Julie Gonzalo – Dallas Decoder

The Dal-List: 31 Things That Happen When You Watch ‘Dallas’

April 7, 2014 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

Mr. Cool

What happens when “Dallas” fans watch the show? Here are 31 experiences we all share when we tune in to TNT on Monday nights.

1. You settle into your comfiest chair with a pint of ice cream and/or a tall glass of wine and think, “It’s ‘Dallas’ night. Life is good.”

2. The teaser scene starts. If it features Josh Henderson, you reach for something to fan yourself.

3. The theme song begins and you get chills because it’s biologically impossible to not get excited when you hear this music.

4. You see the three-way split-screen opening credits. You feel joy.

5. Before the first commercial break, someone blackmails someone else. (Note: This will happen at least six more times before the episode ends.)

6. Sex!

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

How does she do it?

7. Linda Gray appears and looks fantastic. You turn to the spouse/roommate/cat sitting next to you and say, “How does she manage to get more beautiful each week?”

8. The spouse/roommate/cat doesn’t make a peep because you’ve trained him/her/it to be completely silent when “Dallas” is on.

9. Is Sue Ellen blackmailing someone? Putting John Ross in his place? It doesn’t matter. Whatever she’s doing, you think, “Gray is totally crushing this scene.”

10. Someone mentions J.R. You smile and feel thankful for all the wonderful performances Larry Hagman gave us over the years.

11. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) calls John Ross “boy.” You realize you never get tired of hearing him do this.

12. Brenda Strong appears and you can’t help but wonder: Is Ann is going to shoot someone tonight?

13. Something happens in the storyline that doesn’t quite add up but you decide not to dwell on it because the rest of the show is So. Damn. Good.

14. You suddenly get a hankering for a Miller Lite. You’re not sure why.

15. You hop onto Twitter, read the cast’s tweets and feel impressed by how cool the actors are.

16. “Maybe I should buy a Microsoft Surface,” you think.

17. You notice how fantastic Jordana Brewster and Julie Gonzalo’s hair looks and wish Charles Yusko could style your hair too.

18. You see everyone’s amazing clothes and wonder if Rachel Sage Kunin would be willing to go shopping with you.

19. Nicolas appears. It occurs to you: Juan Pablo Di Pace is wearing too much clothing.

Love to hate

20. Emma (Emma Bell) does something scandalous and you love it even though you pretend to hate her.

21. Harris (Mitch Pileggi) does something mean and you love it even though you pretend to hate him.

22. Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) doesn’t smile until Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) shows up but it’s OK because it’s the best smile ever and it’s always worth the wait.

23. Fracking!

24. Also: “Heritage!” “Tradition!” “Legacy!”

25. More sex.

26. Judith Light does something nuts.

27. The episode ends with a twist. You exclaim, “How did I not see that coming?!” followed by, “How is the show over already?!”

28. Once again, your spouse/roommate/cat knows better than to answer.

29. You think, “I can’t wait to read Dallas Decoder’s critique of this episode, which will probably be posted on Wednesday unless he’s busy in which case I’ll have to wait until Thursday.”

30. TNT plays the previews for next week’s show. You look at the nearest calendar and curse it because you have to wait seven whole days for another episode.

31. The closing credits end and TNT starts replaying the episode. You grab another pint of ice cream and/or refill your wineglass and start all over.

What did I overlook? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Charles Yusko, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Rachel Sage Kunin, TNT

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 7

April 7, 2014 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Bryan Pitts, Dallas, Kenneisha Thompson, Like a Bad Penny, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Gone, darlin’, gone?

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

• Where’s Sue Ellen? In “Like Father, Like Son,” last week’s episode, John Ross (Josh Henderson) blackmailed a judge into ordering Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) to have a mandatory psychiatric evaluation. The last time we saw our heroine, paramedics were placing her in the back of an ambulance while John Ross watched. Later, he told Bobby (Patrick Duffy), Ann (Brenda Strong) and Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) that he was forced to call the police after having a huge fight with his mother. “What have you done, John Ross?” Bobby asked. Good question, Uncle Bobby, but a better one is this: Where is Sue Ellen, and will she get the help she needs?

• Will John Ross take Ewing Global public? John Ross and Sue Ellen’s fight began after she voted against his proposal to take Ewing Global public, an idea given to him by his childhood friend Hunter McKay (Fran Kranz). John Ross pitched the idea to the Ewing Global co-owners as a way to raise money for their Arctic drilling venture; Pamela and Nicolas (Julie Gonzalo, Juan Pablo Di Pace) supported John Ross, but Bobby and Christopher accused him of wanting to put everyone’s shares in play so he can buy up the controlling interest for himself. With Sue Ellen incapacitated, John Ross has control of her piece of the company, which means his plans for an “initial public offering” are probably back on. Will he succeed?

• Will Elena bust John Ross? To get Nicolas’s support for an IPO, John Ross offered him a 3 percent royalty on all oil produced by the Arctic leases. Nicolas agreed, but he had another plan in mind: He told Elena (Jordana Brewster) he was going to take control of the company before John Ross could. She told Nicolas he was playing “a dangerous game” and set off on her own scheme, hiring private eye Jasper (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) to follow John Ross and determine if he’s cheating. Elena’s plan worked all too well: With Jasper’s help, she watched surveillance video that showed John Ross having sex with Emma (Emma Bell). Will Elena tell Pamela what she saw?

• Will Bobby make Nicolas’s life miserable? After Bobby gave Christopher control of his Ewing Global shares, he settled into his new job as one of the state’s powerful railroad commissioners. First order of business: abusing his office. Bobby had a run-in with Nicolas and suggested he was going to use his newly obtained political muscle to put the squeeze on Treviño Industries’ Texas holdings. Nicolas wasn’t fazed, telling Bobby, “Take your best shot, Mr. Ewing.” Will Nicolas feel so cocky once he’s messed with badass Bobby?

• Will Christopher keep smiling? Ever since Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) entered his life, Christopher has been uncharacteristically chipper. In “Like Father, Like Son,” he even seemed to enjoy babysitting Heather’s son Michael (Dallas Clark) when Bo (Donny Boaz) left her in a childcare lurch. The good vibrations seem destined to end, especially since Drew (Kuno Becker) will appear in tonight’s episode. What will happen when Christopher sees him again?

• What’s next for Harris? Although Harris (Mitch Pileggi) didn’t appear in “Like Father, Like Son” (boo!), we saw Candace (Jude Demorest) receive a text from him, demanding to know why she hadn’t succeeded in seducing John Ross. The message prompted Candace to slip into the blue dress Harris gave her and try to seduce John Ross, but he rejected her, saying, “Look, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’ve got to start taking ‘no’ for an answer. I’m a married man. I’m sorry, but it ain’t ever going to happen.” Will Harris give up? If so, will Judith (Judith Light) let him?

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, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Dallas Clark, Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Fran Kranz, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Jude Demorest, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Kuno Becker, Like a Bad Penny, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT

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

April 4, 2014 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

The people who make “Dallas” gave us lots of drama to “fanalyze” in “Like Father, Like Son,” this week’s episode, but don’t overlook all the great looks from superstar costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin.

Top honors go to Emma Bell, Jordana Brewster and Julie Gonzalo, who all looked runway ready when Emma, Elena and Pamela hit the town for their girls’ night out. We never got a good glimpse of their outfits on screen, so this week’s collage includes a publicity shot of Brewster and Gonzalo in their fun, flirty print dresses. (For a good picture of the slinky green number that Bell wore in this scene, check out the latest edition of my “Drill Bits” news column.)

I’m also mad for the plaid necktie Josh Henderson sported during John Ross’s boardroom showdown and his confrontation with Sue Ellen. The tie reminded me of the one John Ross wore to J.R.’s funeral, which is appropriate since his ghost loomed so large in Henderson’s big scene with Linda Gray. Speaking of the magnificent Ms. Gray: I love the big, bold necklace she wore when Sue Ellen and John Ross clashed in her office at the top of the hour. The necklace looks like a wreath of crystals and so I imagine it’s pretty hefty, although it’s probably nothing compared to the heavy emotional burden poor Sue Ellen is carrying these days.

This episode’s other great look: the sexy sweater with the shoulder cutouts that Brenda Strong wore when Ann and Bobby (Patrick Duffy) sat on their den sofa and drank wine. What’s that, you say? You don’t remember that scene? Apparently it was cut from the episode, but TNT helpfully distributed a publicity shot from Bobby and Ann’s conversation, so I’m including it here. Here’s hoping the scene is included on the third-season DVD; not only do I want to know what Mr. and Mrs. Ewing are talking about, I want to see more of that sweater!

What were your favorite looks in “Like Father, Like Son”? 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, Emma Bell, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Like Father Like Son, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Raises Its Ratings Again

April 2, 2014 by Chris Baker 23 Comments

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Like Father Like Son, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Higher, ladies!

“Dallas” continued to climb in the ratings this week. “Like Father, Like Son,” the most recent episode, debuted to 1.82 million viewers on March 31, up roughly 2 percent from one week ago. The March 31 audience included 559,000 adults between ages 18 and 49, a demographic many advertisers pay a premium to reach.

The previous episode, “D.T.R.,” debuted to 1.79 million viewers on March 24, including 577,000 adults between 18 and 49. However, when DVR users who recorded the episode and watched it a few days later are counted, the “D.T.R.” audience rose to 2.6 million viewers, including 1.2 million adults between ages 25 and 54, an audience TNT targets, and 940,000 adults between 18 and 49.

This is the second consecutive week “Dallas” has raised its ratings since March 17, when “Lifting the Veil” dipped to 1.78 million viewers, a series low.

“Dallas” is averaging 1.99 million viewers on Mondays at 9 p.m. this season, down from 2.7 million viewers in this time slot last year. However, when DVR users are included, “Dallas’s” weekly viewership rises to 2.7 million viewers, making it TNT’s fourth most-watched original drama this winter. The top three: “Major Crimes” (7.4 million viewers), “Rizzoli & Isles (5.6 million) and “Perception” (3.3 million).

TNT also continues to draw hundreds of thousands of viewers with its “Dallas” replays on Monday nights. On March 31, after “Like Father, Like Son” debuted at 9 p.m., TNT showed the episode again at 10 p.m., where it drew another 624,000 viewers.

Happy Anniversary, Darlins

“Dallas” debuted on April 2, 1978. Since then, almost 400 hours of “Dallas” have been produced, including 357 episodes of the original series, 31 episodes of the TNT show and a handful of reunion movies and other specials.

Today also marks Dallas Decoder’s second anniversary. I’m still having fun writing and editing this site, and I hope you’re enjoying reading it. Thanks for your continued support.

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

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: D.T.R., Emma Bell, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Like Father Like Son, 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 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

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

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 29 — ‘Lifting the Veil’

March 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 23 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Long time coming

“Lifting the Veil” reveals new truths about several “Dallas” characters, beginning with John Ross. We’ve always known he was as ambitious and as charming as J.R., but in the scene where Sue Ellen confronts him about his infidelity and he treats her cruelly, we discover the son can also be as mean as the father. This episode offers fresh insight into Sue Ellen’s psyche as well. It’s clear now that she’s having trouble letting go of the past, although to be fair, every time she takes a nip from her flask, we’re reminded that the past has a pretty firm grip on her too.

The confrontation between mother and son is the hands-down highlight of “Lifting the Veil,” an hour that brims with history and heartache. The scene begins when Sue Ellen enters John Ross’s bedroom while he’s getting ready for his wedding and tells him she knows he’s been cheating with Emma. John Ross dismisses the relationship as “just business,” which only disgusts Sue Ellen further. “Just like your daddy, finding a way to explain infidelity,” she says. John Ross responds by pointing out the smell of alcohol on his mother’s breath, but she doesn’t back down and threatens to tell Pamela about his affair. John Ross is nonplussed. He brushes past Sue Ellen and delivers his lowest blow yet: “You have looked the other way you’re whole life, Mama. One more time’s not going to hurt.”

Josh Henderson does a nice job bringing John Ross’s dark side into the light, just like Larry Hagman used to do with J.R. For Henderson, though, this amounts to a creative risk: Until now, he’s played John Ross as a (mostly) likable rapscallion, but in this scene, the actor shows us he’s equally adept at making his character seem like an unapologetic jerk. Henderson makes John Ross’s ever-growing hubris feel believable throughout this episode (including during his pre-wedding visit to the brothel), but especially in this scene. Linda Gray, in the meantime, is as magnificent as ever. You can feel Sue Ellen’s pain when Gray delivers that “just like your daddy” line; it’s the character’s saddest moment since her graveside eulogy for her ex-husband in “J.R.’s Masterpiece.” In some ways, “Lifting the Veil” serves as a kind of companion piece to the funeral episode. The first one shows Sue Ellen grieving the loss of J.R.; in the second, she mourns his “return” through the sinful nature of their son.

I also like how Bethany Rooney, a first-time “Dallas” director, stages John Ross and Sue Ellen’s confrontation. The conversation unfolds while he’s fastening his cuff links and putting on his jacket; the casualness of his actions makes his words seem even more devastating. This is one of those times I wish TNT’s Southfork sets more closely resembled those used on the original “Dallas.” J.R. and Sue Ellen’s old bedroom was such a battleground; how cool would it have been to see John Ross and Sue Ellen clash in that setting? On the other hand: the newer bedroom has become a consequential place in its own right. This is where Sue Ellen once slapped J.R. and where she got drunk on the night before his funeral. It’s where John Ross defended his relationship with Pamela to his father and now, it’s where he defends his unfaithfulness to her to his mother.

Speaking of Pamela: I also like the “Lifting the Veil” scene where John Ross pleads with her to go through with their wedding, despite the fact that he was missing for much of the day. Henderson is so heartfelt, it almost inoculates John Ross from the anger we feel toward him after he’s mean to his mama. (Emphasis on “almost.”) Julie Gonzalo makes Pamela’s disappointment palpable, and I like how Taylor Hamra’s script gives her a line where she notes how much John Ross’s apologies sound like the ones Cliff used to offer her. It’s a subtle reminder that Pamela is still haunted by her daddy, just like John Ross is haunted by his.

This brings me to a gripe: I wish “Lifting the Veil” played up the old Barnes/Ewing feud a little more. The wedding of J.R.’s son and Cliff’s daughter is a moment of consequence to students of “Dallas” mythology; I’m glad Rooney gave us a glimpse of the framed photograph of J.R., but I would’ve also loved a shot of Cliff, stewing in his Mexican jail cell, knowing his daughter was marrying a Ewing back home. Likewise, “Dallas” does such a nice job of incorporating Audrey Landers into the narrative whenever she guest stars — Sue Ellen and Afton’s bitchy exchange was a special treat for longtime fans — so I can’t help but wonder why the show seems to struggle to find meaningful things for Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton to do when Ray and Lucy visit.

Additionally, it’s worth noting this episode takes place in a single day — you’d have to dig deep into “Dallas’s” past, all the way back to 1978’s “Barbecue,” to find another — although I wish the focus remained on the doings at Southfork the way it does in the early episode. I could do without most of the “Lifting the Veil” scenes set at the brothel (the fanciest little whorehouse in Texas?), especially the silly bit with the railroad commissioner and his canine fetish. The revelation that Judith Ryland is the madam is also a bit much, especially when you consider the show has already established her as a drug smuggler. Does Mother Ryland rob banks too? On the other hand: I like the twist that Harris is secretly working with John Ross’s secretary, Candace, although I’m not wild about his scheme to use her to collect, uh, DNA evidence from John Ross in order to frame him for a sex crime.

My reservations about the Rylands aside, you’ve got to love Judith Light’s 1980s lion’s–mane hair in her brothel scene, as well each actor’s pitch-perfect look at the wedding. Since interviewing “Dallas” costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin and hairstylist Charles Yusko, I’ve developed a much greater appreciation for how crucial the wardrobe and hair teams are to establishing each character’s persona. To see what I mean, go watch the wedding scenes at the end of the new show’s first episode, “Changing of the Guard.” Notice how much more sophisticated and womanly Gonzalo’s character looks in “Lifting the Veil” when compared to the earlier wedding? The two sequences were filmed just two years apart, so the change in the actress’s appearance is achieved mostly through Yusko and Kunin’s magic.

In a show that has more than its share of big stars, it’s always worth remembering that some of the brightest work behind the scenes.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Like father, like husband

‘LIFTING THE VEIL’

Season 3, Episode 4

Telecast: March 17, 2014

Audience: 1.8 million viewers on March 17

Writer: Taylor Hamra

Director: Bethany Rooney

Synopsis: John Ross blackmails a Texas land-use commissioner into giving him a permit to drill on Southfork, while Harris tells Judith he’s secretly working with Ewing Energies secretary Candace, who’s going to help Harris frame John Ross so he can blackmail him and reclaim his files. Sue Ellen confronts John Ross about his affair with Emma, but John Ross dismisses his mother’s concerns and exchanges vows with Pamela. Christopher returns from Mexico and warns Elena that Nicolas is married, but Nicolas assures Elena he’s getting a divorce. Later, Lucia arrives in Dallas and threatens to expose secrets from Nicolas’s past if he doesn’t reconcile with her, while Christopher and Heather make love.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Angélica Celaya (Lucia Treviño), Candace (Jude Demorest), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Currie Graham (Commissioner Stanley Babcock), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), AnnaLynne McCord (Heather), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Denyse Tontz (Chastity), Erika Page White (Sapphire)

“Lifting the Veil” 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, Barbecue, Bethany Rooney, Changing of the Guard, Charlene Tilton, Charles Yusko, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Lifting the Veil, Linda Gray, Rachel Sage Kunin, Steve Kanaly, Taylor Hamra, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘Lifting the Veil’

March 18, 2014 by Chris Baker 15 Comments

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Lifting the Veil, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

If only she knew

Here’s what happened in “Lifting the Veil,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• John Ross blasted Emma. On the morning of his wedding to Pamela, John Ross (Josh Henderson) received a call from his secretary Candace (Jude Demorest), who told him Stanley Babcock, the railroad commissioner who denied his drilling permit, was willing to see him. John Ross dashed off to the meeting, but not before blasting Emma (Emma Bell) for spoiling Pamela’s plan to surprise him with sexy lingerie. “You may screw like a woman, but you act like an attention-starved little brat,” he said, leaving Emma seething.

• Harris and John Ross cut a deal. When John Ross arrived for his meeting with Babcock, he was surprised to find Harris (Mitch Pileggi) waiting for him instead. Harris offered him a deal: If John Ross agreed to return the top-secret Ryland files, Harris said he would help John Ross get his permit from Babcock. After some haggling, John Ross agreed to return only one item from Harris’s files: a flash drive that Harris covets above all else. After John Ross met with Emma and sweet-talked her into agreeing to give up the flash drive, he was summoned by Harris to an upscale brothel, where Babcock (Currie Graham) was indulging in his kinky fetishes with a prostitute dressed like a dog. John Ross interrupted Babcock and persuaded the humiliated man to give him the drilling permit.

This left John Ross and Harris with nothing to do but wait around the brothel for Bum to retrieve the flash drive from Emma and bring it them. Harris killed the time by presenting John Ross with a wedding present: the “company” of two prostitutes who were all too eager to please John Ross. But before anything serious happened, Bum (Kevin Page) showed up with the flash drive and gave John Ross a stern look. “You’re flying mighty close to the sun with all this,” Bum said.

• Sue Ellen clashed with Afton — and John Ross. Back at the ranch, the wedding guests began arriving, including Lucy and Ray (Charlene Tilton, Steve Kanaly), who couldn’t help but notice John Ross was nowhere to be seen. Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) noticed too and grew increasingly anxious, while Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), upset over her son’s infidelity, took a nip from her flask. The tension finally erupted when Afton (Audrey Landers) turned to Sue Ellen and snapped, “All the despicable things J.R. did to you through the years. You’d think you’d have taught your son better than this.” Sue Ellen’s cutting response: “Just so you know, Afton, the most despicable thing J.R. ever did was you.” Poor Ann (Brenda Strong) had to referee.

But the drama was just beginning. Once John Ross arrived, Sue Ellen finally confronted him over his affair with Emma, but he told his mother the relationship was his business. Sue Ellen refused to back down and threatened to tell Pamela everything, but John Ross pointed out how his mother’s breath smelled of liquor and said, “You have looked the other way your whole life, Mama. One more time’s not going to hurt.”

• John Ross and Pamela exchanged vows. After Afton slapped John Ross on the back of his head for going AWOL, he urged Pamela to forgive him. “We are meant for each other. I know that with every cell of my being. OK? I’ll prove it to you. I just need you to give me the chance,” he said. She agreed and went through with the ceremony, but before the couple sped off in Ewing V for their honeymoon, John Ross let Bobby (Patrick Duffy) know that Babcock promised him the drilling permit. “I’ll give you credit, John Ross, you are more and more like your daddy every day. But he never drilled this ranch. And mark my words: neither will you,” Bobby said.

But Bobby wasn’t nearly as confident in private. After blasting Babcock over the phone, he turned to Sue Ellen and told her he doesn’t “have a move left” to stop John Ross from drilling. Sue Ellen’s response: “But I do.”

• Christopher and Elena continued to move on. 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 to hide. Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) returned to Southfork and confronted Elena (Jordana Brewster), who said Nicolas is getting a divorce. “For someone who needed an annulment before marrying me, you seem pretty cavalier about playing around with a married man,” Christopher said. Elena’s response: “I’m not playing around. I’m playing him.”

Later, Christopher and Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) made love in the barn, while Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) assured a rattled Elena that his marriage is indeed over. But this turned out to be not so true: Lucia arrived in Dallas and blackmailed her estranged 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,” she said.

• Harris and Judith schemed. Harris’s precious flash drive turned out to contain encrypted CIA files; once the drive was back in his possession, he was summoned to the office of the madam who runs the brothel, who turned out to be … Judith (Judith Light). When she asked how Harris planned to get the rest of the files from John Ross, Harris showed her pictures of the prostitutes trying to seduce John Ross and told his mother one of the young women is only 16. Harris suggested he was going to frame John Ross by making it look he actually had sex with the girl, but Judith couldn’t fathom how her son would accomplish that. This is when Harris introduced his mother to his secret weapon: Candace, John Ross’s secretary, who has been secretly working for Harris all along.

What did you think of “Lifting the Veil”? Share your comments below and look for Dallas Decoder’s critique later this week.