Rob Cairns – Dallas Decoder

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 28 — ‘Playing Chicken’

March 12, 2014 by Chris Baker 23 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Playing Chicken, TNT

Always the winner

Bobby Ewing plays two games of chicken in “Playing Chicken,” and of course he wins both. First, Bobby uses — forgive me for this — fowl means to foil John Ross’s latest scheme to drill on Southfork. Later, when Nicolas tries to prove the Ewings framed Cliff for J.R.’s “murder,” Bobby faces off against the younger man and forces him to blink first. Both scenes are a kick, reminding us how essential Patrick Duffy is to “Dallas.” They also demonstrate Duffy’s versatility; no matter what the script calls for, this man always delivers — and he always looks damn cool doing it.

The scene with John Ross opens with Josh Henderson’s character giving his crew of ranch-hands-turned-roughnecks a pep talk when a cheerful Uncle Bobby shows up toting a cage with a big bird inside. Bobby proceeds to give his ambitious nephew a lesson on the plight of the “lesser prairie chicken,” explaining how it’s an endangered species whose presence on Southfork means the government will deny John Ross’s request for a drilling permit, lest he disturb the creature’s natural habitat. John Ross fumes; Bobby smiles. “He is awful cute, though, isn’t he?” Bobby asks, motioning toward the cage.

I love this scene mostly because it’s nice to see “Dallas” lighten up, but also because it recalls all the times Bobby bested J.R. with a wink and a grin. The role of happy warrior has always suited Duffy well, and his timing here is as sharp as ever. Everyone else seems to get into the spirit too: Henderson shows he can deadpan with the best of them, while director Jesse Bochco delivers a whimsical shot of John Ross from inside the chicken’s cage. (Shades of the “horse-cam” used to shoot Emma Bell last year.) Even composer Rob Cairns has a little fun with this scene; his underscore is noticeably jauntier than usual.

Bobby’s other big scene begins with Nicolas arriving in a darkened parking lot to meet Rhonda Simmons, the club hostess whose testimony helped convict Cliff. Nicolas believes Rhonda is going to turn against the Ewings; when he finds her standing near her car, he congratulates her and tells her she’s made “the right decision.” Suddenly, the passenger door opens and out steps … Bobby, who makes it clear Rhonda isn’t changing her story after all. This would be a triumphant moment no matter which Ewing had emerged from Rhonda’s car, but the fact that it’s Bobby makes it especially satisfying. He’s always been our white knight, and frankly he’s the only Ewing with the moral authority to make framing Cliff for murder seem like the right thing to do.

But even though Patrick Duffy is the indisputable man of the hour in “Playing Chicken,” Gail Gilchriest’s terrific script ensures no one gets shortchanged. It’s especially nice to see lots of scenes with the always wonderful Brenda Strong, whose character gets to demonstrate a little personal growth. When Sue Ellen confides in Ann her fears about John Ross and Emma, I expect Ann to dismiss the suggestion outright. Instead, she says, “I know I’ve been defensive about Emma’s behavior in the past. You were right about her drug use. Maybe you’re right this time too.” Strong always makes Ann feel like one of the grownups in the room, but the job is easier when she has smart writing like this to work with.

It’s also interesting to see Ann turn to Harris to help reign in Emma. I love Duffy and Strong together, but there’s also no denying the actress’s chemistry with Mitch Pileggi. Does this scene suggest Ann is softening toward her ex-husband? Or is the show merely using Ann to smooth Harris’s rough edges? During their conversation, Ann urges Harris to come clean to Emma about his connection to the CIA; he rejects that suggestion, but he nonetheless reveals a little humility: “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.” Who knew the “l” word was in Harris’s vocabulary? Also, notice how he says “the people that I love.” Does that include Ann?

Other highlights: Sue Ellen’s masterful manipulation of Bum, as well as the scene where he shows up on her doorstep and confesses his deception. I’m delighted “Dallas” is exploring the relationship between these characters, not just because they have such an opposites attract charm — the uptown lady and the downtown private eye — but also because Kevin Page might be the only actor on this show who comes close to matching Linda Gray’s soulfulness. I have no idea where Sue Ellen and Bum are headed, but whether they remain friends or become something more, I hope we keep seeing a lot of scenes between them.

I’m a little less enthralled with the romance that develops in “Playing Chicken” between Elena and Nicolas, especially since we’ve been told their characters grew up thinking of each other as siblings. On the other hand, I’m more impressed than ever with Juan Pablo Di Pace: Nicolas is so suave and charming in his first two “Dallas” appearances, but in “Playing Chicken,” there are times he seems downright sinister. At the end of this episode, we learn Nicolas has a wife — Angélica Celaya makes an intriguing debut as Lucia Treviño — and I have no doubt we’re going to learn he’s hiding even more.

I also like “Playing Chicken’s” scenes of Christopher sleuthing around Mexico, as well as the fun Gilchriest has with John Ross’s complicated love life. No one delivers oh-no-she-didn’t moments better than Bell: What makes us despise Emma Ryland more, when she accompanies Pamela on the shopping trip and brags about her lover’s sexual prowess, or when she shows up at John Ross’s office wearing the same emerald corset that Pamela is planning to surprise him with? Fans are directing a lot of venom at Bell’s character on social media these days, and I hope the actress is wearing it as a badge of honor. She’s doing a fantastic job making Emma a vixen we love to hate.

I’m also left pondering the scene where John Ross rejects Pamela’s romantic overtures. Is this an attack of conscience, or is he beginning to realize Emma is dangerous? Whatever the reason, John Ross’s personal entanglements are probably going to be the least of his worries. In “Playing Chicken’s” most chilling scene, Harris tells Judith that the files in his safe — which include “unflattering” information about her — are now in John Ross’s possession. Says Judith: “I’m sure we can find something to compromise young Mr. Ewing enough to convince him to return those files. And by ‘we,’ of course I mean ‘me.’” If you were John Ross, what would make your heart drop more — hearing Judith say she wants to “convince” you of something or hearing her earlier statement that she thinks you’re “a nice-looking young man.” Shudder.

More than anything, this episode demonstrates how “Dallas” is finding a new rhythm in its third season. The first hour, “The Return,” took its time establishing the year’s themes and plotlines; the second episode, “Trust Me,” delivered the twists and turns we’ve come to expect from the TNT series (Judith does coke! Harris is CIA!); and “Playing Chicken” slows down the action once more to allow the audience to catch its breath. If the pattern holds, does that mean the next installment will be another roller coaster? I wouldn’t bet against it, especially now that we know Judith Ryland has John Ross in her crosshairs. Let the battle of the “J.R.s” begin.

Grade: A

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Good at being bad

‘PLAYING CHICKEN’

Season 3, Episode 3

Telecast: March 10, 2014

Audience: 1.9 million viewers on March 10

Writer: Gail Gilchriest

Director: Jesse Bochco

Synopsis: Christopher investigates Nicolas in Mexico, where he meets Lucia, Nicolas’s wife. Bobby foils John Ross’s attempt to drill on Southfork and Nicolas’s attempt to turn Rhonda against the Ewings. Later, Nicolas reveals long-hidden feelings to Elena and they have sex. Bum admits to Sue Ellen that John Ross is sleeping with Emma. When Harris tells Judith that Emma gave damaging files about her to John Ross, Judith vows to “convince” John Ross to give back the documents. Bobby promises Ann he’ll keep her and Emma safe following Harris’s revelation that he’s working with the CIA to bring down the drug cartel.

Cast: Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Donny Boaz (Bo McCabe), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Angélica Celaya (Lucia Treviño), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Currie Graham (Commissioner Stanley Babcock), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Emily Kosloski (Rhonda Simmons), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Scott Mullins (Nate), Kevin Page (Bum), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Geoffrey Rivas (shopkeeper), Aaron Spivey-Sorrells (ranch hand), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Michael Swanner (Dewey Templeton)

“Playing Chicken” 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: Angélica Celaya, Brenda Strong, Emma Bell, Gail Gilchriest, Jesse Bochco, Josh Henderson, Juan Pablo di Pace, Kevin Page, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Playing Chicken, Rob Cairns, TNT

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 16 – ‘Blame Game’

February 28, 2013 by Chris Baker 35 Comments

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

Once and again

I cringed when I saw J.R. and Bobby’s instant-messaging exchange in “Blame Game.” This episode was filmed after Larry Hagman’s death last fall, so I’m guessing the producers created the sequence using leftover footage of the actor. (J.R.’s presence during Ann’s sentencing appears to be recycled too.) I’m all for rescuing Hagman from the cutting room floor, but having J.R. send IMs to pester Bobby into watching an online video of a basketball-playing dog? That felt silly. It also reminded me of how the old show used one-sided telephone conversations to keep Jock around after Jim Davis died, which is one “Dallas” tradition I’d just as soon not continue.

By the end of “Blame Game,” though, I had a change of heart. I’m not sure why the show had Patrick Duffy shout Bobby’s responses to J.R.’s instant messages (even if J.R. was supposed to be down the hall, couldn’t Bobby have typed his answers?), but the revelation that the viral video was really a Trojan horse to erase Bobby’s notorious cloud drive was pretty nifty. J.R. pulled a fast one on Bobby, and “Dallas” pulled a fast one on its audience. I always fall for this show’s fake-outs, which either means I’m really gullible or the people who make the show are really clever. I’ll let you decide.

Overall, “Blame Game” is another solid hour of “Dallas.” The script comes from Gail Gilchriest, who also wrote last season’s “The Enemy of My Enemy,” the episode that brought Sue Ellen off the sidelines and got her involved in the Southfork oil saga. In “Blame Game,” Gilchriest once again demonstrates a knack for writing for “Dallas’s” first lady, giving Linda Gray some of her best material yet. I love the scene where Sue Ellen and Bobby lament the rivalry between their sons, as well the jailhouse pep talk Sue Ellen gives Ann. The friendship between these women has become one of my favorite relationships on the show. It feels believable, especially now that we know that Ann, like Sue Ellen, was once a less-than-perfect wife and mother. (As far as Ann’s release on probation: Yes, it’s a little convenient, but when has a Ewing ever gone to jail and stayed?)

I wish Sue Ellen hadn’t been so easily manipulated by John Ross into seizing Elena’s share of Ewing Energies, but I don’t really mind because it’s so much fun to see the return of the shrewd, bitchy Sue Ellen from the late ’80s. With J.R. exiting the stage, Sue Ellen is now poised to succeed him as John Ross’s mentor and the thorn in Bobby’s side. What a tantalizing prospect. Hopefully this will cement Gray’s place in the narrative for a long time to come. Likewise, I’m thrilled to see Pamela finally snag her piece of the company. Think about how entertaining the Ewing Energies’ board meetings will be once Sue Ellen and Pamela join the fray.

“Blame Game’s” other V.I.P.: Jesse Metcalfe, who has quietly become one of the new “Dallas’s” best performers. The actor has found the right balance between strength and sensitivity, much like Duffy did during the original series. I also like how Christopher has succeeded Bobby as “Dallas’s” resident action hero. In “Blame Game,” Christopher makes a valiant attempt to turn the tables on the thug holding him at gunpoint at Ewing Energies. Later, he shields Elena when Vicente points his gun at her. Jesse Bochco does a nice job directing both sequences, and he gets a big assist from “Dallas” composer Rob Cairns, whose score during the showdown with Vicente feels even more cinematic than usual.

It’s also nice to see Kuno Becker’s Drew Ramos take down Vicente, although the body count on this show is beginning to trouble me. During the past 10 hours of “Dallas,” Marta, Tommy, Frank and Vicente have died; Harris was gunned down but survived. On a lighter note, since Becker arrived a few episodes ago, I find myself looking forward each week to his scenes with Jordana Brewster. Drew brings out Elena’s feistiness in a way only a sibling could. Do I dare suggest these two are “Dallas’s” best brother/sister act since Victoria Principal and Ken Kercheval?

The rest of the “Blame Game” hostage crisis yields mixed feelings. In addition to the Sue Ellen/Bobby scene, I like the moment when Vicente realizes the Ewing cousins have traded romantic partners since his last encounter with them. (“You Ewing boys share after all! I love it!”) Likewise, it’s impossible to not cheer when John Ross and Christopher come together to overpower Vicente’s henchmen. As much fun as it is to see the Ewings squabble, it’s always more satisfying when they band together.

My gripes: The hostage sequences are too compressed. “Blame Game” invites comparisons to the classic “Winds of Vengeance,” an early “Dallas” episode where the Ewings are held hostage. (Fans of “Dallas” producer Cynthia Cidre’s previous series, “Cane,” will recall that show did a family-held-hostage episode too.) But the reason “Winds of Vengeance” succeeds is because the slower pace of 1970s television allowed the tension to build steadily. “Blame Game” squeezes its crisis into a roughly 15-minute period, and some of that time is taken up by Ann’s sentencing.

This is also one of those times I wish the new “Dallas’s” Southfork interiors more closely resembled those seen on the old show. The living room where the Ewings are held captive in “Blame Game” looks nothing like the one where the “Winds of Vengeance” hostage crisis unfolds. The only time you feel the history of this house is when you see it from the outside.

Of course, it’s not like I haven’t become attached to the new Southfork set too. The “Blame Game” scene where Bobby bursts into J.R.’s bedroom and finds it empty is surprisingly poignant. The brief glimpse of J.R.’s empty table is what moves me. This is where our hero glanced at Miss Ellie’s picture before signing over the Southfork deed to Bobby last season. It’s where he told John Ross to never take advantage of the family when they’re in the trouble, and where he learned to use his tablet. How sad to think we’ll never see him sit there again.

Grade: B

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Captive audience

‘BLAME GAME’

Season 2, Episode 6

Telecast: February 25, 2013

Writer: Gail Gilchriest

Director: Jesse Bochco

Audience: 2.6 million viewers on February 25

Synopsis: During mediation, Christopher agrees to give 10 percent of Ewing Energies to Pamela, who refuses to share it with John Ross. J.R. erases Bobby’s cloud drive and leaves Southfork unannounced. When Vicente stages an ambush on Southfork and tries to kidnap Elena, Drew shoots and kills him. Sue Ellen uses the morals clause in Elena’s contract to seize her shares in the company.

Cast: Kuno Becker (Drew Ramos), Emma Bell (Emma Brown), Carlos Bernard (Vicente Cano), Pablo Bracho (consul general), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Jesse Campos (Jose), Vanessa Cedotal (District Attorney), Damon Dayoub (Vicente’s henchman), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Barnes), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Jason Kravitz (Pamela’s lawyer), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Glenn Morshower (Lou Bergen), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Freddie Poole (Ramon), Krishna Smitha (Shireen Patel), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Rebekah Turner (Jury Forman), Wilbur Fitzgerald (Judge Wallace Tate)

“Blame Game” 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: Blame Game, Enemy of My Enemy, Gail Gilchriest, Jesse Bochco, Jesse Metcalfe, Jim Davis, Jordana Brewster, Ken Kercheval, Kuno Becker, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Rob Cairns, TNT, Victoria Principal, Winds of Vengeance

Critique: TNT’s ‘Dallas’ Episode 10 – ‘Revelations’

August 9, 2012 by Chris Baker 38 Comments

Ann Ewing, Bobby Ewing, Brenda Strong, Dallas, Patrick Duffy, Revelations, TNT

Resolved

No one gets shot, run over or blown up at the end of “Revelations” – and for this, we should be thankful. As much fun as the original “Dallas’s” season finales were, they feel a little gimmicky in retrospect. Smart storytelling, not splashy cliffhangers, keep today’s television audiences hooked.

Cynthia Cidre, the creative force behind TNT’s “Dallas,” seems to recognize this, so instead of trying to recreate old-school theatrics, she delivers a finale that focuses on concluding most of the show’s first-season storylines. This is a wise approach, but it might also be a function of circumstance: Since “Revelations” was filmed before “Dallas’s” second season was assured, the episode was no doubt crafted so it could serve as a satisfying series finale, if need be.

Whatever the reason, Cidre and “Revelations” co-writer Robert Rovner tie up a lot of loose ends, although one or two things also unravel. Mostly, though, this is an hour of victory laps: J.R. and John Ross confess their sins and are granted immunity by the feds. Sue Ellen tells her cheering supporters she’s staying in the gubernatorial race. Bobby recovers his health and his ranch. Christopher gets the girl.

Of course, the moment that leaves me cheering loudest belongs to Ann, who wears a wire and tricks Harris into admitting his illegal schemes against Sue Ellen. When Ann reveals her sting and Harris tries to snatch the recording device hidden beneath her blouse, she pops him in the mouth and declares, “You make a move against me, Sue Ellen or any member of my family – you’re going to jail.”

What a great scene. Brenda Strong’s delivery is determined, but it also carries a hint of vulnerability. This is probably how most of us would sound if we found ourselves conducting a sting against a creepy ex, heaven forbid. We still don’t know Ann’s secret – one of the few loose ends “Revelations” leaves hanging – but no matter. We know who Ann is, and thanks to Strong, we love her.

The other great scene in “Revelations” comes before the opening credits, when J.R. stands at Bobby’s hospital bedside and pleads with him to wake up after his surgery. J.R.’s speech echoes Bobby’s own soliloquy in “Changing of the Guard” but more importantly, it offers a glimpse into J.R.’s soul. “I love you, Bobby, and I don’t know who I’d be without you,” he says, gripping his brother’s hand. J.R. is finally acknowledging what the audience has known for a long time: He is incapable of checking his own impulses; he needs Bobby to do it for him.

A similar dynamic exists between John Ross and Elena, as we’re reminded in the charming scene where he proposes to her in the old Ewing Oil office space. “My life and everything I want it to be is better with you,” John Ross says while on bended knee. It’s a revealing line, but when Elena accepts John Ross’s proposal, the sweet smile that spreads across Josh Henderson’s face does more to humanize his character than any of the dialogue. (By the way: Kudos to Rob Cairns for scoring the beginning of this scene with a few notes from Jerrold Immel’s “Dallas” theme music.)

Visually, “Revelations” is another artistic achievement for the TNT series. Director Steve Robin’s opening shot of Tommy’s slow motion fall to the floor is creepily exquisite, particularly when the blood spurts out of the hole in his chest at the moment of impact. (This raises a question, though: If Tommy doesn’t start bleeding until he hits the floor, how do Rebecca and those stuffed monkeys wind up splattered?) I also love when the camera follows John Ross as he throws open the plastic tarp and sweeps into the old Ewing Oil office space with Elena in tow.

The two episode-ending montages are also fabulous. In the first, we hear Sue Ellen deliver her speech over scenes featuring other characters: When she talks about making mistakes, we see Carmen return Elena’s ring to John Ross; when the speech turns to overcoming adversity, we watch Ann embrace a wistful-looking Bobby on the Southfork patio.

The second montage – this one set to Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” – intersperses scenes of Christopher and Elena making love with images of John Ross staring out the window of his new office. In the last shot, the camera pulls back on John Ross, now with J.R. at his side, until we get a panoramic nighttime view of the dazzling Dallas skyline.

This brings me to a gripe: In this final scene, I’m disheartened to see John Ross declare he wants J.R. to teach him “every dirty trick” he knows. I understand John Ross is angry after Elena spurns him, but as we saw in the previous episode, “Family Business,” he is more interesting when he’s rising above J.R.’s wicked ways, not embracing them. John Ross has grown so much this season; I hate to see him go backward.

I’m also troubled by the big revelation in “Revelations” – not that Rebecca is Cliff’s daughter (what “Dallas” fan didn’t see that coming?), but that he’s the mastermind behind her scheme. I can accept that Cliff, despite his wealth and success, is still hell-bent on getting revenge against the Ewings, but I have trouble believing he would use his own daughter in a plot to hurt Christopher, the son of his beloved sister Pam. (Not to mention the fact Cliff knowingly allowed Rebecca to marry her own cousin, which is pretty icky, even if they’re not blood relatives.)

Hopefully, Cliff’s motivations will become clearer when “Dallas’s” second season begins in January, along with the precise identity of Julie Gonzalo’s character: Is the actress playing Pamela Rebecca, the daughter we discovered Cliff had toward the end of the original “Dallas’s” run, or is this another daughter we never knew about?

Whoever she is, I love hearing Frank (the menacing Faran Tahir) call Gonzalo’s character “Miss Barnes.” At its best, “Dallas” has always been the story of two families whose fates are forever linked – the Ewings and the Barneses – and I’m thrilled the new show is returning to those roots.

No matter how the rest of this storyline plays out, here’s hoping the new “Dallas” will maintain the quality of its past few episodes. The show hit its stride as it barreled toward the end of the first season. Can it keep the momentum going in Season 2? That’s the real cliffhanger here.

Grade: B

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Revealed

‘REVELATIONS’

Season 1, Episode 10

Telecast: August 8, 2012

Writers: Cynthia Cidre and Robert Rovner

Director: Steve Robin

Audience: 5.9 million viewers (including 4.3 million viewers on August 8, ranking 7th in the weekly cable ratings)

Synopsis: After the gunshot kills Tommy, Rebecca’s mysterious associates dispose of his body. Bobby recovers from his seizure. J.R. and John Ross confess to their fraud scheme and are granted immunity from the feds, who nab Cano. Elena accepts John Ross’s marriage proposal but returns the ring after she discovers his role in the fraud. Christopher discovers Rebecca isn’t Tommy’s sister and tells her their marriage is over, then reunites with Elena. John Ross tells J.R. to teach him to play dirty so he can take Ewing Energies away from Christopher and Elena. Rebecca apologizes for botching her scheme and pledges loyalty to the mastermind behind her plot: her father, Cliff.

Cast: Carlos Bernard (Vicente Cano), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Marlene Forte (Carmen Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Alex McKenna (Rebecca Sutter), John McIntosh (Dr. Bennett), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Glenn Morshower (Lou), Kevin Page (Bum), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Faran Tahir (Frank), Gail Washington (nurse)

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