Unhappily ever Afton
In “Killer at Large,” “Dallas’s” eighth-season opener, a cheerful Cliff (Ken Kercheval) comes home and begins opening a bottle of champagne when Afton (Audrey Landers) enters carrying a suitcase.
CLIFF: We gotta celebrate.
AFTON: I’ve gotten permission from the police to visit my mother in Biloxi.
CLIFF: You’ve gotten permission from the police? What are you talking about?
AFTON: I need permission from them to leave the state.
CLIFF: Why?
AFTON: [Sets down the suitcase] Cliff, where have you been? Didn’t you hear that Bobby was shot?
CLIFF: Yeah, I heard that he was shot but I don’t know what that’s got to do with us. Why do you have to have permission from the police?
AFTON: I found him just after he was shot. You don’t seem to understand, do you? Bobby was shot in J.R.’s office.
CLIFF: So?
AFTON: Doesn’t that mean something to you?
CLIFF: No. No, why should it? [A beat] Oh, now wait a minute. Unless you think I had something to do with Bobby being shot.
AFTON: Yes. I think you went to the Ewing offices to kill J.R. and you shot Bobby by mistake.
CLIFF: Well, that’s ridiculous. That is absolutely ridiculous. Is that why you went there — to stop me?
AFTON: Yes.
CLIFF: Well, I hope you didn’t tell the police that crazy story. I could be in a lot of trouble!
AFTON: Cliff, where were you last night?
CLIFF: [Chuckles] I got drunk. I slept it off in my car.
AFTON: But where were you drinking?
CLIFF: Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know. Two or three places.
AFTON: You don’t know. You’ve blacked out before so I guess you blacked out again last night.
CLIFF: So I blacked out.
AFTON: Then you could have done the shooting.
CLIFF: Look, if that’s what you want to think, that’s fine. But I got a rich oil strike to celebrate. [Pops the cork]
AFTON: Doesn’t it even bother you that Bobby was shot?
CLIFF: No, not really. No. He’s not married to Pam anymore. He’s a Ewing. [Pours a glass, raises it] Want a drink?
AFTON: I’m not drinking with you. You are the coldest man I have ever met. You make J.R. Ewing look like a saint. [Turns, grabs her suitcase, heads toward the door]
CLIFF: [Laughs] Well, say hello to your mama in her new house. When you coming back? [Grabs the bottle, follows her to the door]
AFTON: [Stops, turns to face him] I’m not.
CLIFF: [Scoffs] Now that’s ridiculous.
AFTON: No. No, Cliff, our relationship is ridiculous. It’s over. I just wish I could say it’s been terrific. I’ll send for the rest of my things. [Turns away]
CLIFF: Just when everything is going great.
AFTON: [Turns back] Great? Great for whom? For you. The only one you’ve ever cared about: Cliff Barnes. [Exits, leaving Cliff standing alone]
CLIFF: [Walks back into the room, takes a sip] Who needs her?
Watch this scene in “Killer at Large,” available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes, and share your comments below.
Dallas Decoder 
Have you posted the critique of Killer at large yet? Typically it is posted along side of scene of the day and I don’t see it.
Excited to see your episode critique’s back!,
Sheri Olson
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Hi Sheri,
I accidentally posted this scene yesterday before the critique went up. Now both are up. Here’s the critique link: https://dallasdecoder.com/2015/05/25/critique-dallas-episode-162-killer-a-large/.
Thanks for reading!
Chris
So Afton thinks Cliff is the coldest man she ever met now? Just wait until he orders a bombing which endangers and ultimately kills their unborn grandchildren.
It is scenes like this where Ken Kercheval really shines. nobody does flippant self centered disinterest like him.
Afton gets THE best farewell scene of the whole series, I think. And deservedly so!
I agree it’s a great goodbye scene, although my sentimental favorite is Ray Krebbs’ farewell after the range war.
Ray leaving is indeed great. But C.B., Raymond should not have dyed his hair in the reunion films! That was ridiculous! He looked better gray!
I read that Steve Kanaly had dyed his hair for another movie or TV show that was filming at the same time, so that’s why his hair was darker in “War of the Ewings.” I just figured Ray was having a midlife crisis.
This was a good Goodbye scene!!! (AL and KK were great) I grew to love Afton and she deserved better from and better than Cliff!!!! It was sad to see her go and in replace Mandy, (Debra Shelton was no that good). Afton could have be pregnant at that time.
That’s right. Afton is carrying little Pamela Rebecca in this scene, isn’t she?