Brave New World – Dallas Decoder

TNT’s Dallas Styles: ‘Endgame’ and ‘Brave New World’

September 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

“Dallas” ended its third season with heroes falling and villains rising — and their costumes reflected their changing fortunes.

John Ross (Josh Henderson) went rogue when he headed to Mexico to save Ewing Global and his mistress Emma — not necessarily in that order — and so of course he donned his trusty leather jacket, which has been a symbol of heroism and rebellion on “Dallas” from the original show’s earliest days. Later, when Emma (Emma Bell) stood in the Southfork driveway and delivered a heartfelt apology for all the trouble she caused this year, she wore a plain, no-frills hoodie, an ideal choice for a character baring her soul.

Meanwhile, Sue Ellen ended the season by gazing at J.R.’s portrait and declaring she finally felt free of him. “Hell, I might even find love again,” she told Bobby — and does anyone doubt she’s ready? Costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin dressed Linda Gray in a sexy blue dress, which suggested she’s feeling fun and flirty again now that she’s back on the wagon. Later, Judith (Judith Light) made a dramatic entrance with an outfit to match — a white blouse with a bold design, black skirt and killer earrings.

The most dramatic transformation belonged to Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace), who was revealed in the closing moments of the season as the evil mastermind behind the deaths of El Pozolero, Luis and — sniff, sniff — Christopher. For this scene, Kunin dressed Di Pace in a white suit, which highlighted his dark features. He’s never looked deadlier, has he?

I also love how Nicolas was walking with a cane, the accessory of choice for evil geniuses everywhere. Plop a purring kitten in his lap next season and his supervillain look will be complete.

What were your favorite looks in “Endgame” and “Brave New World”? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and read more “Dallas Styles.”

Filed Under: Dallas Styles, Dallas Styles (TNT), Features Tagged With: Brave New World, Emma Bell, Endgame, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Linda Gray, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

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

September 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

“Dallas” delivers the most delicious dialogue on television. Here are the best sound bites from “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” this week’s episodes.

What are your favorite lines from “Endgame” and “Brave New World”? Share them below and read more “Say What?!”

Filed Under: Dallas Sound Bites, Features Tagged With: Brave New World, Endgame, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Melinda Clarke, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I’m Worse’

September 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Brave New World, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, TNT

Strange alliance

In “Brave New World,” “Dallas’s” third-season finale, Bobby and Sue Ellen (Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray) stand in the Ewing Global offices, gazing at J.R.’s portrait.

BOBBY: I miss him.

SUE ELLEN: Me too, but I think I finally feel free of him. Hell, I might even find love again.

BOBBY: You deserve that, Sue Ellen.

John Ross (Josh Henderson) enters.

JOHN ROSS: I agree. I want you to be happy, Mama.

SUE ELLEN: I am so glad you came back, John Ross.

JOHN ROSS: I just wanted to let you know that there are no hard feelings about what you did to me. [To Bobby] And I wanted to let you know that I am sorry to hear that you had to resign as railroad commissioner to buy those shares. [Sighs] It’s sad news, especially given all the environmental work you did with that lesser prairie chicken.

BOBBY: [Smiling] What are you up to, John Ross?

JOHN ROSS: See? Always suspicious of me, Uncle Bobby. A guy could get a complex. But since you ask, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the new railroad commissioner.

The elevator dings and the doors open, revealing Judith (Judith Light).

BOBBY: [Chuckling] You have got to be kidding.

JUDITH: [Striding into the room] It’s no joke, Bobby. The governor and I are old friends through some ladies he knows, and I’ve always had an eye toward public service. So when John Ross mentioned that the position opened, well, I jumped on it.

JOHN ROSS: Now those Ryland ships that I procured for Ewing Global to drill the Arctic? They can only enter, and exit, through ports of Texas — ports that are regulated by the railroad commission.

JUDITH: So if you want to make a play for that grand frontier, you’re going to have to deal with me.

JOHN ROSS: She means “us.”

BOBBY: Well, you can partner with the devil all you want to, boy. It won’t make any difference. I’ll always see it coming. In a lifetime, your daddy never got the best of me, and he was twice the opponent you’ll ever be.

JOHN ROSS: You see, that’s just it, Uncle Bobby. The last few months, no matter how much my old man I try to be, everybody keeps telling me, “You are just like your father.” I’ve done some soul searching, and I finally figured out the answer. [Steps forward, gets in Bobby’s face] I am not just like my father. I’m worse.

He locks arms with Judith, they walk into the elevator and turn to look back at Bobby and Sue Ellen as the doors close.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Brave New World, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 40 — ‘Brave New World’

September 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 66 Comments

Brave New World, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

Going down

Throughout “Dallas’s” third season, John Ross strives to honor J.R. without becoming him. He wears Daddy’s wristwatch and belt buckle and embarks on one ambitious scheme after another, hoping to emulate J.R.’s business successes without repeating his personal failures. Nothing goes according to plan, of course, and by the end of the season’s final hour, “Brave New World,” John Ross has lost his company, his wife and his family’s goodwill. In a climactic scene, the young man who was so eager to be a better man than J.R. — the son who previously slammed his hand on Sue Ellen’s kitchen counter and insisted he wasn’t his father — stands before her and Uncle Bobby and repeats this assertion, this time with a caveat. “I’m not just like my father,” John Ross says. “I’m worse.”

Chilling? Yes, but also poignant. The truth is, John Ross isn’t worse than J.R. Not by a long shot. John Ross is more heroic than his father, as we see at the beginning of “Brave New World,” when he defeats the drug cartel and tries to avenge Emma’s rape by nearly killing Luis. John Ross is also much more emotional than J.R., which we witness during this episode’s elevator scene, when — having lost it all — he collapses in tears and listens to an old voice mail in which J.R. says he’s proud of him. How could anyone this sensitive be worse than J.R.? Maybe the setbacks John Ross experienced this season will harden him and make him as cruel and as calculating as his father, but he’s not there yet.

Regardless of how bad John Ross becomes, there’s no denying how good Josh Henderson is at articulating his character’s complexities. Henderson allows us to feel John Ross’s vein-popping rage in “Brave New World’s” opening scene, when John Ross slams Luis to the floor, digs a gun barrel into his face and screams, “You regret what you did to her now? Huh?” Henderson offers a different kind of anger in the scene with Bobby and Sue Ellen, when he doesn’t deliver the “I’m worse” line as much as he growls it. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the elevator scene, which is moving not just because we hear Larry Hagman’s voice, but also because we see Henderson’s tears. (By the way: J.R.’s voice mail comes from a phone conversation between him and John Ross in the first-season episode “The Price You Pay,” and the song that plays when John Ross begins weeping was written and performed by Henderson. Is there anything he can’t do?)

If John Ross’s elevator breakdown supplies “Brave New World” with its emotional high point, what is there to say about Christopher’s death at the end of the episode? Even though TNT’s promos warned us a Ewing would die, this is still a shocking moment. Much of the credit goes to Jordana Brewster, whose anguish is palpable when Elena sees Christopher’s car blow up with him inside. (And yes, that is supposed to be Christopher, even though we don’t actually see Jesse Metcalfe get behind the wheel.) Nevertheless, this doesn’t feel like the blaze-of-glory exit the heroic Christopher deserves. Is the audience supposed to admire him for dying while helping Elena? Sorry, but I can’t fathom why he remains so devoted to her after all the terrible choices she’s made. I recognize killing off Metcalfe opens lots of new storytelling avenues for this series, but I can’t help but wish Elena had been the one to blow up instead.

Christopher’s death puts a grisly punctuation mark on this season’s better-than-expected drug cartel storyline. There’s also a nifty musical montage in which the braided henchman Jacobo kills Luis and El Pozolero in their jail cell before a cane-wielding Nicolas is revealed as the mastermind behind the murders. (The cool song that powers this sequence: Eric Church’s “Devil, Devil.”) Other highlights include Mitch Pileggi’s beautiful performance when Harris professes his love for Ann, as well as Elena and Nicolas’s dramatic showdown, although I wish she hadn’t shot him. Now virtually every leading lady on this show has plugged someone. Likewise, I could do without Judith Light’s mugging when John Ross tells Bobby and Sue Ellen he’s worse than J.R. — a scene that should’ve been reserved for Ewings only. (And isn’t it funny how the elevator doors open and reveal Judith at the precise moment John Ross announces she’s the new railroad commissioner?)

Criticisms aside, “Brave New World,” which comes from scriptwriter Robert Rovner and director Steve Robin, brings the third season to a satisfying conclusion and resets the table for “Dallas’s” fourth year — and TNT willing, there’ll be one. The scene where Bobby and Sue Ellen foil Pamela’s plan to reclaim Ewing Global is heartening because it suggests the Barnes/Ewing feud isn’t over, despite what Pamela told Cliff a few episodes ago. I especially like how Pamela accuses her in-laws of screwing her over like Jock cheated Digger. (Is she wrong?) The other promising development: the addition of Tracey McKay to the Bobby/Ann/Harris triangle — especially if it means Tracey and Harris will join forces against the newly reconciled couple.

“Dallas’s” most intriguing new storyline, of course, is John Ross’s discovery that J.R. has a secret daughter. Like all “Dallas” fans, I have lots of questions about this one, beginning with the obvious: Who’s the mama? I figured the young woman would turn out to be the product of J.R.’s marriage to Cally, although executive producer Cynthia Cidre tells Dallas Decoder the daughter’s mother is dead. (Cally is still alive in this “Dallas” universe, or at least she was when she showed up at J.R.’s funeral last season.) Will the mother turn out to be J.R.’s longtime secretary Sly, who slept with him shortly before he fired her at the end of the original series? What if Kristin Shepard didn’t suffer a miscarriage after J.R. impregnated her in 1980? Could the daughter be the product of J.R.’s romp with Katherine Wentworth, who may or may not be lurking around somewhere? The mind reels.

More questions: How is John Ross going to use the existence of a half-sister to his advantage? You might think someone like him wouldn’t want other siblings hanging around, especially if there’s a possibility they could stake a claim on his inheritance. On the other hand, he must have something up his sleeve. How else to explain his toast to J.R. and his “Thank you, Daddy” line in the final shot? (Is this a nod to the classic scene where J.R. gazes at the heavens and thanks Jock after sneaking a peek at his will?) There’s also the question of where John Ross’s sister will fit into “Dallas’s” romantic sphere. If she likes guys, she doesn’t have a lot of options among the show’s main cast members, does she? If, however, she likes gals, there are a few tantalizing possibilities. This could be fertile new storytelling terrain for “Dallas,” although I’m not sure the show would want to go that route after the uproar over John Ross, Pamela and Emma’s threesome this year.

Then again, maybe that’s all the more reason to do it.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hot wheel

‘BRAVE NEW WORLD’

Season 3, Episode 15

Telecast: September 22, 2014

Audience: 1.72 million viewers on September 22

Writer: Robert Rovner

Director: Steve Robin

Synopsis: John Ross’s commandos rescue him and the Mexican police arrest El Pozolero and Luis, who are later murdered in their jail cells by Nicolas’s henchman. When the government seizes the cartel’s Ewing Global assets, Pamela plans to buy them back, but Bobby and Sue Ellen beat her to the punch, infuriating both John Ross and Pamela. Bobby and Ann reconcile, but she becomes alarmed when she finds him comforting a grieving Tracey. Elena realizes Nicolas is responsible for Drew’s death and shoots Nicolas in a fit of anger, but he escapes. John Ross walks in on Pamela and Nasir in bed and later forms an alliance with Judith, who returns Candace’s blue dress to him, replaces Bobby on the railroad commission, and gets her hands on Harris’s tape of her drug deals. Emma gives one of Harris’s secret files to John Ross, who discovers J.R. has a daughter and tells Bum to find her. Elena learns she’s pregnant and is getting ready to leave a gas station when a car bomb planted by another one of Nicolas’s henchmen goes off, killing Christopher.

Cast: Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Melinda Clarke (Tracey McKay), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Akari Draco (Sheriff Derrick), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Pete Partida (Jacobo), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Carlos Sandoval (El Pozolero), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Mikal Vega (Walter)

“Brave New World” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: Brave New World, Cynthia Cidre, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Mitch Pileggi, Price You Pay, Robert Rovner, Steve Robin, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 39 — ‘Endgame’

September 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Dallas, Endgame, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

Our hero

In “Endgame,” does John Ross go to Mexico to save his company or his mistress? He later tells Emma his rescue mission was strictly business, but I’m not convinced. John Ross seems to genuinely care for her, which makes his decision to take her place as Luis’s hostage seem surprisingly selfless. It brings to mind the occasions when J.R. acted nobly, like the time he rescued his kidnapped son from the clutches of the villainous B.D. Calhoun. I suppose this makes John Ross’s heroics in “Endgame” yet another example of how the poor guy can’t escape Daddy’s shadow. Whenever John Ross does bad, he reminds us of J.R.; now we know the same thing is true when John Ross does good.

Not that our young hero is willing to admit this to anyone, or even to himself. At the beginning of “Endgame,” after Bobby shoots down John Ross’s offer to bypass the CIA and meet with Luis to negotiate Emma’s release, Pamela accuses her estranged husband of using Emma’s rescue as a smokescreen to reclaim Ewing Global from the cartel. Pamela’s words seem to sting John Ross, prompting her to deadpan, “Oh, my God. Have you actually convinced yourself you’re doing it for her?” John Ross quickly regains his composure, flashes his grin and responds, “You know me better than that. The only person I’ve ever cared about is me.”

John Ross might be mocking Pamela’s lack of faith in him, or he could be using his bravado to shield his softer side, something J.R. was known to do too. After all, there are plenty of examples of John Ross demonstrating concern for others, including the scene earlier this season when he sat on Pamela’s hospital bed and poured out his heart to her. Also, consider what happens in “Endgame” after John Ross has defied Bobby and gone to the Mexican house to see Luis. The two men are sitting at the kitchen table, hashing out their deal, when a cartel thug brings Emma into the room. John Ross instantly leaps to his feet and goes toward her, only to have another gunman shove him back into his seat. If John Ross was as self-centered as he claims, would his instincts compel him to go to Emma the moment he spots her?

Regardless of what’s going on inside John Ross’s head and heart, it’s fun to watch Josh Henderson swagger his way through “Endgame,” wearing that cool leather jacket and delivering all the instantly quotable dialogue in Bruce Rasmussen’s script. When John Ross visits the commando-for-hire Walter (more shades of B.D. Calhoun), Walter asks him why he needs his services. John Ross’s crisp response: “In the next couple of days, I’m going to get myself in a very bad situation. I’d like you to come get me out of it.” Henderson also gets to play the tough guy at the end of episode, when the newly freed Emma shares her fear the cartel will kill him. “People may die in this house, but it ain’t gonna be me,” John Ross says. And like every good action hero, Henderson also gets to toss off some one-liners, like this gem about the perpetually in-the-dark Ewings: “We’re slow, but we do figure things out.”

If “Endgame” feels like an action movie version of “Dallas,” I suspect that’s purely intentional. The original show also did action episodes, although many of them drew from “Dallas’s” western traditions, unlike “Endgame,” which is darker and more noirish. The pacing is relentless from the get-go; before the credits even roll, U.S. marshals have stormed Nicolas and Elena’s lake house. The thrills continue when Bobby retrieves Ann from the trunk she’s been stuffed into and when Nicolas makes his getaway in a scramble of minivans, which has the odd effect of making us admire the bad guys’ craftiness. I also like the tension director Millicent Shelton builds when the kidnapped Emma comes so close to passing a note to a neighborhood boy, only to be caught by Luis. (The implication that he then rapes Emma is heartbreaking, although I suspect it will give the wonderful Emma Bell some good material to work with if the show returns next year.)

Shelton balances all the suspense with quiet surprises. I expected the long-awaited meeting of Sue Ellen Ewing and Judith Ryland to be a dramatic showdown between two soap queens, but it turns out to be anything but. In the scene, everyone is nervously awaiting word from Bobby’s visit to the Mexican house when he calls and tells Sue Ellen he’s coming home with Ann — but not Emma. Judith hears this and accuses Bobby of betraying the Rylands by saving “that bitch wife of his,” but instead of spewing venom back at Judith, Sue Ellen tries to comfort her. Linda Gray makes her character’s sympathy palpable, while Judith Light manages to pound the coffee table — and her head — without getting too theatrical. What could have become a moment of camp instead stirs feelings of compassion.

“Endgame’s” biggest surprise of all is how absorbing I find the cartel drama, a storyline I’ve knocked more than once this year. The casting has proven superb, especially Juan Pablo Di Pace as Nicolas and Antonio Jaramillo as Luis. In some scenes, I despise these characters and in others, I feel sympathetic toward them; occasionally, I experience both feelings at the same time. (I also like Carlos Miranda, who does a nice turn as Fernando, the sweet-faced thug whom Emma charms in her bid for freedom.) The “sibling” rivalry between the oh-so-smooth Nicolas and the rough-around-the-edges Luis is another clever touch, and I love how Rasmussen’s script has John Ross play on Luis’s insecurities by comparing his relationship with Nicolas to John Ross’s relationship with Christopher.

It all culminates in “Endgame’s” tense, taut climax, when El Pozolero delivers his blunt description of the cartel: “We are not businessmen who commit crimes. We are criminals who do business.” (Another line about murder being “a wonderful bonding experience” is memorable for the wrong reason.) I also like seeing El Pozolero referring the argument between his squabbling “sons,” which comes off like a parallel universe version of the great scenes where Bobby sits at his desk in the Southfork den, mediating fights between John Ross and Christopher. Watching this scene again yesterday, it struck me: After the events of the next episode, “Brave New World,” we’ll never see Bobby intervene in another clash between the Ewing cousins. How sad is that?

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prisonera

‘ENDGAME’

Season 3, Episode 14

Telecast: September 22, 2014

Audience: 1.72 million viewers on September 22

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Millicent Shelton

Synopsis: Bobby asks Luis to release Emma, but Luis frees Ann instead. When Emma tries to escape, Luis rapes her. After the CIA finds Nicolas and takes him into custody, he agrees to lead U.S. marshals to a meeting with El Pozolero at the Mexican house, but once the cartel’s thugs have Nicolas, they ditch the feds. John Ross tells Judith that Harris is working with the CIA, hires a commando squad to secretly follow him to Mexico and then goes to the cartel’s house, where he persuades Luis to sell him the Ewing Global assets in exchange for Emma’s release. After Emma returns Southfork, El Pozolero and Nicolas converge at the house, where Nicolas tries to prove his mettle by pointing a gun at John Ross’s head as Luis pressures him to shoot.

Cast: Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Carlos Miranda (Fernando), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Miguel Sandoval (El Pozolero), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Mikal Vega (Walter)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: Antonio Jaramillo, Brave New World, Bruce Rasmussen, Carlos Miranda, Emma Bell, Endgame, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Millicent Shelton, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

On a Tough Night, ‘Dallas’ Takes a Hit in the Ratings

September 23, 2014 by Chris Baker 23 Comments

Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Endame, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Brace yourself, Annie

“Dallas” wrapped up its season on one of the most competitive nights of the year — and it has the numbers to prove it.

The two-hour season finale debuted September 22 to approximately 1.72 million viewers, the show’s smallest Monday audience this year, according to Nielsen. This included 560,000 adults between ages 18 and 49, a group advertisers pay top dollar to reach.

“Dallas” fans and people who work on the show were hoping it would get a lift from the much-touted finale, in which TNT promised one of the show’s main characters would be killed off.

“Could the numbers have been better? Yes, but this was a tough night to end the season on,” said Marc Berman, editor of TV Media Insights, an industry news site.

The season finale consisted of two episodes, “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” that aired from 9 to 11 p.m. in most time zones. The competition included the season premieres of NBC’s “The Voice,” which averaged 12.7 million viewers from 8 to 10, and “The Blacklist,” which drew 12.5 million viewers from 10 to 11. The debut of the CBS crime drama “Scorpion” scored 14 million viewers from 9 to 10.

On cable, “Dallas’s” competition included ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” which averaged 13.3 million viewers throughout the evening.

“Dallas’s” September 22 audience is down about 8 percent from one week ago, when “Boxed In” debuted to 1.86 million viewers, including 540,000 viewers between ages 18 and 49. However, “Boxed In’s” total audience climbed to 2.8 million viewers when you count DVR users who recorded the episode and watched it within three days of its debut.

The other dramas on TNT’s late summer/early fall schedule aren’t faring better than “Dallas.” On September 17, the Wednesday entries “Legends” and “Franklin & Bash” drew 1.63 million and 1.52 million viewers, respectively.

Overall, “Dallas” averaged approximately 1.94 million viewers on Mondays this year, down from about 2.66 million viewers on Mondays during its second season and more than 4 million viewers during Season 1, when TNT showed it on Wednesdays.

The network hasn’t announced whether “Dallas” will be renewed for a fourth season, although executive producer Cynthia Cidre told Dallas Decoder last week that the show’s writers are cranking out scripts so the series will be ready to go into production if it’s picked up.

What do you think of “Dallas’s” latest ratings? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: News, News Tagged With: Boxed In, Brave New World, Cynthia Cidre, Endgame, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

Tonight, #DallasChat Reviews the Season Finale

September 23, 2014 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

All good things

You’re invited to Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Tuesday, September 23, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

Our topics: “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” TNT’s final “Dallas” episodes of the year, as well as the answer to the “Which Ewing Dies?” mystery.

If you have ideas for questions, leave them in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I may choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

New to #DallasChat? Here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet 10 questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, so your answers should do the same. Please include the show’s official hashtag, #DallasTNT, in your tweets too.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. What did you think of #DallasTNT’s season finale? #DallasChat

A1. Well, I liked it until my favorite character got killed off. Why, oh why did you do this to us, #DallasTNT? #DallasChat

Two tips:

During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.
Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

If you have opinions about the show, share them with your fellow fans. See you tonight!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Brave New World, Endgame, Larry Hagman, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

‘Which Ewing Dies?’ It’s [Spoiler]

September 22, 2014 by Chris Baker 74 Comments

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

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

You’ve been warned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 14

September 22, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

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

Southfork showdown?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 21, 2014 by Chris Baker 25 Comments

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

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

Please don’t go, girl

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

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

Like father, like son?

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

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

Adios, Elena?

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

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

Gone, darlin’, gone?

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

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

No, nope, nada

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

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