Howard Keel – Dallas Decoder

Dallas Decoder’s Summer Vacations Guide

June 1, 2016 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Slippery when wet

Planning to hit the road this summer? To have the happiest of holidays, let the Ewings be your guide.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Julie Grey, Larry Hagman, Tina Louise

Lurid rendezvous

Mix business with pleasure. Experts say you should unplug from work when you’re on vacation, but don’t tell that to J.R. Ewing. Did this man ever take a break? Not only did J.R. pursue multi-million-dollar oil deals during his various honeymoons with Sue Ellen and Cally, he also routinely brought secretaries like Julie and Kristin with him on his out-of-town “business trips.” Hey, don’t knock it. Who else was going to take J.R.’s dictation when he was on the road?

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Tyler Banks

Squatters

Save money on lodging. Tempted to splurge on fancy hotels when you travel? Don’t be; the Ewings rarely did. Sue Ellen and her bratty kid shacked up with the Farlows during their sojourn in San Angelo. Likewise, when Kristin went to California, she crashed at Gary and Val’s Knots Landing pad. Sure, she was a houseguest from hell — is it that hard to put the cap back on the toothpaste tube, Kristin? — but at least she enlivened that dead-end cul-de-sac by breaking up a few marriages.

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

Hills alive

Remember: It’s a small world. Don’t be surprised if a familiar face or two shows up unexpectedly on your vacation. This happens to the Ewings all the time. Bobby and Pam ran into Gary at a convention in Las Vegas, Val encountered Gary and Abby during her book tour in Dallas, Ellie was surprised to spot Clayton during her visit to Galveston, and April popped in on Bobby during J.R. and Cally’s Austrian honeymoon. Hey, now that you mention it, what was Bobby doing there anyway?

Dack Rambo, Dallas, Jack Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Costume drama

When in Rome. … No matter where your travels take you, follow J.R.’s lead by blending in with the locals. For example, he got into the spirit of banana-republicanism by bribing officials in Cuba and Colombia. J.R. also played cowboy when he confronted B.D. Calhoun in Los Angeles, and he went all James Bond over Angelica Nero’s ass at the masquerade ball in Martinique. One wonders, though: When Angelica fired her gun, was she trying to shoot J.R. or the bird atop his head?

Dallas, Linda Gray, Pam Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing, Victoria Principal

In plane sight

Get off the beaten path. Sure, you can vacation in an exotic locale, but if you want real relaxation, visit a medical facility. J.R. had a grand time when he checked himself into a mental ward, while Pam once hopped around the Caribbean, touring medical clinics. Pam also dragged Sue Ellen with her to a Hong Kong hospital, which Sue Ellen really liked — although probably not as much as the time she spent guzzling booze from a Scope bottle during her own sanitarium stay.

Long goodbye

Be flexible. No matter how much you plan, things aren’t always going to go your way while traveling. The trick is learning to roll with the punches. Did Jock and J.R. mope around after those hillbillies ambushed them in Louisiana? Hell no! They used the occasion for some father/son bonding. Likewise, did Bobby rush home after April was killed during their Parisian honeymoon? Of course not. He hung around an extra week. (Maybe he had more sightseeing to do?)

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

Revolutionary road

Don’t forget the souvenirs! No trip is complete without something to remember it by. Sue Ellen returned from the Orient with a bunch of toys for John Ross. Donna was sporting a fur coat when she and Ray returned from their honeymoon in New York City. John Ross came home from his honeymoon in Tulun with an ugly statue. Of course, when it comes to vacation mementos, no one tops Bobby, who returned from his New Orleans trip with the most notable souvenir in “Dallas” history — a wife!

Bobby Ewing, Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow, Patrick Duffy

Slim shady

Never travel with Clayton Farlow. If you heed no other advice here, please don’t ignore this one. Clayton may look and act like a kindly grandpa, but take it from us: This dude is shady. How many times did he whisk Miss Ellie away on some mysterious extended vacation? After one trip, she came home with a completely different face! The worst offense came in the next-to-last season, when Clayton took Mama away yet again … and never brought her back. Sure hope she packed well.

Where are your favorite Ewing road trips? Share your memories in the comments section below and read more Dallas Decoder Guides.

Filed Under: Dallas Decoder Guide to ..., Features Tagged With: Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Sheree J. Wilson, Tina Louise, Victoria Principal

George Kennedy: ‘Dallas’ Villain, Real Life Hero

March 6, 2016 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Carter McKay, Dallas, George Kennedy, Jeri Gaile, Rose McKay

Rose and the briar

George Kennedy was nothing if not versatile. The actor, who died last week at 91, brought to life such diverse characters as Joe Patroni, the everyman hero of the “Airport” disaster flicks, and Ed Hocken, the dimwitted police captain in the “Naked Gun” movies. Kennedy’s most famous role is the one that won him a best supporting actor Oscar: Dragline, the leader of the chain gang in “Cool Hand Luke.” With the exception of Robert Redford, Paul Newman never had a better sidekick than George Kennedy.

“Dallas” fans also remember Kennedy as Carter McKay, the burly, blustery oil baron who did battle with the Ewings during the original show’s final seasons. The series was already running on fumes when Kennedy arrived, but there were flashes of inspiration, and he played a central role in many of them. The Ewing Oil/Westar tanker collision gets my vote for the second-best business storyline in “Dallas” history (after J.R. and Bobby’s contest for control of Ewing Oil, of course), while the Southfork range war brought the show back to its western roots, at least for a little while. Both stories cemented McKay’s status as a worthy antagonist to the Ewings.

But even when the material wasn’t great, it was still a hoot to watch Kennedy act opposite Larry Hagman. J.R. routinely got a rise out of McKay, causing him to erupt in ruddy-faced anger; it was almost as much fun as watching J.R. toy with Cliff Barnes. Kennedy also had a nice rapport with Patrick Duffy, whose character’s heroics seemed to irk McKay as much as J.R.’s mischief. In fact, the McKay line that “Dallas” diehards probably remember best — “Don’t give me that crap!” — was directed at Bobby, not J.R. You also have to admire the deference Kennedy showed Barbara Bel Geddes in the memorable range-war scene in which Miss Ellie zooms past McKay’s hired guns in her Volkswagen convertible (one of the few times Mama is shown driving), throws the car in park, marches up to his front porch and gives him a piece of her mind.

Indeed, Kennedy ensured McKay was more than a one-note villain. The actor could be downright cuddly in his scenes with Jeri Gaile, whose endearing performance as McKay’s young wife Rose was another bright light during “Dallas’s” final years. Kennedy also did a nice job conveying McKay’s struggles to re-connect with his estranged children, including the drug-addicted Tommy. These scenes seem even more poignant when you realize Kennedy’s family dealt with the scourge of addiction in real life: He and his wife adopted one of their grandchildren after the girl’s mother became addicted to drugs. One of the most touching tributes to Kennedy last week came from Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly, who hailed him as “a hero” and aired a 2002 clip in which Kennedy opened up about his family’s troubles.

It’s also been heartening to see so many “Dallas” fans pay tribute to Kennedy on social media and sites like this one. Some of this might have to do with the fact that the death of a “Dallas” star is a relatively rare thing: Among the actors who appeared in the original show’s opening credits, Kennedy is the only seventh who has died. (The others: Jim Davis, Donna Reed, Dack Rambo, Howard Keel, Bel Geddes and Hagman.) But I also hope Kennedy’s death will prompt fans to revisit — and reassess — the show’s later seasons. Even when the storytelling isn’t great, Kennedy is quite good. We’re fortunate he was part of the show we all love.

What are your favorite memories of George Kennedy on “Dallas”? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Dack Rambo, Donna Reed, George Kennedy, Howard Keel, Jeri Gaile, Jim Davis, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Bobby’s Dead’

September 30, 2015 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

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

Feel his pain

In “The Family Ewing,” “Dallas’s” ninth-season opener, J.R. (Larry Hagman) is drinking in the Southfork living room when Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) enters the foyer and runs into Clayton (Howard Keel).

SUE ELLEN: Hello, Clayton. It’s a lovely evening, isn’t it?

CLAYTON: What?

SUE ELLEN: Oh, I had the best day.

J.R.: Oh, you had the best day, did you?

SUE ELLEN: [Sighs, enters the living room] Yes. Is there something wrong with that?

CLAYTON: Sue Ellen, don’t.

SUE ELLEN: Don’t what? What’s the matter? [Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) comes downstairs and stands in the foyer.] Something is wrong. What is it?

J.R.: My brother’s dead. Bobby’s dead.

SUE ELLEN: [Turns to Clayton, who nods] Oh, my God. No.

J.R.: Where were you, Sue Ellen, when we were all at the hospital?

CLAYTON: J.R., don’t.

J.R.: When Bobby was saying goodbye to us, when we needed you the most, where the hell were you?

SUE ELLEN: [Crying] I didn’t know.

J.R.: Of course you didn’t know. [Circles her] How could you have known? You were too busy rolling around in bed with that saddle tramp. Or maybe it was just getting stinking drunk at some motel.

CLAYTON: J.R., stop it.

J.R.: You’re never around when anybody needs you. John Ross almost died. Bobby did die. All you ever think about is yourself.

SUE ELLEN: That’s not true.

J.R.: Get out of here, Sue Ellen. Go back to your cowboy. Go back to your bottle. Go anywhere you want. Just get out of my sight!

Sue Ellen, sobbing, turns and runs upstairs.

ELLIE: J.R., what happened to Bobby wasn’t her fault.

J.R.: She was never a Ewing. She never was and she sure as hell never will be.

Watch this scene in “The Family Ewing,” available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes, and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Family Ewing, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray

The Dal-List: 19 Reasons to Love ‘Dallas’s’ Ninth Season

September 27, 2015 by Chris Baker 16 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Howard Keel, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow

Dream on

Dallas Decoder will soon begin critiquing the original show’s ninth season, which aired from 1985 to 1986. Here are 19 reasons to love it.

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow

True blue

19. Mama returns. We never needed her more.

Mourning in America

18. J.R. says goodbye. Does anyone do the single tear thing better than Larry Hagman?

Blitzed

17. Sue Ellen relapses. Linda Gray’s tour de force.

Blonde

16. Sue Ellen recovers. The most satisfying storyline in “Dallas” history?

Dallas, Linda Gray, Lou Diamond Phillps, Sue Ellen Ewing

Welcome to the jungle

15. La Bamba shows up. Arriba y arriba!

Genesis of the matter

14. And so does Dr. Carol Marcus. Can she analyze or can’t she?

Coconuts

13. The Professor’s here too. But where was he when Julie Grey needed him?

The widow Ewing

12. Pam’s speech. Chills!

Wake up, darlin’

11. Sue Ellen’s nightmare. A dream-within-a-dream. Meta!

Dallas, Jenna Wade, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley

Post-Bobby Stress Syndrome

10. Jenna’s flashback. Hyper-meta!

Ewing genes

9. Dack’s rambo. Talk about an Alaskan pipeline.

Super bowl

8. Mandy’s flush. Oh, honey. That’s not how you clean jewelry.

Bag it, J.R.

7. “Phyllis, I’d like a cup of tea — a cup of herbal tea.” But hold the eggs and toast, please.

Cliff Barnes, John Beck, Ken Kercheval, Marc Singer, Mark Graison, Matt Cantrell, Dallas, Pam Ewing, Victoria Principal

Dorothy and friends

6. South America. Pam, Cliff, Mark and Matt search for emeralds. It’s “Dallas’s” version of “The Wizard Oz.”

Direct hit

5. “Just Desserts.” Victory!

“L” word

4. This hat. Even Katherine wouldn’t dare.

Cock of the walk

3. This mask. Who feathered J.R.?

Next: The world!

2. Total control of Ewing Oil. Who has the heart to tell him it’s just a dream?

Rub-a-dub-dub

1. Bobby’s back! His chest and arms too!

Why do you love “Dallas’s” ninth season? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Bibi Besch, Dack Rambo, Deborah Shelton, Howard Keel, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Lou Diamond Phillips, Marc Singer, Patrick Duffy, Russell Johnson, Victoria Principal

The Best & Worst of Dallas: Season 8

September 25, 2015 by Chris Baker 25 Comments

“Dallas’s” eighth season had its share of ups and downs. Here are the highs and lows.

Performances

Principal player

Victoria Principal does her best work during “Dallas’s” eighth season, a.k.a. The Year Pam Gets Her Groove Back. The actress displays her old fire during Pam’s clashes with J.R., but nothing beats her performance during Bobby’s season-ending death. Principal took heat for campaigning for an Emmy after that episode, which seems unfair in retrospect. I bet most folks can’t remember a thing about the actresses who were nominated, but no one will ever forget Pam crawling to Bobby in the driveway.

Episodes

You don’t need me to explain again why “Swan Song” is the best “Dallas” episode ever made, do you? There are several choices for worst episode, unfortunately, but I’ll go with “Trial and Error,” the nadir of the dreary Jenna-on-trial saga.

Scenes

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Swan Song

Bye bye, Bobby

Bobby’s deathbed farewell in “Swan Song” is the best, of course, followed closely by the moment he pushes Pam out of the path of Katherine’s speeding car and his sweet, touching proposal to Pam earlier in the episode. Other runners-up: Sue Ellen visiting John Ross in the hospital, Pam confronting J.R. over his scheme to send her around the world searching for Mark, and Afton’s big goodbye. One scene I could do without: J.R. making fun of Jamie’s appearance. Now that’s just mean.

Storylines

I appreciate what “Dallas” tries to achieve with the legal battle over Ewing Oil, which offers an inverse of J.R. and Bobby’s sixth-season contest for control of the company. Instead of the family fighting each other, the Ewings band together to defeat Cliff Barnes. Too bad this requires rewriting “Dallas” history by inventing a dead brother for Jock and a long-lost cousin for J.R. and Bobby. I ended up preferring Clayton’s difficulty adjusting to life at Southfork, a relatively minor subplot that’s poignant nonetheless, thanks to the reliable Howard Keel. I also like Lucy’s waitressing storyline, which allows Charlene Tilton’s character to finally grow up.

My choice for worst storyline? That’s easy: Jenna’s season-long odyssey from bride-to-be to kidnapping victim to murder trial defendant to jailbird to biggest loser in the Bobby Ewing love sweepstakes. Talk about a bad dream.

Supporting Players

Dallas, Donna Reed, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow

Other mother

This category is usually reserved for actors who don’t appear in the opening credits, but I’m going to make an exception and honor Donna Reed. She’s sometimes stiff as Miss Ellie, but she also possesses grace and warmth, and she has a nice rapport with Keel. Above all, I give Reed credit for having the courage to replace Barbara Bel Geddes — an impossible task — and for being smart enough to not imitate her predecessor. Runner-up: Stephen Elliott as southern fried lawyer Scotty Demarest.

Behind the Scenes

Patrick Duffy isn’t just one of “Dallas’s” best actors — he’s also one of the show’s best directors. Duffy helmed three episodes this season, bringing an inventive touch to each production. My favorite: “The Brothers Ewing,” a dark, ominous hour that finds J.R., Bobby and Ray scheming to hide Ewing Oil assets from Cliff. When I interviewed Duffy earlier this year, he downplayed his storytelling skills, citing as an example “War of the Ewings,” the 1998 reunion movie he produced with Larry Hagman. Duffy is too modest. He’s a creative force in his own right, as his behind-the-scenes work this season demonstrates.

Costumes

Dallas, Jenna Wade, Linda Gray, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Sue Ellen Ewing

Pillow talk

Season 8 brings us “Dallas’s” most famous costume designer: Travilla, who immediately cranks up the glam factor. His looks are often classy, such as the timeless white gown Priscilla Beaulieu Presley sports in “Deliverance” and “Swan Song.” Other Travilla creations are woefully wrong. Example: Linda Gray’s feathery “Deliverance” / “Swan Song” number. Yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also damn distracting. Instead of focusing on Sue Ellen’s meltdown, I keep wondering: How many pillows died to create this dress?

Quips

As much as I love Lucy’s memorable description of rival waitress Betty (“All she can do is sling hash and make love!”) and Sue Ellen’s famous defense of her drinking habits (“Joan or Arc would have been a drunk if she had been married to you”), this category will always belong to J.R. This season, he expressed his concern for an ex-sister-in-law (“I don’t give a damn about Pam”) and offered a helping hand to soaked strumpet Marilee (“You all right honey? Did it go up your nose?”), although my favorite line comes when Pam confronts J.R. over his wild-goose-chase scheme and he plays dumb: “I never liked you a hell of a lot, you know that, Pam? But I never thought you were stupid until now.”

The audience knows it’s an outright lie, but Hagman delivers it with such conviction, we almost believe him. That’s his genius, isn’t it?

What do you love and loathe about “Dallas’s” eighth season? Share your comments below and read more “Best & Worst” reviews.

Filed Under: Best & Worst, Best & Worst (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Brothers Ewing, Charlene Tilton, Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Stephen Elliott, Swan Song, Travilla, Trial and Error, Victoria Principal, War of the Ewings

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Be a Family’

September 18, 2015 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Gone, Bobby, gone

In “Swan Song,” “Dallas’s” eighth-season finale, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) lies in a hospital bed, surrounded by Pam (Victoria Principal), Jenna (Priscilla Beaulieu Presley), J.R. (Larry Hagman), Miss Ellie (Donna Reed), Clayton (Howard Keel), Donna (Susan Howard) and Ray (Steve Kanaly).

RAY: Bob.

BOBBY: Hey, Ray. [Sees Ellie] Oh, Mama. I’m sorry.

ELLIE: No. No, Bobby.

BOBBY: All that wasted time. We should’ve been married. Take care of Christopher. [Pam nods.] Charlie. [Jenna nods, sobs.] Tell them I love them. [The monitor shows his heart rate slowing.] Be good to each other. Be a family. I love you so much.

He winces in pain. The monitor flat lines, startling Pam.

ELLIE: No, no.

J.R.: Don’t do this to me, Bobby. Don’t leave me.

DONNA: Bobby, no.

Pam throws back her head and sobs, J.R. cries. Ray and Donna hug, sobbing. Ellie turns away into Clayton’s arms.

Watch this scene in “Swan Song,” available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes, and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Steve Kanaly, Susan Howard, Swan Song, Victoria Principal

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 188 — ‘The Ewing Connection’

August 24, 2015 by Chris Baker 17 Comments

Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Donna Reed, Ewing Connection, Howard Keel, John Ross Ewing, Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow, Omri Katz, Ray Krebbs, Steve Kanaly

Emergency, plus four

No matter how many times I see the “Dallas” characters come together during a medical crisis, it never seems to lose its dramatic punch. In “The Ewing Connection,” John Ross’s appendicitis produces one chills-inducing scene after another: Miss Ellie rushing upstairs after hearing the little boy screaming in pain, Ray bursting through the emergency room doors carrying the child’s limp body, J.R. dropping everything at the office when he receives the call informing him his son is sick. These moments underscore the ties that bind this family, reminding us that despite all their bickering, the Ewings genuinely care about each other.

John Ross’s illness also provides “Dallas” with an opportunity send Sue Ellen on what will become one of her final benders. Linda Gray’s character demonstrates surprising strength throughout the eighth season, continually resisting the urge to drink as her marriage unravels for the umpteenth time. “The Ewing Connection” even takes a few moments to celebrate Sue Ellen’s success in the scene where she attends group therapy and tearfully describes how she stayed on the wagon despite another nasty spat with J.R. Gray’s performance during the therapy scene is beautiful and moving, allowing us to feel proud of Sue Ellen not only for staying sober, but also for having the courage to share the experience with a roomful of strangers. This is what makes the episode’s ending so heartbreaking. After J.R. lashes out at her because she wasn’t with John Ross when he got sick, Sue Ellen picks up a glass of bourbon, tentatively brings it to her lips and finally gulps it down.

Sue Ellen’s downfall raises a few questions that aren’t easily answered. First, is J.R. right when he says she should have stayed home with John Ross? The script has the child’s illness play out gradually. He begins complaining about having a stomachache at breakfast, so Sue Ellen says he should stay home from school. Later, John Ross tells her he’s feeling better, so she decides to not take him to the doctor, saying he can spend the rest of the day in bed. She also points out that Miss Ellie will be around if he needs anything. Sue Ellen then goes to her group and returns home that evening toting a couple of shopping bags, explaining that she decided to buy herself a few things after her therapy session. This is when J.R. tells her John Ross’s appendix almost ruptured, calls her an unfit mother and storms off, leaving her alone to drink. Is J.R. unnecessarily cruel? Yes, but does he have a point about her parental judgment? Or is it unfair to blame Sue Ellen for something she couldn’t control?

This brings us to another point that’s open to interpretation. When Sue Ellen arrives home, J.R. is fixing a drink in the living room. He breaks the news about John Ross as only he can (“While you were out seeking help for your psyche and boosting the economy of the more fashionable boutiques of Dallas, your son was being rushed into surgery”) and she tries to defend herself, saying John Ross seemed fine when she left. The spouses move from the living room to the foyer, and as he calls her “a totally unfit mother,” he sets down the drink and marches upstairs. The question is: Why doesn’t J.R. take his drink with him? Does he leave it behind because he’s too angry to think straight? Or does he set down the glass, hoping Sue Ellen will drink it? Did he pour it for her in the first place? Is J.R. hoping she’ll relapse so he can divorce her, gain custody of John Ross and be free to pursue Mandy Winger?

Besides Sue Ellen’s relapse, “The Ewing Connection” includes two other moments of consequence: Donna learns she’s pregnant (Susan Howard does a nice job conveying her character’s mixed emotions in this scene), and J.R. and Bobby sign over 10 percent of Ewing Oil to their newly discovered cousin Jack in exchange for his promise to prove Cliff and Jamie have no ownership claim on the company. This is another example of one of my least favorite “Dallas” tropes from the later years, when the characters exchange stakes in this multi-billion-dollar company the way kids once traded baseball cards in schoolyards. Mercifully, Bobby persuades J.R. that the two of them should each give up 5 percent instead of asking the other shareholders (Miss Ellie, Gary and Ray) to sacrifice a portion of their shares. It doesn’t make much sense, but at least the math is easy to follow.

Finally, “The Ewing Connection” gives us two reunions, beginning with Lucy and Mitch’s appropriately awkward dinner in Atlanta. The characters make meaningless small talk, although one line of dialogue feels weightier now than it did when this episode debuted three decades ago. Lucy asks Mitch about his mother and sister; Mitch responds both are doing fine, which doesn’t tell the whole story, at least where Afton is concerned. Given what we now know about Audrey Landers’ character’s timeline, she was probably getting ready to give birth to her secret daughter Pamela Rebecca Cooper around this time. Maybe Mitch decides not to tell Lucy because he’s afraid she’ll go home and blab the news to everyone, which actually seems pretty likely when you stop and think about it.

The more meaningful reunion comes when Bobby and Pam spend an evening reminiscing about their marriage, sealing the conversation with a brief kiss. The producers wisely keep Priscilla Beaulieu Presley out of this episode, giving Bobby and Pam the room they need to begin finding their way back to each other. The kiss also foreshadows the characters’ reconciliation in the eighth-season finale, “Swan Song.” In fact, there’s a lot about “The Ewing Connection” that reminds me of that episode. The scene where J.R. rushes out of the room after receiving the call about John Ross is similar to the “Swan Song” moment in which J.R. gets the call that Bobby’s been hurt, and Howard Keel seems to sport the same shirt and jacket in both episodes. Likewise, when Sue Ellen comes home with her shopping bags, it’s not unlike the ninth-season scene in which she strolls into the living room, blissfully unaware that Bobby has died.

I know, I know. I’m getting ahead of myself again. What can I say? If “The Ewing Connection” is a trial run for “Swan Song,” then I’m more ready than ever to see the real thing.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Ewing Connection, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Last hurrah

‘THE EWING CONNECTION’

Season 8, Episode 27

Airdate: April 19, 1985

Audience: 17.9 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: J.R. and Bobby reluctantly agree to give Jack 10 percent of Ewing Oil in exchange for information to squash Cliff’s lawsuit. Sue Ellen falls off the wagon after John Ross is rushed to the hospital with appendicitis. Bobby and Pam kiss. Donna learns she’s pregnant. Lucy meets Mitch in Atlanta. The police track down Andre Schumann, the assassin who likely murdered Naldo.

Cast: Roseanna Christensen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Paul Gleason (Lieutenant Lee Spaulding), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Nicholas Pryor (Nathan Billings), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Barry Sattels (Greg Rupp), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), John Zaremba (Dr. Harlan Danvers)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Audrey Landers, Ewing Connection, Howard Keel, Linda Gray, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Susan Howard, Swan Song

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 187 — ‘Terms of Estrangement’

August 19, 2015 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

Dack Rambo, Dallas, Jack Ewing, Jenilee Harrison, Terms of Estrangement

Hello, stranger

Jack Ewing is a bad boy who makes a good impression. “Terms of Estrangement” introduces the character, a long-lost cousin who comes to town offering to sell J.R. information that could undermine Cliff’s efforts to snag a piece of Ewing Oil. Is Jack telling the truth? Who knows, and who cares? The newcomer, played with roguish charm by Dack Rambo, injects an element of unpredictability into “Dallas’s” ho-hum eighth season. By the time this episode debuted in 1985, the show had added several new faces to its cast, each with mixed results. Finally, here’s one that works from the get-go.

Make no mistake: Rambo’s debut deserves to rank alongside Susan Howard’s and Howard Keel’s as one of “Dallas’s” best. Many fans never warmed to Rambo three decades ago, mostly because he was hired to replace the soon-to-depart Patrick Duffy as the show’s romantic male lead. It’s easier to judge Rambo on his own merits today. The actor has a natural charisma that makes Jack instantly appealing, even when we don’t know much about him. In “Terms of Estrangement,” he arrives as a stranger who summons J.R. to the Oil Baron’s Club and offers to help him squash Cliff’s lawsuit — in exchange for 10 percent of the company. Rambo holds his own against Larry Hagman throughout the scene, making it a fun exchange between two scoundrels. It reminds me of the first time J.R. tussled with Clayton Farlow during the fifth season. I didn’t mind seeing Clayton one-up J.R. then, and I don’t mind seeing Jack do it now. That’s as good measure of a new character’s potential as I can think of.

Rambo also is effective in this episode’s final scene, when his character unexpectedly shows up on Jamie’s doorstep. She’s packing her belongings to move and seems less than pleased to see him, and for the first few moments, it seems as if Rambo’s character is an ex-lover who’s come to upset Jamie’s relationship with Cliff. We soon discover the mystery man is Jack, Jamie’s estranged brother, a good twist that shifts the dynamics of the scene. Once we know the characters are siblings, his attempts to needle her come off as playful, not threatening. The scene ends with Jack letting her know he plans to stick around (“I kind of like it here in Dallas”), raising hopes his presence will help the series continue to recover from the Jenna Wade murder trial that dragged down the preceding episodes.

Indeed, “Terms of Estrangement” offers other signs “Dallas” is getting its act together. J.R. is crueler than ever: He ridicules Sue Ellen’s decision to join group therapy — which are held at the delightfully dippy “Institute for Advanced Awareness” — and shoves a glass of bourbon in her face, saying, “The only institute that works for you is this.” The show is always better when these characters are at war, although it’s also good to see Sue Ellen pour out the drink without taking a sip. (Her decision to dump it in a potted plant in the Southfork living room is another matter altogether.) Later, Sue Ellen and Donna — two characters who don’t interact much — commiserate about their troubled marriages over a post-midnight plate of cookies. Sue Ellen refers to their fates as “the curse of the Ewings,” prompting Donna’s poignant response (“It wasn’t supposed to happen to me”), which Susan Howard delivers with breathy perfection.

Meanwhile, Jenilee Harrison’s character continues to come into her own. In addition to her reunion with Jack, Jamie receives a surprisingly charming marriage proposal from Cliff and has a good scene with Sue Ellen. The latter begins when Jamie arrives at Southfork to mend fences with her friend, only to be told by Teresa that Sue Ellen doesn’t want to see her. Jamie refuses to take no for an answer and barges into Sue Ellen’s room, where she gives her a much-needed talking to. In a similar spirit, I love the small scene in which Sue Ellen calls John Ross out of the kitchen and tells him it’s time to go to school. With a lunchbox in one hand, Omri Katz marches around the breakfast table and receives a hug from Donna Reed, a high-five from Patrick Duffy and a pat on the bottom from Howard Keel. It’s an early glimpse of the swagger John Ross would one day exhibit on TNT’s sequel series.

“Terms of Estrangement” has its share of novelties too. Priscilla Beaulieu Presley appears only in one scene, but she now sports a stylish bob. Perhaps the hairdresser who famously gave Sue Ellen a makeover in the hospital has now worked his magic on Jenna in jail? This episode also features two actors from John Hughes movies: Lyman Ward, the dad from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” plays the airline executive who gives Bobby the tape that shows Veronica Robinson being murdered on the plane, while Paul Gleason, the principal from “The Breakfast Club,” plays the police detective who investigates the crime. (Andre Schumann, the hit man seen on the tape, is played by Rod Arrants of “Search for Tomorrow.”)

Speaking of that tape: Ward’s character tells Bobby that the airlines are beginning to install hidden cameras on planes to deter hijackings. It’s prescient — in real life, TWA Flight 847 was hijacked in Athens two months after this episode aired — and also a little silly. The tape offers a fixed, wide angle view of the plane’s interior cabin, making it look like the kind of surveillance video that one would have expected to see in the mid-1980s. However, once Schumann takes his seat next to Veronica and poisons her drink, the camera suddenly zooms in for a close-up of Schumann’s hands. It’s one of those only-on-television moments, although I wouldn’t be surprised if the cameras trained on the public today are zooming in and zooming out on us all the time.

Grade: B

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Close at hand

‘TERMS OF ESTRANGEMENT’

Season 8, Episode 26

Airdate: April 12, 1985

Audience: 18.7 million homes, ranking 6th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Peter Dunne

Director: Alexander Singer

Synopsis: Jamie accepts Cliff’s marriage proposal and receives a visit from her brother Jack, who approaches J.R. and offers to sell him information that could prove Cliff and Jamie have no legal claim on Ewing Oil. Bobby uncovers videotape that shows assassin Andre Schumann murdering Veronica on the plane, but Jenna refuses to believe she’ll get out of prison. Sue Ellen begins group therapy. Lucy receives a letter from Mitch.

Cast: Rod Arrants (Andre Schumann), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Pat Colbert (Dora Mae), Ben Cooper (Parris), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Paul Gleason (Lieutenant Lee Spaulding), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Stacy Keach Sr. (Waldron), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Anne C. Lucas (Cassie), Laura Malone (Janice Hopper), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Barry Sattels (Greg Rupp), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Gail Strickland (Veronica Robinson), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Lyman Ward (Norman)

“Terms of Estrangement” is available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Dack Rambo, Donna Reed, Howard Keel, Jenilee Harrison, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Lyman Ward, Omri Katz, Patrick Duffy, Paul Gleason, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Rod Arrants, Susan Howard, Terms of Estrangement

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 185 — ‘The Verdict’

August 12, 2015 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Jenna Wade, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Verdict

Stand by your woman, man

Bobby Ewing fights to save Jenna in “The Verdict,” but the real man of the hour is Patrick Duffy. After an unusually long stretch of disappointing episodes, Duffy takes his 12th turn in the “Dallas” director’s chair and helps get the series back on track. His understanding of what the audience wants to see — combined with his ability to draw solid performances from his fellow actors and his knack for visual storytelling — make “The Verdict” the show’s strongest entry since “The Brothers Ewing.” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Duffy helmed that episode too.

Interestingly, while “The Brothers Ewing” works because it allows several characters to play against type, “The Verdict” succeeds because it shows our favorites returning to form. This is true for Bobby, particularly in the scene where he goes to Los Angeles and delivers an impassioned speech to Ann McFadden, hoping to persuade her to come home with him to testify on Jenna’s behalf. Most importantly, though, “The Verdict” finds J.R. getting his groove back after spending most of the eighth season moping over his various business and romantic frustrations. During the course of this hour, J.R. springs a trap on hapless bureaucrat Nathan Billings, shares a passionate embrace with Mandy Winger and clashes with Sue Ellen, punctuating their argument with an especially menacing expression. Isn’t it nice to see Larry Hagman having fun again?

My favorite performance in “The Verdict,” though, belongs to Stephen Elliott as Jenna’s attorney Scotty Demarest, who is sly and drawl-y enough to out-Matlock Andy Griffith. How can you not love the scene where Scotty approaches Jenna on the witness stand, hands her the gun used to kill Naldo and asks her to unlock it? She has no idea where the safety lever is, making Scotty’s stunt “Dallas’s” version of O.J. Simpson trying on the bloody glove. David Paulsen’s script gives Elliott some hoot-worthy dialogue here, particularly when Scotty turns to the jury and says, “The prosecution wants you to believe that under the effects of chloroform, this little lady here can grab [a gun] away from a man bigger, stronger than she, find the safety, release it, shoot, before he could stop her?” The only thing missing is a Johnnie Cochrane-style refrain: If she can’t find the lever, you must free her!

I applaud Duffy, in his role as director, for giving Elliott so much latitude, but I admire Duffy’s sense of imagination even more. He’s always demonstrated a flair for interesting camera angles, going back to the shot of Bobby and Pam on the Southfork staircase in 1981’s “The New Mrs. Ewing,” the first “Dallas” episode he helmed. In one scene in “The Verdict,” Duffy puts the camera in the jury box, allowing us to see the action unfold in the courtroom the way the anonymous characters sitting in judgment of Jenna are seeing it. It’s a small but clever touch.

Duffy has also mastered the art of efficient storytelling. When the judge begins reading the jury their instructions, Miss Ellie rushes out of the courtroom, followed by Clayton, who comforts her in the corridor. This kills two birds with one stone: It gives Donna Reed and Howard Keel their only meaningful scene in the episode, but it also signals to the audience that the trial is winding down — without forcing us to sit through the judge’s speech. In an earlier scene, we hear Scotty urging Jenna to allow her daughter Charlie to testify, but instead of showing Elliott and Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Duffy fixes his camera on Ellie and Clayton as they take their seats in the courtroom, and then he pans to Scotty and Jenna. It’s another small touch, but it’s a way of keeping Reed and Keel’s characters in the action.

Besides being entertaining, these visual flourishes distract us from “The Verdict’s” bonkers view of the criminal justice system. During his testimony, Bobby pulls out a letter from Veronica Robinson, a star witness who was murdered before she could clear Jenna in Naldo’s death, and proceeds to read it to the jury. On what planet would this be admissible evidence? Shouldn’t the prosecution want to authenticate the handwriting? Does no one want to hear from someone who witnessed Veronica write the note? Why does Bobby get to read it aloud? And while we’re on that subject, don’t jurors usually have assigned seating in courtrooms? The extras in “The Verdict” never seem to sit in the same seat twice. (By the way: Heidi Hagman, Larry’s daughter, plays the forewoman.)

“The Verdict” also knows when to give the audience more information than the characters, including a brief scene in which Bobby and Pam share a tender moment in Christopher’s Southfork bedroom, unaware that Jenna is lurking in the doorway. Just as importantly, this episode knows when to keep viewers in the dark. We go through the hour suspecting that J.R. is setting up Billings, but we don’t receive confirmation until the next-to-last scene, when we discover the delightfully named Rhonda Cummings — future “War of the Ewings” star Michelle Johnson — is using a hidden camera to film her tryst with Billings, undoubtedly so J.R. can use it against him later.

The twist isn’t unexpected, but the reveal is fun nonetheless. It’s also nice to know “Dallas” still has the ability to pull itself out of the doldrums, although as we reach the end of the eighth season, I’m only sorry these recoveries are so frequently necessary to begin with.

Grade: A

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Dallas, Scotty Demarest, Stephen Elliott, Verdict

We, the jury

‘THE VERDICT’

Season 8, Episode 24

Airdate: March 15, 1985

Audience: 19.3 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Patrick Duffy

Synopsis: Bobby obtains valuable evidence from Ann, but Jenna’s trial ends with a guilty verdict. After the Texas Energy Commission shuts down a Ewing Oil field, J.R. sets up the chairman, Nathan Billings, with a prostitute. Donna refuses to return to Ray, while Jamie resists Cliff’s romantic overtures. J.R. tells Mandy that he may not be with Sue Ellen much longer.

Cast: Victor Campos (Mendoza), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Pat Colbert (Dora Mae), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Stephen Elliott (Scotty Demarest), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Rosemary Forsyth (Ann McFadden), Conroy Gedeon (Dr. Finch), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Heidi Hagman (Jury Forewoman), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Nanci Hammond (Secretary), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Michelle Johnson (Rhonda Cummings), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Virginia Kiser (Judge Roberta Fenerty), Allan Miller (Assistant District Attorney Frederick Hoskins), Bill Morey (Leo Wakefield), William Edward Phipps (Ewing Oil Foreman), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Nicholas Pryor (Nathan Billings), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Barbara Rhoades (Lila Cummings), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Wesley Thompson (Bailiff), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Brothers Ewing, David Paulsen, Donna Reed, Heidi Hagman, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman, Michelle Johnson, New Mrs. Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Stephen Elliott, Verdict, War of the Ewings

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 181 — ‘The Brothers Ewing’

July 29, 2015 by Chris Baker 22 Comments

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

The dark side

In “The Brothers Ewing,” J.R., Bobby and Ray join forces to protect the family business from the increasingly dangerous Cliff Barnes. You’d think by now we’d all be used to seeing the Ewings unite against their enemies, and yet it never seems to lose its punch, does it? Consider how the events of this episode allow the brothers to play against type. While Bobby is scheming with J.R. to illegally shield Ewing Oil assets from Cliff, Ray is defending J.R. to Clayton, Donna and whoever else will listen. How can you not love a “Dallas” episode that offers surprises like these?

Of course, even though the characters act unexpectedly in “The Brothers Ewing,” they’re not necessarily acting out of character. Take Bobby, for example. His devotion to his family is one of his primary motivations, and he’s usually able to take the high road to achieve his aims. But when virtue isn’t an option, Bobby is more than willing to break the rules. We saw this when he illegally adopted Christopher to save his marriage to Pam, and we saw it again when he fought J.R. during the contest for Ewing Oil. Likewise, Ray’s actions in this episode aren’t all that unusual. This character has always been plagued by feelings of inadequacy, and so when he’s presented with an opportunity to fight alongside his half-brothers, he takes it without hesitation. For Ray, this is like getting to sit with the cool kids at lunch.

Seeing the Ewing brothers working together also is entertaining because, well, it makes these Texas billionaires seem a little more relatable, doesn’t it? Growing up, my older brother never missed an opportunity to make fun of me — but if I got picked on by another kid in the neighborhood, Rick would be the first one to come to my defense. This is common in a lot of families, which is why it’s nice to be reminded that the Ewing boys always have each other’s backs, whether it’s J.R. threatening one of Bobby’s enemies in “Fallen Idol” or Ray sticking up for J.R. in “The Brothers Ewing.” For me — and, I suspect, a lot of “Dallas” fans — scenes like these feel comfortably familiar.

Speaking of Clayton: As much as I enjoy seeing the Ewing brothers go all-for-one-and-one-for-all in this episode, I’m glad David Paulsen’s script keeps their new stepfather on the outside looking in. Howard Keel makes an effective foil in the last scene, when Clayton refuses to aid their scheme to hide Ewing Oil assets because he feels it’s morally wrong. I also like him in the first scene, when the brothers return from their visit to Cliff and admit they blew their opportunity to squash his lawsuit. Clayton tears into the boys, saying, “If you’re all going to get involved in a fight as serious as this one, then you’d better start doing your homework!” J.R. gets defensive (“Well, wonderful. That’s all we need. A lecture from Clayton Farlow”), but ask yourself: Would Jock Ewing have treated his sons any differently at this moment?

Overall, I must admit these episodes about Cliff and Jamie Ewing’s lawsuit are better than I remembered. The storyline feels like a calculated attempt to recapture the glory of J.R. and Bobby’s sixth-season contest by offering an inverse: Instead of the Ewings fighting each other, they’re fighting outsiders. The family versus Cliff and Jamie isn’t as compelling as J.R. and Bobby versus each other, but I can’t blame the show for trying. I especially like how this narrative manages to involve almost all the characters, just like the contest did. In “The Brothers Ewing,” for example, Ray’s decision to team with J.R. and Bobby creates a rift in his marriage to Donna, which feels like a more organic storyline for Steve Kanaly and Susan Howard than the amateur detective subplot they were saddled with the previous season.

Indeed, one of the other highlights in “The Brothers Ewing” is the scene where Donna tells Miss Ellie how horrified she is to see her husband align himself with J.R. Ellie responds that if the Ewings lose the lawsuit, she’ll be glad that Ray and Bobby are with her oldest son because “we’ll have to rely on them to keep him straight.” It’s a poignant line, but it also shows how Donna Reed’s Ellie can be every bit as wise as Barbara Bel Geddes’ version. The scene has the added benefit of reminding us how Patrick Duffy always elicits strong performances from his co-stars when he takes a turn in the “Dallas” director’s chair. Duffy’s clever touch can also be felt in J.R. and Bobby’s scene on the shadowy patio, where the brothers hatch their plot against Cliff. Duffy stages the exchange by putting one of the Southfork columns between him and Larry Hagman — a symbol of the narrowing divide between the brothers.

Like all “Dallas” episodes from this era, “The Brothers Ewing” also contains its share of tributes to the past, including Sue Ellen’s run-in with Cliff, where the ex-lovers make awkward small talk. When she turns down his invitation to lunch, he declares he’s not trying to seduce her. “That thought never even entered my mind,” she says, which is funny, because it’s the first thought that entered mine. Other scenes are amusingly outdated, including one where J.R. calls the modeling agency, hoping to learn Mandy’s whereabouts by pretending to be her brother “Marvin Winger” (caller ID would give him away today), as well as Bobby and Jenna’s lunch with Scott Demarest, who shows them splashy headlines about her trial in the Laredo newspapers. This shocks the couple, although in a pre-Facebook era, how would they have known how the out-of-town press was covering her case?

I also get a kick out of seeing John Ross playing with his toy space shuttle — would today’s kids even know what that is? — although nothing charms me quite like the scene where Pam points to a globe and shows Christopher where Mommy will be traveling soon. When Victoria Principal says, “That’s Hong Kong,” Eric Farlow repeats the line back to her. It feels utterly spontaneous, prompting Principal to laugh uproariously and pull Farlow close. Like a similar scene between Pam and Christopher in the seventh-season cliffhanger “End Game,” this one demonstrates again that little Eric Farlow is more absorbed in his role than some of the grown-ups on this show. Can someone remind me again why they replaced this kid?

Grade: A

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Brothers Ewing, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Eric Farlow, Pam Ewing, Victoria Principal

Boy meets world

‘THE BROTHERS EWING’

Season 8, Episode 20

Airdate: February 15, 1985

Audience: 21.2 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Patrick Duffy

Synopsis: Clayton turns down his stepsons when they ask him to help them shield Ewing Oil assets from Cliff. Donna balks at Ray’s involvement with the fight for the company. Jamie has second thoughts about the lawsuit. Sue Ellen agrees to accompany Pam to Hong Kong to search for Mark. J.R. asks Mandy to give him another chance.

Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), John Carter (Carl Hardesty), Pat Colbért (Dora Mae), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Stephen Elliott (Scotty Demarest), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Eddie Firestone (Alf Brindle), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Fredric Lehne (Eddie Cronin), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Kathleen York (Betty)

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