Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 10

August 25, 2014 by 3 Comments
Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Carmen Ramos, Dallas, Marlene Forte, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Driveway to hell?

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

Is John Ross and Pamela’s marriage over? In “Denial, Anger, Acceptance,” the previous episode, Pamela (Julia Gonzalo) was rushed to the hospital, where she recovered from her drug overdose. John Ross (Josh Henderson) apologized to his wife for hurting her, but Pamela explained she wasn’t trying to commit suicide when she downed the pills and joined him and Emma (Emma Bell) in bed. “If I had wanted to kill myself, I would not have driven over to your hotel room to do it. I did what I did so that every time you think about screwing that piece of trash, all you’ll be able to see is me on the floor with my eyes rolled back in my head,” Pamela said. Is this the end of John Ross and Pamela’s marriage? If so, what will be the repercussions at Ewing Global, where Pamela’s shares helped her in-laws gain control of the company?

What about Bobby and Ann’s marriage? After Bobby and Christopher (Patrick Duffy, Jesse Metcalfe) rescued Sue Ellen and Bo (Linda Gray, Donny Boaz) from the Southfork fire, the Ewings gathered at the hospital to keep vigil for Pamela and the victims of the inferno. Bobby ran into Judith (Judith Light), who couldn’t wait to tell him about the kiss she witnessed earlier in the evening between Harris and Ann (Mitch Pileggi, Brenda Strong). Bobby erupted at his wife once again, and later he announced he’ll stay at Southfork to oversee the reconstruction. “Are you kicking me out?” Ann asked. Bobby’s response: “I’m saying I need some time to figure things out.” Where will Ann spend her exile from Southfork?

What’s next for Sue Ellen? After the fire, Sue Ellen’s doctor encouraged her to seek treatment for her alcoholism, but Sue Ellen insisted she didn’t have a problem. Later, Sue Ellen remembered taking a lighter to John Ross and Pamela’s wedding invitation and concluded she must have caused the Southfork fire. Sue Ellen confessed to Bobby, Ann and Christopher, and also admitted she was still drinking. “I’m an alcoholic — and I will be, until I die,” Sue Ellen said. Now that the truth is out, will she finally get help?

What’s next for Christopher and Heather? Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) rushed to the hospital to see Bo, who was injured while trying to rescue Sue Ellen from the fire. After surgery on his spinal column, Bo shared a tender reunion with his ex-wife and their son, Michael (Dallas Clark), which left Christopher feeling like an odd man out. Can he still have a future with Heather?

Will Nicolas get away with murder? Although John Ross believed Harris sent Pamela the video that ruined his marriage, Elena (Jordana Brewster) realized the real culprit was Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) and left him an angry voice mail. Little did she know her lover was across town, holding Drew (Kuno Becker) captive. During a tense conversation, Drew confirmed that he set Southfork on fire to get revenge against the Ewings, while Nicolas revealed he’s helping the drug cartel take over Ewing Global to pay back a debt to the drug lords who run the operation. After Drew suggested Elena should know the truth about Nicolas’s scheme, Nicolas stood by and watched as one of the cartel’s henchmen shot Drew. Now that Drew’s out of the way, will Nicolas succeed in his scheme to take control of Ewing Global?

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

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Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 34 — ‘Denial, Anger, Acceptance’

August 19, 2014 by 22 Comments
Dallas, Denial Anger Acceptance, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

The blues

By “Dallas” standards, “Denial, Anger, Acceptance” is a relatively low-key episode. It includes an action sequence at the top of the hour, when Bobby and Christopher rescue Sue Ellen and Bo from the Southfork fire, as well as a trademark fake-out and unexpected death in the final scene. Mostly, though, the characters bide their time by sitting around a hospital waiting room, reflecting on their terrible choices and wondering when the next shoe will drop. Flames not withstanding, the Ewings haven’t gone to hell. They’re in purgatory.

The woman of the hour, once again, is Linda Gray. Sue Ellen experiences all the emotions in the episode’s title — she denies she has a drinking problem to the ER doctor, she gets angry when she sees John Ross, she finally accepts the fact that she’s made destructive choices too — and Gray nails each scene. My favorite: the “acceptance” sequence, when Sue Ellen remembers taking a lighter to John Ross and Pamela’s wedding invitation and concludes — wrongly — that she’s responsible for the Southfork fire. Panicked and desperate for a taste of alcohol, she swipes some aftershave from the hospital gift shop, ducks into a quiet corridor and brings the bottle to her lips. It’s not unlike seeing Sue Ellen standing in the gutter, swigging from a brown paper bag during the original show’s “dream season.”

This time around, though, Sue Ellen doesn’t hit rock bottom. Instead, she tosses the aftershave into the trash and goes to the waiting room, where she tells Bobby, Ann and Christopher that she caused the fire. The more meaningful confession comes when Sue Ellen says, “I’m an alcoholic — and I will be, until I die.” It’s the moment a lot of “Dallas” fans have been waiting for since our heroine fell off the wagon before J.R.’s funeral, a year-and-a-half ago. As much as we admire Gray’s performances when Sue Ellen is struggling, the version of the character we love most is the savvy J.R. protégé who outmaneuvered John Ross and Governor McConaughey earlier this season. Now that Sue Ellen has admitted her problem, let’s hope she recovers her mojo. The Ewings need her.

“Denial, Anger, Acceptance” also gets a lift from Patrick Duffy and Brenda Strong, two pros who make Bobby and Ann’s marital strife feel genuine and painful. I’m less enthused with John Ross and Pamela’s domestic drama. Here’s how she explains to John Ross why she downed a bottle of pills and initiated their threesome with Emma: “I did what I did so that every time you think about screwing that piece of trash, all you’ll be able to see is me on the floor with my eyes rolled back in my head. Sexy, huh?” No, silly is more like it. It often feels like the “Dallas” producers come up with a fantastic scenario — in this case, the wife who’s been cheated on decides to join her husband and his mistress in bed — and then the writers work backward to come up with a reason for the characters to behave this way. Sometimes this approach works fine; this time, it doesn’t.

Nevertheless, all the principals are effective in their scenes. Josh Henderson makes John Ross’s regret seem sincere (especially in his scene with Duffy) and Emma Bell once again shows us Emma’s vulnerabilities, while Julie Gonzalo slides effortlessly back into bitch mode, a side of Pamela we haven’t seen since the second season. It’s going to be fun to see Pamela back on the warpath, especially if the show uses her scorn to put the Barnes/Ewing conflict front and center. Watching Pamela seek revenge against John Ross because he screwed around on her might not be as epic as seeing Cliff and J.R. wage war over blood and oil, but as long as this show has a Barnes and a Ewing at each other’s throats, I’ll be happy.

Regarding the episode-ending fake-out: I like how Bruce Rasmussen’s script leads us to believe Sue Ellen caused the fire, only to reveal the actual culprit is ne’er-do-well Drew Ramos, the character many of us suspected all along. I’m not much of a fan of this season’s drug cartel storyline, but Drew’s execution at the hands of Nicolas’s cronies is nicely done. Kuno Becker has never been better — I love how he delivers Drew’s line about saving a seat in hell for Nicolas — while Juan Pablo Di Pace makes his character feel equal parts sinister and desperate. When I interviewed Di Pace last week, he told me director Steve Robin wanted Nicolas to come off as this “cold, badass guy,” but after several takes, Di Pace couldn’t help but cry. I’m glad the show went with a version that shows Nicolas’s eyes welling up; it’s nice to know there’s a shred of humanity left to this character. Some fans may worry that Nicolas isn’t long for this world now that “Dallas” has turned him into a killer, but remember: Pamela killed Tommy during the first season and Ann shot Harris last year.

The rest of “Denial, Anger, Acceptance” is hit or miss. Judith Light is fun to watch, although a little restraint now and then would be nice. The Southfork fire sequence isn’t quite as dramatic as the 1983 version, and one of the exterior shots that show a CGI’d tent covering the damaged wing isn’t very convincing. On the other hand, I like how Sue Ellen’s flashbacks to the fire are tinted in reds and golds, while Drew’s are shaded in blues and grays. I also like the editing at the top of the hour, when the shot of Bobby scooping up Sue Ellen cuts to a scene of John Ross lifting Pamela off the hotel room floor.

“Dallas” diehards will remember Bobby is also the one who pulled Sue Ellen from Southfork the last time it burned. Perhaps one day she’ll rescue him, although first she needs to finish saving herself.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dallas, Denial Anger Acceptance, Drew Ramos, Kuno Becker, TNT

Adios, Drew

‘DENIAL, ANGER, ACCEPTANCE’

Season 3, Episode 9

Telecast: August 18, 2014

Audience: 1.97 million viewers on August 18

Writer: Bruce Rasmussen

Director: Steve Robin

Synopsis: Bobby and Christopher rescue Sue Ellen and Bo from the Southfork fire. Sue Ellen confesses she started the fire, but the real culprit is Drew, who is detained by the cartel and later executed as Nicholas watches. Pamela tells John Ross she overdosed to ruin his affair with Emma. Elena learns Nicolas sent the video to Pamela and leaves him an angry voice mail. After Judith tells Bobby she saw Ann and Harris kissing, Bobby suggests Ann leave Southfork while he supervises the reconstruction. Bo, injured in the fire, undergoes surgery and shares a tender reunion with Heather and Michael.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Donny Boaz (Bo McCabe), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Bryan Chatlien (Jake), Dallas Clark (Michael McCabe), Jon Michael Davis (Dr. Pander), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Cynthia Jackson (nurse), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Leticia Magana (Dr. Razack), AnnaLynne McCord (Heather McCabe), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Joe Nemmers (Lt. Bennett), Pete Partida (Jacobo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Emily Warfield (Dr. Hirsch)

“Denial, Anger, Acceptance” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

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The Dallas Decoder Interview: Juan Pablo Di Pace

August 18, 2014 by 12 Comments
Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Juan Pablo Di Pace

Spoiler alert! “Dallas” surprised viewers this week when Juan Pablo Di Pace’s character, Nicolas Treviño, stood by and watched his partners in crime execute his lifelong friend, Drew Ramos (Kuno Becker). I spoke to Di Pace last week about Nicolas’s dark turn and what will happen next on the TNT drama.

Dude, you killed Drew!

I know, I know. I’m so happy I did. [Laughs]

How’d you find out your character was going to become a killer?

There was sense among the cast that someone was going to die. Then it became clear it was Drew, and then when I read the script, I thought, “Oh, it’s me! I’m the killer!” [Laughs] But it’s a horrible thing. He’s like Nicolas’s half-brother.

What was it like to film the big scene where Drew takes the bullet?

It was hard. The producers really wanted to show that Nicolas is this badass, cold guy. So I went there and I was really cold. I went in thinking, “OK, I’m not going to feel anything. I’m not going to cry.” And all of a sudden, in the last take, my eyes were bawling. It just felt so wrong. It’s inevitable that Nicolas would feel something because Drew’s family.

How long did that scene take to film?

Steve Robin, the director of that episode, wanted me to do it many times because he really wanted different sizes of the shot. It was a very intense half-day, but I absolutely love Kuno Becker. He’s wonderful to work with. So it was a great day, all in all. But it certainly gives Nicolas a twist. Everyone was wondering, “Is this guy a complete monster?” Yes, he is a monster.

Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Introducing Mr. Trevino

So when you joined the “Dallas” cast, did you know this was the direction Nicolas was going in?

Well, when I joined the show, it was very, very fast. I had just arrived in L.A. I was just breezily going through my first week [there], and then I get the call: “Put yourself on tape for ‘Dallas.’” I did that, and two days later, I’m talking to Cynthia [Cidre, the show’s executive producer]. And then a day after that, I’m in Dallas shooting. So I had no time to think about the enormity of it all. But what Cynthia did — which was great — was on that flight from L.A. to Dallas, she explained to me the whole two seasons prior, and she explained the arc of the character in Season 3.

What did she tell you about Nicolas?

She mentioned that he’s not what he seems, but I did not predict he was going to be a killer. That was definitely a big surprise for me.

Would you have preferred knowing that from the start?

In this profession, you always have to readjust. I don’t know if you remember the first season of “24,” but Nina Meyers was Jack’s sidekick, and at the end of the season, they told the actress, “Oh, by the way, you’re the mole.” So as an actor, you always want to know, but sometimes the producers don’t tell you so you don’t play what’s coming.

Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Boardroom debut

I have to tell you: I liked Nicolas so much as the charming rapscallion. I loved his first scene, where he breezes into the boardroom and upsets the Ewings’ apple cart.

That’s what’s fun about playing him. He has these different colors. He’s a guy with a secret, and he’s always hiding stuff. You know, in the beginning, we thought, “Elena is the one person he can tell everything to.” Not anymore. Now he has to hide the death of Drew, and that really affects Nicolas a lot. It’s stirring inside of him the rest of the season.

Well, let’s talk about his relationship with Elena. What’s up with the whole diaphragm-puncturing business?

Elena is the love of his life. I mean, that is one true thing about him. He adores her and doesn’t want to lose her, but he also knows he won’t be able to keep everything from her for very long. And when she finds out, it’s not going to be pretty. So I think the puncturing of the diaphragm is his way of securing a place in her life. Having a child together means having a connection to her that is beyond all the bad stuff that he’s doing for the cartel. It’s a twisted plan, of course. It’s very Nicolas. [Laughs]

So he’s killing people and he’s sabotaging people’s birth control. What else are we going to see him do this year?

I’d tell you but I’d have to kill you. [Laughs]

Oh, no. Nicolas is coming after me now!

I’m just going to say, toward the end of the season, it gets very exciting. The “Dallas” writers have this talent for giving you the cliffhanger, and I can tell you there’s another “Oh my God” moment before the season ends.

Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Connected forever?

Oh, good. So how are you enjoying working with the cast?

I love it. Jordana [Brewster] was the first person I did a scene with when I arrived, fresh off the boat. She’s just a dream to work with. And the rest of the cast is just a hoot. Julie Gonzalo is so funny. Linda Gray is the greatest woman on the planet. So beautiful and gracious. She gave me this huge hug when I finished my boardroom scene and said, “I’m so excited you’re here.” And you know, to have that hug from Sue Ellen was spectacular.

There are a lot of people who’d like to get a hug from Sue Ellen.

And then there’s Patrick Duffy. The boardroom scene was on my second day, and I was pretty nervous. It was a big speech, so I was kind of walking backwards and forwards, going through my lines, and the rest of the cast was — I won’t say distant, but giving me my space. And so Patrick comes up to me and says, “By the way, Juan, we know how freaked out you are and how difficult this is, because we’ve all been there, so we will talk to you properly in about two weeks’ time.” [Laughs] And that was so nice because when you first join a show, it’s so nerve-wracking, and you want to do the best you can. That was really sweet of him to say that.

And he directed one of the upcoming episodes. What was that like?

That man is so talented. You’ll see that. That episode is an actors’ episode. There’s a lot of confrontation and dialogue. He did an incredible job of jumping out of the director’s chair and then [acting in] these really intense scenes. It’s the kind of episode where you say, “So this is the season finale, right?” And it’s not. There are three or four more after that.

It sounds like you’re enjoying being part of this ensemble.

We’ve had so many laughs. I watched all the Oscar-nominated movies this year with Emma Bell and Brenda Strong. We went to the cinema a lot when we weren’t shooting. It’s a really chill team, and very tight as well. We’re like a family.

Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Suit up for more!

And what are you hearing about the show returning for a fourth year?

Well, we’re just thinking positively. It’s difficult for a lot of shows to make it to season 2 or 3, so we’re really blessed the show’s gone this far. But we’re just looking forward to going back to Dallas.

Good. Are you hopeful you’ll be part of the fourth season?

Yep, I’m hopeful. Because Nicolas’s character … I can’t tell you anything.

Well, I’m worried about the guy because once you start killing people….

Yeah, I know. He’s treading a very fine line.

Besides “Dallas,” you just completed a movie with Matthew Morrison from “Glee.” What was that like?

It was great. Matthew’s a really cool, talented guy. It’s an independent film about this guy who loses his father to cancer and can’t really deal with that, so he decides to go onto a reality show like “The Bachelorette.” So I play this guy who’s called Dunkin, and he’s his nemesis on the show. I’m playing a manipulative character, someone who’s using his charms to get what he wants, and manipulating people’s feelings to win the show.

Sounds like a fun movie. When will that come out?

It’s being prepared for the Sundance festival, so sometime early next year.

You also write and direct.

Right. I’m finishing a script that I’ve been writing for five years with a friend from Argentina. I’ve directed five or six short films and couple of music videos when I was living in the U.K. I love it. I still have to do my first feature, but right now, I’m just excited to be Nicolas. I cannot wait for people to see more of him because he’s a twisted, twisted guy.

Share your comments below and read more interviews from Dallas Decoder.

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 9

August 18, 2014 by 2 Comments
Dallas, Denial Anger Acceptance, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Burn, darlin’, burn?

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Denial, Anger, Acceptance,” the midseason premiere of TNT’s “Dallas”:

Who survived the Southfork fire — and who started it? In the previous episode, “Where There’s Smoke,” Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) received a video of John Ross and Emma (Josh Henderson, Emma Bell) having sex and lashed out at Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), who spent a lonely night at Southfork getting drunk. While Sue Ellen was passed out in John Ross and Pamela’s bedroom, an angry Bo (Donny Boaz) could be seen lurking inside the house, watching as fire swept through a room. Moments later, Bobby and Christopher (Patrick Duffy, Jesse Metcalfe) arrived home and raced inside, calling out for Ann and Sue Ellen — only to have part of the ceiling collapse on them. What happens next?

What will happen to John Ross, Pamela and Emma? After she attacked Sue Ellen, Pamela tracked down John Ross at a hotel, where she walked in on him cavorting with Emma, who was clad in her green corset. “Love what you’re wearing,” Pamela said before removing her raincoat and revealing that she was wearing her green corset too. Pamela then said, “May I join you?” The three of them began making out — and then Pamela started convulsing. As Emma dialed 911, John Ross discovered an empty pill bottle in his wife’s coat pocket and tried furiously to revive her. “Wake up, baby, wake up!” he pleaded. Why did Pamela initiate the threesome, and where does this troubled trio go from her?

What will happen between Ann and Harris? Before the fire, Bobby went ballistic when he discovered Ann (Brenda Strong) had withheld the truth about John Ross and Emma’s fling. Bobby told Ann that Emma is no longer welcome at Southfork, prompting her to turn to Harris (Mitch Pileggi) for help. After reminiscing about their marriage, Harris kissed Ann, but she turned and walked away — as a seething Judith (Judith Light) watched them from a window. What will Judith do next?

Where do Christopher and Heather go from here? The previous episode began with Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) discovering Bo kidnapped their son, Michael (Dallas Clark). With help from Sheriff Derrick (Akai Draco), Bobby, Christopher and Heather found Michael with Bo’s brother. Once mother and child were reunited, Christopher told Heather he’d like to get serious with her. Will she allow that to happen?

What’s Nicolas up to? Pamela didn’t know the video of John Ross and Emma was sent by Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace), who is secretly helping the Mexican drug cartel plot a takeover of Ewing Global. Elena (Jordana Brewster) also doesn’t know Nicolas’s true intentions and tried to back out of their plan to get revenge against the Ewings for cheating her father out of his land. Nicolas assured Elena that she isn’t wrong to seek revenge — and when she wasn’t looking, he punctured holes in her diaphragm before they had sex. Uh, what’s that about?

Where’s Drew? When Nicolas wasn’t sabotaging Elena’s birth control, he was receiving a surprise visit from the fugitive Drew (Kuno Becker), who asked for his help in striking back against the Ewings. Nicolas told Drew to be patient and allow his scheme with Elena to play out, but Drew didn’t want to hear it and ran away. Nicolas then called the drug lord Luis (Antonio Jaramillo) and told him to find Drew before he ruined their plans. What will happen if the cartel gets Drew before he gets to wherever he’s headed?

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

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3 Days, 33 Episodes: Here’s How to Catch Up on TNT’s ‘Dallas’

August 15, 2014 by 2 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Look back

Did you promise yourself you’d spend the summer getting acquainted — or reacquainted — with TNT’s “Dallas”? Did you fail to keep this promise? Relax: You still have time. Grab your DVDs and downloads and have a marathon of your own this weekend. Here’s how to watch all 33 hours of the show before the third season resumes on Monday, August 18.

 

Friday, August 15

9 to 11 p.m. Kick off your marathon on Friday night at 9 o’clock — the holiest hour of the week for “Dallas” fans — with a double feature of the TNT’s show’s first two episodes: “Changing of the Guard” and “Hedging Your Bets.”

Can you watch the former without getting chills when J.R. (Larry Hagman) doffs his cowboy hat, flashes his grin and declares, “Bobby may not be stupid, but I’m a hell of a lot smarter”? Can you watch the latter without getting choked up when our hero tells Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) she’s “still the prettiest girl at the ball”? Me either.

 

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, TNT

First time for everything

Saturday, August 16

7 a.m. Rise and shine, darlins! With so much “Dallas” to watch today, there’ll be no sleeping in. Resume your marathon with “The Price You Pay,” in which Julie Gonzalo’s character receives a smartphone pic of her husband kissing another woman. Get used to it, honey.

8 a.m. Have breakfast with “The Last Hurrah,” in which John Ross (Josh Henderson) squirts Elena (Jordana Brewster) with his hose. Insert your own joke here.

9 a.m. Have you done your workout yet? Download “Truth and Consequences” to your mobile device and head to the gym. Mitch Pileggi’s debut as Harris Ryland is bound to get your heart racing.

10 a.m. Got errands to run? Chores to complete? You’ve got one hour. Make the most of it.

11 a.m. We learn jewelry makes Ann (Brenda Strong) cry in “The Enemy of My Enemy.” Then again, doesn’t everything?

Noon. Grab lunch while watching “Collateral Damage,” in which Vicente Cano (Carlos Bernard) wonders if John Ross: 1) is a good dancer, and 2) has any oil in his pipeline. OMG, Vicente was such a flirt!

1 p.m. Tommy (Callard Harris) plants a kiss on Rebecca in “No Good Deed” — which is almost as creepy as when Nicolas starts smooching Elena in Season 3.

2 p.m. Bloody monkeys, Johnny Cash and the redemption of J.R. Ewing. It’s “Family Business” — one of my favorite episodes of this show.

3 p.m. Carmen (Marlene Forte) gets one of the crummiest chores in “Dallas” history — returning Elena’s engagement ring to John Ross — in “Revelations.” Also: More Johnny Cash!

4 p.m. Have you taken a bathroom break yet? If not, take care of that now, and then hurry back to your TV or tablet to watch the second-season opener, “Battle Lines,” in which Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) learns his wife is really his cousin. Ick.

5 p.m. In “Venomous Creatures,” J.R. saves Sue Ellen from going to jail and Judith Light discovers a taste for “Dallas” scenery.

6 p.m. Drew (Kuno Becker) arrives in “Sins of the Father” — his hair won’t show up for several more episodes — and calls John Ross “J-Ro.” Thank heavens that didn’t catch on. Also: Ann shoots Harris!

7 p.m. Has your family seen you at all today? Why not take a break from the Ewings and go have dinner with them.

8 p.m. to midnight: The next four episodes are a murder-a-thon, so brace yourself. Frank (Faran Tahir) offs himself in “False Confessions,” Brenda Strong kills it during Ann’s testimony scene in “Trial and Error,” Vicente bites the dust in “Blame Game,” and then the saddest shot of all: the death of J.R. Ewing in “The Furious and the Fast.”

Midnight. The nice thing about a late-night viewing of “J.R.’s Masterpiece” is that no one else in your house is awake to see you bawling. Once you’ve dried your tears, catch some shut-eye. Tomorrow is going to be another big day.

 

Dallas, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, TNT

Leg up

Sunday, August 17

8 a.m. You did a hell of a job yesterday, “Dallas” fan. Your reward: You get to start your Sunday with the wonderfully wacky hodgepodge that is “Ewings Unite!” Miss Ellie disinherits Bobby from beyond the grave, Valene (Joan Van Ark) reveals she’s as loony as ever and Cliff becomes the most hated man in the history of “Dallas” fandom.

9 a.m. Audrey Landers shows she can slink around a corner better than anyone in “Guilt and Innocence.”

10 a.m. In “Let Me In,” Harris reveals his fondness for: 1) TV nature documentaries, 2) Almonds, and 3) Hunting Ramoses.

11 a.m. John Ross and Pamela get wet in “A Call to Arms.”

Noon. You know what goes good with a nice, leisurely Sunday brunch? Watching Bobby take that badass, slow-motion walk away from Cliff at the end of “Love and Family.”

1 p.m. Christopher discovers the mystery lady under the big hat is not his mama in “Guilt by Association.” It’s not Aunt Katherine either, sadly.

2 p.m. Kevin Page joins Mary Crosby as an answer to “Dallas’s” most famous trivia question in “Legacies.”

3 p.m. You might think this would be a good time to take a break, but you’d be wrong. The die is cast and there’s no turning back, so keep plugging away with the third-season episodes, beginning with “The Return,” in which J.R.’s belt buckle begins wearing John Ross. Also: Hello, Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace)!

4 p.m. Time for “Trust Me” a.k.a. “Judith’s Snow Day.”

5 p.m. In “Playing Chicken,” Professor Bobby Ewing teaches us about endangered wildlife.

6 p.m. “Lifting the Veil” is the episode that should’ve included Sue Ellen’s comparison of Emma (Emma Bell) to Kristin, but instead it’s the episode that gives us scenes of hookers in canine costumes.

7 p.m. Dinnertime! Enjoy a glass of J.R. Ewing Bourbon (surely you have some, right?) while watching “D.T.R.” After the episode, check your bottle and make sure Sue Ellen didn’t bug it.

8 p.m. Despite the title “Like Father, Like Son,” John Ross wants you to know that he is not his father! Also: Carter McKay has grandchildren!

9 p.m. Pamela rocks Stella McCartney in “Like a Bad Penny.”

10 p.m. It’s finally time for “Where There’s Smoke.” Southfork goes up in flames and you get to go down for a well-deserved rest. Don’t forget to watch “Dallas’s” midseason premiere Monday night!

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

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 8

April 14, 2014 by 10 Comments
Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Where There's Smoke, TNT

Hold on, darlins

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Where There’s Smoke,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• How will the Southfork fire start? It’s no secret there’ll be another Ewing inferno in “Where There’s Smoke” — TNT’s promos for the episode show Southfork engulfed in flames. The question is: How does the blaze begin? There are lots of people living on the ranch these days, including Bobby and Ann (Patrick Duffy, Brenda Strong) and John Ross and Pamela (Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo), along with Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), Emma (Emma Bell), Elena (Jordana Brewster) and Carmen (Marlene Forte). Does one of these characters start the fire through some act of household carelessness? Or could the fire be an act of revenge by one of the many enemies who have the Ewings in their crosshairs?

• What will Pamela do? “Like a Bad Penny,” the previous episode, ended with Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) sending Pamela the video of John Ross having sex with Emma. We didn’t see Pamela receive Nicolas’s message, but TNT’s promo shows her walking in on John Ross and Emma together in bed, so the truth is going to come out, one way or another. The question is: How will Pamela respond? She has a mixed record of dealing with bad news: When Christopher dumped her at the end of Season 1, she vowed revenge and turned into a bitch-on-wheels, but when she lost her twins during Season 2, she went into an emotional tailspin. Which Pamela will we see tonight?

• Will Sue Ellen stop drinking? After Bobby and Ann sprang Sue Ellen from the sanitarium, they brought her home to Southfork, where she rankled John Ross by supporting Bobby’s decision to hire his old college buddy, banker Cal Hanna (Jonathan Adams), to shepherd Ewing Global through its initial public offering. Of course, business is probably the last thing on Sue Ellen’s mind. Her doctor warned Bobby and Ann that Sue Ellen will be “a danger to herself” if she doesn’t get her drinking under control. In that light, it’s probably worth pointing out that in the “Where There’s Smoke” publicity photo above, Sue Ellen is standing next to a liquor decanter. What, if anything, should we make of that?

• What’s up with the Rylands? Everyone and their mother are out to get the Ewings these days. In the case of the Rylands, that’s literally true: Although Harris (Mitch Pileggi) has been growing closer to Ann, he’s also been trying to frame John Ross for a sex crime with help from his bordello-running mama, Judith (Judith Light), and one of her prostitutes, Candace (Jude Demorest). But Harris’s plan suffered a setback: When he fired Candace, she blabbed about the scheme to Emma, who somehow nabbed the dress Candace was planning to use to incriminate John Ross. What’s Emma going to do with the dress? And what will Ann, Harris and Judith have to say about it?

• What’s up with the cartel? When Drew (Kuno Becker) returned to Dallas, he discovered J.R. swindled the Ramoses out of their land, vowed to make the whole Ewing family pay for J.R.’s greed and then disappeared into the night. Nicolas promised Elena he would use “every resource” at his disposal to find Drew and, true to his word, he sought help from his secret business partner: the Mexican gangster Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), who is in cahoots with Nicolas and Hunter McKay (Fran Kranz) in a secret plot to seize control of Ewing Global and use the company to launder the Mendez-Ochoa cartel’s drug money. If Luis finds Drew, what will he do with him? Also, does Nicolas’s connection to Luis mean the cartel is the Treviño benefactor that Lucia (Angélica Celaya) referred to a few episodes ago?

• What unexpected twists will occur? It’s also unclear where Christopher’s relationship with Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) is headed, especially now that we know her hard-drinking ex-husband, Bo (Donny Boaz), wants to reconcile with her. But this isn’t the only “x” factor to watch out for tonight. Entertainment Weekly’s latest issue teases “Where There’s Smoke” will include “adultery, a diaphragm sabotaged by a pin and a super-graphic threesome that would make Caligula blush.” Also, according to EW, the hour will end with “at least” four characters’ lives in danger. Who will they be? More importantly: What will we all do with ourselves until “Dallas’s” third season resumes in August?

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

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TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘Like a Bad Penny’

April 8, 2014 by 14 Comments
Dallas, Like a Bad Penny, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Welcome home, darlin’

Here’s what happened in “Like a Bad Penny,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• Sue Ellen came home. Bobby and Ann (Patrick Duffy, Brenda Strong) found Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) in the sanitarium and tried to talk the physician in charge, Dr. Monkia Englert (Gail Cronauer), into releasing her into their custody. Englert reluctantly agreed to let Sue Ellen leave, but warned Bobby and Ann that “she needs to get her alcoholism under control. Otherwise, she will be a danger to herself.” When John Ross (Josh Henderson) ran into his mother at the ranch, he told her he acted in her best interest by having her committed, but she didn’t want to hear it, telling him, “You only did it to help yourself.”

• John Ross gambled … and lost. The final piece in John Ross’s plan to take Ewing Global public fell into place: He went to Las Vegas to meet Sheik Sharif Ali, with whom J.R. was planning to do business before he died. John Ross hoped to ask the sheik for money to finance his initial public offering in exchange for a piece of the Arctic lease deal; unfortunately, the sheik felt insulted because John Ross didn’t come to him sooner. To smooth things over, John Ross talked his way into the sheik’s high-stakes poker game and intentionally lost it, even though he bet his wristwatch and Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) put up her emerald earrings as collateral. After the game, Pamela asked her husband why he threw it. “Sometimes the only way to win is to show the other person you’re not afraid to lose,” John Ross said.

• Or did he? Not long after Mr. and Mrs. Ewing returned to Southfork, the sheik’s son, Nasir (Pej Vahdat), arrived and told John Ross his father was impressed by the way he handled his loss in Las Vegas. Nasir returned the wristwatch and agreed to supply John Ross with the money he needed for his IPO, explaining, “When you gambled the watch, my father saw J.R. in you. You were humble enough to know you were wrong and brave enough to risk something you care deeply about to prove it.” Meanwhile, Bobby tapped banker Cal Hanna, an old college buddy, to underwrite the IPO; John Ross, not wanting to delay the Arctic deal, reluctantly agreed to go along with Bobby’s choice. Later, Cal asked Bobby, “You really think John Ross is going to come after me?” Bobby’s response: “Oh, I’m sure of it. And when he does, make him think he got you.”

• Emma uncovered Harris’s scheme. After John Ross fired Candace (Jude Demorest), he told Bum (Kevin Page) to investigate her. Perhaps John Ross should’ve hired Emma (Emma Bell) for the job instead. When Harris (Mitch Pileggi) told Candace her services were no longer required, Emma began snooping into Candace’s life and discovered Harris was trying to get Candace to frame John Ross for a sex crime. Emma got her hands on Candace’s blue dress instead and posed with it in front of her mirror, not long after Harris chastised his daughter for getting involved with John Ross. “Are you deluded enough into thinking that he’s going to leave his wife for you, or are you just content in being his little piece on the side?” Harris asked.

• Drew returned to Southfork. Drew (Kuno Becker), wracked with guilt over the Ewing rig explosion, returned to Dallas and tried to apologize to Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), who instead took out his rage on Drew and beat him up in a parking garage. After the fight, Christopher turned to Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), which infuriated Bo (Donny Boaz), while Drew retreated to Elena’s cottage on Southfork. While there, he stumbled across their father’s old land deed and angrily confronted Elena (Jordana Brewster), asking how long she had known J.R. switched the records. Elena told Drew she and Nicolas have a plan to take down the Ewings, but Drew was too upset by the discovery that J.R. had swindled their papi. “He wasted his life on a dream that was already taken from him — and I wasted mine, hating myself for not being able to save him. Everything that’s happened is because of J.R.’s betrayal. Their greed took everything from our family,” Drew said before running into the night.

• Nicolas got down to business, part 1. Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) assured Elena he would find Drew and protect him; little did she know her lover had his own business to take care of. Nicolas had a midnight meeting with two secret partners: Hunter McKay (Fran Kranz), Carter’s grandson, who wants to take down the Ewings; and Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), the Mexican drug dealer who cut a deal with Judith at the beginning of the season. Their scheme: Hunter is setting up a series of shell corporations to buy up the Ewing Global stock when it hits the market; Luis will then use the shares to gain a controlling interest in the company. As Nicolas told Luis, “By the time the Ewings and Cliff Barnes realize what happened, you’ll be in control of the company, free to launder billions of drug profits for years to come.”

• Nicolas got down to business, part 2. Luis threatened Nicolas’s children if their arrangement doesn’t pan out, but Nicolas didn’t seem fazed and even asked the drug lord for help with his next task: finding Drew. So much for keeping his promise to Elena to protect her brother, huh? But this wasn’t the first time Nicolas betrayed Elena in this episode. After she told him she couldn’t bring herself to show Pamela the video of John Ross and Emma, Nicolas got his hands on a copy of the video and forwarded it to Pamela’s phone, which was on her nightstand as she and John Ross made love.

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

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 7

April 7, 2014 by 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.

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TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘Lifting the Veil’

March 18, 2014 by 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.

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 1

February 24, 2014 by 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.

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