Linda Gray – Dallas Decoder

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘It is Over. Through. Finished. Done.’

February 17, 2014 by Chris Baker 4 Comments

Christopher Atkins, Dallas, Linda Gray, Peter Richards, Sue Ellen Ewing, When the Bough Breaks

This is where I leave you

In “When the Bough Breaks,” a seventh-season “Dallas” episode, Peter (Christopher Richards) is straightening his apartment when Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) knocks on the door.

PETER: Hi, come on in. [He takes her purse, sets it on the coffee table and directs her to the couch, where they sit.] Let me take that. Come sit right over here. Come on. These are for you. [Shows her a bouquet of flowers, hands her a card] I didn’t get a chance to see you at the hospital — except for once and you were sleeping. Oh, did you get the flowers I left you?

SUE ELLEN: Yes, yes, it was very sweet of you. And thank you for these, but you should have saved your money.

PETER: Oh, listen. You don’t know how I felt. I’ve never been so miserable.

SUE ELLEN: [Rises] Peter, I’m all right.

PETER: [Rises, follows her across the room] But you miscarried a baby. Our baby.

SUE ELLEN: What are you talking about, “our baby”?

PETER: I know we only made love once, but you told me you weren’t making love with your husband. It had to be our baby. All I could think of was how wonderful it would have been to have that baby together. Care for it. Watch it grow. I can’t believe all the things I felt.

SUE ELLEN: Peter, I don’t know that you were the father.

PETER: You told me that I was the only one. That you and J.R. —

SUE ELLEN: I know what I told you. It was almost true.

PETER: [Shouting] Almost? What the hell do you mean by “almost”? You made love to him?

SUE ELLEN: Yes. One night. It could have been either one of you.

PETER: I don’t believe it. [Screaming] You lied to me!

SUE ELLEN: Peter, what difference does it make? If that had been your child, do you actually picture us raising it together?

PETER: [Screaming] Yes!

SUE ELLEN: You expect me to leave Southfork, J.R., for you? To raise a child and live here with you?

PETER: [Turns away] I don’t know what I thought exactly.

SUE ELLEN: Then I guess I better tell you the truth, once and for all. Peter, I have very strong feelings for you. I think you’re a wonderful, pure boy. But if that accident hadn’t have happened, I wouldn’t have had that child anyway. I would have aborted it. The pregnancy was a mistake. Our relationship is a mistake. I told you before that I didn’t want to hurt you and I have. And I didn’t want to be hurt — and I am. [Grabs him, turns him toward her] So Peter, I am telling you something once and for all: It is over. Through. Finished. Done. And I don’t want to ever see you again. [Walks toward the door, grabs her purse, turns and faces him] Oh, I know the pain you must be going through right now because I’ve been there. But it passes. It always does. You just stay out of my life. [Walks out the door, closes it behind her]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Christopher Atkins, Linda Gray, When the Bough Breaks

Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ Season 2 Arrives on DVD

February 11, 2014 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Patrick Duffy, TNT

They’re here

“Dallas’s” second season arrives on DVD today, and not a moment too soon. Fans now have less than two weeks to catch up with the Ewings before TNT begins televising Season 3 on Monday, February 24. It’s a good thing many of us have a long weekend coming up. We’re going to need it.

The four-disc set, which sells for $39.98, includes all 15 second-season episodes, along with lots of extras. The highlights:

• An extended version of “J.R.’s Masterpiece.” The instant-classic funeral episode offers about six minutes of extra footage, including Ann’s eulogy, which is based on a conversation Brenda Strong had with Larry Hagman before he died.

The latter nugget is one of the tidbits you’ll hear from executive producers Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin on the audio commentary. Other revelations: Cidre and Patrick Duffy initially believed Bobby shouldn’t speak at the funeral, and the scene where the Ewings arrive in Nuevo Laredo to retrieve J.R.’s body was filmed at the Fort Worth stockyards.

• More than 15 deleted scenes. In one sequence, Bobby comes onto the Southfork patio and finds J.R. listening to his ex-wife being interviewed on the radio. Says J.R.: “You just missed it, Bob. Sue Ellen called me a philanderer — on the radio. I’m not saying I don’t deserve it. I’m just surprised she didn’t used a dirtier word.” You’ll also see Ann and Bobby discuss Christopher’s search for Pam. “I think that sometimes the past is best left alone. … I’d just hate for Pam to cause you or Christopher any more pain,” Ann says.

• Cast interviews. The cast’s panel discussion at last year’s Paley Fest television festival is included, along with a feature where the actors recall working with Hagman. (Robin’s tribute is especially moving.) Also included: an interview that Hagman recorded around the time the new “Dallas” debuted in 2012. In a particularly poignant moment, he praises his new co-stars and says, “We’ve got four wonderful young actors that are going to drag me through another 13 years. At least I hope to hell they will.”

As if the DVD isn’t enough, TNT also announced plans yesterday to televise every episode from “Dallas’s” first two years before Season 3 begins. The 25-hour marathon starts Sunday, February 23, at 8 p.m.

You dirty boy

Presenting Mr. Henderson

TNT set hearts aflutter last week when it shared sexy shots of Elena (Jordana Brewster), Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), John Ross (Josh Henderson) and Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) on Facebook and Twitter and asked “Dallas” fans which character should be the “face” of the show’s third-season advertising campaign.

The winner: John Ross, whose image received 31,000 “likes” on Facebook and 360 “favorites” on Twitter. Something tells me his daddy would be awfully proud.

I’ve posted all four images on Dallas Decoder’s Facebook and Pinterest pages. Which one do you like best?

Look Who’s Talking

The “Dallas” cast will soon be making the talk-show rounds to promote the third-season premiere. Last week, the folks who operate Linda Gray’s Facebook page announced she’ll appear soon on NBC’s “Today,” CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight,” Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” and Katie Couric’s syndicated show.

Of course, if you can’t wait to hear the scoop on “Dallas,” check out the highlights from Gray’s recent conversation with Dallas Decoder and other bloggers.

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

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Cynthia Cidre, J.R.’s Masterpiece, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Michael M. Robin, TNT

Tonight on #DallasChat: Sue Ellen vs. Ann

February 10, 2014 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Two Mrs. Ewings

You’re invited to join Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Monday, February 10, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. The theme: “Sue Ellen vs. Ann.”

New to #DallasChat? Here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet a series of questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, and so your answers should do the same. Also, please include the show’s official hashtag, #DallasTNT, in your #DallasChat tweets.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Who is a better mother: Sue Ellen or Ann? #DallasTNT #DallasChat

A1. I’m going with Ann on this one. Ann tries to set Emma straight; Sue Ellen is too indulgent with John Ross. #DallasTNT #DallasChat

Here are two tips:

• During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

This is one #DallasChat you won’t want to miss. See you tonight!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Linda Gray, TNT

Linda Gray: ‘Dallas’ is Hotter and Sexier Than Ever

February 6, 2014 by Chris Baker 31 Comments

Meddlin’ mama

TNT’s “Dallas” has “turned up the volume” for its third season, Linda Gray told Dallas Decoder and other bloggers and reporters today.

Viewers who skip the show will “miss out,” Gray said. “They’re going to miss out on a wonderful, wonderful show — this year especially. They’ve turned up the volume. It’s hot. It’s sexy. It’s bawdy. … It’s beautiful television.”

The actress also praised the “Dallas” writers for the way they’ve handled Sue Ellen’s alcoholic relapse, which began after J.R.’s death last year and will continue in the new season.

“When J.R. Ewing passed, that was a perfect time for a relapse to occur. It wasn’t a tacky way of having her start drinking again. This was real, and a lot of people I’ve spoken to who are in the program have said, ‘Yes, that’s very realistic.’” … I really applaud the writers for doing it so beautifully,” Gray said.

More “Dallas” dish from Gray:

• On Sue Ellen’s reaction to John Ross’ ambition: “I think that she’d like to take that kid by the scruff of his neck and give him a good shake. I think that’s what he needs. I adore their relationship. He’s always disappointing her, which I love. I think it’s just fabulous.”

• On fans who feel Sue Ellen meddles in John Ross’s life: “Just wait. She’s going to keep meddling, meddling, meddling. And he’s going to keep doing bad things. That’s the way it works. … The scenes that they’ve written for the two of us are extraordinarily wonderful.”

• On her real-life mothering style — and how it mirrors Sue Ellen’s: “Once you’re a mother, you’re always a mother. … You can’t help yourself. My girlfriends and I used to say, ‘It’s part of our charm.’ And so there are times, I have to say, [when] Linda Gray says to herself about Sue Ellen: ‘Sweetheart, it’s part of your charm.’”

• On continuing Dallas without Larry Hagman: “Larry, because I knew him so well, would say to me, ‘Oh, for God’s sakes. Get on with it.’ Honestly, that’s what he would say. He would not want people to say, ‘Oh, the series won’t work without him.’”

• On how the writers might keep J.R. in the storyline: “You know, he will have done something — in my estimation — 40 years ago, some … oil deal that will reverberate and will cause chaos now. They’ll find some letter, they’ll find some document and it will make a mess of things. So I think that they’ll always include him.”

“Dallas’s” third season begins on Monday, February 24. Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: News, News Tagged With: Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, 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

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Don’t Give Up on Her’

January 27, 2014 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Dallas, Eye of the Beholder, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

To the rescue

In “Eye of the Beholder,” a seventh-season “Dallas” episode, Sue Ellen and Clayton (Linda Gray, Howard Keel) walk through an outdoor plaza.

SUE ELLEN: Clayton, am I going to have to wait until we get to lunch to find out what’s troubling you?

CLAYTON: No, it’s just hard to talk about it, that’s all. I guess your dreams of my being your father-in-law are over.

SUE ELLEN: Oh? Why?

CLAYTON: Ellie called off the marriage.

SUE ELLEN: No, she didn’t.

CLAYTON: Yes, she did. I’m thinking about moving back down to San Angelo. There’s a spread there I’d like to buy.

SUE ELLEN: Why did she do that?

CLAYTON: Oh, she gave a lot of reasons. I don’t really believe in any, though.

SUE ELLEN: But what did she say?

CLAYTON: Marriage would cause problems — problems with the boys, problems with Southfork.

SUE ELLEN: But you’ve been over that ground before. I thought you’d reached some kind of an understanding. [They reach a table at a sidewalk café and sit.] Besides, Bobby and Ray are no problem.

CLAYTON: I don’t believe any of the boys are a problem.

SUE ELLEN: You don’t think that J.R. has anything to do with it?

CLAYTON: No. Ellie sounded scared, and that’s not like her. Very little scares her, and certainly not J.R.

SUE ELLEN: Well, he could have made her feel guilty in some way.

CLAYTON: No, it has to do with me. I don’t know what it is.

SUE ELLEN: [Long pause] Clayton, how much has Miss Ellie told you about herself? About her life with Jock?

CLAYTON: I think I know most of it. We spent a lot of time together.

SUE ELLEN: But not as together as you would be if you were married.

CLAYTON: No.

SUE ELLEN: Then … don’t give up on her. I don’t think she’s told you everything.

CLAYTON: Sue Ellen, I do have my pride. The woman says she doesn’t want me, and I have to believe her.

SUE ELLEN: Talk to her again.

A waitress approaches and asks to take their order.

CLAYTON: No, no, no. Thank you. [The waitress leaves.] Would you mind if we skipped lunch? I’d like to spend some time with myself.

SUE ELLEN: Of course. I understand.

Clayton gets up and holds out the chair for Sue Ellen. They walk away.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Eye of the Beholder, Howard Keel, Linda Gray

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

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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

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 147 — ‘Some Do … Some Don’t’

January 20, 2014 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Clayton Farlow, Dallas, Howard Keel, Miss Ellie Ewing, Some Do ... Some Don't

Limited engagement

The first scene in “Some Do … Some Don’t:” Donna and Lucy are making muffins in the Southfork kitchen and listening to Miss Ellie and Clayton tease each other about their recent misadventures in Jamaica. Clayton recalls taking Ellie to a French restaurant, where she mistakenly ordered a head of veal instead of a veal chop but ate the whole thing because she was too stubborn to admit her error. Ellie, in the meantime, describes how Clayton accidentally lost his swim trunks on the beach in front of a group of New Jersey schoolteachers. “I would imagine I’m quite famous in Paramus,” he says.

The last scene in “Some Do … Some Don’t:” Clayton brings Ellie home after escorting her to the opening of Jenna Wade’s boutique. The mood is as light and as jovial as the earlier kitchen scene — until Clayton suggests he’d like to stay over so he and Ellie can spend their “first night together.” Suddenly, Ellie becomes rattled, begins to cry and calls off their wedding. “I can’t marry you. I can’t marry anyone,” she says as she runs upstairs. In the freeze frame, Clayton stands at the bottom of the steps, looking more than a little bewildered.

The two sequences serve as the emotional bookends in “Some Do … Some Don’t,” the strongest episode yet from “Dallas’s” seventh season. The opening scene does nothing to advance the show’s storylines, but it’s essential to the episode because it showcases the warm, effortless chemistry between Barbara Bel Geddes and Howard Keel. Together, these actors have charm to spare, and watching their characters gently chide each other allows the audience to feel emotionally invested in their relationship. By the time the hour is over and Ellie has called off the wedding, we can’t help but feel concerned for them.

I also love how “Dallas” doesn’t shy away from the idea that Ellie and Clayton, who are probably supposed to be in their late 60s or early 70s, are capable of having an intimate relationship. I find this subplot even more provocative than Sue Ellen’s May/December romance with Peter Richards. (Frankly, I’m also a little surprised Clayton wanted to sleep with Ellie before their wedding. Who knew the old chap was so modern?) When I watched these episodes when I was younger, I’m sure it never occurred to me to think of Ellie and Clayton as sexual beings, but now it’s not such a hard thing to wrap my head around. Bel Geddes was still a beautiful, vibrant woman when this episode was filmed in 1983, retaining more than a hint of the sauciness she exhibited in her early film roles. Meanwhile, Keel was dashing as ever. In this episode’s final shot, when Clayton stands at the bottom of the Southfork staircase with his hand on his hip, I’m reminded of Clark Gable striking a similar pose in “Gone With the Wind.” I’m sure this was intentional.

Indeed, “Some Do … Some Don’t” is full of flourishes like this. This comes as no surprise: This episode is helmed by Larry Hagman, who always brings an eye for detail to the director’s chair. For example, in one of the Ewing Oil scenes, Bobby tells J.R. about a company he wants to buy. Hagman could easily have started the exchange with J.R. seated in his office, but instead, he opens the sequence with a shot of Kendall at the reception desk, answering a phone call. In the background, J.R. steps off the elevator and walks through the room, stopping by Sly’s desk to pick up his phone messages. As he heads into his office, Phyllis buzzes Bobby on the intercom to let him know that J.R. has arrived, and then Bobby pops into J.R.’s office to tell him about the potential purchase. Maybe this was Hagman’s way of making sure the actresses who played the Ewing Oil secretaries each got a few lines in this episode — too often these performers toil silently in the background — but it nonetheless makes Ewing Oil feel like a real, functional workplace.

More details: The scene where Pam and Mark visit Cliff and Afton at their townhouse begins with Cliff sitting on the sofa, playing a videogame. It’s another small point, but isn’t it just like Cliff to get so wrapped up in a game that he would ignore his guests? (Also: Notice how John Beck seems to be limping as Mark crosses the living room, a subtle throwback to the previous episode, when the character pulled a muscle while playing tennis with Pam.) Additionally, I love when Cliff arrives at the dive bar for another clandestine meeting with Sly and steals the fries off her plate. In another great restaurant scene, J.R. brings Edgar Randolph to lunch at his favorite French eatery, where J.R. threatens to ruin Edgar’s life in one breath and enthusiastically orders him the bouillabaisse in the next. “Oh, you’re just going to love it. It’s really good,” J.R. says with a smile. I dare you to watch this scene without doing the same thing.

The scene where J.R. and Katherine sleep together for the first time is more wicked fun, and so is Pam’s confrontation with Marilee Stone. Pam is clearly out of line when she orders Marilee to stay away from Cliff, but who cares? Isn’t it nice to see Pam exhibit a little backbone and do something besides whine about being torn between Bobby and Mark? It also turns out that Pam and Marilee make good sparring partners. What a shame Victoria Principal and Fern Fitzgerald don’t have more scenes together on this show.

Surprisingly, I also like Sue Ellen and Peter’s scenes in “Some Do … Some Don’t.” Their once promising storyline took a turn for the ridiculous in the two episodes that preceded this one, but heaven help me, I find the couple’s outing to the ice rink kind of charming. I also like when Sue Ellen and Peter run into his classmates from the university and they mistake Sue Ellen for his mother. This feels like the kind of thing that might happen to a woman who dates a younger man, and Sue Ellen and Peter’s reactions to the situation ring true. Sue Ellen, ever the lady, is aghast at the thought that Peter’s friends are gossiping about them, while Peter couldn’t care less. I still have trouble believing Sue Ellen’s attraction to Peter, but at least it’s nice to see the show bring the couple back to a place that resembles reality.

Some more thoughts about Sue Ellen and Peter’s encounter with his friends: Besides Linda Gray, the actor who impresses me most during the scene is Lee Montgomery, who plays Peter’s pal Jerry Hunter. Watch Montgomery’s sly smile when Jerry spots Sue Ellen and Peter; it’s very subtle, but it lets us know he realizes there’s more to their relationship than meets the eye. It’s also worth noting this scene’s two young actresses, who both became science-fiction stars: Kate Vernon played Ellen Tigh on “Battlestar Galactica,” while Claudia Christian was Ivanova on “Babylon 5.” According to IMDb.com, Vernon and Christian are slated to appear together in a forthcoming film called “Chicanery” along with three other “Dallas” actresses: Colleen Camp, who originated the role of Kristin Shepard in 1979; Patty McCormack, who played Mitch Cooper’s friend Evelyn Michaelson during Season 5; and Michelle Scarabelli, who appeared during the 11th season as Connie, Ray’s stalker.

I have a lot of fun finding these connections. I’ve always appreciated how “Dallas” offered steady work to older performers like Barbara Bel Geddes and Howard Keel, but until I started this website, I didn’t realize how many young actors appeared on the show at the beginning of their careers. None of these up-and-comers have become as famous as Brad Pitt, who appeared on “Dallas” a few times in 1987 and will probably always be its most famous alumnus, but it’s impressive to see how so many actors who got their start on the show continue to find work.

This realization has made me watch TNT’s sequel series in a whole other light. Pay attention to all the actors who appear in small roles on the new show. Chances are some of them will still be entertaining us years from now.

Grade: A

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Not the mama

‘SOME DO … SOME DON’T’

Season 7, Episode 16

Airdate: January 20, 1984

Audience: 22 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Leonard Katzman

Director: Larry Hagman

Synopsis: J.R. sleeps with Katherine, allows Cliff to steal another deal from Ewing Oil and continues to pressure Edgar to unseal the offshore oil lease bids. Jenna celebrates the opening of her boutique by sleeping with Bobby. Clayton suggests he wants to be intimate with Miss Ellie, who is rattled and calls off their wedding. Mark checks into the hospital for tests without telling Pam.

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), Claudia Christian (Peter’s friend), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Sherril Lynn Katzman (Jackie Dugan), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Anne Lucas (Cassie), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Lee Montgomery (Jerry Hunter), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Kate Vernon (Peter’s friend)

“Some Do … Some Don’t” 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: Barbara Bel Geddes, Brad Pitt, Claudia Christian, Colleen Camp, Fern Fitzgerald, Howard Keel, John Beck, Kate Vernon, Larry Hagman, Lee Montgomery, Linda Gray, Michelle Scarabelli, Patty McCormack, Some Do … Some Don’t, TNT, Victoria Principal

More Flames in ‘Dallas’s’ Latest Promo

January 17, 2014 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

TNT released its latest “Dallas” promo today, and this one is longer (two minutes!) and even artier than the spots that surfaced earlier this month. If you’re no fan of spoilers or breathless speculation about what will happen during the show’s third season, stop reading now.

The new promo opens with quick shots of various characters staring into the camera, lighting matches and engaging in more of the slow-motion fight sequences we saw in the earlier spots. There’s also some narration: We hear John Ross (Josh Henderson) say, “Deep within the black-soil plains, I live in the shadow of my daddy’s name.” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) chimes in with a similar line, along with the standard references to “greed” and “secrets.” Both characters also share this line: “What bad things oil makes people do.”

Yes, it’s very high-falutin’.

From there, we transition into clips from the new season: John Ross, dressed in a suit and tie, tells someone, “I’m going to get that money we need.” Emma (Emma Bell) canoodles with John Ross and coos, “I enjoy the fringe benefits of working with you.” Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe), behind bars, shouts, “Let me out of here!” Bobby approaches John Ross and says, “I stopped J.R. You’re not half the man your daddy was.”

We also see shots of Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) chugging from a flask; John Ross scuffling with Bo McCabe (Donny Boaz), Emma’s ranch hand boyfriend from Season 2; Christopher swinging an ax; and the Ewing Energies racecar. The promo also delivers our first glimpse of Nicolas Trevino (Juan Pablo Di Pace), who is shown asking, “Do I detect a hint of trouble in Ewing paradise?”

Like the earlier videos, this one also features an unmistakable fire motif: There are lots of shots of flames — even the TNT logo is ablaze — along with this voiceover: “February 24, the new season of ‘Dallas’ ignites.” Could this mean we’re going to see another Ewing inferno?

What do you think of “Dallas’s” latest promotional spots? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.