The All-New DALLAS!

[doubleohfive]

Going back to the old show, one scene which always stuck out in my mind and which has always been, I think, one of those "earned" moments over the years was the aftermath of Tommy McKay beating up April Stevens.

Enraged, Bobby went to McKay's house where he found Tommy and his sister, Tracy (who Bobby had been dating at the time.) Bobby summarily beats the shit out of Tommy.

Bobby then goes to the hospital, where he runs in to Cliff and J.R. and they confer about April and Tommy McKay, as each of them have their own special relationship with April, they're obviously concerned for her well-being.

Carter McKay (Tommy's dad) then arrives, warning Bobby and then threatening him, and storming off.

The last shot of the video here (it was also the last shot of the episode) winds up being a simple pullback starting on Bobby, then including Cliff, and finally J.R. For three characters who never, ever saw eye to eye all the time (let alone any time before this), it was a great moment and one that benefited from seeing these three fight for over ten years, finally uniting (even if for only a moment) with that single, last shot. I liked it so much I even made an avatar of it once! Might be time to switch back...

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yxgC2IsYUU&feature=related[/yt]

 

[doubleohfive]

Here's a lesson from the real John Ross about how stuff works:

I'm pretty sure J.R. said the same thing to John Ross a few episodes ago, obviously the writers hocking from this scene.

Likely, but my thinking is Young John Ross hasn't quite figured it out yet, hence his continued stupidity.

What does that have to do with the point I was making? You posted the scene from the original show with the implication that J.R. needed to teach his son the lesson Jock was relaying to Bobby... except J.R. already did do that, like three episodes ago.

And John Ross isn't stupid because he's not smart the way his father is; if anything it's because the writers are writing him that way.

 

[Admiral2]

I'm pretty sure J.R. said the same thing to John Ross a few episodes ago, obviously the writers hocking from this scene.

Likely, but my thinking is Young John Ross hasn't quite figured it out yet, hence his continued stupidity.

What does that have to do with the point I was making?

Um...everything?

You posted the scene from the original show with the implication that J.R. needed to teach his son the lesson Jock was relaying to Bobby... except J.R. already did do that, like three episodes ago.

Right, and so far he's failed to seize any real power on his own and in fact diminishes his power with every action, which is an indication that he didn't learn the lesson, hence the need for reinforcement.

And John Ross isn't stupid because he's not smart the way his father is; if anything it's because the writers are writing him that way.

Dude, it's no fun if you just blame the writers for everything. "Sherlock Holmes never solved any crimes! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did all the work for him!" See what I'm saying?

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Ann's big terrible secret is that she drove drunk and got her daughter killed in a crash. What a soap this is! Still I can't stop watching. Brain candy.

what did you think it was supposed to be? it's always been a soap.

I was exulting, not criticizing. I'm enjoying the shameless soapiness.

Dude, it's no fun if you just blame the writers for everything. "Sherlock Holmes never solved any crimes! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did all the work for him!" See what I'm saying?

The difference there is that it takes far more talent to write a character being amazingly smart like Holmes vs being a dolt like poor John Ross. So I respect a writer who can invent a clever character but not so much for the reverse...

 

[Guy Gardener]

He was smart enough to set all this up without help from Elena or his daddy.

I find it difficult to respect anyone above the age of 9 who still uses the word "daddy".

 

[wissaboo]

it's a southern thing. JR did it too

 

[Admiral2]

Dude, it's no fun if you just blame the writers for everything. "Sherlock Holmes never solved any crimes! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did all the work for him!" See what I'm saying?

The difference there is that it takes far more talent to write a character being amazingly smart like Holmes vs being a dolt like poor John Ross. So I respect a writer who can invent a clever character but not so much for the reverse...

Yes, but if you concentrate on blaming the writer for creating a dolt you'll never invest yourself enough in the character to experience the lovely feeling of schadenfreude that comes with watching him be a dolt and suffer for it, which is pretty much how I've figured out how to enjoy this particular noob.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Ann's big terrible secret is that she drove drunk and got her daughter killed in a crash. What a soap this is! Still I can't stop watching. Brain candy.

what did you think it was supposed to be? it's always been a soap.

I was exulting, not criticizing. I'm enjoying the shameless soapiness.

Ah! Rereading now I see what you're saying. Carry on.

 

[ALF]

I'm up to episode 6 and still enjoying... however needs MOAR JR EWING. He's still the strongest character by far and sometimes there is too little of him.

The sex scenes are weird. They are so vanilla and thrown in kind of halfheartedly. Too bad there is no romantic/sexual chemistry between characters.
Is JR too old for sexual enterprising? Probably, I guess.

Anyway... as long as Hangman is involved I'm all over this like a wet dog on a pile of delicate paperwork.

 

[DarKush]

it's a southern thing. JR did it too

I second this.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Ann's big terrible secret is that she drove drunk and got her daughter killed in a crash. What a soap this is! Still I can't stop watching. Brain candy.

How do you know that? Did they reveal it in the last episode? I just watched it online, and apart from the picture of Ann and the baby burning in the fireplace, there wasn't any specification as to what Ann's hidden secret/trauma is.

The picture almost looks like it was B&W and maybe it's Ann & her mother ?

And who her mother is might be the big secret.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I can't enjoy dolts in fiction, not even of the schadenfreude type, not unless it's comedy.

 

[doubleohfive]

That's swell. Would you care to answer my question?

 

[Worf2DS9]

I've liked the references made to Gary. So this being the Dallas universe, Gary is obviously aware of Bobby and has been contacted regarding the recent Southfork squabbling, whereas, if I remember correctly, in the Knots Landing universe Bobby stayed dead. It'd be neat if he (and Val?) showed up for a guest spot too!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ That's one of the best (or worst) things about soaps. They will ignore continuity whenever it works for them.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

it's a southern thing. JR did it too

it's a southern thing. JR did it too

I second this.

No, it's not. It's a creepy thing.

 

[A beaker full of death]

^ Not a Tennessee Williams fan?

 

[Drago-Kazov]

How large a role does the guy who played Robau has?

 

[cardinal biggles]

Faran Tahir's role hasn't been that big so far. I think he's maybe had two or three scenes at most, though one of them did get to be opposite Hagman. I know Ken Kercheval is scheduled to appear in the season finale, and since Tahir is playing Cliff's right-hand man, we'll probably see him again in that episode.

 

[Admiral2]

How large a role does the guy who played Robau has?

Not much. so far he's just Cliff Barnes's flunkie.

Best line of the latest episode:

Christopher: "How could J.R. do this to his own family?"

Bobby: "How much time have you got?"

And those of you who want to dump on the writers, let me give you something to sink your teeth into: Sue Ellen running for Governor has got to be the least accurate depiction of a gubernatorial campaign I've ever seen in my life, and I watched Benson religiously.

First off, nobody runs for statewide office without a large staff, nobody, but especially not people running for governor, yet the writers have barely attempted to show Sue Ellen's staff. She's always off alone somewhere. This is actually a problem, because if she'd had a staff, she could have sent flunkies to Anne's ex and the ME to offer the bribes while insulating herself.

Also, the fact that she seems to have so much time to hang out alone in Dallas is nonsense. She's running for statewide office, which means most of her time would be spent traveling to different cities to make campaign speeches or other personal appearances.

And by the way, as soon as she became a legitimate candidate for governor she and her immediate family would be given state police protection, and in her case that would mean she'd never drive herself anywhere and never even walk around by herself. She would be in an SUV or a big armored limo being driven by a member of the Texas Department of Public Safety with another member riding shotgun with an automatic weapon. In fact, given the Ewings' apparent influence with law enforcement (best friends with the county sherriff and all) the state would probably throw a couple of Texas Rangers into the detail. Now, I can understand if J.R. and John Ross declined the protection, but if Sue Ellen declined it all she'd be doing is lending credence to the notion of beauty queens being total airheads.