Between the Lines and Behind the Scenes of "Dallas"
The final scene in “Shadows” trembles with tension. Miss Ellie summons J.R. and Bobby to the Southfork living room, where she tells them she’s going to take down the painting of Jock that has hung there since his death. Ellie wants to make her new husband, Clayton Farlow, feel more comfortable in their home by […]
The Primetime Emmy nominations were announced today, and “Dallas” was nowhere to be found. This comes as a surprise to absolutely no one, of course. Although the TNT series was eligible in several categories, it wasn’t regarded as a strong contender. Other prime-time soap operas fared better. PBS’s “Downton Abbey” received 12 nominations, including one […]
Larry Hagman wasn’t nominated for an Emmy yesterday, but the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has a few more opportunities to honor “Dallas’s” biggest star. First up: the “In Memoriam” montage that will be shown during this year’s Emmy ceremony, which CBS will broadcast on September 22. Hagman deserves to be featured prominently in […]
“The Ewing Blues” includes one of “Dallas’s” cleverest scenes. J.R. appears on a local TV talk show to tout his new chain of cut-rate gas stations, which is turning him into a hero in the eyes of the public. Cliff is watching the interview from the living room of his new townhouse, where a deliveryman […]
At the end of “Jock’s Will,” the Ewings gather in the Southfork living room to hear Harv Smithfield read the family patriarch’s last will and testament. Everyone is present — even Gary, who has flown in from “Knots Landing” for the occasion. The scene is tense, dramatic and historic. Besides being one of the few […]
Few will forget the courtroom testimony that Ann (Brenda Strong) delivered at the end of “Trial and Error,” last week’s “Dallas” episode. Here’s a look at the Barneses’ and Ewings’ 10 most memorable monologues from the original series and its “Knots Landing” spinoff. 10. Miss Ellie’s lament. With the Ewing empire on the brink of […]
“Goodbye, Cliff Barnes” leaves the title character’s fate up in the air after he tries to kill himself, making this the most literal of all “Dallas” cliffhangers. For a long time, I also considered it one of the show’s least satisfying season finales. Was there ever any doubt Cliff would survive? I now realize that’s […]
Cliff and Sue Ellen’s renewed romance dominates “Vengeance,” but we see their affair mostly through the eyes of the other “Dallas” characters. Miss Ellie cautions Sue Ellen about the relationship and later frets about the affair during a lunch date with J.R., while Cliff gets an earful from Rebecca. No one seems to believe these two are […]
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 […]
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 […]
