Gone girl

On “Dallas,” children are seen and heard. The series often involves its youngest characters in major storylines, unlike other 1980s prime-time soap operas where kids are treated as little more than props. (Does Krystina Carrington ever do anything other than smile sweetly at Mommy and Daddy?) Of course, even when “Dallas” puts kids front and center, it’s usually to tell us something about the adults on the show. Lucy’s skipping school allows Pam to assert her authority in the Ewing family, Bobby’s friendship with Luke Middens illustrates the emptiness of his childless marriage, John Ross’s kidnapping brings J.R. and Sue Ellen closer.

“Charlie” continues this tradition. This episode takes its title from Jenna Wade’s pubescent daughter, who runs away from home after learning Naldo Marchetta, her long-lost father, has come to town and wants to meet her. (Ignore the fact that Jenna sent the girl to visit Naldo during the third season.) Even though Charlie sets the plot in motion, this story is about Bobby and Jenna. Everything is told from their point of view, from Jenna’s frantic call to Bobby when she realizes Charlie is missing to the resolution, when the couple finds the girl and lovingly assures her they’ll always be a family. It’s also worth noting how director Michael Preece arranges the actors in the latter scene. He films Patrick Duffy and Priscilla Beaulieu Presley at eye level, while Shalane McCall is shot from above — the way most adults see children.

Some “Dallas” fans like to complain about McCall’s performance in “Charlie” and other episodes from the eighth season. It’s true that the older this actress gets, the whinier her delivery becomes. Nevertheless, I think everyone should cut her some slack. Remember: McCall was only 11 years old when this episode was filmed. She’s just a kid, and this is the most demanding material she’s been given since she arrived on “Dallas” a year earlier. Besides, a lot of real-life children are whiny around this age. Why should Charlie be any different?

There’s also this: Charlie, as much as she annoys some fans, isn’t as insufferable as Lucy, who has yet to fully mature. In this episode’s weirdest scene, Clayton runs into Charlene Tilton’s character and suggests she should spend more time with Miss Ellie. Lucy snaps, reminding Clayton that he isn’t her grandfather and has no right to tell her what to do. Clayton’s response: “You’re right. I’m not your grandfather, but I am your elder — and you’ll damn well talk to me with respect. Now I don’t like your manner or your tone of voice, and if you think I won’t turn you over my knee and paddle you, you’re very wrong!” I suppose the point here is to remind the audience of Clayton’s mettle, but hearing him threaten to spank a grown woman is a strange way to make this point, no matter how bratty Lucy behaves. Did this scene make audiences as uncomfortable in 1984 as it does today?

Clayton and Lucy’s confrontation ends with Preece pulling back the camera to reveal Miss Ellie eavesdropping. No shock there — someone always is lurking around the corners of Southfork — although the pink floral-print blouse and striped skirt worn by Donna Reed does catch me off guard. This is the most un-Ellie outfit Reed has worn yet since taking over the role from Barbara Bel Geddes. Reed looks beautiful, but the character’s newly stylish wardrobe takes some getting used to. As readers on this site have wondered: If the producers had dressed Reed a little more plainly and softened her hair, might fans have accepted her more readily?

Mama isn’t the only person who’s changed lately. Notice how I haven’t mentioned J.R.? That’s because Larry Hagman’s character doesn’t have much to do in “Charlie.” Somewhat shockingly, the season is now one-third over and no major business storyline has been introduced. At this point last season, J.R. was figuring out Sly was spying on him for Cliff, and two years before that, the contest for control of the family empire was well underway. After this episode, “Dallas” will begin the storyline in which Jamie and Cliff join forces to claim partial ownership in Ewing Oil, a legal fight that’s not nearly as much fun as the past stories about corporate warfare.

At least J.R. finally introduces himself to Mandy Winger in this episode. I guess if we’re not going to see him wheel and deal, we’ll have to make do with watching him cat around.

Grade: B

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Pink different

‘CHARLIE’

Season 8, Episode 10

Airdate: November 30, 1984

Audience: 22 million homes, ranking 2nd in the weekly ratings

Writer: Leonard Katzman

Director: Michael Preece

Synopsis: Bobby and Jenna help Charlie cope when she learns Naldo is her father. J.R. asks Mandy out for drinks. Pam’s salvage company recovers Mark’s cockpit, along with evidence he wasn’t in the plane when it crashed. Eddie sleeps with Lucy and reveals he knows that she’s a Ewing.

Cast: Michael Alldredge (Steve Jackson), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Fredric Lehne (Eddie Cronin), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Daniel Pilon (Renaldo Marchetta), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Danone Simpson (Kendall), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing)

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

The dark side

In “The Brothers Ewing,” J.R., Bobby and Ray join forces to protect the family business from the increasingly dangerous Cliff Barnes. You’d think by now we’d all be used to seeing the Ewings unite against their enemies, and yet it never seems to lose its punch, does it? Consider how the events of this episode allow the brothers to play against type. While Bobby is scheming with J.R. to illegally shield Ewing Oil assets from Cliff, Ray is defending J.R. to Clayton, Donna and whoever else will listen. How can you not love a “Dallas” episode that offers surprises like these?

Of course, even though the characters act unexpectedly in “The Brothers Ewing,” they’re not necessarily acting out of character. Take Bobby, for example. His devotion to his family is one of his primary motivations, and he’s usually able to take the high road to achieve his aims. But when virtue isn’t an option, Bobby is more than willing to break the rules. We saw this when he illegally adopted Christopher to save his marriage to Pam, and we saw it again when he fought J.R. during the contest for Ewing Oil. Likewise, Ray’s actions in this episode aren’t all that unusual. This character has always been plagued by feelings of inadequacy, and so when he’s presented with an opportunity to fight alongside his half-brothers, he takes it without hesitation. For Ray, this is like getting to sit with the cool kids at lunch.

Seeing the Ewing brothers working together also is entertaining because, well, it makes these Texas billionaires seem a little more relatable, doesn’t it? Growing up, my older brother never missed an opportunity to make fun of me — but if I got picked on by another kid in the neighborhood, Rick would be the first one to come to my defense. This is common in a lot of families, which is why it’s nice to be reminded that the Ewing boys always have each other’s backs, whether it’s J.R. threatening one of Bobby’s enemies in “Fallen Idol” or Ray sticking up for J.R. in “The Brothers Ewing.” For me — and, I suspect, a lot of “Dallas” fans — scenes like these feel comfortably familiar.

Speaking of Clayton: As much as I enjoy seeing the Ewing brothers go all-for-one-and-one-for-all in this episode, I’m glad David Paulsen’s script keeps their new stepfather on the outside looking in. Howard Keel makes an effective foil in the last scene, when Clayton refuses to aid their scheme to hide Ewing Oil assets because he feels it’s morally wrong. I also like him in the first scene, when the brothers return from their visit to Cliff and admit they blew their opportunity to squash his lawsuit. Clayton tears into the boys, saying, “If you’re all going to get involved in a fight as serious as this one, then you’d better start doing your homework!” J.R. gets defensive (“Well, wonderful. That’s all we need. A lecture from Clayton Farlow”), but ask yourself: Would Jock Ewing have treated his sons any differently at this moment?

Overall, I must admit these episodes about Cliff and Jamie Ewing’s lawsuit are better than I remembered. The storyline feels like a calculated attempt to recapture the glory of J.R. and Bobby’s sixth-season contest by offering an inverse: Instead of the Ewings fighting each other, they’re fighting outsiders. The family versus Cliff and Jamie isn’t as compelling as J.R. and Bobby versus each other, but I can’t blame the show for trying. I especially like how this narrative manages to involve almost all the characters, just like the contest did. In “The Brothers Ewing,” for example, Ray’s decision to team with J.R. and Bobby creates a rift in his marriage to Donna, which feels like a more organic storyline for Steve Kanaly and Susan Howard than the amateur detective subplot they were saddled with the previous season.

Indeed, one of the other highlights in “The Brothers Ewing” is the scene where Donna tells Miss Ellie how horrified she is to see her husband align himself with J.R. Ellie responds that if the Ewings lose the lawsuit, she’ll be glad that Ray and Bobby are with her oldest son because “we’ll have to rely on them to keep him straight.” It’s a poignant line, but it also shows how Donna Reed’s Ellie can be every bit as wise as Barbara Bel Geddes’ version. The scene has the added benefit of reminding us how Patrick Duffy always elicits strong performances from his co-stars when he takes a turn in the “Dallas” director’s chair. Duffy’s clever touch can also be felt in J.R. and Bobby’s scene on the shadowy patio, where the brothers hatch their plot against Cliff. Duffy stages the exchange by putting one of the Southfork columns between him and Larry Hagman — a symbol of the narrowing divide between the brothers.

Like all “Dallas” episodes from this era, “The Brothers Ewing” also contains its share of tributes to the past, including Sue Ellen’s run-in with Cliff, where the ex-lovers make awkward small talk. When she turns down his invitation to lunch, he declares he’s not trying to seduce her. “That thought never even entered my mind,” she says, which is funny, because it’s the first thought that entered mine. Other scenes are amusingly outdated, including one where J.R. calls the modeling agency, hoping to learn Mandy’s whereabouts by pretending to be her brother “Marvin Winger” (caller ID would give him away today), as well as Bobby and Jenna’s lunch with Scott Demarest, who shows them splashy headlines about her trial in the Laredo newspapers. This shocks the couple, although in a pre-Facebook era, how would they have known how the out-of-town press was covering her case?

I also get a kick out of seeing John Ross playing with his toy space shuttle — would today’s kids even know what that is? — although nothing charms me quite like the scene where Pam points to a globe and shows Christopher where Mommy will be traveling soon. When Victoria Principal says, “That’s Hong Kong,” Eric Farlow repeats the line back to her. It feels utterly spontaneous, prompting Principal to laugh uproariously and pull Farlow close. Like a similar scene between Pam and Christopher in the seventh-season cliffhanger “End Game,” this one demonstrates again that little Eric Farlow is more absorbed in his role than some of the grown-ups on this show. Can someone remind me again why they replaced this kid?

Grade: A

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Boy meets world

‘THE BROTHERS EWING’

Season 8, Episode 20

Airdate: February 15, 1985

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

Writer: David Paulsen

Director: Patrick Duffy

Synopsis: Clayton turns down his stepsons when they ask him to help them shield Ewing Oil assets from Cliff. Donna balks at Ray’s involvement with the fight for the company. Jamie has second thoughts about the lawsuit. Sue Ellen agrees to accompany Pam to Hong Kong to search for Mark. J.R. asks Mandy to give him another chance.

Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), John Carter (Carl Hardesty), Pat Colbért (Dora Mae), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Stephen Elliott (Scotty Demarest), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Eddie Firestone (Alf Brindle), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Fredric Lehne (Eddie Cronin), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Kathleen York (Betty)

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

Exit the hero

“Swan Song” is a masterpiece. This is the best “Dallas” episode ever made because it dares to set aside so many of the show’s conventions — wheeling, dealing, double-crossing — to focus on what matters most: the characters and their relationships. Mostly, “Swan Song” tells the story of Bobby and Pam’s long-awaited reunion, which is cut short when he sacrifices his life to save hers. It’s pure soap opera, yet the performances from Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal and the other actors are so heartfelt, every emotion rings true. Even though it’s 30 years later, and even though Bobby’s death later turned out to be a dream, “Swan Song” still moves me.

Like “A House Divided,” the 1980 segment that kicked off the “Who Shot J.R.?” phenomenon, “Swan Song” deserves to be remembered as a watershed moment for “Dallas.” Not only was this supposed to be Duffy’s final appearance as Bobby, it also was intended as the last hurrah for producer Leonard Katzman, who wrote and directed the episode before departing to run his own show on another network. Both men eventually returned to Southfork, which would have been unthinkable when the cameras were rolling on this episode in March 1985. (I examine the backstage drama in a companion post, “‘Swan Song: Making a ‘Dallas’ Classic.”) Watching it today, you get the impression everyone involved wanted to send Duffy and Katzman off on a high note. Did they ever.

More than anything, “Swan Song” is remembered for two scenes: Bobby pushing Pam out of the path of the speeding car and his deathbed farewell to his family. Neither sequence would pack as much punch if weren’t for two earlier, quieter moments. First, Pam summons Bobby to her home to discuss their future. The couple has been divorced for years, and now he’s engaged to Jenna Wade, one of the show’s other long-suffering heroines. Bobby tells Pam he still loves her, but she says it will destroy Jenna if he doesn’t go through with the wedding. “As much as I love you, you have to marry her,” Pam says. It’s a line straight out of a Douglas Sirk movie, but it’s crucial to our understanding of Principal’s character — and Duffy’s, for that matter. Bobby and Pam have always been willing to sacrifice their own happiness to spare the feelings of others. That’s what makes them perfect for each other.

Later, Bobby returns to Pam’s home and tells her he’s decided it would be wrong to marry one woman when he’s in love with another. This is something the audience has known for a long time, but “Dallas” fans are always one step ahead of the characters in matters of the heart. Finally, Bobby asks the question Pam — and the audience — has longed to hear: “Will you … marry me … again?” Duffy delivers the line with a sweet, almost nervous enthusiasm, while Principal responds by simultaneously bursting into tears and laughter. The characters kiss, and she elegantly reaches behind her head to turn off the lamp. It’s “Swan Song’s” most romantic moment — until Katzman kills the mood by cutting to the scene outside, where the mysterious driver who’s been following Bobby silently pounds her fists onto the steering wheel.

End of the road

Scream queen

“Swan Song’s” climactic action sequence begins the morning after Bobby’s proposal. A landscaper arrives at Pam’s house and parks his vehicle next to Bobby’s (this will be important later), while inside, the happy couple are beginning to plan their future together. After carrying little Christopher downstairs to breakfast — eggs and toast, not that you need to be reminded — Pam walks Bobby outside. She tells him how bad she feels for Jenna. He reassures her they’re doing the right thing, kisses her goodbye and walks to his car. In the distance, the stalker starts her ignition. Through her windshield we see Pam run over to give Bobby one more kiss, and then the stalker’s car begins moving. The motion slows, our hearts race. Bobby spots the speeding car and shouts Pam’s name. As she turns, he pushes her out of the way, allowing the vehicle to strike him. He rolls over the hood, the roof, the trunk. When he finally hits pavement, we hear the thud.

What happens next is seared into the memories of “Dallas” fans. Pam — dressed in that beautiful white sweater and pants — crawls to Bobby, turns him over and rests his bloodied head on her lap. It’s not unlike Jackie Kennedy cradling her husband in the moments after his assassination. Our point of view switches to the stalker’s car, which has slammed into the landscaper’s truck. He rushes over, reaches inside and pulls off the woman’s blonde wig, which turns her head toward the camera. Katherine Wentworth’s eyes — lifeless, yet still crazed — stare back at us. We then return to Bobby and Pam, who emits a guttural scream. In my behind-the-scenes post, Duffy says the sound she produced made his ears ring. I believe it. Principal has ceased being an actress at this moment. She is Pam Ewing, clutching the hand of the man she loves as he lay dying.

‘It’s Bobby’

Last call

If “Swan Song” had ended here, we’d still remember it as a great hour of television. But “Dallas” doesn’t let us off the hook that easily. The episode now shows us the characters finding out what’s happened to Bobby. Cliff is standing in his living room, arguing with his new wife Jamie and her brother Jack, when a radio bulletin announces the “bizarre turn of events” that’s caused Bobby to be rushed to the hospital. (This is the same radio voice that announced Bobby’s shooting at the beginning of this season, by the way.) When the newsman says the incident occurred at the home of “Mr. Ewing’s ex-wife,” Ken Kercheval closes his eyes and winces. The announcer may be puzzled by what’s happened, but Cliff knows.

Across town, J.R. is awakening in the home of his mistress, Mandy Winger. He’s decided to spend the day with her, so he calls Ewing Oil to let the secretaries know he won’t be coming into work. At the office, Phyllis is hunched over her desk, sobbing. Sly answers the phone and tells J.R. that everyone has been trying to reach him. He asks why she’s upset, but we don’t get to hear Deborah Rennard’s character break the news. Instead, Katzman holds the camera on Larry Hagman as J.R.’s face falls. In the background, we hear a few solemn notes of the “Dallas” theme. “It’s Bobby,” J.R. says as he puts down the phone, grabs his hat and rushes out the door.

This is one of the most powerful moments in the episode. Much credit goes to Hagman, whose reaction is flawless, and composer Lance Rubin, who was smart enough to use the theme music to signal the gravity of the situation. But don’t overlook Deborah Tranelli, the actress who plays Phyllis. More than anyone else in this episode, she serves as a stand-in for the audience. Bobby was Phyllis’s boss, but she also knew him the way we do — as a friend. Phyllis’s tears are ours. Without saying a word, Tranelli delivers one of “Swan Song’s” most haunting performances.

Death is but a dream

Sob brother

The deathbed farewell is a familiar trope in drama, but the “Dallas” cast infuses Bobby’s goodbye with heart and grace. This was a company of actors who cared about each other and their work, and in this scene, it shows. Steve Kanaly’s sobbing is touching, and so is the single tear that streams down Hagman’s face. This also is one of Donna Reed’s best performances as Miss Ellie. Yes, Bobby’s death would have been even more memorable if it had featured Barbara Bel Geddes, but Reed looks believably stricken. Of course, nothing gets me like the moment Bobby’s monitor flat lines, jolting Pam. I don’t know if Principal did this instinctively or if she was following Katzman’s direction, but seeing Pam almost jump out of her skin makes the shock of Bobby’s death palpable. I also love what Principal does next, throwing back her head in quiet agony. It’s an exquisite performance.

Perhaps no one rises to the occasion, though, quite like Duffy. It would have been easy to overplay a scene like this, as we’ve all seen actors in other movies and TV shows do. But Duffy strikes every note perfectly, from his groggy greeting upon waking up (“Hey, Ray”) to the break in voice when he addresses Ellie (“Oh, Mama, I’m sorry”). Duffy brings to bear all the years he spent creating this character; if Bobby’s death feels like the loss of a real person, it’s because of the actor playing him. It’s also worth noting how smartly Katzman wrote this scene. He injects a little mystery into the exchange by having Bobby declare, “All that wasted time. We should have been married.” Is he speaking to Pam or Jenna? It seems clear now, but I can remember debating this with my mom in 1985. On the other hand, when Bobby says, “Be good to each other. Be a family,” do we have any doubt which Ewing that line is directed toward?

Never the same

Bye, Bob

There’s much more to love about “Swan Song.” This episode also gives us one of the great bedroom fights between J.R. and Sue Ellen (“Joan of Arc would have been a drunk if she had been married to you”); another touching moment from Kanaly when Ray pleads with his estranged wife Donna to come back to him; and Lucy’s sentimental farewell to the Ewings after remarrying Mitch. “I’m going to miss you all. I’ll never be the same again,” she says. I have no doubt the line describes Charlene Tilton’s own sentiments as much as it does her character’s. (Although this was Tilton’s swan song too, she eventually returned, like Duffy and Katzman.)

And yet “Swan Song” isn’t flawless, is it? During the proposal scene, the shadows on Duffy’s face are distracting, Katherine’s wig and her tomato juice throwing scene are undeniably campy, and there’s at least one glaring continuity error: On the morning of the accident, we see Bobby putting on brown boots — but when he’s run over in the driveway a few minutes later, he’s wearing black shoes. The show also gives away quite a bit of the plot in the pre-credits roll, although I suppose that doesn’t matter now that we know how the story ends. Some fans also gripe that “Dallas” was foolish to kill off Bobby in the first place since Duffy ended up returning, but I admire the boldness of his death. Killing major characters is common on television today, but it didn’t happen so much in the 1980s. And let’s face it: “Dallas” handles Bobby’s demise much better than it did Jock’s, which dragged on far too long.

Does it matter that the most memorable parts of “Swan Song” later turned out to be one character’s dream? Not really. Yes, Bobby’s death has gone down in television history with an asterisk next to it, but that doesn’t diminish the quality of the production and the amount of heart that went into honoring the character by giving him a meaningful sendoff. It brings to mind something I learned reading comic books as a kid: So what if this is an imaginary story. Aren’t they all?

Grade: A+

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Death becomes her

‘SWAN SONG’

Season 8, Episode 30

Airdate: May 17, 1985

Audience: 23.3 million homes, ranking 1st in the weekly ratings

Writer and Director: Leonard Katzman

Synopsis: Sue Ellen asks Dusty to help her get sober. Donna tells Ray she’s pregnant. Cliff contemplates ending his marriage to Jamie. Lucy and Mitch are remarried. Bobby proposes to Pam and she accepts, but a vengeful Katherine mows him down in the driveway. At the hospital, Bobby bids farewell to his family before dying.

Cast: Mary Armstrong (Louise), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Roseanna Christensen (Teresa), Pat Colbert (Dora Mae), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Walker Edmiston (Parson Carson), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Barnes), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jared Martin (Dusty Farlow), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Leigh McCloskey (Dr. Mitch Cooper), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Donna Reed (Miss Ellie Farlow), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), David White (Mark)

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

“Dallas’s” eighth season had its share of ups and downs. Here are the highs and lows.

Performances

Principal player

Victoria Principal does her best work during “Dallas’s” eighth season, a.k.a. The Year Pam Gets Her Groove Back. The actress displays her old fire during Pam’s clashes with J.R., but nothing beats her performance during Bobby’s season-ending death. Principal took heat for campaigning for an Emmy after that episode, which seems unfair in retrospect. I bet most folks can’t remember a thing about the actresses who were nominated, but no one will ever forget Pam crawling to Bobby in the driveway.

Episodes

You don’t need me to explain again why “Swan Song” is the best “Dallas” episode ever made, do you? There are several choices for worst episode, unfortunately, but I’ll go with “Trial and Error,” the nadir of the dreary Jenna-on-trial saga.

Scenes

Bye bye, Bobby

Bobby’s deathbed farewell in “Swan Song” is the best, of course, followed closely by the moment he pushes Pam out of the path of Katherine’s speeding car and his sweet, touching proposal to Pam earlier in the episode. Other runners-up: Sue Ellen visiting John Ross in the hospital, Pam confronting J.R. over his scheme to send her around the world searching for Mark, and Afton’s big goodbye. One scene I could do without: J.R. making fun of Jamie’s appearance. Now that’s just mean.

Storylines

I appreciate what “Dallas” tries to achieve with the legal battle over Ewing Oil, which offers an inverse of J.R. and Bobby’s sixth-season contest for control of the company. Instead of the family fighting each other, the Ewings band together to defeat Cliff Barnes. Too bad this requires rewriting “Dallas” history by inventing a dead brother for Jock and a long-lost cousin for J.R. and Bobby. I ended up preferring Clayton’s difficulty adjusting to life at Southfork, a relatively minor subplot that’s poignant nonetheless, thanks to the reliable Howard Keel. I also like Lucy’s waitressing storyline, which allows Charlene Tilton’s character to finally grow up.

My choice for worst storyline? That’s easy: Jenna’s season-long odyssey from bride-to-be to kidnapping victim to murder trial defendant to jailbird to biggest loser in the Bobby Ewing love sweepstakes. Talk about a bad dream.

Supporting Players

Other mother

This category is usually reserved for actors who don’t appear in the opening credits, but I’m going to make an exception and honor Donna Reed. She’s sometimes stiff as Miss Ellie, but she also possesses grace and warmth, and she has a nice rapport with Keel. Above all, I give Reed credit for having the courage to replace Barbara Bel Geddes — an impossible task — and for being smart enough to not imitate her predecessor. Runner-up: Stephen Elliott as southern fried lawyer Scotty Demarest.

Behind the Scenes

Patrick Duffy isn’t just one of “Dallas’s” best actors — he’s also one of the show’s best directors. Duffy helmed three episodes this season, bringing an inventive touch to each production. My favorite: “The Brothers Ewing,” a dark, ominous hour that finds J.R., Bobby and Ray scheming to hide Ewing Oil assets from Cliff. When I interviewed Duffy earlier this year, he downplayed his storytelling skills, citing as an example “War of the Ewings,” the 1998 reunion movie he produced with Larry Hagman. Duffy is too modest. He’s a creative force in his own right, as his behind-the-scenes work this season demonstrates.

Costumes

Pillow talk

Season 8 brings us “Dallas’s” most famous costume designer: Travilla, who immediately cranks up the glam factor. His looks are often classy, such as the timeless white gown Priscilla Beaulieu Presley sports in “Deliverance” and “Swan Song.” Other Travilla creations are woefully wrong. Example: Linda Gray’s feathery “Deliverance” / “Swan Song” number. Yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also damn distracting. Instead of focusing on Sue Ellen’s meltdown, I keep wondering: How many pillows died to create this dress?

Quips

As much as I love Lucy’s memorable description of rival waitress Betty (“All she can do is sling hash and make love!”) and Sue Ellen’s famous defense of her drinking habits (“Joan or Arc would have been a drunk if she had been married to you”), this category will always belong to J.R. This season, he expressed his concern for an ex-sister-in-law (“I don’t give a damn about Pam”) and offered a helping hand to soaked strumpet Marilee (“You all right honey? Did it go up your nose?”), although my favorite line comes when Pam confronts J.R. over his wild-goose-chase scheme and he plays dumb: “I never liked you a hell of a lot, you know that, Pam? But I never thought you were stupid until now.”

The audience knows it’s an outright lie, but Hagman delivers it with such conviction, we almost believe him. That’s his genius, isn’t it?

What do you love and loathe about “Dallas’s” eighth season? Share your comments below and read more “Best & Worst” reviews.

Dream on

Dallas Decoder will soon begin critiquing the original show’s ninth season, which aired from 1985 to 1986. Here are 19 reasons to love it.

True blue

19. Mama returns. We never needed her more.

Mourning in America

18. J.R. says goodbye. Does anyone do the single tear thing better than Larry Hagman?

Blitzed

17. Sue Ellen relapses. Linda Gray’s tour de force.

Blonde

16. Sue Ellen recovers. The most satisfying storyline in “Dallas” history?

Welcome to the jungle

15. La Bamba shows up. Arriba y arriba!

Genesis of the matter

14. And so does Dr. Carol Marcus. Can she analyze or can’t she?

Coconuts

13. The Professor’s here too. But where was he when Julie Grey needed him?

The widow Ewing

12. Pam’s speech. Chills!

Wake up, darlin’

11. Sue Ellen’s nightmare. A dream-within-a-dream. Meta!

Post-Bobby Stress Syndrome

10. Jenna’s flashback. Hyper-meta!

Ewing genes

9. Dack’s rambo. Talk about an Alaskan pipeline.

Super bowl

8. Mandy’s flush. Oh, honey. That’s not how you clean jewelry.

Bag it, J.R.

7. “Phyllis, I’d like a cup of tea — a cup of herbal tea.” But hold the eggs and toast, please.

Dorothy and friends

6. South America. Pam, Cliff, Mark and Matt search for emeralds. It’s “Dallas’s” version of “The Wizard Oz.”

Direct hit

5. “Just Desserts.” Victory!

“L” word

4. This hat. Even Katherine wouldn’t dare.

Cock of the walk

3. This mask. Who feathered J.R.?

Next: The world!

2. Total control of Ewing Oil. Who has the heart to tell him it’s just a dream?

Rub-a-dub-dub

1. Bobby’s back! His chest and arms too!

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

Good grief

“The Family Ewing,” the first episode of “Dallas’s” ninth season, chronicles the immediate aftermath of Bobby’s death. Miss Ellie, sad but sturdy, tries to plan the funeral while holding her family together — a task complicated by J.R.’s anger, Sue Ellen’s drinking and lingering questions about why Bobby and Pam were together when he was killed. The pace is slower than usual, but this is one of the episode’s strengths. The show is giving the audience time to let the loss of Bobby sink in, allowing us to grieve alongside the characters. It’s another example of how “Dallas” makes us feel part of the world it creates.

Like “Swan Song,” the episode that kills off Patrick Duffy’s character, “The Family Ewing” offers a collection of scenes that became classics: John Ross comforting J.R. on the night Bobby dies; Pam trying to explain to Christopher why he’ll never see his daddy again; Ellie staking out Bobby’s burial plot near the tree house that Jock built him when he was a boy; the funeral itself, which culminates with J.R. gazing at Bobby’s casket, shedding a single tear and lamenting that he never told his brother how much he loved him. These moments were later wiped away by Pam’s dream, but that doesn’t make them any less moving now than when this episode debuted 30 years ago.

“The Family Ewing” isn’t altogether sentimental, of course. The first act gives us J.R.’s devastating takedown of Sue Ellen when she comes home, blissfully unaware that there’s been a death in the family. “You’re never around when anybody needs you. … All you ever think about is yourself,” he says. J.R. lashes out again when he runs into Ray and Gary, who has arrived from “Knots Landing” to attend the funeral. “I had one brother, and he’s dead. Nobody can ever replace him — least of all you two,” J.R. says. Both scenes are the “Dallas” equivalent of highway rubbernecking: We know Sue Ellen, Ray and Gary are all in for it, yet we dare not look away.

Significant Mother

Splendor in the grass

J.R.’s dark turn in this episode recalls the character’s earliest days, before he became a twinkly-eyed villain. Larry Hagman is unnervingly good, although my favorite performance here belongs to Barbara Bel Geddes, who returns to “Dallas” after a yearlong absence and reminds us all how much she’s been missed. Bel Geddes is so natural, I forget I’m watching an actress playing a role. Watch the scene where Clayton speaks to Ellie at the tree house. She talks fondly about raising Bobby, offering a soft chuckle when she remembers how he and Gary used to spend “hours and hours” in the tree house “doing I don’t know what.” (Hearing that line, it isn’t hard to imagine the Ewing brothers as kids, is it?) Moments later, after Clayton has mounted his horse to ride home, Ellie stands in the grass and begins to sob. You can feel her pain.

Ellie’s resiliency is equally touching. Consider the scene where she comes out of her bedroom and encounters Sue Ellen, who expresses her guilt about missing Bobby’s farewell. Ellie urges her daughter-in-law to deal with her drinking problem, which prompts Sue Ellen to insist she isn’t an alcoholic. This is when Bel Geddes puts her hands on Linda Gray’s shoulders, looks into her eyes and says, “Oh, Sue Ellen. Yes, you are.” Can you imagine Donna Reed delivering this line? As much as I appreciated Reed’s work on “Dallas” during the previous season, it’s thrilling to see Bel Geddes reclaim her role with such a stirring performance. When Mama takes the stick and jams it into the spot where she wants Bobby buried, it might as well be Bel Geddes marking her territory and reminding the world that “Dallas” is her show as much as anyone’s.

Exit Camelot

Widow theory

“The Family Ewing” isn’t without its share of curiosities. Was there no better way to end Dusty and Sue Ellen’s bar confrontation than by having him punch her in the face? And how does a single strike to the chin manage to render her unconscious? Also, when Gary calls Southfork, are you surprised that he doesn’t recognize Clayton’s voice? I always figured “Dallas” wanted us to believe Gary spoke to his family regularly, even if we didn’t see the conversations on screen. I guess that’s not the case. (Ted Shackelford’s character isn’t altogether out of the loop, though: He seems to know who Katherine Wentworth is, wondering how the fugitive villainess got to Dallas.) I also find it amusing that when the Ewings return home from the hospital at the beginning of the episode, the producers don’t even bother to put Ellie in a dress similar to the one Reed wore in her final scene in “Swan Song.” Even the colors are different.

This is the only choice by costume designer Travilla that deserves to be second-guessed, however. All the other outfits in this episode hit the mark — especially at the funeral, where Sue Ellen is dressed in a dark Valentino blouse and skirt (she’ll ruin both when she goes on a bender in the next episode) and Pam wears a black pillbox hat. I’ve always believed the latter was a conscious attempt to draw a parallel between Pam and Jackie Kennedy, a real-life heroine who cradled a dying husband in her arms. The comparison might raise eyebrows now, but when I think back to watching this episode as a kid, it really did feel like another Camelot had ended.

Grade: A+

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Mourning son

‘THE FAMILY EWING’

Season 9, Episode 1

Airdate: September 27, 1985

Audience: 20.5 million homes, ranking 7th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Leonard Katzman

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: The Ewings bury Bobby. Dusty tries to help Sue Ellen, whose drinking problem worsens. Ray and Donna reconcile. Pam doesn’t tell Miss Ellie that she and Bobby were planning to get together before he was killed.

Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Dolores Cantu (Doris), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jared Martin (Dusty Farlow), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Ted Shackelford (Gary Ewing), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), John Zaremba (Dr. Harlan Danvers)

“The Family Ewing” is available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Feel his pain

In “The Family Ewing,” “Dallas’s” ninth-season opener, J.R. (Larry Hagman) is drinking in the Southfork living room when Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) enters the foyer and runs into Clayton (Howard Keel).

SUE ELLEN: Hello, Clayton. It’s a lovely evening, isn’t it?

CLAYTON: What?

SUE ELLEN: Oh, I had the best day.

J.R.: Oh, you had the best day, did you?

SUE ELLEN: [Sighs, enters the living room] Yes. Is there something wrong with that?

CLAYTON: Sue Ellen, don’t.

SUE ELLEN: Don’t what? What’s the matter? [Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) comes downstairs and stands in the foyer.] Something is wrong. What is it?

J.R.: My brother’s dead. Bobby’s dead.

SUE ELLEN: [Turns to Clayton, who nods] Oh, my God. No.

J.R.: Where were you, Sue Ellen, when we were all at the hospital?

CLAYTON: J.R., don’t.

J.R.: When Bobby was saying goodbye to us, when we needed you the most, where the hell were you?

SUE ELLEN: [Crying] I didn’t know.

J.R.: Of course you didn’t know. [Circles her] How could you have known? You were too busy rolling around in bed with that saddle tramp. Or maybe it was just getting stinking drunk at some motel.

CLAYTON: J.R., stop it.

J.R.: You’re never around when anybody needs you. John Ross almost died. Bobby did die. All you ever think about is yourself.

SUE ELLEN: That’s not true.

J.R.: Get out of here, Sue Ellen. Go back to your cowboy. Go back to your bottle. Go anywhere you want. Just get out of my sight!

Sue Ellen, sobbing, turns and runs upstairs.

ELLIE: J.R., what happened to Bobby wasn’t her fault.

J.R.: She was never a Ewing. She never was and she sure as hell never will be.

Watch this scene in “The Family Ewing,” available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes, and share your comments below.

Looking glass

“Resurrection” brings Mark Graison back from the dead and Sue Ellen Ewing back from the brink. His revival is the more surprising of the two, although hers is more satisfying. In the episode before this one, Sue Ellen went through a harrowing detoxification after her drinking landed her on skid row. The audience never doubts she’ll get sober eventually — by now, Sue Ellen’s pattern of relapse and recovery is well established — so the question becomes whether she’ll learn anything from this latest fall off the wagon. “Resurrection” demonstrates Sue Ellen is capable of growth, although we also see how hard it is for her to break her old habits.

The hour begins with Sue Ellen in a familiar setting: The Ewings have once again committed her to a sanitarium, where they hope she’ll get the help she needs to deal with her alcoholism. Sue Ellen tells her doctor she wants to recover at home, and when he says she can be released only with J.R.’s consent, she replies, “So I’m in jail — and he has the key.” Once again, Sue Ellen is casting herself as her husband’s victim. Her sense of helplessness continues in the next scene, when Dusty sneaks into her room after bribing an orderly. She begs Dusty to take her away, and then weeps when he tells her that he only came to check on her.

But all is not lost. At the end of “Resurrection,” the smarmy orderly offers to sell Sue Ellen a bottle of vodka. “I don’t know if it’s your brand, but that doesn’t always matter, does it?” he sneers. We’ve been down this path before — during Sue Ellen’s second-season sanitarium stay, villainous Nurse Hatton used mouthwash bottles to smuggle booze to Sue Ellen — and for a moment, it looks like history is going to repeat itself. With the vodka bottle in the foreground, director Michael Preece holds the camera on Linda Gray’s face, where we watch Sue Ellen’s struggle play out for several agonizing seconds. Finally, she runs across the room, grabs the call button and pushes it. “Get out!” she shouts.

This is a triumphant moment, even after Sue Ellen collapses against the wall and cries. “I can do it. I know I can do it,” she says, then looks up and adds, “I just need help. Help me. Help me.” This might be the closest we ever get to a religious moment on “Dallas,” although that’s not why the scene touches me. Instead, I’m moved by Sue Ellen’s self-discovery: She’s realizing she has the capacity to change. It’s another spectacular performance from Gray, who has been handed the best material she’s received yet on “Dallas” and is making the most of it.

Mark’s return at the end of “Resurrection” doesn’t pack the same emotional punch — how could it? — but it’s nicely done nonetheless. Throughout the episode, Pam feels increasingly pressured as she weighs competing offers from J.R. and Jeremy Wendell to buy Christopher’s share of Ewing Oil. Pam also is being followed by a shady private-eye type who reports to an unseen figure in the back of a limousine. It’s hinted the private eye could work for either J.R. or Jeremy, but in the final scene, we learn the truth. The limo arrives at Pam’s house while she’s in the backyard, arguing on the phone with the chairman of Wentworth Industries. Frazzled, she slams down the receiver, breaks into tears and turns to leave — when she runs into Mark. Victoria Principal looks appropriately stunned and collapses into the arms of John Beck, making his first “Dallas” appearance in more than a year. (Just think: This is only the first of two “dead” lovers who’ll show up at Pam’s house before the season is over.)

Other “Resurrection” highlights include Barbara Bel Geddes, who continues to remind the audience how much she was missed during the preceding year, when Donna Reed was playing Mama. Bel Geddes exudes quiet authority each time she appears in this episode, whether Miss Ellie is entertaining Wendell’s offer to buy Ewing Oil over lunch at Les Saisons (a real Dallas restaurant that closed in 2001) or shocking J.R. by revealing that she’s actually thinking of selling. I also appreciate Dack Rambo, who continues to make Jack an interesting character: When he’s not counseling Charlie on her middle-school crushes, he’s assuring both J.R. and Cliff that he’ll side with them in the latest battle for Ewing Oil. There also are quite a few small touches that reflect this season’s renewed commitment to realism, including Ellie’s visit to a Southfork stable to check on an injured horse and Jenna helping Charlie with her Spanish homework at the kitchen table.

Mostly, though, I appreciate how “Resurrection” helps keep alive the spirit of Bobby, which feels somewhat surprising in retrospect. I might have expected the show to move on quickly after Patrick Duffy’s departure, but four episodes after Bobby’s demise in “Swan Song,” his presence is still felt. In another great performance from Bel Geddes, Ellie visits Bobby’s grave and shares her struggle to hold the family together (echoes of Bobby’s memorable visit to Mama’s grave during the first season of TNT’s “Dallas”), while Larry Hagman and Principal have a poignant exchange in which their characters interrupt their bickering to confide how much they each miss Bobby. After all these years, J.R. and Pam finally have something in common.

“Resurrection” even shows Duffy: When Pam goes back to work at Barnes-Wentworth for the first time since the funeral, she takes a framed picture of Bobby off her desk and puts it in a drawer, only to remove it moments later. This episode’s best nod to Bobby, though, is also the slyest: When Jack is shown shopping for a new car in a luxury auto dealer’s showroom, he briefly inspects a red Mercedes convertible before moving on to a Lamborghini, and then a Porsche. Was this a subtle acknowledgment from the producers that — for all Jack’s strengths — he’s no Bobby Ewing?

Grade: A

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Walking dead

‘RESURRECTION’

Season 9, Episode 4

Airdate: October 11, 1985

Audience: 18.7 million homes, ranking 6th in the weekly ratings

Writers: Hollace White and Stephanie Garman

Director: Michael Preece

Synopsis: Jeremy offers to buy Miss Ellie’s share of Ewing Oil, while Jack promises to back both J.R. and Cliff in the takeover fight. Sue Ellen rejects a sanitarium orderly’s offer to sneak her a drink. Pam is stunned when Mark returns.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Bever-Leigh Banfield (Nurse Curtis), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Alan Fudge (Dr. Lantry), Tony Garcia (Raoul), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Laurence Haddon (Franklin Horner), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jared Martin (Dusty Farlow), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Rex Ryon (Orderly), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell), Woody Watson (Detective)

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

Swoon song

No one will ever accuse Mark Graison of being an interesting character, but you can’t deny the man knows how to make a comeback. In “Saving Grace,” Mark re-enters Pam’s life and reveals he faked his death a year earlier to focus on finding a cure for his fatal disease. Yes, the explanation is absurd, but it’s not like we haven’t been through this kind of thing before (Dusty Farlow), and it’s not like we won’t go through it again (Bobby Ewing). Mark’s resurrection might be “Dallas’s” best return from the grave, though — or at least the one that does the least damage to the show’s credibility.

Much credit goes to the actors who must carry this storyline, beginning with John Beck. Some “Dallas” fans will never forgive Mark for pursuing Pam while she was still married to Bobby, but Beck’s confident charm is put to good use here. It helps him sell all the outlandish dialogue he has to deliver about secretive death-staging and international cure-seeking. Victoria Principal also hits the right notes, especially when Pam faints in Mark’s arms, then awakens and simultaneously bursts into tears and laughter. Principal also gets to utter a line that is wonderfully hilarious, but only in retrospect: “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”

I also appreciate how “Saving Grace” doesn’t shortchange Mark’s return. “Dallas” dispenses with Dusty and Bobby’s revivals with just a few lines, but this episode has several lengthy scenes where Mark explains the reason for faking his death (he didn’t want Pam to watch him die slowly), the state of his disease (in remission, not cured), and why he’s re-entering Pam’s life (because now that Bobby’s dead, she needs him). We also get to see other characters react to Mark’s return: J.R. is rattled but refuses to show it, while Cliff is speechless. (Ken Kercheval’s double-take is priceless in the fun scene where Mark surprises Cliff in the kitchen.) By the end of the hour, though, everyone has recovered from the shock: Pam and Mark are back together, and he’s vowing to put Ewing Oil out of business after hearing about J.R.’s scheme to send Pam on a wild goose chase for him during the previous season.

Indeed, “Saving Grace” marks the moment “Dallas” begins getting back to business as usual after Bobby’s death. J.R. is once again battling Jeremy Wendell, pursuing Mandy Winger and neglecting the needs of Sue Ellen, including hanging up on her therapist when he calls to suggest J.R. attend marriage counseling. (The hang-up occurs off-camera, unfortunately). These scenes are balanced with a series of exchanges that highlight the show’s renewed sense of warmth: Donna and Jenna go shopping for baby clothes, Ray playfully asks his wife if she’d like to “mess around,” Jack sweetly urges Jamie not to worry about him after someone breaks into his apartment and noses around.

Miss Ellie also shows a little love, of the tough variety, when she tells Dusty to steer clear of Sue Ellen while she’s trying to get sober. This is a good scene because it brings together two characters who don’t usually interact and reminds us that Ellie has a fifth “son”: Dusty, which is a relationship I tend to forget about. The dialogue is smart too, especially when Dusty says the idea of staying away from Sue Ellen “isn’t that simple” and Mama smiles and responds, “Let me simplify it for you.” I also like how director Nick Havinga stages the scene in a corner of the Southfork lawn, with the actors in the foreground and the house looming behind them. It makes me wish more scenes had been filmed at this angle.

Ellie is planting a tree when the scene begins, which marks the third or fourth time we’ve seen her gardening since Barbara Bel Geddes resumed her famous role a few episodes ago. Q-Less, a Dallas Decoder reader, recently pointed out the frequency of these planting scenes at the beginning of the ninth season, suggesting it symbolized how Bel Geddes was keeping the show grounded. I couldn’t agree more. Every time we see Ellie puttering around her garden, it’s as if “Dallas” is getting back to its roots. Keep digging, Mama.

Grade: B

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Blood and soil

‘SAVING GRACE’

Season 9, Episode 5

Airdate: October 18, 1985

Audience: 19.2 million homes, ranking 9th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Joel J. Feigenbaum

Director: Nick Havinga

Synopsis: Mark tells Pam he faked his death to find a cure for his disease, which is now in remission. Jack resists Cliff’s pressure to sell to Wendell. Clayton orders J.R. to stop pressuring Miss Ellie, who tells Dusty to give Sue Ellen room to recover.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Burke Byrnes (Pete Adams), Alan Fudge (Dr. Lantry), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jared Martin (Dusty Farlow), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Carol Sanchez (Angela), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger)

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

Lives of mothers

“Mothers” brings back Patricia Shepard, who visits Southfork and is stunned to discover her daughter Sue Ellen is being treated for alcoholism. Patricia’s arrival allows “Dallas” to delve into Sue Ellen’s past, drawing a connection between her troubled childhood and the addiction that now overwhelms her. The episode also examines the prickly relationship between Miss Ellie and Patricia, two women who are united by the marriage of their children but who otherwise have very little in common. It all adds up to another hour that allows the women of Southfork to step into the spotlight. Just think: It took only nine seasons for them to get there.

This is an episode with many interesting moments, beginning with Sue Ellen’s visit to Dr. Gibson, a therapist at the sanitarium where she’s receiving treatment. Linda Gray’s dialogue reveals new information about her character — we learn Sue Ellen’s father was an alcoholic too — epitomizing new producer Peter Dunne’s determination to dig deeper into familiar figures like Sue Ellen Ewing. The Gibson character also is put to good use. She’s full of insight, refusing to allow Sue Ellen to blame other people for her problems. “It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. What matters is where you go from here,” Gibson says. The good doctor is played by Bibi Besch, a wonderful character actress who makes everything she appears in better. What a shame this is Gibson’s only “Dallas” appearance while Dr. Ellby — Sue Ellen’s creepy, glass-eyed therapist during the early seasons — logged 19 (!) episodes.

The scenes involving Ellie and Patricia reveal a lot too. Here are two women who couldn’t be more different. Earthy Ellie allows her children to make their own decisions — sometimes to a fault. In this episode, she wisely tells Ray he must make up his own mind about whether or not to sell his shares of Ewing Oil to Jeremy Wendell, but she also says nothing when J.R. causes a scene at breakfast, complaining about how his family is selling him out to Wendell. Contrast this with that master meddler, the status-obsessed Patricia. She pries J.R. for information about his marital life — even getting him to admit he’s had affairs (notably, she gives him a pass for this) — and later visits Sue Ellen and vows to “straighten out” her daughter’s marriage. When Sue Ellen points out that she’s always run third to J.R.’s work and his mistresses, Patricia snaps, “I didn’t raise my daughters to run third. I raised winners.” This lady is like Jock Ewing in a skirt, is she not?

Patricia and Ellie’s direct interaction tells us a lot too. Note how warmly Ellie greets Patricia when she arrives at Southfork. Only after Patricia has exited the scene do we learn the truth: “That woman’s never been anything but trouble,” Ellie tells Clayton. Mama is nothing if not a gracious hostess. It’s also worth noting that Patricia acts like she has no idea her daughter has a drinking problem, even though the Shepard matriarch’s most recent visit to the ranch came during the third season, right after Sue Ellen’s previous sanitarium stay. Perhaps this is an oversight on behalf of Dunne and the rest of the writing team, but it seems just as likely Patricia is suffering a classic case of denial. Consider what happens at the end of “Mothers,” when Patricia lashes out at Ellie. While Mama is talking about how Sue Ellen needs to learn to deal with her problems on her own, Patricia is focused on fixing her daughter’s marriage. Patricia simply has her own set of priorities.

There’s a lot more to like about “Mothers,” including the opening scene, when J.R. urges the Oil Baron’s Ball organizers to honor Bobby with the Oilman of the Year Award, as well as the final shot, when Mama overhears J.R. lamenting how he failed to keep the family business together. This episode also plants the seeds for storylines that will take on greater significance later in the season: Clayton takes a call from an associate who reports bad business news, Mark hires his friend Dr. Jerry Kenderson to run his research clinic, and Jack is followed by someone who keeps snapping photos of him. Does the stalker work for J.R.? Jeremy? Someone else? We won’t find out for several episodes, and even though the resolution ends up being disappointing, you can’t deny the mystery gets off to an intriguing start.

Mostly, though, “Mothers” belongs to the women, especially Barbara Bel Geddes and Martha Scott. Both actresses are class acts, and it’s fun to watch them go toe to toe with performances that are nuanced, subtle and above all, believable. These are the kinds of mature roles we rarely see on television today. Make no mistake: If Ellie and Patricia were characters on a contemporary soap opera like “Empire” or “Scandal,” they’d probably be reduced to trading cheap quips and dirty looks. Then again, what are the chances either of those shows would give meaningful roles to a couple of veteran actresses like Barbara Bel Geddes and Martha Scott?

Grade: B

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Mama’s here

‘MOTHERS’

Season 9, Episode 6

Airdate: October 25, 1985

Audience: 19.5 million homes, ranking 8th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Hollace White and Stephanie Garman

Director: Michael Preece

Synopsis: Patricia Shepard, Sue Ellen’s mother, arrives and vows to repair her daughter’s marriage. Pam and Miss Ellie each decide to sell their shares of Ewing Oil to Wendell, but Ellie gets cold feet when she realizes it will devastate J.R. Mandy leaves town. Mark decides to fund a medical research institute and asks Jerry to run it.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Bibi Besch (Dr. Gibson), Donald Craig (Oil baron), Tony Garcia (Raoul), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing Barnes), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Barry Jenner (Dr. Jerry Kenderson), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Hal Landon (Oil baron), Jared Martin (Dusty Farlow), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Karen Radcliffe (Barbara), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Carol Sanchez (Angela), Martha Scott (Patricia Shepard), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell)

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

Keepers of the faith

Who doesn’t get chills at the end of “The Wind of Change”? Pam takes the podium at the Oil Baron’s Ball and delivers a stirring tribute to Bobby, then announces she’s decided to not sell Christopher’s share of Ewing Oil to Jeremy Wendell. As Pam exits the stage to applause, J.R. — who’s been desperately fighting Wendell’s takeover — rushes to his ex-sister-in-law’s side and praises her “wise and historic decision.” J.R. assumes Pam is going to sell the shares to him, but she quickly bursts his bubble. “I’m not selling at all,” she says. “From now on, it’s going to be you and me. I’ll see you at the office, partner.”

This is a great scene for a lot of reasons, beginning with the way it allows Pam to slide into Bobby’s old role as J.R.’s most effective antagonist. In one swoop, she manages to save J.R.’s bacon and ruin his day — just like Bobby used to do. The twist also carries more than a hint of destiny: Early plans for “Dallas” called for Bobby to be killed off at the end of the first season, leaving Pam as the spirited young widow, fighting for her place in the Ewing empire. Now Victoria Principal finally gets to play that character, except the conflict is far richer because the show has almost a decade’s worth of conflict between J.R. and Pam to draw upon.

Just as importantly, the Oil Baron’s Ball scene casts Pam in another role: as a kindred spirit to Miss Ellie. Earlier in “The Wind of Change,” Mama visits Pam and talks about how she used to dream of John Ross and Christopher growing up, side by side. “And then they’d finally start running the business together the way Jock used to — tough, honest,” Ellie says. “I had faith that they’d always do the right thing. I had faith.” It’s another nicely written monologue from Peter Dunne — delivered beautifully by Barbara Bel Geddes — and it lends extra poignancy to Pam’s big speech at the end of the episode. Her decision to hold onto the Ewing Oil shares doesn’t just mean Christopher will one day follow in Bobby’s footsteps; it also means Pam is poised to succeed Ellie as keeper of the Ewing faith.

‘I’m Pregnant Now!’

Into the fire

With its emphasis on family and legacy, “The Wind of Change” bears more than a passing resemblance to the third-season classic “Ellie Saves the Day,” another episode that found the Ewing empire on the brink of ending. Both episodes are filled with somber moments, although “The Wind of Change” takes the theme of dashed dreams one step further with a subplot about Ray and the pregnant Donna learning their child will be born with Down syndrome. The performances from Steve Kanaly and Susan Howard are believably anguished, especially in the scene where Ray suggests Donna abort the child. “You can get pregnant again,” he says. “I’m pregnant now!” she shouts. We’re used to the Krebbses keeping “Dallas” grounded, but never have their problems felt this real.

And yet “The Wind of Change” manages to be a fun episode too, doesn’t it? The scenes at the Oil Baron’s Ball are everything we’ve come to expect from these affairs. When J.R. isn’t smiling and pretending he’s not seething about Wendell’s takeover, he’s discreetly caressing mistress Mandy Winger’s arm — something his nosy mother-in-law, Patricia Shepard, doesn’t miss. The ball scenes also find mysterious newcomer Angelica Nero spying Jack across the crowded room (this is Barbara Carrera’s “Dallas” debut), Jamie tossing a cream pie in Cliff’s face and Sue Ellen’s triumphant return to the public eye after her latest sanitarium stay.

The latter scene is shot from Sue Ellen’s point of view, an example of the visual flair that was a hallmark of director Corey Allen, helming his first “Dallas” episode since the second season. In another “Wind of Change” scene, Allen shoots Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and Shalane McCall galloping across a Southfork field on horseback (shades of Jim Davis’s cattle drive scene in “Bypass,” Allen’s first “Dallas” episode), while a breakfast conversation between Ellie and Clayton is staged on the Southfork balcony, which offers such dramatic, sweeping views of the ranch, I’ll never understand why other directors didn’t use the setting more often. I also love the cross-cut editing between Ray and Donna’s argument over their child and Jack and Jenna’s conversation about what the Krebbses are enduring.

The other great artistic achievement in “The Wind of Change” belongs to costume designer Travilla, who outfitted the actresses in gowns that became iconic. The secrets behind the dresses are almost as interesting as what we saw on screen. According to a newspaper article quoted in Barbara Curran’s book, “Dallas: The Complete Story of the World’s Favorite Prime-Time Soap,” the beaded black gown worn by Bel Geddes weighed 20 pounds and cost $5,000, while Principal’s white dress weighed 30 pounds, making it hard for her to walk. As for Gray’s famous black dress? It was lined with plastic bags attached with safety pins.

Sue Ellen may be sober, but I guess she hasn’t completely left her bag lady days behind her. Who knew?

Grade: A+

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Dallas deflation

‘THE WIND OF CHANGE’

Season 9, Episode 7

Airdate: November 1, 1985

Audience: 20.2 million homes, ranking 7th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Peter Dunne

Director: Corey Allen

Synopsis: At the Oil Baron’s Ball, Bobby is named Oilman of the Year, prompting Pam to change her mind about selling Christopher’s share of Ewing Oil to Jeremy Wendell. Sue Ellen leaves the sanitarium and moves in with her mother, while Mandy returns to Dallas and resumes her relationship with J.R. Ray and Donna learn their child will be born with Down syndrome.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Barbara Carrera (Angelica Nero), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Tony Garcia (Raoul), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Frances Lee McCain (Dr. Amy Rose), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Greg Michaels (Private eye), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Martha Scott (Patricia Shepard), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Karen Radcliffe (Barbara), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Carol Sanchez (Angela), sDeborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell), Don Starr (Jordan Lee)

“The Wind of Change” is available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Speech, speech!

In “The Wind of Change,” a ninth-season “Dallas” episode, Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) calls Pam (Victoria Principal) to the stage at the Oil Baron’s Ball to accept Bobby’s posthumous Oilman of the Year Award.

PAM: There’s a lot of wisdom in what Miss Ellie has had to say here tonight. I guess that’s where Bobby got his from. It is only right that Bobby’s son should keep this award. It will forever remind him of his father’s achievements, his business expertise, his standing in the oil community. And that’s good, but maybe that’s not enough. Remembering his father’s achievement is one thing, but appreciating his heritage is quite another. And that is something that he must do. As most of you know, I had intended to sell Christopher’s share of Ewing Oil to Westar. But I’ve slowly come to realize that if I did that, I might not be doing what Bobby would have wanted. Bobby always said that Ewing Oil and the Ewing family were inseparable. Working with his family is my son’s birthright, and I don’t want to take away his chance to follow in his father’s footsteps: to honor him, by emulating him; to carry the torch, so to speak; to work beside you, as Bobby had. Therefore, with apologies to those who may not understand my change of heart, I cannot — I will not — sell Christopher’s share of Ewing Oil to Westar.

The audience applauds as Pam exits the stage and is approached by J.R. (Larry Hagman) and Mark (John Beck).

J.R.: [Beaming] Well, I’ve got to admit in front of God and everybody else that what you did tonight is going to be remembered as a wise and historic decision.

PAM: Well, I’m surprised to hear you say that, but I’m happy to hear you say it.

J.R.: [Chuckles] Well, not as happy as I am, honey. I’ll tell you what: I’ll get our lawyers together and we’ll just close this little deal.

PAM: What deal?

J.R.: For Christopher’s share.

PAM: J.R., when I said that I wasn’t selling to Wendell, I didn’t mean that I was selling to you.

J.R. [Confused] What?

PAM: I’m not selling at all. From now on, it’s going to be you and me. I’ll see you at the office, partner. [Walks away with Mark, leaving J.R. stunned.]

Watch this scene in “The Wind of Change,” available on DVD and at Amazon and iTunes, and share your comments below.

Man of the hour

“Close Encounters,” the 200th hour of “Dallas,” is the kind of episode only this show could produce. Most of the action takes place at a Southfork charity rodeo, where the characters wheel, deal and confront each other over their various romantic entanglements — taking occasional breaks to climb into a saddle and test their calf-roping and barrel-racing skills. Sure, we’ve seen this kind of thing before on “Dallas,” but that doesn’t make it any less fun. If nothing else, “Close Encounters” demonstrates how the Ewings — after almost a decade on the air — had yet to wear out their welcome. Then again, did they ever?

Like the third-season classic “Rodeo,” the only other episode that depicts a Southfork rodeo, “Close Encounters” focuses on J.R. and Sue Ellen’s extramarital inclinations. He spends each episode sneaking around with a mistress (Kristin in “Rodeo,” Mandy in “Close Encounters”), while Sue Ellen finds herself being tempted by Dusty in both installments. The Sue Ellen of 1985 is much smarter and more confident than the 1979 version, however. She dictates the terms of her affair with Dusty in “Close Encounters” (it was the other way around in “Rodeo”), but her progress is also on display during her memorable confrontation with Mandy. In “Close Encounters’” best scene, Sue Ellen pulls the poor, disillusioned young woman aside and warns her that J.R. has a history of mistreating women, but Mandy refuses to listen. Finally, an exasperated Sue Ellen asks, “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?” The line is equal parts wisdom, compassion and bitchiness — and Linda Gray captures each nuance perfectly.

There’s much more to love about “Close Encounters”: Pam and Jenna’s awkwardly poignant exchange, which marks the first time the onetime rivals have seen each other since Bobby’s funeral; Miss Ellie’s “give ’em hell” pep talk to Sue Ellen before the latter participates in the barrel race (you can feel the affection between Gray and Barbara Bel Geddes here); and Angelica Nero’s gigantic, floppy pink hat, which is a look so bold, even Katherine Wentworth wouldn’t have dared it. There’s also the scene where Patricia defends her parenting skills to J.R. “There’s nothing wrong with the way Sue Ellen was brought up,” she says. Larry Hagman waits a beat before delivering J.R.’s retort: “No, just the way she turned out.”

Indeed, more than anything, I get a kick out of watching Hagman in episodes like this. J.R. is all smiles when he’s in the public spotlight at the rodeo, even though he’s privately seething over Patricia’s nosiness, Sue Ellen’s flirtation with Dusty and the fact that Cliff is buzzing around like a gnat, trying to horn in on his dealings with Angelica. And who doesn’t love this episode’s climactic scene, when J.R. — through gritted teeth — announces Dusty has won the coveted belt buckle that designates him as the rodeo’s best all-around cowboy? (Dusty was the winner in “Rodeo” too, although Jock Ewing presented the prize back then.)

“Close Encounters” also brings Ray and Donna’s pregnancy storyline to a close: She suffers a miscarriage after a caged bull causes her to take a spill. The expression on Susan Howard’s face when Donna falls says so much about the character’s fear, while Steve Kanaly does a nice job conveying Ray’s anguish in the hospital scenes. The episode also offers its share of curiosities: Why do the producers show Ray congratulating the taciturn adolescent Rocky on his victory in the rodeo’s junior competition? Is the point to demonstrate that Ray is good with children, thus making Donna’s miscarriage at the end of the episode seem even more tragic? Or was there some subplot involving Rocky that was left on the cutting-room floor? Why is this kid so mopey, after all?

In the same spirit, what should we make of the cameo by Mark White, the real-life Texas governor who appears at the beginning of the rodeo? Besides becoming the first person to play himself on “Dallas” (following appearances by Gerald and Betty Ford and Henry Kissinger in a 1983 “Dynasty” episode), White manages to deliver a hilariously brief speech when he greets the rodeo-goers thusly: “Thank you. Thank you. It’s really great to be with y’all up here today. Thank you.”

A politician who limits his public pronouncements to just 16 words? How did we not know this season was going to turn out to be a dream?

Grade: A

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Changed woman

‘CLOSE ENCOUNTERS’

Season 9, Episode 9

Airdate: November 15, 1985

Audience: 19.8 million homes, ranking 9th in the weekly ratings

Writer: Hollace White and Stephanie Garman

Director: Corey Allen

Synopsis: Angelica decides to do business with Ewing Oil. Sue Ellen raises Mandy’s doubts about J.R. and resumes her romance with Dusty. Donna suffers a miscarriage after falling at the Ewing Rodeo.

Cast: John Beck (Mark Graison), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Farlow), Barbara Carrera (Angelica Nero), Gino De Mauro (Rocky), Jim Gough (Announcer), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Robert Harper (Doctor), Joshua Harris (Christopher Ewing), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Jenna Wade), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Deborah Rennard (Sly), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Merete Van Kamp (Grace), Governor Mark White (Himself)

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

Fab foursome

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be Monday, February 29, from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Given the date, our theme will be “Leap Day.”

If you’re new to #DallasChat — or if you need a refresher — here’s how it works: During each hour-long discussion, I tweet 10 questions from my Twitter handle, @DallasDecoder. Fans respond to the questions and comment on each other’s answers, making each chat a fun, freewheeling group conversation.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Leap Day comes once every four years. What’s something in “Dallas” that’s almost as rare? #DallasChat

A1. That’s easy: a moment of peace in the Ewing family! #DallasChat

Here are three more tips:

• Each #DallasChat question is numbered (Q1, Q2, etc.), so your responses should include the corresponding number (A1, A2, etc.).

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in your tweets.

• During the discussion, 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.

I hope you can participate. See you there!

Got suggestions for #DallasChat questions? Leave them in the comments below.

Rose and the briar

George Kennedy was nothing if not versatile. The actor, who died last week at 91, brought to life such diverse characters as Joe Patroni, the everyman hero of the “Airport” disaster flicks, and Ed Hocken, the dimwitted police captain in the “Naked Gun” movies. Kennedy’s most famous role is the one that won him a best supporting actor Oscar: Dragline, the leader of the chain gang in “Cool Hand Luke.” With the exception of Robert Redford, Paul Newman never had a better sidekick than George Kennedy.

“Dallas” fans also remember Kennedy as Carter McKay, the burly, blustery oil baron who did battle with the Ewings during the original show’s final seasons. The series was already running on fumes when Kennedy arrived, but there were flashes of inspiration, and he played a central role in many of them. The Ewing Oil/Westar tanker collision gets my vote for the second-best business storyline in “Dallas” history (after J.R. and Bobby’s contest for control of Ewing Oil, of course), while the Southfork range war brought the show back to its western roots, at least for a little while. Both stories cemented McKay’s status as a worthy antagonist to the Ewings.

But even when the material wasn’t great, it was still a hoot to watch Kennedy act opposite Larry Hagman. J.R. routinely got a rise out of McKay, causing him to erupt in ruddy-faced anger; it was almost as much fun as watching J.R. toy with Cliff Barnes. Kennedy also had a nice rapport with Patrick Duffy, whose character’s heroics seemed to irk McKay as much as J.R.’s mischief. In fact, the McKay line that “Dallas” diehards probably remember best — “Don’t give me that crap!” — was directed at Bobby, not J.R. You also have to admire the deference Kennedy showed Barbara Bel Geddes in the memorable range-war scene in which Miss Ellie zooms past McKay’s hired guns in her Volkswagen convertible (one of the few times Mama is shown driving), throws the car in park, marches up to his front porch and gives him a piece of her mind.

Indeed, Kennedy ensured McKay was more than a one-note villain. The actor could be downright cuddly in his scenes with Jeri Gaile, whose endearing performance as McKay’s young wife Rose was another bright light during “Dallas’s” final years. Kennedy also did a nice job conveying McKay’s struggles to re-connect with his estranged children, including the drug-addicted Tommy. These scenes seem even more poignant when you realize Kennedy’s family dealt with the scourge of addiction in real life: He and his wife adopted one of their grandchildren after the girl’s mother became addicted to drugs. One of the most touching tributes to Kennedy last week came from Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly, who hailed him as “a hero” and aired a 2002 clip in which Kennedy opened up about his family’s troubles.

It’s also been heartening to see so many “Dallas” fans pay tribute to Kennedy on social media and sites like this one. Some of this might have to do with the fact that the death of a “Dallas” star is a relatively rare thing: Among the actors who appeared in the original show’s opening credits, Kennedy is the only seventh who has died. (The others: Jim Davis, Donna Reed, Dack Rambo, Howard Keel, Bel Geddes and Hagman.) But I also hope Kennedy’s death will prompt fans to revisit — and reassess — the show’s later seasons. Even when the storytelling isn’t great, Kennedy is quite good. We’re fortunate he was part of the show we all love.

What are your favorite memories of George Kennedy on “Dallas”? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Good mama, bad son

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be Monday, May 2, from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

Our theme: “Mama Drama II.” Like our previous discussion from two years ago, we’ll focus on the moms of “Dallas.”

If you’re new to #DallasChat — or if you need a refresher — here’s how it works: During each hour-long discussion, I tweet 10 questions from my Twitter handle, @DallasDecoder. Fans respond to the questions and comment on each other’s answers, making each chat a fun, freewheeling group conversation.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Was Miss Ellie a good mom? #DallasChat

A1. Yes, of course. Imagine how much worse J.R. would have been if she hadn’t been around. #DallasChat

Here are three more tips:

• Each #DallasChat question is numbered (Q1, Q2, etc.), so your responses should include the corresponding number (A1, A2, etc.).

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in your tweets.

• During the discussion, 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.

I hope you can participate. See you there!

Got suggestions for #DallasChat questions? Leave them in the comments below.

Past supper

Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter will be Monday, November 21, from 8 to 9 p.m. Eastern time.

This will be our second Thanksgiving-themed #DallasChat, so the topic will be “Talkin’ Turkey II.”

If you’re new to #DallasChat or need a refresher, here’s how it works: During each hour-long discussion, I tweet 10 questions from my Twitter handle, @DallasDecoder. Participants respond to the questions and comment on each other’s answers, making each chat a big group conversation.

Here are three tips:

• Each #DallasChat question is numbered (Q1, Q2, etc.), so your responses should include the corresponding number (A1, A2, etc.).

• Include the hashtag #DallasChat in your tweets.

• During the discussion, 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.

I hope you can participate in our discussion. See you there!

Got suggestions for #DallasChat questions? Leave them in the comments below.

Lone star

Cliff Barnes was a loser, but Ken Kercheval was anything but. By portraying Cliff as an endearing jackass, Kercheval won the hearts of “Dallas” fans and created a character who, in some ways, was as essential to the show’s success as Larry Hagman’s J.R. Ewing. Cliff could be petty, foolish and hopelessly oblivious, but Kercheval brought so much humanity to the role, you couldn’t help but like the schmuck. Deep down, I bet some of us even rooted for him.

Kercheval’s death this week has unleashed a torrent of Cliff clips on social media, reminding everyone how good he was in his career-defining role. Talk about an actor with range! Cliff was the bumbling nemesis who prompted many of J.R.’s most memorable quips (“Oh Barnes, you just get dumber and dumber every day”) and the unlikely lothario who treated so many of the show’s leading ladies like Texas dirt, but he also was the wounded soul who sweetly reconciled with his runaway mama over a bowl of licorice; the protective big brother who knowingly winced when he heard the radio bulletin announcing that Pam’s true love Bobby had been mowed down in her driveway; the humbled avenger who sat on a park bench with Miss Ellie and sought forgiveness for waging war on her family. In the hands of a lesser actor, Cliff would have been just another soap opera character whose motivations changed with the wind. Kercheval made him real.

The true secret to Cliff’s appeal, though, lay in his rivalry with J.R. With the exception of Patrick Duffy and perhaps Hayden Rourke, did Larry Hagman ever have a better on-screen foil than Ken Kercheval? I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite scene between J.R. and Cliff, but their schoolyard showdown-style exchange of insults in the 1984 episode “And the Winner Is …” stands out. Kercheval and Hagman are fire and ice here: While Cliff rages (“You can’t stand the fact that Barnes-Wentworth is going to be bigger than Ewing ever dreamed of being!”), J.R. stands his ground, calmly burrowing ever deeper under Cliff’s skin (“You’re going to bankrupt your mama’s company and wind up just like your daddy: a drunk and a bum”). Despite all the bluster, Kercheval always injected a hint of envy into his performance, letting the audience see that Cliff didn’t want to beat J.R.; he wanted to be J.R. Once you realize that’s where Cliff is coming from, how can you not feel for the poor slob? After all, who among us doesn’t want to be J.R.?

Mutual admiration society

Truth be told, I think J.R. secretly admired Cliff’s tenacity, although like his character, Kercheval never got the respect he deserved. Despite being the show’s most delightfully unpredictable performer — you didn’t watch Ken Kercheval, you experienced him — he never scored an Emmy. (Neither did Hagman, but at least he got nominated.) Just as puzzlingly, Kercheval was in “Dallas” from the beginning and did as much as anyone to transform the show into a hit, yet he wasn’t promoted to the opening credits until the third season. Of course, once he finally showed up, the close-ups chosen for his three-way split screen captured the character in all his multi-faceted glory: Confused Cliff, Chipper Cliff, Crabby Cliff. Perfect.

Regardless, Kercheval ended up getting the last laugh. Besides Hagman, he was the only member of the cast to appear in all 14 seasons of the original series before going on to appear in the first reunion movie and all three seasons of TNT’s sequel series. Altogether, Kercheval logged 360 hours of “Dallas” across its various incarnations, second only to Hagman, who clocked more than 380 hours. And while Cliff never became an icon like J.R., Kercheval’s character made his mark in popular culture nonetheless. A Washington Post editorial once derided then-Vice President George H.W. Bush as “the Cliff Barnes of American politics — blustering, opportunistic, craven and hopelessly ineffective all at once” (ouch). Kercheval also deserves credit for making pocket squares seem so stylish in the 1980s — and is it possible his cheapskate character did more to popularize Chinese food in the American diet than Panda Express?

It’s been touching to see so many of Kercheval’s former cast mates honor him online this week, especially Audrey Landers, whose Afton Cooper did so much to humanize Cliff, and Julie Gonzalo, who holds the distinction of being the last “Dallas” actor to share a scene with Kercheval during the final season of the TNT series. Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton and both of Kercheval’s on-screen sisters, Victoria Principal and Morgan Brittany, also wrote nice things about him, along with Leigh McCloskey. As far as I can remember, McCloskey’s character, pretty-boy plastic surgeon Dr. Mitch Cooper, never shared a meaningful moment with Cliff, yet McCloskey penned a lovely tribute to Kercheval on Facebook, remembering how kind the actor was to him when he joined the cast. Everyone, it seems, had affection for “Kenny.”

Tributes like these are a reminder that while the rest of us have lost a favorite TV star, the cast members are mourning the death of an old friend. Kercheval somewhat famously used to say he never watched “Dallas” when it was on the air. As he explained when I interviewed him in 2012, once he played a scene in front of the cameras, he felt no compulsion to tune in on Friday night and watch it. But Kercheval also talked about how much he enjoyed working with actors like Gray, Landers and his close pal Barbara Bel Geddes, and he expressed amazement that people still recognized him as Cliff, even when he traveled abroad. I didn’t include this in the published interview, but I asked him if he thought it was strange that fans like me still obsess over “Dallas” after all these years. His matter-of-fact answer: “Yeah.” He added that he appreciated the fans and was thankful for their support, but in the end, the show was just a show. “I mean, you know, to me, it was just a job,” he said.

Fair enough. To him, maybe “Dallas” was just a job. But didn’t he do it well?

What are your favorite memories of Ken Kercheval on “Dallas”? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.