Shady

To fully appreciate how much composer Richard Lewis Warren contributes to “Hit and Run,” I challenge you to an experiment. First, turn off the volume and watch the sequence where reckless driver Carol Driscoll strikes the pedestrian. Without music, it plays like a series of disjointed shots: Here’s Carol leaving the beauty parlor, there she is getting behind the wheel of her Cadillac Seville, now she’s screaming as a body smashes her windshield. Next, watch the scene again with the volume up. Warren’s dramatic strings unite the images into a narrative, lending the scene urgency, tension and suspense. The music, more than anything else, makes this the episode’s most memorable moment.

Of course, the scheme behind Carol’s mishap is pretty compelling too. J.R. wants to blackmail her husband Walt, an ethical state government official, into doing him a favor. To gain leverage, J.R. taps dirty cop Harry McSween to orchestrate Carol’s collision, which ends with the pedestrian’s “friend” assuring Carol that the man she struck is perfectly fine and that Carol should go home — which she does, foolishly. Little does she know the two men are part of a scheme to ensnare her husband. In the episode’s closing moments, J.R. happens to be visiting the Driscolls when McSween arrives and announces Carol is in big trouble for fleeing an accident scene. J.R. offers to intervene — and Walt eagerly accepts. “J.R., if you could get my wife out of this, I’d owe you. I really would,” he says.

Ben Piazza and Martha Smith are terrific as the naïve, desperate Driscolls, but this moment, like so many others in “Hit and Run,” belongs to Larry Hagman. In the final shot, Walt and Carol stand together as J.R. faces them, grips their shoulders and gazes into their eyes. It’s the kind of sincere, everything’s-going-to-be-OK gesture that Bill Clinton used when comforting disaster victims during his presidency. “Carol, Walt, what are friends for?” J.R. says. As Hagman delivers the line, Warren brings back the dramatic strings from the accident scene and lets it play through the freeze frame of J.R.’s self-satisfied half-smile. This is a great ending.

The other subplot in “Hit and Run” has Bobby weighing whether to join the McLeish brothers in their Canadian drilling venture. Bobby’s dilemma: The deal is all-but-guaranteed to produce a big windfall, but the money might not start rolling in until after the contest for Ewing Oil ends. “I refuse to make a perfect deal just so J.R. can inherit it,” Bobby tells Pam. Scriptwriter Howard Lakin does a nice job making sure we understand the risk Bobby faces. At the end of the episode, when Bobby announces he’s going to take a chance and join the McLeish deal, it feels like a moment of high drama.

In the meantime, “Hit and Run” gives Victoria Principal some of the best scenes she’s had at this point during “Dallas’s” sixth season. I like Pam’s cute exchange with Bobby in the Southfork living room, as well as the scene where she entertains the McLeish brothers, which foreshadows the business savvy she’ll demonstrate in later seasons. Principal’s best moment, though, is Pam’s confrontation with Rebecca, who is consumed with getting Cliff to resume his fight with the Ewings. “Mother, you’ve always had strength. You proved that when you left your children to go out and start a new life. It’s a cold, calculating kind of strength. Is that what you want for Cliff?” Pam asks. Principal delivers the line sharply, and it’s nice to see the “Dallas” producers haven’t forgotten Rebecca’s sins.

Other highlights of “Hit and Run” include the first appearance of Annie, Lucy’s photographer. Fay Hauser plays the role in three guest spots, becoming one of the few African American actors to appear with anything approaching regularity on “Dallas.” The episode also gives us John Larroquette’s debut as Lucy’s lawyer, Philip Colton. It’s a small role, but Larroquette manages to give us a glimpse of the charm that would later make him one of television’s most popular actors.

But make no mistake: The only scenes stolen in “Hit and Run” have Hagman’s fingerprints on them. In addition to the sequence where J.R. comes to the rescue of the hapless Driscolls, this episode gives us J.R.’s classic first encounter with Ray’s cousin and Southfork’s newest ranch hand, Mickey Trotter. When J.R. says it’s good to know there’s “a whole wagonload of Krebbses running the ranch now,” Mickey points out that he doesn’t share Ray’s last name. “Oh, well,” J.R. responds. “I’m bound to sleep more soundly tonight knowing that.”

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Suckers

‘HIT AND RUN’

Season 6, Episode 7

Airdate: November 12, 1982

Audience: 20.6 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Howard Lakin

Director: Michael Preece

Synopsis: J.R. secretly orchestrates a hit-and-run accident involving Driscoll’s wife, then offers to get her out of trouble with the police. Bobby joins the McLeish deal. Cliff begins his job as president of Barnes-Wentworth Oil. Pam objects to Rebecca’s vow to get revenge against the Ewings. Lucy prepares for her divorce.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), James Brown (Detective Harry McSween), Paul Carr (Ted Prince), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Tom Fuccello (Senator Dave Culver), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Nicholas Hammond (Bill Johnson), Fay Hauser (Annie), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Kenneth Kimmins (Thornton McLeish), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), John Larroquette (Phillip Colton), J. Patrick McNamara (Jarrett McLeish), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Ben Piazza (Walt Driscoll), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Dale Robertson (Frank Crutcher), Martha Smith (Carol Driscoll), Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Ray Wise (Blair Sullivan), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

“Hit and Run” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

You ain’t kidding, sister

In “Hit and Run,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Bobby and Pam (Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal) enter the Southfork living room.

BOBBY: Did your conversation with your mama really go that bad?

PAM: Mhmm. She wouldn’t listen to reason. It scares me, Bobby. [Sits]

BOBBY: [Begins fixing them drinks] Come on. It’s not going to be that easy for her to ruin Ewing Oil, even with Cliff in the cartel.

PAM: But it’s not just Ewing Oil I’m worried about. This could ruin my whole relationship with my family.

BOBBY: Pam, your mama’s not writing you off as a daughter.

PAM: No, but she’s ready to step on my life to protect Cliff’s. That doesn’t make me feel very good.

BOBBY: [Sighs] Well, I sympathize with you. I really do. [Hands her a drink, sits] But to tell you the truth, I have more on my mind right now than Cliff Barnes and your mother.

PAM: That Canadian deal?

BOBBY: Mhmm. Oh, it’s too good to pass up.

PAM: Maybe you should take it.

BOBBY: Well, it’s a long-range deal, and it’s a lot of money. And if it doesn’t come in within a year —

PAM: Before the second audit?

BOBBY: That’s right. I refuse to make a perfect deal just so J.R. can inherit it.

PAM: Well, I wish I had an answer for you, but lately I don’t seem to have any answers.

BOBBY: Well, we may not have answers, but we got each other.

PAM: [Kisses him] You’re cute, you know that?

BOBBY: [Clinks glasses with hers] I know that.

Dallas Decoder celebrates “Dallas’s” classic cliffhangers with weekly summertime flashbacks. Collect all 14 images and share them with your friends (or rivals).

Love is all around

I’ll host Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter on Monday, June 24, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. Our topic: “The Greatest Love Story Texas Has Ever Known.”

The theme refers to one of the couples pictured here. Join the chat to find out which one.

As always, each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same.

Two tips:

• 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.

• Don’t forget to include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation.

See you tonight on Twitter!

Doing it for themselves

In “Fringe Benefits,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Sue Ellen and Pam (Linda Gray, Victoria Principal) leave a dress shop together. 

PAM: Have you decided on the color of your dress yet?

SUE ELLEN: Mhmm.

PAM: [Playfully] Well, you’re not going to tell me, are you?

SUE ELLEN: Well, I would like it to be a surprise. But, um…. Well, one thing I can you is it won’t be white.

PAM: Well, I can’t imagine why not. [They giggle.]

SUE ELLEN: I’m so glad you’re here with me today.

PAM: [Locks arms with her] Well, I enjoy being with you, Sue Ellen.

SUE ELLEN: Despite the rivalry between Bobby and J.R.?

PAM: [Seriously] Have you been thinking about that too?

SUE ELLEN: It’s odd how relationships change. I hated you when Bobby first brought you to Southfork.

PAM: That’s funny. You never showed it.

SUE ELLEN: [Smiles, touches Pam’s hand] But then you were so wonderful to me when J.R. and I were fighting over John Ross.

PAM: Well, I think you’d do the same thing for me.

SUE ELLEN: [Nods, smiles] I don’t want us to lose our friendship.

PAM: Well, there’s no reason for that to happen. It’s up to us.

SUE ELLEN: We have to try hard to not get into their fights.

PAM: I think it would be ironic after hating each other for so long and finally being friends that we lose our friendship over their fight.

SUE ELLEN: Well, we just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.

PAM: And I know we’ll try.

All in the family

In “The Wedding,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, J.R. and Clayton (Larry Hagman, Howard Keel) pour drinks in the Southfork living room.

CLAYTON: What do you think of the season, so far?

J.R.: Which one, football or hunting?

CLAYTON: Football!

J.R.: Oh, well, I’m not too thrilled with their draft choices this year, that’s for sure. You know they could have picked up that backfield. [Chooses an appetizer from a servant’s plate] They should’ve done it years ago.

On the other side of the room, Pam (Victoria Principal) chats with Miss Ellie and Sue Ellen (Barbara Bel Geddes, Linda Gray).

PAM: You know, I don’t care what anyone wears to exercise class, but this girl showed up today wearing a string bikini, the size of a stamp.

ELLIE: Did you say anything?

PAM: Well, no.

Bobby (Patrick Duffy) storms into the room, tosses his briefcase onto the sofa and exclaims, “J.R.!”

J.R.: [To Clayton] I tell you, I don’t think they have a chance. They’re out in the cold.

BOBBY: Here. [Hands a folder to J.R.]

J.R.: What’s that?

BOBBY: Reports from our geologists and our accountants. Read them if you have the nerve.

J.R.: [Sets down his drink, looks through the folder] I don’t have to read this stuff.

BOBBY: Well, I think you’d better. You can’t pretend that everything is normal anymore. Every one of those men think that what you’re trying to do is going to ruin the future of Ewing Oil.

ELLIE: Bobby, I’d like it better if you discussed this with J.R. in private.

BOBBY: I have tried, Mother. And I know how you feel about all this too: “Let’s not argue about business in front of the family.” But don’t you understand that when we’re quiet about things like this, it plays right into his hands? It becomes a cover-up for J.R. I’m not going to do it anymore. I want everything out in the open!

J.R.: I don’t care what the geologists say. Or the accountants. And I certainly don’t need any advice from you on how to run an oil company.

PAM: Well, maybe this is one time that you do need some.

SUE ELLEN: Pam, why don’t we let our men settle the business problems?

PAM: Sue Ellen, can’t you see what J.R.’s trying to do?

SUE ELLEN: Yes. He’s protecting what’s rightfully his.

PAM: [Angrily] Well, what about what’s rightfully Bobby’s?

J.R.: I’m simply trying to carry out the terms of Daddy’s will.

BOBBY: Daddy never thought that you’d try and use that will to destroy Ewing Oil.

J.R.: Butt out, Bob!

BOBBY: Butt out of a business — ?

Clayton steps between the brothers, followed by Ellie.

ELLIE: All right, now that’s enough. Stop it! Tomorrow, there’s going to be a wedding in this house. Tonight we were supposed to have a quiet family dinner together.

J.R.: Mama, that’s exactly what I wanted.

ELLIE: J.R., I’m very pleased that you and Sue Ellen and John Ross will be reunited under this roof. But I am not pleased to stand by and see this family torn apart because of the terms of Jock’s will.

J.R.: Daddy’s will is crystal clear. And because of that will, the chips will have to fall where they may.

The barrier

In “Barbecue Three,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Cliff and Jordan (Ken Kercheval, Don Starr) lead a mob of angry oilmen in confronting J.R. (Larry Hagman) at the Ewing Barbecue, where he stands on the patio with Sue Ellen (Linda Gray).

CLIFF: J.R., we want to talk to you.

J.R.: Well, Barnes, I’ve got a business. You know where my office is.

JORDAN: You don’t even answer your phone calls, J.R.

J.R.: Been real busy.

JORDAN: Too busy to talk to your friends?

J.R.: If y’all got something to say, say it.

Ray and Miss Ellie (Steve Kanaly, Barbara Bel Geddes) watch from the crowd.

RAY: Maybe you ought to go inside, Miss Ellie.

ELLIE: No.

Cliff and J.R. continue their faceoff.

CLIFF: We want to talk to you about the gas war.

J.R.: I don’t think there’s anything to talk about. If I want to cut prices, that’s my business, isn’t it?

JORDAN: No, J.R. It’s the business of every oilman in Texas.

CLIFF: J.R., the politicians are afraid of you. We aren’t. We want you to stop over-pumping those fields and put prices back where they belong.

Bobby (Patrick Duffy) steps in front of J.R.

BOBBY: Cliff, that sounds like a threat. You boys are starting to look like a lynch mob.

JORDAN: Bobby, what are you doing sticking up for J.R.? He’s ruining you too!

BOBBY: Jordan, I don’t like it any more than you do. But right now you’re talking not business, but family. That’s no way to solve problems.

Ray joins Bobby in shielding J.R. as one of the oilmen (Ken Farmer) in the crowd begins to speak.

OILMAN: My stations are losing a fortune, Bobby. One more week and I’m out of business. You best step aside.

BOBBY: If you want to get to J.R., you’re going to have to come through us.

CLIFF: Then that’s what it’ll be, because you’re not stopping us.

BOBBY: Back off, Barnes! All of you!

OILMAN: Not before we settle with J.R.

RAY: Just hold it right there! If there’s going to be any blood spilled here today, I guarantee you it won’t just be Ewing blood.

ELLIE: [Stepping forward] Good Lord, are you all crazy? Most of you are Jock’s friends!

JORDAN: Now, Miss Ellie, we don’t have any quarrel with you.

ELLIE: You’re a guest in my home. Until you come to your senses, I don’t want to see any of you. Now go home. Go home, all of you!

JORDAN: [Turning toward the cartel members] Come on, let’s go.

Pam and Donna (Victoria Principal, Susan Howard) step forward.

ELLIE: I’m calling Harv Smithfield. I’ve had enough of this insane competition between you two. I’m going to court to break Jock’s will. And then I intend to sell Ewing Oil.

Some guys have all the luck

I’ll host Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter on Monday, July 8, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time. Our theme: “The Many Wives of Bobby Ewing.”

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

Q1. Which of Bobby’s wives was your favorite? #DallasChat

A1. Pam was great and Ann is cool, but my personal favorite is April. #DallasChat

You’re welcome to respond to what other people are saying about the show and to start “side conversations” of your own. Three more points to keep in mind:

• 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.

• Don’t forget to include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation.

• 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.

Let’s have another great discussion. See you tonight at 9!

Dallas Decoder celebrates “Dallas’s” classic cliffhangers with weekly summertime flashbacks. Collect all 14 images and share them with your friends (or rivals).

Sing it, sister

In “Crash of ’83,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, a sullen Bobby (Patrick Duffy) enters his bedroom late at night and sits in a chair while Pam (Victoria Principal) reads in bed.

PAM: [Unsympathetic] You look terrible.

BOBBY: Nothing like a celebration to really depress me.

PAM: I don’t understand.

BOBBY: You know that guy, Hicks? On Donna’s commission? J.R. had him bought and paid for. And I pulled a little number on him.

PAM: [Concerned] What do you mean?

BOBBY: I got down in the mud, honey. Just like I said I could. I forced him to change his vote on the variance.

PAM: What did you do?

BOBBY: I blackmailed him. I feel so dirty. [Rests his head in his hand]

PAM: [Puts down her book, leans forward] What do you want from me? Sympathy? Because you’re not going to get it.

BOBBY: Pam, I don’t want your sympathy.

PAM: Oh, yes you do. You want me to slap your wrist and then reassure you that you’re still the same wonderful man underneath it all. Well, I’m not going to help you out. You can stay dirty.

BOBBY: You don’t understand.

PAM: Understand? I understand that you’re not the man I married! The Bobby I love would rather be dead than blackmail Hicks or anybody else, double-cross the cartel and force his own mother into court.

BOBBY: [Exasperated] There were reasons.

PAM: [Screaming] Reasons? There’s only one reason! You would do anything to beat J.R. and get the company. Anything!

Bobby looks down.

Goodbye, Mama

Rebecca Wentworth swept into “Dallas” like a character from a Douglas Sirk movie, so it’s only fitting that she leaves in the same manner. Her death in “Requiem” is pure soap opera. In the scene, Rebecca lies in a hospital bed after being injured in a plane crash, but except for the white bandages that frame her face, you would never know this woman had just suffered major trauma. With soft strings playing in the background, Rebecca makes Pam promise to take care of Cliff. “You’re my good girl,” she says. Through tears, mother and daughter declare their love for each other — and then the monitor flat lines, the music swells and a medical team rushes into the room. “Mama? Mama”?” Pam cries.

Larry Hagman directed “Requiem,” and I love how he pulls together all the technical aspects of this scene — the tight close-ups of Priscilla Pointer and Victoria Principal, Bruce Broughton’s dramatic underscore, the monitor’s extended beep — to create a moment that tugs at the heartstrings without apology. Pointer and Principal deserve praise too. The tears from both actresses flow freely, but neither one goes overboard. For an old-fashioned Hollywood death, the weeping feels quite real. (According to Barbara A. Curran’s “Dallas: The Complete Story of the World’s Favorite Prime-Time Soap,” Pointer’s daughter, the actress Amy Irving, was on the set the day this scene was filmed and cried along with her mother and Principal.)

The only thing more emotional than Rebecca’s death is the scene where Cliff finds out about it. It begins when Afton arrives at his townhouse and finds him curled up on the sofa, sleeping off a hangover. He doesn’t know Rebecca was in an accident, much less that she’s gone forever. As Afton breaks the sad news, Hagman slowly zooms in on Ken Kercheval’s face until it fills the frame. His anguished expression recalls the one he wore at the end of the recent “Ewings Unite!” episode of TNT’s “Dallas,” when Cliff orders the explosion of the Ewing Energies oil rig, even though he knows his pregnant daughter Pamela is aboard. Both expressions stir strong feelings: In the 1983 scene, I want to reach through my television screen and give Cliff a hug; in 2013, I want to wring his neck. Is there any doubt Kercheval is one of “Dallas’s” most gifted actors?

Other “Dallas” cast members shine in “Requiem” too. This is the episode that brings back Morgan Brittany after an extended break (before “Requiem,” her most recent appearance came in the 101st episode, “The Investigation”), and the actress gets to show us new shades of Katherine’s persona. I believe the character’s tears are real when she comes to Southfork to comfort Pam, although we’re also left with the impression that Katherine still harbors a crush on her sister’s husband. (“Pam, it must be such a comfort for you to have someone like Bobby,” she says.) We also begin to see Katherine’s knack for duplicity. She’s nice to Cliff when Pam’s around, but the moment Katherine and Cliff are alone, Katherine unleashes her venom and blames him for their mother’s death. “You did this! You killed her!” she screams.

The other highlight of “Requiem” is Rebecca’s funeral, which is one of “Dallas’s” grandest. Hagman opens the sequence with a wide shot of several limousines arriving at the cemetery. Next, we watch as the door to each car opens and the various Barneses, Ewings and Wentworths exit. They all march slowly into the cemetery, along with secondary characters like Jordan Lee, Marilee Stone and Punk and Mavis Anderson. There’s even a handful of reporters present to cover the action. This feels like a funeral fit for a queen, although the emotional kicker comes in the next scene. J.R. is in his office, watching TV news coverage of the burial, when Mike Hughes bursts into the room. Hughes, whom Rebecca was on her way to see when the Wentworth jet crashed, is furious because J.R. has decided to back out of his deal to buy his refinery. Since the point of Rebecca’s trip was to talk Hughes out of selling to J.R. in the first place, this means she died in vain, no?

“Requiem” also includes the famous scene where Miss Ellie speaks to Sue Ellen and predicts the Ewing grandsons will one day inherit their fathers’ rivalry. When this episode debuted 30 years ago, most viewers probably didn’t pay much attention to this scene, but since the debut of TNT’s sequel series, it’s come to occupy a prominent spot in “Dallas” lore. The conversation begins with Sue Ellen drawing a parallel between Rebecca’s death and J.R. losing his variance to pump more oil than anyone else in Texas. Ellie tells Sue Ellen the comparison is ridiculous. “Think 25 or 30 years ahead,” she says. “I won’t be here then. And the fight won’t be between J.R. and Bobby. It’ll be between John Ross and Christopher. Think carefully, Sue Ellen. Your loyalty to your husband is a wonderful thing, but you’re a mother too. And where will this all end?”

The most interesting part of Ellie’s speech isn’t her prediction about her grandsons, but the challenge she lays down to her daughter-in-law. “I won’t be here,” she tells Sue Ellen. The implication: But you will be, and it might be up to you to keep the peace in this family. Are you up to the task? Indeed, to watch this scene now is to see how much Sue Ellen has changed — and how much she hasn’t. In 2013, our heroine is John Ross’s biggest champion, just like she stood in J.R.’s corner three decades ago. But Sue Ellen has outgrown many of her other tendencies. Can you imagine her making the kind of shallow observation that she does in “Requiem,” when she equates J.R.’s business setback with Rebecca’s death? Make no mistake: Sue Ellen still has her share of struggles, but she’s come a long way. Witness the recent scene where she seemed to echo Ellie’s concern about the destructive patterns within the family Ewing.

Mama was right about a lot of things in 1983, but I bet even she couldn’t have predicted how wise Sue Ellen would become.

Grade: A

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good grief

‘REQUIEM’

Season 6, Episode 18

Airdate: February 11, 1983

Audience: 15.4 million homes, ranking 16th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Linda Elstad

Director: Larry Hagman

Synopsis: Rebecca dies from injuries sustained in the plane crash. Katherine arrives for the funeral and blames Cliff for their mother’s death. Pam decides to take Christopher and leave Southfork. When the Texas Energy Commission revokes J.R.’s variance, he joins forces with Driscoll to secretly sell oil to Cuba.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Jane D’Auvray (nurse), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Tom Fuccello (Senator Dave Culver), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Alice Hirson (Mavis Anderson), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), John Ingle (surgeon), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Richard Kuss (Mike Hughes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Ryan MacDonald (Casey), Ben Piazza (Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Arlen Dean Snyder (George Hicks), Paul Sorensen (Andy Bradley), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)

“Requiem” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Sad as hell

In the best scene from “Brothers and Sisters,” Pam watches as Cliff finally unleashes the guilt that’s been consuming him since Rebecca took his spot aboard the doomed Wentworth jet. “I was supposed to be on that trip! She died and I lived!” he screams. Director Larry Hagman shoots Ken Kercheval in a tight close-up, with the colorful window in Cliff’s living room in the background. It reminds me of Howard Beale delivering one of his jeremiads in front of the stained glass that adorns his news set in “Network.” This homage probably wasn’t intentional, but the comparison fits nonetheless. Kercheval is every bit as mesmerizing as Peter Finch was in that movie. (Coincidentally or not, Kercheval has a small role in “Network.”)

In this scene and others, what impresses me most about Kercheval is his fearlessness. He never holds back during Cliff’s most dramatic moments, seemingly giving the role every ounce of energy he possesses. The result is a character who feels utterly human. Cliff and Pam’s conversation in “Brothers and Sisters” lasts just two and a half minutes, yet during that span Kercheval manages to convey a full range of emotion: depression, anger, self-pity, insecurity, love. The actor achieves this not only through the way he delivers his dialogue, but also through his body language. To see what I mean, watch this scene with the sound muted. Focus on how Kercheval carries himself: the hunched shoulders that demonstrate Cliff’s tension, the downward glances that telegraph his guilt, the way he presses his hands to his chest when Cliff finally gives voice to the rage within him. It’s fascinating.

I also love how Kercheval always seems to bring out the best in his co-stars. This is something I never thought much about until I heard Patrick Duffy praise Barbara Bel Geddes during the audio commentary on the DVD for “A House Divided.” Duffy says he always stepped up his game when Bobby had a scene with Miss Ellie, and it seems like Kercheval had a similar effect on his fellow performers. In “Brothers and Sisters,” Victoria Principal has to work hard to keep up with Kercheval, but she gets the job done. Pam goes toe to toe with Cliff during their shouting match, although Principal’s best moment comes at the end of the scene, when Pam holds her brother in her arms and reminds him how much Rebecca loved him. Principal is the saving grace here; she allows a display of raw emotion to end on a warm note.

The best subplot in “Brothers and Sisters”: Katherine asks Bobby to meet her for lunch at a Dallas restaurant, knowing Pam will be there with Mark Graison. It feels like the kind of thing Abby would have orchestrated on “Knots Landing,” which might be why I like it so much. (Not every great soap opera scheme must involve a multi-million-dollar business deal, something the “Knots Landing” writers knew better than anyone.) Indeed, Katherine’s stunt demonstrates how smart the “Dallas” producers were to bring back Morgan Brittany, who filled the void created when Afton went from troublemaking vixen to put-upon heroine. I especially like how Katherine’s shenanigans lead to Bobby and Pam’s crackling confrontation at the end of the episode. “You know, I wonder whatever happened to the phrase ‘for richer or poorer, for better or worse’? Do you remember any of that?” Bobby asks. Pam’s response: “I wonder what happened to the Bobby Ewing I said those words to?”

The other great moments in “Brothers and Sisters” are small but meaningful. The kitchen scene where Donna realizes Ellie is nervous about her date with Clayton is sweet, and so is Mickey and Lucy’s conversation by the pool, where she tells him she isn’t ready to start dating again. I also love seeing Sly and Phyllis arrive together at the office, chatting about the latter’s date the night before. It’s a throwaway line, but isn’t it nice to know these women have lives outside the office? The next scene is equally revealing: Phyllis enters Bobby’s office and discovers him asleep on the sofa. Rather than wake him, she quietly returns to her desk, buzzes Bobby on the intercom and lets him believe she thinks he merely came to work extra early. Nice of her not to embarrass the boss when he’s sleeping off a hangover, huh?

I also get a kick out of the scene where TV host Roy Ralston drops by Ewing Oil with a bag full of fan mail for J.R., who enchanted Ralston’s viewers after appearing on his show, “Talk Time.” (I wonder: Was Hagman’s real-life fan mail used in this scene?) Ralston urges J.R. to run for office and to treat his show as a platform for his candidacy. This pre-sages what happened in real life nine years later, when another famous Texas, Ross Perot, turned a string of guest spots on “Larry King Live” into a presidential campaign. I doubt the “Dallas” producers ever seriously considered giving J.R. a career in politics — it would have upset the balance of power on the show — yet it’s tantalizing to consider nonetheless.

Mr. Ewing goes to Washington. Imagine the possibilities!

Grade: A

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Here comes trouble

‘BROTHERS AND SISTERS’

Season 6, Episode 20

Airdate: February 25, 1983

Audience: 21.2 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Will Lorin

Director: Larry Hagman

Synopsis: Katherine schemes to drive a wedge between Bobby and Pam. With Pam and Christopher gone, Bobby throws himself into the fight for Ewing Oil. Holly discovers J.R. is shipping oil to Puerto Rico, unaware the real destination is Cuba. Talk show host Roy Ralston encourages J.R. to run for office. Lucy tells Mickey she needs time before she’s ready to date again. Clayton sells the Southern Cross and makes plans to move to Dallas.

Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Tom Fuccello (Senator Dave Culver), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Ben Hartigan (Holly’s advisor) Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Ben Piazza (Walt Driscoll), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), John Reilly (Roy Ralston), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Marilyn Staley (waitress), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

 “Brothers and Sisters” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

The survivors

In “Brothers and Sisters,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Pam and Cliff (Victoria Principal, Ken Kercheval) are in his living room, where she sits on the sofa and tells him about a potential business deal as Cliff leans against the back of a chair, not facing her.

PAM: So we went down and took a look at it. Now it’s a small division of Graisco Industries.

CLIFF: What’s that got to do with me?

PAM: Well, Mark thinks it could be a great buy for Barnes-Wentworth.

CLIFF: What, am I supposed to be honored because he wants to sell me something?

PAM: [Angry] No, you’re supposed to get off your butt, go down there and take a look at it and make a decision!

CLIFF: Forget it.

PAM: You mean you won’t even go and look at it?

CLIFF: You got it.

PAM: Cliff, listen to me. Do you know why Mama gave you that company?

CLIFF: [Walks up the steps, begins collecting laundry hanging off the bannister] That doesn’t make any difference.

PAM: Yes, it does. She left it to you because she loved you and she believed in you.

CLIFF: [Raising his voice] Look, how could she? All the times I disappointed her while she was alive. And in the beginning when you first found each other, I was the one that didn’t accept her. And you were worried, you remember? You were worried because you were afraid that I was only after her money. Well, maybe you’re right because the first chance I got, I embezzled from the company!

PAM: She forgave you!

CLIFF: [Screaming] Oh, doesn’t anybody hear me? Doesn’t anybody understand? [Tosses the laundry] I was supposed to be on that trip! [Takes a step down] She died and I lived!

PAM: That’s right, you are alive! You can’t just shrivel up and die!

CLIFF: Yeah, but what right do I have to be alive? [Sits on the stairs] You know, I wasn’t even in the hospital when she died! You think she forgave me that?

Pam’s mouth drops as Cliff buries his head in his hands. She moves toward the steps, kneels and pulls his hands away, making him face her.

PAM: [Softly] Cliff, she didn’t blame you. All she ever did was love you.

CLIFF: Oh. She loved me?

PAM: Oh, yes. She wanted you to carry on. She wanted you to continue what the two of you started together. And she asked me to take care of you. And I’m trying, if you’ll just let me.

CLIFF: She loved me?

Pam looks at him, pulls his head onto her shoulder and strokes his hair.

Dallas Decoder celebrates “Dallas’s” classic cliffhangers with weekly summertime flashbacks. Collect all 14 images and share them with your friends.

Scene to remember

The final moments in “Caribbean Connection” set up one of “Dallas’s” best week-to-week cliffhangers. J.R. is in a seedy cocktail lounge, delivering $100,000 in cash to Walt Driscoll, along with instructions for him to use the money to pay off the middleman in their scheme to sell oil to Cuba. Little does J.R. know that Bobby has discovered J.R.’s plot and is in midst of creating a replica of Driscoll’s briefcase. The next time we see Bobby, he’s on his office phone talking to Ray, who has followed Driscoll to his motel. “I’m on my way. You keep him busy if you have to,” Bobby says. He rushes through the Ewing Oil reception area and runs into J.R., who steps off the elevator as Bobby steps on. The ever-cocky J.R. tells Bobby that it’s going to be “a red-letter day” for his half of the company. Bobby smiles slyly. “Maybe you’re right, J.R.,” he says. “Maybe it will be a day to remember.”

Freeze frame, cue questions: What is Bobby up to? Where’s the dummy briefcase? How will Ray keep Driscoll from getting away? And who is “Ted,” the person Bobby tells Ray to call before he hangs up the phone? The audience won’t learn the answers until the next episode, the appropriately titled “The Sting,” but no matter. Like all great cliffhangers, this sequence is done so well, we don’t require an immediate resolution. Watching this piece of expertly made television is its own form of satisfaction. Surely Patrick Duffy, who directed “Caribbean Connection,” and editor Lloyd Richardson deserve a lot of credit, but no one contributes more to the success of this sequence than composer Richard Lewis Warren. His underscore, with a steady beat that mimics a ticking clock, adds urgency and tension, making this one of the sixth season’s highlights.

Bobby’s attempt to foil J.R.’s Cuban deal also offers another example of how much the younger brother has changed since the fight for Ewing Oil began. Earlier in “Caribbean Connection,” we see Bobby snoop around Sly’s desk in search of evidence linking J.R. to Driscoll. Later, Bobby and Ray sneak into Driscoll’s hotel room seeking more clues. Bobby is also unusually cranky in this episode: He snaps at Ray when they’re staking out Driscoll in the motel parking lot and he’s rude to Afton when she tells him that Pam helped Cliff forge a business deal between with Mark Graison. “It’s amazing how nice she can be to some people, isn’t it?” Bobby sniffs. The sadness that he felt when Pam left him a few episodes ago has gradually turned into anger. Now Bobby seems downright bitter. Notably, this is the first “Dallas” episode in which Duffy and Victoria Principal have no scenes together.

“Caribbean Connection” yields several other good moments, including Donna’s confrontation with Mickey. I’ve always believed she was a little hard on him in this scene, especially when she calls him a “cocky, snotty little kid.” Then again, who can blame her? The audience knows that Mickey has softened since he arrived at Southfork, but Donna hasn’t been privy to his transformation, which has mostly occurred in his private conversations with Lucy. Besides, the most important part of this scene isn’t what it reveals about Donna and Mickey’s relationship to each other, but what it reveals about Mickey’s feelings toward his cousin. “Ray happens to think the world of you. … I just keep thinking that one of these days, you are going to let him down with a great big thud,” Donna says. Mickey’s response: “I won’t let Ray down!” Timothy Patrick Murphy delivers the line with such conviction, there’s no doubt that Mickey has come to think the world of Ray too.

Another great scene in “Caribbean Connection”: J.R. and Sue Ellen’s meeting with Roy Ralston, the local TV host who’s trying to talk J.R. into running for office. Sue Ellen worries a campaign could bring their marital skeletons out of the closet, but she tells J.R. she’ll go along with his political aspirations regardless. “I’m touched, Sue Ellen. I truly am,” J.R. responds. The exchange brings to mind a terrific deleted scene from the new “Dallas’s” first-season DVD set in which Sue Ellen, now a gubernatorial candidate, tells her campaign backers that she won’t run away from her scandalous past. The “Caribbean Connection” scene also seems unusually relevant, given the real-life political headlines from recent years. Ralston predicts voters won’t hold J.R. and Sue Ellen’s marital troubles against them. He tells the couple: “Despite all your earlier problems, you’re still together and more in love than ever before. I can just see it: True love conquers all!”

Spoken like a modern-day politico, huh?

Grade: B

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Modern marriage

‘CARIBBEAN CONNECTION’

Season 6, Episode 21

Airdate: March 4, 1983

Audience: 20.9 million homes, ranking 4th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Will Lorin

Director: Patrick Duffy

Synopsis: J.R. pressures Holly to send 50 million barrels of oil to Puerto Rico, unaware the real destination is Cuba. Bobby discovers J.R.’s connection to Driscoll and works with Ray to set up Driscoll. Katherine encourages Mark to keep pursuing Pam. Sue Ellen worries her past will hurt J.R.’s political prospects. Mickey and Donna clash.

Cast: E.J. André (Eugene Bullock), Mary Armstrong (Louise), Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Roseanna Christiansen (Sly), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Dulcie Jordan (maid), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Ben Piazza (Walt Driscoll), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), John Reilly (Roy Ralston), Patricia Richarde (Ms. Finch), Joey Sheck (Mark’s friend), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

“Caribbean Connection” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Those eyes

Sue Ellen is the perfect wife, living the perfect life, when “Hell Hath No Fury” begins. She fusses over J.R. at breakfast, smiles when he brings Roy Ralston home for dinner and gazes at him adoringly during his latest appearance on Ralston’s TV show. Of course, this is “Dallas,” so Sue Ellen’s bliss doesn’t last. During a visit to the hair salon, she runs into Holly Harwood, who later confesses to Sue Ellen that she’s having an affair with J.R. Sue Ellen doesn’t want to believe it, so Holly tells her to go home and check his shirt collar. Sure enough, the collar is smeared with Holly’s lipstick. The episode ends with our heroine clutching the garment and sobbing quietly.

Beauty parlor run-ins, lipstick-smeared collars, tear-streaked faces: If this sounds like the stuff of 1950s and 1960s soap operas, I suspect it’s purely intentional. “Dallas” routinely honors the tropes of daytime dramas and Douglas Sirk movies (witness Rebecca Wentworth’s weepy deathbed scene a few episodes earlier). This is something I’ve always admired about the show. The homage presented in “Hell Hath No Fury” is especially fitting: J.R. and Sue Ellen have an old-fashioned marriage; of course it should collapse under old-fashioned circumstances.

I also love how Lois Chiles and Linda Gray handle the material. Chiles is deliciously cunning as Holly, who wants to destroy J.R.’s marriage to get back at him for costing her company millions of dollars in a bungled deal. In the lunch scene, Chiles smiles — ever so slightly — when Holly sees how much her confession hurts Sue Ellen. Gray is wonderful too. This is another example of Gray using her big, brown eyes to convey the depth of Sue Ellen’s pain. (I’m usually not one to notice makeup, but Gray’s blue eye shadow in this scene is a work of art. Eat your heart out, Donna Mills.) Even more moving: “Hell Hath No Fury’s” closing moments, when Sue Ellen retrieves J.R.’s shirt from the laundry basket, sees the lipstick and weeps. There’s no dialogue, but none is needed. Gray’s tears say it all.

If Sue Ellen’s marital turmoil in “Hell Hath No Fury” has an unmistakable retro vibe, then Pam’s feels slyly modern. Pam, who is now living in a hotel because she feels Bobby’s ambition has changed him, calls her husband at the office and invites him over for a drink. The couple spends the evening reminiscing, but when Bobby tries to leave, Pam kisses him passionately until they slump back onto the sofa. The next morning, she awakens to find Bobby planning her move back to Southfork. Pam corrects him: Just because she spent the night with Bobby doesn’t mean she’s ready to take him back. Bobby is aghast. “You make me feel like I should give you a bill for services rendered,” he seethes.

Oh, how I love this. How often have we seen the men of “Dallas” treat women as vessels for sexual satisfaction? Isn’t it refreshing to see a woman do the same thing? This entire sequence is about Pam acknowledging that she has sexual needs and fulfilling them. She calls Bobby and invites him over for a drink. When he declares it’s time to go home, she lets him know that she wants him to stay. And in the morning, when Bobby assumes Pam will now come back to him, she sets him straight. Don’t get me wrong: I feel bad for Bobby when he brushes past that chump Mark Graison on his way out of the hotel, and I believe Pam is wrong later in the episode when she agrees to accompany Mark to France. She is married, after all, and if she believes Mark is going to keep his promise to leave her alone during the trip, she’s a fool. Nevertheless, I applaud “Dallas” for depicting Pam as a woman who isn’t afraid to express her sexuality.

I’m also charmed by the scene where Bobby and Pam recall the first time they met. Patrick Duffy and Victoria Principal’s chemistry is effortless, and I love how Arthur Bernard Lewis’s dialogue honors “Dallas” history. Pam remembers arriving at a Ewing barbecue on Ray’s arm and being surprised to discover the family isn’t as monstrous as Digger led her to believe. I also like how the scene ends with Duffy reaching behind him to turn off the lamp while locking lips with Principal. She does something similar during another reunion with Bobby in the eighth-season finale “Swan Song.” Along these lines, I also chuckle when Bobby greets Pam in “Hell Hath No Fury” with a winking “good morning.” This won’t be the last time he’ll say these words to her, will it?

The other highlight of “Hell Hath No Fury”: J.R.’s latest appearance on “Talk Time,” Ralston’s TV show. In typical J.R. style, the guest spot is part of a convoluted scheme. J.R. needs to find a way to visit Cuba so he can claim millions of dollars owed to him in an illegal deal, but of course Uncle Sam doesn’t know allow just anyone to visit the communist outpost. So J.R. goes on Ralston’s show and talks up the need for “businessmen” to get more involved in foreign affairs, apparently hoping his comments will inspire the State Department to send him to Cuba on a diplomatic mission. Whatever. Forget this absurd backstory and focus instead on how J.R. describes for Ralston his philosophy of government. “Government is big business. The biggest,” he says. “They’re in the police business and the land management business, the health and education business. All those bureaus are just departments of one big department store.” Does this not sound like the kind of rhetoric we’ve heard from real-life politicians for years?

Lewis’s script also offers a couple of pop culture references that make me smile. When Ralston visits Southfork, he suggests filming an interview with J.R. and Sue Ellen at the ranch, the way Edward R. Murrow once conducted interviews with celebrities in their living rooms on “Person to Person.” TV historians will recall Murrow’s show was a Friday night staple on CBS in the 1950s, a few decades before “Dallas” became a Friday fixture. In another scene, Holly lashes out at Bobby for interfering with J.R.’s Cuban deal. “You had to play James Bond and prevent the deal from going through,” she fumes. The line, which is clearly a reference to Chiles’s role in “Moonraker,” raises a question: If Bobby is Bond, does that make J.R. Blofeld?

Grade: B

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That smile

‘HELL HATH NO FURY’

Season 6, Episode 23

Airdate: March 18, 1983

Audience: 20.8 million homes, ranking 3rd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis

Director: Ernest Pintoff

Synopsis: J.R. schemes to get the government’s permission to visit Cuba. To get back at J.R., Holly tricks him into believing she wants him, then lies and tells Sue Ellen that J.R. is her lover. Mark talks Pam into letting him accompany her on a trip to France. Bobby worries his Canadian field won’t come in. Lucy and Mickey continue to date.

Cast: John Anderson (Richard McIntyre), John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), James Brown (Detective Harry McSween), William Bryant (Jackson), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Fay Hauser (Annie), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Kenneth Kimmins (Thornton McLeish), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Tom McFadden (Jackson’s partner), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Ben Piazza (Walt Driscoll), Ron Ellington Shy (singer), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), John Reilly (Roy Ralston), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)

“Hell Hath No Fury” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

What a stud

In “Hell Hath No Fury,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, Pam (Victoria Principal) awakens in her hotel bed and finds Bobby (Patrick Duffy) getting dressed.

BOBBY: [Sits on the bed] Good morning.

PAM: Good morning. [They kiss.]

BOBBY: Did you, uh, sleep well?

PAM: [Giggles] I sure did.

BOBBY: I love you.

PAM: You know, I’ve missed hearing that in the morning.

BOBBY: Well, you can hear it a lot more from now on. [Rises] I’m going to send a couple of the boys in from Southfork to help you pack.

PAM: [Grabs her robe] Pack?

BOBBY: Sure. Oh, honey, it’ll be a lot easier for you that way. [Pours himself a cup of coffee] You don’t realize it, but you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff here between your own things and Christopher’s.

PAM: [Now out of bed, facing him] Bobby, I’m not coming back to Southfork.

BOBBY: Well, what was last night all about?

PAM: I love you, but sex hasn’t changed anything.

BOBBY: Oh, come on, honey. [Sets down coffee cup] This separation of ours is silly. It’s obvious that we both want each other. [Holds her arms]

PAM: Well, of course I want you. Step out of Ewing Oil and I’ll come home with you right now.

BOBBY: Honey, I would do almost anything for you but I can’t do that.

PAM: That is what’s tearing us apart. As long as you’re obsessed with winning the company, you’ll never be the Bobby Ewing I fell in love with.

BOBBY: [Walks away] Honey, if I start giving up on the things that I try and do now, the Bobby Ewing you knew is going to cease to exist anyway.

PAM: He ceased to exist a long time ago!

BOBBY: [Facing her] Then who the hell were you in bed with last night?

PAM: Bobby, that was just a moment.

BOBBY: A moment? Is that what our marriage is to you now, a moment? You make me feel like I should give you a bill for services rendered.

He grabs his jacket and heads for the door, opening it to reveal Mark (John Beck) standing there with flowers.

MARK: Oh, my timing’s terrific again. Bobby?

Bobby brushes past him.

Brenda Strong

Brenda Strong delivered one amazing performance after another as Ann Ewing during “Dallas’s” second season. I spoke to her recently about what the future might hold for her character and the rest of the Ewings, as well as Ann’s other “family:” those wacky Rylands.

You’re about to start production on the third season of “Dallas.” Do you know what Ann’s going to be up to this year?

I’ve been given inklings of what’s to come for Ann. I actually like the idea of not knowing exactly what’s coming because it allows me to shape my performance as I go. At the same time, I think there are going to be some opportunities for other colors that we haven’t explored yet to come to the surface. You know, Ann is a very multi-dimensional woman, and we’re getting to see all sides of her.

You ain’t kidding. I’ve been thinking: What can the writers do next to this woman? She’s already been through so much.

I have a feeling they have a few good tricks up their sleeve. I don’t think they’ll ever run out of storyline. There are just so many twists and turns. Certainly with a new daughter in her life who is not necessarily predictable, I think there’s a lot that Ann’s going to have to deal with this year.

Well, if I was Emma, I wouldn’t want to mess with Ann. She’s turned out to be one tough mama.

I have been so delightfully surprised with the direction that the writers have taken my character from the very beginning. I had an anticipation that this character was going to be a particular kind of woman, and then in Season 2, we discovered Ann had some deep, dark secrets. And I was so happy that I got to explore that depth. I really attribute a lot of my joy last season to [executive producer and head writer] Cynthia Cidre. She really took me on the ride of my life.

Ann, revealed

That’s interesting that your perception of Ann changed. What was your initial impression of her?

I really saw her as a mutual counterpart to Bobby. She was independent and strong and loyal and kind and really the matriarch to his patriarch of the Ewing family, now that Miss Ellie and Jock are gone. I saw her as one of those women who speaks only when she needs to but who sees everything. She’s extremely wise and measured. And so in Season 2, all of those qualities are still there, but there’s a whole backstory that I had no idea was working. I still think Ann and Bobby share very similar core values of family and honor and integrity. But it was hard-won for Ann. And I think she’s going to continue to be challenged.

I can hear the enthusiasm in your voice. You really enjoy playing her, don’t you?

I’m having the time of my life. I love this character. I feel like I tailor made her. I combined a bunch of people that I admire — from Ann Richards, the governor of Texas, to my own matriarchal lineage — and it was really fun to kind of pick and choose the qualities that I respect in each of those women.

I bet Ann Richards would’ve liked Ann Ewing.

They would’ve been friends. [Laughs]

So can you talk about how “Dallas” is made from an actor’s perspective? What’s the process, from the time you receive a script to the time you begin filming?

We get what’s called a “production draft,” usually anywhere between three to seven days before we start filming. And we’re in the middle of filming the previous episode when those drafts arrive, so you’re shooting one episode and starting to memorize the next episode as you go. That’s why you usually see a lot of actors sitting in their chairs doing a lot of reading and memorizing prior to their next scene.

That must be hard.

I have to be honest: I used to have a great memory. As a young actor, I could read a script three times and it would be memorized. I used to think, “Oh, isn’t that what everybody does?” [Laughs] And then I realized, it’s a muscle. And as we get more data in our brains, the muscle weakens a little bit because you have to have space for all those lines. [Laughs] Now I write down my lines, and I record them so I can hear them back and give myself cues. I also work with a coach. We sit down and talk about the underpinnings of what’s happening emotionally with my character. And I just love doing that work because it helps me to be reflective on where I am personally, and how I can interject that emotional dynamic into Ann.

Love them lines

How what about rehearsal time?

We usually have an artist’s rehearsal first with the director. That’s where the actors get to feel out the scene from an emotional dynamic, shaping the scene. And then we do what’s called “blocking,” where we figured out our movement as actors. And then the cameras come in, and they look at where we are, and what they need to do to capture what we’re doing, and how to light it. And once all that is set up, we all go away for a little bit, and then we all come back and rehearse again.

And so the whole process takes how long?

We’re on an eight-day production schedule right now.

So let’s talk about one of my favorite scenes from last season, when Ann testifies at her trial for shooting Harris. What was it like to prepare for that?

Equal parts exciting and … I don’t want to say “trepidatious” because I wasn’t trepidatious. Exciting and scary, I guess, because the writers gave me a real gift. They gave me a tremendous responsibility with that monologue, and I always interpret that as a sign of respect and trust. And I wanted to do it justice. So I immediately started to work on it. I didn’t wait. I didn’t care if the lines were going to change. I wanted to have it so much a part of my DNA that when I walked into that room that day I didn’t want to be searching for lines, I didn’t want to be thinking about anything but what was actually happening in the room.

And what was it like, in the room, when you were filming it?

You know, courtroom scenes are not easy to shoot. They’re dull. It’s like watching paint dry. But the entire day was electric from everyone’s investment. And I think it’s really a tribute to A) the quality of actors we have, and B) the quality of writing. We also have an amazing assistant director, Phil Hardage, who made sure that the crew and the background [extras] all stayed very much with us. You know, sometimes things can get raucous between takes, but Phil held everyone together and that allowed me to do my work. And I had so much fun. Crying is not necessarily my favorite thing to do on-camera, but when it’s in the context of an emotional purging of a soul, it’s really freeing.

Testify!

Did it require a lot of takes?

I think I only did three. And each take was actually letter perfect, which is rare when you have that much material. But I didn’t want to have to be looking for the words. I originally came from stage, and you can’t call for a line when you’re in the middle of a performance.

The monologue opens with Ann talking about how she was tall and a little awkward growing up. Did you draw on any of your own experiences?

Oh, I was called “Too-Tall Jones.” I was called “Stretch.” I was 5-foot 11 by eighth grade, so I definitely was conscious of being tall. I was also conscious of the fact that I was not only the tallest girl, but I was taller than most of the boys. So that definitely made me self-conscious as a young woman, but I never did that thing where you hunch over to hide or pretend that you’re not tall.

Good for you.

Well, the truth is I was a dancer, so if I would have done that, I would have been hit with a stick by Madam Schumacher. [Laughs] So I carried myself as if I were proud. I guess it was fake-it-till-you-make-it. Somehow by carrying myself that way, I eventually grew into loving being tall.

And tell me about one of my other favorite “Dallas” scenes, which is the one where Ann reveals she’s secretly recorded Harris’s confession.

Well, first of all, Mitch Pileggi is one of my favorite actors to work with. He’s so incredibly present. And I love what he does to me. Literally, during that scene, the hair on the back of my neck was standing up. I could feel it. There was such a kinetic, palpable energy between us. And I loved how the writers have given Ann such backbone. You’ll notice in that scene, she says, “If you do anything to Sue Ellen or any member of my family….” She’s protecting her family. She’s not a blood Ewing, but she was telling Harris: They’re off limits to you.

In sickness and in health

So was punching Mitch as much fun as it looked?

He can take a punch. He can take a bullet, he can take a punch. [Laughs] And because we love each other and trust each other so much, we got really close and at one point, I actually did punch him in the nose. And I was so embarrassed because I made contact. I said, “Oh! I’m so sorry.” He was like, “It’s OK.” It was just enough that I touched his nose and then backed off. But it was definitely real. [Laughs]

I spend a lot of time talking to my fellow fans, and many of us love you two together. We often say, wouldn’t it be cool to see Ann and Harris together again?

Wow, that’s interesting! I didn’t know the fans felt that way.

I think we see the chemistry between you two and it reminds us of the old J.R./Sue Ellen dynamic, when they were at war with each other and so much fun to watch.

Interesting. Yeah, I totally agree with you. Well, I think there’s a lot more for Ann and Harris to explore in their relationship. I don’t know what the writers have in mind, but Mitch and I love working together.

The fans also want to see a rematch between you and Judith Light.

She’s just an absolute pro. Whenever you’re in a scene with her, you have to bring your “A” game, which I love. And she and I really get along. We both have similar philosophies about life off-camera, so to be able to play adversaries on camera is such fun. In our first scene, our characters almost get into a fistfight in the police station, and Ann gets in the last word. Well, right before we left, I jokingly said to Judith, “Yeah, well who’s the boss now, bitch?” And she laughed and laughed. From that moment on, I knew she was going to be fun to play with.

Well, I hope she comes back.

Oh, I hope so too. I know the writers really enjoy writing for her.

Let me ask you about one more scene, which is the one you did on the original “Dallas” in ’87, when you played one of Cliff’s one-night stands. Do you remember filming that one?

You know, it’s so funny, I didn’t remember all of it until somebody posted it on YouTube. I pulled it up and I laughed so hard. Because once I saw it, I remembered every single beat.

Have you and Ken Kercheval talked about it?

Yeah, we did. We laughed about it. The first time he came to set, I looked at him and said, “Hi, Ken. Do you remember me?” And he said, “Oh, yeah.”

Third time’s the charm

Getting back to the new show: I always say you have the hardest job because you’re not just Bobby’s new wife, you’re also the new mistress of Southfork. You’ve had to step into two iconic roles. Did you have any trepidation about that?

Oh, I had tremendous trepidation. There’s a whole legacy that came before me. At the same time, I couldn’t make any choices for my character based on that. Bobby’s in a totally different place in his life than he was when he was a younger man. He needs a different kind of woman. I think Ann is perfect for him. But I also pay great homage to what’s come before. I think it was fabulous and done extremely well and it obviously lives to this day, which is a testament to the work that Victoria Principal and Patrick [Duffy] did together. I think it’s amazing that there’s so much passion for those two characters. So I think that’s only something to be celebrated.

I admire you for taking on the challenge.

I like a challenge. Like Ann, I like to think I have a bit of a backbone. I’m not afraid of things that are difficult. And I feel like the audience has embraced Ann and celebrated her for what she’s brought to the Ewing family. And I really appreciate that. That makes me so happy to feel that I’m not only loving what I do, but other people are receiving it well too.

Oh, Ann Ewing has a lot of fans. Just go on Facebook and Twitter!

Yeah, they’re very generous. I love following those feeds. It’s been fun to watch that kind of evolve and grow.

Speaking of fans, I know you’re a “Dallas” fan too.

I am a big fan of the show. If I weren’t in it, I’d be watching it.

What else do you like?

Oh, my gosh, it runs the gamut. I love everything from “Downton Abbey” to “Game of Thrones” to “Breaking Bad” to “Modern Family.” “House of Cards” is my new favorite now. It’s so nice to be able to see Robin Wright do something really wonderful. I really enjoy watching her work.

And what other performers do you admire?

I love Clive Owen. I love Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett. Jennifer Lawrence is exceptional. Shailene Woodley from “The Descendants” is one of the most exceptional talents I’ve seen in decades. She is effortless. She’s deep. She’s so incredibly connected to herself and the work. I don’t see any acting. I’m blown away by her presence. I can’t wait to see her career blossom.

Besides acting, you also have an incredible yoga business. So tell me: Which “Dallas” character could benefit most from a little yoga?

Oh, you’re going to get me in trouble. The first person who benefitted from yoga was Patrick, because in the opening credits, he has to ride that horse. He’s such a phenomenal horseback rider, but he hurt his lower back a little bit doing that riding sequence. And so I gave him some exercises and he came back after filming the pilot and said, “I’ve been doing the exercises and I’m so much better!” I think as far as characters go, Christopher has had such a loss with Elena leaving and with the loss of his babies, so I think he could use some de-stressing. A little stillness, a little introspection, a little healing of his heart would be a good thing.

Spoken like a good stepmom.

Well, you gotta take care of your own, right?

Share your comments below and read more Dallas Decoder interviews.

This time, it’s personal

J.R. Ewing is a man with many enemies, but his conflict with Pam is unique because it reveals his otherwise well-concealed insecurities. When Pam arrives at Southfork, J.R. fears she and Bobby will beat him and Sue Ellen in the “race” to produce the Ewings’ first grandson. It doesn’t happen, but Pam manages to solidify her position within the family nonetheless. One by one, she wins the hearts of the people J.R. loves most: first Bobby, then Jock and Miss Ellie and eventually Sue Ellen. Even John Ross enjoys a special bond with Aunt Pam, at least for a while. In J.R.’s eyes, the family’s affection for Pam gives her power. That’s what makes her dangerous.

The final scene in “The Long Goodbye” draws upon all of this subtext, resulting in one of the all-time great “Dallas” moments. It begins when J.R. turns up unexpectedly on Pam’s doorstep and asks to speak to her. She reluctantly lets him in; little does she realize he’s about to get inside her head too. After exchanging acidic “pleasantries,” J.R. lets Pam know that he’s aware of her plans to reconcile with Bobby. He then tells her that if she doesn’t go through with the divorce, he’ll destroy the people she loves most — beginning with Bobby. “I’ll call off this truce that exists between him and me. We’ll end up in a dogfight that will make what went on before look like a love match,” J.R. says.

Everything about this scene works. Leonard Katzman, who wrote and directed “The Long Goodbye,” has Larry Hagman deliver his lines while slowly circling Victoria Principal, making J.R. seem downright predatory. The dialogue itself is some of Katzman’s sharpest, and Hagman seems to relish every syllable. My favorite exchange: Pam mocks J.R.’s interest in her “happiness” and he responds, “Oh, no. I don’t give a damn about you or your happiness, honey. But I do care what’s good for me.” Principal, in the meantime, gives as good as she gets. When the scene begins, she counters Hagman’s winking bravado with steely sarcasm. But as J.R.’s language grows more venomous, Pam’s face falls, her shoulders drop and her eyes shift downward. By the time he slithers out of the room, she looks genuinely rattled — even though J.R. is probably the one who feels more threatened.

This is the kind of “Dallas” scene you can call up on DVD and enjoy any time, although it’s best appreciated when you consider it within the context of what was happening on the show at the time. Three episodes earlier, at the end of “Dallas’s” sixth season, J.R. had an attack of conscience as his battle with Bobby for control of Ewing Oil reached its destructive crescendo. In “The Road Back” and “The Long Goodbye,” the first two hours of the seventh season, J.R. calls a truce with Bobby and tries to patch up his broken marriage to Sue Ellen. It’s always nice to see “Dallas” showcase J.R.’s softer side, but no one wants J.R. go warm and fuzzy. This is why his confrontation with Pam at the end of “The Long Goodbye” is so crucial. It’s the moment J.R. gets his groove back.

It’s worth considering the scene from Pam’s point of view too. More than anything, Katzman designs “The Long Goodbye” to remind us what a terrific couple Bobby and Pam make. The characters share several charming scenes throughout this episode, including one at Southfork where Pam watches as Bobby returns from a horseback ride with little Christopher. Later, Bobby and Pam spend a night out on the town, where they reflect on their many years together. It feels like “Dallas” is paving the way for the star-crossed lovers to finally reunite. So when J.R. turns up on Pam’s doorstep and throws cold water on their reconciliation, it packs an emotional punch.

“The Long Goodbye” also includes a good scene where Afton accuses Cliff of wanting Pam to divorce Bobby because it will free her to marry Mark, thus allowing Cliff, Mark and Pam to form a business partnership. Cliff concedes his ambition often gets the better of him, but adds that he honestly believes Pam is better off without the Ewings. Ken Kercheval’s delivery here is so sincere, I believe every word Cliff says. In another highlight, Clayton tells Bobby that Miss Ellie is counting on him to be Southfork’s caretaker in her absence, presaging the role Patrick Duffy would go on to fill many years later on TNT’s “Dallas.”

“The Long Goodbye” also delivers another fun scene featuring Sue Ellen, who has been on a roll for the past two episodes, striking her husband with one wicked zinger after another. In this episode, J.R. drops by the pool at the Quorum, the hotel where he’s staying with his wife and John Ross during the reconstruction of Southfork. Sue Ellen tells J.R. she plans to go to the ranch to pick out the new wallpaper for their bedroom, along with a new bedroom for herself. “A new bedroom? What’s wrong with the old one?” J.R. asks. “You’re in it,” she responds. It’s a delicious quip, although I must admit: I cringe when Katzman cuts to a reaction shot from little John Ross, who sits there helplessly as his mother explains she will no longer sleep with her husband.

The things this poor kid witnessed during his childhood. No wonder he grew up to become the man he is today.

Grade: A

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Zing!

‘THE LONG GOODBYE’

Season 7, Episode 2

Airdate: October 7, 1983

Audience: 19.9 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer and Director: Leonard Katzman

Synopsis: Pam considers returning to Bobby, upsetting Katherine, Cliff, Mark and J.R., who tells her he’ll destroy everyone she cares about if she reconciles with his brother. Sue Ellen decides she’ll remain married to J.R., but they’ll have separate bedrooms and separate personal lives. A hopeful Mickey proposes to Lucy and she accepts, but his mood dims when he learns his paralysis is permanent.

Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), John Beck (Mark Graison), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), John Devlin (Clouse), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Joe Maross (Dr. Blakely), Timothy Patrick Murphy (Mickey Trotter), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Kate Reid (Lil Trotter), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), George Wallace (accountant)

“The Long Goodbye” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Choose or lose, honey

In “The Long Goodbye,” a seventh-season “Dallas” episode, Pam (Victoria Principal) answers the door in her hotel suite and finds J.R. (Larry Hagman) on the other side.

PAM: What are you doing here?

J.R.: I want to talk. I think it’s important for both of us.

PAM: Nothing you have to say is important to me.

J.R.: Are you afraid of me?

PAM: I dislike you intensely. But I’m not afraid of you.

J.R.: Well, then why don’t you let me in? It won’t take long. I promise. [She opens the door. He enters.] Well, it must be kind of difficult, living in a hotel.

PAM: Do you really care?

J.R.: No. No, I don’t. You know how I feel about you. I’ve despised you ever since Bobby first brought you home.

PAM: Is that what you came here to tell me?

J.R.: No, I said that so that you’ll know that what I’m about to say is the truth. Now you might find that hard to believe, but I think I can convince you.

PAM: All right, J.R. What’s this all about?

J.R.: [Begins to circle her] Well, I’m talking about the two people you love most in life: Bobby and Cliff.

PAM: [Turns to face him] And Christopher.

J.R.: Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Christopher. He figures into this too. Pam, I know how close you and Bobby are to a divorce, and I’m sure it must be very painful for you. And when you do get that divorce, it’s gonna hurt. [Circles her again] Believe me, I know. But eventually, you’ll pull yourselves together and find happiness of another kind. I know you will.

PAM: How nice! You’re concerned about my happiness.

J.R.: Oh, no. I don’t give a damn about you or your happiness, honey. But I do care about what’s good for me.

PAM: Well, that I believe.

J.R.: Well, then try to believe this: If you divorce Bobby, I’m going to do certain things. [Circling] For instance, I think he and I could live in peace. Now, it might not be an easy peace, but I know that he and I could work together at Ewing Oil in harmony. And with you out of the picture, I think his natural instincts would lead him out of Ewing Oil and into something else. He never cared for it as much as I did anyhow.

PAM: I certainly hope that’s true.

J.R.: And as far as your brother goes, if you divorce Bobby, I’ll leave him alone. If he wants to become the biggest independent oilman in Texas, I won’t stand in his way. And to all intents and purposes, the Barnes-Ewing feud will cease to exist.

PAM: [Snickers] I find that hard to believe.

J.R.: Well, then try this one on for size: If you return to Bobby, all hell is going to break loose. I’ll call off this truce that exists between him and me. We’ll be in a dogfight that will make what went on before look like a love match. And as for your brother, I’ll use every penny at my disposal — and Ewing Oil’s disposal — to destroy him. I’ll bring Mr. Cliff Barnes down for good. And whoever goes down with him, so be it. Now, you’ve known me long enough to know I don’t make idle threats. So I promise you, what I have just said will happen — if you return to Bob. It’s your choice, Pam.

[He exits, leaving Pam looking unnerved.]