Between the Lines and Behind the Scenes of "Dallas"
“Dallas” delivers the most delicious dialogue on television. Here are the best sound bites from “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” this week’s episodes.
What are your favorite lines from “Endgame” and “Brave New World”? Share them below and read more “Say What?!”
Southfork showdown?
Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” the final episodes from “Dallas’s” third season:
Will Bobby rescue Ann and Emma? In the previous episode, “Boxed In,” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) learned about the kidnapping of Ann and Emma (Brenda Strong, Emma Bell) and devised a plan to secure their release. He persuaded his fellow railroad commissioners to approve an emergency drill near the Texas-Mexico border, hoping it will distract law enforcement long enough for the Mendez-Ochoa cartel to bring a train full of drugs into the United States. Bobby went to the Mexican “kill house,” where Ann and Emma are being held, and pitched his plan to Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), who said he’d go along with the scheme. Luis then threw Bobby a curveball, telling him he could take only one hostage home. Will Bobby really be forced to choose?
What will happen when Sue Ellen meets Judith? When Bobby embarked on his plan to bring Ann and Emma home, he received support from Harris and Judith (Mitch Pileggi, Judith Ryland). The publicity photos for tonight’s episodes show the Rylands at Southfork, where it looks like Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Judith will finally come face to face. This will probably be a low-key meeting between two understated, unassuming women, don’t you think?
What will happen to Ewing Global? After Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) moved into Elena’s old cottage on Southfork, she agreed to help John Ross (Josh Henderson) do his part to help save Ann and Emma. The estranged spouses went to Las Vegas, where Pamela charmed Nasir (Pej Vahdat), the sheik’s son, and persuaded him to give her and John Ross a huge loan. John Ross and Pamela’s plan: to make the cartel an offer it can’t refuse by buying in one fell swoop all the divisions of the company the gangsters are liquidating, piece by piece. Will the plan work?
Will Christopher rescue Elena? Elena (Jordana Brewster) was stunned when Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) confessed his connection to the cartel. Later, after Nicolas’s wife Lucia (Angélica Celaya) received the photographs her private eye snapped of Nicolas and Elena at their lakeside hideaway, Lucia agreed to tell Christopher where he’ll find her husband and Christopher’s ex-fiancée. Will Christopher arrive in time to save Elena? And why do the promos for tonight’s episode show Elena wielding a gun?
What brings Tracey back into Bobby’s life? Melinda Clarke, who made her “Dallas” debut a few weeks ago as Tracey McKay, one of Bobby’s ex-flames from the late 1980s, will appear during “Brave New World,” the second of tonight’s back-to-back episodes. Will she turn to Bobby to recover from the death of her nephew Hunter, or could she have something else in mind?
Which Ewing dies — and what’s J.R.’s secret? By now, everyone knows the “Dallas” producers are planning to kill a Ewing tonight. Showrunner Cynthia Cidre told Dallas Decoder the character will indeed be named “Ewing” and that the death will occur near the end of tonight’s finale. So who’ll be the victim? Perhaps equally importantly is this: According to TNT’s preview of the cliffhanger, “John Ross learns a shocking secret about J.R. that sends him halfway around the globe in search of a surprising new cohort.” What’s the secret, and who’s the cohort?
What “Dallas Burning Questions” are on your mind? Share your comments below and watch TNT’s “Dallas” tonight.
A farewell to Barnes
“Victims of Love” puts the emphasis on corporate wheeling and dealing, but look past all the chatter about IPOs and SECs and you’ll see this is really an episode about the characters and their daddy issues. Pamela punishes Cliff by leaving him in prison, John Ross loses control of the family business by repeating one of J.R.’s biggest blunders, and Hunter McKay revels in the glory of simultaneously sticking it to the Barneses and the Ewings — something his villainous grandfather never managed to do. These scenes do a nice job mining “Dallas’s” rich history, even if you have to wade through a lot of high finance mumbo-jumbo to get to them.
The hands-down highlight: Pamela’s visit to the Mexican prison, where she finally confronts her father about his sins. Julie Gonzalo is moving as the betrayed Pamela, but this scene is mostly a master class in acting from Ken Kercheval. For three-and-a-half-minutes, he uses his wonderfully expressive face to telegraph all of Cliff’s emotions: his gleeful obliviousness when he receives the envelope from Pamela, mistakenly believing it contains his pardon; his befuddlement when he examines the document inside and sees it’s an old Ewing Oil land deed; his shame when Pamela mentions her dead babies. More than anything, Kercheval shows us Cliff’s pain when he sniffles, glances away from his daughter and says, “I’m so sorry for what I did. … I know I failed you.” Heaven help me, I feel sorry for the bastard.
Some “Dallas” fans don’t love the dark path Cliff has gone down during TNT’s series, but if you ask me, a jail cell feels like a fitting metaphor for a character who spent so long being a prisoner of his own hatred. Wasn’t Cliff always destined to end up like Digger, embittered and alone? Similarly, some fans are quibbling with the deed Pamela gives Cliff in this scene, saying it doesn’t square with established “Dallas” lore. I have no problem with it; the origins of the Barnes/Ewing feud have always been murky to me, and appropriately so. Besides, I appreciate seeing Pamela reduce the feud to its core — an 80-year-old real estate squabble. It makes the whole thing feel so petty and empty, don’t you think? The scene ends on a somewhat triumphant note, when Pamela tells Cliff, “You avenged the wrongs done to your father, and I’ve avenged the wrongs done to me by mine.” It might seem like Pamela is breaking Digger and Cliff’s destructive pattern, but don’t bet on it. If “Dallas” has taught us anything, it’s that the Barneses and the Ewings are doomed to repeat the cycles their forbearers.
Indeed, we see this throughout “Victims of Love,” which comes from scriptwriter Taylor Hamra, who penned last year’s similarly themed “False Confessions.” Here, John Ross erupts when Hunter points out the “poetic justice” of tricking the Ewings into giving up control of their own company, just like Hunter’s grandfather Carter did to J.R. in the original “Dallas’s” next-to-last episode. As much as John Ross worships his father, he sure doesn’t like it when people point out their mutual shortcomings, does he? We catch a glimpse of Hunter’s own familial neuroses when he answers a TV news reporter’s question by preening, “You’re asking me if it feels good to do what my grandfather never could, own the Ewings and the Barneses at the same time? Is that what you’re asking? Um, yeah, it sure does.” Later, Luis, the drug cartel general, sulks away from the tomato bushes when El Pozolero, the Mexican godfather, suggests he favors his other “adopted” son, Nicolas, over Luis. (Even gangsters have daddy issues, as my astute niece, a recent “Dallas” convert, points out.)
There’s much more to like about “Victims of Love.” I’m thrilled to see the return of the McKays, a family that played an important role in “Dallas’s” later years, which deserve more love than they receive from many fans. Melinda Clarke does a nice job stepping into Beth Toussaint’s shoes as Tracey — although truth be told, Toussaint was seen so briefly on the original “Dallas,” Clarke pretty much gets to reinvent the character from scratch. I also like Fran Kranz’s turn as the smarmy, Zuckerberg-esque Hunter; what a shame the character meets such a surprising (and grisly) end here. I also applaud Hamra’s script for getting the details right: In a cute exchange, Tracey corrects Bobby when he says she hustled a thousand bucks from him during their first encounter at the pool hall in the late ’80s (it was only $900), and the explanation that Hunter and his unseen brother Trip are Tommy’s illegitimate sons seems perfectly plausible.
Not everything here works, beginning with the drug cartel and CIA subplots, which remain out of place on “Dallas;” Judith Ryland’s antics, which have gone too far over the top for my taste (“Let’s go make us a drug deal”); and that business with the severed hands. However, the Ewing Global IPO storyline — as needlessly complicated as it seems — proves so absorbing, I kind of forget the cartel wants the company so it can be used as a tool to overthrow the Mexican government. The sillier stuff is also concealed by all the cool visual flourishes from Ken Topolsky, perhaps the new “Dallas’s” most inventive director. I love how we hear Christopher rapping on Carmen’s hotel room door, and with each knock, the camera zooms in a little tighter on the Omni logo. There’s also some nifty transitional shots using the Dallas skyline, as well as a neat special effect where the news report on Cliff’s fuzzy TV screen dissolves into Hunter’s sharp, full-color press conference. Even the Wolf Blitzer cameo is kind of fun.
Topolsky also delivers some lovely character-driven moments that shouldn’t be overlooked, including the scene where Sue Ellen counsels Pamela, the conversation where Emma warms up to Ann (even if she still can’t bring herself to call her “Mom”), and the quick glimpse of Emma’s eager expression when John Ross pulls up in the Rylands’ driveway. (You can practically read her mind: “Is he here to see me?”) I also like the way Harris touches Judith’s shoulder when they see the video feed of the bound-and-gagged Ann and Emma; it’s a credit to the great Mitch Pileggi that this feels genuinely warm instead of genuinely creepy.
In an hour about public offerings, it’s these private moments that stand out most.
Grade: B
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The return
‘VICTIMS OF LOVE’
Season 3, Episode 12
Telecast: September 8, 2014
Audience: 1.93 million viewers on September 8
Writer: Taylor Hamra
Director: Ken Topolsky
Synopsis: Nicolas and Victor undermine Bobby’s friend Cal, which allows Hunter to obtain controlling interest in Ewing Global on the day of the company’s initial public offering. The Ewings blame John Ross for losing control of the company, as does Nasir, who express his disappointment via text message. Bobby turns to his ex-flame Tracey McKay, Hunter’s aunt, and asks her to talk her nephew into revealing the truth about the cartel’s role in the takeover, but when Bobby and Tracey arrive at Hunter’s home, they find his dead body hanging from a noose. Christopher confirms Nicolas is Joaquin and his connection to the cartel and leaves Elena a voice mail warning her to stay away from him, but Nicolas intercepts the message. Bum tells John Ross that Harris is working for the CIA. Luis kills Candace and presents her severed hands to Judith. Luis also reveals he’s holding Ann and Emma hostage and threatens to kill them if Judith doesn’t double the cartel’s drug shipments. Pamela visits Cliff in prison, where she declines to give him his pardon and bids him farewell.
Cast: Jonathan Adams (Calvin Hanna), Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Wolf Blitzer (himself), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Melinda Clarke (Tracey McKay), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Fran Kranz (Hunter McKay), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Max Ryan (Victor Des Lauriers), Miguel Sandoval (El Pozolero), Summer Selby (police detective), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing)
“Victims of Love” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.
Big kahuna
The McKays are back! The family that feuded with the Ewings during the original “Dallas’s” later years is slowly creeping back into TNT’s sequel series: Hunter, a McKay grandson, was introduced earlier this year, while this week’s episode, “Victims of Love,” will bring back Tracey, who’s now played by Melinda Clarke. Need a refresher on the McKays and where they fit into the Ewing-verse? Read on.
Devil next door
Carter, the meanest McKay. When Dreadful Jenna Wade™ forced our beloved Ray Krebbs to move with her to “Europe,” he sold his Southfork-adjacent ranch to Carter McKay (George Kennedy), who turned out to be the crummiest neighbor a Ewing could ask for. Carter constantly threw loud parties and borrowed Miss Ellie’s tools without returning them. Kidding! The real reason Carter sucked was because he started a range war with the Ewings in a convoluted scheme to seize control of Section 40, the oil-drenched Southfork parcel that everyone on “Dallas” tries to seize at one point or another. Although the Ewings won the war and kept their land, Carter had the last laugh: In “Dallas’s” final episodes, he sold his ranch and saddled the Ewings with an even worse next-door neighbor — Michelle Stevens.
Big fish, little fish
… And also the sharpest. When Carter wasn’t bringing down the Braddock County property values, he was shaking up the oil biz. Carter was revealed as the brains behind Westar, Ewing Oil’s biggest rival, and the puppeteer who had been pulling Jeremy Wendell’s strings for years. (All together, “Dallas” diehards: Yeah, right!) Actually, Carter really did display solid business acumen. For example, when J.R. and Bobby (Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy) backed out of a deal to supply the Soviets with Texas crude — citing patriotism! — Carter stole the deal and schooled the brothers on how the world really worked, delivering a prophetic, Chayefskian speech (“Whatever America used to be, it isn’t anymore. …”). Carter’s biggest coup: Tricking J.R. into giving up control of Ewing Oil in “Dallas’s” penultimate episode!
Do the hustle
Tracey, the sexiest McKay. Bobby and Cliff were chillin’ at a pool hall one night in ’88 — because that’s how the Barneses and the Ewings rolled that year — when jean-skirted Tracey Lawton caught the eye of the recently divorced Bob. Back then, Tracey was played by Beth Toussaint, who looked a lot like “Terminator” heroine Linda Hamilton, but with poutier lips and punier biceps. Tracey turned out to be a pool shark, but that wasn’t her only secret: She was also a recent divorcee (hence the “Lawton”) and Carter’s estranged daughter. Once again, Bobby found himself playing Romeo, but his romance with this Juliet dimmed pretty quickly and Tracey soon departed Dallas. She didn’t leave in bandages like Bobby’s first Juliet, although somewhere along the way, Tracey — like Pam — did pick up a new face.
Tommyknocker
Tommy, the nuttiest McKay. Oh, this guy was a total whack job. Tommy, Carter’s drug-dealing son, arrived at the McKay ranch after serving a jail sentence in “South America,” and when Tommy wasn’t making a quick buck by spying for J.R. or screaming in the rain, he was hitting on every woman on the show. In April’s case, Tommy hit on her literally, which prompted Bobby to beat the j. eddie peck out of him. Tommy tried to get revenge by blowing up Bobby, and when that failed, the gun-wielding loon was accidentally shot and killed during a struggle with dear old dad. Tracey told Bobby she didn’t blame him for Tommy’s death, but warned him about Carter: “Stay out of his way, Bobby. I don’t want to come to your funeral.” (Silly Tracey. The show already did that storyline!)
Desk job
Rose, the awesomest McKay. Although Carter was sweet on Sue Ellen, he married Rose Daniels (Jeri Gaile), an Iowa farm-girl-turned-beautician with a penchant for bold print dresses and shoulder-brushing earrings. Rose loved “Mac” and did almost anything he asked, including sleeping with Cliff Barnes so Carter could videotape the encounter and use it to derail Cliff’s resurgent political career. Poor judgment aside, Rose was a hoot because she spent most of her time sashaying around the house in heels and lingerie with a drink in her hand, and Gaile brought a lot of heart to the role, making Rose one of the brighter lights during “Dallas’s” later years. Best of all, when Rose finally got fed up with Carter, she knew how to teach him a lesson: by having sex with J.R. on her husband’s desk! Good going, darlin’.
Aiding the enemy
Ellington, the adopted McKay. When Carter wasn’t siring nutjobs like Tommy, he was putting them on his payroll. First there was snarlin’ Fred Hughes, Carter’s right-hand man during the range war, whose solution to every problem was to shoot a Ewing. Miss Ellie once referred to Hughes as Carter’s “pet dog,” which tells you everything you need to know about what a jerk he was. Then there was Peter Ellington (Philip Anglim), McKay’s sidekick during the “War of the Ewings” reunion movie. Ellington was super enthused about pushing through his boss’s latest deal with the Ewings — to the point of trying to blow up J.R. and taking Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) hostage. Is it me, or was Ellington a little too — what’s the expression I’m looking for here? — into Carter McKay? Did Rose know about this?
Splitting heirs
Hunter, the mystery McKay. John Ross (Josh Henderson) mentioned playing basketball with “the McKay brothers” during TNT’s first season of “Dallas,” but we didn’t meet one of them until this year, when Hunter showed up and told John Ross how he made a killing by taking his video game company public. Later, we learned Hunter has revenge on his mind and is secretly helping Nicolas and the drug cartel take over Ewing Global. If Hunter is Carter’s grandson, does that make him Tommy’s son? If so, does he hold a grudge against the Ewings because he blames them for his father’s death? Most importantly: Now that Hunter’s here and Tracey’s back, will more McKays show up? No matter how it all turns out, just remember: Whatever trouble the McKays cause next, their arrival in Dallas can be traced back to one person — that awful Jenna Wade. Everything is always her fault, isn’t it?
What do you remember about the McKays? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Decoder Guides.”
Mama’s here
Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Victims of Love,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:
Will Pamela pardon Cliff? In the previous episode, “Hurt,” Elena (Jordana Brewster) told the Ewings about Bobby’s scheme to frame Cliff (Ken Kercheval) for J.R.’s “murder,” as well as J.R.’s swindle against her father years earlier. In exchange for keeping quiet about the frame-up, Elena asked Bobby for financial restitution and a piece of Southfork land; she also requested he pull strings in Mexico to get Cliff pardoned from prison. Bobby reluctantly gave Elena everything she wanted, but she turned over the land to Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), as well as the clemency paperwork, telling Pamela she should be the one to decide if her father goes free. What will Pamela do?
Will the Ewing women forgive Bobby? Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) was furious at Bobby (Patrick Duffy) for not telling her the truth about J.R.’s death and and told him Miss Ellie would be “ashamed” of him. She also confronted Bum (Kevin Page), who told Sue Ellen that her ex-husband met death with courage. Pamela was also angry at Bobby and so was Ann (Brenda Strong), who accused him of being a hypocrite for lashing out at her so often over her secrets. Will Sue Ellen, Ann and Pamela forgive Bobby? And will Sue Ellen forgive J.R. for not telling her that he was dying of cancer?
Who will control Ewing Global? John Ross (Josh Henderson) retaliated against Elena by telling Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) that she slept with him to get her hands on J.R.’s letter. Nicolas forgave Elena and agreed to take her away, but not before he spoke to the mysterious Victor Des Lauriers (Max Ryan), who assured him that everything is set for Ewing Global’s initial public offering, when much of the company’s stock will be up for grabs. Meanwhile, Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) wondered if Nicolas is actually Elena’s childhood friend Joaquin and began seeking proof to confirm his suspicions. Will Christopher piece together the puzzle and stop the IPO before the Ewings lose control of their company?
What will Judith do? Emma (Emma Bell) once again met with Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), who agreed to put Harris behind bars again — but only if Emma agreed to use Ryland Transport to move more drugs for the cartel. When Harris (Mitch Pileggi) learned his daughter was talking to Luis, he told her the truth about his involvement with the CIA, and then she told him about the deal she struck. Since Judith (Judith Light) is slated to appear in tonight’s episode, what will she say when she finds out what her son and granddaughter have been up to?
What brings Tracey McKay back to “Dallas”? “Victims of Love” will feature the return of Tracey McKay (Melinda Clarke), whom Bobby dated after his divorce from Pam in the late 1980s. What brings her back into the Ewings’ lives, and how is she related to Hunter (Fran Kranz), the McKay heir who is secretly plotting with Nicolas to help the drug cartel take over Ewing Global?
What “Dallas Burning Questions” are on your mind? Share your comments below and watch TNT’s “Dallas” tonight.
Melinda Clarke (Getty Images)
“Dallas” has cast Melinda Clarke as Tracey McKay, one of Bobby Ewing’s girlfriends from the original series. Clarke will appear on the TNT drama during the second half of the third season, which resumes Monday, August 18.
Tracey was introduced during the original “Dallas’s” 12th season and was played by Beth Toussaint. The character is the daughter of Ewing rival Carter McKay, played by George Kennedy, and was briefly romanced by Bobby (Patrick Duffy), but the affair ended when he tangled with Tracey’s drug-dealing brother Tommy, played by J. Eddie Peck. Tracey briefly returned to the series the following season when Tommy was killed off.
This season, TNT’s “Dallas” introduced Carter’s grandson Hunter (Fran Kranz), a childhood friend of John Ross and Christopher’s who is secretly helping Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) with his scheme against the Ewings.
A TNT spokeswoman confirmed the casting of Clarke, who is best known for her roles on “The O.C.” and “Nikita,” along with a recurring gig on “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation” as Lady Heather, a dominatrix. Clarke also appeared alongside Julie Gonzalo in episodes of “Nikita” and “Eli Stone.”
TNT has provided no details on Tracey’s storyline, although showrunner Cynthia Cidre previously hinted one of Bobby’s old flames could return and provide a new obstacle for him and Ann (Brenda Strong). Ultimate Dallas reported the character’s return yesterday.
There’s also no word on why Toussaint isn’t returning as Tracey. Toussaint’s most recent television role was on “The Young and the Restless” in 2006, according to her IMDb profile.
What do you think of Melinda Clarke’s casting as Tracey McKay? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.
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