J.R. will always be “Dallas’s” greatest character, but who’s the runner-up? Vote for your choice or share other options in the comments section.
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The Best & Worst of Dallas: Season 7
February 19, 2015 by 35 Comments
“Dallas’s” seventh season clocks in at 30 hours, making it the show’s longest season yet. Does quantity equal quality?
Performances
Winning loser
If Cliff Barnes were played by anyone other than Ken Kercheval, we’d probably hate him. Cliff is foolish, petty, self-centered — yet throughout the seventh season, Kercheval brings a startling amount of vulnerability to the role. Cliff doesn’t want to beat J.R. as much as he wants to be J.R. — and who can blame him for that? The more I watch Kercheval, the more I appreciate his ability to balance Cliff’s bombast with pathos and humanity. What a great actor.
Storylines
Is there anything more satisfying than seeing J.R. climb back to the top? When the season begins, his marriage to Sue Ellen is on the rocks, Bobby and Pam’s pending divorce is no longer a sure thing and Cliff is stealing big deals out from under him. By the end of the year, J.R. has everyone right where he wants them: Sue Ellen is back in his bedroom, Bobby is poised to marry Jenna and Cliff’s life is ruined. Once again, we’re reminded of a fundamental truth: “Dallas” is at its best when J.R. is at his worst.
Best storyline runners-up: Ray’s trial for euthanizing Mickey, a plot twist that dared to inject some topicality into “Dallas’s” narrative mix, and Miss Ellie’s struggle to tell Clayton about her mastectomy, another sensitively handled subplot that’s still ahead of its time. The season’s most disappointing stories: No, not Sue Ellen and Peter’s affair, which at least had the whole fortysomething-woman-gets-in-touch-with-her-sexuality thing going for it. Instead, the last-and-least prize goes to Bobby and Jenna’s “love story,” as dreary a romance as “Dallas” has ever offered.
Episodes
Bag that nag, honey
“The Road Back” delivers the most exciting episode opening in “Dallas” history. Southfork is ablaze when Bobby roars into the driveway in his convertible, leaps into the pool and races into the house to rescue the Ewings. This episode also gives us the classic scene where Pam admonishes Sue Ellen for sipping champagne and Sue Ellen purrs, “Pam, don’t be a nag.” What “Dallas” fan hasn’t dreamed of saying that to Victoria Principal’s character?
Scenes
I’ve written before about how much I love the scene where J.R. visits Pam and warns her to not call off her divorce from Bobby. The score, the staging, the performances — this is a highlight of the series, not just the season. Best scene runners-up: Bobby’s shocking shooting, Bobby and Pam’s breakup in Thanksgiving Square, Pam slapping Katherine, J.R. accusing Sue Ellen of treating him like a “stud service,” J.R. confronting Sly about her spying and any time Larry Hagman shared a screen with Kercheval.
Worst scene: Lady Jessica picks up a knife in the Southfork kitchen and wonders whether she should chop Miss Ellie’s vegetables or Mama herself. Who thought turning “Dallas” into a horror movie was a good idea?
Supporting Players
Good. Bye.
John Beck shines in “Love Stories,” the episode where Mark Graison learns he’s dying and quietly slips out of Pam’s life. This is the most interesting thing Mark ever did; too bad for the underappreciated Beck it came during the character’s farewell. At the other end of the spectrum: Alexis Smith. Yes, she brought admirable gusto to her role as Lady Jessica, but if I wanted to see someone named Alexis camp it up, “Dallas” isn’t the show I’d watch.
Behind the Scenes
And now let us pause to honor Bradford May, whose brilliant cinematography transformed the seventh season into “Dallas’s” most gorgeous year ever. Under his lighting, Southfork was exquisite, Ewing Oil finally looked like a real executive suite and the Oil Baron’s Club radiated class and sophistication. “The May way” elevated the storytelling this season, making it easier to overlook flaws in other aspects of the production. He departed “Dallas” before the season concluded — one of the great blunders on a show that had more than a few — but his contribution to this franchise will never be forgotten.
The year’s other backstage VIP: Jerrold Immel, whose seventh-season version of the “Dallas” theme music remains my favorite. Every time I watch the titles and hear Immel’s synthesized riff (it occurs right when the split-screen sequence starts), I can’t help but smile.
Costumes
Little boy, blue
I usually don’t complain about good-looking dudes showing skin, but Peter’s Speedo is the worst costume in “Dallas” history. Every time he pranced around in that thing, we were reminded how Christopher Atkins — an otherwise fine actor — was too boyish to play Peter, who is supposed to be so studly, Sue Ellen can’t resist him. (Sue Ellen swooning over Mickey in his jean cutoffs? That I’d believe.) Best accessory: Katherine’s hats, of course.
Quips
Was this J.R.’s quippiest season yet? I can’t think of another year where he delivered so many classic gems. To Pam: “I don’t give a damn about you or your happiness, honey. But I do care about what’s good for me.” To Katherine: “Loving always makes me thirsty.” To Edgar: “Once you give up integrity, the rest is a piece of cake.” My favorite, though, is this one, which he delivered to Vaughn: “J.R. Ewing doesn’t get ulcers. He gives ’em.” That one should have hung on a sign above his office door, don’t you think?
What do you love and loathe about “Dallas’s” seventh season? Share your comments below and read more “Best & Worst” reviews.
Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You Needed Slapping Down, Cliff’
February 4, 2015 by 2 Comments
Slap master
In “End Game,” “Dallas’s” seventh-season finale, Cliff (Ken Kercheval) pours a drink in his office for Vaughn (Dennis Patrick), who sits in front of the desk.
CLIFF: Vaughn, now look, we’re two civilized human beings. [Hands him the drink] We’ve made money before and we’ll make money again. I’m just asking you for a little bit more time. [Walks behind his desk]
VAUGHN: No. The interest payment must be collected on its due date. Now you read the papers. It was very specific.
CLIFF: I’m just asking you to bend the rules a little bit. There’s oil in that tract and we’re gonna hit, and we’ll all be rich. [Turns his back, looks out the window]
VAUGHN: If you don’t strike oil by midnight tomorrow night, the bank is foreclosing. And all of the assets of Barnes-Wentworth will belong to the bank.
J.R. (Larry Hagman) enters.
J.R.: Well, Vaughn, not all the assets. If I remember correctly, our deal calls for me to get control of Gold Canyon 340.
CLIFF: What are you doing here?
J.R.: Oh, I just thought you might want to see the face of your other friendly banker.
CLIFF: No, no, no. I got my money from Vaughn.
J.R.: You got your money from both of us. And tomorrow night, we’re going to turn off the faucet, and all your cash flow is just going to dry right up.
CLIFF: You set me up?
J.R.: From the very beginning. But I didn’t do it alone. In addition to Vaughn Leland here, I had a great assist from your massive ego and unbelievable stupidity.
CLIFF: I had those tracts checked. There’s oil in there.
J.R.: Well, sure there is. Millions of dollars’ worth. Oh, it was a fair setup. As a matter of fact, it was the fairest setup I’ve ever had the pleasure of engineering. I couldn’t lose — because I knew you were just too dumb to find that oil.
CLIFF: Why? Huh? Why did you do that?
J.R.: Because you needed slapping down, Cliff. You’d been stealing deals right out from underneath my nose. And after all these years, you know better than to butt heads with me. But I got all that property back. I got Kesey and Murphy, and tomorrow night, I’ll own Gold Canyon 340. You needed a lesson, you see. And the only way I could get the message through that thick skull of yours was to have you bankrupt your mama’s company while I just sat back and watched you. You’re out of my life for good.
CLIFF: [Softly] No, uh-uh. No, I’m not finished yet.
J.R.: Sure you are. Tomorrow morning, the janitor’s going to come in here and sweep you out with the rest of the trash. Unless, of course, you do the honorable thing, get in the elevator, go up to the roof and jump off, huh? [Chuckles] Oh, come on, Vaughn. I’ll buy you a drink. [Turns and leaves, followed by Vaughn]
Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 161 — ‘End Game’
February 4, 2015 by 15 Comments
Best shot
The “End Game” cliffhanger is still powerful, especially when you watch the entire episode. In scene after scene, we’re led to believe everyone is gunning for J.R., just like they were four years earlier. The momentum builds until the final moments, when an unseen figure steps off the Ewing Oil elevator, enters J.R.’s office and fires three shots into the back of his chair. The feeling of shock that once accompanied the sight of Bobby slumping to the floor has long since faded, but it’s been replaced with something more satisfying — an appreciation for how much care the producers put into crafting “Dallas’s” grandest fake-out.
It’s also worth revisiting “End Game” to be reminded of how many iconic moments it contains. Two showcase Larry Hagman at his gleeful best. In one, J.R. cracks wise when Katherine glares at him after storming out of Bobby’s office (“You know, she has a nasty temper”). Later, J.R. shows up at Barnes-Wentworth and reveals he engineered Cliff’s spectacular offshore drilling implosion. Hagman delivers a string of classic one-liners, including “You needed slapping down, Cliff” and “Tomorrow morning, the janitor’s going to come in here and sweep you out with the rest of the trash. Unless, of course, you do the honorable thing, get in the elevator, go up to the roof and jump off, huh?” (Bless Ken Kercheval, who manages to make the audience feel sorry for Cliff, even as we bask in J.R.’s triumph.)
Hagman’s other great scene displays J.R.’s darker side. He sits with Sue Ellen and Peter at the Oil Baron’s Club and calmly reveals he arranged Peter’s arrest on drug charges after finding out about Sue Ellen’s affair with the young man. When J.R. offers to keep Peter out of jail if Sue Ellen resumes her wifely duties, Peter drops his “Mr. and Mrs. Ewing” act and exclaims, “Don’t do it, Sue Ellen!” J.R.’s response — “So now it’s ‘Sue Ellen’? — reminds us that for once, he’s the spouse who’s been deceived. It’s also striking how Hagman and Linda Gray never take their eyes off each other in this scene. Make no mistake: This is a showdown between J.R. and Sue Ellen; Peter is nothing more than a pawn to them.
“End Game” also offers a mercifully speedy resolution to the Miss Ellie kidnapping subplot, although I’ll never understand why the producers didn’t leave Jessica on the lam through the end of the season. She would have made a fine suspect in the “who shot Bobby?” mystery, no? Also, after everything Jessica put Ellie and Clayton through, it would have been nice to finally see the couple’s long-delayed wedding, but maybe the shot of J.R. and Bobby preparing to walk Ellie down the aisle is all we need. Just think: This is Ellie’s last appearance until Donna Reed takes over the role, so if Barbara Bel Geddes hadn’t eventually returned to “Dallas,” this would have been our farewell to the beloved actress.
“End Game” does mark the final appearances of Christopher Atkins as Peter and Barry Corbin as Sheriff Washburn. The episode also boasts its share of oddities, including the reflection of a crewmember in a glass panel in the Ewing Oil reception area (you’ll spot him at 47-minute, 32-second mark), and a somewhat unusual scene in which Pam tells little Christopher about the mess she’s made of her life. “You don’t understand any of this, do you?” she asks. Gazing up at her, he whispers, “No.” My friend at Hill Place Blog is convinced Eric Farlow ad-libbed this line; the child is so caught up in Victoria Principal’s performance, he speaks from the heart. It’s a sweetly honest moment on a show that could have used more of them this season.
The episode’s other unexpected moment comes a little earlier, when Sue Ellen and Pam are having a heart-to-heart in the Southfork living room. Seeing how depressed her friend is, Sue Ellen offers to take Pam to a movie to cheer her up but says she wants to go upstairs and change first. In the next scene, Sue Ellen returns to the living room dressed to the nines — she’s ditched her perfectly acceptable sweater and slacks for a runway-ready flowing dress, complete with a turban. It’s one of the most epic costume changes in “Dallas” history, and it leaves me wondering: What’s a bigger tragedy in “End Game” — Bobby’s shooting or the notion that Sue Ellen would wear such a gorgeous outfit to a dark theater where no one could see it?
Grade: A
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Turban legend
‘END GAME’
Season 7, Episode 30
Airdate: May 18, 1984
Audience: 21.8 million homes, ranking 1st in the weekly ratings
Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis
Director: Leonard Katzman
Synopsis: Miss Ellie is rescued and returns to Southfork, where she marries Clayton while Jessica is put in a sanitarium. Pam takes Christopher and leaves town after finding out about Bobby and Jenna’s engagement. Bobby once again rejects Katherine. J.R. reveals he set up Cliff, who goes on a bender and misses the news that his offshore oil wells finally came in. J.R. also reveals he set up Peter, forcing Sue Ellen to return to their bedroom in exchange for keeping her ex-lover from going to jail. An unseen assailant enters Ewing Oil and fires three shots into J.R.’s chair, where Bobby is seated.
Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Billy Green Bush (Deputy Rockwell), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Pat Colbért (Dora Mae), Barry Corbin (Sheriff Fenton Washburn), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Bill Morey (Leo Wakefield), Dennis Patrick (Vaughn Leland), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Gene Ross (Bull Dawson), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Alexis Smith (Lady Jessica Montfort), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), John Zarema (Dr. Harlan Danvers)
“End Game” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.
Poll: What is ‘Dallas’s’ Best Third-Season Scene?
January 12, 2015 by 5 Comments
The “Dallas: The Complete Third Season” DVD set arrives Tuesday, January 13. Time to choose a favorite moment!
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Dallas Parallels: The Puppeteer
January 8, 2015 by 11 Comments
Cliff Barnes may be “Dallas’s” biggest loser, but give the devil his due: He has a knack for pulling the strings of women who’ve been wronged by J.R. Ewing.
On TNT’s “Dallas,” after the Ewings framed Cliff (Ken Kercheval) for J.R.’s “murder,” he summoned Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster) to his Mexican jail cell and made a shocking revelation: J.R. once swindled Elena’s father out of oil-rich land. After Elena confirmed Cliff’s claims, she accepted his offer to help him get out of jail and join forces against the Ewings — an alliance Elena came to regret after it triggered a chain of tragedies that included the deaths of brother Drew and true love Christopher.
Elena — perhaps the new “Dallas’s” smartest character at one time — became the latest in a long line of ladies who foolishly sought revenge against J.R. by getting into bed with Cliff (only figuratively in Elena’s case, thank heavens). Cliff previously manipulated Sue Ellen, Julie Grey and Afton Cooper, although the strongest parallel between him and Elena might be his relationship with Mandy Winger (Deborah Shelton). During the original show’s ninth season, after Cliff stunned Mandy by telling her that J.R. was sleeping with Angelica Nero — cheating on his mistress with another woman, the nerve! — Mandy agreed to spy on J.R. for Cliff.
The scene where Many and Cliff form their alliance is not unlike the one between Cliff and Elena 29 years later: Each woman sits across a table from Cliff and tells him she’s confirmed his claims, and then she expresses anger over J.R.’s betrayal and declares she’s ready to fight back. Later, Mandy’s scheme spirals out of control — especially after she flushes expensive jewelry from J.R. down the toilet — and she ends up feeling guilty and disillusioned, just like Elena does many years later.
The parallels aren’t perfect, of course. Unlike Mandy, who makes J.R. the target of her revenge, Elena decides to make all the Ewings pay for J.R.’s sins. Also, only Mandy’s story has resolution: She eventually draws the wrath of Sue Ellen, who forces her to leave town.
I can’t help but wonder: How many “Dallas” fans wish they could have seen Sue Ellen do the same thing to Elena?
‘J.R.’s Betrayed Me for the Last Time’
Seeking revenge
In “Curiosity Killed the Cat,” a ninth-season “Dallas” episode, Mandy (Deborah Shelton) sits across from Cliff (Ken Kercheval) at a sidewalk cafe.
MANDY: I went to Angelica Nero’s hotel last night and waited. It was 5 o’clock in the morning when J.R. came out.
CLIFF: He didn’t see you, did he?
MANDY: [Shakes her head no] When he came over to my place this morning, I asked if he’d worked very late. He said he was back at Southfork by 11. You were right, Cliff. Sue Ellen was right. Everyone was right.
CLIFF: I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But since you did, are you ready to take me up on my offer?
MANDY: [Determined] Yes. You just tell me what you want me to do. J.R.’s betrayed me for the last time. Now it’s my turn.
‘His Betrayal Cost My Father His Life’
Seeking justice
In “The Return,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Elena (Jordana Brewster) sits across from Cliff in a Mexican jail cell.
ELENA: I don’t like you. You’re scheming. [Sighs] But I researched the land records. What you told me is true. J.R. switched my father’s land with a worthless deed. His betrayal cost my father his life. I came back here to accept your offer to be your proxy at Barnes Global.
CLIFF: Good. I spent my life building that company. I’d be loath to think that the Ewings could destroy it before I get out of prison.
ELENA: You’re getting out?
CLIFF: Yeah. And you’re going to help me.
ELENA: Why would I do that?
CLIFF: Because you want to hold real power over that family. And to do that, you need leverage — leverage in the way of evidence that they framed me for J.R.’s murder. My plane, without me in it, was moved to Nuevo Laredo the night that J.R. was killed. And that American woman in Nuevo Laredo — the dancer, Rhonda Simmons or something — you know, she lied to say that I was in the club when I wasn’t. And the gun that killed J.R. they stole out of my locker at the gun range. Together, we can take back Barnes Global, and then Southfork. Take from them what’s most important — what they took from us. But I need to know that you have the strength to exact revenge.
ELENA: They kicked me out of a company I helped start. They took away my oil leases. They accused me of helping my brother when they would have done the same to help their own, and now all this? I’ll find the strength — because I’m not thinking of this as revenge. I am thinking of this as justice.
What do you think of Cliff’s manipulation of Mandy and Elena? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Parallels.”
Poll: What is ‘Dallas’s’ Best Cliffhanger?
January 5, 2015 by 22 Comments
Every “Dallas” fan has a favorite finale. What’s yours?
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Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 154 — ‘Fools Rush In’
December 17, 2014 by 8 Comments
With a twist
One reason Larry Hagman is so damn good is because he knows what the audience wants and how to give it to us. Take “Fools Rush In’s” most entertaining scene, when J.R. chews out Katherine for inadvertently making a Bobby/Pam reconciliation possible. It’s somewhat ridiculous to see a grown man so consumed with his brother’s love life, and so Hagman plays the scene accordingly, making J.R.’s bluster more amusing than anything else. The funniest moment comes when Katherine declares she has “no objection” to Pam’s pending marriage to Mark and J.R. mockingly snaps, “Oh, you have no objection to that, do you? Well, you just better keep pushing until that happens, honey!” Who doesn’t love to see Hagman deliver a line like that?
Of course, great acting involves more than indulging the audience. When “Fools Rush In” begins, J.R. has figured out Sue Ellen has been having an affair and he responds in typical J.R. style — by being extra nice to his wife while he secretly plots revenge. After attending Punk and Mavis Anderson’s anniversary party together, J.R. escorts Sue Ellen to her room and says how much he enjoyed spending the evening with her. Sue Ellen looks positively stricken while J.R. beams — until his back is turned and we see his face drop. Is he having reservations about the trap he’s about to spring? Does he fear he might end up pushing his fragile wife too far? There’s no way to know and it doesn’t really matter. What’s important is that we catch a glimpse of J.R.’s humanity. It’s an example of Hagman giving us what we need to see.
While Hagman deserves much credit for highlighting J.R.’s complexities in “Fools Rush In,” he gets an assist from scriptwriter David Paulsen. We don’t know the details of J.R.’s scheme against Sue Ellen and her lover Peter Richards, but we know he wants to bring the couple closer. Notice how J.R. uses John Ross to achieve this goal. First, he waits until the family is gathered around the breakfast table to suggest hiring Peter to spend time with the child, knowing how excited John Ross will be when he hears his camp counselor might be visiting him at Southfork on a regular basis. How could Sue Ellen say no? Likewise, when J.R. approaches Peter with the idea, he brings along his son, essentially daring Peter to turn him down and break the boy’s heart. Who knew John Ross would turn out to be one of Daddy’s best accomplices?
I also like how Paulsen and director Michael Preece treat the return of Dennia Patrick’s duplicitous banker Vaughn Leland, who makes his first “Dallas” appearance since the fifth season. “Fools Rush In” begins with Cliff scrambling to raise the money he owes the government until — lo and behold! — Vaughn shows up on his doorstep and offers him a loan, which Cliff desperately accepts. At the end of the episode, we see J.R. in his office, fixing drinks for himself and an unseen guest. “Well, everything seems to be moving in the right direction,” he says. Preece’s camera follows him as he carries the drink across the room to — yep, you guessed it — Vaughn, who it turns out is in cahoots with J.R. It’s a nifty twist.
Speaking of Vaughn: I was a little puzzled when Afton reacted so coolly to seeing him in this episode, until I remembered J.R. put her up to sleeping with Vaughn during her early days on “Dallas.” I’m glad the writers didn’t forget about their past, even if I almost did. Other nice touches in “Fools Rush In” include the scene where J.R. hires a detective to snoop into the past of Lucy’s newest boyfriend, Peter. J.R. explains to the private eye why he cares about his niece: “She’s the daughter of my brother Gary, who I’m particularly fond of.” Another fun moment comes when Bobby tells Sue Ellen that Jenna accused him of being stubborn. “Well, you’re not the most flexible person in the world,” Sue Ellen says.
Not everything here works. I’m disappointed we don’t actually see the Andersons’ anniversary party, which the Ewings have been anticipating for several episodes. Not even Oil Baron’s Balls and Ewing Barbecues receive this much buildup. Also, as much as I get a kick out of seeing Ken Kercheval squirm in the scenes where Cliff struggles to raise the money he owes the government, I can’t help but think the feds must have been running one hell of a racket in the 1980s. They allow Cliff to bid tens of millions of dollars more than his competitors for the offshore oil leases, and then they show up unannounced at his office, demanding payment just days after the auction ended? Who says the Reagan administration was business friendly?
But nothing stretches credibility quite like the “Fools Rush In” scene where Pam asks Mark’s physician, Jerry Kenderson, to reveal her fiancée’s mysterious medical diagnosis — and with very little prodding, Kenderson blabs all. So much for doctor-patient confidentiality rules! Then again: Since everyone on “Dallas” is ethically challenged, why should we expect the doctors to be any different?
Grade: B
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Foolin’ around
‘FOOLS RUSH IN’
Season 7, Episode 23
Airdate: March 9, 1984
Audience: 22.5 million homes, ranking 1st in the weekly ratings
Writer: David Paulsen
Director: Michael Preece
Synopsis: Cliff borrows money from banker Vaughn Leland to finance his offshore oil scheme, unaware that J.R. and Vaughn are in cahoots. J.R. warns Katherine to keep Bobby away from Pam, who learns Mark is dying but doesn’t know it. J.R. also springs a trap for Peter, hiring him to spend time with John Ross at Southfork. Bobby has second thoughts about breaking up with Jenna. Miss Ellie and Clayton set a wedding date.
Cast: Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Gerald Berns (James Kenyon), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Barbara Cason (Iris Porter), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Robert Donavan (Metcalf), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Barry Jenner (Dr. Jerry Kenderson), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Sherill Lynn Katzman (Jackie Dugan), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Dennis Patrick (Vaughn Leland), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Peter White (Ellis Newton)
“Fools Rush In” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.
Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You’re in Over Your Head, Barnes’
December 10, 2014 by 6 Comments
Mr. Curious
In “And the Winner Is …,” a seventh-season “Dallas” episode, Cliff (Ken Kercheval) is at the Oil Baron’s Club when he spots J.R. (Larry Hagman).
CLIFF: What are you doing here?
J.R.: Curiosity. I wanted to see if the biggest idiot in the oil business was really going to show his face here tonight.
CLIFF: Well, you are a sore loser.
J.R.: Yeah, maybe. But I’ve been in this business a long time, Cliff. And you’re just a rookie. You’re in over your head, Barnes. You’re not going to bring those wells in, so I’m going to give you a little piece of advice: Cut your losses. Forfeit that 20 percent deposit you had to give the government.
CLIFF: You suggesting I get out?
J.R.: Well, I’m telling you that a $32 million loss is a hell of a lot better for you than the loss of your whole company that your mother gave to you.
CLIFF: That’s a rich tract. There are millions of dollars worth of oil down there.
J.R.: You wouldn’t recognize oil if it was dripping out of your crankcase.
CLIFF: And you can’t stand the fact that Barnes-Wentworth is going to be bigger than Ewing ever dreamed of being.
J.R.: Barnes, you’re as dumb as your daddy used to be. You know the difference between your daddy and my daddy? My daddy knew how to invest in the right talent and the right tools. He knew how to pump oil out of the ground. But your daddy claimed that he could sniff oil out of the ground. Didn’t need anything but his nose. The only place his nose ever led him was skid row.
CLIFF: I’ll tell you where your mouth’s going to lead you.
J.R.: You were right about one thing, Cliff. There is oil in that tract. Millions and millions of dollars worth of oil. But you’re not going to get it. You’re going to bankrupt your mama’s company and wind up just like your daddy: a drunk and a bum.
CLIFF: I’ll show you who can find oil because I am drilling full out and there isn’t anybody who’s going to stop me. And when I hit, I’m going to buy and sell Ewing Oil.
J.R. chuckles and walks away.
Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 153 — ‘And the Winner Is …’
December 10, 2014 by 9 Comments
Everybody loves Cliff
Is Cliff Barnes the most lovable jackass in television history? I can think of no other character who manages to remain so endearing despite being such a jerk. Exhibit A: “And the Winner Is ….” In this episode, Cliff wins the auction for the government’s offshore oil leases, but only after J.R. has tricked him into inflating his bid by tens of millions of dollars. Realizing he’s in over his head but not willing to admit it to himself or anyone else, Cliff insults Pam, ignores Afton, alienates Marilee and treats Jackie rudely. And yet you can’t help but like the schmuck.
The question is: Why? I suppose several factors explain Cliff’s appeal, including the vulnerability he’s displayed in previous episodes. Yes, he’s a boor in “And the Winner Is …,” but he’s also the sweet-natured guy who famously reconciled with his estranged mom by offering her a bowl of licorice. We’re also willing to cut Cliff some slack because we recognize how much of him resides in each of us. Consider the “And the Winner Is …” scene where he gets mad at Sly and she smartly disarms him by saying he’s become more ruthless than her boss. It’s music to Cliff’s ears, reminding us that he doesn’t want to beat J.R. as much as he wants to be him. Once you realize that’s Cliff’s motivation, how can you not excuse his bad behavior? I mean, we all want to be J.R., don’t we?
Of course, if you really want to know why Cliff remains a sympathetic figure, look no further than Ken Kercheval. No “Dallas” actor is better at wearing his character’s obliviousness on his sleeve, and no one brings more electricity to their performances. You can feel Cliff’s manic energy throughout this episode: when he runs into Bobby while storming out of Pam’s house (“What the hell are you doing here on a weekday?” Cliff demands); when he pops out of Afton’s loving embrace to call Mark Graison about business; when he summons Jackie to his office to fix him a drink because he’s too wound up to do it himself. You don’t watch Kercheval, you experience him.
This is why J.R. and Cliff’s confrontation in “And the Winner Is …” is so entertaining. Kercheval and Larry Hagman are fire and ice; while Cliff rages, J.R. stands there, coolly burrowing deeper and deeper under Cliff’s skin. Watching this scene, it occurred to me: Just as Cliff wants to emulate his enemy, I have to believe J.R. harbors a secret, grudging respect for Cliff. Who else but “Barnes” would have the courage to stand in the middle of a crowded restaurant and shout at J.R.? Who else has the capacity to keep getting up and dusting himself off after J.R. has knocked him down? If nothing else, J.R. must enjoy having Cliff to bat around whenever he gets bored.
Kercheval’s scenes elevate “And the Winner Is …,” but this episode has several other good moments. I love seeing J.R. helpfully explain to Edgar Randolph that he did him a favor by blackmailing him because it will force Edgar to come clean to his wife. After Edgar punches him in the gut, J.R. deadpans to Sly and Phyllis, “I saved that man’s marriage and gave him a new lease on life. He doesn’t have a grateful bone in his body.” I also like when Miss Ellie and Clayton dine with Punk and Mavis, who reminisce about the beginning of their 25-year-old marriage. It turns out the Andersons were previously married and divorced from other people. Who knew? Speaking of divorcees: I’m charmed by the scene where Bobby and Pam take Christopher out for ice cream — especially when little Eric Farlow “photo bombs” one of Victoria Principal’s close-ups.
Not everything about “And the Winner Is …” works: The auction sequence is far-fetched — does half the population of Dallas show up to see Edgar and his fellow bureaucrats open a handful of sealed envelopes? — and so is the post-auction reception at the Oil Baron’s Club. Is this a government exercise or the Academy Awards? As silly as this is, nothing compares to the ridiculousness of Lucy and Peter’s fashion photo shoot at Southfork. Between the extras who hover in the background holding sparklers and the sight of Charlene Tilton and Christopher Atkins vamping through massive eyeglasses, I have to believe this sequence was every bit as campy when it aired in 1984 as it is today. On the other hand: If Lucy and Peter wore those frames today while walking down a street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, or some other hipster neighborhood, I’m sure everyone would think they looked very cool.
Especially if Peter wore his Speedo too.
Grade: B
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Give a hoot
‘AND THE WINNER IS …’
Season 7, Episode 22
Airdate: March 2, 1984
Audience: 21.5 million homes, ranking 3rd in the weekly ratings
Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis
Director: Nick Havinga
Synopsis: Before the government auctions its offshore oil leases, Sly feeds Cliff false information, driving up his offer. After submitting his inflated bid, Cliff wins the auction to drill in Gold Canyon 340, only to learn Marilee has backed out of the deal, leaving Cliff on the hook with the government. Ray and Donna urge Edgar to come clean about his past to his wife. Bobby and Pam grow closer, alarming Katherine. Peter tells Sue Ellen he believes he was the father of the child she lost, which leaves J.R. seething when he overhears their conversation. Ellie encourages Clayton to invite his sister to their wedding.
Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Martin E. Brooks (Edgar Randolph), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Wendy Fulton (Jan Higgins), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Alice Hirson (Mavis Anderson), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Rosanne Katon (Billie), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Joanna Miles (Martha Randolph), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Debi Sue Voorhees (waitress), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)
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