Opinion – Dallas Decoder

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 95 – ‘Anniversary’

December 19, 2012 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

There she is

In the fourth-season “Dallas” episode “New Beginnings,” J.R. and Sue Ellen recall their meeting at the Miss Texas beauty pageant, where he was a judge and she was a contestant. The conversation is warm and nostalgic – until Kristin calls and announces she has given birth to J.R.’s son. This triggers a chain reaction that eventually includes Kristin’s death and J.R. and Sue Ellen’s divorce.

In “Anniversary,” J.R. and Sue Ellen finally get around to finishing the conversation her sister interrupted. It begins when J.R. shows up on Sue Ellen’s doorstep with a bouquet of yellow roses and a video recording of her appearance in the pageant, which occurred on that date 14 years earlier. “It was the first time I set eyes on you,” J.R. reminds his ex-wife. He also tells her that his life “hasn’t been the same” since their divorce. “I miss you,” J.R. says.

This scene isn’t quite as moving as the one in “New Beginnings,” but it’s still very sweet. Larry Hagman and Linda Gray had been working together for four years when “Anniversary” was filmed, but they have the chemistry of a couple who’ve been together much longer. This really feels like a conversation between two people with many years of shared connections and experiences. I also like how director Joseph Manduke shows us Sue Ellen’s television set as it plays the old footage of her pageant appearance. It’s a fleeting glimpse of the poised young woman J.R. described so lovingly in “New Beginnings.” (By the way: He’s lucky Sue Ellen has a VCR to play his cassette. The machines were available in fewer than 10 percent of homes in 1982, when this episode debuted.)

“Anniversary” also features a terrific guest turn from Claude Earl Jones, who portrays J.R.’s buddy Wally Hampton, the Tulsa industrialist who agrees to help J.R. lure Cliff away from Dallas. With his big belly and backslapping demeanor, Jones makes a fantastic Ewing crony. The actor is also one of a handful of performers to play three roles on “Dallas:” In addition to Hampton, Jones portrays one of J.R.’s dirty cops in the second-season episode “Call Girl” and rival oilman Duke Carlisle during the 13th season. He’s perfect for each of these parts.

Overall, “Anniversary” is another solid hour from “Dallas’s” solid fifth season. I also love Miss Ellie’s heart to heart with Lucy in the Southfork kitchen, as well as Lucy’s confrontation with Evelyn, the other woman in Mitch’s life. The scene where Bobby presents Pam with her aerobics studio is a kick too, especially for those of us old enough to remember Victoria Principal’s real-life foray into the physical fitness craze of the 1980s.

The other great moment in “Anniversary” comes during the third act, when J.R. arranges for Donna to catch Ray with Bonnie in that cheap motel room. It’s twisted how J.R. schemes to break up his half-brother’s marriage while trying to bring his own union back from the dead, but with J.R., would we expect anything less?

Grade: B

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Uh oh

‘ANNIVERSARY’

Season 5, Episode 18

Airdate: February 12, 1982

Audience: 22.4 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Joseph Manduke

Synopsis: J.R. kisses Sue Ellen and arranges for Donna to catch Ray in bed with Bonnie. Hampton’s job offer tempts Cliff. Evelyn confronts Lucy, who sleeps with Roger. Bobby buys Pam an aerobics studio.

Cast: Barbara Babcock (Liz Craig), Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Lindsay Bloom (Bonnie), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Danny Dayton (emcee), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Claude Earl Jones (Wally Hampton), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), Patricia McCormack (Evelyn Michaelson), Pamela Murphy (Marie), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Ron Tomme (Charles Eccles)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Anniversary, Call Girl, Claude Earl Jones, Joseph Manduke, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, New Beginnings, Victoria Principal

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 94 – ‘My Father, My Son’

December 14, 2012 by Chris Baker 19 Comments

Coming around again

Toward the end of “My Father, My Son,” J.R. persuades Sue Ellen to join him and John Ross on a visit to what he calls “the kiddie park.” The family’s afternoon plays out in a montage of scenes: We see Daddy and Mommy watching their little boy on the swing set, J.R. and John Ross spinning on a merry go round, son chasing father through a maze. It’s very sweet but also a little sad.

Poor Sue Ellen looks miserable. Is she unhappy because she’s spending the afternoon with her ex-husband? No, I believe Sue Ellen wants to be with J.R. – and she hates herself for it. Despite the pain he has caused her, Sue Ellen still loves him. She’s also beginning to realize she wants him back. So at the end of the playground scene, when J.R. is driving his family home and John Ross’s balloon escapes through the car window, it might as well be Sue Ellen’s dreams of independence drifting away.

And what about J.R.? Why is he is working so hard to charm Sue Ellen and John Ross? As is so often the case with J.R., the answer is complicated. I believe J.R. genuinely misses his son and wants to spend time with him. It’s also clear J.R. wants John Ross’s voting shares in Ewing Oil, and he knows the only way he can get them is by wooing Sue Ellen and the boy back to Southfork.

But J.R. also seems to love Sue Ellen as much as she loves him. Some of this is expressed through jealousy: Recall how he tried to drive a wedge between Sue Ellen and Dusty in “The Split.” And at the beginning of “My Father, My Son,” notice how rattled J.R. becomes when he spots her dining with Cliff in the restaurant.

The most revealing moment of all comes in this episode’s final moments. In another nice scene between Larry Hagman and Tyler Banks, J.R. tells John Ross a bedtime story at Southfork. Once the child’s eyes close (Banks really seems to drift off during the course of this scene), J.R.’s true feelings emerge. “You know, John Ross, I have a feeling your mama’s going to be back on Southfork real soon,” he says. “Yeah, I think she’s learning that absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

In that instant, we know J.R. may as well be talking about himself. Absence has made his heart grow fonder too. Isn’t it nice to be reminded he has one?

Grade: A

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Gone baby gone

‘MY FATHER, MY SON’

Season 5, Episode 17

Airdate: February 5, 1982

Audience: 23.1 million homes, ranking 3rd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Will Lorin

Director: Larry Hagman

Synopsis: J.R.’s friend, industrialist Wally Hampton, agrees to lure Cliff out of Dallas by hiring him for a job in Tulsa. Cliff tells Afton he still loves Sue Ellen. Bobby learns he’ll need an affidavit from Sue Ellen to adopt Christopher. Lucy kisses Roger after discovering Mitch’s friendship with Evelyn.

Cast: Barbara Babcock (Liz Craig), Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Phyllis Flax (Mrs. Chambers), Bruce French (Jerry Macon), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Claude Earl Jones (Wally Hampton), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), Patricia McCormack (Evelyn Michaelson), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Ron Tomme (Charles Eccles)

“My Father, My Son” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: My Father My Son, Split

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 93 – ‘The Phoenix’

December 12, 2012 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Rising son

Two great scenes bookend “The Phoenix.” In the first, J.R. brings John Ross to Ewing Oil on a Sunday morning so the little boy can see where Daddy works. This is Larry Hagman at his most charming – and mischievous. As J.R. carries his son through the reception area, he points out where “Daddy’s pretty secretaries” sit, then nods toward the hallway and says, “That’s your Uncle Bobby’s office, where he does whatever he does around here.”

Moments later, J.R. shows John Ross his oil derrick model, then plops the child in his desk chair, gives it a few spins and waxes sentimental. “Your granddaddy taught me everything I know about this business,” J.R. says. “He’d be so proud if he knew I was doing the same with you.” It’s an unabashedly sweet moment.

In “The Phoenix’s” final scene, J.R. wanders into Jock’s office and delivers a stirring monologue while gazing at the Ewing patriarch’s famous portrait, which is seen for the first time since its debut before the closing credits in “The Search.” I’ve watched this scene a lot over the years, and the combination of Hagman’s conviction – especially when he delivers the final line (“By God, I’m going to make you proud of me”) – and Bruce Broughton’s rousing score never fails to give me chills.

(Of course, even though J.R.’s speech is moving, I can’t help but wonder why this is the first time we’ve seen Jock’s office. Did the producers build the set just so they could introduce the painting, which becomes “Dallas’s” most iconic prop? Also, pay attention to the nameplate on Jock’s office door. It reads “Jock Ewing” in the close-up and “J. Ewing” in the wide shot.)

Overall, “The Phoenix” is another solid hour from “Dallas’s” fifth season. I especially like Ray’s storyline. In this episode, he sleeps with Bonnie, the barfly who’s been keeping him company while he spends his nights wallowing in self-pity at the Longview bar. I used to find Ray’s marital lapse shocking, but now I realize it’s perfectly in keeping with his character. Ray has always struggled with feelings of self worth. By cheating, he’s not trying to hurt Donna. He’s trying to hurt himself.

The other highlight of “The Phoenix” is Afton’s mesmerizing rendition of “All of Me” at the fancy nightclub where Cliff has gotten her a job. I always love hearing Audrey Landers perform on the show, and this might be her best number. It doesn’t hurt that Landers looks positively glamorous in that slinky blue sequined gown.

More than anything, I like how Afton stands up for herself when she realizes Cliff still pines for Sue Ellen. It makes me wonder: Does the title of this episode refer to J.R., who is rising from the ashes of his despair over Jock’s death – or is it meant to describe Afton, who is beginning to take flight as one of the great “Dallas” heroines?

Grade: A

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Lady sings in blue

‘THE PHOENIX’

Season 5, Episode 16

Airdate: January 29, 1982

Audience: 23.1 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Harry Harris

Synopsis: J.R. decides he doesn’t want Jock’s will read because he fears John Ross could lose a portion of his inheritance. Ray sleeps with old flame Bonnie. Cliff dates Afton while pining for Sue Ellen. Pam urges Bobby to learn more about Christopher’s real parents. Roger stalks Lucy.

Cast: Robert Ackerman (Wade Luce), Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Lindsay Bloom (Bonnie), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Susan Damante-Shaw (Carolyn Carter), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Dan Hamilton (Eric), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Vernon Weddle (McGregor), K.C. Winkler (Melinda)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Audrey Landers, Bruce Broughton, Larry Hagman, Phoenix, Search

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 92 – ‘Head of the Family’

December 7, 2012 by Chris Baker 20 Comments

Down and out

In “Head of the Family,” J.R. is depressed over Jock’s death and getting drunk in his bedroom when Bobby barges in and tells him to snap out of it. J.R. all but ignores his brother, so Bobby yanks him off the bed, drags him across the room and makes him look at himself in the mirror. “Daddy didn’t build this company just for you and me,” Bobby says. “He expected it to be around for his grandkids. Maybe their kids too.”

This is the most pivotal scene in one of “Dallas’s” most pivotal episodes. Until now, this has been a show rooted in its own past: Almost everything that happens to the Ewings and the Barneses can be traced to Jock and Digger’s falling out decades earlier. With “Head of the Family,” “Dallas” begins to move beyond its backstory and look toward the future.

No character demonstrates this shift better than J.R. Since the scene in “Digger’s Daughter” where he gleefully tells Jock about his scheme to bribe Pam, we’ve watched J.R. struggle to make his demanding daddy proud. In “Head of the Family,” with Jock gone, J.R. is forced to find new motivation. Instead of trying to impress Jock, J.R. decides to become Jock. Just as the older man devoted his life to building a legacy for his sons, J.R. sets out to do the same thing for John Ross.

This change – which will drive J.R. for the remainder of the original series – is symbolized in “Head of the Family’s” final scene, when a beaming J.R. watches John Ross climb into Jock’s empty chair at the Southfork dinner table. The child replaces his grandfather as the source of J.R.’s ambition.

Since the first season of TNT’s “Dallas” revival focused so heavily on the relationship between J.R. and his son, “Head of the Family” now feels a little like a template for the new show. Other themes from the TNT series are also present. J.R. is immobilized by depression in “Head of the Family,” just like he is when the new “Dallas” begins. Bobby spends this episode taking charge of the Ewings, just like he does three decades later. And when the newly single Sue Ellen’s first dinner party ends in disaster and she turns to Cliff for comfort, does it not presage the two-steps-forward-one-step-back pattern she comes to exhibit on TNT?

Even without these comparisons, “Head of the Family” remains one of the strongest hours from the classic show’s fifth season. This is the second “Dallas” script from Howard Lakin (“The Fourth Son” was his “Dallas” debut), who once again demonstrates a firm grasp of the show’s mythology. Patrick Duffy also does a nice job in his second turn in the “Dallas” director’s chair; I especially like Duffy’s overhead shot of Sue Ellen’s living room during the dinner party sequence.

Duffy shines in front of the camera too. The actor delivers some of his finest performances on “Dallas” in the episodes that deal with Jock’s death, including this one. In “Head of the Family,” Duffy brings to mind the best of his TV parents: He’s as commanding as Jim Davis and as compassionate as Barbara Bel Geddes. Watching Bobby struggle to keep the Ewings together is moving.

Of course, no one touches me in this episode quite like Larry Hagman, who is downright heartbreaking when Bobby confronts the depressed J.R. At the end of the scene, J.R. slumps onto the edge of his bed and tells his younger brother, “It’ll never be the same, Bob.” Thirty years ago, the line was merely sad. Now it feels prophetic.

Grade: A

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Seat of power

‘HEAD OF THE FAMILY’

Season 5, Episode 15

Airdate: January 22, 1982

Audience: 25.3 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Howard Lakin

Director: Patrick Duffy

Synopsis: Bobby tells J.R. he must pull himself together to secure John Ross’s future. Ray alienates Bobby and Donna, whose publisher wants her to write another book. At her first dinner party, a friend’s husband makes a pass at Sue Ellen.

Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena), Lindsay Bloom (Bonnie), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Diana McBain (Dee Dee Webster), Jim McKrel (Henry Webster), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Barbara Stock (Heather Wilson), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Ray Wise (Blair Sullivan), Lynn Wood (Ms. Bruce), H.M. Wynant (Ed Chapman), Gretchen Wyler (Dr. Dagmara Conrad)

“Head of the Family” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Digger’s Daughter, Fourth Son, Head of the Family, Howard Lakin, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 91 – ‘Denial’

December 5, 2012 by Chris Baker 20 Comments

Sympathy for the devil

With Jock dead, J.R. goes through “Denial” deeply depressed. He shirks his duties at Ewing Oil and barely takes time to insult Cliff when he runs into him at the Cattlemen’s Club. The only time we see J.R.’s old spark in this episode comes during the final act, when he confronts Sue Ellen over John Ross. “I’m going to get that boy back,” J.R. tells her. “And until I do, you’re not going to know one moment’s peace on God’s green earth.”

As menacing as Larry Hagman is in this scene, he’s also remarkably sympathetic. Moments before J.R. delivers his threat, he backs Sue Ellen against a wall while recalling his complicated relationship with Jock. “All my life, I tried to make that man proud of me,” J.R. declares. “And because of you, he died thinking I’d let him down. He died thinking I allowed you to take my son off Southfork forever. You think I’m going to let you get away with that?”

This is Hagman at his most complex, but don’t overlook the moving performances Barbara Bel Geddes and Patrick Duffy deliver during “Denial’s” final scene, when Bobby sits with Miss Ellie in the Southfork kitchen and tells her the family must have Jock declared legally dead. Ellie, who has spent the whole episode refusing to deal with the loss of her husband, lets Bobby know she’s not ready to let go. “This house is still Jock’s house,” Ellie says, sobbing. “This family is Jock’s family. You’re Jock’s son. And I’m Jock’s woman. And the rules we live by are the rules he made.”

The drama here comes not just from the words and the way Bel Geddes delivers them, but also from her body language. Watch how the actress moves around the kitchen set during Ellie’s monologue. She rests her palms on the counter when she declares, “This house is still Jock’s house.” She pivots and takes a defiant step toward Duffy when she says, “You’re Jock’s son.” The choreography is riveting. It’s like a ballet of grief.

By the way: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this scene, like all of Bel Geddes’ scenes in “Denial,” takes place in the kitchen. “Dallas” didn’t introduce this set until after Jim Davis left the show, so it’s the only room at Southfork where Jock’s ghost doesn’t linger. Keeping Ellie there symbolizes the protective cocoon she wraps herself in after his death.

Bobby and Ellie’s conversation also demonstrates why Duffy is “Dallas’s” most underrated performer. I love when the actor brings his hand to forehead and looks down when Bel Geddes begins tearing up. By glancing away for that split-second, Duffy lets the audience know Bobby is having a hard time facing his family’s turmoil too. Yet still he soldiers on.

In another good scene, Donna comes home excited after attending an “autographing party” for her book, only to find a depressed Ray getting drunk in their living room. Ray tells Donna her publisher called to inform her the book has cracked the bestsellers list, and Susan Howard’s eyes light up – but only for a moment. The actress knows Donna wouldn’t allow herself to bask in her own glory while her husband is struggling.

Like Duffy, Howard is a quiet force on “Dallas.” Their performances are so subtle, you sometimes forget to notice them. That’s what makes them so great.

Grade: A

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The good son

‘DENIAL’

Season 5, Episode 14

Airdate: January 15, 1982

Audience: 25.3 million homes, ranking 1st in the weekly ratings

Writer: Linda Elstad

Director: Victor French

Synopsis: Bobby tries to persuade Miss Ellie to have Jock declared legally dead but she’s in denial, while J.R. and Ray both slip into depression. Cliff tries to reconnect with Sue Ellen. Roger offers to help Lucy become a model.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena), Lindsay Bloom (Bonnie), Peter Brown (Tom), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Phyllis Flax (Mrs. Chambers), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Dan Hamilton (Eric), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Diane McBain (Dee Dee), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), Jim McKrell (Henry), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Dbbie Rennard (Sly), Ray Stewart (Mr. Hamilton), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Denial, Jim Davis, Patrick Duffy, Susan Howard

The Dal-List: Jock Ewing’s 15 Greatest Moments

December 4, 2012 by Chris Baker 21 Comments

We still miss you, Daddy

Last month, Dallas Decoder critiqued “The Search,” the episode where “Dallas” bids farewell to the great Jim Davis. Here’s a look at 15 memorable moments featuring the actor and his mighty character, Jock Ewing.

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, John Ewing III Part 2,

Naming rights

15. Naming John Ross. The Ewings are in a waiting room at Dallas Memorial Hospital, where Sue Ellen has gone into labor. A nurse enters and tells J.R. his wife has given birth to a son, prompting a beaming Jock to declare, “John Ross Ewing III!” Did it ever occur to the Ewing patriarch that J.R. and Sue Ellen might want to choose their child’s name themselves? Do you think it would’ve mattered to him if they did? (“John Ewing III, Part 2”)

Charlene Tilton, Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Lucy Ewing, Prodigal Mother

Grandaddy knows best

14. Advising Lucy. The Ewings didn’t always want to hear Jock’s opinion, but usually he was right. Example: When Lucy (Charlene Tilton) was brooding after a spat with Mitch, Jock told her, “He’s a nice enough boy [but] you can do a lot better.” Lucy ignored Jock’s advice – she and Mitch got hitched – but she probably should’ve heeded Granddaddy’s wisdom. After all, the marriage lasted just 12 episodes. (“The Prodigal Mother”)

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Julie Grey, Julie's Return

Friends with no benefits

13. Leaving Julie. After Jock suffered a heart attack, the Ewings began treating him like an invalid, causing him to turn to flirty ex-secretary Julie (Tina Louise) for comfort. It looked like their relationship might become a full-fledged affair – but Jock knew his limits. “I appreciate your friendship,” he told Julie, adding that things couldn’t go further because it would “hurt Miss Ellie too much.” Smart man. (“Julie’s Return”)

Family man

12. Comforting Pam. During her first few weeks as a Ewing, poor Pam (Victoria Principal) was bullied, blackmailed, offered a bribe and held hostage. By the time J.R. caused her miscarriage, Bobby and his bride were ready to get the hell off Southfork – until Jock persuaded them to stay. “I want to keep my family together,” he told Pam as he sat at her bedside. It was our first glimpse of the tough Texan’s tender side. (“Barbecue”)

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Pam Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal, Reunion Part 2

Best. Screencap. Ever.

11. “Buying” Pam. Jock was chilling on the Southfork patio when drunk Digger roared into the driveway, demanding $10,000 for Pam. “Ten thousand! There’s a hundred,” Jock huffed as he tossed a C-note at his ex-partner, who eagerly scooped it up and pronounced his daughter “sold.” If Pam felt insulted, she shouldn’t have. When a Ewing is willing to negotiate your purchase price, you know they truly care. (“Reunion, Part 2”)

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Miss Ellie Ewing, No More Mr. Nice Guy Part 1

You were thinking it too, Mama

10. Scolding Sue Ellen. Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) has just arrived at Dallas Memorial, where the Ewings are keeping vigil after J.R.’s shooting. Surely Jock will comfort his frantic daughter-in-law, right? Um, no. He accuses Sue Ellen of “gallivanting” while her husband is dying, prompting Kristin to defend Big Sis. “Sue Ellen was sick,” she says. Snaps Jock: “Sick? You mean drunk!” Harsh, but not untrue. (“No More Mr. Nice Guy, Part 1”)

Dallas, Dove Hunt, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing

Stare master

9. Confronting Owens. On a hunting trip, the Ewing men were ambushed by Tom Owens (Richard J. Wilkie), a farmer who claimed Jock ruined him decades earlier. Owens cocked his gun and aimed it at his wounded enemy, who didn’t blink. “If you’re gonna do it, do it!” Jock shouted, moments before the defeated Owens lowered the weapon and declared, “I’m not a killer.” You’re also no match for Jock Ewing, mister. (“The Dove Hunt”)

Dallas, David Wayne, Digger Barnes, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing

Frenemies forever

8. Destroying Digger. When Bobby and Pam announced her pregnancy at the Ewing Barbecue, Jock and Digger (David Wayne) shook hands and called a truce – which lasted all of three minutes. Digger broke the peace by criticizing Jock’s parenting skills, which prompted the Ewing patriarch to deliver a devastating takedown of his ex-partner (“He’s been a loser every day of his life.”) Yeah, it was cruel, but remember: Digger started it. (“Barbecue”)

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Silent Killer

Guts and glory

7. Joshing J.R. Jock spent a lot of time chewing out J.R. (Larry Hagman), but they had nice moments too. During one cocktail hour, when J.R. joked baby John Ross was becoming a “little fatty,” Jock playfully patted his eldest son’s belly and said, “Just like his daddy.” It was a reminder: Not only was Jock the only Ewing capable of reigning in J.R. – he was also the only one who could get away with razzing him. (“The Silent Killer”)

Daddy Dearest, Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Ghost writer

6. Inspiring J.R. Virtually every “Dallas” episode after Jim Davis’s death seems to depict one Ewing or another taking inspiration from Jock’s memory. In one instance, J.R. stands in front of his daddy’s portrait and reads one of his old letters, which offers classic bits of wisdom like, “Never let the bastards get you down.” This is what makes Jock so cool: He doesn’t need to be alive to keep his family in line. (“Daddy Dearest”)

Call waiting

5. Dispatching Ray. Another glimpse of Jock’s softer side: When the Ewing plane went down in Louisiana swampland with J.R. and Bobby aboard, the Ewing patriarch sent ranch foreman Ray (Steve Kanaly) to find his sons. The family kept vigil at Southfork until Ray finally called with good news: J.R. and Bobby were alive. “Bring them home,” Jock said. Davis’s eyes were wet when he delivered the line. So were ours. (“Survival”)

Dallas, Fourth Son, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Ray Krebbs, Steve Kanaly

Daddy issues

4. Accepting Ray. In another beautiful performance from Davis, Jock tells Ray he just found out he’s his daddy. The humble cowboy offers to keep this a secret to spare Jock grief from his family, but instead Jock summons everyone to the living room and proudly announces Ray is his son. This was a hard truth for some to accept (cough, cough J.R.), but it demonstrates how Jock never took the easy way out. (“The Fourth Son”)

Dallas, Gary Ewing, Jock Ewing, Jim Davis, Return Engagements, Ted Shackelford

Hug it out, fellas

3. Celebrating Gary and Val. When Jock learned Gary and Val (Ted Shackelford, Joan Van Ark) were getting remarried, he declined to attend; there was too much bad blood between father and son. But moments before the ceremony began, in walked Jock. “I believe I have a son getting married here today,” he said. “I’d like to attend … if I’m welcome.” Awww. You’re always welcome, big guy. (“Return Engagements”)

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Executive Wife, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Patrick Duffy

Power tip

2. Teaching Bobby. When Bobby (Patrick Duffy) felt Jock was undermining his authority at Ewing Oil, he loudly reminded his daddy that Jock “gave” him the power to run the company. In one of the all-time great “Dallas” scenes, Jock set his “boy” straight: “Nobody gives you power. Real power is something you take!” With those 10 words, Jock established the creed that would define the Ewings for generations to come. (“Executive Wife”)

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Mastectomy Part 2, Miss Ellie Ewing

Jock the rock

1. Loving Ellie. Few things move me more than the way Jock stood by Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) when she had her mastectomy. While Ellie struggled to deal with the loss of her breast, Jock never left her side, offering her the support and comfort she needed. Jock may have been a rich oil baron and a stern father, but above all, he was a devoted husband and Ellie’s best friend. The way he loved her made us love him. Ellie never stopped missing him. Neither have we. (“Mastectomy, Part 2”)

What do you consider Jock Ewing’s greatest moments? Share your choices below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Barbecue, Charlene Tilton, Daddy Dearest, David Wayne, Dove Hunt, Executive Wife, Fourth Son, Jim Davis, John Ewing III Part 2, Julie’s Return, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mastectomy Part 2, No More Mr. Nice Guy Part 1, Patrick Duffy, Prodigal Mother, Return Engagements, Reunion Part 2, Robert J. Wilke, Silent Killer, Steve Kanaly, Survival, Tina Louise, Victoria Principal

J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman and Me

November 30, 2012 by Chris Baker 21 Comments

My hero

Like his famous alter ego, Larry Hagman dodged death so many times, I assumed he was going to live forever. Waking up to the news last Saturday morning that Hagman was suddenly gone left me feeling a little dazed. Without putting much thought into it, I grabbed an old J.R. Ewing publicity shot, scanned it and reached for my laptop to tap out a quick tribute for Dallas Decoder.

As fate would have it, my previous post was a transcription of the next-to-last scene from “The Search,” the “Dallas” episode where Jock is presumed dead. When I logged into my site, I was greeted by a shot of Bobby standing in the Southfork dining room, breaking the news to Miss Ellie that Daddy isn’t coming home. In that instant, I wondered: Where is Patrick Duffy right now, and does he look as heartbroken as he does in this old picture?

That’s when I lost it.

I couldn’t believe what was happening. I was weeping over the death of a television actor, a man I’d never met. Yes, I’m a “Dallas” fanatic, but I’m not much of a crier. So as I sat on my sofa shedding tears, I kept telling my husband Andrew how silly I felt. He held my hand and told me I shouldn’t feel embarrassed.

I see now that Andrew was right. Whether or not I knew Larry Hagman wasn’t the point. What mattered is that he had touched my life. Maybe J.R. Ewing wasn’t a real person, but the sense of loss I felt at that moment was very real.

It took me a few days to figure all this out and find the words to express it. The breakthrough came when I realized J.R. has been part of my world almost from the beginning. I don’t remember when I watched “Dallas” for the first time, but it must have been in the spring or summer of 1980, when the show was 2 and I was 6. I didn’t always understand the stories I saw on “Dallas,” but I couldn’t get enough of the glamorous trappings – the ranch, the offices, the cars. Mostly, though, I loved the rapscallion at the heart of it all.

J.R. Ewing was my hero. I can remember spending Saturday afternoons “playing ‘Dallas’” with Joanna, the girl who lived next door. Together, we would recreate the scenes I had watched on the show the night before. In our backyard world of make-believe, I always cast myself as J.R. Joanna was assigned all the other roles: Sue Ellen, Kristin, Cliff.

In middle school, my love of “Dallas,” “Knots Landing” and the era’s other prime time soaps was one of the things that made me realize I was different from the other boys. The other boys realized this too, and they made my life miserable. That’s when my appreciation for J.R. deepened. Even though I saw him do a lot of bad things each Friday night, I so admired how he carried himself. No one pushed J.R. around. Words never stung him. It was the kind of power I wanted for myself.

I used to fantasize about silencing my sixth-grade tormentors with clever, J.R.-style ripostes. Sometimes I’d imagine staging fiendish acts of revenge to make the mean kids sorry for picking on me. What these imaginary ploys entailed, I cannot recall. I couldn’t have been older than 11 or 12 at the time, so how devious could my maneuvers have been? Was I going to frame one of my bullies by making it look like he’d copied his homework?

I eventually outgrew my secret desire to plot and scheme like J.R., but I never outgrew my admiration for his swagger. J.R. never apologized for who he was, and eventually, I learned to be proud of who I am. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not the kind of person who brims with self-confidence. I’ll never have J.R.’s moxie. But I did learn a lot from him about standing up for yourself and having the courage to go after the things that matter to you.

Since I started Dallas Decoder and began re-watching the original series with fresh eyes, I’ve found myself thinking about Larry Hagman as much as I do J.R. What a phenomenal talent. Much has been made in recent days about Hagman’s gifts. There’s not much I can add here, except to say this: Larry Hagman wasn’t an actor. Larry Hagman was a wizard. He didn’t perform. He made magic.

People who knew Hagman have talked a lot this week about how the lines that distinguish him from J.R. blurred with time. I don’t doubt it. But I also believe there was a part of Hagman that was just plain Larry.

I thought about this a few days ago, when I watched the “Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork” retrospective. At the end of the special, Hagman and his longtime co-stars are sitting in front of an audience, reminiscing. At one point, the camera cuts to a shot of Hagman laughing. He’s so tickled, his eyes crinkle. This isn’t J.R.’s mischievous chuckle. It’s Larry’s hearty guffaw. It made me think: I know J.R. and I love him, but I wish I could have known Larry too.

I was lucky enough to have one encounter with Hagman. It happened during the fall of 2004, when I was working as a newspaper reporter. CBS announced a conference call for journalists to interview Hagman and Linda Gray about that “Return to Southfork” special, which was going to air in a few days. My editors weren’t interested in a story about a “Dallas” clip show, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let that stop me from participating in the call. This was my chance to finally speak to my hero.

When the time came, I sat at my desk in the newsroom, dialed the number on the press release and listened to the moderator’s instructions. Each reporter would be allowed to pose a single question to Hagman and Gray. Fair enough. Except when it was my turn, I didn’t ask a question. Not really. I gushed. I went into full-fledged fanboy mode, telling Hagman and Gray how much I loved them, their characters and all things “Dallas.” At one point, I acknowledged I sounded like a sycophant. Hagman chuckled and called me “sickie.” J.R. Ewing took a shot at me! I was over the moon.

I’ve thought about that call a lot this week. I cherish the memory, but I also wish I could get a do-over. I wouldn’t gush this time, and I wouldn’t ask Hagman a question. I’d simply thank him.

What did Larry Hagman mean to you? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: Dallas Decoder, Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Search

The Dal-List: 15 Great ‘Dallas’ Scenes Featuring Larry Hagman

November 26, 2012 by Chris Baker 31 Comments

Once and future king

Larry Hagman made magic every time he appeared on “Dallas,” so coming up with a definitive list of his greatest scenes feels like an impossible task. Instead, let’s just call this a list of 15 performances I love.

Dallas, Digger's Daughter, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Pam Ewing, Victoria Principal

The rose and the briar

15. Welcome to the family. On the day Bobby brings Pam (Victoria Principal) home to Southfork and introduces her as his new bride, J.R. cheerfully takes her outside for a pre-dinner tour of Miss Ellie’s garden, where he offers Pam a bribe to “annul this farce.” When Bobby approaches with a concerned look on his face, J.R. explains he’s just “talking a little business” with his new sister-in-law. “Mama don’t like business talk with supper on the table,” Bobby says. “Well, you know Mama. She’s so old-fashioned,” J.R. responds with a chuckle. It was the first time we heard his mischievous laugh, and it signaled the arrival of a different kind of villain. (“Digger’s Daughter”)

The smiling cobra

14. Poor Cliff. When his latest underhanded deal goes awry, J.R. is forced to sign over ownership of one of the original Ewing Oil fields to Cliff. “I can’t believe it,” Cliff says as he reclines in his chair. “After all these years, I finally whipped J.R. Ewing.” It’s a measure of J.R.’s power that we don’t feel happy for Ken Kercheval’s character at this moment. We feel sorry for him because we know this is a temporary setback for J.R. To wit: When Kercheval delivers the line about “finally” whipping J.R., Hagman responds with a slight smile. It’s more unnerving – and oddly, more satisfying – than any dialogue the writers might have come up with. (“Five Dollars a Barrel”)

Dallas, Joan Van Ark,J.R. Ewing, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Valene Ewing

Friendly enemies

13. There goes the neighborhood. When the residents of Knots Landing decide to fight Ewing Oil’s plan to drill near the local beach, J.R. comes to town to squelch the protest. Seeing this larger-than-life Texan in suburbia is a hoot. In one great scene, a frazzled Valene telephones Gary at work while cucumber-cool J.R. pulls a book off her kitchen shelf and flips through it. “I just love cookbooks,” he says. In another golden moment, J.R. takes a bite of the sandwich Val has just served him. “Hey, that is good. What do you call this?” he asks. “Tuna fish,” she hisses. Rarely have Hagman’s comedic sensibilities – and his crackling chemistry with Joan Van Ark – been put to better use. (“Community Spirit”)

Secrets cry aloud

12. Here comes Kristin. My favorite Southfork dinner scene: The Ewings are entertaining Sue Ellen’s visiting mother Patricia and younger sister Kristin, who has barely concealed her attraction to J.R. When Kristin announces she’s considering putting off going to college, J.R. suggests she could fill in for his honeymooning secretary Louella. And instead of having Kristin stay at Southfork, J.R. recommends putting her up in the company-owned condo. In other words: J.R. sets up his soon-to-be-mistress with a job and a love nest, right in front of his whole family. No wonder Hagman looks like he’s having the time of his life playing this role. (“The Kristin Affair”)

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Truth and consequences

11. Sock it to him. My favorite Southfork cocktail hour: Ellie worries Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) didn’t get enough to eat at dinner. “She gets all the nourishment she needs from this,” J.R. says, waving around a liquor bottle. Next target: Pam. “She’s cracking up, slowly and surely. And who can blame her? I mean, she finds out that her daddy, Digger Barnes, is no relation at all. … And her mother’s a whore!” Bobby responds by punching J.R., and even though we know he deserves it, we kind of feel sorry for him. This was Hagman’s genius: Despite the awful things J.R. said, the actor delivered his lines with such joy, you couldn’t help but root for him. (“The Wheeler Dealer”)

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Miss Ellie Ewing

Mama dearest

10. He’s got your back, Mama. Hagman often said he only accepted the role of J.R. after the “Dallas” producers told him they had cast Barbara Bel Geddes as his mother. I believe it. Every time these two appeared together on camera, you could feel Hagman’s reverence for her. (Fun fact: Bel Geddes was just nine years older than Hagman.) In this terrific scene, J.R. stands behind Miss Ellie as she chastises the cartel for taking advantage of one of Ewing Oil’s misfortunes. Hagman doesn’t have a single line of dialogue here, but he doesn’t need one. Sometimes great acting means knowing when to let your co-star have the spotlight. (“Waterloo at Southfork”)

Call waiting

9. Strike! J.R. is down because he hasn’t hit a gusher in Southeast Asia. The phone rings. “It’s the Associated Press,” Kristin announces. “They want to know something about an oil well.” Line 2 buzzes. This call is from Hank, J.R.’s man in the Orient. “Where the hell have you been?” J.R. demands as he takes the receiver. In the background: A drumbeat builds. Slow, steady. Bum. Bum. Bum. Finally, J.R. exclaims, “Yee-ha! We hit!” This scene is brilliant because it mimics a gusher: The news about J.R.’s strike trickles in before his joyful rupture. Hagman directed the sequence, proving he was just as clever behind the camera as he was in front of it. (“Mother of the Year”)

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Omri Katz

The legacy

8. “This is Ewing Oil.” When J.R. finally goes too far with one of his schemes, the Justice Department forces the Ewings to sell their company. J.R. is giving John Ross one last look around the office when Jeremy Wendell, Ewing Oil’s new owner, enters and orders father and son off the premises. “Take this eyesore with you,” Wendell says as he reaches for Jock’s portrait. “Wendell!” J.R. shouts. “Touch that painting and I’ll kill where you stand.” Hagman takes the picture off the wall, holds it aloft and – with trumpets sounding in the background – says to young co-star Omri Katz, “John Ross, this is Ewing Oil.” The boy smiles. So do we. (“Fall of the House of Ewing”)

Dallas, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, J.R. Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing

Lest the truth be known

7. Out of the frying pan… J.R. is fixing his breakfast plate in the Southfork dining room when he notices Jock comforting a distraught Miss Ellie. It seems Bobby has just told them he’s leaving the ranch because he’s fed up with J.R.’s dirty deeds. That’s when Sue Ellen chimes in, pointing out J.R. has driven away another Ewing brother. Dumb move, darlin’. J.R. responds with a vicious tirade, calling his wife a “drunk and an unfit mother” and announcing it’s time to send her back to the sanitarium. This is J.R. at his most menacing – which is remarkable since Hagman holds a strip of bacon the whole time he delivers J.R.’s venom-filled speech. (“A House Divided”)

Sins of the father

6. Another close shave. An adult John Ross is in a barbershop getting shaved while J.R. tells him a story that demonstrates how J.R. loved – and feared – Jock. Quietly, J.R. takes the razor from the barber, holds it to John Ross’s neck, yanks off the towel covering his son’s face and reveals he knows the younger man is planning to double-cross him in their scheme to seize Southfork. Then J.R. says, “I don’t blame you for trying to screw me. I was never much of a father during your formative years. And I’d like to make up for that.” As J.R., Hagman could be tough, but he could also be very tender – sometimes all at once, as this scene demonstrates. (“The Price You Pay”)

Revelations

5. Tears for Sue Ellen. After J.R. has a very pregnant, very alcoholic Sue Ellen committed to the sanitarium, our heroine escapes, steals a car, wrecks it and goes into premature labor. With the lives of both Sue Ellen and newborn John Ross hanging in the balance, J.R. sits with Bobby at his wife’s hospital bedside and recalls happier times. He concludes his moving monologue by saying, “Oh, Bobby. She’s got to live. She’s just got to.” With this line, Hagman purses his lips, shuts his tear-filled eyes and bows his head. It’s an early glimpse of J.R.’s humanity – and one of the few times the character cries on camera. (“John Ewing III, Part 2”)

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy

The brothers Ewing

4. Mourning Daddy. Jock’s death sends J.R. into a deep depression. He stops shaving, stops showing up for Ewing family dinners and even stops showing up for work. Finally, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) has enough. Barging into J.R.’s bedroom, Bobby yanks him off the bed, drags him across the room, makes him look at himself in the mirror and reminds him their Daddy built the company not just for them, but also for their children. “It’ll never be the same, Bob,” J.R. responds. Hagman’s delivery of this line never fails to move me. Before this moment, we’d seen J.R. break a lot of hearts. This time, he broke ours. (“Head of the Family”)

Daddy’s little darlin’

3. Welcome to fatherhood. For months after John Ross’s birth, J.R. all but ignored the child because he secretly suspected Cliff is the father. Cliff thought the same thing and eventually filed a lawsuit to gain custody, prompting him and J.R. to take blood tests to determine the child’s paternity once and for all. On the night of one of Miss Ellie’s charity dinners, the results come in and prove J.R. is, in fact, the father. Armed with this knowledge, our tuxedo-clad hero enters the Southfork nursery, picks up his son, holds him close and kisses him. No dialogue is spoken. None is needed. The look on Hagman’s face – pride, relief, joy – says it all. (“Paternity Suit”)

The Ewing touch

2. Reminiscing. After a long day at work, J.R. comes home and finds Sue Ellen asleep in John Ross’s nursery, having dozed off while rocking him. She awakens and helps J.R. put the boy in his crib, and then the couple moves into their bedroom, where they recall their courtship. The dialogue beautifully captures the unique qualities Hagman and Gray bring to their roles. (Sue Ellen on J.R.’s eyes: “They always seemed to be hiding secrets. Things you knew about the world that no one else knew.”) The conversation also reminds us J.R. is not a hateful man. He loves many people, and none more than Sue Ellen. Theirs is the greatest – and most complicated – romance Texas has ever known. (“New Beginnings”)

True confessions

1. Brotherly love. J.R. finally does the right thing when he ends the war for Southfork and returns ownership of the ranch to Bobby, but the drama isn’t over: Bobby suffers a seizure and is taken to the hospital for emergency surgery. Standing at his brother’s hospital bedside, J.R. holds Bobby’s hand and pleads with him to wake up. “I’m going to tell you something you never heard me say before,” J.R. says. “I love you, Bobby, and I don’t know who I’d be without you.” With this line, J.R. acknowledges what the audience has always known: He’s incapable of checking his own worst impulses; he needs Bobby to do it for him. This is a deeply moving moment in its own right, but it takes on added poignancy now that we know Duffy was at Hagman’s side when he died. It’s also comforting to know J.R.’s greatest fear – having to face life without his beloved baby brother – will never be realized. How sad for us, though, that we must now face a world without Larry Hagman. (“Revelations”)

What do you consider J.R. Ewing’s greatest moments? Share your choices below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Community Spirit, Digger’s Daughter, Fall of the House of Ewing, Head of the Family, House Divided, John Ewing III Part 2, Ken Kercheval, Knots Landing, Kristin Affair, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mother of the Year, New Beginnings, Paternity Suit, Patrick Duffy, Price You Pay, Revelations, TNT, Victoria Principal, Waterloo at Southfork, Wheeler Dealer

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 90 – ‘The Search’

November 21, 2012 by Chris Baker 31 Comments

Gone, but not forgotten

With “The Search,” “Dallas” says goodbye to Jim Davis but not to Jock Ewing. This memorable episode sends J.R., Bobby and Ray into the jungle to find their missing father, but the only thing they recover is his medallion, which Bobby retrieves from the lake where the old man’s helicopter crashed. By the end of the hour, there’s no doubt Jock is dead, even if there’s no body to prove it.

I used to be bothered by the lack of closure for the Ewing patriarch, but I’ve come to appreciate how it heightens the drama in the episodes after “The Search,” when Miss Ellie struggles to accept the truth that her husband is never coming home. I also wonder: Would Jock be the mythic figure he is today if he had died in a hospital bed or been killed in a car crash? Having him disappear after his helicopter falls from the sky feels oddly appropriate for a character who was always a little larger than life.

One thing is certain: The producers waited too long to deal with Davis’s death. The actor succumbed to cancer eight months before “The Search” aired, but “Dallas” kept Jock alive in the interim by sending the character to “South America” (foreign locales on this show are almost always vague) and having the Ewings regularly receive calls and letters from him. It reminds me of those “Three’s Company” episodes where an out-of-town Chrissie wouldn’t appear until the final scene, when she’d phone her roommates to get an update on their latest hijinks.

This criticism aside, I like how “The Search” summons “Dallas’s” western spirit by having the Ewing brothers embark on a dangerous mission to rescue their daddy. The men carry rifles and wear their Stetsons; the only thing missing is seeing them on horseback. While the brothers are away, the Ewing women keep vigil at Southfork, and all the characters experience flashbacks to some of Jock’s most memorable moments.

These old clips are nice because they demonstrate how valuable Davis was to “Dallas.” With the exception of Barbara Bel Geddes and Larry Hagman, no other actor on the show could match Davis in terms of sheer presence. It didn’t matter if Jock was being tough or tender; Davis commanded every scene he appeared in. In an audio commentary on one of the second-season “Dallas” DVDs, Hagman recalls how Davis lacked confidence in his performances. What a shame. Jim Davis was a great actor. He deserved to know it.

One final observation about “The Search’s” flashbacks: Yes, they are a little hokey by today’s standards – each one is accompanied by those wavy special effects – but remember: This episode was produced years before “Dallas” went into syndicated reruns. This was the first time in years a lot of fans had seen those classic scenes.

No matter how you feel about the rest of “The Search,” it’s impossible to watch the ending and not be moved. The sequence begins when Ellie, who has been waiting patiently for word from her sons, awakens in the night and walks downstairs, where she quietly takes her seat at the dining room table. This scene has no musical score – you can even hear Ellie’s footsteps – which is what makes it so effective. In this big house full of people, Mama has never seemed more alone.

While the Ewing matriarch sits in the dark, her sons arrive home and walk into the dining room. Each man is stubble-faced, and each one holds his hat. “I’m sorry Mama,” Bobby says. Her eyes well up, but she holds it together. “Tell me what happened,” she says. Bobby and Ray sit with her at the table and Bobby holds his mother’s hand, but the moment proves too much for J.R., who walks away.

J.R. steps onto the patio, looking a little dazed. He leans against one of the big white columns, reaches into his pocket, pulls out Jock’s medallion and studies it. By now, Bruce Broughton’s score has resumed and started to swell. J.R. smiles and briefly casts his eyes skyward, and when he looks down, we notice how red and wet they are.

The frame freezes and the screen briefly fades to black, and then we get our first glimpse of the Jock Ewing portrait, which will go on to become “Dallas’s” most famous prop. The words “Jim Davis 1909 – 1981” appear. That’s when we know: Davis may be gone, but Jock Ewing is going to live forever.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those eyes

‘THE SEARCH’

Season 5, Episode 13

Airdate: January 8, 1982

Audience: 26 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Irving J. Moore

Synopsis: J.R., Bobby and Ray go to South America, where they determine Jock likely died in the helicopter crash. The brothers return to Southfork and break the news to Miss Ellie.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), George Cooper (Lee Evans), Mary Crosby (Kristin Shepard), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Bruce Broughton, Jim Davis, Larry Hagman, Search

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 89 – ‘Barbecue Two’

November 16, 2012 by Chris Baker 19 Comments

Blue skies, for now

My favorite scene in “Barbecue Two” is small but meaningful. Sue Ellen is in the living room of her new townhouse, arranging a plant on a windowsill. She’s wearing an unbuttoned yellow shirt over a green tank top, jeans with rolled-up cuffs and white sneakers. The house is in disarray. Cardboard boxes and newspapers are strewn everywhere.

The doorbell rings. “Oh my Lord,” Sue Ellen says with a nervous laugh as she greets her unexpected visitors, Miss Ellie and Pam. She invites them in, apologizes for the mess and yanks a sheet of newspaper out of a chair so Ellie has a place to sit.

The dialogue here is unremarkable – Ellie and Pam have come to invite Sue Ellen and John Ross to the annual Southfork barbecue – but the words aren’t the point. The setting is what matters. After all these years of depending on others – first the Ewings, then the Farlows – Sue Ellen has finally found a place of her own, in every sense. Watching her unpack moving boxes and decorate her living room demonstrates how she has become a more fully realized, relatable character. It’s heartening.

The rest of “Barbecue Two” is dominated by the scenes set at the Ewing hoedown, including several that seem to pay homage to the first “Barbecue,” which capped “Dallas’s” inaugural season. Pam, who suffered a miscarriage during the 1978 festivities, skips this party to tend to her newly adopted son Christopher. Lucy, who spent the original “Barbecue” chasing Jimmy Monahan, uses this one to try to win back estranged husband Mitch. Elsewhere, J.R. and Cliff have a run-in at the bar set up on the Southfork grounds, just like Jock and Digger did four years earlier.

Of course, “Dallas” saves the most dramatic moment of all until the end. In “Barbecue Two’s” final scene, J.R. comes down the stairs in the Southfork foyer and finds a shaken Ellie holding the telephone receiver. She announces she just received a call from Punk Anderson, who informed her Jock’s helicopter crashed in South America. Through sobs, Ellie tells her son: “They say that … they say that … they say that Jock is dead.”

These are the hardest words ever uttered on “Dallas.” They signal a turning point for the Ewings, and for the show itself. After this scene, things will never be the same.

Grade: A

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On her own

‘BARBECUE TWO’

Season 5, Episode 12

Airdate: January 1, 1982

Audience: 24 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Leonard Katzman

Synopsis: Donna’s success as an author irritates Ray. Photographer Roger Larson encourages Lucy to resume modeling. Sue Ellen and John Ross move into a Dallas townhouse. At the Ewing barbecue, Sue Ellen and Cliff get reacquainted and Miss Ellie learns Jock is presumed dead after a helicopter crash in South America.

Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Bernard Behrens (Harold Haskell), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Dan Hamilton (Eric), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Leigh McCloskey (Mitch Cooper), Peyton Park (Larry), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dennis Redfield (Roger Larson), Debra Lynn Rogers (Toni), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Edward Winter (Dr. Frank Waring)

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