Ken Kercheval – Dallas Decoder

TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘The Return’

February 25, 2014 by Chris Baker 41 Comments

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Pamela Barnes Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing

They’re back

Here’s what happened in “The Return,” TNT’s third-season “Dallas” opener:

• John Ross and Emma struck a deal. After their tryst in the hotel room, John Ross and Emma (Josh Henderson, Emma Bell) found Judith’s power of attorney, which makes Emma chief executive of Ryland Transport if Harris becomes incapacitated. “Nothing says incapacitated like a 20-year prison term,” John Ross said.

Emma agreed to give John Ross control of Ryland Transport’s drilling and cargo ships, which the newly renamed Ewing Global needs to bid on lucrative oil and methane leases in the Arctic. But Emma’s offer came with a price: She wants to continue sleeping with John Ross. He agreed — and not reluctantly.

• Elena and Cliff joined forces. Elena (Jordana Brewster) confirmed Cliff (Ken Kercheval) was telling the truth about J.R.’s scheme against her father and agreed to help Cliff prove the Ewings framed him so she can gain leverage against them. “I’m not thinking of this as revenge. I’m thinking of this as justice,” she said.

Elena kept her connection to Cliff a secret and took a job at Ewing Global; she also recruited Nicolas Treviño (Juan Pablo Di Pace), a childhood friend who is now a billionaire, to serve as Cliff’s proxy. Nicolas, who was known as Joaquin as a child, grew up alongside Elena and Drew and considered their father as his own. “We will get justice for your family — for our family,” Nicolas told her.

• John Ross and Bobby clashed — and clashed again. To finance Ewing Global’s Arctic venture, the family decided to sell the company’s consumer division. Not so fast, said Nicolas, who introduced himself to the Ewings as Cliff’s proxy and cited a state law that prevents companies from selling major assets without the blessing of a “supermajority” of owners.

Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) suggested the family should find dirt on Nicolas and get him to switch to their side, but John Ross had another idea: He wants to pay for the Arctic venture by drilling on Southfork. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) rejected the plan, pointing out that he and Gary still control the mineral rights. But John Ross had a trick up his sleeve: He revealed the oil below the ranch has risen to the shale formation, which means he can drill it because he has the “surface rights.”

To make matters worse, John Ross also started talking about remodeling Southfork, including adding — gasp! — an atrium, an elevator and an indoor pool.

• Harris went free. After being released from jail, Harris (Mitch Pileggi) ran into some shady dudes who took credit for bribing the judge so he could walk away a free man. The men told Harris if he doesn’t resume his drug shipments for the Mendez-Ochoa cartel, they’ll make Emma wish she was dead. Yikes!

• Meanwhile, back at the ranch.… Elena apologized to the Ewings for concealing her brother’s involvement in the rig explosion. When Christopher asked her to forgive him for treating her harshly, she told him they should take more time to sort out their feelings for each other, although the expression on her face — and the fact that she’s now secretly colluding with Cliff — suggests she didn’t really mean it. If Elena changes her mind, she better do it fast since Christopher seemed taken with Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), a spirited ranch hand who doesn’t care much for Bo (Donny Boaz), the ranch hand/rodeo cowboy whom Emma tangled with last season.

• John Ross and Pamela got engaged — again. Elsewhere at Southfork, John Ross got down on one knee and gave Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) a “proper” marriage proposal, along with an engagement ring to rival the rock Sue Ellen used to sport. Pamela wasted no time planning her wedding with help from Ann (Brenda Strong), Sue Ellen — and Emma, who was as sweet as spun sugar to Pamela’s face while sexting her husband behind her back.

Later, John Ross — who now sports J.R.’s belt buckle, courtesy of Bum (Kevin Page) — snuck across the hall at Southfork and had another tryst with Emma. Afterward, as he was leaving the room, he ran into Sue Ellen, who didn’t seem to believe her son’s claim that he and Emma were just talking shop. Would you?

What did you think of “The Return”? 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, Donny Boaz, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kevin Page, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT

The Dal-List: 5 Women Who Spied for Cliff Barnes

February 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jordana Brewster, Return, TNT

Welcome to the club, honey

Say what you will about Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval), but the man knows how to get women to spy on the Ewings for him. In “The Return,” TNT’s third-season “Dallas” opener, Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster) becomes the latest gal to go undercover on Cliff’s behalf. Here’s a look at five others.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Julie Grey, Larry Hagman, Tina Louise

His kind of traitor

5. Julie Grey. When J.R. began taking his secretary/mistress Julie (Tina Louise) for granted, she got even by sneaking Cliff documents that proved the Ewings had bribed a state senator. Cliff exposed the Ewings and Julie left town, but she came back and pretty much did the same thing all over again — feeding J.R.’s secrets to Cliff. This time around, Julie wound up dead and Cliff wound up in jail, framed for her murder — courtesy of J.R., natch.

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Deborah Rennard, Ken Kercheval, Sly

Reflections of a rat

4. Sly Lovegren. In an attempt to beat the Ewings at their own game, Cliff blackmailed Sly (Deborah Rennard), J.R.’s loyal secretary, into leaking him Ewing Oil secrets by threatening to have her brother’s parole denied if she didn’t cooperate. Sly reluctantly went along with the scheme — until J.R. caught wind and turned Sly into a double agent, using her to feed Cliff bad information that brought his company to the brink of disaster.

Dallas, Deborah Shelton, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Mandy Winger

The shadow knows

3. Mandy Winger. Here we go again. When J.R.’s mistress Mandy (Deborah Shelton) suspected he was cheating on her — how could he! — she tried to get revenge by getting him to divulge Ewing Oil secrets, which she gave to Cliff. J.R. was wise to Mandy’s game, though, and turned the tables on her and Cliff. But poor J.R.: He seemed genuinely hurt by Mandy’s betrayal — which should’ve been our first clue this was all a dream.

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Ken Kercheval, Pam Ewing, Victoria Principal

Double spy

2. Pam Ewing. By the time Pam (Victoria Principal) remarried Bobby, she had become Cliff’s business partner. This put her in competition with J.R. and Bobby and made her life hell. Cliff didn’t help matters when he asked Pam to divulge which companies the Ewings wanted to acquire — and she did! J.R. would’ve been mad, except he used Pam to find out which companies Cliff wanted. Who knew she could be so valuable?

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Daddy’s girl

1. Pamela Barnes. To destroy the Ewings once and for all, Cliff sent his daughter Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) to infiltrate the family by posing as “Rebecca Sutter.” She married Christopher — her own cousin! — and dutifully did Daddy’s bidding, eventually helping him gain control of Ewing Energies. And how did he repay her? By blowing up the Ewing Energies rig, causing her to lose her unborn babies. We can’t help but wonder: Elena, are you sure you want to do business with this guy?

What’s your favorite “Dallas” spy story? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Deborah Rennard, Deborah Shelton, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Return, Tina Louise, TNT, Victoria Principal

Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 1

February 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Legacies, TNT

Moving on

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “The Return,” TNT’s third-season “Dallas” premiere:

• What’s John Ross up to? “Legacies,” the second-season finale, ended with John Ross (Josh Henderson) on top of the world: After marrying Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), he helped his family defeat Cliff (Ken Kercheval) and take over his company, Barnes Global. In the final scene, John Ross went to a posh hotel room, where Emma (Emma Bell) was waiting for him with an accordion folder full of documents. John Ross told Emma he was willing to “pay the price” for the folder as they began to undress each other. What’s John Ross after — and why is he willing to cheat on Pamela to get it?

• Will Elena accept Cliff’s offer? Also in the season finale, Cliff summoned Elena (Jordana Brewster) to Mexico, where he was jailed after the police arrested him for J.R.’s murder. Cliff showed Elena documents that suggested J.R. stole oil-rich land from her late father and invited her to become his proxy for the one-third of Barnes Global he still owns. Elena, who was nursing a broken heart after Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) discovered she covered up Drew’s role in the Ewing Energies rig explosion and dumped her, seemed tempted by Cliff’s offer. Will she accept?

• Did Bobby tie up all the loose ends in J.R.’s “masterpiece”? When evidence emerged that Cliff killed J.R. (Larry Hagman), Pamela helped the Ewings plant evidence on her father to make sure he wouldn’t get away with murder. Later, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) revealed the truth to John Ross and Christopher: J.R. was dying of cancer and arranged for Bum (Kevin Page) to shoot him so Cliff could be framed, thus bringing an end to the Barnes-Ewing feud. How flawless is J.R.’s masterpiece?

• How’s Sue Ellen coping? It’s no secret Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) will still be drinking when Season 3 begins. Will her problem get worse before it gets better?

• What will happen to Harris? Before Emma swiped the accordion folder and shared it with John Ross, she blew the whistle on her father, who was arrested for drug trafficking. How is Harris (Mitch Pileggi) getting along in jail? What will happen to his drug trafficking operation without him? And while we’re on the subject of the Rylands, whatever became of Judith (Judith Light), whom Harris sent to “rehab” after she threatened to take control of their family’s company, Ryland Transport, before tumbling down the stairs?

• Who is Joaquin? After the Ewings discovered Cliff and Harris blackmailed Drew (Kuno Becker) into blowing up the rig, he went on the run. Elena eventually caught up with her brother and gave him money and a cell phone, telling him to “call Joaquin” as soon as he got to Mexico. The last time we saw Drew, he was speeding away on his motorcycle. Later, after Cliff’s conversation with Elena, she took off too and wound up at a Mexican compound, where she told the guards she was there to see Joaquin. Who is this mystery man — and what’s his connection to the Ramoses?

• Who are the newcomers? “The Return” will introduce two new characters: Nicolas Treviño (Juan Pablo Di Pace), a suave billionaire who’ll spar with the Ewings, and Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), a ranch hand at Southfork. How will they figure into this season’s storylines?

• How’s life at Southfork? After J.R.’s death, John Ross inherited half of Southfork and moved in, putting him and Pamela under the same roof as Bobby, Ann (Brenda Strong) and Christopher. How’s the brood getting along? And how long until someone gets pushed into the swimming pool?

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, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kevin Page, Kuno Becker, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT

In Season 3, ‘Dallas’ Resets the Chessboard, J.R. Style

February 20, 2014 by Chris Baker 47 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Return, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Welcome back, darlins

Who misses J.R.? We all do, but the third season of TNT’s “Dallas” still manages to be fun, freewheeling television — even if our beloved Larry Hagman is no longer there to breathe life into his most famous character. Watching next week’s season premiere is a little like attending a family reunion after the loss of a favorite uncle. You can’t help but wish the old guy was still around, but isn’t it nice to see everyone else again?

Besides, it’s not like J.R. is gone altogether. His memory looms large in Season 3’s first two episodes. Some examples: John Ross inherits his daddy’s Southfork-sized belt buckle and hires contractors to renovate the house using blueprints J.R. commissioned before his death. Bobby, once again at odds with his ambitious nephew, growls that John Ross isn’t “half the man” J.R. was. Bum, the Ewings’ go-to private eye who now doubles as John Ross’s conscience, urges him to “grow into your father’s greatness, not his weakness.” There’s even a much-improved painting of J.R. hanging in the Ewing offices, allowing Hagman’s visage to peer over the shoulders of the other actors as they move around the set.

With so many verbal and visual references to J.R., isn’t the show just reminding us that this franchise has lost its marquee player? Yes, but since most of us can’t tune into “Dallas” without thinking about Hagman anyway, the producers might as well acknowledge the ghost in the room. Besides, when your franchise is built on a character as endlessly fascinating as J.R. Ewing, why not use him to pull everyone’s strings from the great beyond?

That’s why “The Return,” the third-season premiere, resets the “Dallas” chessboard, J.R.-style. The episode — penned by Cynthia Cidre and Robert Rovner and directed by Steve Robin — picks up 12 hours after last year’s finale, when we learned J.R. was dying of cancer and masterminded his own “murder” so archenemy Cliff Barnes could be framed for the crime, thus ending the Barnes/Ewing feud. (Ha!) The finale also positioned John Ross as J.R.’s heir in every way, and so at the beginning of “The Return,” we learn why the young newlywed went to that hotel room to cheat with Emma, who appears to have traded her pill habit for an addiction to risky encounters with John Ross.

We’ll also hear how John Ross justifies the fling to Kevin Page’s Bum; his excuse will sound familiar to longtime “Dallas” fans who remember how J.R. used to rationalize his cheating on Sue Ellen. This storyline has upset a lot of fans of the John Ross/Pamela pairing, but it allows Josh Henderson to display the sly charisma that makes him almost as much fun to watch as Hagman was in his heyday. And even though John Ross is a cheat, we can’t help but feel charmed by his relationship with Julie Gonzalo’s Pamela, whose smoldering gaze makes her the ideal match for the oh-so-suave Henderson. Let’s acknowledge something else too: As much as we despise Emma, there’s no denying that Emma Bell is terrific in this role. Not since Mary Crosby’s Kristin have “Dallas” viewers had a vixen who’s so much fun to hate.

During last year’s execution of the Ewings’ “master plan” against Cliff, almost all of the characters got in touch with their inner J.R., but Season 3 finds the good guys returning to familiar terrain. Patrick Duffy’s Bobby slides back into his role as the heroic guardian of Southfork traditions, while Jesse Metcalfe’s Christopher gets a refreshingly angst-free romance with Heather, a new ranch hand. This role is played with equal parts spunk and sex appeal by AnnaLynne McCord, who was the best part of the CW’s “90210” and makes a welcome addition to “Dallas,” a far better revival.

(Oh, and even though “The Return” begins 12 hours after Season 2 ended, Christopher now sports a face full of scruff. How did he grow a thick beard in a half-day? It’s probably better not to ask. Let’s consider it this era’s version of Sue Ellen’s hair, which magically shortened itself between seasons in the early 1980s, even though mere minutes had passed on screen.)

“The Return” also recasts Elena, once this show’s romantic heroine, into a shrewd schemer out for revenge — or as she calls it, “justice” — after Cliff revealed J.R. once stole oil-rich land from her father, just like Jock supposedly cheated Digger out of half the Ewing fortune. This might seem like a thin premise to extend the Barnes/Ewing feud, but it gives the underappreciated Jordana Brewster something to do besides moon over Henderson and Metcalfe’s characters. Cliff and Elena’s unlikely alliance also includes Nicolas Treviño, a dashing young billionaire played by Juan Pablo Di Pace, another strong addition to this ensemble.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: What about Sue Ellen? It’s no secret Linda Gray’s character is once again headed for rock bottom this season, although she goes nowhere near a drop of booze in “The Return.” Some fans hate to see Sue Ellen drinking again; I’m not wild about the idea either, but I have no doubt Gray will deliver another knockout performance, just like she did last year. She’s Hagman’s truest heir in a lot of ways, including this one: Like him, Gray can say more with an arched eyebrow or a wry smile than most actors can with a script full of dialogue. She exudes Old Hollywood star power, and whether Sue Ellen is drunk or sober, Gray always delivers riveting television.

“Dallas” fans also want to know about a couple of other favorites, including Brenda Strong’s Ann and her dastardly ex-husband Harris, played to menacing perfection by Mitch Pileggi. Regarding them, I’ll only say this: Just because you haven’t read much about their characters in “Dallas’s” pre-premiere publicity doesn’t mean they have nothing to do in the first two episodes. I also don’t want to give anything away about Judith Light’s character Judith Ryland, except to say her return in the season’s second hour, “Trust Me,” is a hoot.

That episode, written by Bruce Rasmussen and directed by Millicent Shelton, features a Ewing family gathering that showcases the brilliance of costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin, who never fails to impress, and hairdresser Charles Yusko, whose contributions to the success of this series shouldn’t be overlooked. You’ll also want to watch “Trust Me” to see the long-awaited reunion between two characters who had a charming scene last year, along with one of the most audacious moments I’ve ever seen on “Dallas” — or any other show, for that matter.

Most importantly, the episode ends with a shock that rocks two characters and will make you reconsider everything you think you know about a third. It’s a twist you’ll never see coming — and another reason this show remains so much fun, even without the man who got the party started.

“Dallas’s” third season begins Monday, February 24, at 9 p.m. Eastern on TNT. Are you excited? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: AnnaLynne McCord, Brenda Strong, Bruce Rasmussen, Charles Yusko, Cynthia Cidre, Emma Bell, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Judith Light, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Kevin Page, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mary Crosby, Millicent Shelton, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Rachel Sage Kunin, Return, Robert Rovner, Steve Robin, TNT, Trust Me

If Fans Wrote ‘Dallas,’ Here’s What You’d See

February 19, 2014 by Chris Baker 27 Comments

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Pamela Barnes Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Fantasy gals

What would “Dallas’s” third season look like if the audience were in charge? Dallas Decoder asked four fans to pick up the storylines where Season 2 left off and describe their fantasy scenarios for the show. Here’s what they came up with.

Such a sneak!

Emma’s Switcheroo

By Chris Donovan

The Ewings celebrate the victory of Ewing Global, then discover they have inherited former Barnes Global enemies, including a dangerous Las Vegas casino family. Bobby employs J.R.’s mercenary (and killer), Bum, to mediate and more.

Elena and Joaquin disprove Cliff’s season-ending claim and Elena turns down the proxy. Instead, she insists on finding Drew and takes mother Carmen with her on her search, the family Ramos leaving in the season premiere.

Cliff picks Pamela’s mother, Afton (a one-time owner of a record company), as the proxy replacement. She begrudgingly complies, hoping to work with her daughter.

Katherine Wentworth, prosecution-immune after 30 years, flies back to appear on a Dallas TV show. She apologizes to Bobby and donates $500,000 to the upcoming Clayton Farlow Charity Rodeo at Southfork. Katherine has it all together now, or does until a blond haired woman shows up at her condo….

The presumed-dead James Beaumont revs up to J.R.’s grave and talks with John Ross. James has been living in New Zealand since the deaths of his wife and son.

Judith buys her way out of “rehab” and finds her long-lost son, Roscoe “Morrissey” Manley, in a plot to get Harris out of 50-year trafficking sentence. Will she succeed in an installment titled “Switched at Death”?

Ann becomes attracted to her probation worker, Devon Leeman. Will she add a love crime to her rap sheet?

Lucy’s gay twenty-something stepson, Henry Pattemore, is hired by Christopher for the ranch and then matched up by his boss with Sheriff Derrick.

Emma sabotages John Ross and Pamela’s pregnancy efforts by replacing fertility pills with birth control.

In the Sue Ellen stand-alone episode, “Come to Mickey,” Sue Ellen, after passing out at a restaurant playground, meets a 50-year-old Mickey Trotter in her car. Pushing her drunk past in her face (the pregnancy accident, his accident, her breakup with Don), he stops her from driving. She commits to rehab and AA, where she meets her new love interest: Lou, the Ewing attorney.

And Cliff redeems himself in the finale, giving his life for Afton: “Besides my daddy and my sister, you’re the only one I’ve ever loved!”

Donovan, a novelist, is the author of “AWOL.”

Gettin’ lusty with Dusty

Oh, Annie!

By Andrew H.

The Ewings’ unity in the wake of J.R.’s “masterpiece” to take down Cliff becomes fractured following an environmental calamity on Southfork created by John Ross’s oil exploration. This infuriates Bobby, who sues his nephew.

Emma feels pulled in both directions — a predicament Harris and Judith are more than happy to exploit. Working as Cliff’s secret pawn, Elena unknowingly has a hand in the disaster, but this doesn’t become apparent to her until later, as she remains unaware of the depth to which Cliff is willing to sink the Ewings to achieve his revenge.

As the Ewings become caught up in the Bobby/John Ross legal battle, their romantic liaisons become entangled too. Sue Ellen, fleeing sobriety, begins an affair with Ken Richards, and Ann, feeling neglected by Bobby, finds comfort in the arms of one of Sue Ellen’s old flames: Dusty Farlow.

Distracted by the lawsuit and their affairs, the implementation of Cliff’s diabolical scheme to get even goes largely unnoticed until Pamela discovers it. Irritated by her philandering husband, she must weigh whether to remain loyal to the scattered Ewings or rebuild the Barnes legacy by becoming the final piece in her father’s plan to sabotage the Ewings’ financial holdings and destroy their good name forever.

Andrew, who blogs about food at Cook In/Dine Out, is the creator of the “Dallas Drinks” and “Dallas Desserts” series. He’s also married to Dallas Decoder.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Give ’em hell, honey

Call Her Madam Mayor

By Corina H.

Riddled with guilt, Bum tells Sue Ellen he accidentally sent her the wrong letter from J.R., one he penned before developing cancer, and only realized it when she read it at the burial. Bum reveals the truth about J.R.’s death and gives Sue Ellen the intended letter in which J.R. again professes his love and regret for squandering it, but also says goodbye and urges her to stay strong.

When Sue Ellen confronts the Ewing men about their deception, they dismiss her as emotional and John Ross cites her relapse as an example of how she can’t handle the truth. Heartbroken, Sue Ellen briefly flees Dallas and befriends Vanessa Ruiz (Shannen Doherty), a down-on-her-luck waitress with whom she develops a mother/daughter bond, leaving John Ross feeling threatened.

Back home, Sue Ellen voluntarily enters rehab, where she falls for fellow patient Royce Lee Caine (William Shatner), an eccentric cattle mogul who has J.R.’s power and charm but none of his dastardly ways. With Royce’s encouragement, Sue Ellen gets sober and is elected mayor — only to be challenged anew when Harris is released from jail and sabotages her efforts to aid her constituents after a major tornado.

Back at Southfork, the family takes in Lucy, who is newly divorced and broke. Ray also returns and — to Bobby’s dismay — rekindles his romance with his half-niece. The relationship is strong but challenged from all sides, prompting Lucy to use her Ewing Global shares like a weather vane depending on which family member is hassling her and Ray.

Meanwhile, when John Ross impregnates Emma, Ann is appalled but also secretly thrilled at a second chance at motherhood, which drives a wedge between her and Bobby. Feeling frustrated, Bobby seeks comfort from an old friend who, unbeknownst to him, is put in his path by Judith. Pamela is furious and issues an ultimatum: She’ll allow John Ross this one indiscretion if he ends the affair and Emma terminates the pregnancy. Looking for a distraction, John Ross develops a poker habit, defaults on markers and starts stealing Sue Ellen’s fortune.

Elsewhere, Elena aligns with Cliff and appeals to Sue Ellen’s integrity to try and get Cliff released from jail on false charges, putting the freedom of all involved Ewings at stake. Later, Christopher’s chance encounter with June Leigh Taylor (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a.k.a. “June Bug,” a beautiful farm girl, leaves him wondering: Is it time to give up his stressful career at Ewing Global and start a new life?

Corina, also known as “Team Sue Ellen” on Twitter, writes about her favorite “Dallas” character at FanFiction.net.

Go see Daddy

Don’t Forget Cliff!

By James Holmes

Mostly, I want the show to keep on surprising me the way it has done. However, these are things I’d be happy to see more of:

• Cliff in prison. I hope he gets a lot of visitors because I want to hear him talk — about how he ended up as the man he is today, how repentant he is or isn’t for his actions, or just to hear Ken Kercheval find more ways to say “I did not kill J.R.!” — the soap equivalent of Laurence Olivier’s “Is it safe?” mantra in “Marathon Man.”

• Joaquin! We haven’t seen him, we know nothing about him, but after his impressive non-entrance at the end of last season, he’s already my new favorite character.

• Multi-faceted Sue Ellen. We’d seen her be supportive, maternal, shrewd, aloof, devious and drunk before, but not until last year did it occur to anyone that she could be all of those things at the same time. I guess she’ll have to sober up sometime, but I’d love a drunken confrontation with John Ross first.

• I love the glimpses we’ve been given into the parallel “Dallas” that was happening at the same time as the original series — a dyslexic John Ross throwing toys at his mama’s head, the Ewing boys shooting hoops with the McKay brothers — but as well as playing fast and loose with the Ewing mythology, the new show has been able to honor and explain Pam’s convoluted departure in a way the original never could. In “New Dallas,” everything is up for grabs — the past as well as the future. I hope it continues to scramble my brain like this.

• Becky Sutter. I know Frank supposedly killed her off-screen, but is too much to hope she’s still out there somewhere — maybe holed up in a motel watching “Law & Order” reruns?

• Carmen needs to start stirring the mole or get off the pot. Either give her some scenes she can sink her teeth into or kill her off. This half-life is too cruel.

Holmes, also known as “James from London,” is a regular contributor to the SoapChat.net discussion board.

Whose ideas do you like best? Share your comments below and read more features from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Linda Gray, TNT

Dallas Desserts: Valentine’s Day Edition

February 14, 2014 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Like his famous daddy, doesn’t John Ross Ewing deserve to have his cake and eat it too?

The “Dallas” fans at Dallas Decoder and Cook In/Dine Out think so. We’ve created a Valentine’s Day sundae that’s as deliciously messy as John Ross’s love life.

Like our previous “Dallas Desserts,” this one is rich with symbolism: the brownie represents John Ross’s wife Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), the blondie represents his mistress Emma (Emma Bell), and the chocolate sauce is dark and smooth, just like John Ross (Josh Henderson) himself.

The rest of the ingredients allude to John Ross’s other relatives: The vanilla ice cream is as wholesome as Uncle Bobby (Patrick Duffy), while the chopped peanuts honor his nutty father-in-law, Cliff (Ken Kercheval).

You’ll find the recipe for this treat at Cook In/Dine Out, which is the handiwork of the Valentine in my life, my husband Andrew. Visit his site regularly for other amazing food-related content, and be sure to follow Cook In/Dine Out on Facebook and Twitter.

We hope you’ll share this treat with the special “Dallas” fan in your life. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Filed Under: Dallas Desserts, Features Tagged With: Emma Bell, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Ken Kercheval, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Here’s Everything That’s Happened on ‘Dallas,’ Ever*

February 5, 2014 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Ain’t over yet

It’s never too late to start watching “Dallas.” If you missed the original show and the first two seasons of TNT’s sequel series, fear not: This post will tell you everything you need to know before Season 3 begins on Monday, February 24. (*OK, this isn’t really everything that’s happened on “Dallas.” For that, you’ll have to keep reading Dallas Decoder every day.)

The Original Series (1978 to 1991)

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Pam Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal

In the beginning

Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy), the youngest son of a rich oil and cattle clan, marries Pam Barnes (Victoria Principal) and brings her home to Southfork, the Ewing ranch. This upsets everyone, especially Pam’s daddy Digger (David Wayne), who blames Bobby’s daddy Jock (Jim Davis) for stealing his sweetheart, Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), and cheating him out of half of Ewing Oil. While Bobby’s devious brother J.R. (Larry Hagman) is building the family empire and catting around, J.R.’s neglected wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) becomes an alcoholic and has an affair with Cliff (Ken Kercheval), Pam’s vengeful brother. Later, J.R. and Sue Ellen have a son, John Ross, while Bobby and Pam adopt Christopher, the orphaned child of Sue Ellen’s sister Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) and sleazy Jeff Faraday (Art Hindle). Elsewhere, Ray Krebbs, Southfork’s foreman, discovers Jock is his daddy and marries savvy politico Donna Culver (Susan Howard), while Lucy (Charlene Tilton), the daughter of J.R. and Bobby’s middle brother Gary (Ted Shackelford) and his wife Valene (Joan Van Ark), gets engaged to everyone.

End of an era

More drama: Digger dies and so does Jock, leaving Ellie to hold the family together with help from second hubby Clayton Farlow (Howard Keel). Southfork burns down, but the Ewings rebuild it. Cliff hooks up with Afton Cooper (Audrey Landers), who gives birth to their daughter Pamela Rebecca, but Afton refuses to let Cliff near the child because of his fixation with destroying the Ewings. Cliff and Pam’s half-sister Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany) arrives, becomes obsessed with Bobby and tries to kill him, then vanishes under a big hat. Sue Ellen beats the bottle and divorces J.R., while Pam has a bad dream, gets burned in a car crash and runs away. Bobby has an on-again, off-again romance with first love Jenna Wade (Priscilla Beaulieu Presley), who gives birth to their son Lucas and then marries newly divorced Ray. James (Sasha Mitchell), J.R.’s illegitimate son, shows up for a while and emulates the old man. Bobby marries April (Sheree J. Wilson), but she dies. J.R. marries Cally (Cathy Podewell), but she leaves. In the end, Cliff finally takes over Ewing Oil, leaving J.R. alone and suicidal.

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Swan Song

Hurts so good

Best Episode: “Swan Song.” The eighth-season finale finds J.R. and Sue Ellen’s marriage on the rocks, unlike the vodka she’s secretly swilling in her bedroom. Meanwhile, Bobby chooses Pam over Jenna, but crazy Katherine runs him over with her car. The episode ends with the Ewings bidding farewell to Bobby in a deathbed scene that’s so beautifully written and acted, you almost wish it wasn’t part of Pam’s dream. Almost.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Who Shot J.R.?

Shot in the dark

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who shot J.R.? Sure, taking a couple of slugs to the gut is no fun for our hero, but at least he makes billions of dollars in a risky offshore oil deal before he’s gunned down. Oh, and in case you didn’t hear, J.R.’s assailant turns out to be Kristin, his sister-in-law/ex-secretary/ex-mistress, who’s revealed as the shooter in one of the most-watched broadcasts in television history. (Props to Sue Ellen, who figures it all out.)

TNT Season 1 (2012)

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

When cousins clash

J.R. emerges from a nursing home and tricks Bobby into selling him Southfork so he can tap the ocean of oil flowing beneath it. Like their fathers, John Ross and Christopher (Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe) butt heads, except their rivalry has an added twist: John Ross has fallen for Elena Ramos (Jordana Brewster), who was Christopher’s childhood sweetheart. Christopher marries Rebecca Sutter (Julie Gonzalo), unaware that she’s the daughter of Cliff, who is now the gazillionaire owner of Barnes Global and still hell-bent on destroying the Ewings. Rebecca kills her lover Tommy Sutter (Callard Harris) in self-defense and has Cliff’s henchman Frank Ashkani (Faran Tahir) dispose of the body. Meanwhile, Sue Ellen runs for governor; Bobby’s new wife Ann (Brenda Strong) feels threatened by ex-husband Harris Ryland (Mitch Pileggi), who knows she’s harboring a dark secret; and John Ross, Christopher and Elena form a company, Ewing Energies, but the partnership is threatened when Elena breaks her engagement to John Ross and reunites with Christopher, who dumps the pregnant Rebecca.

Dallas, Family Business, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Bad does good

Best Episode: “Family Business.” In one of Hagman’s most poignant performances, J.R. learns Bobby is secretly battling cancer and returns Southfork to him, ending the season-long war for the ranch. Later, in a chill-inducing musical montage (set to Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around”), poor Bobby suffers a seizure and Rebecca shoots Tommy, splattering blood over her unborn twins’ stuffed animals. Hmmm. Foreshadow, much?

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Pass the torch

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who loves J.R.? His son John Ross, who ends the season by gazing at the Dallas skyline with dear old dad and asking him to teach him “every dirty trick” he knows so he can push Christopher and Elena out of Ewing Energies. J.R. beams with pride and tells John Ross that he’s his son “from tip to tail.” Hey, J.R. may have given up the fight for Southfork, but he wasn’t giving up his devious ways — thank goodness.

TNT Season 2 (2013)

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Ken Kercheval, TNT

All about evil

Rebecca reveals she’s Pamela Rebecca Barnes and hooks up with John Ross. Ann shoots Harris after learning he kidnapped their daughter Emma when she was a baby and sent her to be raised by his control-freak mother, Judith (Judith Light). Ann gets probation, Harris recovers and Judith falls down the stairs. Frank takes the blame for Tommy’s death and kills himself at the request of Cliff, who causes Pamela’s miscarriage. When J.R. is murdered in Mexico, it appears Cliff is the killer, so Bobby, Christopher and newlyweds John Ross and Pamela plant evidence on Cliff to make sure he’s arrested. Oh, and Christopher also discovers Cliff covered up his mom’s death. Elsewhere, John Ross somehow inherits half of Southfork; Sue Ellen loses the election but continues to tangle with Governor McConaughey (Steven Weber); Emma (Emma Bell) sleeps with Elena’s ne’er-do-well brother Drew (Kuno Becker), becomes John Ross’s mistress and turns Harris in to the cops for drug trafficking; and when Christopher dumps Elena, jailbird Cliff asks her to become his proxy at Barnes Global, which the Ewings now control.

Dallas, J.R.'s Masterpiece, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Mourning glory

Best Episode: “J.R.’s Masterpiece.” Our hero is laid to rest in an instant-classic hour that brings back several stars from the original series. The highlight: On the night before J.R.’s burial, Sue Ellen takes a heartbreaking tumble off the wagon, then delivers a mesmerizing eulogy for the man she calls “the love of my life.” Can someone please explain how Linda Gray didn’t win an Emmy for this performance?

Only you

J.R.’s Greatest Moment: Who killed J.R.? J.R. did, of course. It turns out he was dying of cancer and arranged his own death so Cliff could be framed for the crime, thus ending the Barnes-Ewing feud … for about 2 minutes, at least. Only a handful of people know the truth, including Bobby, J.R.’s loyal private eye Bum (Kevin Page), Christopher and John Ross, who gets it right when he says, “The only person who could take down J.R. … was J.R.”

What are your favorite “Dallas” memories? Share them below and read more features from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Art Hindle, Audrey Landers, Barbara Bel Geddes, Brenda Strong, Callard Harris, Cathy Podewell, Charlene Tilton, David Wayne, Emma Bell, Family Business, Faran Tahir, Howard Keel, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Jim Davis, Joan Van Ark, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Judith Light, Ken Kercheval, Kevin Page, Kuno Becker, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mary Crosby, Mitch Pileggi, Morgan Brittany, Patrick Duffy, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley, Sasha Mitchell, Sheree J. Wilson, Steve Kanaly, Steven Weber, Susan Howard, Swan Song, Ted Shackelford, TNT, Victoria Principal, Who Killed J.R.?, Who Shot J.R.?

The Dallas Decoder Quiz: Second-Season Spectacles

February 3, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Stumped?

How much do you remember about the second season of TNT’s “Dallas”? Jog your memory with this quiz. The correct answers appear at the end.

1. Which foursome controls Barnes Global?

a) Bobby, Christopher, Pamela and John Ross

b) Cliff, Christopher, Pamela and John Ross

c) Cliff, Pam, Pamela and Christopher

d) Cliff, Pam, Katherine and Jimmy

2. Which duo owns Southfork?

a) Bobby and Ann

b) Bobby and John Ross

c) Bobby and Christopher

d) Bobby and Gary

3. Match the judges in Column A with the courtroom proceedings they oversaw in Column B.

Column A

I) Judge Leonard Knox

II) Judge Barbara Hirsch

III) Judge Wallace Tate

IV) Judge John R. Testolin

Column B

a) Frank’s arraingment

b) Roy’s arraingment

c) Bobby’s arraingment

d) Ann’s trial

He done it?

4. Where was Cliff when J.R. was killed?

a) In Nuevo Laredo

b) In Cabo San Lucas

c) On his way to the Ewing building

d) Sleeping in his car

5. What did John Ross and Pamela plant in Cliff’s safe deposit box?

a) J.R.’s gun

b) J.R.’s hat

c) J.R.’s belt buckle

d) Jeannie’s bottle

6. Each of these memorable quotes is missing a word. Fill in the blank and state who delivered the line.

a) “Love is for (blank).”

b) “When they figure out how to run a car on (blank), you’ll have the real advantage.”

c) “Once a (blank), always a (blank).”

d) “I’m not a sick, sadistic (blank) like you are.”

7. Match the Ewing Energies executive in Column A with his or her secretary in Column B.

Column A

I) John Ross

II) Christopher

III) Bobby

IV) Sue Ellen

Column B

a) Jill

b) Lisa

c) Sally

d) Stacy

Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Arrested development

8. When Harris was arrested, what was the charge?

a) Kidnapping

b) Bribery

c) Elder abuse

d) Drug trafficking

9. Who claimed Cliff was in the club on the night J.R. was killed?

a) Rhonda Cummings

b) Rhonda Simmons

c) Rhonda Mason

d) Rhonda Shear

10. Christopher believed his mother was using what alias in Zurich?

a) Andrea Barrett

b) Patricia Barrett

c) Pamela Monahan

d) Jeanne O’Brien

11. What did Emma do to Bo McCabe?

a) She bought drugs from him

b) She kissed him

c) She bit him

d) All of the above

Dallas, Governor Sam McConaughey, Steven Weber, TNT

Tables turned

12. What did Sue Ellen use to blackmail Governor McConaughey?

a) Proof that Harris bribed him

b) Proof that he covered up toxic dumping

c) Proof that he covered up the cause of the rig explosion

d) Proof that he ran his brother’s airline into the ground

13. What did Elena learn at the end of the season?

a) J.R. ruined her father’s reputation

b) J.R. caused her father’s death

c) J.R. stole land from her father

d) J.R. had her father arrested

14. Who did Elena go to see in Mexico?

a) Joaquin

b) Heisenberg

c) Carlos del Sol

d) Carlos Danger

15. What were J.R.’s final words during his phone call with John Ross?

a) “You shouldn’t have to pay for my sins.”

b) “I’m proud of you.”

c) “You’re my son, from tip to tail.”

d) “Rosebud.”

Answers: 1) b. 2) b. 3) I. c., II. a., III. d., IV. b. 4) b. 5) c. 6) a. pussies, John Ross; b. bullshit, Ricky Rudd; c. bitch, Valene; d. prick, Ann 7) I. d., II. a., III. c., IV. b. 8) d. 9) b. 10) b. 11) d. 12) c. 13) c. 14) a. 15) c.

How did you do? Share your score below and take last year’s quiz.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Jesse Metcalfe, Josh Henderson, Ken Kercheval, Linda Gray, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, Steven Weber, TNT

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 148 — ‘Eye of the Beholder’

January 27, 2014 by Chris Baker 16 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Eye of the Beholder, Howard Keel, Miss Ellie Ewing

The natural

At the end of “Eye of the Beholder,” Miss Ellie tearfully tells Clayton that she had breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy years earlier. It’s another moving performance from Barbara Bel Geddes, although when I try to explain why she excels in scenes like this one, I always come up short. Is it her ability to summon tears whenever the script calls for it? Is it her halting delivery, which mimics the way people tend to talk in real life? Or is it some magical, Hagman-esque quality that can’t be described? Whatever the reason, Bel Geddes always makes me forget I’m watching a world of make-believe. She’s amazing.

To be fair, Bel Geddes gets plenty of help from “Eye of the Beholder” scriptwriter Arthur Bernard Lewis, whose unsentimental dialogue ensures Ellie isn’t seen as a figure of self-pity. Here’s how she tells Clayton about her ordeal: “Clayton, I had surgery. I’ve had a mastectomy. The doctor found cancer. They cut off my breast.” This series of clipped, matter-of-fact pronouncements reminds me of Bel Geddes’ wonderful monologue in “Return Engagements,” when Ellie acknowledges her failure to help Gary keep his family together. (“I should’ve fought them. I didn’t. I did nothing.”) Only one line in Ellie’s “Eye of the Beholder” speech gives me pause. After she tells Clayton about her mastectomy, she says, “It affects how I feel about myself, and I know it’s got to be harder for you.” This seems like another example of “Dallas’s” pervasive sexism — and maybe it is — but like it or not, I suspect this is how a lot of women from Ellie’s generation felt.

Regardless, I continue to marvel at “Dallas’s” acknowledgment that Ellie and Clayton, two characters who are supposed to be in their 60s or 70s, are capable of sexual intimacy. Besides “The Golden Girls,” which debuted a year after this episode aired, I can’t think of another show that did more more than “Dallas” to dispel the myth that people stop having sex with they get old. I also appreciate how sensitively “Dallas” handles this material. At the end of the scene, Clayton tells Ellie the mastectomy doesn’t matter to him and sweeps her into his arms. The final freeze frame shows him holding her tightly as Richard Lewis Warren’s soft piano music plays in the background. There’s no big cliffhanger, just two characters expressing their love and commitment to each other. What other prime-time soap opera from this era would be willing to end an episode on such a quiet, dignified note?

Above all, I love how Ellie and Clayton’s storyline mines “Dallas’s” history. “Eye of the Beholder” arrived four seasons after the show’s classic “Mastectomy” episodes, which broke ground by making Ellie one of the first major characters in prime time to get cancer. In “Eye of the Beholder,” the show doesn’t just mention her disease, it turns it into a major subplot and reveals Ellie is still struggling with the same feelings of inadequacy that she did in 1979. Her tearful scene with Clayton harkens to the memorable moment in “Mastectomy, Part 2,” when she comes home after her surgery and breaks down (“I’m deformed”) upon discovering her dresses no longer fit the way they once did.

The show’s history can also be felt in “Eye of the Beholder’s” third act, when Clayton tells Sue Ellen that Ellie has called off the wedding without telling him why. Sue Ellen gently quizzes Clayton and realizes he and Ellie haven’t been intimate with each other. “Don’t give up on her. I don’t think she’s told you everything,” Sue Ellen says. I love this scene for a lot of reasons, beginning with Linda Gray, whose expression lets the audience know that Sue Ellen has it all figured out. This also feels like a moment of growth for Gray’s character. Think back to “Mastectomy, Part 2,” when Sue Ellen reacts to Ellie’s cancer diagnosis by suggesting Jock will reject his wife after her surgery. Four years later, Sue Ellen is wiser, less cynical and more compassionate. When you think about it, if it wasn’t for Sue Ellen encouraging Clayton to not give up on Ellie, Ellie might not have opened up to him and given their relationship another chance. In many ways, Sue Ellen rescues this couple.

“Eye of the Beholder” contains several other nods to “Dallas’s” past, including the warm scene where Bobby and Pam share lunch at the Oil Baron’s Club and reminisce about their wedding. Besides showcasing Patrick Duffy and Victoria Principal’s sparkling chemistry, the scene fills in some blanks for “Dallas” diehards. For example, “Digger’s Daughter” opens with Bobby and Pam stopping at a gas station not long after their spur-of-the-moment wedding in New Orleans. I always wondered: Were the newlyweds coming straight from the chapel? It turns out they weren’t: In “Eye of the Beholder,” we learn the couple spent their wedding night in a motel while making their way back to Southfork. It’s also nice to know “When the Saints Go Marching In” was their wedding music. If that’s not a fitting theme for these two, I don’t know what is.

The other great scenes in “Eye of the Beholder” include Bobby forcing J.R. to sign the paperwork to buy Travis Boyd’s company, which ends with J.R. saying, “I don’t like doing business this way.” Bobby’s response: “Well, I’ll continue your delicate sensibilities some other time, all right?” I also like the scene that introduces Barry Jenner as Jerry Kenderson, Mark Graison’s doctor and confidante; Jenner and John Beck have an easy rapport, making the friendship between their characters feel believable. “Eye of the Beholder” also marks Bill Morey’s first appearance as Barnes-Wentworth’s longtime controller Leo Wakefield, whose weary demeanor makes him a worthy foil for Ken Kercheval’s hyperkinetic Cliff. (Morey previously popped up as a judge in the fifth-season episode “Gone But Not Forgotten.”)

Two more moments, both showcasing Larry Hagman’s comedic talents, deserve mentioning. In the first, J.R. enters the Southfork living room, where Sue Ellen is offering Peter a drink. J.R. accuses his wife of “trying to corrupt that young man,” until he finds out Peter has arrived to escort Lucy to a party. “Oh, in that case you’re going to need a drink,” J.R. says. In Hagman’s other great scene, J.R. takes Edgar Randolph to lunch, where he tells Edgar he wants him to reveal the high bidder in the offshore drilling auction so J.R. can beat the bid. Edgar resists, saying he doesn’t want to cheat the government, but J.R. points out the government will make more money under his scheme. “J.R., you have the amazing ability to make a crooked scheme sound noble,” Edgar says. J.R.’s response: “Edgar, that’s part of my charm.”

For once, he isn’t lying.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On the march

‘EYE OF THE BEHOLDER’

Season 7, Episode 17

Airdate: January 27, 1984

Audience: 22 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Leonard Katzman

Synopsis: Miss Ellie tells Clayton she doesn’t want to marry him because she had a mastectomy, but he tells her it doesn’t matter. Cliff agrees to sleep with Marilee if she’ll join his offshore drilling venture. J.R. tells Edgar he wants to see the offshore proposals so he can bid higher. Pam realizes Bobby and Jenna are sleeping together.

Cast: Denny Albee (Travis Boyd), Christopher Atkins (Peter Richards), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Martin E. Brooks (Edgar Randolph), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Pat Colbért (Dora Mae), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Barry Jenner (Dr. Jerry Kenderson), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie Dugan), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Anne Lucas (Cassie), Kevin McBride (George), Bill Morey (Leo Wakefield), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Donegan Smith (Earl Johnson), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

“Eye of the Beholder” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (Classic), Opinion Tagged With: Arthur Bernard Lewis, Barbara Bel Geddes, Barry Jenner, Bill Morey, Digger’s Daughter, Eye of the Beholder, Gone But Not Forgotten, John Beck, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mastectomy Part 1, Mastectomy Part 2, Return Engagements, Richard Lewis Warren

More Details Released About ‘Dallas’s’ Third Season

January 24, 2014 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Happy ending? Ha!

TNT released some more tidbits about “Dallas’s” third season today, including clues about the new characters and how they’ll fit into the storylines. If you don’t want to know what’s going to happen, stop reading now.

Here are the headlines:

• TNT is pretty vague about what the main characters will be up to, although the press materials state Harris (Mitch Pileggi) will struggle to “keep Emma in check while also mending fences with Ann.” The emphasis is ours.

• Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) is described as “determined to find a happy ending with her new husband, John Ross, and make a home for herself on Southfork Ranch.” Good luck with that, honey.

• According to TNT, Nicolas Trevino (Juan Pablo Di Pace) comes to Dallas to act as Cliff’s proxy in Ewing Global, but “it will soon come to light that Nicolas has his own agenda.” The materials also describe Nicolas as “an old childhood friend” whom Elena (Jordana Brewster) turns to in her quest for justice.

• Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), whose last name isn’t given, is described as “a no-nonsense, calls-it-like-she-sees-it ranch hand [who] was raised by a single father and four older brothers. After her oldest brother was killed during a tour in Iraq, she ran away and eloped with her high school sweetheart.”

• TNT calls Di Pace “a regular cast member,” while McCord is listed as a guest star, along with Ken Kercheval, Judith Light and Marlene Forte. Also receiving the “guest star” treatment: Kuno Becker, who joined the show last year as Elena’s brother Drew.

Remember: “Dallas’s” season premiere is Monday, February 24, at 9 p.m. Eastern. That’s one month from today, not that we’re counting every second or anything.

What do you think of the latest “Dallas” tidbits from TNT? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.