Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 90 – ‘The Search’

November 21, 2012 by 31 Comments
Gone, but not forgotten

Gone, but not forgotten

With “The Search,” “Dallas” says goodbye to Jim Davis but not to Jock Ewing. This memorable episode sends J.R., Bobby and Ray into the jungle to find their missing father, but the only thing they recover is his medallion, which Bobby retrieves from the lake where the old man’s helicopter crashed. By the end of the hour, there’s no doubt Jock is dead, even if there’s no body to prove it.

I used to be bothered by the lack of closure for the Ewing patriarch, but I’ve come to appreciate how it heightens the drama in the episodes after “The Search,” when Miss Ellie struggles to accept the truth that her husband is never coming home. I also wonder: Would Jock be the mythic figure he is today if he had died in a hospital bed or been killed in a car crash? Having him disappear after his helicopter falls from the sky feels oddly appropriate for a character who was always a little larger than life.

One thing is certain: The producers waited too long to deal with Davis’s death. The actor succumbed to cancer eight months before “The Search” aired, but “Dallas” kept Jock alive in the interim by sending the character to “South America” (foreign locales on this show are almost always vague) and having the Ewings regularly receive calls and letters from him. It reminds me of those “Three’s Company” episodes where an out-of-town Chrissie wouldn’t appear until the final scene, when she’d phone her roommates to get an update on their latest hijinks.

This criticism aside, I like how “The Search” summons “Dallas’s” western spirit by having the Ewing brothers embark on a dangerous mission to rescue their daddy. The men carry rifles and wear their Stetsons; the only thing missing is seeing them on horseback. While the brothers are away, the Ewing women keep vigil at Southfork, and all the characters experience flashbacks to some of Jock’s most memorable moments.

These old clips are nice because they demonstrate how valuable Davis was to “Dallas.” With the exception of Barbara Bel Geddes and Larry Hagman, no other actor on the show could match Davis in terms of sheer presence. It didn’t matter if Jock was being tough or tender; Davis commanded every scene he appeared in. In an audio commentary on one of the second-season “Dallas” DVDs, Hagman recalls how Davis lacked confidence in his performances. What a shame. Jim Davis was a great actor. He deserved to know it.

One final observation about “The Search’s” flashbacks: Yes, they are a little hokey by today’s standards – each one is accompanied by those wavy special effects – but remember: This episode was produced years before “Dallas” went into syndicated reruns. This was the first time in years a lot of fans had seen those classic scenes.

No matter how you feel about the rest of “The Search,” it’s impossible to watch the ending and not be moved. The sequence begins when Ellie, who has been waiting patiently for word from her sons, awakens in the night and walks downstairs, where she quietly takes her seat at the dining room table. This scene has no musical score – you can even hear Ellie’s footsteps – which is what makes it so effective. In this big house full of people, Mama has never seemed more alone.

While the Ewing matriarch sits in the dark, her sons arrive home and walk into the dining room. Each man is stubble-faced, and each one holds his hat. “I’m sorry Mama,” Bobby says. Her eyes well up, but she holds it together. “Tell me what happened,” she says. Bobby and Ray sit with her at the table and Bobby holds his mother’s hand, but the moment proves too much for J.R., who walks away.

J.R. steps onto the patio, looking a little dazed. He leans against one of the big white columns, reaches into his pocket, pulls out Jock’s medallion and studies it. By now, Bruce Broughton’s score has resumed and started to swell. J.R. smiles and briefly casts his eyes skyward, and when he looks down, we notice how red and wet they are.

The frame freezes and the screen briefly fades to black, and then we get our first glimpse of the Jock Ewing portrait, which will go on to become “Dallas’s” most famous prop. The words “Jim Davis 1909 – 1981” appear. That’s when we know: Davis may be gone, but Jock Ewing is going to live forever.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those eyes

Those eyes

‘THE SEARCH’

Season 5, Episode 13

Airdate: January 8, 1982

Audience: 26 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Irving J. Moore

Synopsis: J.R., Bobby and Ray go to South America, where they determine Jock likely died in the helicopter crash. The brothers return to Southfork and break the news to Miss Ellie.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), George Cooper (Lee Evans), Mary Crosby (Kristin Shepard), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

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

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The Dallas Decoder Guide to Entertaining, Ewing Style

November 20, 2012 by 16 Comments

Party on

The holidays are here and that means one thing: It’s party time! Martha Stewart will tell you the secret to successful entertaining is to always make your guests feel comfortable – but to hell with that. If you want to host a really memorable affair, let the Ewings be your guide.

Always on his back

The guest list: Put some thought into it. Do you have a mortal enemy who is obsessed with revenge against your family? By all means, move that person to the top of your invite list. No matter what Cliff (Ken Kercheval) did to the Ewings – he once prosecuted Jock for murder!– Miss Ellie never stopped inviting him to family functions. Why? Because she knew she could count on Cliff to enliven every soiree. Remember the time he incited a mob at a Southfork barbecue? Or the brawl he started at J.R. and Sue Ellen’s wedding reception? Of course you do. Face it: A day or two after your event, no one will remember how pretty your table centerpiece looked. But offer your guests some Cliff-style theatrics and you’ll create memories that’ll last a lifetime.

Off the wagon, in the doghouse

It’s all about tradition. Folks love to get together during the holidays to reminisce – and no one appreciated a stroll down memory lane more than Jock (Jim Davis). When Digger (David Wayne) showed up at one of the Southfork barbecues, Jock waxed nostalgic, recalling the collapse of their partnership decades earlier. He concluded his history lesson by declaring Digger had “been a loser every day of his life,” which sent the recovering alcoholic straight off the wagon. Jock’s tongue-lashing angered Miss Ellie and Pam (Barbara Bel Geddes, Victoria Principal), but Jock suspected the only reason Digger came to the party in the first place was to find an excuse to resume boozing. And as Jock told his family, “I generally try to accommodate my guests.”

Time to go, darlin’

Drink up! Memories shouldn’t be the only thing that flows at your gathering. The Ewings knew a little alcohol could really help guests loosen up and get in a celebratory spirit. For this, we have Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) to thank. Remember when she got tipsy at a Southfork barbecue and blabbed to everyone the intimate details of her marriage? How about the time the Ewings held a bash at the Oil Barons Club and Sue Ellen passed out after taking a nip or two (or three or six) of vodka? Then there was the time our heroine got smashed at Lucy and Mickey’s cookout, swiped J.R.’s keys and wrecked his car. OK, that last one ended up killing the joyful atmosphere at Southfork that evening – but at least it didn’t kill Sue Ellen’s future political viability.

Taste of success

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one should try to organize a big celebration on their own. Just ask Miss Ellie, who always counted on family and friends to help out – especially in the kitchen. Sister-in-law Jessica Montfort was a whiz at chopping veggies and Donna was an ace sous chef, while J.R. (Larry Hagman) and the rest of the Ewings were happy to serve as Mama’s taste-testers. For the real heavy lifting, though, Ellie relied on the hired help. The Ewings went through dozens of butlers and housekeepers over the years. Some were old, some were young, but remarkably, all of them were named “Raoul” and “Teresa.” Carmen the cook has been at Southfork for a long time too, although we didn’t see her until the Ewings moved to cable.

Guess what?

Parties are for surprises! Do you know someone who’s been dying to share a big secret with the world? Perhaps your event offers the stage they seek. Lucy blurted out her suspicions about Sue Ellen and Peter Richards’ affair at a get-together on the Southfork patio. Cousin Jamie chose a Ewing barbecue to reveal her stake in the family empire. James Beaumont announced he was J.R.’s illegitimate son at a Ewing dinner at the Oil Baron’s Club. The tradition continues: John Ross used Bobby’s birthday party to unveil his plot to drill for oil on Southfork, while Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo) decided the family’s final barbecue at the ranch was the ideal setting to tell Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) about her role in the scheme to break up him and Elena.

Oh, sit

Seating matters. Will your affair include a sit-down meal? Follow the example set by J.R., who always knows the perfect place for newcomers to the Southfork dinner table. He once told Ray, “You sit where Gary used to. You two have so much in common.” Later, on her first night at the ranch, J.R.’s daughter-in-law Michelle Beaumont asked him where she should sit. “Right there,” J.R. responded, pointing to an empty seat on the other side of the table. “Used to be Pam’s chair. I couldn’t stand her either.” J.R. also knew where guests shouldn’t sit. Just ask Clayton (Howard Keel), who got the stink-eye every time he sat in Jock’s old seat. No, seriously. J.R. cut Clayton a dirty look each time he came to the table. Every. Single. Time. For eight seasons.

The price of a clever wit

Keep the conversation lively. Miss Manners will tell you some topics shouldn’t be discussed in polite company – but Miss Manners never attended a Ewing fete. When this brood gets together, every subject is fair game. Once, when Miss Ellie worried that Sue Ellen didn’t eat enough at dinner, J.R. waved around a liquor bottle and said, “She gets all the nourishment she needs from this.” Moments later, he described Pam thusly: “Everybody can see that she’s cracking up, slowly and surely. And who can blame her? I mean, she finds out that her daddy, Digger Barnes, is no relation at all. And her real father is a saddle tramp and a thief. And her mother’s a whore! Who could find it in their heart to hate that poor little girl, huh?” Bobby responded by punching J.R. in the gut. He never could take a joke.

Everybody in!

Two words: “Swimming pool.” If you have one, use it. After all, if you’re going to party like the Ewings, your guests are going to need a place to cool off.

What have the Ewings taught you about entertaining? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Decoder Guides.”

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Dallas Parallels: Saving Southfork

November 19, 2012 by 7 Comments

At the end of “Ellie Saves the Day,” one of my favorite “Dallas” episodes, Miss Ellie sits at J.R.’s desk and signs paperwork authorizing Ewing Oil to drill on Southfork. For Ellie, a principled conservationist, this is painful but necessary. J.R. has mortgaged the ranch and sunk the money in a foundering deal – and now the loan is due. Tapping Southfork’s vast oil reserves is the only way to raise the cash needed to stave off foreclosure.

As luck would have it, J.R. strikes oil elsewhere at the 11th hour, allowing the Ewings to preserve Southfork for ranching. But the story isn’t over. When TNT’s “Dallas” begins, Ellie is gone and Bobby has succeeded her as Southfork’s owner and guardian – until J.R. “steals” the ranch and sets out to pump its oil, triggering a bitter feud that divides the Ewings like never before.

The battle culminates in “Family Business,” an instant-classic episode from the new show. In a poignant scene, J.R. sits at a table in his bedroom, staring at the Southfork deed. With trembling hands, he takes a shot of bourbon, glances at a framed photograph of Ellie and signs the paper, returning ownership of the ranch to Bobby.

The parallels to “Ellie Saves the Day” are unmistakable. So are the ironies. Conservationist Ellie is forced to plunder the land, while oilman J.R. chooses to preserve it. Yet both characters end up saving Southfork.

The way mother and son reach their fateful decisions is revealing. In “Ellie Saves the Day,” the Ewing matriarch gathers her family in the living room and announces her plan to lift the drilling ban. Ellie mentions how much Southfork means to her, but she also displays her practical side. When Bobby reminds her Graddaddy Southworth’s dying wish was to preserve the land, Ellie responds: “Do you think the banks will preserve the land? They will not.”

Surprisingly, J.R. proves more sentimental. In “Family Business,” John Ross comes to his father’s bedroom and tries to persuade him to return the ranch to Bobby, but J.R. doesn’t want to hear it. Slumping onto his bed, he tells his son, “Southfork isn’t just a piece of dirt. It’s as much a part of me as my blood, in my bones.” Suddenly, we’re forced to consider the possibility that maybe the battle for Southfork isn’t just about the ocean of oil flowing beneath it.

Later, after confrontations with Sue Ellen and Bobby, J.R. finally comes around and signs over the deed. He brings the document to his brother, who is in his sickbed. “You’re still not off the hook for how you got this in the first place,” Bobby says. It brings to mind the final line in “Ellie Saves the Day,” when Ellie, after giving up the mineral rights, turns to her oldest son and says, “I may never forgive you for this, J.R.”

Perhaps that’s true, but something tells me Mama was smiling the moment J.R. put pen to paper and did his part to save Southfork.

 

‘Do You Know How Much Southfork Means to Me?’

Ms. Practicality

In “Ellie Saves the Day,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) enters the Southfork living room, where Jock (Jim Davis), J.R. (Larry Hagman), Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and the other Ewings await her.

JOCK: Miss Ellie.

ELLIE: Jock.

BOBBY: Mama, Ray said you took a tour of the ranch this morning.

ELLIE: [Smiling] Yes, I did. [She sits.]

JOCK: Well, we’ve tried everything, Miss Ellie.

ELLIE: I’m sure you have. J.R., do you know how much Southfork means to me? To all of us? I’ll never understand your motives as long as I live.

J.R.: Mama –

ELLIE: Now as I see it, the problem is this: Next week, the bankers who own the mortgages expect to be paid, and we don’t have the money. Is that right?

JOCK: Yes. And everything worthwhile is mortgaged.

ELLIE: Except one.

J.R.: What?

ELLIE: They can take this land, but they don’t have the right to drill for all that oil under Section 40. My daddy’s will gave the mineral rights to me.

BOBBY: [Leans forward] Mama, you can’t do that. You can’t break Granddad’s will. He wanted that land preserved for ranching.

ELLIE: You think the banks will preserve the land? They will not. However, I can release all of that oil for drilling. Millions and millions of dollars worth. And for that, I’m sure the bank will extend the due date on the mortgage indefinitely.

JOCK: I could never ask you to do that, Ellie.

ELLIE: It will save this ranch, Jock. And for that, I’ll go against my daddy’s wishes. [Rises, walks toward Jock] Jock, 40 years ago, Ewing Oil paid off the mortgage on Southfork and saved it. Now I think it’s time that Southfork repaid those debts.

 

‘Southfork Isn’t Just a Piece of Dirt’

Mr. Sentimental

In “Family Business,” TNT’s ninth “Dallas” episode, John Ross (Josh Henderson) speaks to J.R. (Larry Hagman) in his Southfork bedroom.

J.R.: I’m not signing Southfork over to anybody. The thing we should be concentrating on is a little payback to the boys who did that to you. [Points to the bruises on John Ross’s face]

JOHN ROSS: It’s a little late for that. Lucky for me, I had Uncle Bobby to get me out of that situation.

J.R.: Well, I got here as soon as I heard.

JOHN ROSS: Southfork is useless to you without the mineral rights. Now Uncle Bobby has agreed to drill. Once the Venezuelans are paid off, your piece of that oil, it’ll get you back on top.

J.R.: Christopher’s already agreed to pay off the Venezuelans with his gas rights. What’s gotten into you, anyhow?

JOHN ROSS: A little decency. They should not have to clean up after our mess. Haven’t we put Uncle Bobby through enough?

J.R.: You’re confusing emotion with business. This land is finally mine like it should have been all along.

JOHN ROSS: I’m so damn tired of hearing about your birthright.

J.R.: What did you say?

JOHN ROSS: Can’t you just let it go?

J.R.: [Sits on the bed] Southfork isn’t just a piece of dirt. It’s as much a part of me as my blood, in my bones. I paid a hell of a price for it. I thought you of all the people in the world would understand that.

What do you think of Miss Ellie and J.R.’s efforts to save Southfork? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Parallels.”

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Dallas Parallels: ‘Power’ Tips

October 15, 2012 by 8 Comments

Few moments during TNT’s first “Dallas” season made me smile as much as the scene where J.R. tells John Ross, “Real power is something you take.” This was more than a great line – it was also a tribute to one of the old show’s classic sequences.

In the fourth-season episode “Executive Wife,” Bobby storms into the Cattleman’s Club and interrupts Jock’s lunch with J.R. and a couple of their buddies. The youngest Ewing son is furious because he just discovered Jock yanked millions of dollars out of the Ewing Oil coffers without telling him, even though Bobby is supposed to be running the business while J.R. recuperates from his shooting.

“You gave me the power to run that company, and damn it, I intend to run it,” Bobby fumes.

“So I gave you power, huh?” Jock huffs. “Well, let me tell you something, boy. If I did give you power, you got nothing. Nobody gives you power. Real power is something you take!”

Flash forward three decades: In the TNT episode “The Price You Pay,” J.R. delivers the “real power” line during a clandestine meeting with John Ross at Southfork, where father and son are secretly plotting to steal the ranch from Bobby. J.R. calls it the “truest thing” his daddy ever told him. (Technically Jock told Bobby, but let’s not quibble.)

In addition to evoking Jock’s philosophy, the new scene is staged a lot like the old one. Director Michael M. Robin looks over Josh Henderson’s shoulder when he films Larry Hagman, just as Leonard Katzman shot Jim Davis while looking over Patrick Duffy’s shoulder.

But ultimately, the differences between the scenes are more revealing than the similarities. Jock delivers his “real power” line with characteristic bluntness while standing in a public space, reflecting his unapologetic, tell-it-like-it-is style. Jock was barracuda in business – and he didn’t care who knew it.

J.R. is much more cunning. He plots against his enemies behind their backs, so he shares his “real power” tip with John Ross while they are alone, shrouded in the darkness of J.R.’s bedroom. Even J.R.’s wardrobe reflects his deceptive style: He wears a cardigan sweater because he wants to give everyone the impression he’s become warm and fuzzy in old age. (Ha!)

Of course, regardless of whether the words are yelled or whispered, they still mean the same thing. Jock and J.R. are both demanding fathers who only want the best for their sons. By telling them to go out into the world and seize power for themselves, the fathers are letting the sons know they care.

It’s a tough message and it’s tough love, but it’s love nonetheless. Would the Ewings have it any other way?

 

‘Nobody Gives You Power …’

Like daddy …

In “Executive Wife,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) enters the Cattlemen’s Club and begins questioning J.R. (Larry Hagman) about Jock’s business deal, while Jock (Jim Davis) looks on.

JOCK: Now, you just hold on Bobby. J.R. don’t discuss my business with you or anybody else unless I tell him. You understand?

BOBBY: OK Daddy, then why didn’t you tell me? Didn’t you think I should know?

JOCK: I was gonna tell you tonight.

BOBBY: Tonight? I want those kind of things discussed with me before you act, not after. Your dealing behind my back is making me look like a fool.

JOCK: Now just what the hell are you talking about?

BOBBY: I called Les at the bank and asked him to transfer $12 million from the account.

JOCK: So what? We’ve got 100 times that much.

BOBBY: I’m talking liquid assets. Cash, Daddy, cash – and we don’t have that amount. And you know why? Because you took $10 million.

JOCK: [Rises from his seat, faces Bobby] You damn right I took it. It’s mine.

BOBBY: That money belongs to Ewing Oil.

JOCK: And who in the hell do you think Ewing Oil is? It’s me! Ewing Oil belongs to me and don’t you forget it, boy.

BOBBY: And you gave me Ewing Oil to run, in writing. And that makes you obliged to consult me before you do anything that concerns that company.

JOCK: Obliged? You’re telling me that I’m obliged to ask you how to spend my own money any damn way I see fit?

BOBBY: That’s right. You gave me the power to run that company, and damn it, I intend to run it.

JOCK: So I gave you power, huh? Well, let me tell you something, boy. If I did give you power, you got nothing. Nobody gives you power. Real power is something you take.

BOBBY: Well, I’m gonna remember that.

JOCK: You do that.

Bobby walks away.

 

‘… Real Power is Something You Take’

… like son

In “The Price You Pay,” TNT’s third “Dallas” episode, J.R. (Larry Hagman) shows John Ross (Josh Henderson) the leather-bound diary he uncovered in the Southfork storage barn.

J.R.: Time to get your hands dirty, son. [He hands him the diary.]

JOHN ROSS: What’s this?

J.R.: All my mama’s secrets. And you’re about to use them to get the Southfork deal moving. Your Uncle Bobby’s going to find out that you are my son, tip to tail.

JOHN ROSS: What do I have to do?

J.R.: You up for it?

JOHN ROSS: Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.

J.R.: Well, I’m going to tell you the truest thing my daddy ever told me: Nobody gives you power. Real power is something you take.

What do you think of Jock and J.R.’s philosophy on “real power?” Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Parallels.”

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The Best & Worst of Dallas: Season 4

October 2, 2012 by 20 Comments

“Dallas’s” fourth season was the show’s most-watched. Is it also the best?

Performances

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Lows and highs

In Season 4, J.R. recovers from an assassination attempt, learns to walk again and suffers a humiliating exile from Ewing Oil. Through it all, Larry Hagman never misses a beat. The actor takes us deeper into J.R.’s psyche, revealing vulnerabilities we never dreamed the character was capable of. If you love Hagman’s complex performance on TNT’s “Dallas,” re-watch the classic show’s fourth season. This is where those seeds are planted.

Storylines

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Leslie Stewart, Susan Flannery

Blonde ambition

“Who Shot J.R.?” turned “Dallas” into a global phenomenon, so you might expect the show to spend Season 4 playing it safe. Instead, it takes a creative risk by tackling sexism. This theme is best personified by pioneering PR whiz Leslie Stewart, but the gender wars are also seen when Miss Ellie calls out chauvinistic Jock, Lucy gets a career and Donna emerges as the top choice for a state senate seat. Who says “Dallas” isn’t progressive?

Season 4’s weakest subplot: Mr. Ewing goes to Austin. I love the idea of “Dallas” delving into politics, but Bobby’s conduct as a member of the state senate strains credibility. Shouldn’t Senator Ewing have recused himself from the legislature’s hearings into his parents’ fight over the Takapa Lake development – or its inquiry into J.R.’s foreign affairs? Where’s an ethics committee when you need one?

Episodes

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Ray Krebbs, Steve Kanaly

Here comes the son

“The Fourth Son” is one of the finest hours of “Dallas” ever made. The episode, beautifully written by Howard Lakin (his first script for the show) and directed by Irving J. Moore, officially brings Ray into the Ewing fold and reminds us why Jock is such a revered figure in the “Dallas” mythos. Father-son relationships are integral to “Dallas” – especially on the TNT series – and no episode explores that theme better than this one.

To demonstrate how uneven episodic television can be, one week after “The Fourth Son” debuted, “Dallas” gave us “Trouble at Ewing 23,” which is easily my least-favorite Season 4 entry. I never know what’s worst: the cringe-inducing special effects when the oil field goes up in flames – or the fact Luther Gillis sheds not a single drop of blood after J.R.’s hired guns pump him full of lead.

Scenes

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

Scene from a marriage

How do you know when a “Dallas” scene is classic? When you only need one or two lines of dialogue to describe it. By that standard, the show’s fourth year probably offers more great moments than any other season: “It was you, Kristin, who shot J.R.” “He’s not your daddy. I am.” “You are my mother.” “Real power is something you take.” “Don’t make me see myself in your eyes.” “Mama, you didn’t take any licorice.”

Any one of these scenes qualifies for “best of” honors, but my sentimental favorite remains the “New Beginnings” moment when J.R. and Sue Ellen reminisce about their courtship. Next to J.R. and Bobby’s sibling rivalry, J.R. and Sue Ellen’s love affair is “Dallas’s” most enduring relationship. If you want to understand why these two can’t stay away from each other, watch this scene.

Supporting Players

Dallas, Leslie Stewart, Susan Flannery

Pioneer woman

No surprise here: I love Leslie. The oh-so-cool Susan Flannery was the ideal choice to play the character, whose business savvy, scheming ways and unapologetic sexuality make her J.R.’s equal and the template for prime-time divas like Abby Cunningham and Alexis Carrington. “Dallas’s” writers seemed to lose interest in Leslie after awhile, but before her storyline peters out, no character in Season 4 is more fascinating.

At the other end of the spectrum lie Alex Ward and Clint Ogden, the utterly forgettable characters who romance Pam and Sue Ellen during the second half of the season. Don’t blame Joel Fabiani and Monte Markham, who are both fine actors; blame the writers, who colored Alex and Clint in shades of plain vanilla.

Costumes

As much as I love the iconic dresses Sue Ellen wears in “Who Done It?,” nothing compares to Jock’s lion’s head medallion, the perfect accessory to symbolize Jim Davis’s role as father of the Ewing pride.

Some might consider Pam’s perm to be Season 4’s worst fashion choice – but those people are wrong because that ’do is awesome.

Quips

Best: “If you were on the side of the angels, you wouldn’t need Leslie Stewart.” – Leslie’s droll observation during the well-written scene where she persuades J.R. to hire her.

Worst: “My own son, letting some little no-account alley cat swing you by your big toe.” – The most memorable line during the tongue-lashing Jock gives J.R. after Leslie costs Ewing Oil a big deal. Watch it, Jock! That’s our Leslie you’re talking about.

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

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Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Love You, Jock’

September 25, 2012 by 6 Comments
Nothing to forgive

Nothing to forgive

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “Ewing vs. Ewing,” while Jock and Donna (Jim Davis, Susan Howard) watch, Ray (Steve Kanaly) hands Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) a legal document he commissioned to relinquish his claim of the Ewing fortune.

JOCK: Ray, I made you part of that trust because it’s rightfully yours. Don’t throw away your birthright.

RAY: I’d rather give it all up, leave Southfork, go anywhere, rather than be the cause for you two splitting up. You’re paying too high a price for me to be a Ewing.

ELLIE: [Turns and slowly turns away] I can’t let you do that, Ray. [She rubs her temple.] I guess, I guess the truth has finally come home. All this time, I couldn’t let go of Gary. I couldn’t let go of the hope that he’d come back to Southfork. But Gary’s not coming back. It’s because he doesn’t want to. This time, he wasn’t driven away. He left because, because he wasn’t happy. And you were right. I did blame you for that, Ray. It was easier to blame you than looking at myself and see the truth. And because you were Ray’s father, Jock, I focused all that hurt and hate on you being part of Takapa. But it never was Takapa. I used it as an excuse. It was all inside of me. [Tosses aside the document, turns back to Ray, sobs] And Ray, you are a Ewing. [Walks toward him] I want you to stay. [She touches his face, and then he embraces her as she cries.]

JOCK: Does that include me too?

ELLIE: Oh, yes. [Jock smiles as she walks toward him.] Forgive me. I almost destroyed everything.

JOCK: Nothing to forgive. I love you, Ellie.

ELLIE: I love you, Jock.

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Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 74 – ‘Ewing vs. Ewing’

September 25, 2012 by 19 Comments
Davis rules

Davis rules

Jim Davis makes his last appearance as Jock in “Dallas’s” 75th hour, “New Beginnings,” but it’s more of a cameo than anything else. His final, “real” performance comes at the end of “Ewing vs. Ewing,” and no matter how many times I watch it, it never fails to move me.

Davis was diagnosed with inoperable cancer during the show’s fourth season, and when you watch these episodes, you can see him physically deteriorate, bit by bit. By the time “Ewing vs. Ewing” was filmed, the actor’s face had puffed up and his voice had been reduced to a rasp. It’s painful to witness.

Yet it’s also damned inspiring. Davis famously soldiered on despite his illness, and producer Leonard Katzman allowed him to continue to play Jock because he knew it was important to keep the actor’s spirits up. Barbara A. Curran’s book “Dallas: The Complete Story of the World’s Favorite Prime-Time Soap” includes an anecdote about how Katzman even gave Davis a peek at the scripts being prepared for the fifth season, just so the actor could see Jock would still be part of the show.

Of course, Jock never appeared during Season 5. Davis died 23 days after the broadcast of “Ewing vs. Ewing,” an uneven episode (Bobby’s use of “personal funds” to settle his senate committee’s debate over the Takapa project is an eye-roller) that nonetheless remains a sentimental favorite on the basis of that touching final scene, when Jock and Miss Ellie finally reconcile after spending half the season at war.

My favorite moment comes when Ellie admits she’s treated Jock unfairly and asks if he can forgive her. Davis delivers Jock’s response (“Nothing to forgive.”) with the same tender conviction he memorably exhibited during the third-season “Mastectomy” episodes.

Barbara Bel Geddes, who is absolutely perfect throughout “Ewing vs. Ewing” and especially in this final scene, gets the episode’s last line – “I love you, Jock” – and as I watch her deliver it, I have no doubt the tears in her eyes are real. I also know Bel Geddes isn’t just speaking for her character. She’s speaking for all of us.

Grade: B

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Hug it out, Mama

Hug it out, Mama

‘EWING VS. EWING’

Season 4, Episode 20

Airdate: April 3, 1981

Audience: 23.3 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Leah Markus

Director: Irving J. Moore

Synopsis: Bobby forges a compromise in the Takapa fight. Jock and Miss Ellie reconcile. J.R. continues his plann to sell Ewing Oil to Wendell. Cliff meets Afton and Pam tells him their mother is alive.

Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Cherie Beasley (Tootie Smith), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Senator Bobby Ewing), Susan Flannery (Leslie Stewart), Meg Gallagher (Louella), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), John Hart (Senator Carson), Morgan Hart (Jenny Smith), David Healy (Senator Harbin), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Monte Markham (Clint Ogden), Leigh McCloskey (Mitch Cooper), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), John Randolph (Lincoln Hargrove), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell), Craig Stevens (Greg Stewart), Christopher Stone (Dave Stratton), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Jay Varela (Senator Arvilla), Joseph Warren (Senator Dickson), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

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

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

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 73 – ‘The Gathering Storm’

September 24, 2012 by 20 Comments
Scene from a marriage

Scene from a marriage

I’ve always considered Charlene Tilton one of “Dallas’s” charismatic actresses, although I haven’t always been a fan of her character. In “The Gathering Storm,” Lucy stands up for herself in the face of husband Mitch’s sexism, which makes me want to stand up and cheer her on. This episode makes me love Lucy.

The character’s big moment comes in the second act, when Lucy comes home late after a lengthy photo shoot. Mitch is angry, not so much because his wife missed dinner, but because she now brings home a bigger paycheck than him.

“It’s not my money, and it’s not your money. It’s ours,” Lucy says. “What difference does it make who earns it?”

“It makes all the difference in the world,” Mitch snaps.

This is “The Gathering Storm’s” best scene, thanks to Tilton and Leigh McCloskey’s convincing performances and scriptwriter Robert J. Shaw’s realistic dialogue. Lucy and Mitch’s argument sounds like the kind of fight a real-life couple might have had in the early 1980s, when more women were moving into the work force and men like Mitch were learning to adjust.

I’m pretty sure “Dallas” wants us to “side” with Lucy during the argument, although the show goes out of its way to not vilify Mitch’s sexist attitude. In one scene, he says the reason he and Lucy are fighting is because they have “totally different values.” That’s true, but casting the character’s chauvinism as a “value” makes it seem nobler than it deserves.

Still, the dissolution of Mitch and Lucy’s marriage feels credible, based on what we know about these characters. This is true for Jock and Miss Ellie too. It’s difficult to watch them argue in “The Gathering Storm,” but I believe Ellie when she says she’s tired of Jock’s lack of sensitivity, just like I believe him when he expresses his frustration with her stubborn idealism.

Of course, the sadness I feel seeing Jock and Ellie separate is nothing compared to the pain that comes from watching Jim Davis’s performance in “The Gathering Storm.” The cancer-stricken actor’s health was deteriorating when this episode was filmed – and it shows. Like this episode’s title suggests, dark clouds are moving over “Dallas,” and not just in front of the camera.

Grade: B

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Runaway husband

Runaway husband

‘THE GATHERING STORM’

Season 4, Episode 19

Airdate: March 27, 1981

Audience: 25 million homes, ranking 1st in the weekly ratings

Writer: Robert J. Shaw

Director: Michael Preece

Synopsis: The Takapa fight continues: Jock moves out of Southfork and J.R. offers to sell the company to rival oil baron Jeremy Wendell to prevent it from being dragged into his parents’ looming divorce. Cliff begins snooping into the counter-revolution in Asia and receives a visit from Rebecca, who doesn’t reveal she’s his mother.

Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), Cherie Beasley (Tootie Smith), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Ellen Bry (Jean Hallinan), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Senator Bobby Ewing), Susan Flannery (Leslie Stewart), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Morgan Hart (Jenny Smith), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Monte Markham (Clint Ogden), Leigh McCloskey (Mitch Cooper), Hortense Petra (Maggie) Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell), Christopher Stone (Dave Stratton), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

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

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

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You Both Sicken Me!’

September 18, 2012 by 6 Comments
Ouch

Ouch

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “The New Mrs. Ewing,” Jock (Jim Davis) slams closed the doors to the Southfork living room, where he stands alone with J.R. (Larry Hagman).

JOCK: I couldn’t believe it. My own son, letting some little no-account alley cat swing you by your big toe. Letting her screw up the deal with the cartel. I thought I brought you up better than that. A woman’s place is in the bedroom, sure as hell not in the boardroom.

Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) enters.

ELLIE: Very nice, Jock.

JOCK: Oh, didn’t hear you come in, Ellie.

ELLIE: Obviously.

JOCK: Now, look Miss Ellie, you know I didn’t mean to –

ELLIE: I know what you meant. You believe that the woman’s place is two steps behind the man – except when walking through a minefield.

JOCK: You don’t understand, Ellie. J.R. let that uppity Leslie Stewart spoil his deal with the cartel.

ELLIE: Well, you and J.R. should know all about spoilers, Jock.

JOCK: Now, what’s that supposed to mean, Miss Ellie?

ELLIE: Everything you touch you spoil. Relationships, people’s lives.

J.R.: Well, Mama, I think you’re exaggerating a little bit.

ELLIE: Am I? J.R., you and your daddy use people up and then throw them away. Even members of your own family. [She begins to leave, then turns to face them.] You both sicken me!

She leaves, slamming the door behind her.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: , , ,

Dallas Parallels: Welcome to the Family

September 14, 2012 by 11 Comments

Introducing “Dallas Parallels,” a periodic feature that showcases connections between TNT’s “Dallas” and the original series.

Quite appropriately, TNT’s “Dallas” pilot, “Changing of the Guard,” is chock full of allusions to “Digger’s Daughter,” the classic show’s first hour.

Both episodes open with a leading lady exclaiming a male Ewing’s name (Pam: “Bobby James Ewing, I don’t believe you!” Elena: “John Ross, wake up!”), both feature helicopter tours of Southfork (Pam and Ray in the original, Bobby and Marta in the new series) and both depict characters boasting in barrooms about their wildcatting exploits (Digger, John Ross).

Now that we know Rebecca is Cliff’s daughter, it’s also worth revisiting “Changing of the Guard” to see how closely her introduction to the Ewings mirrors her Aunt Pam’s.

In “Digger’s Daughter,” Pam’s first Southfork cocktail hour is typically tense. Jock is as gruff as ever (“Young lady, when’s that brother of yours going to give up that crusade against us Ewings?”), and then Lucy cheekily insists Ray, Pam’s ex-boyfriend, give the new bride a kiss in front of the family.

Flash forward three decades: In “Changing of the Guard,” Rebecca accompanies Christopher to Bobby’s birthday dinner at Southfork, where she meets John Ross and Elena for the first time. The reception isn’t hostile like the one Pam received, but it’s equally awkward.

Just as Pam’s kin became a topic of conversation three decades earlier, Christopher mentions that Rebecca has “a brother” (ha!) but “not much by the way of family” (double ha!). Moments later, John Ross mischievously suggests Elena – John Ross’s girlfriend, who also happens to be Christopher’s unrequited true love – could serve as Rebecca’s bridesmaid.

Rebecca cheerfully agrees (“I mean, you’re like Chris’s sister.”) and invites Elena to join the wedding party. As Bobby, Ann and Sue Ellen exchange wide-eyed glances around the table, John Ross offers Christopher a self-satisfied smirk.

Cousin Lucy would be proud.

 

‘You’re Going to Kiss the Bride, Aren’t You?’

Slinky

In “Digger’s Daughter,” “Dallas’s” first episode, the Ewings have cocktails in the Southfork living room. Jock (Jim Davis) stands, while Bobby and Pam (Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal) sit on the sofa, surrounded by Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Lucy (Charlene Tilton).

BOBBY: Well, I’m not sure I can even tell you how the whole thing happened, except that I said, “I love you.” And she said, “I love you.” And I said, “Are you sure?” She said, “Of course I’m sure.” So I said, “Well, then let’s get married right here in this old city of New Orleans.” [Chuckles] She said, “Bobby Ewing, that’s about the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.” But 20 minutes later, there we were, standing in front of that old Baptist preacher saying, “I will, I will.” And that was that.

SUE ELLEN: I never knew you were so impulsive Bobby.

BOBBY: Well, I never knew I was either.

ELLIE: Pamela, you settled into your room all right?

PAM: Oh yes, ma’am. Of course, I only have the one suitcase but I’ll go into Dallas tomorrow and get my things.

JOCK: [Steps forward] Young lady, when’s that brother of yours going to give up that crusade against us Ewings?

BOBBY: [Rises from the sofa, approaches Jock] Daddy, I don’t think this is the proper time or place to discuss that.

JOCK: I don’t know why not.

ELLIE: We don’t talk business at this hour, Jock.

JOCK: [Finishes his drink] Anybody want a refill?

J.R.: Yeah, I believe I will, father. [They move to the liquor cart.]

Ray (Steve Kanaly) enters, knocks on the wall.

RAY: Excuse me, Mr. Ewing?

JOCK: Come in, Ray. Have a drink.

RAY: No thanks, sir.

J.R.: Ray.

RAY: J.R.

J.R.: I believe you know Pamela here.

RAY: Sure. Pam. [Nods]

PAM: Hi Ray.

LUCY: Ray Krebbs, have you heard that our Bobby has up and married Pamela Barnes?

RAY: Yeah, I heard. Congratulations to you both.

LUCY: Where are you manners, Ray? You’re going to kiss the bride, aren’t you?

Bobby motions to Pam.

RAY: Sure. Where are my manners? [Steps forward, gives Pam a peck on the cheek] Congratulations.

 

‘I Have an Idea: Elena Could Be Your Bridesmaid’

Smirky

In “Changing of the Guard,” the first episode of TNT’s “Dallas,” the Ewings celebrate Bobby’s birthday in the Southfork dining room. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) sits at the head of the table with Sue Ellen and Ann (Linda Gray and Brenda Strong) nearby, while John Ross and Elena (Josh Henderson and Jordana Brewster) and Christopher and Rebecca (Jesse Metcalfe, Julie Gonzalo) face each other.

REBECCA: I was just telling Sue Ellen that my one and only bridesmaid had a family emergency and won’t be able to make the wedding.

CHRISTOPHER: Rebecca’s parents, they died in a plane crash. She’s got a brother but not much by the way of family. Shouldn’t Tommy be here by now?

REBECCA: Yeah. I’m a little worried about him.

JOHN ROSS: I have an idea. Elena could be your bridesmaid.

Ann, Sue Ellen and Bobby exchange puzzled looks.

ELENA: [To John Ross, incredulously] Sorry?

JOHN ROSS: I think it’s a great idea.

ELENA: [To Rebecca] Really, I, I would not be a good bridesmaid.

Christopher and Rebecca look at each other.

REBECCA: [Smiling] I’d, I’d love it Elena. I mean, you’re like Chris’s sister.

ELENA: Oh, I’m so flattered, really. But it must be too late to get a dress made.

REBECCA: I’m sure the dressmaker can just alter the dress we’re not using. It’d be an honor to have you as my bridesmaid. Sorry I didn’t think of it first.

John Ross smirks at Christopher.

ELENA: [Softly] OK.

REBECCA: Well, it’s settled then.

What do you think of Pam and Rebecca’s introductions to the Ewing family? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Parallels.”

Filed Under: Dallas Parallels, Features Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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