2014 September – Dallas Decoder

‘Which Ewing Dies?’ It’s [Spoiler]

September 22, 2014 by Chris Baker 75 Comments

Warning: This article reveals the identity of the character killed during “Dallas’s” third-season finale. Other storylines are also discussed. Scroll down to read more.

No, seriously, if you don’t want to know, stop reading now.

You’ve been warned.

As promised, TNT’s “Dallas” killed off a Ewing in its third-season finale. The victim: Christopher, who apparently perished in a car bombing. In another surprise twist, John Ross learned he has a sister — or maybe a half-sister — courtesy of J.R.

During the back-to-back episodes, Ann and Emma (Brenda Strong, Emma Bell) were rescued from the cartel, Elena (Jordana Brewster) shot and wounded Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) after discovering he was responsible for her brother’s death, and Bobby and Ann reconciled, although she worried Tracey (Melinda Clarke) was making a play for her husband.

At the end of the second hour, Bobby and Sue Ellen (Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray) joined forces to buy back Ewing Global from the government after the feds seized the cartel’s assets. John Ross (Josh Henderson) — angry that he was shut out of Ewing Global and that Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) was cheating on him with Nasir (Pej Vahdat) — formed an alliance with Judith (Judith Ryland) and reconnected with Emma, who gave him a mysterious red file that Harris (Mitch Pileggi) had been compiling on J.R. before his death.

Meanwhile, after a more-menacing-than-ever Nicolas ordered hits on El Pozolero and Luis (Miguel Sandoval, Antonio Jaramillo), Elena was seen getting sick in a gas station bathroom, where the results of a home pregnancy test revealed she was expecting. She was on her way to join Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) in the car when it blew up — the result, apparently, of a bomb planted by one of Nicolas’s henchmen.

The final scene: John Ross was in the back of limousine, where he received a call from Bum (Kevin Page), who wanted to discuss the contents of the mysterious red file on J.R. “What do you want me to do about it?” Bum asked. John Ross’s response: “I want you to find her, Bum. I want you to find my sister.”

Dallas Decoder’s coverage of the season finale will continue throughout the week, including a special edition of #DallasChat on Tuesday, September 23, as well as full-length critiques of the season-ending episodes, “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” and much more.

What did you think of “Dallas’s” third-season finale? Share your comments below and read more posts on Dallas Decoder’s “Which Ewing Dies?” page.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Antonio Jaramillo, Brave New World, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Endgame, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Julie Gonzalo, Kevin Page, Linda Gray, Miguel Sandoval, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Pej Vahdat, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 14

September 22, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Dallas, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Southfork showdown?

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” the final episodes from “Dallas’s” third season:

Will Bobby rescue Ann and Emma? In the previous episode, “Boxed In,” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) learned about the kidnapping of Ann and Emma (Brenda Strong, Emma Bell) and devised a plan to secure their release. He persuaded his fellow railroad commissioners to approve an emergency drill near the Texas-Mexico border, hoping it will distract law enforcement long enough for the Mendez-Ochoa cartel to bring a train full of drugs into the United States. Bobby went to the Mexican “kill house,” where Ann and Emma are being held, and pitched his plan to Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), who said he’d go along with the scheme. Luis then threw Bobby a curveball, telling him he could take only one hostage home. Will Bobby really be forced to choose?

What will happen when Sue Ellen meets Judith? When Bobby embarked on his plan to bring Ann and Emma home, he received support from Harris and Judith (Mitch Pileggi, Judith Ryland). The publicity photos for tonight’s episodes show the Rylands at Southfork, where it looks like Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Judith will finally come face to face. This will probably be a low-key meeting between two understated, unassuming women, don’t you think?

What will happen to Ewing Global? After Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) moved into Elena’s old cottage on Southfork, she agreed to help John Ross (Josh Henderson) do his part to help save Ann and Emma. The estranged spouses went to Las Vegas, where Pamela charmed Nasir (Pej Vahdat), the sheik’s son, and persuaded him to give her and John Ross a huge loan. John Ross and Pamela’s plan: to make the cartel an offer it can’t refuse by buying in one fell swoop all the divisions of the company the gangsters are liquidating, piece by piece. Will the plan work?

Will Christopher rescue Elena? Elena (Jordana Brewster) was stunned when Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) confessed his connection to the cartel. Later, after Nicolas’s wife Lucia (Angélica Celaya) received the photographs her private eye snapped of Nicolas and Elena at their lakeside hideaway, Lucia agreed to tell Christopher where he’ll find her husband and Christopher’s ex-fiancée. Will Christopher arrive in time to save Elena? And why do the promos for tonight’s episode show Elena wielding a gun?

What brings Tracey back into Bobby’s life? Melinda Clarke, who made her “Dallas” debut a few weeks ago as Tracey McKay, one of Bobby’s ex-flames from the late 1980s, will appear during “Brave New World,” the second of tonight’s back-to-back episodes. Will she turn to Bobby to recover from the death of her nephew Hunter, or could she have something else in mind?

Which Ewing dies — and what’s J.R.’s secret? By now, everyone knows the “Dallas” producers are planning to kill a Ewing tonight. Showrunner Cynthia Cidre told Dallas Decoder the character will indeed be named “Ewing” and that the death will occur near the end of tonight’s finale. So who’ll be the victim? Perhaps equally importantly is this: According to TNT’s preview of the cliffhanger, “John Ross learns a shocking secret about J.R. that sends him halfway around the globe in search of a surprising new cohort.” What’s the secret, and who’s the cohort?

What “Dallas Burning Questions” are on your mind? Share your comments below and watch TNT’s “Dallas” tonight.

Filed Under: Dallas Burning Questions, Features Tagged With: Angélica Celaya, Antonio Jaramillo, Brave New World, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Endgame, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Melinda Clarke, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Pej Vahdat, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

‘Which Ewing Dies?’ New Clues Emerge in ‘Dallas’s’ Mystery

September 21, 2014 by Chris Baker 25 Comments

There’s still no telling which Ewing will die during “Dallas’s” third-season finale, although executive producer Cynthia Cidre offered a helpful hint when she told Dallas Decoder the death will be storyline-driven. So whose demise would yield the most drama? Here’s how the loss of certain characters might affect the storytelling.

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, TNT, Which Ewing Dies

Please don’t go, girl

Ann Ewing. Even if Bobby brings Ann and Emma home from Mexico, the gals may not be out of danger. Suppose there’s a final clash between the Ewings and the cartel and Ann gets caught in the crossfire? What if Bobby holds Harris and Judith responsible for her death and embarks on a quest for revenge? It would add another dimension to the Ewing/Ryland feud while evoking the last season of the original show, when April was murdered and Bobby became obsessed with getting revenge. Of course, Bobby’s anger after Ann’s death would probably pale in comparison to the rage Brenda Strong’s fans would feel if “Dallas” kills off Ann — and can you imagine how upset they’ll be when Bobby starts dating again? (You know he will. It usually doesn’t take Bob long to mend a broken heart.) Even though Ann’s death could open new storylines for Patrick Duffy, it would be sad to see “Dallas” lose Strong, a marvelous actress and one of the show’s biggest boosters on social media. Nevertheless, like KSiteTV points out, our beloved Annie might be the likeliest to go.

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, TNT, Which Ewing Dies

Like father, like son?

Christopher Ewing. If the thought of watching Bobby lose yet another wife doesn’t put a lump in your throat, imagine what it would be like to see him lose a son. Dropping Jesse Metcalfe from “Dallas” would be shocking, although the show would undoubtedly send Christopher out in a blaze of glory. Suppose Nicolas runs afoul of the Mexican drug lord El Pozolero, who retaliates by ordering a hit on Elena — only to have Christopher take the bullet for her? It would be this “Dallas’s” version of Bobby pushing Pam out of the path of Krazy Katherine’s car, minus the “it was all a dream” twist. Once again, Bobby might blame the Rylands for bringing the cartel into the Ewings’ lives and seek revenge, giving Duffy a powerful storyline next year. Christopher’s death could also allow “Dallas” to introduce a grown-up version of Lucas, Bobby’s biological son with Jenna — and not a moment too soon. Now that Pamela, Elena and Emma have all taken turns in John Ross’s bed, aren’t the “Dallas” leading ladies going to be in the market for some fresh beefcake?

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jordana Brewster, TNT, Which Ewing Dies

Adios, Elena?

Elena Ramos. Cidre told Dallas Decoder the character who dies is named Ewing, adding, “It’s a Ewing we know well.” This would seem to rule out Jordana Brewster’s character — unless there’s a quickie wedding between Christopher and Elena during the season finale and Elena kicks the bucket shortly thereafter. It’s true the show has set the stage for Elena to be at the center of a “who’s the daddy?” pregnancy storyline, now that she’s bedded both Nicolas and John Ross while using her Swiss cheese diaphragm. But what if all that pregnancy business is a decoy to throw fans off the Elena death trail? In Cidre’s Ultimate Dallas interview, she coyly hinted the pregnancy storyline won’t play out the way the audience expects. Could that mean it won’t play out at all? Whatever the case, as much as I like Brewster, killing off Elena could be an efficient way to get rid of the Ramoses, whom many vocal fans never warmed to. Think about it: Now that Drew is dead and Carmen has quit working for the Ewings, what’s left for Elena to do?

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT, Which Ewing Dies

Gone, darlin’, gone?

Pamela Barnes Ewing. Now here’s a death that would truly suck. Julie Gonzalo and her character are hugely popular, especially among fans who are clamoring to see John Ross and Pamela get back together. But what if the Bobby/Ann scenario described above happens instead to John Ross and Pamela? Suppose she dies tragically at the hands of the cartel, setting John Ross off on a mission to destroy Nicolas and/or the Rylands? What if Cliff blames John Ross for his daughter’s death and comes after him, creating a circle of vengeance? There’s also the Barnes/Ewing feud to think about. Does Cliff have other kids who might crawl out of the woodwork to do battle with the Ewings? Or what if — I can barely bring myself to write this — the show decides to drop the feud altogether? Pamela did declare it was over recently (although she also said her fight with John Ross is just beginning). I can’t imagine “Dallas” without these two families squabbling, but don’t forget the title of this season’s final hour: “Brave New World.” Could that be the biggest hint of all?

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

No, nope, nada

Bobby, Sue Ellen or John Ross Ewing. I refuse to entertain the thought of any of these three characters dying. It also seems unlikely the show would kill off a beloved character from the original “Dallas.” It’s hard enough to imagine losing Ann, Christopher and Pamela! If pressed, I guess I could envision a scenario in which … nope, sorry. Can’t do it.

Who do you think will die? Share your theories below and read more posts on Dallas Decoder’s “Which Ewing Dies?” page.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Brave New World, Brenda Strong, Cynthia Cidre, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

‘Which Ewing Dies?’ ‘Dallas’ Producer Offers a Tease

September 20, 2014 by Chris Baker 91 Comments

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Endgame, Jesse Metcalfe, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT, Which Ewing Dies

Watch you backs, darlins

Warning: This article contains clues about the identity of the Ewing who’ll die during “Dallas’s” September 22 cliffhanger.

The character who dies in “Dallas’s” season finale is named Ewing, executive producer Cynthia Cidre told Dallas Decoder yesterday. “It’s a Ewing we know well,” she said.

Cidre declined to give additional details about the death, which has been the subject of intense speculation among fans since earlier this week, when TNT began airing a promo that promises “one Ewing will die” during the September 22 telecast.

Some fans predicted the show would kill off someone who is close to the Ewings but not necessarily a family member, but Cidre’s comments suggest this won’t be the case. She wouldn’t say if the character is played by one of the show’s main cast members, which keeps alive another fan theory — that the show will kill off someone from the original series, not one of the regular characters on TNT’s version.

The two-hour finale will be comprised of two episodes, “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” that will air back-to-back. Cidre said the death will come toward the end of the second hour, but it won’t necessarily be the last scene.

The “Dallas” producers decided to kill off the character for storyline purposes, not because the actor or actress wanted to leave, Cidre said. “It’s really what serves the story. We knew we wanted to hit something big at the end of the season. This is our first year without Larry [Hagman], and we wanted to make our own name in the ‘Dallas’ universe. It’s a pretty amazing scene,” she said.

Executives from both TNT and Warner Bros., the studio that produces “Dallas,” encouraged Cidre to go through with the death storyline when she pitched it to them. “They came back and said, ‘Trust yourselves. If you think it works, do it. … See if you can surprise [the audience] again.’”

Cidre predicted fans will be eager to see what happens to the Ewings after they lose one of their own. “New things are going to happen. There’s going to be new blood. There’s going to be new conflict. … You can’t just keep playing the same conflicts over and over again,” she said.

The two-hour finale will find “pretty much all” the characters in physical jeopardy, Cidre said. The first hour is more action-packed, while the second hour wraps up the year’s storylines before concluding with what she called “our biggest cliffhangers of all time.”

More “Dallas” dish from Cidre:

• On preparing for a fourth season: Although TNT hasn’t renewed “Dallas” for another season, the show’s writers are back at work crafting storylines in case the series gets picked up. Cidre has delivered a 60-page “bible” outlining the new storylines to TNT and Warner Bros., and the first few scripts have been written. If TNT decides to bring the show back, Cidre said the network will probably announce the renewal in October, and cameras will start rolling about six weeks later. “We still have our building, we have our stages, we’re paying rent. We just don’t have an official pickup,” she said.

• On possible fourth-season airdates: Cidre’s writing team has been told to prepare another 15-episode split season. If “Dallas” is renewed, she expects the show to follow the same schedule it did this year, with eight episodes beginning in mid-February, followed by a break and the year’s final episodes starting in August.

• On “Dallas’s” Monday time slot: Although many fans wish TNT would move “Dallas” to a less competitive night, Cidre said she doesn’t mind airing on Mondays. However, she wishes “Dallas” could follow “Major Crimes” or another one of TNT’s popular dramas. “Because our show is sexier, we do get a slightly different demographic. It would help to have a lead-in,” Cidre said.

Which Ewing will die during “Dallas’s” two-hour season finale on Monday, September 22? Share your predictions below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: News, News Tagged With: Brave New World, Cynthia Cidre, Endgame, Jesse Metcalfe, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

TNT’s Dallas Styles: ‘Boxed In’

September 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Every outfit on “Dallas” tells a story, and so does every hairstyle. In “Boxed In,” this week’s episode, the characters’ tresses told us a lot about how they were coping with their latest crisis: the kidnapping of Ann and Emma.

Consider Judith, whose unkempt mane symbolized her emotional unraveling. Her hair was almost as wild as it was last year, when she wound up in the hospital after taking that nasty spill down the stairs. I admire Judith Light’s willingness to appear less than perfect on camera, but I also admire how “Dallas’s” brilliant hairstylist, Charles Yusko, uses Judith’s locks to serve the storyline. No matter what the writers give Judith to do, Yusko always manages to create the perfect look for her. One fan said it best the other night during #DallasChat: Judith’s hair has become a character of its own.

My favorite look this week belonged to Julie Gonzalo, who was striking in the scene where Pamela slyly persuades Nasir to loan the Ewings the money they need to buy the divisions of their company being liquidated by the cartel. Gonzalo’s bright red lipstick reflected the power and confidence she brought to this scene, and I love how her hair was pulled back in that no-nonsense ponytail.

In another clever touch, costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin dressed Gonzalo in a smart black-and-white suit — a nod to the black-and-white Stella McCartney dress Pamela wore during her trip Las Vegas earlier in the season. (Meanwhile, Josh Henderson’s hair seemed a little bigger than usual in “Boxed In’s” Las Vegas scene, just like it was during John Ross’s first encounter with Nasir.)

While we’re on this subject: Some of us out here in Fan Land feel like taking the “Dallas” writers to the woodshed after Luis (Antonio Jaramillo) attempted to charm Ann by taking a swipe at Harris. “I don’t see him deserving you,” Luis said. “Perhaps he was more handsome with hair.” Ouch! This is the second consecutive episode in which someone has made a wisecrack about Harris’s hair, or lack thereof. Last week, John Ross referred to him as “that bald bastard.”

C’mon, writers! How about a little sympathy for the follicly challenged members of your cast — and those of us watching at home?

What were your favorite looks in “Boxed In”? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and read more “Dallas Styles.”

Filed Under: Dallas Styles, Dallas Styles (TNT), Features Tagged With: Antonio Jaramillo, Boxed In, Charles Yusko, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, Julie Gonzalo, Luis, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, Rachel Sage Kunin, TNT

Dallas Drinks: The Pam

September 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

To honor Victoria Principal’s performance on “Dallas,” Dallas Decoder and Cook In/Dine Out offer a Pam-inspired “Dallas Drinks” cocktail. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dallas Drinks, Features Tagged With: Victoria Principal

Dallas Drinks: The Julie

September 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

To honor Tina Louise’s performance on “Dallas,” Dallas Decoder and Cook In/Dine Out offer a Julie-inspired “Dallas Drinks” cocktail. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dallas Drinks, Features Tagged With: Tina Louise

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

September 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

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

What are your favorite lines from “Boxed In”? Share them below and read more “Say What?!”

Filed Under: Dallas Sound Bites, Features Tagged With: Boxed In, Patrick Duffy, Pete Partida, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Only Need One Hostage’

September 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

Antonio Jaramillo, Boxed In, Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, TNT

Last call

In “Boxed In,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Harris (Mitch Pileggi) is with Judith (Judith Light) when she receives a call from Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), who is holding Emma (Emma Bell) in the basement of a Mexican “kill house.”

JUDITH: Hello, Luis.

LUIS: I just got a call from one of my men. It seems your trucks have been stopped at the border. Did you not think I was serious about my threat?

JUDITH: This is exactly what I was worried about in the first place. Moving more trucks across the border always meant more risk. I warned you this could happen! But I can fix it, if you’ll just give me a little more time.

LUIS: And I warned you what would happen if you didn’t do exactly as I asked. [Holds the phone in front of Emma, who whimpers] Say hello to your grandma.

EMMA: [Crying, speaking into the phone] I’m sorry, Grandma. This — it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry. [Luis cocks the gun and holds it to her temple. She gasps, cries.] Oh, God. Please don’t do that.

LUIS: [Into the phone] I only need one hostage. At this moment, I have two.

EMMA: Please don’t do this.

The gun fires off-screen. Upstairs in the Mexican house, Ann (Brenda Strong) bolts off the sofa and screams Emma’s name as one of the thugs struggles to hold her down. At the Ryland home, Judith collapses into Harris’s arms.

HARRIS: Damn you. Damn you.

Back at the Mexican house, Emma is alive. Luis fired the gun into the wall.

LUIS: Habla con tu abuela. [Holding the phone up to her face]

EMMA: I’m OK, I’m OK.

Luis flings her onto a mattress on the floor.

LUIS: [Into the phone] I want you to think about the emotion you just felt. And then imagine feeling it every day, for the rest of your life. You have one day to get the trucks moving.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Antonio Jaramillo, Boxed In, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Judith Light, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 38 — ‘Boxed In’

September 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Ann Ewing, Boxed In, Brenda Strong, Dallas, TNT

Mama’s here

No one who watches “Boxed In” will forget the scene where Ann, Harris and Judith are overcome with grief after hearing Luis fire the gun he’s been holding at Emma’s head. It’s the most harrowing moment I’ve witnessed on television since last year, when Walter White abducted his infant daughter while his wife kicked and screamed and tried in vain to stop him. Just as that sequence demonstrated how far “Breaking Bad’s” antihero had sunk, the moment of crisis on “Dallas” reveals new things about its characters, including the depth of Ann and Emma’s bond, Harris’s capacity for compassion and — the biggest surprise of all — the discovery that Judith Ryland is a human being. Who knew?

The “Boxed In” scene begins when Luis, who’s holding Ann and Emma hostage in a Mexican “kill house,” receives a phone call and learns the Rylands aren’t adequately honoring their deal with the drug cartel. Luis erupts in anger and yanks Emma off the sofa as Ann struggles to hold onto her. While another thug detains Ann, Luis drags Emma to the basement, where he dials Judith’s number with one hand and holds a gun to Emma’s head with the other. Luis and Judith exchange recriminations, he cocks his gun, Judith begs for mercy, Emma pleads for her life, and then: Bang! Ann screams and Judith collapses into Harris’s arms, and then we return to the basement, where we see Emma is still alive; Luis merely put a bullet in the wall.

Another “Dallas” fake-out? Yes, and what a relief. Besides delivering fresh insight into these characters, the sequence is an impressive technical achievement for director Rodney Charters. Consider the complexities: The scene involves five characters in three settings (Luis and Emma in the basement, Ann upstairs, Harris and Judith back in Dallas), and yet Charters manages to unite all of them in a single, terrifying moment. When I interviewed Charters recently, he told me this episode contained a scene he regards as one of his proudest “Dallas” achievements. I suspect this is the one he was referring to.

The “execution” scene is also a triumph for the five actors, beginning with Brenda Strong, whose scream after the gunshot is painfully real, and Mitch Pileggi, who quietly, movingly mutters “damn you” when Harris believes his daughter is dead. (Is he chastising Luis or himself)? Also impressive: Antonio Jaramillo, who goes from charming at the beginning of the episode to downright evil in this scene; Judith Light, who makes you feel her character’s anguish; and Emma Bell, who is heartbreaking at every turn. It’s especially touching to see Emma reach for Ann and call her “mom” when Luis pulls her into the basement, and I love Emma and Ann’s reunion after the ordeal, when Strong sits on the basement floor and rocks Bell in her arms. In an episode about the “Dallas” characters forming unlikely alliances, nothing can match the power of seeing Ann and Emma finally become mother and daughter.

Many other scenes in “Boxed In” are thrilling too, especially when Patrick Duffy’s character is involved. How can you not love seeing the cartel thug approach Luis and announce — somewhat nervously — that “Bobby Ewing is here.” For longtime “Dallas” fans, no four words could be more reassuring. Yes, Bobby’s scheme to win Ann and Emma’s release by bringing a train full of drugs into Texas makes his plot to frame Cliff Barnes for murder seem quaint, but no matter. Bobby will always be our hero, and Duffy has mastered the art of playing a good guy who’s also a badass. In “Boxed In’s” last scene, when Luis greets Bobby by pointing out how risky it is for him to come to the kill house, Duffy squints his eyes and coolly responds: “Well, you seem like a nice enough fella.” Could Eastwood have delivered that line any better?

I also like how Bobby deftly manipulates Luis, pressuring him to accept his drug train offer by playing on his insecurities. “You can continue to hold the women if you want, or you can be smart and show your boss that you were the one who could amass a giant fortune in one night,” Bobby says. Does he know Luis is envious over the favoritism shown toward Nicolas by the Mexican godfather El Pozolero? Or has experience taught Bobby that in any family-run business, there’s always a jealous brother lurking about? Duffy’s other great moment comes when Judith approaches Bobby on the airport tarmac, takes his hand, and says, “Emma is all I have. Thank you.” Duffy plays the moment beautifully, becoming a stand-in for the audience. He’s as surprised as we are to learn Judith is human.

“Boxed In” comes from scriptwriter Gail Gilchriest, whose previous third-season effort, “Playing Chicken,” also found Bobby saving the day. This time around, Gilchriest gives Pamela a heroic role too. She travels to Las Vegas and persuades Nasir, the sheik’s son, to give the Ewings a huge loan so they can buy up the divisions of their company being dumped by the cartel. Julie Gonzalo is wonderfully crisp in this scene, which contrasts nicely with Pamela’s previous Las Vegas visit, when she played the dutiful wife who hovered in the background while her husband was wheeling and dealing with the sheik. (One gripe: Why does Pamela tip her hand and tell John Ross she’s planning to take him for everything he’s worth? It reminds me of the time Sue Ellen revealed the details of her plan to divorce J.R., allowing him to undermine her efforts. In another Sue Ellen-esque move, Pamela sets up house inside Elena’s cottage, recalling all the times Linda Gray’s character moved across the hall from J.R. during their marital crises.)

There’s a lot more to like about “Boxed In,” including the cinematic scope in several shots and the episode’s skillful use of color, particularly the way the golden hues in the exterior Mexican shots contrast with the black and faded browns inside the kill house. I also love the handheld camerawork, which heightens the frenetic pacing and sense of urgency. And despite the heavy drama, this episode isn’t without its light touches, beginning with the scene where John Ross strides into Bobby’s den and finds none other than Harris Ryland standing there, helping the Ewings plot their rescue of Ann and Emma. You can hardly blame John Ross for being surprised; Harris never makes it past the driveway when he comes to Southfork.

I doubt the alliance between the Ewings and the Rylands will last, which is too bad in light of TNT’s promo this week for “Dallas’s” two-hour third-season finale. Now that we know the Ewings are about to experience another death in the family, they’re probably going to need all the friends they can get.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good guy/badass

‘BOXED IN’

Season 3, Episode 13

Telecast: September 15, 2014

Audience: 1.86 million viewers on September 15

Writer: Gail Gilchriest

Director: Rodney Charters

Synopsis: When Harris tells Bobby that Ann and Emma are being held hostage, Bobby comes up with a plan to appease the cartel: He persuades his fellow railroad commissioners to approve an emergency training exercise that will allow the cartel to bring a trainload of drugs into Texas undetected. Bobby goes to Mexico to pitch the deal to Luis, who accepts the offer but says he’ll free only one of his hostages. Meanwhile, when the cartel begins selling off Ewing Global’s divisions, John Ross and Pamela join forces and persuade Nasir to loan them the money they need to purchase the divisions in exchange for a piece of the Arctic leases. After Nicolas confesses his cartel connection to Elena, Lucia receives the photographs her private eye snapped of Nicolas and Elena together. Later, Lucia agrees to tell Christopher where her husband and Elena are.

Cast: Deke Anderson (Bill Weathers), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Angélica Celaya (Lucia Treviño), Eduardo DeLeon (Raoul), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), 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), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Pete Partida (Jacobo), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Steve Uzzell (Riley Shelton), Pej Vahdat (Nasir Ali)

“Boxed In” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.