Dallas Decoder

Pool shark

J.R. Ewing is a man of supreme self-confidence, but he has a jealous streak too. His primary goal in life — to grow the Ewing empire — is rooted in his determination to win Jock’s approval and supplant Bobby as their father’s favorite son. Sue Ellen also arouses J.R.’s envy whenever she turns her attention to other people, whether it’s for love (Cliff, Dusty) or friendship (Pam, Clayton). In “The Quality of Mercy,” J.R. finds himself feeling threatened anew, and this time by his unlikeliest rival yet: Peter Richards, the boyish camp counselor who has managed to captivate both Sue Ellen and John Ross.

Many “Dallas” fans don’t care for this storyline, but since I began re-watching the show’s seventh season, I’ve been fascinated by the contrast between dark, devilish Larry Hagman and blond, beatific Christopher Atkins. “The Quality of Mercy” is a crucial chapter in their on-screen rivalry because it represents the moment J.R. begins to see Peter as an enemy. This revelation begins to unfold in the sweet scene where J.R. tucks John Ross into bed and learns Peter helped the boy deal with a bully at camp. J.R. says he’s pleased his son’s problem has been resolved, but he also tells him: “The one person you come to when you’re in trouble is your daddy. You remember that.” Later, J.R. watches from the Southfork balcony as Peter spends time with Sue Ellen and John Ross by the pool. Hagman’s stony expression makes it clear: J.R. doesn’t share his wife and son’s enthusiasm for their new friend.

After the poolside romp, Sue Ellen, John Ross and Peter retreat to the patio for lunch. When Peter mentions his desire for success, Sue Ellen, who has been hurt by more than one ambitious man in the past, looks crestfallen. Peter explains he isn’t interested in wealth and power; he only wants to succeed in his career as a child psychologist. Sue Ellen’s face lights up, giving us our first clue that she has romantic designs on him. Sue Ellen then turns the subject toward Peter’s love life. She tells him how “mature” he is; this time, his face lights up. This is when J.R., who’s been eavesdropping, rounds the corner and announces it’s time for him to take John Ross to the barbershop. After Peter thanks his hosts and departs, J.R. tells Sue Ellen the young man clearly has a crush on her. She accuses her husband of having a “sick mind” and J.R. smiles impishly, but he isn’t really amused, is he? J.R. now sees Peter as a problem; the only question that remains is how he’s going to fix it.

Through it all, Hagman does a masterful job letting us inside J.R.’s head, while Linda Gray and Atkins are quite effective at slowly revealing Sue Ellen and Peter’s attraction to each other. I also appreciate Atkins’ scenes with Omri Katz. As the season progresses, Peter’s friendship with John Ross strains credibility, but in this episode, it seems perfectly believable. I’ll also confess: Given the amount of time Atkins spends in Speedos and half-shirts on “Dallas,” I’ve always dismissed him as another pretty face. Seeing his first few episodes with fresh eyes, I’m impressed with the way he establishes his character.

“The Quality of Mercy” also kicks off one of “Dallas’s” best storylines: the medical mystery surrounding the death of Mickey Trotter. It begins in the third act, when Mickey slips into another coma. His weary loved ones are once again left to deal with their frustration and grief, although no one seems more devastated than Lil, who declares she doesn’t want to watch her son kept alive by a respirator. Then, in the final scene, a nurse is at her station when she hears Mickey’s monitor flat line. She rushes down the corridor with a doctor and an orderly, only to discover the door to Mickey’s room won’t open. Cut to Ray, who is on the other side of the door, struggling to keep it closed. The camera slowly pans across the room’s medical equipment, Mickey’s body and Lil, who is seated next to him. Eventually, the medics overpower Ray and brush past him as he slumps onto the floor.

What I like best about this scene is how director Nick Havinga keeps his camera focused on Steve Kanaly, even as the doctors and nurses struggle to revive Mickey. There’s no need to show anything else because Kanaly’s tired, defeated expression says it all. We don’t even see Kate Reid’s face when Lil walks toward Ray and cradles his head against her leg. Before the freeze frame, we hear the off-screen doctor announce Mickey’s fate. “We’ve done all that we can,” he says. Who pulled the plug on Mickey? The answer won’t be revealed for a few more episodes, but there’s no doubt this is one of “Dallas’s” most haunting moments. (Trivia: Mickey’s nurse is named “Rettino,” an apparent tribute to John Rettino, the show’s longtime property master. Rettino later married producer Leonard Katzman’s daughter Sheril Lynn, who coincidentally returns to “Dallas” in this episode as Jackie Dugan, Pam’s coworker at the Store.)

“The Quality of Mercy” also includes a terrific scene where Cliff, channeling J.R., blackmails Sly into spying on her boss, as well as a lovely heart-to-heart between Sue Ellen and Lucy, two characters who don’t often interact. (I suspect if Barbara Bel Geddes was available for this episode, this would’ve been a conversation between Lucy and Miss Ellie.) There’s also the deliciously bitchy moment where Holly interrupts Bobby’s lunch with Katherine. Both women are oh-so-polite to each other, yet it’s clear that Katherine is furious that Holly is stealing Bobby’s attention. As Bobby chats with Holly, the camera cuts to Katherine seething. It’s fun to watch Morgan Brittany sighing heavily and shooting daggers with her eyes, but don’t overlook Lois Chiles, who has a tougher assignment. She must let the audience know that Holly has Katherine’s number, which the sly Chiles achieves with a few subtle, suspicious glances at Brittany.

This scene marks the beginning of Chiles’ “Dallas” swan song. (Hill Place, a classic TV and movie blog, just posted a thorough review of her exit from the show.) Watching her impressive performance here, I can’t help but wonder: Must we say goodbye to Holly Harwood?

Grade: A

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He done it?

‘THE QUALITY OF MERCY’

Season 7, Episode 5

Airdate: October 28, 1983

Audience: 20.1 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Leonard Katzman

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: Holly invites Bobby to lunch, angering Katherine. Pam moves into her mother’s house and considers going to work with Cliff, who blackmails Sly into spying on J.R. for him. J.R. suspects Peter has a crush on Sue Ellen. After Mickey slips into a coma, someone unplugs his respirator, killing him.

Cast: Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), Mary Armstrong (Louise), John Beck (Mark Graison), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Jack Collins (Russell Slater), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Robert Gribbin (doctor), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie Dugan), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Joseph R. Maross (Dr. Blakely), Joseph Miller (security guard), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Kate Reid (Lil Trotter), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Kimberly Ross (Nurse Rettino), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

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

This is how it ends

In “The Letter,” Katherine forges a note from Pam in which she “confesses” she no longer wants to be married to Bobby. When Bobby sees the note, he’s so distraught he resolves to give his wife the divorce he’s been tricked into believing she wants. It’s another example of a “Dallas” character making a major life decision based on half-truths and false assumptions, and yet Patrick Duffy manages to sell it. He makes Bobby’s anguish feel real and believable; I’ve never wanted to reach through my screen and give a television character a hug as much as I do during this episode’s final scene, when Bobby tells Pam he’s decided to let her go.

Of course, Duffy gets help from scriptwriter David Paulsen, whose dialogue casts Bobby as the more sympathetic spouse. The scene opens with him sitting in Thanks-Giving Square, a downtown Dallas plaza, waiting for Pam to arrive and watching a young mother read to her child. When Pam finally shows up, she cheerfully recalls how she used to visit the square with Liz and Jackie, her coworkers from the Store. Bobby’s response: “I know. I used to meet you here too. Remember?” The exchange leaves me with the impression Bobby and Pam’s marriage meant more to him than it did to her. For Bobby, the square holds memories of the times he spent there with his wife. For Pam, it’s notable mostly as the site of workday lunch breaks.

No mention is made of Katherine’s letter during this scene because really, it isn’t all that important; the letter is merely the plot device that brings Bobby and Pam to the moment of truth in their relationship. The real breaking point came during the middle of “Dallas’s” sixth season, when Pam left Bobby because she felt he was too preoccupied with his fight for control of Ewing Oil. This represented a significant change of tune for Pam, who once urged Bobby to take his role within the family business more seriously. In the Thanks-Giving Square scene, Paulsen seems to have Pam allude to this when she mentions how much she and Bobby have changed. Says Bobby: “I don’t think people change so much, really, Pam. It’s feelings that change.”

This is the line that best captures the spirit of the scene, although the dialogue that “Dallas” fans seem to remember most is Bobby’s declaration that his and Pam’s feelings for each other are “just yesterday’s memories.” It sounds harsh until you consider what Bobby is doing: He’s pushing Pam away because he believes it’s what she wants. Regardless, I appreciate how Paulsen doesn’t cast blame for the marriage’s failure on either spouse. Yes, Bobby comes off as the more sympathetic figure, and he sacrifices his own happiness when he agrees to let Pam go. And yes, Pam’s shifting values and dawdling about whether or not to return to Bobby makes her seem a bit wishy-washy. But how can you not feel sorry for both characters in the final shot, when husband watches wife walk away in tears? Katherine’s manipulations notwithstanding, this marriage failed because the spouses grew apart. It’s a breakup with no real villains — just two victims.

Nevertheless, “The Letter” is Katherine’s finest hour. Even if she isn’t the root cause of Bobby and Pam’s split, she still gets bragging right for breaking them up, something J.R. himself couldn’t achieve. I get a kick out watching Katherine slink around Pam’s hotel room in this episode, playing the role of supportive sister while secretly plotting against her. And even though I generally prefer “Dallas” when it resists its campier impulses, I love when Katherine fools Pam into signing the forged letter, then steps into the hallway and says — to herself — “I think you may have just signed away your marriage, sister dear.” It reminds me of something you would see in an old black-and-white potboiler, which is why casting Morgan Brittany was so brilliant. Brittany, with her striking features and piercing eyes, has always exuded old Hollywood glamour. Other actresses could have played this role, but no one but Brittany could have made Katherine this delicious.

“The Letter” is notable for a few other reasons. Composer Bruce Broughton won an Emmy for this episode’s underscore, which soars during Bobby and Pam’s Thanks-Giving Square scene. The episode also marks Christopher Atkins’ debut as fair-haired camp counselor Peter Richards, and seeing him come face to face with Larry Hagman for the first time is a little like watching Luke Skywalker clash with Darth Vader. Speaking of J.R.: My other favorite moment in this episode is the scene where he visits Serena, his favorite call girl, and laments the turn his life has taken. It’s a rare moment of introspection for the character, and it also makes him seem like as a bit of a hypocrite, given his opposition to sending John Ross to therapy. After all, what is Serena, if not J.R.’s headshrinker?

Grade: B

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Counterfeit correspondence

‘THE LETTER’

Season 7, Episode 3

Airdate: October 14, 1983

Audience: 18 million homes, ranking 12th in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: Katherine forges a letter from Pam in which she confesses she no longer loves Bobby. When Katherine shows him the note, he tells Pam he wants a divorce. To help John Ross deal with his emotional problems, J.R. and Sue Ellen enroll him in a day camp, where they meet counselor Peter Richards.

Cast: Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), John Beck (Mark Graison), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Diana Douglas (Dr. Suzanne Lacey) Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Tony Garcia (Raoul), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Kate Reid (Lil Trotter), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

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