Contrast this with J.R.’s extra-marital affairs on the old show, which almost always took place behind Sue Ellen’s back. To me, that’s more immoral than a consensual threesome.

Some fans also say the “Dallas” three-way is too graphic. I suppose whether or not you agree depends on your definition of “graphic.” In this case, there’s a lot of kissing but not much nudity: John Ross takes off his shirt, but the women remain in their lingerie. It strikes me as much less explicit than what I saw a few nights later on another cable drama, “Mad Men,” when Roger Sterling woke up in a room full of half-naked bodies after an orgy. For the record, this didn’t offend me either because it helped illustrate Roger’s ongoing womanizing, which is central to his character.

Ultimately, this is why I believe “Dallas’s” threesome works: It serves the story. From the beginning, the John Ross/Pamela/Emma triangle has been about the characters using sex to achieve some other purpose: John Ross sleeps with Emma to gain access to her father’s secret files; Pamela buys a sexy corset to surprise her husband and help him take his mind off his problems; Emma buys the same outfit to seduce John Ross and one-up Pamela. In the midseason finale, sex is once again used as a tool when Pamela lures John Ross and Emma into the ménage a trois, only to spring a drug-induced seizure on them. It’s kind of poetic.

Let’s not forget that sex has always been part of “Dallas.” The first episode in 1978 showed the teenaged Lucy rolling around in the hay with silver-haired Ray. “Dallas” went on to break ground in other ways too: Lucy became engaged to a closeted gay man in 1979, which ended up being one of television’s first sympathetic portraits of homosexuality, and during the mid-1980s, the show hinted Grace was more than a mere “assistant” to Angelica Nero. “Dallas” also gave us prostitutes, J.R.’s affairs and Sue Ellen’s foray into the lingerie business — which included plenty of shots of Mandy Winger modeling nighties that were every bit as revealing as Pamela and Emma’s corsets — along with countless scenes of shirtless men kissing women wrapped in bed sheets. Sometimes it was tawdry and sometimes it was romantic — just like on the new “Dallas.”

Did the producers of the TNT series go out of their way to be a little more provocative than usual with the three-way? Of course they did. They wanted to grab as big an audience as possible in order to keep fans hooked during the show’s four-month hiatus. This is also nothing new: Cliffhangers are a “Dallas” tradition going back to the days of “Who Shot J.R.?” By today’s standards, this latest stunt was a success: The midseason finale, “Where There’s Smoke,” debuted to 2.1 million viewers on April 14. It was “Dallas’s” second biggest audience of the year, although it’s probably nothing compared to the chatter the episode inspired on social media and around office water coolers. People are buzzing about a “Dallas” cliffhanger again. When was the last time that happened?

So does this mean the new show should spice things up even more? I think that would be the wrong lesson to take from last week’s ratings bump. Instead, I hope the producers will remember this: Sex on the original “Dallas” was always balanced by moments of familial warmth, like the quiet scenes where Miss Ellie dispensed wisdom to one of her troubled children or the humorous occasions where Bobby bested J.R. with a wink and a grin. There’ve been flashes of these kinds of scenes this year — the women of Southfork sit around the patio planning Pamela’s wedding, Bobby introduces John Ross to the lesser prairie chicken — but they’ve been too far and few between. In their place, we’re getting scenes about Mexican drug lords, upscale brothels and misguided quests for “justice.”

More problematic is this: Two-and-a-half seasons into TNT’s “Dallas,” fans still aren’t sure what makes some of the main characters tick. Jordana Brewster is a terrific actress, but poor Elena has whiplashed from being “good” to “bad” and back again. Constantly adding new players to the mix isn’t helping us get to know the people we should be paying attention to. It’s not like the new “Dallas” isn’t capable of delving deep: One of the reasons “J.R.’s Masterpiece” remains the TNT show’s high-water mark isn’t just because it paid such loving tribute to Larry Hagman’s character — it’s also because it opened a window into Sue Ellen’s psyche and allowed Linda Gray to deliver one of her finest performances.

The closest we’ve come this year is the powerful scene where John Ross confronts his mother about her alcoholic relapse. Frankly, this is another reason I’m willing to cut the show some slack when it comes to that now-notorious threesome. I’ve seen what Josh Henderson’s character can do when his clothes come off, but I’ve also seen what happens when John Ross bares his soul. Doesn’t everyone else on “Dallas” deserve the same opportunity?

What do you think? Share your comments below — please be respectful — and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: J.R.’s Masterpiece, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, TNT, Where There’s Smoke, Who Shot J.R.?

It’s Time for #DallasChat. Everyone is Invited to Join!

April 21, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Three’s company

You’re invited to join Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Monday, April 21, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. We’ll continue last week’s conversation about the Season 3 midyear cliffhanger — and discuss any other topics that might come up — so our theme will be: “Three for All.”

Leave your suggested questions in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I’ll choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. What do you think will happen when Pamela recovers from her overdose? #DallasTNT #DallasChat

A1. All I’ll say is this: The Barnes-Ewing feud is back on! #DallasTNT #DallasChat

Here are two tips:

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

No one will be left out of tonight’s discussion. Please join in!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Emma Bell, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Styles: ‘Where There’s Smoke’

April 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Julie Gonzalo and Emma Bell donned Pamela and Emma’s green corsets again in “Dallas’s” midyear cliffhanger, but this time around, the question isn’t who wore it better — it’s who used the lingerie more effectively?

The corsets debuted earlier this season, when Pamela wore the sexy undergarment for John Ross on the night before their wedding. Little did she know Emma had worn an identical corset for him the previous evening, knowing it would spoil Pamela’s surprise. In “Where There’s Smoke,” this week’s episode, Pamela finally discovered John Ross and Emma’s affair and went to the Omni to interrupt their latest tryst. Emma had her corset on again, and as we soon discovered, Pamela was also wearing hers — part of a twisted plot to lure her husband and his mistress into a threesome before going into an overdose-fueled seizure on them.

Some fans feel the three-way sex scene was too graphic, but I was too busy pondering the symbolic value of the costumes: In the earlier episode, Emma wore her corset in a scheme to undermine John Ross and Pamela’s marriage; in “Where There’s Smoke,” Pamela wore hers in a scheme to ruin John Ross and Emma’s affair. Like J.R.’s wristwatch and Candace’s blue dress, it’s another example of how costumes play an important role in “Dallas’s” storytelling.

Two more looks in “Where There’s Smoke” caught my eye. Costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin smartly dressed Josh Henderson in another three-piece suit, which helped project John Ross’s sense of confidence when he finally met Judith Ryland. And even though many of us were heartbroken when Christopher shaved off his beard, the loss was eased a bit by seeing Jesse Metcalfe sport that nifty brown varsity jacket. Not only is the jacket stylish — the lettermen look is big in menswear this spring — but what could be a better accessory for all-American Christopher?

Let’s just hope the Ewings know a good dry cleaner; that jacket is going to be full of soot come August.

What were your favorite looks in “Where There’s Smoke”? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and read more “Dallas Styles.”

Filed Under: Dallas Styles, Dallas Styles (TNT), Features Tagged With: Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Rachel Sage Kunin, TNT, Where There’s Smoke

Say What?! This Week’s Best Dallas Sound Bites

April 17, 2014 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

“Dallas” delivers the most delicious dialogue on television. Here are the best sound bites from “Where There’s Smoke,” this week’s episode.

What are your favorite lines from “Where There’s Smoke”? Share them below and read more “Say What?!”

Filed Under: Dallas Sound Bites, Features Tagged With: Judith Light, Mitch Pileggi, TNT, Where There’s Smoke

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘We Could’ve Worked, Annie’

April 16, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT, Where There's Smoke

Oh, the humanity!

In “Where There’s Smoke,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Ann and Harris (Brenda Strong, Mitch Pileggi) walk out of his house.

ANN: It’s crazy, everything that’s happened in that house, not to feel —

HARRIS: Repulsed?

ANN: [Sighs] Afraid. Every time I came here when I was young, even when things were good between us, I always felt so unsettled.

HARRIS: That’s called “my mother.” [Ann chuckles.] I’m sorry I was so weak, Annie.

ANN: Weak? Back then, you were the strongest man I knew.

HARRIS: Yeah, strong to you, maybe. But I let her control me too much. Listened to her too much. And it all went awry.

ANN: Well, it wasn’t just you. I was young and reckless. Running away from a life I didn’t want. You know, I think if I had paused for one second, I would’ve seen I was too young and too screwed up to think running off with anyone at 17 was a good idea.

HARRIS: I don’t know. I think we could’ve worked, Annie. I loved you. I just think we never had a chance. We should never have remained in this house, not with that woman living here. She destroys everything she ever touches. She destroyed the most important part of my life: You. [He kisses her. She lingers, then pulls away.]

ANN: I should go.

HARRIS: I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Annie. I’m sorry.

She walks away as Judith (Judith Light) watches from an upstairs window, seething.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Judith Light, Mitch Pileggi, TNT, Where There’s Smoke

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 33 — ‘Where There’s Smoke’

April 16, 2014 by Chris Baker 33 Comments

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT, Where There's Smoke

What’s she thinking?

Southfork catches fire again in “Where There’s Smoke,” although much of the heat in this episode comes from Pamela’s ménage a trois with John Ross and Emma. It’s shocking to see her make out with her husband and his mistress, although Pamela’s sudden seizure at the end of the scene proves an even bigger surprise. When I watched this cliffhanger for the first time the other night, I was left with a slew of questions: Is this an accident, or does the pill bottle in Pamela’s pocket mean she intentionally overdosed? Is she trying to kill herself, or does she merely want to scare John Ross and Emma? Could she be faking it?

It turns out we don’t have to wait until August, when “Dallas’s” third season will resume, for the answers to most of these questions: Yesterday, showrunner Cynthia Cidre told TV Line that Pamela was out to “punish” John Ross and Emma. “She wanted them to never be able to have sex again without thinking of her vomiting on them,” Cidre said. Well, OK then.

This still leaves open the question of whether or not Pamela is like Sue Ellen, which is probably the most interesting point to debate anyway. Earlier in the episode, Pamela puts down her mother-in-law, telling her she isn’t “weak” and “sniveling” like her. (Linda Gray’s reaction shots in this scene are heartbreaking.) By taking revenge against John Ross and Emma instead of hitting the bottle like Sue Ellen, Pamela seems to prove her point. On the other hand, if vengeance involves swallowing pills, is Pamela really all that different from Sue Ellen? Perhaps this storyline is meant to fit with one of this season’s broader themes, which is how “Dallas’s” younger generation is doomed to repeat the old guard’s mistakes.

But no matter how this cliffhanger is resolved, there’s no doubt the big sex scene has raised a ruckus among “Dallas” fans. Some say the series went too far by showing a three-way; others love the unexpected twist. I’m in the latter camp. Without question, the show is going out of its way to be provocative, but let’s face it: Sex has always been part of “Dallas’s” DNA. Isn’t this is the show that began with a teenage girl rolling around in the hay with a silver-haired cowboy? Besides, I don’t find John Ross, Pamela and Emma kissing and fondling each other as distasteful as seeing J.R. force Holly Harwood to have sex with him against her will, which is what happened in a 1983 episode. Now that was disturbing.

To me, the threesome feels like a fitting climax to a storyline that’s been building since the end of the previous season, when John Ross and Emma first cavorted in an Omni hotel room. I especially like how Cidre and Robert Rovner, who co-wrote this episode, bring everything full circle by bringing back Pamela and Emma’s green corsets. You also have to hand it to the actors: Josh Henderson does a nice job conveying John Ross’s hesitation about joining Pamela and Emma in bed — you can feel the character’s bewilderment — while Emma Bell always makes her character seem like she’s up for anything. Of course, the standout is Julie Gonzalo. Pamela hasn’t had much to do lately except gaze adoringly at John Ross, but “Where There’s Smoke” makes up for it. During the course of a single day, Pamela goes from feeling stunned to hurt to angry to aroused, and Gonzalo nails every scene. She’s become one of “Dallas’s” most reliable performers.

Surprisingly, I find the Pamela/John Ross/Emma cliffhanger more compelling than the Southfork fire, which lacks suspense. Is there any doubt Sue Ellen, Bobby and Christopher will all survive? A bigger problem: This fire seems like it comes from out of nowhere, unlike the 1983 version, when the inferno felt like the perfect way to end a season in which everything went to hell for the Ewings. Nevertheless, the “Where There’s Smoke” fire is a technical marvel. The special effects are superb, and whether or not it’s intentional, director Michael M. Robin and cinematographer Rodney Charters mimic some of the shots from the original fire. (You can see a side-by-side comparison on my Facebook page.)

More “Where There’s Smoke” highlights: Patrick Duffy is terrific in the scene where Bobby blows up at Ann, although as one Dallas Decoder reader pointed out on Twitter, Bobby is being a bit of a hypocrite. Yes, Ann probably should’ve told her husband about John Ross and Emma’s affair, but has Bobby gotten around to telling his wife that he framed Cliff for J.R.’s “murder?” Meanwhile, Ann and Harris’s kiss is surprisingly moving. This scene works not just because Brenda Strong and Mitch Pileggi are so good in their roles, but also because the show has taken its time telling their story, slowly revealing Ann’s vulnerability and Harris’s humanity.

I also like seeing Christopher and Heather grow closer — the ever-expanding McCabe clan is quickly surpassing the Ramoses as the show’s most believably down-to-earth family — and I’m glad this episode keeps the Mexican cartel and brothel business to a merciful minimum. It’s also good to see Elena acknowledge that J.R. — not Christopher — hurt her father; isn’t this what fans have been screaming at their TVs all season? The next scene, where Nicolas pokes holes in Elena’s diaphragm, is puzzling: By impregnating her, does he hope to control her? On the other hand, if this is the reason the Doors’ “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” was chosen for the episode-ending montage, I’m all for it.

Finally, like a lot of fans, I’m not sure what to make of the fact “North By Northwest” is playing on Sue Ellen’s TV when she gets drunk before the fire starts. In the movie, Cary Grant plays a man who unwittingly falls into a spy game but ultimately turns the tables on his enemies and takes control of the situation. Could this be a signal that Gray’s character is about to get back on track? Or is the film’s appearance nothing more than a sly plug for Turner Classic Movies, one of TNT’s sister channels?

I hope it’s the former. I’ve been patient while “Dallas” allows Sue Ellen’s relapse to play out, but now that she’s back where her fall from the wagon began — in the bedroom where J.R. once slept — it feels like this storyline has come full circle too. Is this where our beloved heroine begins the road back to sobriety? That’s the real cliffhanger, isn’t it?

Grade: B

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Full circle?

‘WHERE THERE’S SMOKE’

Season 3, Episode 8

Telecast: April 14, 2014

Audience: 2.1 million viewers on April 14

Writers: Cynthia Cidre and Robert Rovner

Director: Michael M. Robin

Synopsis: Pamela sees the video of John Ross and Emma and lashes out at Sue Ellen and Ann when she realizes they knew about the affair. Bobby becomes angry at Ann for keeping the secret from him, which prompts her to turn to Harris, who kisses her. John Ross figures out Harris has been trying to frame him and tells Judith to call off her son, while Judith urges Emma to turn on John Ross. Drew tells Nicolas he wants to settle the feud with the Ewings “with blood,” while Nicolas sabotages Elena’s birth control when she begins getting cold feet about their revenge scheme. Pamela finds John Ross and Emma in a hotel room and has a threesome with them, only to begin convulsing after an apparent overdose. Bobby and Christopher learn Bo blames the Ewings for his troubles and come home to Southfork to find the house in flames with Sue Ellen passed out inside.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Donny Boaz (Bo McCabe), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Dallas Clark (Michael McCabe), Jude Demorest (Candace), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Akai Draco (Sheriff Derrick), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), AnnaLynne McCord (Heather McCabe), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Steven Walters (Reece)

“Where There’s Smoke” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.