Patrick Duffy – Dallas Decoder

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 51 – ‘Jock’s Trial, Part 1’

June 19, 2012 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Jock's Trial Part 1

Face of a killer?

“Jock’s Trial, Part 1” comes toward the conclusion of “Dallas’s” third season, and it very much feels like the beginning of an ending. By the time this episode’s closing credits roll, Digger is dying, Dusty is dead and those skeletal remains discovered on Southfork nine episodes ago have finally been identified.

Hutch McKinney’s 28-year-old murder dominates “Jock’s Trial, Part 1,” making the episode feel a bit like “CSI: Dallas.” Although Cliff is motivated by his suspicion the Ewings are implicated in the death, his investigative skills – including his embrace of forensics – turn out to be pretty sharp. Maybe Cliff has finally found his calling.

I also like how J.R. and Bobby, after spending much of this episode sniping at each other, stop squabbling and join forces the moment it looks like Jock might be fingered for Hutch’s murder. The Ewings are fun to watch when they’re at each other’s throats, but it’s also satisfying to see them circle the wagons when a family member is threatened. These are the moments I wish I was a Ewing.

“Jock’s Trial, Part 1” also offers a terrific scene between Bobby and Sue Ellen that showcases the nice chemistry between Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray. I love Duffy’s impassioned delivery when Bobby warns Sue Ellen against emulating J.R. “Don’t try and play his game,” Bobby says. “Honey, he’s too good at it.”

I’m less enthralled with Miss Ellie’s storyline here. Barbara Bel Geddes is wonderful as always, but Matt Devlin’s declaration that he’s fallen in love with Ellie – and that he knows she has feelings for him, too – seems rather sudden. I don’t object to having Ellie be tempted by another man, but wouldn’t it have made more sense if that man was Digger, a character with whom she already has a rich history?

Imagine how much more poignant Digger’s looming death would seem if Ellie had been flirting with him at the end of the third season instead of with Matt. The title “Jock’s Trial” would have taken on a whole other meaning.

Grade: B

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Hmmm

‘JOCK’S TRIAL, PART 1’

Season 3, Episode 22

Airdate: February 22, 1980

Audience: 17.5 million homes, ranking 16th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Irving J. Moore

Synopsis: Cliff, now an assistant district attorney, determines skeletal remains found on Southfork belong to onetime foreman Hutch McKinney, whom Jock fired decades earlier. After a bender, Digger is hospitalized. Dusty dies in a plane crash, sending Sue Ellen back to the bottle. Matt tells Miss Ellie he loves her. Jock is arrested for Hutch’s murder.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Christopher Coffey (Professor Greg Forrester), Jeff Cooper (Dr. Simon Elby), Barry Corbin (Sheriff Fenton Washburn), Nicolas Coster (Assistant District Attorney Lyle Sloan), Mary Crosby (Kristin Shepard), David Cryer (Professor Wilbur Calder), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Meg Gallagher (Louella), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Dennis Holahan (Tiny Voight), Al Hopson (Merdo Ferris), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Joan Lancaster (Linda Bradley), Joel Lawrence (Gene), Don Porter (Matt Devlin), Dan Priest (Newly), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Keenan Wynn (Digger Barnes)

“Jocks’ Trial, Part 1” 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, Jock’s Trial Part 1, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy

TNT’s Dallas Styles: Marta’s Hair

June 15, 2012 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

‘Hedging Your Bets’

On TNT’s “Dallas,” there is no greater chameleon than Marta del Sol, the sexy siren who specializes in deceiving Ewing men. Bobby believes he’s selling Southfork to Marta and J.R. believes he’s buying it from her, but neither brother knows the truth: Marta is really plotting with John Ross to seize the ranch and the ocean of oil flowing beneath it.

‘Changing of the Guard’

“Dallas” uses two hairstyles to showcase Marta’s two faces. When Leonor Varela appears in scenes with Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy, her hair is usually worn up. In scenes with Josh Henderson – with whom Varela has smoking chemistry, by the way – those gorgeous tresses almost always fall onto her shoulders.

It makes sense: John Ross is the only character who knows the truth about Marta – namely, that she isn’t really Marta del Sol, which is the big secret revealed at the end of “Hedging Your Bets.” Figuratively and literally, John Ross is the only person with whom Marta can let her hair down.

I’m amazed at how different Varela looks with each style. The first time I saw Marta with her hair down, at the end of “Changing of the Guard,” it took me a minute to realize I was looking at Marta. I thought some new femme fatale was being introduced.

Regardless of how she wears her hair, one thing is certain: Beware of Marta del Sol!

(Or whoever she is.)

Filed Under: Dallas Styles, Dallas Styles (TNT), Features Tagged With: Changing of the Guard (2012), Hedging Your Bets, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Leonor Varela, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 2 – ‘Hedging Your Bets’

June 15, 2012 by Chris Baker 21 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Hedging Your Bets, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Whole new ball

“Hedging Your Bets,” the second of the two episodes TNT telecast on “Dallas’s” opening night, was solidly entertaining, even if it wasn’t quite as satisfying as the first hour, “Changing of the Guard.” The story continued to take unexpected twists, but I found myself hoping things would slow down so the audience could get better acquainted – or reacquainted – with the characters.

The best scenes in “Hedging Your Bets” were set at the Cattle Baron’s Ball, which looked far cooler than the stuffy black-tie galas the Ewings attended on the old show. I loved how director Michael M. Robin opened this sequence: John Ross and J.R. arrived in a black Suburban while “I’m a Man,” a tune by Swedish rockers the Blue Van, boomed in the background. It was another reminder this isn’t daddy’s “Dallas.”

Inside the ballroom, J.R. – using a walker to gin up his family’s sympathy – made amends with Bobby. This scene, which was nicely written by Cynthia Cidre, allowed Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy to demonstrate how their chemistry remains unaltered by the passage of time.

I was particularly impressed with Hagman. He still has an uncanny knack for making the audience want to believe J.R., even when we know the character is lying. I long ago stopped trying to figure out the actor’s secrets and decided to just sit back and enjoy his performances. He amazes me.

J.R.’s long-awaited first scene with Sue Ellen was well written and performed, too. He ran into her at the ball, and even though it was probably the first time the characters had seen each other in years, Cidre didn’t go overboard with a big, emotional reunion. Still, while J.R.’s last line (“You’re still the prettiest girl at the ball”) was sweet, I wish Linda Gray had been given a little more to do here. She had just 18 words of dialogue, which felt a little insufficient.

On the other hand, I very much liked the scene where Sue Ellen loaned Elena the money she needs to buy the oil leases. Gray looked like she enjoyed showing off her character’s confidence and success. The role of mentor fits Sue Ellen well, although she shouldn’t be limited to serving as a cheerleader for other characters. Sue Ellen needs her own storyline, and I’m hopeful her looming gubernatorial run will give Gray an opportunity to strut her stuff.

The other highlight of “Hedging Your Bets:” the scene where Elena confronted John Ross over the e-mail that broke up her and Christopher two years earlier. Jordana Brewster beautifully expressed Elena’s confusion and outrage, but don’t overlook Josh Henderson, whose pained expression made me believe John Ross really cares for Elena.

This is important because as I wrote in my “Changing of the Guard” critique, I’m not quite sure what makes John Ross tick. Right now, it feels like he’s the antagonist because that’s what the plot demands, so John Ross’s relationship with Elena has the potential to make him a more dimensional character.

By the way, I’m really enjoying the scenes set in Elena’s little house on the Souhfork grounds. The shabby chic decor makes it feel like a real home, which is appropriate, since Brewster does such a good job making Elena feel like a real person.

In many ways, Elena’s home serves the same function Ray Krebbs’ rambler did on the original “Dallas.” This probably isn’t a coincidence. Like Ray, Elena is poised to become the “everyperson” who serves as the audience’s eyes and ears in the world of the Ewings. She might be the most pivotal character of all, at least among the younger players.

Finally, a word about Rebecca, the Ewing clan’s newest addition. Of the eight principal characters on TNT’s “Dallas,” she received the least development in “Changing of the Guard,” and after seeing “Hedging Your Bets,” I understand why. Rebecca is supposed to be enigmatic. In this episode, her cryptic conversation with her brother Tommy made it clear the siblings (they are siblings, right?) are up to something nefarious, although we don’t know what.

I welcome this. The mystery surrounding Rebecca and Tommy feels like it’s going to be crucial, and it deserves to unravel at its own pace. After all, if TNT’s “Dallas” is going to be around awhile – and I sure hope it will be – there’s no point in rushing through every storyline.

Grade: B

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Mailman?

‘HEDGING YOUR BETS’

Season 1, Episode 2

Telecast: June 13, 2012

Writer: Cynthia Cidre

Director: Michael M. Robin

Audience: 8.3 million viewers (including 6.9 million viewers on June 13, ranking 1st in the weekly cable ratings)

Synopsis: Bobby tells his wife Ann he has cancer and rejects Christopher’s plea to not sell Southfork. Elena breaks up with John Ross, who has sex with Marta and is extorted by Bobby’s duplicitous lawyer, Mitch Lobell, who is secretly aiding John Ross and J.R. in their plot to seize Southfork. John Ross’s mother Sue Ellen loans Elena money for her oil business and encounters ex-husband J.R., who wants to makes amends with her. Rebecca’s brother Tommy tells her she shouldn’t become too comfortable in her new role as Christopher’s wife. J.R. learns Marta is an imposter.

Cast: Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Brett Brock (Clyde Marshall), Richard Dillard (Mitch Lobell), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Castulo Guerra (Carlos del Sol), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Leanna Pareja (Marta Realidad), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Audrea Ulmer-Cowan (Candy), Leonor Varela (Marta del Sol)

“Hedging Your Bets” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: Changing of the Guard (2012), Cynthia Cidre, Hedging Your Bets, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Michael M. Robin, Patrick Duffy, TNT

TNT’s Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘… To Be Like Us’

June 14, 2012 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Changing of the Guard, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Brother, where art thou?

In “Changing of the Guard,” “Dallas’s” first episode, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) visits the nursing home, where he sits at the side of the motionless J.R. (Larry Hagman).

BOBBY: All those fights, J.R., over Ewing Oil and Southfork. Those fights changed me. Changed me in a way I don’t like. I worry about Christopher and John Ross. I want them to have a chance to be a family. Without all the bitterness and bad blood you and I had. I don’t want them to be like us. But, all that being said, I do miss you. [Winces, grabs his stomach] Well, I hope you know. I always loved you. [He rises, kisses J.R. on the head and leaves.]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (TNT), Features Tagged With: Changing of the Guard (2012), Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 1 – ‘Changing of the Guard’

June 14, 2012 by Chris Baker 30 Comments

Changing of the Guard, Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Leonor Varela, Marta del Sol

Gripping grin

TNT’s “Dallas” had two things to accomplish on opening night: hook today’s audiences on the Ewing saga and satisfy viewers who fondly remember the original series. I can’t speak for the newbies or my fellow fans, but the two-hour premiere exceeded my Southfork-sized expectations in every way. I loved it.

“Changing of the Guard,” the first of the two episodes TNT telecast last night, evoked the old “Dallas” spirit, if not the old “Dallas” style. The pace was faster, the music was modern (Adele!) and even though Larry Hagman remains “Dallas’s” most magnetic actor, his talents were used judiciously. He appeared just four times: once with Patrick Duffy and in three scenes with Josh Henderson. The stage is set to slowly insert J.R. into the lives of the other characters, which seems like a wise approach.

Still, with J.R. more or less waiting in the wings, I wish “Changing of the Guard” had given the audience more opportunities to get to know the younger characters. It wasn’t clear to me, for example, why John Ross is so determined to drill on Southfork, or why star-crossed lovers Christopher and Elena allowed an e-mail to break them up. (At least it wasn’t a text.)

But even if the characters’ motivations were murky, the actors were terrific. Henderson smolders as John Ross, and I was really impressed with Jesse Metcalfe and Jordana Brewster, particularly during Christopher’s wedding day confrontation with Elena. Metcalfe made his character’s heartbreak palpable – his quivering lip almost made me cry – and Brewster delivered her lines with real conviction, which is essential on a show like “Dallas.”

Other favorite “Changing of the Guard” moments: Bobby’s visit to the catatonic J.R. in the nursing home, where Duffy did a nice job delivering scriptwriter Cynthia Cidre’s beautifully written monologue; Linda Gray’s first appearance, when Sue Ellen oh-so-coolly zoomed into the Southfork driveway in her white Porsche; and the Southfork dinner scene, which was as entertaining as any of the Ewing meals from the original series.

The latter sequence, expertly directed by Michael M. Robin, was probably “Changing of the Guard’s” best homage to the original “Dallas,” but it certainly wasn’t the only one. I also liked the scene where Ann grabbed her gun and chased an intruder out of the house, recalling one of Miss Ellie’s most memorable moments from the old show, as well as John Ross’s encounter with Marta del Sol on the 50-year line at Cowboys Stadium, which seemed to be a hat tip to some of J.R.’s clandestine stadium meetings of the past.

It may have been unintentional, but “Changing of the Guard” also honored the “Dallas” spinoff “Knots Landing.” After John Ross and Christopher scuffled at the drill site, each character retreated to the arms of his leading lady, with the scenes edited together in a seamless series of quick cutaways – a style “Knots Landing” made one of its signatures.

Even though I would have preferred a little more character development and a little less narrative in “Changing of the Guard,” the plot twists were smartly executed. The second scene, when Bobby was diagnosed with cancer, was genuinely rattling. I appreciate the boldness of this storyline, but it worries me a little. The last time “Dallas” toyed with Bobby’s mortality, things didn’t work out so well. I hope Cidre, the new creative force behind TNT’s “Dallas,” knows what she’s doing here.

The revelation that J.R. is in cahoots with Marta was another jaw-dropper. I don’t mind admitting I got chills when J.R. flipped on his Stetson, flashed his devilish grin and declared, “Bobby may not be stupid, but I’m a hell of a lot smarter.” This was the moment I knew “Dallas” was really back.

Frankly – and this is a small quibble – I kind of wish “Changing of the Guard” had ended there. Instead, Cidre threw the audience for yet another loop in the final scene, when we learned John Ross and Marta are plotting to triple-cross J.R.

I suppose the goal here was to demonstrate how John Ross is even more devious than his daddy, but it felt like one twist too many. Then again, if Cidre wanted to make sure “Dallas” diehards like me hung around for “Hedging Your Bets,” opening night’s second hour, mission accomplished. I’ll post my review of that episode tomorrow.

Grade: A

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Heartbreak kids

‘CHANGING OF THE GUARD’

Season 1, Episode 1

Telecast: June 13, 2012

Writer: Cynthia Cidre

Director: Michael M. Robin

Audience: 8.3 million viewers (including 6.9 million viewers on June 13, ranking 1st in the weekly cable ratings)

Synopsis: Bobby Ewing is diagnosed with cancer but doesn’t tell his family. To finance his son Christopher’s alternative energy project, Bobby decides to sell Southfork, the family’s ranch, to land conservationist Marta del Sol, unaware she is in cahoots with Bobby’s devious brother J.R., who wants control of Southfork’s vast oil reserves. Unbeknownst to J.R., Marta is also plotting with his son John Ross, who wants to drill on the ranch, too. Christopher marries Rebecca Sutter, although he still pines for old flame Elena Ramos, who is now John Ross’s girlfriend and business partner.

Cast: Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Richard Dillard (Mitch Lobell), Akai Draco (Sherriff), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Sutter), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Callard Harris (Tommy Sutter), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Linda Leonard (Mrs. Stanfill), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Matthew Posey (Earl), Ryan Rutledge (Dr. Bill Glaser), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Leonor Varela (Marta del Sol)

“Changing of the Guard” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Filed Under: Critiques, Critiques (TNT), Opinion Tagged With: Changing of the Guard (2012), Cynthia Cidre, Hedging Your Bets, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Michael M. Robin, Patrick Duffy, TNT

TNT’s ‘Dallas,’ a Good Show Poised for Greatness

June 8, 2012 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Once and future kings

TNT’s “Dallas” is a good show on the verge of becoming a great one. It has the potential to surpass the original “Dallas” in overall quality, much like “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is now more highly regarded than its 1960s precursor. Of course, it took Captain Picard and his crew awhile to hit their stride, and this new brood of Ewings is going to need time to find their bearings, too.

TNT has produced 10 one-hour “Dallas” episodes and will show them on Wednesday nights, beginning June 13. I’ve seen the first seven entries and was impressed with all of them, especially the pilot, “Changing of the Guard,” which beautifully captures the old “Dallas” spirit.

The episodes that follow are more of a mixed bag. Each one is solidly entertaining, with good performances and gorgeous cinematography (Rodney Charters, get your Emmy submission ready), but the pacing is a bit frenetic. The new show moves at the speed of Twitter, offering a torrent of plot twists that are genuinely surprising but leave the audience little time to get to know the characters.

Hagman Still Has It

Hands down, the best thing about the new show is the man who was the best thing about the old one: Larry Hagman, whose return as J.R. Ewing is everything I hoped it would be. The actor is now in his 80s and looks every bit of it, but as viewers will discover, Hagman still has it. Yes, the hair is thinner, the voice is raspier and the eyebrows are out of control, but the twinkle in Hagman’s eye hasn’t dimmed a bit.

To its credit, TNT doesn’t try to conceal Hagman’s age. In fact, the show seems to embrace it. In one scene in “Changing of the Guard,” director Michael M. Robin allows the camera to linger for a moment on J.R.’s wrinkled hands. It’s a small gesture, but at a time when television seems more obsessed with youth than ever, it’s downright bold.

In later episodes, the show deals with J.R.’s age rather playfully. At one point, the character begins using a walker – not because he needs it, but because he wants to make Bobby feel sorry for him. In another scene, we see J.R. shuffling around the Southfork kitchen in a cardigan sweater, making breakfast for Bobby and Ann, Bobby’s new wife. It seems like a warm moment, until you stop and realize the cuddly old man dishing up scrambled eggs is secretly plotting against everyone at the table.

Patrick Duffy, who returns as Bobby, uses his more “mature” appearance to his advantage, too. Duffy’s silver hair imbues Bobby with instant authority, allowing the actor to command every scene he’s in. Duffy has always been “Dallas’s” unsung hero, but now his gravitas is readily apparent. He makes a worthy heir to Jim Davis’s spot at the head of the Ewing dinner table.

The real revelation, though, is Linda Gray, who once again plays Sue Ellen. She doesn’t have nearly enough to do in TNT’s first seven episodes, but when Gray appears, she lights up the screen. The show has cast Sue Ellen in the role of elder stateswoman, but the truth is, Gray is still “Dallas’s” leading lady, even if the producers haven’t realized it yet.

Mr. Henderson, Presented

Among the new cast, no actor will be watched more closely than Josh Henderson, who portrays John Ross, J.R. and Sue Ellen’s son. I’m not going to make the inevitable comparisons to Hagman because, hey, there’s only one of him. Instead, I prefer to ponder Henderson’s similarities to another young actor who got his start at Southfork: Brad Pitt, who played a long-forgotten teenage character on “Dallas” a quarter century ago.

Henderson reminds me a lot of Pitt, not during his “Dallas” days but a little later, when he was making movies like “Thelma & Louise.” Like Pitt in that film, Henderson has an effortless, seductive charm. He is boyish and dangerous at once, and even when he’s up to no good, you can’t help but find him alluring. Maybe comparisons to Hagman aren’t so unfair after all.

I’m also impressed with the other members of TNT’s ensemble: Jesse Metcalfe, who delivers several moving performances as Christopher, Bobby’s strong-but-sensitive son; Brenda Strong, who is casually elegant as Ann; and Julie Gonzalo, who does a nice job keeping the audience on its toes in her role as Rebecca, Christopher’s mysterious fiancée.

My favorite newcomer, though, is Jordana Brewster, who plays Elena, the young geologist torn between John Ross and Christopher. Brewster carries herself with the same kind of confidence and youthful wisdom Victoria Principal did during the original “Dallas’s” earliest episodes. Brewster makes me care about Elena, even when the role is underwritten. This show is lucky to have her.

People Before Plots

While “Dallas’s” new actors are good, their characters need a little work. For example, I’m not sure why John Ross is so antagonistic, aside from the fact that’s what the narrative demands.

This is the classic trap soap operas fall into: The writers allow the plots to dictate the characters’ behavior, something the original “Dallas” skillfully avoided. Think about it: Unless you’re a “Dallas” diehard, you probably don’t remember the specifics of J.R.’s schemes, but chances are you haven’t forgotten about his relationships with his family.

The new show hasn’t quite figured out viewers care more people than plots. The twist-a-minute storytelling style doesn’t give the new characters time to become knowable, relatable people. It also leaves little room for warmth, which was such an important part of the fabric of the original series.

Bobby always forgave J.R. for stabbing him in the back because, well, they were brothers, and that’s what brothers do (on TV, at least). The new show emphasizes the rivalry between cousins John Ross and Christopher, but I never get the impression they feel anything for each other but animosity.

Honoring the Past

Cynthia Cidre, the creative force behind TNT’s “Dallas, has pledged to honor the original show’s history, and she mostly follows through. Cidre seems to understand the “Dallas” mythology, with its emphasis on the conflicts between conservation and capitalism and its depiction of modern people defending old values like land and family.

Cidre also upholds many of the longtime “Dallas” traditions. During the first few episodes, for example, we see a Southfork wedding, a Ewing barbecue and a black-tie ball. I’m also pleased to hear so many references to Principal’s character Pam, “Dallas’s” original heroine, as well as Jock and Miss Ellie (although I’m no fan of the cheap-looking portrait of Jim Davis and Barbara Bel Geddes that now hangs in the Southfork living room).

At other times, I wonder how closely this show’s writers watched the old “Dallas” episodes before they began cranking out their scripts. The TNT show’s major storyline revolves around John Ross’s fight to drill on Southfork’s Section 18, which we learn in the pilot is brimming with oil. Fine, but why not make it a battle over oil-soaked Section 40, which has been rooted in “Dallas” lore since the original show’s second season?

Mostly, the small stuff trips up the writers. Duffy’s character is referred to as “Robert James Ewing,” not “Bobby James Ewing,” as he was known throughout the original series. I’m the first to admit the overwhelming majority of viewers won’t notice or care, but details like this matter to me – especially when you consider the character’s name is the first line of the first episode of the first “Dallas” series. (Pam: “Bobby James Ewing, I don’t believe you!”).

And yes, I know the original “Dallas” didn’t always honor its own continuity, either. This is the show that infamously wrote off an entire season as Pam’s dream, after all. But this is also why TNT’s “Dallas” should work harder to avoid flubs. The new series shouldn’t be content to be as good as the old one. It should strive to be better.

My gut tells me that’ll happen, and I’m sure I’ll one day remember TNT’s “Dallas” as fondly as I recall the show that spawned it. But first, the writers need to slow things down and pay a little more attention to their characters – and for goodness sakes, learn their names!

Are you looking forward to “Dallas’s” debut? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Brad Pitt, Brenda Strong, Changing of the Guard (2012), Cynthia Cidre, Jesse Metcalfe, Jim Davis, Jordana Brewster, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Michael M. Robin, Patrick Duffy, Rodney Charters, Victoria Principal

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Should’ve Fought Them’

May 31, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Miss Ellie Ewing, Return Engagements

Don’t you tell her what she has to do

In “Return Engagements,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Miss Ellie and Bobby (Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy) help Gary and Valene (Ted Shackelford, Joan Van Ark) prepare for their wedding.

ELLIE: Bobby, have you got the tickets?

BOBBY: No, Pamela’s bringing them with the judge.

GARY: Uh, what tickets?

ELLIE: Well, you wanted to settle in California, didn’t you?

GARY: Yeah, but you don’t have to pay for the plane fare.

ELLIE: Don’t you tell me what I have to do. Anyway, the tickets aren’t your present. [Hands him photos of houses] Bobby’s going to fly to California and show you the houses.

They sit.

GARY: I, I don’t get it. [Looks at Val]

ELLIE: Whichever house you like best is yours.

GARY: No, Mama.

ELLIE: And if you don’t like any of them, find another.

VAL: Miss Ellie, we, we couldn’t.

GARY: Mama, we wanna be on our own.

ELLIE: Did you wanna be on your own when you left Southfork? Or did your daddy and J.R. drive you off? You tried to stand on your own feet when you had Lucy – and your family kicked your heels right out from under you.

VAL: But Miss Ellie, we owe you so much. You raised Lucy.

ELLIE: Yes, I raised her. I raised her because the Ewings made it impossible for you to raise her. But I shouldn’t have. I should’ve fought them. I didn’t. I did nothing. Do you think my giving you a house is fair payment? I don’t. If you want to refuse it, refuse it because the gift is small. Otherwise, take it. Please take it.

Gary takes her hand and squeezes.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Joan Van Ark, Patrick Duffy, Return Engagements, Ted Shackelford

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 41 – ‘Ellie Saves the Day’

May 29, 2012 by Chris Baker 22 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Ellie Saves the Day, Miss Ellie Ewing

Savior

“Ellie Saves the Day” is essential viewing for anyone who loves “Dallas” and its mythology. The story brings the Ewings to the brink of financial ruin, and their darkest hour turns out to be one of the show’s finest. This is a great episode.

The plot of is straightforward – the Ewings discover J.R. has secretly mortgaged Southfork, and they must scramble to raise the money to pay the banks – but the subtext is rich. There are allusions to the consequences of codependence and parallels to the real-life economic morass of the 1970s. These themes prove resilient.

In many ways, “Ellie Saves the Day” is the flip side of “The Kristin Affair,” which aired six weeks earlier in the fall of 1979. “The Kristin Affair” is also a classic episode, but it is relatively breezy, while “Ellie Saves the Day” is moodier, broodier and ultimately, more satisfying.

‘I Never Taught Him When to Stop’

Dallas, Ellie Saves the Day, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Sinner

“Ellie Saves the Day” opens with J.R. panicked because he has hasn’t struck oil in Asia and the deadline to pay the Southfork mortgage is looming. The crisis leaves him gloomy and full of self-pity. “I’ll write you a nice reference,” he tells Kristin.

Seeing J.R. this way invites us to consider the roots of his greed. To say the character is power hungry tells only half the tale. J.R. really craves Jock’s respect, and he believes boosting Ewing Oil’s size and stature is the only way to earn it. For J.R., power is a means to an end.

Unfortunately, J.R. becomes addicted to his own ambition. In “The Kristin Affair,” he gets drunk with dreams of making Ewing Oil “the biggest, most powerful independent in Texas” and mortgages Southfork to finance his overseas drilling venture. It’s a risky scheme, and when it finally unravels in “Ellie Saves the Day,” it’s not unlike watching a drunkard coming off a bender. This idea is reinforced by the five o’clock shadow that shows up on Larry Hagman’s face in the third act.

Make no mistake: J.R. is as compulsive as Sue Ellen. She is an alcoholic, but he is powerless over his own ego, and just as the Ewings indulge her, they also enable him. Jock alludes to this in “Ellie Saves the Day” when he discovers the mortgage scheme and tells Bobby, “I trained J.R. and taught him everything he knows. Gave him the fever for big business. But I never taught him when to stop.”

‘Sweat and Hope and Dreams’

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Ellie Saves the Day, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Patrick Duffy

Humbled

This is just one achingly poignant scene in an episode full of them. In another, Bobby finds Jock sitting alone on the Southfork patio in the dark of night. Bobby sees his father is worried and tells him he can “start over” if Ewing Oil collapses, but Jock waves him off. “Not enough time left for me to do that,” Jock says, and as we watch his silvery hair catch the moonlight, we know he’s probably right.

Jock is nothing if not realistic. “It’s not the oil business that I’m worried about,” he tells Bobby. “There’s just no way that you can build another Southfork. Not in six lifetimes.”

Bobby, true to his nature, doesn’t give up. He implores his father to persuade the banks to extend their loan. “We’ll try, Bobby. We’ll try,” Jock responds. “But this feels like the end of 40 years of sweat and hopes and dreams.”

Jim Davis and Patrick Duffy’s performances in this scene are beautiful, and so is the dialogue. “Ellie Saves the Day” was written by Arthur Bernard Lewis, perhaps “Dallas’s” best scriptwriter, and David Michael Jacobs, who apparently is not the same person as “Dallas” creator David Jacobs. Regardless, Lewis and this second David Jacobs demonstrate they understand better than most what makes “Dallas” tick.

Gunnar Hellström’s direction during Jock and Bobby’s conversation is also inspired. It is intensely quiet, with the faint sound of crickets in the background and a 17-second, longer-than-it-seems pause at the beginning of the scene. Hellström shrouds Davis and Duffy in blackness, making them look a bit like actors in a stage play. This is fitting, given how Jock and Bobby’s conversation – with all those references to the passage of time, respect and failed dreams – feels like something out of “Death of a Salesman.”

Hellström concludes the scene by slowly pulling back the camera, leaving us with a wide shot of Jock and Bobby, dressed in their pajamas and brooding over what the next day might bring. Never before have these big men seemed humbler.

‘It’s Time That Southfork Repaid Those Debts’

Capped

The somber tone of “Ellie Saves the Day” reflected the national mood in 1979, when gas shortages and the Three Mile Island meltdown were seen as signs of American decline. For some people in today’s audiences, these themes will still resonate.

Jock’s “six lifetimes” line also reminds us the collapse of Ewing Oil and the foreclosure of Southfork wouldn’t be equal losses. These twin institutions define “Dallas” and its characters, but the ranch is by far the more precious of the two. It’s no accident Miss Ellie, “Dallas’s” moral center, personifies Southfork, while the corrupt J.R. embodies the company. (It’s also no surprise the virtues of drilling on Southfork will again be debated during TNT’s new “Dallas” series.)

From this vantage point, “Ellie Saves the Day” resembles a parable about the inequities in American capitalism and conservationism. In the real world, we rush to relax our environmental standards when the economy suffers – even President Obama has weakened clean-air rules – just as Ellie decides to bail out Ewing Oil by lifting the generations-old embargo against drilling on the ranch.

As she tells Jock at the end of this episode, “Forty years ago, Ewing Oil paid off the mortgage on Southfork – and saved it. Now I think it’s time that Southfork repaid those debts.”

‘I May Never Forgive You for This, J.R.’

Giant

Barbara Bel Geddes’ performance in “Ellie Saves the Day” might be her best during the series. She delivers her lines with her trademark quiet conviction, but I also love the way she carries herself. Bel Geddes might be small, but her grace makes her a giant.

This is best illustrated in the final scene, when Miss Ellie refuses to use Vaughn Leland’s pen to sign away the mineral rights to her family’s land. If we saw another actress do this, it might make Ellie seem petty. When Bel Geddes does it, it’s a moment of triumph.

Of course, this scene also exposes the just-below-the-surface flawed logic in “Ellie Saves the Day.”

To make the storyline work, the producers fiddle with the show’s continuity: When “Dallas” begins, Ewing Oil and Southfork seem to operate independently of each other, but at the beginning of the third season, they suddenly are referred to as subsidiaries of “Ewing Enterprises,” a parent company that is rarely mentioned again after this season. From this perspective, the Ewings kind of get what they deserve. Who in their right mind makes the family home dependent on the family business?

Another quibble: In the episode’s closing moments, when Ellie is leaving the Ewing Oil office, she glances at her eldest son and says, “I may never forgive you for this, J.R.” Bel Geddes’ face isn’t shown when she delivers the line, which sounds like it was dubbed in after the scene was filmed. I don’t know why the people who made “Ellie Saves the Day” felt the line was needed. Imagine if Ellie had simply turned to J.R. and cut him a withering look. Her silence would have been more unsettling than anything she might have said.

Regardless, the fact Ellie is unmerciful toward J.R. is telling. It lets us know she may be able to save Southfork and Ewing Oil, but she knows she can’t save her son’s soul. He’s too far gone for that.

Grade: A+

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Thinker

‘ELLIE SAVES THE DAY’

Season 3, Episode 12

Airdate: November 30, 1979

Audience: 18.5 million homes, ranking 13th in the weekly ratings

Writers: David Michael Jacobs and Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Gunnar Hellström

Synopsis: The Ewings learn J.R. mortgaged Southfork to finance his Asian deal. To stave off foreclosure, Miss Ellie decides to allow Ewing Oil to drill on the ranch.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Mary Crosby (Kristin Shepard), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jeanna Michaels (Connie), Dennis Patrick (Vaughn Leland), Randolph Powell (Alan Beam), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Jimmy Weldon (Sy Stevens)

“Ellie Saves the Day” 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, David Jacobs, David Michael Jacobs, Ellie Saves the Day, Gunnar Hellström, Jim Davis, Patrick Duffy

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 36 – ‘The Lost Child’

May 21, 2012 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Lost Child, Luke Middens, Ronnie Scribner

Surrogates

“Dallas” is sometimes thought of as a “man’s show” not just because of its rugged western motif, but also because the Ewing women so often take a backseat to their male counterparts. Consider “The Lost Child,” in which Pam suffers a miscarriage but the tragedy is seen mostly through Bobby’s eyes.

To pull this off, scriptwriter Rena Down has Bobby befriend Luke, the young son of ranch hand Bo Middens. When Bo is bitten by a rattlesnake and hospitalized, Bobby allows eager cowboy-in-training Luke to fill in for his “pa.” Bobby and Luke bond while working together, especially after Luke tells him how he never has a chance to grow close to people because he and his widower father are always on the move.

Patrick Duffy displays an effortless, big brotherly charm in his scenes with guest star Ronnie Scribner, who is believable as sensitive Luke. At times, Bobby and Luke’s relationship feels a bit too “Little House on the Prairie” for “Dallas,” but their sentimental conversations help establish Bobby’s paternal instincts.

Ultimately, this is what makes “The Lost Child” one of the cleverest entries in “Dallas’s” third season. If Luke didn’t exist, we wouldn’t know how loving Bobby is with children – and Pam’s miscarriage might not resonate with the audience as much as it does.

In a way, Luke serves the same function as baby John. At the beginning of the third season, when Sue Ellen brings home her newborn son, Pam bonds with the baby instantly, establishing her parental bona fides. The difference between these two plot devices is John is a newborn and Luke is an adolescent, so his relationship with Bobby feels more substantial.

In “The Lost Child’s” final scene, Luke tells Bobby he is moving to Montana with Bo, who has recovered from his snakebite. Bobby’s farewell scene with the boy is touching, mainly because we know Bobby isn’t saying goodbye to Luke as much as he’s saying goodbye to his dream of becoming a father.

Grade: B

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Bobby Ewing, Dallas, Lost Child, Pam Ewing, Victoria Principal

Love and miscarriage

‘THE LOST CHILD’

Season 3, Episode 7

Airdate: November 2, 1979

Audience: 19.8 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Rena Down

Director: Irving J. Moore

Synopsis: After Pam suffers a miscarriage, she tells Bobby about her genetic disease and declares she mustn’t become pregnant again. Bobby befriends the young son of a ranch hand and is sad when the boy and his father move away. Cliff tells Digger he is baby John’s father. Sue Ellen begins seeing Dr. Simon Elby, a psychiatrist.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Jeff Cooper (Dr. Simon Elby), Mary Crosby (Kristin Shepard), Jim Davis (Jock Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Med Flory (Cal McBride), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jeanna Michaels (Connie), Randolph Powell (Alan Beam), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Ronnie Scribner (Luke Middens), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Keenan Wynn (Digger Barnes)

“The Lost Child” 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: Lost Child, Patrick Duffy, Rena Down, Ronnie Scribner

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Owe You, That’s All’

May 18, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Dallas, Dove Hunt, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman

Down and out in Land Down

In “The Dove Hunt,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, an injured Jock and J.R. (Jim Davis, Larry Hagman) come face to face with Tom Owens (Robert J. Wilke), the man who attacked their campsite, and Owens’ son Dan and friend Ben Masters (Thomas Callaway, Stefan Gierasch).

JOCK: What do you want?

OWENS: You still don’t remember, Ewing. You steal a man’s farm, wipe him out, you still don’t remember.

JOCK: Now you look, mister –

OWENS: Owens.

JOCK: Owens, I do business with a lot of people.

OWENS: Thirty-two years ago, you came to my farm, personally. We stood as close as we are right now. You tried to get me to sell. When I wouldn’t, you spread some money around – and suddenly, nobody would buy my crops.

JOCK: All right, maybe I did lean on you too hard. But it seems to me you’ve waited a hell of a long time to get revenge.

OWENS: I didn’t want revenge. I wanted to spit in your eye.

JOCK: Then what’s all this?

OWENS: You crushed me like a bug – and after 32 years, you don’t even remember my name. You’re gonna pay for that. [Cocks his gun] My boy and I had to start all over again from nothing in Land Down.

MASTERS: Mr. Owens has made a lot of friends around here, you –

JOCK: The kind of friends that ambush people.

DAN: They all know my father’s story and who ruined him in Texas. Nobody’s gonna feel sorry for whatever happens here.

JOCK: So that’s it? You’re gonna kill me in cold blood, huh?

J.R.: Maybe we could make a deal, sir.

JOCK: No, J.R. [Leans forward] All right, Owens. Come on. If you’re gonna do it, do it!

OWENS: [Aims his rifle at Jock, holds it for several seconds, then lowers it] I can’t. I’m not a killer. When I thought you were gonna shoot my boy, I was gonna kill you. You got away with it. Give the devil his due.

Bobby and Ray (Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly) arrive and aim their guns at Owens’ group.

BOBBY: All right, drop your guns! We’ll blow you away! [The other men lower their guns; Bobby and Ray run toward them.]

RAY: Back up, both of you. Come on!

BOBBY: You all right, Daddy?

JOCK: I’m OK, Bobby.

J.R.: You bring a sheriff?

BOBBY: There’s no law in Land Down – and damn little help.

RAY: Forget that two-bit town. Let’s run these jokers down to state police.

JOCK: No need to involve the law here. I’m not bringing any charges.

BOBBY: Daddy, they tried to kills us.

J.R.: They should be put away, Dad.

JOCK: Just a hunting accident. Happens all the time.

OWENS: What are you trying to pull?

JOCK: Nothing. I owe you, that’s all. Back in those days, I ran roughshod over a lot of people. I don’t remember you, Owens. But I should have. Because you got a lot of pride. And when you get right down to it, that’s all a man can take to his grave. You made me think, Owens. Maybe this business has become too impersonal. J.R., we get back to town, there’s some records we’re going to go over. There might be some housecleaning we’ve got to do.

J.R.: Dad, you’re gonna need some rest, after you’ve been tended to. You lost a lot of blood.

JOCK: I’ll manage, J.R. Ray, Bobby, give them back their guns.

OWENS: This ain’t gonna buy you a place in heaven, Ewing.