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

September 24, 2014 by 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

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Endgame, TNT, Which Ewing Dies?

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: , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 34 — ‘Denial, Anger, Acceptance’

August 19, 2014 by 22 Comments
Dallas, Denial Anger Acceptance, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

The blues

By “Dallas” standards, “Denial, Anger, Acceptance” is a relatively low-key episode. It includes an action sequence at the top of the hour, when Bobby and Christopher rescue Sue Ellen and Bo from the Southfork fire, as well as a trademark fake-out and unexpected death in the final scene. Mostly, though, the characters bide their time by sitting around a hospital waiting room, reflecting on their terrible choices and wondering when the next shoe will drop. Flames not withstanding, the Ewings haven’t gone to hell. They’re in purgatory.

The woman of the hour, once again, is Linda Gray. Sue Ellen experiences all the emotions in the episode’s title — she denies she has a drinking problem to the ER doctor, she gets angry when she sees John Ross, she finally accepts the fact that she’s made destructive choices too — and Gray nails each scene. My favorite: the “acceptance” sequence, when Sue Ellen remembers taking a lighter to John Ross and Pamela’s wedding invitation and concludes — wrongly — that she’s responsible for the Southfork fire. Panicked and desperate for a taste of alcohol, she swipes some aftershave from the hospital gift shop, ducks into a quiet corridor and brings the bottle to her lips. It’s not unlike seeing Sue Ellen standing in the gutter, swigging from a brown paper bag during the original show’s “dream season.”

This time around, though, Sue Ellen doesn’t hit rock bottom. Instead, she tosses the aftershave into the trash and goes to the waiting room, where she tells Bobby, Ann and Christopher that she caused the fire. The more meaningful confession comes when Sue Ellen says, “I’m an alcoholic — and I will be, until I die.” It’s the moment a lot of “Dallas” fans have been waiting for since our heroine fell off the wagon before J.R.’s funeral, a year-and-a-half ago. As much as we admire Gray’s performances when Sue Ellen is struggling, the version of the character we love most is the savvy J.R. protégé who outmaneuvered John Ross and Governor McConaughey earlier this season. Now that Sue Ellen has admitted her problem, let’s hope she recovers her mojo. The Ewings need her.

“Denial, Anger, Acceptance” also gets a lift from Patrick Duffy and Brenda Strong, two pros who make Bobby and Ann’s marital strife feel genuine and painful. I’m less enthused with John Ross and Pamela’s domestic drama. Here’s how she explains to John Ross why she downed a bottle of pills and initiated their threesome with Emma: “I did what I did so that every time you think about screwing that piece of trash, all you’ll be able to see is me on the floor with my eyes rolled back in my head. Sexy, huh?” No, silly is more like it. It often feels like the “Dallas” producers come up with a fantastic scenario — in this case, the wife who’s been cheated on decides to join her husband and his mistress in bed — and then the writers work backward to come up with a reason for the characters to behave this way. Sometimes this approach works fine; this time, it doesn’t.

Nevertheless, all the principals are effective in their scenes. Josh Henderson makes John Ross’s regret seem sincere (especially in his scene with Duffy) and Emma Bell once again shows us Emma’s vulnerabilities, while Julie Gonzalo slides effortlessly back into bitch mode, a side of Pamela we haven’t seen since the second season. It’s going to be fun to see Pamela back on the warpath, especially if the show uses her scorn to put the Barnes/Ewing conflict front and center. Watching Pamela seek revenge against John Ross because he screwed around on her might not be as epic as seeing Cliff and J.R. wage war over blood and oil, but as long as this show has a Barnes and a Ewing at each other’s throats, I’ll be happy.

Regarding the episode-ending fake-out: I like how Bruce Rasmussen’s script leads us to believe Sue Ellen caused the fire, only to reveal the actual culprit is ne’er-do-well Drew Ramos, the character many of us suspected all along. I’m not much of a fan of this season’s drug cartel storyline, but Drew’s execution at the hands of Nicolas’s cronies is nicely done. Kuno Becker has never been better — I love how he delivers Drew’s line about saving a seat in hell for Nicolas — while Juan Pablo Di Pace makes his character feel equal parts sinister and desperate. When I interviewed Di Pace last week, he told me director Steve Robin wanted Nicolas to come off as this “cold, badass guy,” but after several takes, Di Pace couldn’t help but cry. I’m glad the show went with a version that shows Nicolas’s eyes welling up; it’s nice to know there’s a shred of humanity left to this character. Some fans may worry that Nicolas isn’t long for this world now that “Dallas” has turned him into a killer, but remember: Pamela killed Tommy during the first season and Ann shot Harris last year.

The rest of “Denial, Anger, Acceptance” is hit or miss. Judith Light is fun to watch, although a little restraint now and then would be nice. The Southfork fire sequence isn’t quite as dramatic as the 1983 version, and one of the exterior shots that show a CGI’d tent covering the damaged wing isn’t very convincing. On the other hand, I like how Sue Ellen’s flashbacks to the fire are tinted in reds and golds, while Drew’s are shaded in blues and grays. I also like the editing at the top of the hour, when the shot of Bobby scooping up Sue Ellen cuts to a scene of John Ross lifting Pamela off the hotel room floor.

“Dallas” diehards will remember Bobby is also the one who pulled Sue Ellen from Southfork the last time it burned. Perhaps one day she’ll rescue him, although first she needs to finish saving herself.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Denial Anger Acceptance, Drew Ramos, Kuno Becker, TNT

Adios, Drew

‘DENIAL, ANGER, ACCEPTANCE’

Season 3, Episode 9

Telecast: August 18, 2014

Audience: 1.97 million viewers on August 18

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Steve Robin

Synopsis: Bobby and Christopher rescue Sue Ellen and Bo from the Southfork fire. Sue Ellen confesses she started the fire, but the real culprit is Drew, who is detained by the cartel and later executed as Nicholas watches. Pamela tells John Ross she overdosed to ruin his affair with Emma. Elena learns Nicolas sent the video to Pamela and leaves him an angry voice mail. After Judith tells Bobby she saw Ann and Harris kissing, Bobby suggests Ann leave Southfork while he supervises the reconstruction. Bo, injured in the fire, undergoes surgery and shares a tender reunion with Heather and Michael.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Donny Boaz (Bo McCabe), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Bryan Chatlien (Jake), Dallas Clark (Michael McCabe), Jon Michael Davis (Dr. Pander), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Cynthia Jackson (nurse), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Leticia Magana (Dr. Razack), AnnaLynne McCord (Heather McCabe), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Joe Nemmers (Lt. Bennett), Pete Partida (Jacobo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Emily Warfield (Dr. Hirsch)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 27 — ‘Trust Me’

March 5, 2014 by 44 Comments
Dallas, Harris Ryland, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT, Trust Me

Snow job

Is “Trust Me” the most audacious episode in “Dallas” history? It’s hard to think of another one that shocked me more. Judith Ryland seals a deal with a Mexican drug lord by snorting a few lines of coke, Harris Ryland is revealed as a CIA informant — these are not the kinds of things we’re used to seeing on this show. Some fans are upset with the producers for taking our beloved franchise in such wild directions, but you’ll hear no complaints from me. “Dallas” measures its longevity in decades; at this point, I’d be disappointed if the people in charge weren’t exploring fresh storytelling terrain.

Besides, it’s not like the twists and turns come from out of nowhere. Both scenes fit with the theme of “Trust Me,” which shows how the characters deal with the people who doubt them — and how they deal with their doubts about themselves. The word “trust” pops up repeatedly: Harris tells Judith that Emma can’t be trusted. Elena and Nicolas each tell Carmen to trust their choice to work against the Ewings. Elena tells Christopher to trust her ability to handle Nicolas. Bobby wonders if the old Southfork seismographs can be trusted. Even when “trust” isn’t used, it’s implied: Witness the scene where John Ross stands in front of Pamela, raises his right hand and swears he isn’t cheating with his new secretary. Talk about splitting hairs.

And then there’s Judith’s coke-snorting scene. It’s inexplicably staged in some kind of dirt-floored equestrian arena, where the Mexican drug lord Luis is surrounded by an entourage that includes a young man holding a golden box of cocaine, several thugs toting big guns and two costumed rodeo performers who stand on horses, twirling lassos. A setting like this wouldn’t feel out of place in a Tarantino film. Judith and Harris arrive to meet with Luis, and before you know it, she’s putting Luis’s hands all over her body and talking about the importance of trust in business relationships. Judith implies the point of her self-directed pat down is to prove she’s not wearing a wire, but does anyone doubt she’s also seeking cheap thrills? For that matter, isn’t she also telegraphing a message about her mettle to Harris, who stands next to her, his mouth agape?

The scene continues with Judith shrewdly explaining how she’s going to use shell companies, wastewater trucks and unmapped roads to smuggle Luis’s drugs into Texas — and then we get to the moment that sent “Dallas” fans into a tweeting frenzy on the night “Trust Me” debuted. Judith leans into Luis’s cocaine box, snorts, throws back her head and delivers her hashtag-ready exclamation: “Hot damn! Mama like.” She even rubs a little coke on her gums for good measure. I suppose this is another way for Judith to prove her trustworthiness to the cartel, but let’s not kid ourselves: “Dallas” is trying to shock us — not that there’s anything wrong with that. I love this show’s insistence on being unpredictable. If this scene does nothing else, it demonstrates how eager the people who make “Dallas” are to entertain us. How can you not appreciate that?

As much as I admire Judith Light’s fearlessness in this scene, I have to hand it to Mitch Pileggi, whose reaction shots are priceless. (Director Millicent Shelton, who also helmed last season’s Harris-centric “Let Me In,” is smart enough to keep cutting back to him throughout Judith’s antics in the arena.) I also love how Light and Pileggi play off each other in their other scene in “Trust Me,” when Judith returns to the Ryland roost and announces she’s taking charge of the family trucking — er, transportation — business. Bruce Rasmussen’s script gives Light one delicious line after another, including an allegory that could have rolled off the silver tongue of J.R. Ewing: “Money and morality are like two cars on a one-lane road. When they meet, morality’s going to end up in the ditch.” Light savors every syllable, and once again, Pileggi holds his own. I think it’s telling that after I saw “Trust Me,” I spent more time quoting one of Harris’s lines (“You think you know what you’re getting into, but you don’t”) than any of Judith’s. I don’t know what I love more: Pileggi’s Texas accent, or the way he snarls his dialogue.

It’s also worth noting how much “Trust Me” humanizes Harris Ryland. In the scene where Judith negotiates the new deal with the cartel, notice how Harris doesn’t say a word until Luis implies he’ll hurt Emma if the Rylands don’t hold up their end of the bargain. “My daughter has nothing to do with this!” he says. For that matter, notice how Harris keeps a framed photograph of Ann with baby Emma in his office. This is a man who cares about the women in his life, even if he sometimes calls them names. (Pileggi’s other great line in this episode describes Emma: “She’s a little monster who put me in jail.”)

This also explains why I welcome the episode-ending revelation about Harris’s connection to the CIA, which requires more than a little trust on Bobby and Ann’s behalf. Like Larry Hagman, Pileggi is such a charismatic actor you can’t help but root for his character, no matter how wicked he becomes. I was having a hard time cheering for Harris, though, knowing that he was a drug trafficker. Now I’m glad I can cast those concerns aside. (I can cast them aside, right “Dallas”?) I don’t think there’s any danger of Harris turning into a white knight, but I’m glad to know there are lines he won’t cross.

Of course, as much as the Rylands fascinate me, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how good the rest of “Trust Me” is. The Southfork barbecue scenes evoke the spirit — if not the down-home grandeur — of Ewing shindigs from days gone by. It’s fun to see John Ross rankle all the women in his life — mother, wife, mistress — by chatting up the other pretty ladies. (One is played by “Survivor” contestant Andrea Boehlke, who is Josh Henderson’s girlfriend in real life.) The only thing I enjoy more is Pamela’s hot dance with the ever-intriguing Nicolas Treviño — not just because it’s good to see Pamela give her flirtatious husband a taste of his own medicine, but also because it demonstrates why the magnetic Juan Pablo Di Pace is such a smart addition to this show. Di Pace enlivens every scene he appears in; as one of my fellow fans pointed out on Twitter the other night, he has chemistry with everyone, including Jesse Metcalfe’s Christopher, whose tête-à-tête with Nicolas over a couple of Miller Lites is another barbecue highlight.

Rasmussen’s script allows “Dallas’s” supporting performers to shine too. No one impresses me more than Kevin Page, whose character Bum has become the conscience of this show. Besides Judith Light’s dialogue, Page has the episode’s most memorable line when he shows John Ross the pictures he took of him and Emma and says, “Grow into your father’s greatness, not his weakness.” Bum’s mysterious-but-strong connection to J.R. makes him the only character on this show who can get away with putting John Ross in his place; he could become an even more effective surrogate father than Uncle Bobby. It’s tempting to chastise Bum for deceiving Sue Ellen about John Ross’s adultery, except there’s no doubt he’s only trying to spare her heartache. And am I the only one who wants to see more scenes between Page and Linda Gray?

This episode’s other M.V.P.: Marlene Forte, who has two great scenes. In the first, Carmen is aghast to learn Elena is working against the family to whom Carmen has pledged her loyalty; in the second, Carmen comes face to face with Nicolas, a boy she helped raise who is now Elena’s partner in crime. I love when Carmen touches the medal around Nicolas’s neck and tells him, “If even for a moment I sense that you are leading either of my children into the darkness, not even St. Christopher will be able to save you.” I’ve always believed Carmen has the potential to become one of this show’s moral centers, and now it looks like that might be happening.

It’s true that Nicolas’s backstory with the Ramoses is a little odd: I suppose we’re meant to believe Carmen and her husband raised him in Mexico but left him behind when they moved to Texas with their biological children, which is why Nicolas isn’t familiar to the Ewings. It’s another example of how the details on this show are sometimes fuzzy, although I’ve learned it’s not worth sweating the small stuff because the new “Dallas” almost always gets the big picture right. Will I still feel that way at the end of this season? Who knows? I have no idea where this series is headed next, but after watching its first 27 hours, I have faith in the people who make it. They’ve earned my respect — and my trust.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bum, Dallas, Kevin Page, TNT, Trust Me

Independent lens

‘TRUST ME’

Season 3, Episode 2

Telecast: March 3, 2014

Audience: 1.9 million viewers on March 3

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Millicent Shelton

Synopsis: At Sue Ellen’s request, Bum follows John Ross, but Bum lies and tells her there’s no evidence her son is cheating on Pamela. At the Ewing Barbecue, Christopher and Heather grow closer and Pamela arouses John Ross’s jealousy by dancing with Nicolas. Elena snoops around Bobby’s laptop and discovers an email that connects him and Carlos to Rhonda. Judith takes over Harris’s drug trafficking operation and negotiates a new deal with the cartel. When Bobby and Ann begin investigating Harris’s release from jail, Harris reveals the truth to them: He’s secretly working with the CIA to bring down the cartel.

Cast: John Athas (U.S. Attorney Ellis Larsen), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Andrea Boehlke (barbecue guest), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Christian Clemenson (Howard Rieder), Candace (Jude Demorest), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Akai Draco (Sherriff Derrick), 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), AnnaLynne McCord (Heather), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In Season 3, ‘Dallas’ Resets the Chessboard, J.R. Style

February 20, 2014 by 47 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Return, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Welcome back, darlins

Who misses J.R.? We all do, but the third season of TNT’s “Dallas” still manages to be fun, freewheeling television — even if our beloved Larry Hagman is no longer there to breathe life into his most famous character. Watching next week’s season premiere is a little like attending a family reunion after the loss of a favorite uncle. You can’t help but wish the old guy was still around, but isn’t it nice to see everyone else again?

Besides, it’s not like J.R. is gone altogether. His memory looms large in Season 3’s first two episodes. Some examples: John Ross inherits his daddy’s Southfork-sized belt buckle and hires contractors to renovate the house using blueprints J.R. commissioned before his death. Bobby, once again at odds with his ambitious nephew, growls that John Ross isn’t “half the man” J.R. was. Bum, the Ewings’ go-to private eye who now doubles as John Ross’s conscience, urges him to “grow into your father’s greatness, not his weakness.” There’s even a much-improved painting of J.R. hanging in the Ewing offices, allowing Hagman’s visage to peer over the shoulders of the other actors as they move around the set.

With so many verbal and visual references to J.R., isn’t the show just reminding us that this franchise has lost its marquee player? Yes, but since most of us can’t tune into “Dallas” without thinking about Hagman anyway, the producers might as well acknowledge the ghost in the room. Besides, when your franchise is built on a character as endlessly fascinating as J.R. Ewing, why not use him to pull everyone’s strings from the great beyond?

That’s why “The Return,” the third-season premiere, resets the “Dallas” chessboard, J.R.-style. The episode — penned by Cynthia Cidre and Robert Rovner and directed by Steve Robin — picks up 12 hours after last year’s finale, when we learned J.R. was dying of cancer and masterminded his own “murder” so archenemy Cliff Barnes could be framed for the crime, thus ending the Barnes/Ewing feud. (Ha!) The finale also positioned John Ross as J.R.’s heir in every way, and so at the beginning of “The Return,” we learn why the young newlywed went to that hotel room to cheat with Emma, who appears to have traded her pill habit for an addiction to risky encounters with John Ross.

We’ll also hear how John Ross justifies the fling to Kevin Page’s Bum; his excuse will sound familiar to longtime “Dallas” fans who remember how J.R. used to rationalize his cheating on Sue Ellen. This storyline has upset a lot of fans of the John Ross/Pamela pairing, but it allows Josh Henderson to display the sly charisma that makes him almost as much fun to watch as Hagman was in his heyday. And even though John Ross is a cheat, we can’t help but feel charmed by his relationship with Julie Gonzalo’s Pamela, whose smoldering gaze makes her the ideal match for the oh-so-suave Henderson. Let’s acknowledge something else too: As much as we despise Emma, there’s no denying that Emma Bell is terrific in this role. Not since Mary Crosby’s Kristin have “Dallas” viewers had a vixen who’s so much fun to hate.

During last year’s execution of the Ewings’ “master plan” against Cliff, almost all of the characters got in touch with their inner J.R., but Season 3 finds the good guys returning to familiar terrain. Patrick Duffy’s Bobby slides back into his role as the heroic guardian of Southfork traditions, while Jesse Metcalfe’s Christopher gets a refreshingly angst-free romance with Heather, a new ranch hand. This role is played with equal parts spunk and sex appeal by AnnaLynne McCord, who was the best part of the CW’s “90210” and makes a welcome addition to “Dallas,” a far better revival.

(Oh, and even though “The Return” begins 12 hours after Season 2 ended, Christopher now sports a face full of scruff. How did he grow a thick beard in a half-day? It’s probably better not to ask. Let’s consider it this era’s version of Sue Ellen’s hair, which magically shortened itself between seasons in the early 1980s, even though mere minutes had passed on screen.)

“The Return” also recasts Elena, once this show’s romantic heroine, into a shrewd schemer out for revenge — or as she calls it, “justice” — after Cliff revealed J.R. once stole oil-rich land from her father, just like Jock supposedly cheated Digger out of half the Ewing fortune. This might seem like a thin premise to extend the Barnes/Ewing feud, but it gives the underappreciated Jordana Brewster something to do besides moon over Henderson and Metcalfe’s characters. Cliff and Elena’s unlikely alliance also includes Nicolas Treviño, a dashing young billionaire played by Juan Pablo Di Pace, another strong addition to this ensemble.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: What about Sue Ellen? It’s no secret Linda Gray’s character is once again headed for rock bottom this season, although she goes nowhere near a drop of booze in “The Return.” Some fans hate to see Sue Ellen drinking again; I’m not wild about the idea either, but I have no doubt Gray will deliver another knockout performance, just like she did last year. She’s Hagman’s truest heir in a lot of ways, including this one: Like him, Gray can say more with an arched eyebrow or a wry smile than most actors can with a script full of dialogue. She exudes Old Hollywood star power, and whether Sue Ellen is drunk or sober, Gray always delivers riveting television.

“Dallas” fans also want to know about a couple of other favorites, including Brenda Strong’s Ann and her dastardly ex-husband Harris, played to menacing perfection by Mitch Pileggi. Regarding them, I’ll only say this: Just because you haven’t read much about their characters in “Dallas’s” pre-premiere publicity doesn’t mean they have nothing to do in the first two episodes. I also don’t want to give anything away about Judith Light’s character Judith Ryland, except to say her return in the season’s second hour, “Trust Me,” is a hoot.

That episode, written by Bruce Rasmussen and directed by Millicent Shelton, features a Ewing family gathering that showcases the brilliance of costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin, who never fails to impress, and hairdresser Charles Yusko, whose contributions to the success of this series shouldn’t be overlooked. You’ll also want to watch “Trust Me” to see the long-awaited reunion between two characters who had a charming scene last year, along with one of the most audacious moments I’ve ever seen on “Dallas” — or any other show, for that matter.

Most importantly, the episode ends with a shock that rocks two characters and will make you reconsider everything you think you know about a third. It’s a twist you’ll never see coming — and another reason this show remains so much fun, even without the man who got the party started.

“Dallas’s” third season begins Monday, February 24, at 9 p.m. Eastern on TNT. Are you excited? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 19 – ‘Ewings Unite!’

March 20, 2013 by 92 Comments
Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Ewings Unite, Ken Kercheval, TNT

The twist

There’s a lot to like about “Ewings Unite!,” including Ken Kercheval’s chilling performance in the final scene and the sensational, old-school soap opera showdown between Joan Van Ark and Linda Gray, which is destined to become a “Dallas” classic. Unfortunately, this episode also gives us plenty to lament. Valene’s eagerly awaited reunion with Gary never really happens, there’s seemingly little movement in the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery, and the bombshell dropped during J.R.’s will reading is silly. This production isn’t just missing the old Hagman magic. Logic has taken a holiday too.

The will reading offers a welcome cameo from the wonderful Barry Corbin, who portrayed Sheriff Washburn on the old “Dallas” and appears here as J.R.’s lawyer. Bruce Rasmussen’s script honors J.R.’s mischievousness by having him leave a bottle of scotch to recovering alcoholic Gary, while Bobby inherits J.R.’s collection of cowboy boots. (This might be an inside joke. Hagman memorably called cowboy boots “the most uncomfortable mode of transport ever invented.”) I’m not going to complain about the omission of absent characters – a full recitation of J.R.’s bequests could have consumed half the episode – but I will gripe about the big surprise: It seems Miss Ellie waited until after J.R.’s death to leave half of Southfork to John Ross.

Ellie’s explanation comes in a letter read by Corbin’s character: “My son J.R. was many things, but he was not a rancher. That’s why I left my beloved Southfork to Bobby. But I hope you understand, Bobby, that J.R.’s sins should not be visited upon my grandson, John Ross.” Come again, Mama? As much as I like the idea of Ellie one-upping J.R. from beyond the grave, this defies belief. Set aside the fact that Ellie and second husband Clayton deeded Southfork to Bobby toward the end of the original series. In the new “Dallas’s” timeline, she left the ranch to Bobby upon her death more than a decade ago. Now Ellie is able to change those terms? I’m no lawyer, but how is this legally possible?

If the show’s goal is to pit John Ross against his uncle – effectively allowing John Ross to take his father’s place in this franchise’s central conflict of J.R. versus Bobby – then I’m all for it. I also like the idea that John Ross’s stake in the ranch means he’ll probably take up residence at Southfork, which I hope will set the stage for more old-fashioned Ewing family gatherings. Still, I wonder: Couldn’t the show have achieved this new power structure without sacrificing its credibility?

“Ewings Unite!” also suggests Cliff’s company, Barnes Global, is a rebranded version of the old Barnes/Wentworth conglomerate he ran on the old show. This also seems to contradict established “Dallas” lore – didn’t Cliff long ago relinquish his stake in those companies? – but I can live with this change since the composition of his corporate assets always seemed needlessly confusing. I’m more bothered by the revisionism in Elena’s storyline. When she challenges Christopher over his blackmail scheme, she declares, “This is why I wanted out of the company.” Whoa! Didn’t Sue Ellen oust Elena from the company against her will? Never mind the old show; if the new “Dallas” isn’t going to respect its own history – and by “history,” I mean stuff that happened three episodes ago – why should we?

The resolution of Gary’s mini-arc and Val’s return yield more mixed feelings. Van Ark is a hoot in the scene where Val confronts Sue Ellen (“Once a bitch, always a bitch!”), a marquee battle between two of television’s greatest soap queens. This doesn’t feel much like the Val I remember, but I like the idea that Van Ark’s character has grown stronger and more confident. “Poor Val” appears to be a memory. I also adore Ted Shackelford’s final scene with Gray, when Sue Ellen sweetly urges Gary to return to his wife before it’s too late. “One day she may be gone and you don’t want to regret the loss of every moment you could have spent with her,” Sue Ellen says. It’s a nice reminder of the wisdom Sue Ellen has gained, as well as the fact that her devious behavior in this episode stems from her grief.

But as much as I appreciate these moments, I want to shake my fist at “Dallas” for not giving us a scene where Gary and Val patch things up. Talk about a missed opportunity. Shackelford and Van Ark are every bit as iconic as “Dallas’s” other famous pairings. To split up the couple is one thing; to only give them a brief appearance together in the Southfork foyer and then leave the fate of their marriage unknown is something else. (So much for engendering goodwill among “Knots Landing” fans.) Of course, if the lack of closure means Gary and Val will return next season to resume their storyline, I’ll be the first to eat these words.

I don’t mean to dwell on my disappointments with “Ewings Unite!” There’s plenty here to admire, including seeing John Ross and Christopher work together; the scene where they gang up on Pamela showcases the nice chemistry between Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe, who play off each other almost as easily as Hagman and Patrick Duffy did during “Dallas’s” heyday. I also appreciate Christopher’s flirtation with the dark side, and how the scene where Elena learns about his blackmail scheme echoes one from the old show where Pam tries to bring Bobby back from the edge. Other highlights include the pairing of impressive newcomers Kuno Becker and Emma Bell, as well as the addition of Annie Wersching, who I hope will stick around as sexy, scheming city transportation official Alison Jones.

More good stuff: the scene where Cliff and Harris form their Legion of Doom-style alliance, as well as when Harris dismisses his new partner in crime as a “paranoid old coot” while speaking to Vickers, who is poised to succeed Frank as this show’s go-to henchman. As far as Cliff’s decision at the end of episode to blow up the Ewing Energies rig, even though pregnant Pamela is on board: I wasn’t that shocked. The version of Cliff we see on TNT’s “Dallas” is more twisted and consumed than the one we remember. Like a lot of longtime fans, I wish I knew how Cliff got this way. Still, as ugly as his actions are, they seem perfectly in tune with the person he’s become.

Regardless, how fantastic is Kercheval in that scene? Everything about the actor’s body language – the fidgety hands, the shifty eyes – suggests the torment raging within Cliff in that instant. I also appreciate how director Steve Robin heightens the drama with a glimpse of pregnant Pamela’s belly before the bomb goes off, as well as the shot of Vickers kissing the cross around his neck before he pushes the detonation button.

I’m more surprised to see “Ewings Unite!” spend so little time on the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery, which got off to such a riveting start at the end of the previous episode. After Bobby fills in John Ross and Christopher on the origin of Cliff’s company, he suggests J.R. was searching for Pam because she might be a “silent partner” in Barnes Global and casually reveals that Katherine is dead. Then again, as Dallas Decoder readers have pointed out, this show usually doesn’t mention older characters unless they’re going to figure into the storyline. Could Bobby’s reference to Katherine be the first step toward bringing Morgan Brittany to the new “Dallas”? Who knows? We might look back on this episode one day and realize it offers the biggest clue of all.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Ewings Unite, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

Inherit the earth

‘EWINGS UNITE!’

Season 2, Episode 9

Telecast: March 18, 2013

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Steve Robin

Audience: 2.7 million viewers on March 18

Synopsis: J.R.’s will splits his share of the Southfork mineral rights between Sue Ellen and John Ross. A letter from Miss Ellie reveals John Ross will become co-owner of the ranch with Bobby. When Bobby decides to resume drilling on Southfork, Sue Ellen, who is still drinking, summons Valene to take Gary home. Cliff tries to undermine Ewing Energies’ bid for the city fuel contract, but John Ross and Christopher blackmail transportation official Alison Jones into giving them the contract. Judith threatens to oust Harris at Ryland Transport, then falls down the stairs. After Cliff and Harris join forces, Harris’s henchman Roy Vickers blackmails Drew into sabotaging the Ewing Energies methane extraction rig. Cliff orders Vickers to blow up the rig, even though it will endanger Pamela and the Ewings.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Brown), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Barry Corbin (J.R.’s lawyer), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Alex Fernandez (Roy Vickers), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Barnes), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Ted Shackelford (Gary Ewing), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Joan Van Ark (Valene Ewing), Annie Wersching (Alison Jones)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 13 – ‘Sins of the Father’

February 6, 2013 by 30 Comments
Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Sins of the Father, TNT

The master

Larry Hagman supplies “Sins of the Father” with its best moments, including the cool scene where J.R. pressures Frank to betray Cliff, as well as the surprisingly sentimental one where he vows to help Bobby get revenge against Ryland. But for once, Hagman isn’t the only great thing about the new “Dallas.” Every member of the ensemble shines in this episode, especially Brenda Strong, whose performances are pitch perfect. This is the first time I’ve cared about Ann’s storyline this season, and that’s mostly because Strong does such a beautiful job selling it.

Strong has always had the most thankless job on this show because Ann has been assigned a dual role previously occupied by two of the most beloved figures in the “Dallas” mythos. Not only has Ann succeeded Pam as Bobby’s wife, she’s also assumed Miss Ellie’s mantle as the first lady of Southfork. Now, in “Sins of the Father,” with all her secrets seemingly exposed, Ann finally begins to feel like her own woman. She repeatedly calls Harris a “son of a bitch,” lobs a few barbs at Judith, and then confesses to Emma her past addiction to tranquilizers. We’re not in Pam or Ellie territory anymore.

I applaud the “Dallas” writers for turning Ann into a flawed heroine, but Strong gets the credit for making the character so convincingly human. Ann’s tears during her reunion with Emma at the end of “Battle Lines,” the second-season premiere, seemed to exceed what the moment called for, but I never get that feeling watching her in “Sins of the Father.” Strong strikes the right balance between regret and resolve in this episode’s Ann/Emma scene, making me believe Ann is a woman who hasn’t forgotten her mistakes, even if she’s risen above them.

Strong is downright mesmerizing at the end of “Sins of the Father,” when Ann confronts Harris and shoots him. It’s unsettling to see Ann behave so coldly, although I can’t say the shooting shocked me since TNT’s second-season promos included a glimpse of her brandishing a gun. I also can’t help but notice how closely Ann’s shooting of Harris mirrors Pamela’s shooting of Tommy in last season’s “Family Business,” right down to the victim’s slow-motion fall to the floor. There’s one big difference, of course: Pamela’s shooting was an act of self-defense, while Ann shoots Harris in cold blood. How’s the show going to redeem her after this?

Even though Strong dominates “Sins of the Father,” this is a solid hour for all the “Dallas” women. For me, seeing Sue Ellen march into Ewing Energies and threaten to call in Elena’s loan was a little metaphysical: Suddenly it was the 1980s again and I was back in my parents’ living room, watching Sue Ellen square off against one of her rivals, except this time the fight was over her son, not J.R. The role of Mama Bear fits Linda Gray well, although I think this moment would’ve been more effective if Sue Ellen had taken it upon herself to go after Elena instead of being manipulated into it by John Ross. Regardless, I welcome the return of the take-no-prisoners Sue Ellen, and I’m thrilled to see her get involved with the family business. At long last, the new “Dallas” seems to have figured out how to put Gray’s gifts to good use.

As for Elena: How nice is it to see her do something besides moon over John Ross and/or Christopher? Jordana Brewster is an actress with tremendous poise and grace, and I’m glad the writers are turning Elena into such a smart, savvy businesswoman. She keeps her cool when Sue Ellen confronts her (Elena: “I’m not sure where all this anger is coming from, but if this is about something more personal, we should talk about it”), but Elena would be dull if she was perfect, and in “Sins of the Father” she isn’t. Brother Drew’s return rattles her, although I also feel the warmth between the characters during their heart-to-heart in the Southfork pasture. I hope the show will continue to develop Elena and Drew’s relationship with each other, as well as the one they share with mama Carmen. Between the three of them, Brewster, Kuno Becker (a promising addition to the show) and Marlene Forte have the potential to turn the Ramoses into a meaningful presence at Southfork.

Let’s also hear it for John Ross and Pamela. Their first scene in “Sins of the Father,” when they frolic in bed, arguing over who gets to be on top, is fun, and their repeated use of “Dallas’s” most enduring term of endearment – “darlin’” – is cute. On the other hand, John Ross’s worried expression over Pamela’s connection to Tommy’s death at the end of the episode feels a little out of place. I like the idea of him falling for Pamela, but isn’t it a little soon? For that matter, I also don’t buy the notion that the detective investigating Tommy’s death would call Christopher to the crime scene for a chit-chat (shouldn’t Christopher be a suspect too?), and I wonder if Harris would really be beyond punishment for kidnapping Emma. The criminal justice system on this show seems to be exist in another dimension.

Of course, every time “Dallas” offers head-scratchers like these, it usually cuts to something wonderful – like Hagman’s scenes. Director Jesse Bochco smartly shrouds Hagman and Faran Tahir in darkness during J.R.’s exchange with Frank, which makes it feel that much more mysterious. I also love how scriptwriter Bruce Rasmussen peppers J.R.’s dialogue with an extra dash of homey references (church socials, lapdogs), which allows Hagman to play off the suave Tahir. My gut tells me Frank isn’t long for this world, which is too bad because of all the new show’s villains, he’s the most menacing.

Hagman’s other highlight: the scene where Bobby asks J.R. to help him get revenge against Harris. Besides capitalizing on the chemistry between Hagman and Patrick Duffy, the scene also draws upon the deep familiarity between these characters. J.R.: “I’ve seen that look before. You go over there to get justice and you’re likely to beat him to death.” Bobby: “That’s why I need you. Help me find a way to bring him down.”

I wish the show had allowed the audience to savor the idea of J.R. and Bobby joining forces against a common enemy; instead, it cut to the scene of Ann shooting Harris, which kind of undermines any threat J.R. might pose. Then again, something tells me Mr. Ryland is going to be just fine (please note: Mitch Pileggi was added to this show’s opening credits two episodes ago), so J.R. might yet get his chance to stage his “masterpiece” against Harris. Rarely have I wanted to see anything more.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Sins of the Father, TNT

Woman on the edge

‘SINS OF THE FATHER’

Season 2, Episode 3

Telecast: February 4, 2013

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Jesse Bochco

Audience: 2.2 million viewers on February 4

Synopsis: When the police begin to suspect Pamela killed Tommy, J.R. urges Frank to betray her. After Christopher warns Becky she’s in danger, she receives a visit from Frank and disappears. At John Ross’s urging, Sue Ellen threatens to call in Elena’s loan, prompting Elena to turn to her estranged brother Drew for help striking oil. Ann tries to connect with Emma but is once again rejected. Bobby asks J.R. to help him get revenge against Harris, unaware Ann has shot him.

Cast: Amber Bartlett (Jill), Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Brown), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Rebecca Barnes), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Alex McKenna (Becky Sutter), Marcus M. Mauldin (Detective Ronnie Bota), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Matthew Posey (Bubba), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Faran Tahir (Frank Ashkani)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT) Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 9 – ‘Family Business’

August 2, 2012 by 39 Comments
Dallas, Family Business, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

The man who came around

“Family Business” offers nothing less than the redemption of J.R. Ewing. In this deeply poignant episode, our aging antihero is called upon to face hard truths and make tough choices, and for once in his life, he does the right thing. By the time the closing credits roll, J.R. has a grown as a person. “Dallas” has grown too.

Rather brilliantly, “Family Business” ends with Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around” playing under a series of chilling scenes that leave the fates of several characters hanging in the balance. J.R. is not among them, but no matter. There’s no doubt the song is meant to evoke the journey he takes in this episode, when one by one, the three people J.R. loves most – John Ross, Sue Ellen and Bobby – persuade him to end the war for Southfork.

These are moving, meaningful scenes. In the first, John Ross pleads with J.R. to give the ranch back to Bobby, prompting J.R. to ask his son, “What’s gotten into you, anyhow?” John Ross’s cutting response: “A little decency.” Later, Sue Ellen storms into the room, slaps J.R. and reminds him how his past schemes left him with “nothing.” When J.R. remains defiant (“Well, I’m back honey, and I’m gonna be bigger than ever.”), Sue Ellen’s exasperation dissolves into pity. “And you still have nothing,” she says.

Only after J.R. speaks with Bobby does he finally, fully see the light. In the scene, Bobby sits in his sickbed and gently admonishes his oldest brother, then tells him, “J.R., I love you. No matter what. You remember that.” J.R.’s face falls – and with it, so do the last vestiges of his bravado. “Well,” he says softly, “My memory’s not what it used to be either. You’re just going to have to keep telling me.”

In each of these scenes, director Michael M. Robin’s clever staging tells us as much as scriptwriter Bruce Rasmussen’s heartfelt dialogue. J.R.’s confrontation with Sue Ellen ends with him standing in front of a mirror that reflects the back of his head, a reminder that there is another side of J.R., even when he can’t see it himself. In the exchange with John Ross, J.R. sits on his bed while the younger man stands over him, symbolizing how the son has achieved moral superiority over the father. In the third scene, the positions are reversed: Bobby is in bed, while J.R. stands. This is when we know J.R., who has always been the big brother, is about to become a bigger man.

Indeed, the next time we see J.R., he is sitting alone in his bedroom, staring at the Southfork deed, a glass of bourbon to his right, his old oil-derrick model to the left. With heavy eyes, he glances at the framed picture of Miss Ellie, sips his drink, puts pen to paper and finally returns ownership of the ranch to Bobby.

The man has come around.

‘He’s J.R. Ewing’

Dallas, Family Business, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

Scarred inside, too

If there is justice in television, “Family Business” will be the episode that earns Larry Hagman an Emmy next year. The actor is full of wicked charm here, but more than anything, his performance has heart. J.R. has never felt so human.

And while we’re on the subject: Is it too much to ask for Patrick Duffy to receive some Emmy recognition too? I love the sad-eyed, world-weary demeanor he brings to his scenes with Hagman, but Duffy also deserves praise for making Bobby’s seizures look and feel frighteningly real.

Among the younger actors, I’m most impressed by Julie Gonzalo, who knocks me out with Rebecca’s hopeless desperation in “Family Business’s” final scene, when Rebecca turns the gun on Tommy (“Please, please you have to go!”), as well as Josh Henderson, who shows us what John Ross is made of during his character’s confrontation with J.R.

Henderson also shines when John Ross stands in the Southfork driveway and pours out his heart to Elena. “I spent my entire life missing him, wanting to be with him, wanting to be him,” John Ross says of his father. After a beat, he adds: “He’s J.R. Ewing” – letting us know the son’s mistake wasn’t that he failed to live up to his father’s legend, but that he tried in the first place. The “Dallas” makeup artists might be responsible for the cuts and bruises on John Ross’s face, but Henderson gets the credit for showing us the scars his character carries around on the inside.

Other great “Family Business” moments: Christopher reminds John Ross that Bobby was like a surrogate father to him growing up and later proposes going into business with John Ross and Elena – signaling the beginning of an intriguing story arc for the series. Meanwhile, after Harris tries to blackmail Sue Ellen – and mocks her sobriety by pouring her a glass of wine – she confides in Ann her plan to drop out of the gubernatorial race. “I would have made a good governor, don’t you think?” Sue Ellen asks through wet eyes. Has Linda Gray ever been more heartbreaking?

Speaking of Ann: Brenda Strong is wonderful in the scenes that depict her character as devoted wife and friend, but I get the biggest kick out of seeing Ann spar with her wily brother-in-law. I loved J.R. and Ann’s storage barn encounter in “The Price You Pay” and their heated exchange in “Truth and Consequences,” but the “Family Business” scene where she chases him out of Bobby’s room (“Don’t you darlin’ me!”) is the best of the lot. Strong is one of the few actors on the TNT show who can hold her own against the mighty Hagman in every way.

‘Hear the Trumpets, Hear the Pipers’

Dallas, Family Business, Julie Gonzalo, Rebecca Sutter Ewing, TNT

Have gun, will unravel

“Family Business” is a technical achievement as much as anything. Since TNT’s series began, I’ve sometimes struggled to get used to the background music, which is so different from what we heard on the old show. But the new style really works here. Rob Cairns scores several scenes in this episode with sentimental strings, which fit well with the intimate atmospherics.

Of course, “Family Business’s” standout sequence is that Johnny Cash montage. Notice how perfectly his haunting lyrics match what we see on screen. Rebecca pulls the gun out of the safe deposit box as Cash sings, “The hair on your arms will stand up.” Tommy’s face fills the frame when we hear, “Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still.” Bobby’s monitor flatlines as Cash’s voice booms, “Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers.” And then the punctuation: the ping of the shell casing hitting the counter as blood splatters the stuffed animals Rebecca brought home at the top of the hour.

After I saw this sequence for the first time, I went back and watched it again and again, reveling in how good it is. It reminded me of how I kept “A House Divided,” the episode where J.R. gets shot, on a seemingly endless loop when I was a kid.

But the comparison goes beyond the fact both episodes end with gunshots. The original “Dallas” was never the same after “A House Divided,” and “Family Business” feels destined to become a landmark episode too. I have a hunch we’ll one day look back and remember this as the moment the TNT series became the show we always knew it could be.

Grade: A+

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Family Business, TNT

Blood monkeys

‘FAMILY BUSINESS’

Season 1, Episode 9

Telecast: August 1, 2012

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Michael M. Robin

Audience: 4.8 million viewers (including 3.2 million viewers on August 1, ranking 17th in the weekly cable ratings)

Synopsis: After Elena discovers a way to extract Southfork oil from a neighboring property, John Ross, Christopher and Elena form a company, Ewing Energies. When Harris tries to blackmail Sue Ellen, she decides to quit the gubernatorial race rather than submit to his scheme. Bobby is diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm, prompting J.R. to return ownership of Southfork to him. After Bobby learns he may have to incriminate J.R. in the fraud, he suffers a seizure. Tommy is revealed to be working with Frank Ashkani, Cliff’s henchman, who tells Tommy his services are no longer required. Tommy attacks a gun-wielding Rebecca; the weapon fires during their struggle.

Cast: Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Mari Deese (bank manager), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Callard Harris (Tommy Sutter), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), John McIntosh (Dr. Bennett), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Glenn Morshower (Lou), Kevin Page (Bum), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Tina Parker (nurse), Faran Tahir (Frank)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 3 – ‘The Price You Pay’

June 21, 2012 by 7 Comments
Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Price You Pay, TNT

Demon barber

“The Price You Pay” opens with TNT’s best “Dallas” scene yet: J.R. and John Ross’s encounter in the wood-paneled gentleman’s club, where father holds a straight razor to son’s neck and confronts him about his double-dealing in the plot to seize Southfork.

John Ross admits he was planning to betray J.R., and then J.R. offers a confession of his own. “I don’t blame you for trying to screw me,” he says. “I was never much of a father during your formative years. And I’d like to make up for that.” J.R. offers to teach John Ross about the oil business and extends a weathered hand toward the younger man, who hesitates before taking it. Father then pulls smiling son into a warm embrace.

This tense-then-tender moment, masterfully directed by Michael M. Robin, reveals the complexities that make “Dallas” great. Consider what’s happening here: J.R. and John Ross are essentially agreeing to work together to undermine Bobby, “Dallas’s” hero – yet Robin manages to turn it into a touching moment of father-son bonding. This is as good as any of the best scenes from the original “Dallas.”

The “shaving scene” establishes the theme of “The Price You Pay,” which shows how several Ewings are coming to grips with their pasts. Scriptwriter Bruce Rasmussen does a nice job reminding us of the internal forces that motivate J.R. and Bobby, while also fleshing out some of the younger characters.

The thematic approach helps conceal “The Price You Pay’s” flaws, which begin with Linda Gray’s absence. I don’t like the fact that Sue Ellen is missing from this episode, but I’m not altogether surprised, either. The show seems to be struggling to find a meaningful place for Sue Ellen in the narrative. This needs to change.

“The Price You Pay’s” other weak spot: The scene where John Ross threatens to expose Miss Ellie’s stay in a mental institution after Jock’s death. This never happened on the original “Dallas.” Yes, Ellie struggled to accept the loss of her husband, but she never sought professional help, which became an important part of her storyline. I suppose the producers of this new “Dallas” could argue Ellie was somehow institutionalized off-screen, but this really doesn’t fit with the beloved character’s history.

I’m not going to dwell on this point because the rest of “The Price You Pay” is quite good. The confronting-your-past theme works well, particularly in the scene where Ann finds J.R. in the storage barn, flipping through an old family photo album. I realize J.R. is only there to root for evidence in his scheme to seize Southfork, but I also believe old age has made him genuinely introspective.

Consider “The Price You Pay” scene where J.R. tells John Ross, “I spent most of your childhood chasing after women I didn’t love and making deals that didn’t really matter. I will get Southfork back, because you shouldn’t have to pay for my sins.” It’s a revealing line, demonstrating how after all these years, J.R. is still driven by his desire to protect his son’s legacy.

The moment J.R. comes face to face with old enemy Cliff Barnes is also poignant. Larry Hagman and Ken Kercheval still have great chemistry together, even if their sniping feels less like the epic confrontations of yore and more like something from “Grumpy Old Men.” Only on “Dallas” could J.R.’s threat to dance on Cliff’s grave come off as sweetly sentimental.

“The Price You Pay’s” most heartfelt moment of all comes at the end of the episode, when Ann climbs into bed with Bobby and shares her suspicion J.R. staged the fight with John Ross over Ellie’s journal. “Honey,” Bobby says wearily, “the fact that J.R. did it, and that he thinks he can make me believe he didn’t do it, that’s just who he is. And who he will always be.”

It’s another good line, reminding us how Bobby, ultimately, is a tragic character. Even though his hair is now silver and he brings reading glasses to bed, he’s still his brother’s keeper. It’s the role Bobby is doomed to play.

Interestingly, “The Price You Pay’s” thematic approach isn’t limited to the older characters: Christopher is reminded of the old Barnes-Ewing feud when Cliff offers to invest in his alternative energy project.

Even though I’m having a hard time squaring the notion Cliff, a notorious cheapskate on the old show, is now a high-stakes gambler, I like what Kercheval does with his redefined role in this scene. It’s a nicely subdued performance, and as a “Dallas” diehard, I appreciate how Cliff references his sister when he warns Christopher about the Ewings (“Don’t let them destroy you like they did Pam.”).

Christopher’s own ghosts surface when he finds out about Bobby’s cancer and, in a moment of weakness, kisses Elena. Ever his father’s son, Christopher goes home to Rebecca, confesses his indiscretion and vows to put his past behind him. “That’s over now,” he tells her.

Don’t believe it, Rebecca. This is “Dallas,” where history tends to repeat – and sometimes rewrite – itself.

Grade: B

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Price You Pay, TNT

Still brother’s keeper

‘THE PRICE YOU PAY’

Season 1, Episode 3

Telecast: June 20, 2012

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Michael M. Robin

Audience: 6.7 million viewers (including 4.8 million viewers on June 20, ranking 8th in the weekly cable ratings)

Synopsis: After J.R. confronts John Ross about his betrayal, they join forces and manipulate Bobby into finalizing Southfork’s sale. Christopher rejects his uncle Cliff Barnes’ offer to invest in his patent. Bobby tells Christopher about his cancer, briefly sending Christopher into Elena’s arms. Rebecca resists Tommy’s pressure to spy on Christopher. John Ross learns Rebecca sent the e-mail that broke up Christopher and Elena.

Cast: Carlos Bernard (Vicente Cano), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Brett Brock (Clyde Marshall), Sonny Carl Davis (Hirsch), Richard Dillard (Mitch Lobell), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), John McIntosh (Dr. Bennett), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Faran Tahir (Frank), Leonor Varela (Marta del Sol)

“The Price You Pay” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.


Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: , , , , , , ,