TNT’s Dallas Recap: ‘Playing Chicken’

March 11, 2014 by 6 Comments
Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Playing Chicken, TNT

Home to roost

Here’s what happened in “Playing Chicken,” TNT’s latest “Dallas” episode:

• Christopher searched for the truth about Nicolas. Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) went to the federal prison in Nuevo Laredo, where he questioned Cliff (Ken Kercheval) about his connection to Nicolas. Cliff didn’t supply any answers, but Christopher fared better when he tracked down Nicolas’s ex-business partner, whom Nicolas cheated on his rise to the top — and who told Christopher that “Nicolas Treviño” isn’t Nicolas’s real name.

Later, several armed men approached Christopher outside his hotel and brought him to Nicolas’s compound, where he met a beautiful woman (Angélica Celaya) with two small sons. When Christopher asked the woman what she knows about Nicolas, she responded: “I can tell you quite a bit. I’m Lucia Treviño, his wife.”

• Nicolas and Elena searched for the truth about the Ewings. Back in Dallas, Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) tracked down Rhonda Simmons (Emily Kosloski), the woman whose testimony helped convict Cliff for J.R.’s murder, and offered her $25,000 to admit she lied. The next night, Nicolas met with Rhonda again, expecting her to talk, except she brought along a surprise guest: Bobby (Patrick Duffy), who insisted Rhonda was being honest when she implicated Cliff. “Sometimes the truth hurts,” Bobby told Nicolas.

Elena (Jordana Brewster) fared no better: She went to the firing range where Cliff used to practice, hoping to find the surveillance video that would prove his gun was stolen, only to discover the footage had mysteriously vanished. Elena felt defeated, but Nicolas assured her the two of them will ultimately beat the Ewings — and to demonstrate his dedication, he revealed long-hidden feelings for her. “I never wanted a woman more than I want you, and if you’ll allow me, I want a chance to make you happy,” Nicolas said. He and Elena kissed — and then they did much more.

• Sue Ellen found out the truth about John Ross. After Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) saw Emma flirting with John Ross, she confided in Ann her suspicion that John Ross and Emma are having an affair. Ann (Brenda Strong) didn’t reject the suggestion. “You were right about her drug use. Maybe you’re right this time too,” she said. Ann later urged Emma (Emma Bell) to stop wearing skimpy bikinis around Southfork, while Sue Ellen went to work on Bum (Kevin Page) to determine if he told the truth about John Ross being faithful to Pamela.

Sue Ellen’s plan worked: After she laid a major guilt trip on Bum, he showed up on her doorstep and confessed everything. “I lied to you, Sue Ellen. You were right about John Ross and Emma. I’m sorry,” Bum said. Sue Ellen’s response: “Not nearly as sorry as I am.”

• Bobby and Ann dealt with the truth about Harris. Bobby and Ann struggled to wrap their heads around the fact that Harris is secretly helping the CIA try to bring down the Mendez-Ochoa cartel. Bobby beefed up security at Southfork and told Ann that she shouldn’t worry about their family’s well-being. “You and Emma will always be safe on Southfork. Always. You can count on it,” Bobby said.

Later, while Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) and Emma went shopping for lingerie for Pamela’s honeymoon, Ann went to see Harris (Mitch Pileggi) and told him she fears their daughter is “acting out” against her father by sleeping with John Ross. Ann urged Harris to come clean to Emma about his CIA connection, but he refused. “I wish I could trust her with that, but I can’t,” Harris said. He added: “I never meant to put the people that I love in danger, Annie. As awful as you think I am, I do love our daughter.”

• John Ross learned the truth about chickens. John Ross (Josh Henderson) blackmailed Bo (Donny Boaz) into joining his Southfork drilling venture by threatening to expose the ranch hand’s drug-dealing past. But John Ross’s scheming was for naught: Bobby shut down the project when he revealed the state would refuse to issue John Ross a drilling permit because the project endangered the lesser prairie chicken, a threatened species in Texas. Later, when John Ross came home after cavorting at the office with Emma and found Pamela wearing the same teddy that his mistress had been wearing, he felt an attack of conscience and headed for the shower, leaving his wife looking more than a little hurt.

This might be the least of John Ross’s problems: When Harris told Judith (Judith Light) that Emma gave John Ross the Ryland files — which Harris said contain “unflattering” information about Judith — Mama Ryland narrowed her eyes and began plotting. “I’m sure we can find something to compromise young Mr. Ewing enough to convince him to return those files,” Judith said. “And by ‘we,’ of course I mean ‘me.’”

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

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The Dal-List: 15 Reasons You Should Be Watching ‘Dallas’

March 10, 2014 by 32 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Watch and love

What’s that, you say? You’re not watching the new season of “Dallas”? Well, put down that bottle of stupid pills and listen up. Here are 15 excellent reasons to start tuning in to the series, which TNT shows every Monday night.

Dallas, Judith Light, Judith Ryland, TNT

Snow’s the boss

15. Judith Ryland is nuts. Remember Angela Bower, Light’s sensible, self-controlled character on “Who’s the Boss?” Well, go ahead and put that performance out of your mind because Angela is nothing like Judith Ryland, the coke-snortin’, drug-traffickin’, truth-bomb-droppin’, cane-thumpin’ control freak Light plays on “Dallas.” Judith is the most wicked and unpredictable character on television today. What will crazy lady do next? I have no clue, but I can’t wait to find out.

Dallas, Juan Pablo Di Pace, Nicolas Trevino, TNT

Delicious

14. Di Pace = Divine. So the Ewings are sitting around their boardroom, being Ewings, when all of a sudden some dude named “Nicolas Treviño” waltzes in and starts bossing everyone around. Who is Nicolas? Who cares! What matters is that he’s played by Juan Pablo Di Pace, who is absolutely delectable. I mean, look at this guy. How is he even real? Di Pace is suave, charming and so far, he’s had sexual chemistry with virtually everyone he’s had a scene with. Don’t you want to be there when Judith meets him?

Dallas, Elena Ramos, John Ross Ewing, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Watch and learn

13. You can learn stuff. Did you know that in Texas, a company can’t unload a major division unless a “supermajority” of its shareholders approve the sale? Or that sometimes oil-rich “shale formations” can rise within a property’s “surface rights”? I know both things are true because “Dallas” tells me so. I’ll confess: I’m sometimes dubious of the veracity of the legal and technical mumbo-jumbo these characters spout, but it mostly checks out. So do your brain a favor and start watching. You’ll be entertained and enlightened.

Bum, Dallas, Kevin Page, Steve Jones, TNT

Bum in the night

12. Bum. You know what’s really cool about “Dallas” this season? Kevin Page is being featured more prominently than ever. His character, Steve “Bum” Jones, will go down in TV history as the last guy to shoot J.R., but Page’s greatest contribution to the show might be the way Bum has become John Ross’s conscience. And am I the only one who’s noticed Page’s off-the-charts chemistry with Linda Gray? He’s now a vital part of “Dallas.” Here’s hoping Bum gets bumped up to a series regular soon.

Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Jesse Metcalfe, TNT

Perfection

11. Jesse Metcalfe has a beard now. I know what you’re thinking: Metcalfe has such a nice face, why cover it up? I felt that way when I heard about the beard too. But then I saw it and oh my goodness it’s the best beard in the history of facial hair. (Yours is nice too, Mr. Pileggi.) I mean, take a look at that thing. What’s not to love? The sad part is the beard is going to go away midseason, but that’s still a good a reason to watch the show. Let’s all savor every second of Christopher’s scruff before he shaves it off.

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Total. Badass.

10. Bobby Ewing is still pissed! Remember when Bobby screamed at Ann before J.R.’s funeral last season? Well, Patrick Duffy continues to bring an edge to his character this year. Who didn’t love Bobby’s recent “stupid pills” quip, or how he always looks like he wants to throttle John Ross? There’s also this: Duffy’s portion of “Dallas’s” new opening credits feature last year’s scene in which Bobby did that badass, “Reservoir Dogs”-style slow-mo walk. Now we get to relive it each week!

Ann Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, TNT

Feel the love

9. Brenda Strong is awesome. We love Ann Ewing. We love how she stands by Bobby, how she embraces the Ewings for all their Ewing-ness, how she never seems to regret that one time she tried to kill Harris. That’s what makes Strong such an amazing actress. No matter what the script calls for, she never let us lose sight of her character’s humanity — even when Ann grabs her gun and starts shooting people. And isn’t it cool that Patrick Duffy finally has a leading lady who can look him in the eye?

Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jordana Brewster, TNT

Spy in the house

8. Elena Ramos is a sneaky bitch. Did you watch the first two seasons of TNT’s “Dallas”? Remember how Jordana Brewster’s character never had much to do? Yeah, well, those days are over. Elena found out J.R. Ewing screwed over her daddy and now she’s joined forces with Cliff Barnes to secretly plot against the rest of the Ewings. Does it make sense? No, but Brewster is such a good actress, she makes it all seem perfectly reasonable. Isn’t it great to see her get a juicy storyline to sink her teeth into?

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, TNT

So good at being bad

7. Emma Ryland is a naughty bitch. Look, I love my bitches, OK? One of my all-time favorite “Dallas” characters is Mary Crosby’s Kristin Shepard, the shrew who shot J.R. The old show killed off Crosby waaay too soon, but now that we have Emma Bell slinking around Southfork, it’s almost like Kristin’s back. Bell’s character, shameless Emma Ryland, is an oversexed vixen who can’t keep her hands off John Ross. (Blame her?) It doesn’t hurt that Bell is also a terrific actress. No one does bad better.

Dallas, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

We’re not worthy

6. Julie Gonzalo is fabulous. Is there a more fascinating young heroine on television today than Pamela Barnes Ewing? The answer is no, there is not. Every season, Gonzalo unravels new layers of her character; she’s played Pamela as a sweet-as-spun-sugar ingénue, a corporate tigress, a devastated daughter, and now a suspicious bride. Gonzalo’s talents know no bounds, and even though I’m a gay man, I’m kind of in love with her. (It’s cool, though, because my partner loves her too.) All hail Queen Julie!

Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

This stud’s for us

5. Ryland, Harris Ryland. Mitch Pileggi may be best known as Skinner on “The X Files,” but is there any doubt Harris Ryland is the role he was born to play? Pileggi brings a wicked, Hagman-esque gleefulness to his “Dallas” performances; he’s so damned charismatic, you can’t help but root for Harris, no matter how mean he is to the Ewings. This character is constantly keeping us on our toes — now that we know he’s CIA, should we trust him? — but one thing is certain: Pileggi is a total stud.

AnnaLynne McCord, Dallas, Heather, TNT

Dressed to thrill

4. This is the best-dressed cast on TV. One of “Dallas’s” biggest stars works behind the camera: Rachel Sage Kunin, the show’s insanely gifted costume designer. In every scene of every episode, Kunin somehow chooses the absolute perfect look for each character. One example: Heather’s sexy dress/cowgirl boots combo, which showed how the character was both tough and feminine. Kunin isn’t just the show’s wardrobe chief; she’s a storyteller in her own right — and a hugely talented one at that.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Always our darlin’

3. Sue Ellen is drunk again. Hold on, darlins. I’m not celebrating the fact our beloved heroine has fallen off the wagon. OK, I guess I am celebrating it, but only because I know Sue Ellen’s road back to sobriety is going to be a blockbuster television — and that means we’re going to be treated to another knockout performance from Linda Gray. As phenomenal as she was last year, my gut tells me Gray is going to be even more spectacular this season. Who knew such a thing was even possible?

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

The son also rises

2. This guy. Oh, Josh Henderson. Where do I even begin with you? You impress the hell out of me. Your performance honors both of your TV parents: In your capable hands, John Ross is as ambitious as J.R. and as sensitive as Sue Ellen. You’re also a brilliant foil for Uncle Bobby and Cousin Christopher and the perfect match for Pamela. And then there’s that smile of yours, which is sweet, sly and oh-so-sexy — all at once. Is John Ross now one of the best reasons to watch “Dallas”? Damn skippy, he is.

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

Do it for him

1. This guy too. No one loved a good time more than Larry Hagman, the great actor who brought J.R. Ewing to life. If Mr. Hagman were still here, I have a feeling he’d love how much fun TNT’s “Dallas” has become. Everyone involved in creating the show — the writers, the directors, the actors, the crew — is making Mr. Hagman proud by churning out the most consistently entertaining hour of television, week after week. Now it’s time for the audience to do its part by watching and enjoying the show!

What do you love about “Dallas’s” third season? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 3

March 10, 2014 by 2 Comments
Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT, Trust Me

Confronting the truth

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

• Is Harris telling the truth? In “Trust Me,” last week’s episode, Bobby and Ann (Patrick Duffy, Brenda Strong) were stunned to discover Harris (Mitch Pileggi) was released from jail. When Bobby and Ann began investigating the circumstances of his release, they were summoned to a darkened warehouse, where a mystery man who identified himself as a CIA agent ordered the Ewings to stop snooping into Harris’s business. Harris emerged from the shadows and explained why: He’s secretly working with the CIA to bring down the Mendez-Ochoa drug cartel, and if Bobby and Ann keep asking questions, it could blow his cover and jeopardize lives. “They have pictures of our daughter — and you, Annie,” Harris said of the cartel. “Now if they find out who I’m working for, they’ll kill both you and Emma.” Should Bobby and Ann believe him?

• What will happen to Judith? Earlier in the episode, when Harris learned Emma (Emma Bell) had agreed to give the Ewings access to Ryland Transport’s new drilling and cargo ships, he wondered if his daughter was still taking drugs and threatened to send her to a “secure therapeutic setting.” Emma retaliated by springing Judith (Judith Light) from the rehab hospital, and before Harris knew it, Mama Ryland had seized control of the family business. Judith made Harris take her to Mexico, where she met with the drug lord Luis (Antonio Jaramillo), negotiated a new deal to smuggle his cocaine into Texas — and then sampled the product herself. “Hot damn! Mama like,” Judith said after snorting Luis’s coke. Little did she know Harris was secretly recording the meeting. What will he do with the evidence?

• Will John Ross “frack” Southfork? To finance the Ewings’ new Arctic drilling venture, John Ross continued to insist on tapping the oil under Southfork by using an environmentally questionable process known as “fracking.” He claimed the ranch’s oil-rich “shale formation” falls within his surface rights, so Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) asked seismologist Howard Rieder (Christian Clemenson) to investigate, hoping to prove his ambitious cousin wrong. John Ross tried to bribe Howard to make sure the test came out his way, but Howard confessed all to Bobby, who told him to keep the money and give him the test results straight. When the results came in, they showed the shale is indeed with the surface rights. “That settles it. … We’re fracking Southfork,” John Ross said. Will he?

• What will happen to the ranch hands? When Heather (AnnaLynne McCord) heard the Ewings might frack the ranch, she angrily confronted Christopher and explained it would put many ranch hands out of work. Christopher explained that he and Bobby want to protect Southfork and invited Heather to the Ewing Barbecue, where she kissed him and told him she’d like to see more of him in the future. If the fracking occurs, will she still feel that way? And what will happen to Southfork’s other ranch hands, including Emma’s onetime beau, Bo (Donny Boaz)?

• Will Sue Ellen and Pamela discover the truth? Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) asked Bum (Kevin Page) to follow John Ross to confirm her suspicion that he’s cheating with Emma. Bum photographed John Ross and Emma cavorting in John Ross’s penthouse, but Bum lied and told Sue Ellen that her son “never went near” Miss Ryland. Instead, Bum showed the pictures to John Ross and told him to wise up and stop cheating on Pamela (Julie Gonzalo), who also began to notice her husband’s wandering eye. Will Sue Ellen and Pamela’s suspicions be proven correct?

• Are Elena and Nicolas closing in on the Ewings? At the Ewing Barbecue, Elena (Jordana Brewster) snooped around Bobby’s laptop and came across an email to Carlos del Sol in which Bobby wrote, “Talked to Rhonda Simmons. She agreed to play ball with us about JR.” Elena showed the email to Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) and explained that Rhonda (Emily Kosloski) was the witness whose testimony placed Cliff in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, on the night J.R. was killed. “That’s got to mean something,” Elena said as she studied Bobby’s email. Meanwhile, when Elena realized Nicolas would run into Carmen (Marlene Forte) at the barbecue, she reluctantly told her mother she was plotting against the Ewings but didn’t offer details. Carmen was aghast. Will she keep Elena and Nicolas’s secret?

• Are the Ewings closing in on Elena and Nicolas? Elsewhere, Christopher quizzed Nicolas about his business dealings with Cliff (Ken Kercheval) and realized the details didn’t add up. Christopher shared his suspicions with Bobby, who told him to go to Mexico to see what he could find out about Nicolas’s past. What will Christopher learn when he goes south of the border?

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

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Dallas Burning Questions: Season 3, Week 2

March 3, 2014 by 7 Comments
Bobby Ewing, Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, John Ross Ewing, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Return, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Huddle up, y’all

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

• What’s Elena and Nicolas’s next move? In “The Return,” last week’s third-season premiere, Elena (Jordana Brewster) formed a secret alliance with Cliff (Ken Kercheval) and agreed to help him prove the Ewings framed him. She lied to Carmen (Marlene Forte) about her scheme and took a job at Ewing Global, where she began snooping around for evidence against the family. Elena also recruited her childhood friend Nicolas Treviño (Juan Pablo Di Pace), a self-made billionaire who used to be known as Joaquin, to serve as Cliff’s proxy. Nicolas, who considers Elena’s parents to be his own, told Elena he wants revenge as much as she does. What will Elena and Nicolas do next — and what will Carmen say when she discovers their plan?

• Will Bobby or John Ross prevail? To finance a major drilling venture in the Arctic, the Ewings decided to sell off their company’s consumer division, but Nicolas scuttled the deal. John Ross (Josh Henderson) suggested the family could raise the capital for the Arctic project by drilling on Southfork, but Bobby (Patrick Duffy) refused to go along, pointing out that he and Gary control the mineral rights. John Ross countered with evidence that suggests the oil under Southfork has risen to the surface, which means he could access it as the ranch’s co-owner. Will Bobby or John Ross win this fight?

• What will Sue Ellen do? With Harris (Mitch Pileggi) in jail and Judith (Judith Light) in a “rehab hospital,” Emma (Emma Bell) became Ryland Transport’s chief executive. She agreed to give John Ross access to the company’s drilling and cargo ships — but only if he agreed to continue sleeping with her. He did, but he wasn’t very careful about it. When Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) spotted him coming out of Emma’s bedroom, John Ross lied and said he and Emma were just talking business. Sue Ellen didn’t look like she believed her son. What will she do with her suspicion that he’s a cheat?

• Where does Harris go from here? The Mendez-Ochoa cartel bribed a judge to release Harris from jail and sent two shady characters to greet Harris as he emerged from custody. The men showed Harris a picture of Emma and Ann (Brenda Strong) and told him if he doesn’t resume his drug shipments, they’ll make Emma wish she was dead. What will Harris do?

• What’s next for Christopher? After Elena apologized to Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) for concealing Drew’s role in the rig explosion, Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) told Elena he was sorry for treating her so badly in Zurich. Elena told him she’s not ready to take him back, which is just as well since Christopher seemed quite taken with Heather (AnnaLynne McCord), a spunky Southfork ranch hand. Will she help him heal his broken heart?

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: ‘The Return’

February 25, 2014 by 41 Comments
Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Linda Gray, Pamela Barnes Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing

They’re back

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Dal-List: 5 Ewings Who Had Multiple Southfork Weddings

February 24, 2014 by 3 Comments
Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

First couple, second wedding

In “The Return,” “Dallas’s” third-season opener, Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) says she’s “feeling a little shy” about having another wedding at Southfork. Sue Ellen’s response: “Trust me. You won’t be the first bride to have had multiple weddings here.” She ain’t kidding. Here are three others, along with two grooms who couldn’t stop tempting the notorious Southfork wedding jinx.

Bridal mama

Mother of a bride

5. Miss Ellie. Mama’s wedding to Jock wasn’t seen in the 1986 prequel “Dallas: The Early Years” (where she was so memorably played by Barbara Bel Geddes lookalike Molly Hagan), but we did get to hear Ellie describe the nuptials on the original series, explaining how her daddy hired a Parisian seamstress to make Ellie’s wedding dress and how Jock kept tugging at his collar during the ceremony. In 1984, years after Jock’s death, Ellie wore a simple purple suit and pearls when she wed second hubby Clayton Farlow.

Charlene Tilton, Dallas, Lucy Ewing

Princess bride

4. Lucy. Jock and Ellie’s spirited granddaughter (Charlene Tilton) donned Grandma’s dress when she wed Mitch Cooper in a lavish 1981 ceremony that became one of “Dallas’s” most-watched episodes. (Twenty-eight million viewers!) Lucy and Mitch divorced the following year, but — bless their hearts — they tried again in 1985 with a scaled-down ceremony in the Southfork living room. This marriage fared no better, but at least the nuptials inspired Bobby to propose again to ex-wife Pam.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Try, try again

3. Sue Ellen. Since J.R. and Sue Ellen had been married for several years when “Dallas” began, we never saw their ceremony. However, a framed photo from the wedding occasionally popped up on the show, and we once caught a glimpse of the invitations, which confirmed the nuptials occurred at Southfork in 1970. One year after their 1981 divorce, they walked down the aisle during another huge ceremony that ended up with everyone fighting in the swimming pool. Would we expect anything less?

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Patrick Duffy

Groom’s Day scenarios

2. Bobby. Now here’s a Ewing who refuses to give up on love. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pam’s first wedding took place in New Orelans, but their remarriage in 1986 occurred at Southfork. In between, Bobby tried to marry Jenna at the ranch, but she jilted him. In 1990, three years after Pam ran away, Bobby wed April, who was killed on their honeymoon. Poor Bobby! We don’t know where he and Ann got hitched, but we pray it wasn’t at Southfork. Otherwise, their union is probably as doomed as the rest.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Repeat offender

1. J.R. Like Bobby, J.R. (Larry Hagman) had three weddings at Southfork, but in J.R.’s case, all three counted. (Remember, when Bobby and Jenna had their wedding, she left him standing at the altar.) In addition to J.R.’s nuptials to Sue Ellen in 1970 and 1982, he got hitched to Cally at the ranch in 1989. Technically, this was J.R.’s fourth ceremony since he and Cally also had a ceremony in Arkansas, where her brothers forced him to to say “I do” at gunpoint. But that experience is probably best left forgotten, don’t you think?

Which Southfork weddings are your favorites? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

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Drill Bits: ‘Dallas’ is Back! Now Start Tweeting, TV Expert Says

February 24, 2014 by 6 Comments
Christopher Ewing, Dallas, Elena Ramos, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes Ewing, TNT

Don’t just stand there. Tweet!

If “Dallas” fans want the TNT drama to stick around for a while, TV ratings expert Marc Berman has some advice for them: Start tweeting.

The amount of buzz a show generates on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites is increasingly important to its chances of survival, says Berman, editor in chief of TV Media Insights, a top industry news site. For example, the ABC Family series “Pretty Little Liars” doesn’t generate huge ratings, “but when you look at what that show does on social media, the numbers are through the roof,” Berman says.

“Pretty Little Liars” generated 391,000 tweets that were seen by 3.9 million users last week, according to media research giant Nielsen, which now measures Twitter chatter about TV shows. The show ranked second only to AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” which generated 484,000 tweets that were seen by 4.9 million users.

“Dallas” has a strong social media presence too. The show’s official Facebook page has received 1.4 million “likes,” and its Twitter feed has 78,000 followers. Berman says fans can support the series this season by talking about it on social media and sharing “Dallas”-related tweets and Facebook posts.

The “Dallas” stars are also getting in on the action. Yesterday, Linda Gray told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that she’s even received pointers from TNT — and co-star Josh Henderson — on the ins and outs of social media.

(This season, your Dallas Decoder is doing his part too. I’ll live-tweet each new episode on Monday nights — and to keep the conversations going after the show, my weekly #DallasChat Twitter discussions will move to Tuesday nights.)

Of course, traditional ratings matter too, Berman says. Last year, “Dallas” averaged 2.7 million viewers on Monday nights, but the audience grew to 3.8 million when you include people who record the show on DVRs and watch it later in the week. “The show must hold onto those numbers. If you see it lose 10 percent or 20 percent of its audience, that won’t be good,” he says.

And yes, DVR numbers matter. “Nobody looks at one set of numbers anymore. With ‘Dallas,’ you’re adding another million viewers [through DVR playback]. That’s important,” he says.

Berman also thinks it’s a good sign that TNT will give the show a midseason break. The cable channel plans to show the season’s first eight episodes in the winter and spring, and then put the series on hiatus until the summer, when the final seven hours will be telecast.

Summers are less competitive, and when “Dallas’s” first season was shown in the summer of 2012, the series averaged 4.2 million viewers. “By breaking up [the third season], you’re going to give ‘Dallas’ a better shot at staying on the air,” Berman says.

So what does Berman, a longtime “Dallas” fan, think of the new season? He’s seen the first two episodes and is impressed with the way the writers have made J.R.’s legacy part of the storyline. “It’s honoring Larry Hagman’s memory the way the original series honored Jim Davis’s memory after he died. They’ve done it really, really well,” he says.

We’re Pumped

Dallas, Ewing Energies gas, gasoline, TNT

Fill ‘er up

The real-life Ewing Energies gas station will open today at 466 10th Avenue in New York City.

Henderson, in his guise as John Ross, announced the news in a video posted this morning to “Dallas’s” Facebook page. “The price of gasoline — it’s out of your control. But not mine,” John Ross says.

The gas will sell for just $1.98 a gallon — but for today only. As John Ross explains, “Unlike our competitors, who want to rob you blind, I just want to make us both rich.”

If you can’t make it to the station today, you can visit the “Dallas” Facebook page to enter a sweepstakes to win “Black Gold” gift cards.

Look Who Else is Tweeting (and Talking)

Speaking of tweeting: If you’re looking for Julie Gonzalo after 3 p.m. Eastern today, check Twitter. The “Dallas” star says she’ll live-tweet the afternoon portion of TNT’s 26-hour “Dallas” marathon, which kicked off last night and will culminate tonight at 9 with the debut of the third-season premiere, “The Return.”

Meanwhile, Gonzalo’s co-stars are hitting the talk-show circuit to promote Season 3.

Henderson will appear on “Live with Kelly and Michael” today and “The Wendy Williams Show” on Friday, February 28. Both shows are syndicated, so check your local listings.

According to Gray’s Facebook page, she’ll also appear on “Live with Kelly and Michael” soon. Gray’s post also indicates she’ll guest on “Today,” “Piers Morgan Tonight,” “Watch What Happens Live” and “Katie.” Precise airdates haven’t been announced.

Finally, Patrick Duffy is scheduled to drop by “Live with Kelly and Michael” on Friday, March 7.

Boy, Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan must love discussing “Dallas” as much as we do!

We’ve Got It Covered

Your Dallas Decoder is going to work harder than ever to deliver exceptional coverage of “Dallas” this season. In case you missed it, here’s an overview of our plans.

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

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

February 20, 2014 by 47 Comments
Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Linda Gray, Return, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Welcome back, darlins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dallas Desserts: Valentine’s Day Edition

February 14, 2014 by 2 Comments

Dallas, Emma Bell, Emma Ryland, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Pamela Rebecca Barnes, Pamela Barnes Ewing, TNT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas Desserts - Valentine's Day Edition 2

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