Josh Henderson – Dallas Decoder

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Am Not My Father!’

April 3, 2014 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, LIke Father Like Son, TNT

Or is he?

In “Like Father, Like Son,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, John Ross (Josh Henderson) storms into his mother’s house and enters the kitchen, where Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) stands at the counter, drinking.

JOHN ROSS: It wasn’t enough for you to stab me in the back once? You had to go and do it twice? What the hell is wrong with you?

SUE ELLEN: [Sips, puts the glass on the counter] What’s wrong with me? What is wrong with you? You lied to my face, John Ross.

JOHN ROSS: I didn’t lie to you! I told you the truth. It is over with Emma.

SUE ELLEN: How clever you are with your words. Just like J.R.

JOHN ROSS: What in God’s name are you talking about?

SUE ELLEN: I saw her, coming out of your office. I saw her, John Ross!

JOHN ROSS: Candace?

SUE ELLEN: Once a cheater, always a cheater. I should have learned that lesson the first time around.

JOHN ROSS: You don’t know what you’re talking about, Mama. Yeah, yeah, Candace was in my office and the crazy bitch was all over me. And I turned her down!

SUE ELLEN: Bullshit! I know what I saw!

JOHN ROSS: You don’t know, because you’re drunk! I am telling you the truth!

SUE ELLEN: Even drunk, I know the sound of a lie, and you are an expert at it, just like your father.

JOHN ROSS: I am not my father! Are you so hell-bent on punishing J.R. for his sins that you’re willing to destroy the relationship with your only son? Damn it, I need you Mom, and you sided with them. I’m your son. You remember that? Or are you too damn addled to remember who I am? [Reaches for the bottle, holds it up] Why are you doing this to yourself again, huh?

SUE ELLEN: [Sobbing] Don’t you get it? You did this to me. You and your father.

JOHN ROSS: No, Mama. You did this to yourself. You’re so busy seeing the ghost of J.R. in me that you cannot stop to take a hard look in the damn mirror. You want me to take responsibility for my actions? Then you take responsibility for yours. [Walks away, leaves the house, slams the door behind him]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Josh Henderson, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 31 — ‘Like Father, Like Son’

April 3, 2014 by Chris Baker 31 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Revealed

Josh Henderson is a revelation in “Like Father, Like Son.” I’ve admired Henderson’s work on “Dallas” from the beginning, but I didn’t know he was capable of the kind of performance he delivers in this episode. In some scenes, I want to reach through my screen and break John Ross in two; in others, my heart breaks for him. This reminds me of the early days of the original series, when we were beginning to discover what J.R. Ewing and Larry Hagman were made of. John Ross is becoming as bad as J.R.; will we one day say Henderson is as good as Hagman? Time will tell, but what a thrilling prospect to consider.

The dramatic highpoint in “Like Father, Like Son” is the scene where John Ross confronts Sue Ellen over her betrayal. This is a two-minute emotional roller coaster, and Henderson brings us along for the whole gut-wrenching ride. We feel everything John Ross does: his rage when he storms into his mother’s house, his incredulity when she accuses him of cheating, his disappointment when he realizes how drunk she is. I especially love when John Ross holds up Sue Ellen’s bottle of booze and says, “Why are you doing this to yourself again, huh?” It’s one of the best lines in Julia Cohen’s taut script because it shows how much John Ross cares about Sue Ellen while inviting us to consider what it must have been like for him to grow up with an alcoholic mother. As much time as I’ve devoted to “Dallas” over the years, I’m not sure that’s something I’ve thought much about until now.

Of course, nothing gives me chills like the moment John Ross slams his hand on Sue Ellen’s kitchen counter and exclaims, “I am not my father!” Henderson delivers the line with such uncontrolled force, it feels like the most genuine thing John Ross has ever said. Indeed, his statement is very true: John Ross loves J.R. and takes pride in being his son, as evidenced by the fact that he runs around wearing Daddy’s wristwatch. But I believe John Ross sees himself as being a better man than J.R. We witnessed this in the first-season classic “Family Business,” when John Ross urged J.R. to return ownership of Southfork to the cancer-stricken Bobby, and we see it again in this episode, when John Ross rejects Candace’s overtures. (Would J.R. have turned down the advances of a comely secretary?) This is why Sue Ellen’s accusations sting her son more than we might have expected.

Yet no matter how much John Ross might want to think of himself as being “better” than J.R, he can’t resist all of his dark impulses: At the end of “Like Father, Like Son,” John Ross takes advantage of Sue Ellen’s relapse by blackmailing Judge Blackwell to send her to rehab against her will. (Blackwell: “You certainly are just like your father.” John Ross: “You hear that enough, eventually you start to believe it.”) Is John Ross doing this because it will help his mother, or because it will make it easier for him to take Ewing Global public and seize control of the company? Perhaps we’ll never know, and maybe in John Ross’s mind, there’s no difference. I’m not sure J.R. saw too many distinctions when he committed Sue Ellen to a sanitarium during the original “Dallas.” Yes, J.R. knew his wife needed help for her alcoholism, but he was also eager to get her out of the way before she spilled their marital secrets to the rest of the family.

Regardless of John Ross’s motivation, I admire Henderson’s willingness to take his character into such dark territory. I also have to hand it to Linda Gray, who fearlessly takes Sue Ellen back to her roots. In the confrontation with John Ross, Sue Ellen stands in her kitchen, drinking openly; there’s no more discreet nipping from the flask. This is not the confident, successful Sue Ellen we’ve come to know; this is the old-school, deeply vulnerable Sue Ellen. She lashes out at John Ross and blames him for her problems (“You did this to me!”), just like she used to do with J.R. I’ve gotten so used to seeing Gray play Sue Ellen as a functional alcoholic, it’s surprising to see the character lose control like this.

The most startling moment: John Ross denies he’s cheating and Sue Ellen screams, “Bullshit!” Did you ever dream you’d see Miss Texas use this kind of language? It’s shocking, and yet it makes perfect sense: The love of Sue Ellen’s life is dead, her relationship with her son is broken, and now she’s back on the bottle. Sue Ellen’s entire identity is slipping away; of course her sense of decorum would go with it. I also love Gray’s reaction shots during this sequence. As John Ross loses control and gets choked up, so does Sue Ellen. Just as our hearts break for John Ross, so does hers. It’s similar to what Gray did in “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” when she became the audience’s avatar and allowed us to express our grief through her. Will someone please give this woman an Emmy already?

Together, Sue Ellen’s relapse and John Ross’s descent into full-fledged J.R.-dom fit with the broader theme of “Like Father, Like Son,” which shows how the “Dallas” characters struggle to break old patterns. We also see this when Ann urges Emma to find a man who will love her and not use her for sex. The pained expression on Emma Bell’s face at the end of this scene suggests Ann’s words have sunk in, but of course Emma later has, ahem, relations with John Ross in exchange for the file he wants on the judge. (After he satisfies her — without ever undressing himself, notably — she tells him, “Now go home and kiss your wife.” This might be “Dallas’s” naughtiest moment ever.) Even Bobby gives in to his baser instincts, using his new position as the railroad commissioner to threaten Nicolas. I suppose I should chastise “Dallas” for once again taking a dim view of public service, but at least Bobby isn’t patronizing Judith’s brothel like most of the other political figures on this show.

There’s much more to like about “Like Father, Like Son,” especially the slow-motion sequence that director Steve Robin gives us at the end of the episode, when John Ross walks away from Bobby after telling him he’s going to use Sue Ellen’s power of attorney in his bid to take Ewing Global public. Unlike Patrick Duffy’s slow-mo walk during Season 2, which felt so triumphant, Henderson’s version is positively chilling. I also love Jesse Metcalfe’s adorable scenes with Dallas Clark (yes, that’s his name), the child actor who plays little Michael, as well as Metcalfe’s charming rapport with AnnaLynne McCord’s Heather. McCord has proven an especially welcome addition to this show. I know a lot of fans watch “Dallas” for escapism, but isn’t it nice to see Heather experience a real-life problem like finding last-minute child care?

This episode’s other highlight: The dueling boys’ and girls’ nights out on the town, although just once, I’d like to see television characters in these kinds of settings have to shout at each other over the sound of the music, the way people do in real-life nightclubs. As my husband Andrew pointed out, the sequence with the women brings a touch of “Sex and the City” to “Dallas,” except one of the ladies is cheating with the other’s husband, and a third is trying to prove it. By the way: Cynthia Addai-Robinson brings an undeniable sense of cool to her scenes as Jasper, Elena’s private eye. How much fun would it be to see her go toe to toe with Kevin Page’s Bum (who is sadly missing from this episode, along with Mitch Pileggi’s Harris)?

Meanwhile, some fans are wondering how Carter McKay, George Kennedy’s character from the original “Dallas’s” final seasons, has a grandson as old as Hunter, who is introduced in this episode as one of John Ross’s childhood friends. As far as we know, Tracey and Tommy, Carter’s children, didn’t have kids of their own. In light of this episode’s boardroom showdown, there’s also confusion in Fan Land about the ownership of Ewing Global and how it’s divided. I, too, wish the show handled these details better, so my only advice to fellow fans — and I know this won’t satisfy many of you — is to just go with it.

My other gripe has to do with Harris’s accordion file. It’s become a treasure trove for storyline purposes, so I wish the show had made it an updated version of J.R.’s infamous “red file” instead; it would have been another nifty way to keep Larry Hagman’s spirit alive. Then again, Josh Henderson is doing a pretty good job of doing that on his own.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Slipping away

‘LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON’

Season 3, Episode 6

Telecast: March 31, 2014

Audience: 1.82 million viewers on March 31

Writer: Julie Cohen

Director: Steve Robin

Synopsis: Bobby gives control of his Ewing Global shares to Christopher and, in his new role as railroad commissioner, vows to scrutinize Nicolas’s Texas holdings. Elena hires a private eye to follow John Ross and discovers he’s cheating with Emma. John Ross’s childhood friend, Hunter McKay, gives him the idea of taking Ewing Global public. John Ross gets support from Nicolas, who aims to take control of the company once it goes public, and also Sue Ellen, but when she gets the impression John Ross is cheating with Candace, she votes against her son, incurring his wrath. John Ross blackmails a judge into having Sue Ellen committed to rehab against her will and tells Bobby he has her power of attorney, which gives him her vote to take the company public.

Cast: Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Jasper), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Donny Boaz (Bo McCabe), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Dallas Clark (Michael), Jude Demorest (Candace), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Rick Herod (Judge Blackwell), Fran Kranz (Hunter McKay), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Bryan Pitts (paramedic), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Kenneisha Thompson (police officer)

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

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Dallas Clark, Emma Bell, Family Business, George Kennedy, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Julia Cohen, Kevin Page, Larry Hagman, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Steve Robin, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘Like Father, Like Son’

April 1, 2014 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

Dallas, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Back to the bottom

Here’s what happened in “Like Father, Like Son,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• John Ross and Sue Ellen clashed. John Ross (Josh Henderson) confronted Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) over her scheme to shut down his Southfork drilling venture, but she was in no mood to hear his griping. “You’re trying so hard to fill J.R.’s shoes, you’ve become drunk on power,” she said. His response: “I may be drunk on power, but you, you’re just drunk.” Later, after John Ross’s childhood friend Hunter McKay (Fran Kranz) — Carter McKay’s grandson — gave John Ross the idea of taking Ewing Global public to raise the capital needed for the Arctic oil deal, John Ross turned to Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) and Sue Ellen for their support. Pamela readily agreed to vote with her husband, and so did Sue Ellen — but only after John Ross assured her that he was no longer cheating on Pamela. “I love my wife,” he said.

• … And so did Bobby and Nicolas. Now that Bobby (Patrick Duffy) is a railroad commissioner, he turned control of his shares in Ewing Global over to Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe). But Bobby wasn’t giving up his fight with Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace), telling him that he’s going to use his new position to put the squeeze on the Treviño businesses in Texas. “Take your best shot, Mr. Ewing,” Nicolas said. Back at the ranch, Bobby’s son and wife were feeling a little more charitable: Christopher agreed to babysit little Michael when Bo (Donny Boaz) left Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) in a childcare lurch, while Ann (Brenda Strong) assured Emma (Emma Bell) that she loves her unconditionally. “With me, there are no strings. And for what it’s worth, in his own way, I know your father loves you very much,” Ann said.

• John Ross courted Nicolas. With Sue Ellen and Pamela on his side in his bid to take Ewing Global public, John Ross went to work on Nicolas. John Ross offered him a 3 percent royalty on all oil produced by the Arctic leases in exchange for Nicolas’s vote. Nicolas agreed, but he had his own plan up his sleeve: He told Elena (Jordana Brewster) that he’ll help John Ross take control of the company — and then he’ll work with Elena to steal it out from under him. Elena warned Nicolas that he was playing “a dangerous game,” and so she proceeded with her own plan to undermine John Ross by hiring Jasper (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), a private eye, to determine if he’s being faithful to Pamela. “If he’s cheating, we’ll find out,” Jasper said.

• Candace courted John Ross. When John Ross and Nicolas went out to a club to talk business, they ran into Candace (Jude Demorest), who flirted shamelessly with her boss. Later, while John Ross was working late at the office, Candace slipped into the dress Harris gave her and tried to seduce John Ross, but he turned her down. “Look, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’ve got to start taking ‘no’ for an answer. I’m a married man,” he said. As Candace slinked out of the office, adjusting her dress, she ran into Sue Ellen. “That son of yours is something else,” Candace said, leaving Sue Ellen looking crestfallen.

• Sue Ellen surprised John Ross (again). When John Ross convened the shareholders to present his proposal to take Ewing Global public, Bobby was aghast. Pamela and Nicolas backed John Ross while Christopher — and Sue Ellen — voted no, sending the plan down in flames. That night, John Ross arrived at Sue Ellen’s house and found her drinking. He shouted at her for stabbing him in the back once more, and then he picked up her liquor bottle and tearfully said, “Why are you doing this to yourself again? You’re so busy seeing the ghost of J.R. in me that you cannot stop to take a hard look in the damn mirror.” John Ross left his mother weeping and went to see Emma, telling her he wanted her file on “the judge.” Emma agreed to give it to him — but only after he satisfied her sexually. “Tonight, it’s about my needs,” she said.

• John Ross gained the upper hand. It turned out the file contained photos of Judge Henry Blackwell (Rick Herod) having sex with the prostitutes at Judith’s brothel, which John Ross used to blackmail the judge into signing an order to have Sue Ellen taken to rehab. Later, when the paramedics arrived at Sue Ellen’s house, they found her drunk and put her in the back of the ambulance as John Ross watched. “Get her some help,” he said as the doors closed on his confused mother. Elsewhere, Elena was stunned to receive surveillance video from her private eye that showed John Ross and Emma cavorting. But this was nothing compared to the shock Bobby received when he came home and found John Ross sitting alone in the darkened Southfork living room. John Ross told Bobby that he was forced to send Sue Ellen away — and then he said that now that he has his mother’s power of attorney, he’s voting to take Ewing Global public. “And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it,” John Ross said.

What did you think of “Like Father, Like Son”? Share your comments below and look for Dallas Decoder’s critique later this week.

Filed Under: Dallas Recaps, Features Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Fran Kranz, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Jude Demorest, Julie Gonzalo, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Rick Herod, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 6

March 31, 2014 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Like Father Like Son, TNT

In control?

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Like Father, Like Son,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• How will John Ross strike back against Sue Ellen and Bobby? In “D.T.R.,” last week’s episode, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) blackmailed Governor McConaughey (Steven Weber) into replacing the corrupt railroad commissioner Stanley Babcock (Currie Graham) with a new appointee: Bobby (Patrick Duffy), who now has the power to revoke John Ross’s Southfork drilling permit. John Ross (Josh Henderson) was furious and vowed to “blow right past” any roadblock Bobby puts in his way. John Ross, realizing Sue Ellen’s role in putting Bobby on the commission, also left his mother a nasty voice mail message, saying, “Now I know I’ve got another enemy I’ve got to look out for. I ain’t going to forget this.” What will John Ross do?

• When will the Rylands strike back against John Ross? Emma (Emma Bell) used incriminating evidence from Harris’s files to blackmail Judith (Judith Light) into giving John Ross access to the Ryland ships for his Arctic drilling venture. Judith wasn’t happy and expressed her frustration to Harris (Mitch Pileggi), telling him it’s time to break up John Ross and Emma. Harris assured his mother that Candace (Jude Demorest), the prostitute posing as John Ross’s secretary, is still laying the groundwork to frame John Ross for a sex crime. Will this be the week Candace puts her plan in motion?

• What’s next for Emma — and her parents? When Ann (Brenda Strong) saw John Ross coming out of Emma’s bedroom, she got into a fight with Emma and kicked her off Southfork. Ann immediately regretted the decision and turned to Harris, who blackmailed CIA agent George Tatangelo (Gino Anthony Pesi) into giving his family extra protection. Eventually, Emma came home and assured Ann she had stopped seeing John Ross, but Ann told Harris she isn’t sure if she believes their daughter. How long can Emma continue to deceive Ann — and will Ann and Harris continue to soften toward each other?

• What will Elena and Nicolas do with their clue? After Cliff (Ken Kercheval) called Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) and failed to mend fences with her, he urged Elena and Nicolas (Jordana Brewster, Juan Pablo Di Pace) to turn his daughter against John Ross. Meanwhile, Nicolas examined J.R.’s autopsy photos and noticed an unusual incision on his chest. Could this be a sign J.R. was receiving chemotherapy before he died, and if so, will Elena and Nicolas finally figure out he arranged his own “murder” and framed Cliff for the crime?

• What’s next for Christopher and Heather? As Christopher and Heather (Jesse Metcalfe, AnnaLynne McCord) grew closer, he learned her secret: She was once married to ranch-hand-turned-roughneck Bo (Donny Boaz) and the two of them have a young son, Michael. Christopher and the boy bonded over their mutual love of Transformers, but Bo didn’t seem very enthused about the idea that his ex-wife is dating a Ewing. Will he cause trouble for Christopher and Heather?

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

Filed Under: Dallas Burning Questions, Features Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Currie Graham, D.T.R., Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Gino Anthony Pesi, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Jude Demorest, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Styles: ‘D.T.R.’

March 28, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

The Ewings and the Rylands made one bold fashion statement after another in “D.T.R.,” this week’s “Dallas” episode. Nothing was more striking than the red jacket Linda Gray wore in the scene where Sue Ellen ambushed Governor McConaughey and sprung her trap for him. Red was the ideal color for Sue Ellen’s big power play, and did you notice the jacket featured star-shaped cutouts? I can think of nothing more suitable for Gray, who was the star of this hour. I also loved Steven Weber’s bright blue tie, which evoked a certain real-life Texas governor/White House aspirant who made blue neckties one of his signatures.

My other favorite looks in “D.T.R.” include Sue Ellen’s leather jacket, which pulled double duty: She wore it when she confronted John Ross in her office and told him he was being “reckless and dumb,” and she kept it on later that night, when she and Bobby eavesdropped on McConaughey. In both situations, the jacket reminded us how Sue Ellen is undeniably cool. Speaking of John Ross: Are you enjoying Josh Henderson’s three-piece suits as much as me? He looks sharp every time he wears one, but the suits also help symbolize how John Ross has become all business.

I also love every outfit that costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin chose for Brenda Strong in “D.T.R.” I described Ann’s tunic-blouse in the previous episode as a work of art; the same thing can be said about the beautiful dress she wore in “D.T.R.” when she returned from her shopping spree and kicked Emma off Southfork. I also like Ann’s blue sweater set in the scene where she welcomed Emma home; the sweater set is nothing flashy, but it perfectly fits the character’s casually elegant style.

Finally, there’s Judith Light’s pearl choker, which offers a window into Mother Ryland’s double life. The choker is a brilliant accessory for the scene where Judith drops all those sweet, grandmotherly pearls of wisdom (“Never let a man screw you for nothing”) on Emma in the restaurant. Later, when Judith came home at 3 a.m. — wild-haired after a long night at the bordello — the choker took on a whole other meaning. In this light, it looked a little like the kinky collars you sometimes see S&M enthusiasts sporting.

Hey, you don’t suppose Judith spent the evening entertaining canine-loving Commissioner Babcock, do you?

What were your favorite looks in “D.T.R.”? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and read more “Dallas Styles.”

Filed Under: Dallas Styles, Dallas Styles (TNT), Features Tagged With: Brenda Strong, D.T.R., Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Linda Gray, Rachel Sage Kunin, Steven Weber, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘D.T.R.’

March 25, 2014 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, D.T.R., Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Ewings united

Here’s what happened in “D.T.R.,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• Sue Ellen struck back (part 1): Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) visited Governor McConaughey (Steven Weber) and gave him a bottle of J.R. Ewing Bourbon, hoping it would persuade him to replace Stanley Babcock, the corrupt railroad commissioner, with an appointee who would agree to revoke John Ross’s Southfork drilling permit. Of course, the wily McConaughey was in no mood to grant Sue Ellen a favor and rejected her suggestion. Dumb move, governor: It turned out Sue Ellen had bugged the bottle, which allowed her and Bobby (Patrick Duffy) to eavesdrop on McConaughey’s conversations — including one with Babcock (Currie Graham), who promised to illegally funnel money to the governor’s 2016 presidential campaign. “The bug in the bourbon cork. I think J.R. would see the humor in that,” Bobby said.

• Sue Ellen struck back (part 2). After John Ross and Pamela (Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo) returned from their honeymoon, Sue Ellen told her son to stop cheating on his wife, but he paid Sue Ellen no heed. “This is all about you wanting to punish J.R. for the way he treated you. Well, guess what, Mama? I’m not J.R.,” John Ross said. Dumb move, junior: Once Sue Ellen played McConaughey her recording of his conversation, he agreed to replace Babcock with a new railroad commissioner — Bobby. (Said the governor upon discovering Sue Ellen’s scheme: “This is why politicians should never accept gifts — especially gifts with J.R.’s name on them.”) Sue Ellen let her son know she was behind the appointment when she sent him a text message that read, “I couldn’t look the other way.” He responded in kind, leaving her a nasty voice mail message in which he shouted, “Now I know I’ve got another enemy I’ve got to look out for. I ain’t going to forget this.”

• Emma gained the upper hand against Judith. John Ross returned from his honeymoon with a gift for his mistress: a necklace, which he gave to Emma (Emma Bell) during one of their clandestine meetings in her bedroom. When Ann (Brenda Strong) saw the jewelry, she and Emma got into a fight and Ann kicked her off the ranch. But Emma wasn’t down for long: She told Judith (Judith Light) she knows all about her prostitution business and used the information to blackmail Grandma into agreeing to give John Ross control of Ryland’s ships for his Arctic drilling venture. After Judith gave her granddaughter some advice (“Never let a man screw you for nothing”), Emma told John Ross she wants a piece of the “Arctic play,” but that’s probably the least of his worries: Judith, fuming over being blackmailed, let Harris know she was frustrated with the slow pace of his scheme to frame John Ross for a sex crime. “How hard is it to get that Ewing boy to drop his pants?” Judith asked.

• Harris gained the upper hand against the CIA. After Ann told Harris that Emma left the ranch, he worried for his daughter’s safety and told CIA agent George Tatangelo (Gino Anthony Pesi) that he wanted out of the agency’s sting operation against the Mendez-Ochoa drug cartel. Tatangelo told Harris it was too late to walk away (“You bought the ticket. You take the ride.”), so Harris threatened to expose expose the illegal “black ops” operations Tantangelo has been conducting on the side. “If you won’t stop the ride, the least you can do is re-route some of those resources and get my family a little extra protection,” Harris said. Meanwhile, Harris and Ann continued to soften toward each other during their search for Emma, who eventually came home to Southfork and told Ann she would stop seeing John Ross — a promise Emma had no intention of keeping.

• Elena and Nicolas got a clue. Pamela was unsettled to see Candace (Jude Demorest) flirting with John Ross, but that was nothing compared to the distressing phone call she received from Cliff (Ken Kercheval), who tried unsuccessfully to mend fences with her. Cliff realized his daughter believes he really did kill J.R., and so he huddled with Elena and Nicolas (Jordana Brewster, Juan Pablo Di Pace) and urged them to tell Pamela the truth. “Turn her against John Ross and she will help you get your justice … and mine,” Cliff said. He also warned Elena to keep an eye on Nicolas. Meanwhile, Nicolas persuaded Peter Bedford (Todd Terry), the state’s attorney whom J.R. once blackmailed, into showing him and Elena the files from the Mexican police’s investigation into J.R.’s murder. While examining the autopsy photos, Nicolas noticed an unusual incision on J.R.’s body.

• Christopher grew closer to Heather — and clashed with John Ross. Christopher and Heather (Jesse Metcalfe, AnnaLynne McCord) grew closer, and he learned her secret: She was once married to Bo (Donny Boaz) and the two of them have a young son, Michael. Christopher and the boy bonded over Transformers when they met, but Bo made it clear he doesn’t think much of Christopher. Or maybe Bo was just stressed because John Ross, his boss at the Southfork drilling site, has been riding the crew so hard. Buckle up, Bo, because things aren’t going to get any easier: After John Ross found out about Bobby’s new position on the railroad commission, he vowed to keep fighting until he taps the oil under the ranch. As John Ross told Bobby and Christopher, “You want to build a roadblock between me and drilling Southfork? Go ahead. If I’m as bad as my father ever was, then I’ll blow right past it.”

What did you think of “D.T.R.”? Share your comments below and look for Dallas Decoder’s critique later this week.

Filed Under: Dallas Recaps, Features Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Currie Graham, D.T.R., Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Jude Demorest, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT, Todd Terry

FYI: We’ll Discuss ‘D.T.R.’ on Our Next #DallasChat, OK?

March 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

Bad, bad boy

Did you enjoy “D.T.R.,” this week’s episode of TNT’s “Dallas”? Let’s discuss it during my next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Tuesday, March 25, from to 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

Leave your suggested questions about “D.T.R.” in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I’ll choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

If you’re new to #DallasChat, here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet a series of questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, so your answers should do the same. Please include the show’s official hashtag, #DallasTNT, in your tweets too.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Are you glad Sue Ellen tried to teach John Ross a lesson on #DallasTNT this week? #DallasChat

A1. Yes! I love him but he’s getting too big for his britches. Mama needed to knock him down a peg or three. #DallasTNT #DallasChat

Here are two tips:

• During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

This promises to be another fun discussion. Don’t miss it!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: D.T.R., Josh Henderson, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 5

March 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

AnnaLynne McCord, Bo McCabe, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Donny Boaz, D.T.R., Heather, Jesse Metcalfe, TNT

Mystery girl

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “D.T.R.,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• What will Sue Ellen do about John Ross? “Lifting the Veil,” last week’s episode, ended with John Ross riding high: He secured a permit to drill on Southfork and then exchanged vows with Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) during a lavish wedding ceremony. Not even his meddling mama could get in his way, although she tried: Moments before the nuptials, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) confronted John Ross over his infidelity and threatened to tell Pamela that he’s a cheater, but he brushed aside Sue Ellen’s concerns and cruelly pointed out the smell of alcohol on her breath. Maybe John Ross should have been nicer: During the reception, when Bobby (Patrick Duffy) told Sue Ellen he doesn’t “have a move left” to stop her son from drilling the ranch, Sue Ellen responded, “But I do.” What’s she planning?

• What will Harris do about John Ross? To obtain his drilling permit, John Ross was forced to strike a deal with Harris (Mitch Pileggi). It began when Harris summoned John Ross to an upscale brothel, where John Ross found railroad commissioner Stanley Babcock (Currie Graham) engaging in some kinky sexual fetishes. Once John Ross had the dirt he needed to blackmail Babcock and secure his permit, he agreed to give Harris a flash drive from the files Emma stole from Harris’s safe. But Harris wants all his files back, so he revealed to Judith (Judith Light) — who turned out to be the madam in charge of the brothel, by the way — his latest scheme: Harris plans to frame John Ross for a sex crime with help from Candace (Jude Demorest), John Ross’s flirtatious secretary, who is secretly working for the Rylands. Will the plot work?

• What will Emma do about John Ross? Before the wedding, John Ross attacked Emma (Emma Bell) for spoiling Pamela’s plan to surprise him with sexy lingerie, calling his mistress “an attention-starved little brat.” He was forced to apologize when he needed Emma to retrieve the flash drive for his blackmail scheme, but she still seemed upset, especially during the wedding ceremony. Later, Emma cried in bed alone while John Ross and Pamela were in a hotel room, beginning their honeymoon. Emma is unlikely to get any sympathy from Sue Ellen, who urged Ann (Brenda Strong) to kick her daughter off Southfork, a suggestion Ann rejected because of the lingering threats against Emma from Harris’s drug-dealing business partners. Will Emma continue to pursue John Ross, or will she find a new way to cause trouble?

• What will happen to Elena and Nicolas? In Mexico, Drew (Kuno Becker) overheard Christopher’s conversation with Lucia (Angélica Celaya), who confirmed that Nicolas isn’t her husband’s real name but said he has nothing else to hide. Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) returned to Southfork and told Elena (Jordana Brewster) that Nicolas was married, but Elena insisted he was divorced. Later, Nicolas admitted to Elena his divorce isn’t exactly final yet, but he assured her it will eventually be settled. Of course, it turned out Nicolas spoke too soon: Lucia arrived in Dallas and blackmailed her husband into reconciling with her. “The Ewings are determined to know who you really are. If you don’t do as I say, I’ll tell them what you owe and who you owe it to,” Lucia said. What does that mean?

• What will happen to Christopher and Heather? After John Ross and Pamela’s wedding reception, Christopher ran into Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) in the barn, where they made love. The audience still doesn’t know a lot about Heather, except that she works as a Southfork ranch hand and has four brothers; we also know from recent press reports that she’s a divorcee and single mom. Meanwhile, the “D.T.R.” publicity photo above shows Christopher and Heather speaking to ranch-hand-turned-roughneck Bo (Donny Boaz), with whom she briefly tangled in the third-season premiere, “The Return.” What’s her connection to Bo, and what else might we find out about her?

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

Filed Under: Dallas Burning Questions, Features Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Currie Graham, D.T.R., Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Julie Gonzalo, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Return, TNT

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

March 20, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

“Dallas” delivers the most delicious dialogue on television. Here are the best sound bites from “Lifting the Veil,” this week’s episode. Included: Sue Ellen’s delicious quip about Kristin, which wasn’t included in show but has been running in TNT’s promos for weeks.

What are your favorite lines from “Lifting the Veil”? Share them below and read more “Say What?!”

Filed Under: Dallas Sound Bites, Features Tagged With: Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Just Like Your Daddy’

March 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Dallas, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Once more

In “Lifting the Veil,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) enters her son’s bedroom, where John Ross (Josh Henderson) stands in front of the mirror, getting ready for his wedding.

SUE ELLEN: We’ve got to talk, John Ross.

JOHN ROSS: [Turns toward her, fastens his cuff links] Sorry I’m late, Mama. I was tending to some business.

SUE ELLEN: Is that right?

JOHN ROSS: In fact, congratulations are in order. It turns out the railroad commissioner has a few strange sexual fetishes he wants to keep under wraps — and I have him in my pocket. The shale play’s back on.

SUE ELLEN: I know you’re sleeping with Emma. [He snaps shut the box containing Pamela’s ring] All this time I was hoping that you wouldn’t make the same mistakes that your father did. Apparently the blood of J.R. runs too pure in your veins.

JOHN ROSS: [Walks toward her] I don’t know what you think is going on, but I guarantee you do not understand what I am doing. Or why.

SUE ELLEN: I understand the pain you are causing Pamela.

JOHN ROSS: She doesn’t know anything about this. And she doesn’t need to. Look, this does not change how I feel about her. I love her. This is just business.

SUE ELLEN: Just like your daddy, finding a way to explain infidelity. [Voice cracking] I will not stand by and watch you destroy Pamela like J.R. destroyed me.

JOHN ROSS: Is that alcohol I smell on your breath? Perhaps your drinking is making you forget your loyalties, Mama. [Grabs his jacket, puts it on]

SUE ELLEN: If you don’t stop doing what you’re doing, I’m going to tell Pamela myself.

JOHN ROSS: You have looked the other way you’re whole life, Mama. One more time’s not going to hurt. [Walks past her]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Josh Henderson, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, TNT