Julie Gonzalo – Dallas Decoder

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 11

April 8, 2013 by Chris Baker 21 Comments

Ewings, united

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “A Call to Arms” and “Love and Family,” the latest episodes from “Dallas’s” second season:

• Will Ewing Energies collapse? In “Let Me In,” last week’s episode, the Ewings were shocked to learn the state was: a) blaming Christopher’s technology for the Ewing Energies rig explosion, and b) fining the company $1 billion. The family vowed to fight back, but the conspiracy against them was bigger than they realized: Governor Sam McConaughey (Steven Weber), one of Harris’s allies, covered up the truth about the blast, which was caused by Cliff and Harris’s bomb. Later, Ken (Lee Majors) sent Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) documents that suggest the governor is in Harris’s pocket, but it was too little, too late: McConaughey used his power to seize the Henderson drilling site, effectively cutting off the Ewings’ oil fortune as the deadline to pay the fine loomed. How will the family get out of this jam?

• Will Pamela turn on Cliff? The rig explosion caused Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) to lose her unborn twins, sending her into a depression. John Ross (Josh Henderson) comforted Pamela and told her the rig was sabotaged, which seemed to revive her fighting spirit. “Promise me that when you find out who did this, you’ll make them pay,” she told Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe). Once Pamela discovers Cliff (Ken Kercheval) ordered the explosion, will she align herself with the Ewings in their battle against him?

• What will happen to Drew and Emma? Southfork’s newest lovebirds, Drew and Emma (Kuno Becker, Emma Bell), grew closer even as they wrestled with their inner demons. Guilt-ridden Drew hasn’t told Elena (Jordana Brewster) or anyone else that he planted the bomb on the rig. Meanwhile, after Sue Ellen spotted Emma in a bar getting high and flirting with an older man, Sue Ellen told Ann (Brenda Strong), who realized she doesn’t know her daughter as well as she thinks. Of course, this might be the least of Emma’s troubles. When she defied Harris’s orders to stop seeing Drew, Harris had the young man savagely beaten, then showed Emma the results of his handiwork. “No more looking for trouble, OK?” Harris sad. “Yes, Daddy,” she responded through tears. Will Emma really obey him?

• Will Bobby solve J.R.’s puzzle? Carlos (Castulo Guerra), J.R.’s Mexican friend, introduced Bobby (Patrick Duffy) to Rhonda (Emily Kosloski), the mystery woman who was supposedly seen entering J.R.’s Nuevo Laredo hotel room on the night he died. Rhonda told Bobby she is the hostess in a club owned by members of the local drug cartel, and that J.R. wanted to speak to her because Harris frequents the club. She explained: “J.R.’s not the first man to invite me back to his hotel room. He just wanted to talk. Share a drink. He was kind to me. Gentlemen are in such short supply where I work. I’m so sorry, what happened to your brother.” Did she tell Bobby the truth?

• Where’s Pam? Speaking of J.R.: After Bobby told Sue Ellen about her ex-husband’s master scheme, John Ross found a copy of Rebecca Wentworth’s will, which showed she left her estate – including her shares of Barnes Global – to her three children: Katherine, Cliff and Pam. “If we can get Pam’s shares, we can kick the legs out from under Cliff,” Bobby said. “That’s why J.R. wanted us to find Pam. That’s our move.” Has the time come for Bobby to finally confront his ex-wife?

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: Brenda Strong, Call to Arms, Emily Kosloski, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kuno Becker, Lee Majors, Let Me In, Linda Gray, Love and Family, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 10

April 1, 2013 by Chris Baker 14 Comments

Will she let him in?

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Let Me In,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode.

• How will Pamela cope? In “Guilt and Innocence,” last week’s episode, Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) was rushed to the hospital after being injured in the explosion aboard the Ewing Energies rig. She had emergency surgery to save the lives of her unborn twins but suffered complications after the procedure. In the final scene, the babies’ hearts stopped beating. How will this loss affect Pamela and Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), their relationship with each other and their relationships with John Ross and Elena (Josh Henderson, Jordana Brewster)?

• Will Christopher be vindicated? Christopher feared his technology caused the explosion, but Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) was convinced her nephew wasn’t to blame. She turned to Ken Richards (Lee Majors), an old flame who is now one of the chairmen of the state board investigating the blast, and asked him for inside information. Ken poked around and told Sue Ellen the evidence suggests the rig was bombed, although it would be “months before anything official comes out.” When Sue Ellen relayed this information to John Ross and Christopher, they immediately suspected Cliff (Ken Kercheval) was the saboteur. Will the cousins be able to prove their suspicions?

• What’s Harris’s next move? After Judith (Judith Light) fell down the stairs, she was taken to the hospital, where she tried to persuade Emma (Emma Bell) that Harris was out to get them. Emma didn’t believe Judith, much to Harris’s relief. To get his mother out of his hair (so to speak), Harris (Mitch Pileggi) had her drugged and shipped to a rehabilitation center. Meanwhile, Emma slept with Drew (Kuno Becker), who was consumed with guilt over his role in the bombing and refused to obey when Vickers (Alex Fernandez) ordered him to leave town. With the ice thawing between Harris and Emma, will he try to interfere with her relationship with Drew?

• What’s the governor got to do with this? “Let Me In” will introduce Steven Weber as “Dallas’s” newest villain: Governor McConaughey. In “Ewings Unite!,” Cliff told Harris that one of the reasons he wanted to form an alliance with him is because Harris has “a certain friendship with our governor.” Will McConaughey help Harris influence the investigation into the rig explosion?

• Where in the world is Pam Ewing? After the blast, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) finally forgave Ann (Brenda Strong) for keeping her past from him. All was well until the end of the episode, when Bobby received an update on J.R.’s investigation into Pam’s disappearance: It seems she entered Abu Dhabi with a man – “presumably her husband,” according to the report – in 1989. The news rattled Ann. What does it mean for Ann’s marriage to Bobby – and what does it have to do with J.R.’s death?

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

Filed Under: Dallas Burning Questions Tagged With: Alex Fernandez, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Ewings Unite!, Guilt and Innocence, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kuno Becker, Lee Majors, Let Me In, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 20 – ‘Guilt and Innocence’

March 28, 2013 by Chris Baker 49 Comments

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Guilt and Innocence, Jesse Metcalfe, TNT

Man of the hour

“Dallas’s” second-season plotlines don’t advance much in “Guilt and Innocence,” which is disappointing to those of who are desperate for more clues in the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery. On the other hand, this episode offers a nice showcase for the “Dallas” cast, which has become one of television’s most reliable ensembles. The most impressive performances come from Jesse Metcalfe, who is especially moving in the scene where the guilt-ridden Christopher weeps inside the hospital chapel, and Julie Gonzalo, who breaks my heart as Pamela suffers through the final hours of her doomed pregnancy.

The last scene in “Guilt and Innocence” is the most memorable. John Ross and Christopher rush into Pamela’s hospital room as her doctor and nurses scramble to save the lives of her unborn twins. Afton is there too, clutching her daughter’s hand. How many people are present altogether? I couldn’t tell you. Director Jesse Bochco unfurls the action in a series of quick cuts, making it feel chaotic and real. We catch glimpses of Pamela writhing in agony, John Ross and Christopher watching with worried expressions, the doctor barking orders. Someone yells, “Heart rate’s dropping on Baby A!” And then: “Heart rate’s dropping on Baby B!” The motion slows. The machinery buzzes. Soon there are no other sounds, except for a faint piano score. The final shot is the monitor as the two heart rates flatline, one by one.

Another dramatic highlight comes at the beginning, when a frantic Bobby races through the emergency room, calling the missing Ann’s name. Their reunion a few moments later, when Bobby forgives his wife for keeping so many secrets from him during their marriage, makes me realize how invested I’ve become in them as a couple. Robert Rovner’s script also gives us a handful of typically intense scenes with the schizoid Rylands, all three of whom grow a little weirder with each episode, as well as several lighter moments. The best of these: Linda Gray’s breezy exchange with Lee Majors, who proves as charismatic as ever; the moment John Ross calls Pamela “darlin’;” and Sue Ellen’s pot-calling-the-kettle-black description of Afton: “She’s drama.”

With Pamela and wild-haired Judith Ryland both laid up, almost all of the action in “Guilt and Innocence” takes place in the hospital. This makes the episode reminiscent of “Trial and Error,” an earlier second-season episode that unfolded almost entirely in the courthouse during Ann’s trial. In that installment, the legal proceedings ended up being less about Ann shooting Harris than her failings as a wife and mother. Similarly, Pamela’s pregnancy crisis becomes a vehicle for introspection. Christopher wonders if he took too many risks in his quest to build Ewing Energies, while Pamela questions her past schemes. In a poignant moment, she stares at the fetal heart monitor and asks John Ross, “Do you think this is karma … for all the bad that I’ve done?”

I wish “Guilt and Innocence” had taken this idea a little further. When Afton arrives at Pamela’s bedside, she refers to “all the bad choices” her daughter made in an attempt to “forge a relationship” with Cliff, but nothing more is said about Pamela’s deceptions, which aren’t trivial. This is a young woman who spent two years lying about her identity – then married Christopher – in order to infiltrate the Ewings. It makes Afton’s anger toward Christopher feel a little unfair. I understand that she blames him for Pamela’s accident, but shouldn’t she have a little sympathy for the man her daughter conned? (For that matter: Christopher and Pamela are still married? I thought their annulment occurred several episodes ago.)

Along these lines, while Sue Ellen’s lingering bitterness toward Afton is understandable, I’m a bit baffled by Bobby’s hostility toward her (“Pull in your claws, Afton”). Afton once saved his life; you’d think he’d be a little nicer. On the other hand: I like how “Guilt and Innocence” restores a little bit of the edge Afton displayed when she arrived on “Dallas” in the early ’80s. Bochco’s shot of Audrey Landers lurking around the hospital corner is inspired, recalling the way Afton used to slink around Southfork. I also applaud the scene where Afton serenades Pamela with her favorite childhood lullaby, a charming tribute to Afton’s roots as “Dallas’s” resident songstress. (I wonder if Josh Henderson, no slouch in the singing department himself, wanted to join in?)

The only thing that would’ve made Afton’s homecoming complete is having Cliff around. More than anything, I want to know how he feels about himself after endangering Pamela’s life. (I hope we get more than Harris’s one-sided conversation with Cliff in “Guilt and Innocence,” when he apparently expresses no regret for his actions.) I also believe the show could use Afton to shed a little light on what turned Cliff so dark, so hopefully “Dallas” will bring Landers and Ken Kercheval together in a later episode. Just please don’t make it a Gary-and-Valene-style drive-by reunion.

The other item on my “Dallas” wish list: More “Who Killed J.R.?” As much as I appreciate the tantalizing clue dropped at the end of “Guilt and Innocence” (Pam was alive in 1989!), I hope the show’s next episode will put the mystery surrounding J.R.’s death front and center. I realize the people who make “Dallas” are crafting this storyline on the fly, weaving it into scripts that were originally written to include Larry Hagman. But I can also feel the storyline losing momentum. The audience needs to see the Ewings get serious about finding the person responsible for the death of our hero. If it doesn’t happen soon, the question won’t be who killed J.R., but why doesn’t “Dallas” seem to care?

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Drama mama

‘GUILT AND INNOCENCE’

Season 2, Episode 10

Telecast: March 25, 2013

Writer: Robert Rovner

Director: Jesse Bochco

Audience: 2.6 million viewers on March 25

Synopsis: After the rig explosion, Pamela is rushed to the hospital. Afton arrives to comfort her daughter, who loses her unborn twins after emergency surgery. Bobby forgives Ann. Sue Ellen turns to old flame Ken Richards, chairman of the regulatory board investigating the explosion, who divulges the rig might have been sabotaged. John Ross and Christopher figure out Cliff is trying to devalue Ewing Energies, while guilt-ridden Drew threatens Vickers if he tries to expose Drew’s role in the bombing. While recovering from her fall, Judith tries to turn Emma against Harris, who responds by having Judith drugged and shipped to a rehabilitation center.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Brown), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Laura Kai Chen (Dr. Chang), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Alex Fernandez (Roy Vickers), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Barnes), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Shane Jacobsen (Zach McGuire), Audrey Landers (Afton), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Lee Majors (Ken Richards), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Annie Wersching (Alison Jones)

“Guilt & Innocence” 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: Audrey Landers, Guilt and Innocence, Jesse Bochco, Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Lee Majors, Linda Gray, Robert Rovner, TNT, Trial and Error, Who Killed J.R.?

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 9

March 25, 2013 by Chris Baker 37 Comments

Don’t blame him

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Guilt and Innocence,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode.

• Who survives the blast? At the end of “Ewings Unite!,” last week’s episode, most of the Ewings gathered on the methane extraction rig, along with Pamela and Elena (Julie Gonzalo, Jordana Brewster), for a demonstration. Little did everyone know the platform was rigged with explosives, which detonated moments before the screen faded to black. It’s a safe bet the core characters will survive, but I’m not sure we can say the same thing about Pamela’s unborn twins. One clue: Pamela’s mother Afton (Audrey Landers) will appear in tonight’s episode, possibly to console her grieving daughter. If Pamela loses one or both of the babies, how will it affect her relationships with ex-husband Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) and ex-lover John Ross (Josh Henderson)?

• Can Cliff be redeemed? The story behind the explosion, part 1: At the beginning of last week’s episode, Cliff and Harris (Ken Kercheval, Mitch Pileggi) joined forces to bring down the Ewings. Cliff promised to give Harris the money he needs to gain control of Ryland Transport from Judith (Judith Light), while Harris agreed to help Cliff undermine Ewing Energies. Harris’s henchman Roy Vickers (Alex Fernandez) arranged to have the bomb planted under the platform, but when Pamela unexpectedly showed up, he called Cliff and gave him a chance to back out. Remarkably, Cliff told Vickers to proceed with the detonation. How will Cliff live with himself after this?

• Will Drew forgive himself? The story behind the explosion, part 2: Drew (Kuno Becker) reluctantly planted the bomb after being blackmailed by Vickers, who threatened to kill Elena if Drew refused to do his bidding. Until then, things had been looking up for young Drew: Bobby (Patrick Duffy) agreed to sell him the Ramos family’s land and Drew went on a promising date with Emma (Emma Bell). What will happen if his role in the explosion is discovered?

• Will Christopher be blamed? The Ewings were on the platform to demonstrate its potential to local government official Alison Jones (Annie Wersching), hoping it would seal their deal to land the city’s lucrative fuel contract. Getting Alison to the platform took a lot of work: When Cliff tried to steal the contract at the last minute, John Ross and Christopher teamed to blackmail Alison into rejecting his bid. Last season, Christopher’s methane extraction technology was plagued by suspicions it was unsafe. Will the bombing raise fresh doubts?

• Will Sue Ellen sober up? J.R.’s will split his share of the Southfork mineral rights between John Ross and Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), who shifted into denial mode about her alcoholism, insisting she didn’t need Gary’s help to stop drinking. After Valene (Joan Van Ark) confronted her, Sue Ellen urged Gary (Ted Shackelford) to return to his wife, telling him she needs to reclaim her sobriety on her own. Will she?

• More questions: Now that John Ross has inherited half of Southfork, will he take up residence at the ranch, perhaps moving into his father’s old bedroom? Did Judith survive her tumble down the stairs? And will we finally get some more clues to the biggest question of all: Who killed J.R.?

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: Annie Wersching, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Ewings Unite!, Guilt and Innocence, Jesse Metcalfe, Joan Van Ark, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kuno Becker, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Ted Shackelford, TNT

Drill Bits: After J.R.’s Funeral, ‘Dallas’s’ Ratings Dip

March 20, 2013 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Ewings Unite!, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Back to normal

“Dallas” lost almost all of the extra viewers it picked up during J.R. Ewing’s funeral last week.

“J.R.’s Masterpiece,” the sendoff for Larry Hagman’s iconic character, was seen by 3.6 million viewers on March 11. It was the TNT drama’s most-watched telecast this year, beating the show’s second-season average by about 1 million viewers.

The latest telecast, “Ewings Unite!,” scored 2.7 million viewers on March 18. This audience included more than 1 million viewers between ages 18 and 49, a demographic that advertisers pay a premium to reach.

A ratings decline was expected. Television series often get a boost from “milestone” episodes, and the death of J.R. – whom Hagman began portraying in 1978 – fit the bill.

Meanwhile, the audience for “J.R.’s Masterpiece” continues to grow. Within a few days of the episode’s March 11 telecast, DVR users had pushed its audience to 4.6 million viewers, a 26 percent increase from the previous week’s episode. When DVR users are counted, “J.R.’s Masterpiece” averaged 1.8 million adults between ages 25 and 54, an audience that TNT targets, and 1.5 million adults between 18 and 49.

TNT has not announced whether it plans to renew “Dallas” for a third season. The cable channel renewed the show for a second season two days after the third telecast.

Austin to Dallas

I haven’t seen next week’s episode of “Dallas,” but I’m calling it now: The highlight will be Lee Majors’ guest appearance as Ken Richards, one of Sue Ellen’s old flames. (Well, that and the return of Audrey Landers as Afton Cooper.)

As regular readers of Dallas Decoder know, “The Six Million Dollar Man” was my other favorite show growing up, so you can imagine how excited I am to have Col. Steve Austin visit “Dallas.” You can also imagine how thrilled I was to interview Majors a few weeks ago. If you haven’t already checked out our chat, please do so.

Derby II

Dallas Divas Derby, a March Madness-style brackets competition that pits the women of “Dallas” against each other, is back for more fun. The most recent round ended earlier this week with victories for Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster), who beat Jenna Wade (Priscilla Presley) in a matchup between “The Outsiders,” and Pamela Rebecca Barnes (Julie Gonzalo), who defeated Serena Wald (Stephanie Blackmore) in a showdown between “The Setup Queens.” Voting in the next round will end Monday, March 25.

Drinking Drew

If you’re a fan of Kuno Becker’s performance as Drew Ramos, be sure to check out The Drew, the latest addition to Cook In/Dine Out’s “Dallas Drinks” collection. Like Mr. Becker, this drink is hot stuff!

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Ewings Unite!, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Kuno Becker, Lee Majors, Priscilla Presley, Stephanie Blackmore, TNT

‘Who Killed J.R.?’ More Questions, Few Answers

March 19, 2013 by Chris Baker 64 Comments

TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode, “Ewings Unite!,” offered a few potential clues in the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery – but not many. Here’s what I think we know.

• J.R. was searching for Pam. At the end of “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” Bum (Kevin Page) told Bobby, John Ross and Christopher that J.R. had been looking for Christopher’s “mother” before his death. Since Bum didn’t specify which mother, I suggested J.R. wasn’t necessarily on the trail of Pam (Victoria Principal), the mom who adopted Christopher and later abandoned him and Bobby. My left-field theory: J.R. was hunting Christopher’s biological mom Kristin (Mary Crosby). Yes, I know she supposedly drowned in the Southfork swimming pool, but hey, this is “Dallas.”

In “Ewings Unite!,” we seem to receive confirmation that Pam was the target of J.R.’s search after all. This happens when Bobby (Patrick Duffy), while filling in the Ewing cousins on the history of Cliff’s company, holds a stack of papers and says, “This is a summary of the financial reports for Barnes Global, dating all the way back to its inception, when it was started by Cliff’s mother. Now she divided that company up between the three children: Pamela, Cliff and Katherine. Katherine’s dead. So if Pamela’s still alive, she could be a silent partner in Barnes Global. Maybe that’s why J.R. was looking for her – to help us take Cliff down.”

Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) responds: “If my mother’s alive, I’ll find her. It’s about time I did.”

Bobby’s history lesson isn’t exactly how I remember the origin of the old Barnes/Wentworth empire, but setting that aside for a moment, this scene seems to offer two things: a) confirmation that J.R. was indeed trying to find his old nemesis Pam, and b) Bobby’s theory that J.R. wanted Pam to help him stop Cliff.

In other words: There’s no reason, at this point, to believe Kristin is anything but dead.

• The list of suspects is taking shape. In addition to Kristin, the list I posted last week of eight potential suspects included Katherine (Morgan Brittany), who I figured would want J.R. dead because she’s still holding a grudge against the Ewings. Now that we know Katherine is dead, she comes off the list too. (Presumably Katherine’s demise occurred sometime between the end of the original “Dallas” and the beginning of TNT’s revival.) Is it possible she’s still alive and Bobby doesn’t know it? Sure, but there’s no evidence to support that one either.

I also think we can drop the Ewings’ disgruntled lawyer, Mitch Lobell (Richard Dillard), from the list of suspects, since no one has mentioned him and he was a long shot to begin with. And even though I’m still suspicious of J.R.’s friend Carlos del Sol (Castulo Guerra) – who, we learn in “Ewings Unite!” is investigating Harris’s Mexican trucking operation on Bobby’s behalf – there’s no reason to consider him a suspect at this point either.

This leaves three chief suspects, beginning with Cliff (Ken Kercheval), who wouldn’t seem capable of killing J.R. – until now. In the chilling finale of “Ewings Unite!,” Cliff orders Harris’s henchman Roy Vickers (Alex Fernandez) to blow up the Ewing Energies methane extraction rig – even though Cliff knows the blast might harm his pregnant daughter Pamela (Julie Gonzalo). If Cliff is willing to risk his own flesh and blood, why wouldn’t he be willing to take out J.R.?

The second suspect: Harris (Mitch Pileggi), who joined forces with Cliff in “Ewings Unite!,” just like J.R. predicted in his note to John Ross (Josh Henderson). I still don’t know why Harris would have a beef with J.R., unless he believed getting rid of him would leave Bobby and Ann vulnerable to attack. I doubt the “Dallas” producers will have Harris turn out to be J.R.’s murderer, though, even if his altercation with mother Judith (Judith Light) at the end of “Ewings Unite!” suggests a violent streak.

The third and final suspect: J.R. Yes, I know: It’s unlikely Larry Hagman’s iconic character would arrange his own death, even if it turned out to be part of an elaborate scheme to set up Cliff, Harris or one of his other enemies. But I keep coming back to a point I made last week: Who else on “Dallas” is big enough to take down J.R. Ewing – except J.R. himself?

• There’s still a lot we don’t know. “Ewings Unite!” opens with the reading of J.R.’s will, in which John Ross somehow inherits half of Southfork from Miss Ellie and John Ross and Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) split J.R.’s share of the ranch’s lucrative mineral rights. You might think an inheritance this huge would make John Ross or Sue Ellen suspects in J.R.s death, but c’mon, that would be nuts. The new “Dallas” producers wouldn’t go that far, would they?

“Ewings Unite!” doesn’t shed much light on the other clues in the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery. In addition to the discovery that J.R. was searching for Pam, “J.R.’s Masterpiece” also ended with Bobby receiving a mysterious document from his deceased brother. In “Ewings Unite!,” John Ross refers to the document as “a letter,” but Bobby declares he won’t reveal its contents until J.R.’s master plan is implemented. “Because that’s the way he wanted it,” Bobby says.

We also still don’t know what to make of the gun that J.R. left for John Ross. While watching “Ewings Unite!,” it occurred to me: Could this be the gun that Kristin used to shoot J.R. all those years ago? If so, might it signal her eventual return? Uh oh, here I go again!

Who done it? Share your theories below and read more posts on Dallas Decoder’s “Who Killed J.R.?” page.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Alex Fernandez, Castulo Guerra, Ewings Unite!, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mary Crosby, Mitch Pileggi, Morgan Brittany, Richard Dillard, TNT, Who Killed J.R.?

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 8

March 18, 2013 by Chris Baker 38 Comments

Oh, mama!

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Ewings Unite!,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode.

• Who killed J.R.? In “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” last week’s episode, the Ewings learned J.R. was shot and killed in a cheap hotel in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The police investigation concluded he was a robbery victim, but Bobby (Patrick Duffy) knew better. For more, check out my list of eight potential suspects, as well as the five burning questions surrounding “Dallas’s” latest mystery. Who do you think is responsible for J.R.’s death?

• What’s in J.R.’s will? It isn’t clear what J.R.’s estate includes, but this much we know: the Southfork mineral rights were split equally among him, Bobby and Gary (Ted Shackelford). The surviving brothers recently joined forces to suspend pumping oil out of the ranch, which is part of Bobby’s effort to oust Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) from Ewing Energies. Now that J.R. is gone, who will inherit his share of the mineral rights and how will it affect the battle over the company?

• Will Sue Ellen recover? In the aftermath of J.R.’s death, Sue Ellen continued to cozy up to Gary, hoping he’d side with her in the fight for Ewing Energies. Her ambition offended John Ross (Josh Henderson), who told her, “My father’s barely cold and you’re talking about already going to seduce his brother? Could you at least pretend to mourn him for five minutes?” Little did John Ross know how much his mother was hurting: On the night before J.R.’s funeral, she broke down and got drunk, then confessed her relapse during her eulogy for her ex-husband. Will Sue Ellen get the familial support she’ll need to climb back onto the wagon?

• Will Gary and Val reconcile? It’s unlikely anything lasting will come of Sue Ellen and Gary’s flirtation since “Ewings Unite!” marks the end of Shackelford’s three-week guest stint on “Dallas.” Also, keep in mind: Tonight’s episode brings back Joan Van Ark, who’ll reprise her iconic role as Valene, Gary’s now-estranged wife, and Charlene Tilton, who’ll make another appearance as Lucy, their daughter. The question is: Will Gary and Val leave Southfork together or separately?

• Will Bobby and Ann make up? J.R.’s death put additional stress on Bobby, who lashed out at Ann (Brenda Strong) for keeping so many secrets from him during their marriage. When she apologized and asked what she could do to “make things right,” he turned away. Meanwhile, Harris (Mitch Pileggi) arrived at Southfork in his sleek Lamborghini and pleaded with Emma (Emma Bell) to come home with him. When she refused, Harris told Ann, “Tell your husband that he has no idea what he started.” What will Harris do?

• How will Emma shock us next? Speaking of Emma: That girl has gone wild! During J.R.’s memorial service, she ducked into a cloakroom and popped pills with John Ross. Later, they shared a bottle of booze and retreated to the backseat of a car, where he, um, welcomed her to the family. But John Ross isn’t the only man in Emma’s life: When Harris tried to persuade her to leave Southfork, Drew (Kuno Becker) helped Ann run him off the ranch. Could Drew be next on Emma’s hit list?

• Is Pamela fed up with Cliff? When John Ross spotted Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) at J.R.’s memorial, he criticized her for reneging on her promise to share her piece of Ewing Energies. “John Ross, please. I care about you,” Pamela said. His response: “The only thing you care about is yourself.” Later, when Cliff (Ken Kercheval) showed up at the memorial, ranting and raving about the Barnes/Ewing feud, Pamela made him leave. “Daddy, that’s enough. Let’s go,” she said. Between Pamela’s feelings for John Ross and her anger at Cliff, could she be rethinking her role in the Barnes/Ewing feud?

• Who’s minding the store? We haven’t heard much about Ewing Energies since “The Furious and the Fast,” when the company-sponsored racecar scored a big victory at the track. This prompted flirty transportation official Alison Jones (Annie Wersching) to hint Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) will be awarded the contract to fuel the city’s municipal fleet. Meanwhile, with Elena (Jordana Brewster) out of a job, Drew persuaded her to help him drill their father’s land, although first they need to buy it back from Bobby. Will he sell?

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

Filed Under: Dallas Burning Questions Tagged With: Annie Wersching, Brenda Strong, Charlene Tilton, Emma Bell, Ewings Unite!, Furious and the Fast, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Joan Van Ark, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kuno Becker, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Ted Shackelford, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 7

March 11, 2013 by Chris Baker 32 Comments

Goodbye, J.R.

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “J.R.’s Masterpiece,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode.

• Who killed J.R.? In “The Furious and the Fast,” last week’s episode, J.R. (Larry Hagman) went to Abu Dhabi to close an oil deal while his private eye Bum (Kevin Page) snooped into Harris’s past. Meanwhile, John Ross (Josh Henderson) was disappointed when his latest scheme against Bobby and Christopher (Patrick Duffy, Jesse Metcalfe) failed. In the final scene, J.R. called John Ross and tried to buck him up. “Don’t you worry, son. I’ve got a plan. It’s going to be my masterpiece,” J.R. said. The call was interrupted when John Ross heard two gunshots on the other end of the line. Who would want J.R. dead?

• How will the Ewings cope? J.R.’s death is bound to put a lot of pressure on the Ewings, who are already in turmoil. Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) is cozying up to Gary (Ted Shackelford) in an attempt to undermine his alliance with Bobby. John Ross feels betrayed by Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), who sided with Christopher during their fight over Ewing Energies. Elsewhere, Ann (Brenda Strong) has allowed Emma (Emma Bell) to move into Southfork, which is sure to infuriate Harris (Mitch Pileggi), while Elena and Drew (Jordana Brewster, Kuno Becker) want to reclaim their father’s land from the Ewings so they can drill it. Will J.R.’s death bring these people closer together – or push them further apart?

• What secrets will be revealed? J.R.’s funeral will bring a lot of familiar faces back to Dallas, including half-brother Ray (Steve Kanaly), niece Lucy (Charlene Tilton) and ex-wife Cally (Cathy Podewell), as well as Cliff (Ken Kercheval), his mortal enemy, and Mandy (Deborah Shelton), his longtime mistress. Once the memories start flowing, will the skeletons come tumbling out of the closet too?

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: Brenda Strong, Cathy Podewell, Charlene Tilton, Deborah Shelton, Emma Bell, Furious and the Fast, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kevin Page, Kuno Becker, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly, Ted Shackelford, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 2, Week 6

March 4, 2013 by Chris Baker 38 Comments

Mama drama

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “The Furious and the Fast,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode.

• Will Ewing Energies survive? In “Blame Game,” last week’s episode, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) finally seized Elena’s share of Ewing Energies. Meanwhile, Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) agreed to give Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) 10 percent of the company as part of their annulment. This means Bobby, Sue Ellen and John Ross each own a quarter of Ewing Energies, Christopher has 15 percent and Pamela owns the rest. Will this team of rivals be able to set aside their squabbles and do business, like helping Christopher win the contract to fuel the city’s municipal fleet?

• Can Gary help Bobby? Tonight’s episode features a special guest star: Ted Shackelford, who’ll reprise his role from the original “Dallas” and “Knots Landing” as Gary Ewing, J.R. and Bobby’s middle brother. Each man controls one-third of the Southfork mineral rights, and in my recent interview with Shackelford, he revealed Bobby summons Gary to Dallas to form a voting bloc against J.R.’s wing of the family. In the past, Gary hasn’t always been the most reliable Ewing (his big weaknesses: booze and beautiful women). Will he come through for Bobby this time?

• Who does Pamela love? After Pamela snagged her piece of Ewing Energies, she reneged on her deal to give a portion to John Ross (Josh Henderson). Pamela cited her unborn twins as the reason for her change of heart. “I don’t want to be at war with their father again,” she said. John Ross vowed revenge, but when Vicente (Carlos Bernard) took the Ewings hostage at Southfork, Pamela and John Ross opened up to each other and seemed to reconnect. So who does her heart really belong to: John Ross, Christopher … or daddy Cliff?

• Are the Rylands out for blood? Bobby visited Emma (Emma Bell) and reminded her she has another family at Southfork. “If you ever need anything, we’re there,” he said. Later, Emma paid a surprise jailhouse visit to Ann (Brenda Strong), who finally began to bond with her daughter. But the biggest surprise was yet to come: During the penalty phase of Ann’s trial, the jury sentenced her to probation, which outraged Harris and Judith (Mitch Pileggi, Judith Light). Should Ann watch her back?

• Will Drew catch a break? And now, let us consider the plight of poor Drew Ramos (Kuno Becker). A few episodes ago, he returned to Southfork after a long absence, eager to drill his dead father’s land, only to find out his family sold it to Bobby. So Drew went to work for his kid sister Elena (Jordana Brewster), discovered her foreman was up to no good and fired him, only to catch hell from her. To earn extra cash, Drew took a job driving a truck, only to get arrested for transporting stolen goods. He tried to do “the right thing” and signed a confession, only to discover John Ross was behind his arrest. As if all this wasn’t bad enough, Drew came home to Elena’s cottage after what was probably another bad day, only to find her in the process of being kidnapped by Vicente. So Drew did what comes naturally to people on “Dallas”: He reached for a gun and shot Vicente, killing him. This probably won’t please Drew’s parole officer, but will it at least prompt Elena to be nicer to him?

• Where’s J.R.? Before Vicente ambushed Southfork, Bobby determined J.R. (Larry Hagman) was behind Sue Ellen and John Ross’s coup at Ewing Energies and went to question his brother, only to find his bedroom empty. Where did J.R. go, and how will it figure into the end of his legendary run on “Dallas”?

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: Blame Game, Brenda Strong, Carlos Bernard, Emma Bell, Furious and the Fast, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Kuno Becker, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Ted Shackelford, TNT

Drill Bits: Another Ratings Bump for ‘Dallas’

February 27, 2013 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Christopher Ewing, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Sue Ellen Ewing

Quit squabbling, boys. Your numbers are up.

“Dallas” scored almost 2.6 million viewers on February 25, making this the third week in a row the TNT drama experienced a slight bump in the ratings. The audience included roughly 890,000 viewers in the advertiser-prized demographic of adults between ages 18 and 49.

“Dallas” is also getting a big boost from DVR users. For example, 2.5 million viewers watched the episode “Trial and Error” on February 18, but by the middle of the week, DVR users had pushed its haul to 3.2 million viewers. This audience included 1.1 million viewers between ages 18 and 49 and 1.3 million viewers between ages 25 and 54, a demographic TNT targets.

Although “Dallas’s” numbers are down from its first season, Jesse Metcalfe told the Hollywood Reporter this week that TNT executives are “still very pleased” with the show’s performance.

“We get reports from Steve Koonin (president of Turner Entertainment Networks) and from Michael Wright (TNT’s president, programming). The show is doing what they needed it to do in these winter months in the time slot that they have chosen,” Metcalfe said.

Also, keep in mind: This has been a bleak winter for the television business. Fewer people are watching stalwarts like Fox’s “American Idol” and ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” NBC’s once-promising “Smash” has collapsed and newcomers like CBS’s “The Job” failed to catch fire.

Oscar Snubs Hagman

Like a lot of “Dallas” fans, I was disappointed to see Larry Hagman excluded from the “In Memorium” reel shown during ABC’s recent Academy Awards’ broadcast. Hagman is best known for his television roles, but his credits also include notable performances in films such as “Harry and Tonto,” “Nixon” and “Primary Colors.”

Early in his career, the actor also had a small but memorable role in the 1964 Cold War classic “Fail Safe,” which “Dallas” creator David Jacobs recalled during my interview with him last year.

Hagman is featured in the Oscars’ online “In Memorium” gallery, but ABC should have made time for him in its Oscar telecast too.

More Oscars Stuff

In other Oscars news: Congrats to Robin Charters, son of “Dallas” cinematographer Rodney Charters, who did camerawork for “Life of Pi,” this year’s winner for cinematography. By the way: Rodney makes his “Dallas” directorial debut with “The Furious and the Fast,” next week’s racecar-themed episode.

Pour Me a Pamela, Please

Now that Julie Gonzalo has ditched Rebecca’s cheery dresses for Pamela’s fierce business suits, my husband Andrew thought she deserved a more sophisticated signature cocktail. Enter The Pamela, the latest addition to Andrew’s “Dallas Drinks” collection.

If you’re keeping count, Gonzalo’s character has now inspired Andrew to create two drinks and some holiday fortune cookies. He’s almost cooking for Pamela Rebecca as much as he cooks for me. Should I be worried?

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.