TNT – Dallas Decoder

Who Snubbed J.R.? Emmy, That’s Who

September 18, 2013 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

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

Give the devil his due

Emmy has always been one of the few gals capable of resisting J.R.’s charms, so it should come as no surprise to learn Larry Hagman won’t be honored with a special tribute during this year’s ceremony. And yet it does. I’m shocked, actually.

I figured if anyone would receive extra recognition during the Emmy broadcast’s traditional “In Memoriam” segment, it would be Hagman. His death last fall ended a five-decade television career that includes two of the medium’s most enduring franchises, “Dallas” and “I Dream of Jeannie,” and one of pop culture’s defining moments: the “Who Shot J.R.?” phenomenon.

But I was wrong. Yesterday, the producers of this year’s Emmy show, which CBS will air Sunday, announced they’ll highlight four performers during the memorial segment — James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith, Jean Stapleton and Jonathan Winters — along with Gary David Goldberg, who created and produced “Family Ties.”

I have no problem with these five people receiving special treatment. I’ve enjoyed their work. But why couldn’t Hagman be honored too? Presumably, he’ll be included in a clip reel of other notable deaths from the past year — but that’s not enough. He deserves much more.

This wouldn’t be so galling if it wasn’t part of an unfortunate pattern with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which seems to go out of its way to ignore Hagman. He was nominated twice for his role as J.R. during the 1980s, losing both times. This year, Hagman was a contender for a supporting actor nomination for his work on TNT’s “Dallas” revival, but he failed to make the cut.

And now Emmy has snubbed him again.

I’ve written before about how much Hagman has meant to me, but that’s not what this is about. I don’t need to see him win a trophy or receive an awards show tribute to validate my affection for him.

No, this is about what Hagman has meant to television. When J.R. Ewing entered our living rooms in 1978, prime-time dramas were populated with characters like Kojak, Quincy and Pa Ingalls. J.R. was unlike anyone we had encountered before, and Hagman did a masterful job capturing all of the character’s complexities and contradictions. His performance taught the industry that the good guys needn’t always win, that audiences could find immense satisfaction in stories about humanity’s darker impulses.

So isn’t it a shame that on the night the industry comes together to celebrate its achievements, Hagman’s contributions will probably be reduced to a few seconds during a clip reel?

Earlier this week, as I watched the latest episode of “Breaking Bad” — as thrilling an hour of television as any I’ve witnessed — I thought: This is “Dallas’s” legacy. I’m not suggesting J.R. ever came close to being as monstrous as Walter White. J.R. was a scoundrel; Walt is a sociopath. But do you doubt for a minute that Walt would exist if J.R. hadn’t come first?

From what I’ve read, Hagman wasn’t much bothered by the fact that he never won an Emmy. But I am, and so I hope the academy’s bigwigs will change their minds and add a special tribute to him during the Emmy show. For that matter, I also hope they’ll induct Hagman into the academy’s Hall of Fame next year.

I mean, come on. Isn’t it time for Emmy to finally give J.R. a shot?

Do you feel Larry Hagman deserves Emmy recognition? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Opinion, Opinion Tagged With: Larry Hagman, TNT, Who Shot J.R.?

Tonight’s #DallasChat is Dedicated to the One We Love

September 16, 2013 by Chris Baker Leave a Comment

We miss you!

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be held Monday, September 16, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern. In honor of Larry Hagman’s birthday (he was born September 21, 1931), our theme will be “Lovin’ Larry” and will focus on Hagman, his career and the character he immortalized, J.R. Ewing.

Here’s how it’ll work: I’ll tweet a question every five minutes or so. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same. A sample exchange:

Q1. Besides J.R. Ewing, what’s your favorite Larry Hagman role? #DallasChat

A1. I loved Mr. Hagman’s short-lived 1990s series “Orleans.” He was really good as Judge Charbonnet. #DallasChat

Here are two pointers:

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

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation. Feel free to start side conversations of your own, but please include #DallasChat in those tweets too.

A reminder: Twitter limits the number of tweets that users can send during a given hour, so I’m unable to respond to everyone’s responses, but I’ll favorite them as they roll in. Please know how much I appreciate everyone’s contributions to #DallasChat.

I hope this will be another special #DallasChat discussion. Please join us!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Larry Hagman, TNT

She Said It: The Wit and Wisdom of Sue Ellen Ewing

September 13, 2013 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Yes, she did

Next to J.R., Sue Ellen possesses the sharpest tongue at Southfork. (No wonder they got married.) Sue Ellen Week continues with this small sampling of Linda Gray’s most delicious “Dallas” dialogue.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Wedding Bell Blues

Opposites attract

On Love

• “Sick. Very sick.” (Sue Ellen’s response when J.R. asks her to describe their relationship)

• “Anything that makes you unhappy has got to be good for the rest of the world.” (Responding to J.R.’s anger over Bobby and Pam’s reunion)

• “He’s a man of charm, sensitivity and class. In short, your exact opposite.” (Describing Don Lockwood to J.R.)

Dallas, Dove Hunt, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Adopt a smirk

On Marriage

• “I’m touched by your concern with children. I’m just sorry you didn’t adopt me instead of marrying me.” (Responding to J.R.’s interest in Lucy’s life)

• “Don’t remind me.” (Responding to J.R.’s announcement that he’ll be home soon)

• “You’re in it.” (Her response when J.R. asks what’s wrong with their bedroom)

Brothers and Sons, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Cold shower

• “I hope you have a miserable time today. Because I know I will.” (After J.R. forces her to spend the afternoon with him)

• “Joan of Arc would’ve been a drunk if she’d been married to you.” (Responding to J.R.’s insults about her alcoholism)

• “Why? You feeling particularly dirty these days?” (After J.R. asks if he can join her in the shower)

Dallas, Linda Gray, Oil Baron's Ball, Sue Ellen Ewing

Night visitor

On Sex

• “I love your sudden urges, J.R. They’re almost as romantic as your daddy’s pit bull.” (Responding to J.R.’s invitation to sleep with him)

• “What other possible use would I have for you?” (After J.R. complains she treated him like a stud service)

• “I know what you like. And I’m sure that wasn’t it.” (After kneeing J.R. in the groin while he’s trying to “seduce” her)

Dallas, Fall of the House of Ewing, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Viper dodger

On J.R.’s Other Women

• “Well, the Winger tramp. Don’t tell me that J.R. let you out of bed long enough to have lunch.” (Greeting Mandy in a restaurant)

• “Oh, is there a convention in town? Or maybe the fleet’s in?” (Responding to J.R.’s statement that Mandy is at work)

• “Modeling? Let me guess: mattresses?” (After J.R. tells her Mandy landed a new modeling gig)

Dallas, Guilt and Innocence, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

No drama, Mama

• “Cutting you off, you viper!” (After Mandy asks her why she tore up her contract with Valentine Lingerie)

• “You are a very sick little girl.” (Responding to Holly Harwood’s claim that she’s sleeping with J.R.)

• “You’re a very strange and awful woman.” (Taking another swipe at Holly)

• “She’s drama, John Ross.” (Describing Afton Cooper)

Bypass, Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

Lady of the manor

On Life at Southfork

• “From a shop girl to a wet nurse. That’s a step up.” (After Pam begins caring for John Ross)

• “Next to the Alamo, one of the great battlegrounds of Texas.” (Describing the bedroom she shared with J.R.)

• “Who am I kidding? Telling a Ewing to stop fighting is like telling a horse to grow wings.” (After telling John Ross and Christopher to stop fighting)

Dallas, Linda Gray, Something Old Something New, Sue Ellen Ewing

Student of success

On Herself

• “I’m a snob, and I can be a witch at times if I don’t get my own way.” (Describing herself to Dusty)

• “Lately I find my own company preferable to almost anybody I know.” (Explaining to J.R. why she wants to be alone)

• “I had a great teacher.” (After J.R. compliments her on her “brilliant” scheme to get rid of Mandy)

What did I miss? Share your favorite bon mots from Sue Ellen below and read more features from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Features, Features Tagged With: Linda Gray, TNT

The Dal-List: Sue Ellen’s 10 Most Memorable Moments (So Far)

September 11, 2013 by Chris Baker 34 Comments

Dallas, J.R.'s Masterpiece, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Mourning star

As the indomitable Sue Ellen Ewing, Linda Gray has captivated television audiences since “Dallas’s” 1978 debut. Sue Ellen Week continues with this list of the character’s greatest moments from her first 35 years.

Brian Dennehy, Dallas, Linda Gray, Luther Frick, Sue Ellen Ewing, Winds of Vengeance

Command performance

10. Lady sings the blues. Crazed cuckold Luther Frick (Brian Dennehy) holds the Ewings hostage in the Southfork living room and forces Sue Ellen to don her Miss Texas bathing suit and sing for him. Humiliating? Yes, but it also demonstrates Sue Ellen’s willingness to do what’s needed to help her family survive a crisis. Moreover, this is one of Gray’s gutsiest — and smartest — performances. I especially love the final scene: After Jock and Bobby rescue everyone, Sue Ellen grabs her coat and exits the room, head held high. It’s an early glimpse of the character’s resilience: No matter what indignities may be visited upon Sue Ellen, she almost always walks away a lady.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Mother of the Year, Sue Ellen Ewing

Mama’s here

9. Embracing motherhood. When John Ross is born, Sue Ellen comes down with a Southfork-sized case of post-partum depression — and who can blame her? She’s emotionally devastated by her ongoing struggle with alcoholism, the collapse of her marriage to J.R. and her doomed affair with Cliff, who dumped her to preserve his political viability. With help from her shrink Dr. Elby, Sue Ellen finally realizes how much “little John” needs her, so she goes home, picks up the boy and holds him for only the second time since his birth, 13 (!) episodes earlier. It’s a powerful moment — and it sends baby-obsessed sister-in-law Pam running away in tears, so bonus points for that.

Dallas, Guilt by Association, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Set ’em up, Sue

8. Defeating the governor. When Sue Ellen discovers smirktastic Governor McConaughey suppressed evidence that would exonerate the Ewings in the investigation into their rig explosion, she glides into his office, pours a drink and announces she’s going to expose his malfeasance. McConaughey is not pleased. “You can never trust a drunk,” he seethes. Sue Ellen agrees, but says that’s beside the point as she places the glass on his desk and slides it toward him. “This drink, governor, is for you. You’re going to need it. Because now that I have the goods on you, you’re going to do what I want.” Dayum! Our gal really did learn at the feet of the master, didn’t she?

Clean and sober

7. On the couch. After Sue Ellen hits rock bottom, J.R. once again commits her to a sanitarium, where she receives treatment from tough-love therapist Dr. Gibson (the terrific Bibi Besch). In an insightful exchange, Sue Ellen tries to blame her drinking problem on her parents and J.R. — until the good doctor sets her straight: “Sue Ellen, I don’t think it matters whose fault it is. What matters is where you go from here.” When Besch delivers this line, watch Gray’s eyes; it’s almost as if you can see the light go on inside Sue Ellen’s head. This moment marks the beginning of one of “Dallas’s” most satisfying storylines: Sue Ellen’s journey of self-discovery. Too bad it turned out to be Pam’s dream.

Dallas, J.R. Returns, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing

She’s the boss

6. Joining the oil business. After a five-year absence, J.R. returns to Dallas and stages an elaborate scheme (does he do any other kind?) to persuade Bobby to buy back Ewing Oil from Cliff. The plan works like a charm … but wait! Baby brother has a trick up his sleeve too: He sells half the company to his new business partner — Sue Ellen, who can’t resist needling her ex-husband when she reveals her new career to him. “I was thinking about all the fun pillow talks we’ll have … about gushers and dry holes,” Sue Ellen says with a wink. The master is justifiably impressed. As she walks away, he turns to John Ross and says, “Your mama’s a hell of a woman.” We couldn’t agree more.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Mandy Winger, Deborah Shelton, Sue Ellen Ewing

You tell her, honey

5. Schooling Mandy. At the Ewing Rodeo, a newly sober Sue Ellen turns a corner — literally and figuratively — when she runs into Mandy Winger (Deborah Shelton), J.R.’s latest extra-marital squeeze. Sue Ellen treats Mandy with compassion, urging her to get away from J.R. before he destroys her. When Mandy refuses to listen and turns to leave, Sue Ellen grabs her by the arm and delivers a hard truth: “Isn’t it strange how the mistress always thinks she’s smarter than the wife? If she’s so smart, why is she the mistress?” In the hands of another actress, this scene might have come off like another catty soap opera confrontation, but Gray infuses the material with power and poignancy.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Rock Bottom, Sue Ellen Ewing

Oh, Sue Ellen

4. Hitting bottom. Sue Ellen tries to comfort J.R. after Bobby’s funeral, but he responds with devastating cruelty, sending her on her worst bender ever. Over the course of the next day or so, Sue Ellen’s purse, car and wedding ring are stolen, leaving her wandering the streets. She winds up in a cheap motel, where she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror and shouts, “J.R. is right. They’re all right. You are disgusting. I hate you!” Finally, she stumbles into an alley, where she’s so desperate for a sip of booze that she accepts a swig from a bag lady’s bottle. I love how Sue Ellen’s outfit symbolically unravels along with her identity, but more than anything, I love Gray’s riveting, no-holds-barred performance.

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Linda Gray, Larry Hagman, New Beginnings, Sue Ellen Ewing

Union of equals

3. A night to remember. Not long after recovering from his shooting, J.R. comes home and finds Sue Ellen asleep in the Southfork nursery, having dozed off while rocking John Ross. The couple put their son to bed and retreat to their own room, where they quietly reminisce about the early days of their courtship, reminding each other why they fell in love in the first place. Besides serving as a rare moment of peace for two characters who are usually at war, this scene shows how Gray is Hagman’s equal in every way. Think about it: It’s one thing to see J.R. and Sue Ellen lobbing insults at each other, but to make their love feel authentic and believable? That takes real talent. Lucky for us, Gray and Hagman had it in spades.

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Who Done It?, Who Shot J.R.?

Triumph!

2. Catching Kristin. When Sue Ellen is arrested for shooting J.R., the Ewings toss her off Southfork — but our heroine refuses to give up. Sue Ellen gets out of jail, figures out she’s being framed and heads to the ranch to reveal the truth to J.R. As it turns out, the real culprit is visiting the ranch too — and when Sue Ellen spots her, Gray delivers the most famous line in “Dallas” history: “It was you, Kristin, who shot J.R.” Eighty-three million viewers watched this scene on the night it debuted. It was the cliffhanger resolution the world had been waiting for, but more importantly, it was the moment Sue Ellen returned to Southfork and to J.R.’s side — the place she always belonged.

Dallas, J.R.'s Masterpiece, Linda Gray, TNT

She is us

1. Mourning J.R. No one takes J.R.’s death harder than the woman he loved more than any other. On the night before his funeral, Sue Ellen goes into his bedroom, caresses a framed photograph from their wedding and drowns her sorrows with glass after glass of his bourbon, ending two decades of sobriety. The next day, when the Ewings gather at the cemetery to bury J.R., Sue Ellen confesses her relapse and delivers a haunting eulogy for the man she calls “the love of my life.” Gray is mesmerizing in these scenes, which draw upon the remarkable 35-year history between J.R. and Sue Ellen. Her deeply moving, Emmy-caliber performance also unites “Dallas” fans in shared catharsis. Through her, we were able to express the grief we felt after the death of our hero. It’s the moment Sue Ellen became our avatar. Then again, isn’t that what she’s always been?

Now it’s your turn. Share your choices for Sue Ellen’s most memorable moments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”

Filed Under: Dal-Lists, Opinion Tagged With: Bibi Besch, Brian Dennehy, Deborah Shelton, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, TNT, Who Shot J.R.?

Tonight, #DallasChat Shines a Spotlight on Sue Ellen

September 9, 2013 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Star of the show

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be held Monday, September 9, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern. Since this is Sue Ellen Week, our #DallasChat theme will be “Celebratin’ Sue Ellen” and will focus on Linda Gray’s iconic character.

Here’s how it’ll work: I’ll tweet a question every five minutes or so. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same.

A sample exchange:

Q1. What is your all-time favorite scene featuring Sue Ellen? #DallasChat

A1. I love when Sue Ellen delivers the eulogy at J.R.’s funeral. Linda Gray is amazing in that scene! #DallasChat

Here are two pointers:

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

A reminder: Twitter limits the number of tweets users can send during a given hour, so I’m unable to respond to everyone’s responses, but I’ll favorite them as they roll in. Please know how much I appreciate everyone’s contributions.

This promises to be a special edition of #DallasChat. I hope you can join us!

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

Celebrate Sue Ellen This Week on Dallas Decoder

September 9, 2013 by Chris Baker 15 Comments

We love you, darlin’

This week, Dallas Decoder shines a spotlight on Sue Ellen Ewing, played by the magnificent Linda Gray.

It begins tonight with a special edition of #DallasChat, followed later in the week by posts on her most memorable moments, her witticisms and some surprises.

Visit each day and join the celebration.

Filed Under: Announcements, News Tagged With: Linda Gray, TNT

Celebrate Your Love of Labor Tonight on #DallasChat

August 26, 2013 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Working boys

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be held Monday, August 26, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. Since Labor Day is next week, our theme will be “Work It, Y’all” and will focus on “Dallas’s” depiction of careers and workplaces.

As usual, I’ll tweet a question roughly every five minutes. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same. Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Where would you rather work: Ewing Energies or Southfork ranch? #DallasChat

A1. What difference does it make? You’re bound to get dirty either way. #DallasChat

A few pointers:

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

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation. Feel free to start side conversations of your own, but be sure to include #DallasChat in those tweets too.

• Twitter limits the number of tweets each users can send an hour, so I’m unable to respond to everyone’s answers. I’ll reply to some and “favorite” the others, but please know how much I appreciate everyone’s participation.

This promises to be a fun conversation. Please join us!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Josh Henderson, TNT

On Tonight’s #DallasChat Menu, a Dish Best Served Cold

August 19, 2013 by Chris Baker Leave a Comment

Dallas, Harris Ryland, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Almond ploys

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be held Monday, August 19, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. The topic: “Vengeance is Ours,” which means we’ll be discussing retribution, one of “Dallas’s” most enduring themes.

As usual, I’ll tweet a question roughly every five minutes. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same. A sample exchange:

Q1. J.R. crossed a lot of people on the original “Dallas.” What’s the meanest act of revenge against him? #DallasChat

A1. When Holly ruined his marriage by arranging for Sue Ellen to see them in bed together. What a vicious thing to do! #DallasChat

A few pointers:

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

This should be another fun discussion. I hope you can join us!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 128 — ‘Tangled Web’

August 19, 2013 by Chris Baker 16 Comments

Dallas, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, Tangled Web

Truth hurts

Sue Ellen refuses to believe Holly Harwood’s claim that she’s sleeping with J.R., so Holly invites her to visit her home and see for herself. At the end of “Tangled Web,” Sue Ellen accepts the challenge. Our heroine, clad in a huge fur coat, parks her car in Holly’s driveway, where J.R.’s Mercedes sits. She exits the vehicle and slowly walks toward the house, her heels clicking and clacking with every step. The door is unlocked, and for a moment, Sue Ellen seems to lose her nerve. But she presses on, and in the final shot, she stands silently in the bedroom doorway and sees her husband making love to Holly.

This is a brilliant, devastating sequence. The shots of Sue Ellen are interspersed with scenes of J.R. and Holly in bed; the audience knows what Sue Ellen is going to see before she does, allowing the tension to build until it’s almost unbearable. Director Nicholas Sgarro shows Sue Ellen parking her car, and then he cuts to J.R., wrapped in a bed sheet, popping open a fresh bottle of champagne as Holly massages his shoulders. We see Sue Ellen begin to cross the driveway, and then we cut to Holly pulling J.R. close. For most of Sue Ellen’s scenes, there is no underscore; the only sounds we hear are her heels on the driveway, some crickets in the distance and the soft music playing in Holly’s bedroom. And then, the final shot: a tight close-up of Linda Gray’s tear-streaked face. In a poignant touch, we hear her sniffle as the frame freezes and the credits flash.

When I listed “Dallas’s” 35 greatest moments in the spring, I ranked this scene at No. 20. I now wonder if I should have moved it a little higher. The sequence is much more artistic than what we usually see from “Dallas” and other early ’80s television dramas. The toggling between Sue Ellen in the driveway and J.R. and Holly in bed reminds me of the crosscuts that have become a signature of TNT’s “Dallas,” although if these scenes were produced today, it almost certainly wouldn’t be so eerie and quiet. The sequence also makes me wish Sgarro had directed more episodes of the original series. “Tangled Web” is his only “Dallas” credit, although he helmed 54 hours of “Knots Landing” and no doubt had a hand in establishing that show’s stylish look.

“Tangled Web’s” ending is easily this episode’s best moment, but it isn’t the only good one. I also like when Miss Ellie questions Clayton about his relationship with Sue Ellen. Barbara Bel Geddes stammers through her dialogue, as Ellie gradually musters the courage to ask Clayton if Sue Ellen is the mystery woman he once loved. Bel Geddes’ halting delivery is her trademark and one of the reasons Ellie always feels so believable. She speaks the way people do in real life. The actress also possesses a sincerity that other “Dallas” cast members, no matter how wonderful they are, lack. Consider the “Tangled Web” scene where Ray tells Aunt Lil that Jock was his father. This is another moving scene, and Kate Reid is quite good here, but her delivery feels more deliberate than Bel Geddes’. When I watch Reid, I never forget I’m seeing an actress affecting a homespun, humble sensibility, whereas Bel Geddes regularly disappears into her role. In other words: Lil comes off like a character, while Ellie feels like a person.

“Tangled Web” also offers several fun moments, including the scene where J.R., returning from his triumphant tour of the Caribbean, sweeps into the Ewing Oil offices with presents for the secretaries and a box of cigars for Bobby. “That little deal I made down in Cuba is going to make me the new daddy of Ewing Oil. Have a Havana?” J.R. says, reaching into his suit pocket and retrieving a cigar for his brother. (I wonder how Larry Hagman, an anti-smoking zealot, felt about that line?) Indeed, David Paulsen’s script is chock full of terrific one-liners. Katherine to Cliff, after he denies Bobby the use of the Tundra Torque: “You vicious little man!” Clayton to Sue Ellen, after she’s told him about J.R.’s trip: “Doggone, old J.R. went to Cuba. And they let him out?” Afton, after Cliff laments that he thought of himself “for once” in his life: “For once? No, not for once. For always! Cliff, you are the only person you ever do think of!”

“Tangled Web” also marks the end of Pam’s vacation on the French Riviera, one of my least favorite sixth-season subplots. Pam has left Bobby, but is it really appropriate for her to travel halfway around the world with Mark Graison, a man who quite obviously has designs on her? Toward the end of “Tangled Web,” Pam seems poised to sleep with Mark, but the mood is killed when Afton calls to warn her that Katherine has set her sights on Bobby. It reminds me of the fourth-season episode “Start the Revolution With Me,” when a tipsy Pam is having a jolly time in her hotel room with Alex Ward — until Bobby calls from Dallas.

Perhaps Pam should stop answering the phone call when she goes away. Better yet, maybe she should stop traveling with men who aren’t her husband.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Exposed

‘TANGLED WEB’

Season 6, Episode 25

Airdate: April 1, 1983

Audience: 21.3 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Nicholas Sgarro

Synopsis: J.R. is released from the Cuban jail, collects his $40 million and returns to Dallas. Sue Ellen walks in on J.R. and Holly in bed. Bobby plans to ask for Pam’s help getting the Tundra Torque, but Katherine tells him that Pam is in France with Mark. Afton calls Pam to warn her about Katherine’s interest in Bobby, prompting Pam to cut short her vacation. Clayton tells Miss Ellie that he once loved Sue Ellen. Ray tells Lil that Jock was his father.

Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), William Bryant (Jackson), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Nate Esformes (Perez), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Dennis Holahan (George Walker), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Kenneth Kimmins (Thornton McLeish), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Cindy Landis (waitress), Tom McFadden (Jackson’s partner), Santos Morales (Cuban leader), Marnie Mosiman (manicurist), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Kate Reid (Lil Trotter), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Jacqueline Ray Selleck (Marie Walker), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

“Tangled Web” 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, Kate Reid, Knots Landing, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Nicholas Sgarro, Start the Revolution With Me, Tangled Web, TNT

Tonight on #DallasChat: ‘What Goes Around’

August 12, 2013 by Chris Baker Leave a Comment

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, TNT

’Round he goes

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be held Monday, August 12, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. The theme: “What Goes Around,” which I’ll explain at the beginning of the chat.

As usual, I’ll tweet a question roughly every five minutes. Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same.

A few pointers:

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

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation. Feel free to start side conversations of your own.

I look forward to another interesting discussion. See you tonight!

Filed Under: #DallasChat, #DallasChat announcements, Opinion Tagged With: Josh Henderson, TNT