Barbara Bel Geddes – Dallas Decoder

#DallasChat Daily: Which ‘Dallas’ Storylines are Underrated?

June 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Do you love “Dallas” storylines that other fans hate?

Maybe you find Sue Ellen and Peter’s May/December romance provocative and love everything (or most things) about the “dream season.” Or perhaps you were intrigued by the Wes Parmalee saga. On the new show, maybe you wonder why Christopher and Heather’s romance doesn’t receive more attention from your fellow fans.

Your #DallasChat Daily question: Which “Dallas” storylines are underrated, and why do you like them?

Share your comments below and join other #DallasChat Daily discussions.

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat Daily, Opinion Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Barbara Bel Geddes, Barbara Carrera, Christopher Atkins, Dack Rambo, Jesse Metcalfe, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Steve Forrest, TNT, Victoria Principal

#DallasChat Daily: What’s ‘Dallas’s’ Best Storyline?

June 16, 2014 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

“Dallas” has delivered a lot of great storytelling over the years, including the story that started it all — Bobby and Pam’s marriage — as well as Miss Ellie’s bout with breast cancer, J.R. and Bobby’s contest for control of Ewing Oil and J.R.’s death. With so much wonderful material to choose from, can you choose a favorite?

Your #DallasChat Daily question: What’s “Dallas’s” best storyline, and why do you love it?

Share your comments below and join other #DallasChat Daily discussions.

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat Daily, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT, Victoria Principal

Emmy Voting is Underway. Will ‘Dallas’ Make the Cut?

June 11, 2014 by Chris Baker 15 Comments

Contenders

Will “Dallas” receive Primetime Emmy nominations this year? The conventional wisdom says no, although at this early stage, the TNT drama is a contender — along with more than 100 other shows.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences released the preliminary ballots this week. Academy members are asked to vote for their favorites in each category through June 20; the final nominations will be announced July 10.

The preliminary ballots list hundreds of shows and individuals. Most submissions come from networks and production companies, although anyone can pay the entry fee and submit themselves for consideration.

In the dramatic series categories, the preliminary ballots list Patrick Duffy and Josh Henderson as lead actor contenders, while Linda Gray is the show’s sole candidate for a lead actress nomination.

The other “Dallas” cast members — Emma Bell, Jordana Brewster, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Julie Gonzalo, Jesse Metcalfe, Mitch Pileggi and Brenda Strong — are listed in the supporting categories. The ballots also list two guest stars: Judith Light and AnnaLynne McCord.

“Dallas” is also one of 108 shows on the ballot for best dramatic series, while director Steve Robin is up for a nomination for helming “Like Father, Like Son,” the episode where John Ross confronts Sue Ellen over her drinking.

It may be heartening to see “Dallas” listed in these races, but don’t get your hopes up, fellow fans. Each category has only a handful of available slots for nominations, which are expected to go to critical darlings such as “Breaking Bad,” “Game of Thrones” and the resurgent “The Good Wife.”

It’s also worth remembering “Dallas’s” tortured history with the Emmys: Although Barbara Bel Geddes won the lead dramatic actress race in 1980, the series picked up only a handful of nominations during its heyday. The tradition continued last year, when the academy snubbed Larry Hagman in the supporting actor race and shamefully omitted him from the special tributes during the Emmy broadcast.

The 2014 ballots also contain a few oddities where “Dallas” is concerned: The “D” in Di Pace’s name isn’t capitalized, Gonzalo’s character is listed as “Rebecca Sutter” and voters are asked to consider Light’s work in “Venomous Creatures,” a second-season episode that falls outside this year’s eligibility time frame.

Do you think “Dallas” deserves Emmy nominations this year? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: News, News Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Barbara Bel Geddes, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steve Robin, TNT, Venomous Creatures

#DallasChat Daily: Who Was Miss Ellie’s Best Husband?

May 29, 2014 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

On “Dallas,” Miss Ellie was a strong woman who married two strong men: Jock Ewing, her first husband, and Clayton Farlow, her second. Each man brought unique qualities to his relationship with Ellie, but which one suited her best?

Your #DallasChat Daily question: Who was a better husband to Miss Ellie — Jock or Clayton?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Have a great discussion!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat Daily, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Howard Keel, Jim Davis

#DallasChat Daily: Which ‘Dallas’ Do You Like Best?

May 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

Some Trekkies prefer “Star Trek: The Next Generation” to the original series and some Whitney Houston fans insist her version of “I Will Always Love You” is superior to Dolly Parton’s. Do any “Dallas” fans like the new show better than the original?

Your #DallasChat Daily question: Which “Dallas” series do you like best — and why?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Remember the “Miss Ellie Rule”: Keep it civil. Have a great discussion!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat Daily, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly, Susan Howard, TNT, Victoria Principal

This Summer, Every Day is #DallasChat Day at Dallas Decoder

May 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

You want more #DallasChat? You’ve got it.

Starting today, #DallasChat will become a daily feature at Dallas Decoder. I’ll post a new question each weekday; you can drop in and answer at your leisure, then check back throughout the day to see how other fans have answered the question and to comment on their posts.

There’s one rule: Keep it civil. I’ll moderate all posts and rude comments won’t be approved, so don’t bother leaving them. Remember the “Miss Ellie Rule”: If you wouldn’t want Mama to read what you’ve written, don’t hit the “post” button.

Otherwise, have at it. Let’s make this a forum for fun, lively and insightful conversations about our favorite TV show.

I plan to offer a daily #DallasChat question until TNT’s “Dallas” resumes its third season on Monday, August 18. And yes, I’ll continue to host #DallasChat discussions on Twitter so we can talk about the show in real time.

Ready to start the new era of #DallasChat? Here’s your first question. Go answer it!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat Daily, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, TNT

The Dal-List: Classic ‘Dallas’s’ 8 Southfork Weddings, Ranked

March 17, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

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

The tradition continues

John Ross and Pamela (Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo) eloped on “Dallas” last season, but they’ll get a traditional Southfork wedding in “Lifting the Veil,” TNT’s latest episode. Here’s a list of the eight Southfork weddings seen on the original show, ranked in order of preference. (Also, check out my recent list of all the Ewings who had multiple weddings, including ceremonies that occurred off-camera.)

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

Wrong way, Bob

8. Bobby Ewing and Jenna Wade (1984). Yes, I know. Bobby and Jenna never got married. But they did have a Southfork wedding; she never bothered to show up. I suppose I should cut Jenna some slack since the reason she skipped out on the ceremony was because her slimy ex-husband, Renaldo Marchetta, kidnapped her and forced her to remarry him instead … but I say nuts to that! I don’t care if Naldo was holding a gun to Jenna’s head; how could she leave Bobby (Patrick Duffy) standing at the altar — especially when he looked so darned handsome in his gray morning coat and striped pants? The ceremony ended with Ray apologizing to the crowd after Bobby dashed off to find his runaway bride. Am I the only one who wishes he hadn’t located her?

Bobby Ewing, Charlene Tilton, Charlie Wade, Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Donna Krebbs, Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Jenna Wade, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Leigh McCloskey, Lucy Ewing, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow, Dr. Mitch Cooper, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Omri Katz, Ray Krebbs, Shalane McCall, Steve Kanaly, Sue Ellen Ewing, Susan Howard

Standing room only

7. Lucy Ewing and Mitch Cooper (1985). Lucy and Mitch’s second wedding was not nearly as grand as their first. It took place in the Southfork living room, which is probably better than the driveway, but nonetheless required the cast to squeeze into what looked like pretty tight quarters. This was Charlene Tilton’s final “Dallas” appearance for a while — the Coopers moved to Atlanta after the ceremony — and it was nice to see everyone give Lucy such a warm sendoff. Even J.R. got sentimental, telling his least-favorite niece, “Lucy, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m really going to miss you, honey. It won’t be the same without you to fight with.” The best part, though: The ceremony inspired Bobby to dump Jenna and go back to Pam. Karma’s a bitch, darlin’.

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

Mama’s boys

6. Miss Ellie Ewing and Clayton Farlow (1984). Ellie and Clayton had the healthiest marriage Southfork has ever seen — yes, even healthier than the one she had with Jock — and I’m sure they had a perfectly lovely wedding, but we don’t really know since “Dallas” never showed us the big event. We only saw Mama (Barbara Bel Geddes), looking so pretty in her purple suit, as she came down the stairs and joined Bobby and J.R. (Larry Hagman), who were supposed to walk her down the aisle. And then … cut to commercial! No shot of the crowd, no exchange of vows, no scenes of J.R. biting his tongue when the minister asked if anyone had objections. To make matters worse, when Ellie got back from her honeymoon, she looked like Donna Reed. (Nice lady, but not our Mama.)

April Stevens Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Sheree J. Wilson

Welcome to the jungle

5. Bobby Ewing and April Stevens (1990). Here’s a ceremony I wish we hadn’t seen — not because I don’t like Bobby and April (Sheree J. Wilson) as a couple, but because the producers filmed their wedding on a soundstage instead of the “real” Southfork. The result: It’s like the Ewings have landed on one of the fake-looking planets the Enterprise crew used to visit on “Star Trek.” I mean, check out this picture. Why does Southfork look like a jungle? It was nice to see all the pre-wedding festivities, though, including Bobby’s bachelor party at the Oil Baron’s Club and April’s bridal shower in the Southfork living room. Although I can’t help but wonder: Why was the guest list at April’s shower dominated by Bobby’s family and the Ewing Oil secretaries? Didn’t the poor girl have any friends of her own?

Oh, what now?

4. Bobby and Pam Ewing (1986). Right before these nuptials began, tipsy Ray blabbed the big secret that Jenna was pregnant with Bobby’s child, which almost made Pam call the whole thing off. (Must Jenna ruin everything?) But then the ceremony began, and it was a hoot: As Cliff escorted Pam down the aisle, he warned her that she was “walking straight into hell.” Meanwhile, when best man J.R. reminded Bobby that it wasn’t too late to change his mind, Bobby threatened to kick J.R.’s butt, prompting the minister to shush them both. The best part: During the vows, we saw flashbacks to Bobby and Pam’s first ceremony, which occurred off-camera in 1978. Sure, the show muffed some details — Duffy’s jacket and Victoria Principal’s hair were all wrong — but it was still a nice touch.

Something blue

3. J.R. Ewing and Cally Harper (1989). This wedding was absolutely nuts, which is why I loved it. As soon as J.R. and Cally said “I do,” a big storm swept over Southfork, forcing everyone to spend the night at the ranch. Sue Ellen took the room across the hall from the newlyweds, Cliff bunked on the sofa, Carter McKay raided the refrigerator in the middle of the night and Lucy ran around filming everything with a camcorder that was as big as her. The most insane moment of all: Shirtless wacko Tommy McKay (played by the gloriously named J. Eddie Peck) — tried to put the moves on April — in little John Ross’s bedroom, no less! — and when she rebuffed him, he burst onto the balcony, smashed a bottle of booze against the wall and started screaming in the rain. I guess that was one way to cool off.

Altar girl

2. Lucy Ewing and Mitch Cooper (1981). The first Southfork wedding seen on “Dallas” was also filmed on the soundstage, so the show staged the ceremony on the driveway set since, you know, there was no lawn. Otherwise, the producers spared no expense, even bringing in Gary and Val, Lucy’s deadbeat parents from “Knots Landing,” to witness the nuptials. In fact, there were so many extras on the dance floor, I was afraid they were going to waltz right over Sue Ellen, who sat around flirting with snoozetastic Clint Ogden. I also loved when Jock and his sons ducked into the living room to conduct a little business on Lucy’s wedding day (shades of “The Godfather”), although the best part of all came when J.R. and Afton snuck off during the reception to have sex — in the bed he shared with Sue Ellen!

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Back off, Barnes!

1. J.R. and Sue Ellen Ewing (1982). Now this is everything a Southfork wedding should be. One year after J.R. and Sue Ellen were divorced, they got hitched again because, you know, why not? The wedding was so big, it couldn’t be contained to a single episode: Part 1 ended with the minister asking if anyone had objections to the couple’s remarriage, and even though everyone should’ve stood up, the only person who did was Cliff (Ken Kercheval). So did he interrupt the nuptials? Nah. At the beginning of Part 2, we realized he was just stretching his legs. The ceremony continued and then it was on to the reception, which was ruined when J.R. and Cliff started a brawl that began on the dance floor and ended in the swimming pool. Perfect! The only thing that would’ve made this more fun was if Jenna had gotten dunked too. (Oh, quit your moaning. You know she deserved it.)

What’s your favorite “Dallas” wedding? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Charlene Tilton, J. Eddie Peck, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Lifting the Veil, Patrick Duffy, Sheree J. Wilson, TNT, Victoria Principal

Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Returns to TNT — and So Do Viewers

February 25, 2014 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Return, TNT

Nice job, boys

“Dallas” returned for its third season on February 24 — and so did the TNT dramas’s loyal fans. The episode, “The Return,” drew 2.7 million viewers, matching the show’s audience average on Monday nights last year.

“It was a big night of television and ‘Dallas’ held its own. That’s good news,” says Marc Berman, editor in chief of the industry news site TV Media Insights.

“Dallas” went head to head with the second half of NBC’s two-hour season premiere of “The Voice,” which drew 15.7 million viewers, the show’s second most-watched episode after its 2012 post-Super Bowl special. “That’s difficult competition, so the fact that [‘Dallas’] held onto last year’s audience is positive,” Berman says.

“Dallas’s” February 24 haul included 1.1 million adults between ages 25 and 49, a demographic that cable channels like TNT target, as well as 946,000 adults between 18 and 49, the group advertisers pay top dollar to reach. Berman predicts the audience for “The Return” will climb to more than 3 million once people who recorded the show on their DVRs and watch it later in the week are included.

“Dallas’s” season premiere was also a hit on Twitter, where the show’s actors live-tweeted the telecast and helped “trend” hashtags such as #DallasTNT and #JohnRoss.

Additionally, in a time when social media buzz is increasingly important to television shows, “Dallas” is gaining steam. By our count, the series has recently picked up more than 47,000 “likes” on its official Facebook page, which now boasts 1.5 million likes altogether. The show’s Twitter feed has more than 82,000 followers, up several thousand from a few days ago.

One of the “Dallas”-related hot topics on Twitter during the telecast was the introduction of the show’s retro-style split-screen opening credits — a switch Berman heartily endorses.

“As a longtime fan, it was great to see the actors’ faces in the credits again. They should have been there all along,” he says.

No Pain at These Pumps

Service with a smile

“Dallas” was also a hit with New York City motorists yesterday.

Business was brisk at the Manhattan service station where TNT staged a one-day takeover to promote the third-season premiere.

TNT branded the station “Ewing Energies” and even brought in a Ewing tanker trunk, but the big draw was the bargain-basement price: The gas sold for just $1.98 a gallon, roughly half the national average.

Of course, it also didn’t hurt that Josh Henderson showed up to pump gas for a while.

Sue Ellen’s Publicity Tour

The “Dallas” cast has taken over the talk-show circuit in recent days. One of the highlights: Linda Gray’s visit to Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live,” where she was as charming as ever, reminiscing warmly about Larry Hagman, whom she lovingly referred to as her “bestie” for 37 years.

Altogether now: Awww!

Also, be sure to read her fun interview with the Washington Blade, the gay newspaper in Dallas Decoder’s hometown of D.C. Gray’s comments about Barbara Bel Geddes are especially hoot-worthy. Who knew Mama was such a card?

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

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Marc Berman, Return, TNT

The Dal-List: 5 Ewings Who Had Multiple Southfork Weddings

February 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

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

First couple, second wedding

In “The Return,” “Dallas’s” third-season opener, Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) says she’s “feeling a little shy” about having another wedding at Southfork. Sue Ellen’s response: “Trust me. You won’t be the first bride to have had multiple weddings here.” She ain’t kidding. Here are three others, along with two grooms who couldn’t stop tempting the notorious Southfork wedding jinx.

Mother of a bride

5. Miss Ellie. Mama’s wedding to Jock wasn’t seen in the 1986 prequel “Dallas: The Early Years” (where she was so memorably played by Barbara Bel Geddes lookalike Molly Hagan), but we did get to hear Ellie describe the nuptials on the original series, explaining how her daddy hired a Parisian seamstress to make Ellie’s wedding dress and how Jock kept tugging at his collar during the ceremony. In 1984, years after Jock’s death, Ellie wore a simple purple suit and pearls when she wed second hubby Clayton Farlow.

Princess bride

4. Lucy. Jock and Ellie’s spirited granddaughter (Charlene Tilton) donned Grandma’s dress when she wed Mitch Cooper in a lavish 1981 ceremony that became one of “Dallas’s” most-watched episodes. (Twenty-eight million viewers!) Lucy and Mitch divorced the following year, but — bless their hearts — they tried again in 1985 with a scaled-down ceremony in the Southfork living room. This marriage fared no better, but at least the nuptials inspired Bobby to propose again to ex-wife Pam.

Try, try again

3. Sue Ellen. Since J.R. and Sue Ellen had been married for several years when “Dallas” began, we never saw their ceremony. However, a framed photo from the wedding occasionally popped up on the show, and we once caught a glimpse of the invitations, which confirmed the nuptials occurred at Southfork in 1970. One year after their 1981 divorce, they walked down the aisle during another huge ceremony that ended up with everyone fighting in the swimming pool. Would we expect anything less?

Groom’s Day scenarios

2. Bobby. Now here’s a Ewing who refuses to give up on love. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pam’s first wedding took place in New Orelans, but their remarriage in 1986 occurred at Southfork. In between, Bobby tried to marry Jenna at the ranch, but she jilted him. In 1990, three years after Pam ran away, Bobby wed April, who was killed on their honeymoon. Poor Bobby! We don’t know where he and Ann got hitched, but we pray it wasn’t at Southfork. Otherwise, their union is probably as doomed as the rest.

Repeat offender

1. J.R. Like Bobby, J.R. (Larry Hagman) had three weddings at Southfork, but in J.R.’s case, all three counted. (Remember, when Bobby and Jenna had their wedding, she left him standing at the altar.) In addition to J.R.’s nuptials to Sue Ellen in 1970 and 1982, he got hitched to Cally at the ranch in 1989. Technically, this was J.R.’s fourth ceremony since he and Cally also had a ceremony in Arkansas, where her brothers forced him to to say “I do” at gunpoint. But that experience is probably best left forgotten, don’t you think?

Which Southfork weddings are your favorites? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Charlene Tilton, Dallas: The Early Years, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Molly Hagan, Patrick Duffy, Return, TNT

Here’s Everything That’s Happened on ‘Dallas,’ Ever*

February 5, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Ain’t over yet

It’s never too late to start watching “Dallas.” If you missed the original show and the first two seasons of TNT’s sequel series, fear not: This post will tell you everything you need to know before Season 3 begins on Monday, February 24. (*OK, this isn’t really everything that’s happened on “Dallas.” For that, you’ll have to keep reading Dallas Decoder every day.)

The Original Series (1978 to 1991)

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Pam Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal

In the beginning

Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy), the youngest son of a rich oil and cattle clan, marries Pam Barnes (Victoria Principal) and brings her home to Southfork, the Ewing ranch. This upsets everyone, especially Pam’s daddy Digger (David Wayne), who blames Bobby’s daddy Jock (Jim Davis) for stealing his sweetheart, Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), and cheating him out of half of Ewing Oil. While Bobby’s devious brother J.R. (Larry Hagman) is building the family empire and catting around, J.R.’s neglected wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) becomes an alcoholic and has an affair with Cliff (Ken Kercheval), Pam’s vengeful brother. Later, J.R. and Sue Ellen have a son, John Ross, while Bobby and Pam adopt Christopher, the orphaned child of Sue Ellen’s sister Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) and sleazy Jeff Faraday (Art Hindle). Elsewhere, Ray Krebbs, Southfork’s foreman, discovers Jock is his daddy and marries savvy politico Donna Culver (Susan Howard), while Lucy (Charlene Tilton), the daughter of J.R. and Bobby’s middle brother Gary (Ted Shackelford) and his wife Valene (Joan Van Ark), gets engaged to everyone.

End of an era

More drama: Digger dies and so does Jock, leaving Ellie to hold the family together with help from second hubby Clayton Farlow (Howard Keel). Southfork burns down, but the Ewings rebuild it. Cliff hooks up with Afton Cooper (Audrey Landers), who gives birth to their daughter Pamela Rebecca, but Afton refuses to let Cliff near the child because of his fixation with destroying the Ewings. Cliff and Pam’s half-sister Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany) arrives, becomes obsessed with Bobby and tries to kill him, then vanishes under a big hat. Sue Ellen beats the bottle and divorces J.R., while Pam has a bad dream, gets burned in a car crash and runs away. Bobby has an on-again, off-again romance with first love Jenna Wade (Priscilla Beaulieu Presley), who gives birth to their son Lucas and then marries newly divorced Ray. James (Sasha Mitchell), J.R.’s illegitimate son, shows up for a while and emulates the old man. Bobby marries April (Sheree J. Wilson), but she dies. J.R. marries Cally (Cathy Podewell), but she leaves. In the end, Cliff finally takes over Ewing Oil, leaving J.R. alone and suicidal.

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Swan Song

Hurts so good

Best Episode: “Swan Song.” The eighth-season finale finds J.R. and Sue Ellen’s marriage on the rocks, unlike the vodka she’s secretly swilling in her bedroom. Meanwhile, Bobby chooses Pam over Jenna, but crazy Katherine runs him over with her car. The episode ends with the Ewings bidding farewell to Bobby in a deathbed scene that’s so beautifully written and acted, you almost wish it wasn’t part of Pam’s dream. Almost.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Who Shot J.R.?

Shot in the dark

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who shot J.R.? Sure, taking a couple of slugs to the gut is no fun for our hero, but at least he makes billions of dollars in a risky offshore oil deal before he’s gunned down. Oh, and in case you didn’t hear, J.R.’s assailant turns out to be Kristin, his sister-in-law/ex-secretary/ex-mistress, who’s revealed as the shooter in one of the most-watched broadcasts in television history. (Props to Sue Ellen, who figures it all out.)

TNT Season 1 (2012)

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

When cousins clash

J.R. emerges from a nursing home and tricks Bobby into selling him Southfork so he can tap the ocean of oil flowing beneath it. Like their fathers, John Ross and Christopher (Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe) butt heads, except their rivalry has an added twist: John Ross has fallen for Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster), who was Christopher’s childhood sweetheart. Christopher marries Rebecca Sutter (Julie Gonzalo), unaware that she’s the daughter of Cliff, who is now the gazillionaire owner of Barnes Global and still hell-bent on destroying the Ewings. Rebecca kills her lover Tommy Sutter (Callard Harris) in self-defense and has Cliff’s henchman Frank Ashkani (Faran Tahir) dispose of the body. Meanwhile, Sue Ellen runs for governor; Bobby’s new wife Ann (Brenda Strong) feels threatened by ex-husband Harris Ryland (Mitch Pileggi), who knows she’s harboring a dark secret; and John Ross, Christopher and Elena form a company, Ewing Energies, but the partnership is threatened when Elena breaks her engagement to John Ross and reunites with Christopher, who dumps the pregnant Rebecca.

Dallas, Family Business, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Bad does good

Best Episode: “Family Business.” In one of Hagman’s most poignant performances, J.R. learns Bobby is secretly battling cancer and returns Southfork to him, ending the season-long war for the ranch. Later, in a chill-inducing musical montage (set to Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around”), poor Bobby suffers a seizure and Rebecca shoots Tommy, splattering blood over her unborn twins’ stuffed animals. Hmmm. Foreshadow, much?

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Pass the torch

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who loves J.R.? His son John Ross, who ends the season by gazing at the Dallas skyline with dear old dad and asking him to teach him “every dirty trick” he knows so he can push Christopher and Elena out of Ewing Energies. J.R. beams with pride and tells John Ross that he’s his son “from tip to tail.” Hey, J.R. may have given up the fight for Southfork, but he wasn’t giving up his devious ways — thank goodness.

TNT Season 2 (2013)

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Ken Kercheval, TNT

All about evil

Rebecca reveals she’s Pamela Rebecca Barnes and hooks up with John Ross. Ann shoots Harris after learning he kidnapped their daughter Emma when she was a baby and sent her to be raised by his control-freak mother, Judith (Judith Light). Ann gets probation, Harris recovers and Judith falls down the stairs. Frank takes the blame for Tommy’s death and kills himself at the request of Cliff, who causes Pamela’s miscarriage. When J.R. is murdered in Mexico, it appears Cliff is the killer, so Bobby, Christopher and newlyweds John Ross and Pamela plant evidence on Cliff to make sure he’s arrested. Oh, and Christopher also discovers Cliff covered up his mom’s death. Elsewhere, John Ross somehow inherits half of Southfork; Sue Ellen loses the election but continues to tangle with Governor McConaughey (Steven Weber); Emma (Emma Bell) sleeps with Elena’s ne’er-do-well brother Drew (Kuno Becker), becomes John Ross’s mistress and turns Harris in to the cops for drug trafficking; and when Christopher dumps Elena, jailbird Cliff asks her to become his proxy at Barnes Global, which the Ewings now control.

Dallas, J.R.'s Masterpiece, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Mourning glory

Best Episode: “J.R.’s Masterpiece.” Our hero is laid to rest in an instant-classic hour that brings back several stars from the original series. The highlight: On the night before J.R.’s burial, Sue Ellen takes a heartbreaking tumble off the wagon, then delivers a mesmerizing eulogy for the man she calls “the love of my life.” Can someone please explain how Linda Gray didn’t win an Emmy for this performance?

Only you

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who killed J.R.? J.R. did, of course. It turns out he was dying of cancer and arranged his own death so Cliff could be framed for the crime, thus ending the Barnes-Ewing feud … for about 2 minutes, at least. Only a handful of people know the truth, including Bobby, J.R.’s loyal private eye Bum (Kevin Page), Christopher and John Ross, who gets it right when he says, “The only person who could take down J.R. … was J.R.”

What are your favorite “Dallas” memories? Share them below and read more features from Dallas Decoder.