Watching Season 8 (DVD) for the First Time

[JROG]

EPISODE 4: JAMIE

It’s full on ahead as Katherine attempts to inject Bobby with poison. He wakes up just in time to ask for help. All the extras and J.R. rush in and remove Katherine DeVille. Realizing that there needs to be some explanation in regards to how all these events came about, J.R. goes to Katherine and demands that she show flashbacks to truly settle this matter once and for all. Despite her anger, Katherine obliges. What is the most shocking to me about all of this is that Katherine actually intended to shoot Bobby after all. It seems that “Katherine” glancing at Bobby's door at the end of last season wasn’t just to make sure that no-one was there but it was because that was her intended destination… until Bobby made a noise and she realized he was there. How fun! Of course, Katherine goes all CRAAAAAAAAAZY without much indication of this in advance, so one might decide whether they want to take it or leave it. Hilariously, Cliff and Mandy run into Katherine after she gets out on bail. To no-one’s surprise, Katherine skips bail and rushes off to parts unknown until it’s time for another cliffhanger.

Out of the freaking blue, Bobby regains his eye sight. Jenna’s all excited and jumpy about it. Well, honestly, it’s good that he does; this doesn’t serve much dramatic purpose anymore and Bobby needs to get a change of scenery. While he is released from the hospital, Bobby and Jenna run into Pam, looking glorious as ever. There are a lot of glances and lots of tension and desire in the air. As Bobby and Jenna drive off, Pamela breaks down in tears. Bless you, Pamela. You are finally the lead heroine I have wanted you to be! Later, Jenna is crying like a little bitch after watching a movie and Bobby, his usual sensitive self, tells her that he knows she’s expecting word from him regarding their getting married. He promises that will happen soon. Or maybe he tells her he’s ready, I’m not sure, I kinda dozed off.

Speaking of insipid couples, Sue Ellen and J.R. are so HAPPY and IN LOVE and HAPPY and did I mention HAPPY? Sue Ellen is probably at her most puke-worthy she has EVER been, as she makes jokes about J.R. stepping on her toes while dancing and has his back and supports him through all his difficulties and shit. What the hell happened to her extremely complicated relationship with Cliff? She doesn’t have an ounce of love or emotion for him anymore? I guess not; after the failed attempt at Sue Ellen/Cliff round 2 in season 5, that was probably put to rest. It’s a cardinal mistake to try and support a pairing by having the characters in it excuse and explain it away, disregarding all history and dynamics. The audience never falls for it. Instead, if the characters were honest without trying to excuse, things might have been different. As it is, Sue Ellen’s character needs a revival, stat!

Oh, in this episode’s edition of The Piggy Chronicles, Miss Piggy opens with an excruciating scene of her failing miserably at waitressing. Oh, sure, you can be confused since you’ve never worked before, but it just reminds me of Season 4 Lucy antics (and Mitch Cooper) and it hurts. Before long, Ray goes to The Hot Biscuit (because the plot needs to be advanced) and sees Lucy. Sweetly, he takes her out, puts her over his knee and gives her a good whooping for being such a nasty little piglet. I wish. Nah, Ray does the Uncley thing and asks her why the frack she’s working there. To be honest, Lucy’s explanation is convincing enough. She goes through the list of her storylines from Season 4 afterwards, dismissing each and every one of them (her marriage, her modeling career) as jokes (David Paulsen must have had a lot of fun with this) and says that she needs to do something worthwhile with her time. Actually, considering that DYNASTY was all “RICH PEOPLE ROCK AND POOR PEOPLE SUCK” at this time, it’s fun to see DALLAS take this attitude with their spoiled little princess. If only they could let her roam free and really be that! As it is, Miss Piggy will go on to serve coffee for many more episodes.

Bobby returns to the office, still in need of settling a few storylines. First off, it’s Donna's exit from Ewing Oil. Aaaaw, that was it? No real competition, no real arguments? I’m disappointed. Then he asks J.R. about the bugged phones; J.R. explains that he did it after he realized that Cliff was somehow spying on him. Matter closed.

It seems that Donna's short-lived brush with oil left her with the desire to make this her new career. As you do, she invests $10 million in her own little company. There is this somewhat uncomfortable scene between her and Ray, in which she attempts to appease him with a great lunch before she tells him she’s an Oil Baroness now. Oh, it’s all wonderfully acted and all but something didn’t quite sit so well with me in regards to how much worried Donna was and how she wanted his approval so badly. But it’ll be fine. J.R. has found out as well and can’t resist throwing jabs at Donna during dinner time. Actually, he would have been better off commenting on the weird ass clothes all the women are wearing. They still feel like they fit the fabric of the show but, nevertheless, it’s a bit jarring.

One of the most entertaining parts of this episode is the whole Cliff/Pam/Mandy/Joe thing. Cliff and Mandy are having a weird combination of sex and Chinese food when Pamela stops by to give him the news that Katherine has gone crazy. Cliff stops by Pamela's house a couple of times for breakfast. It’s during moments like these that I really missed Afton and Mark. While both Cliff and Pam are deeply involved in the fabric of the show, their story seems directly involved with the Ewings. But when all four of them were together, they had created a new dynamic, a new little niche for them; Pam and Cliff really had a private life of their own. That is, sadly, gone. In any case, Pam does bring up Afton, feeling sorry to see her go. It leads Cliff to proclaim that the thing that matters the most in his life is his desire to prove himself worthy to Digger and that was more important than Afton. It may not be right, but that’s how it is. It’s an excellent scene, probably my favorite throughout the whole episode.

Cliff also doesn’t waste time and introduces Pam to Joe. Joe, Pam, Cliff and Mandy all go out to dinner. What I really love about Principal’s delivery here is how subtle it is; you can really tell that she barely stands Joe, that she’s not too impressed, yet it’s not really shown. In what is a great moment, Bobby runs into Joe at Pamela's back yard and is not impressed at all. When Joe makes the mistake of picking Christopher up, Bobby pushes him into the pool and tells him not to stain the water. Yes, that’s it! He is so oily! In an epic moment, Pam gets over her shock and can’t help but smile at Bobby's move.

When it’s time for the ending cliffhanger, we find all of the Ewings by the pool. Ray is wearing the freakiest cut off short jeans in lieu of a bathing suit. It all actually looks so freaky. Suddenly, a boy—no a girl!—approaches. It's the title of the episode! I kinda like her entrance, the image of her dressed like that and dirty. Instantly makes you wonder what her story is. “Hi y’all bitches,” she says. “I’m here to start the new season-long storyline. You dig?” You can just see J.R.’s head going KABOOM. Aaaand, credits!

Till next week, lovelies!

DDD

[RedBeetEggs]

I really like the JR/Donna scenes in the first few episodes. She really gave him a run for his money with her no-nonsense attitude.

Joe Don was an interesting choice to bring in, it almost seemed as though he'd be a little love interest for Pam, but he ended up being a jerk anyway.

I liked the character of Jamie and she really brings out JR's nasty side in later episodes.

Lucy working was such a joke. It succeeded in making me angry at a television show. It didn't make her seem down to earth at all, it made her seem like a rich little brat play acting in the real world. Oops.

Once again a fanciful and brilliant analysis!

[Ray&Donna]

EPISODE 4: JAMIE

Of course, Katherine goes all CRAAAAAAAAAZY without much indication of this in advance, so one might decide whether they want to take it or leave it. Hilariously, Cliff and Mandy run into Katherine after she gets out on bail. To no-one’s surprise, Katherine skips bail and rushes off to parts unknown until it’s time for another cliffhanger.

LMAO. See ya later, Krazy Kat!

As Bobby and Jenna drive off, Pamela breaks down in tears. Bless you, Pamela. You are finally the lead heroine I have wanted you to be!

Ugh, so awesome. Season 7/8 Pam rocks.

Speaking of insipid couples, Sue Ellen and J.R. are so HAPPY and IN LOVE and HAPPY and did I mention HAPPY? Sue Ellen is probably at her most puke-worthy she has EVER been, as she makes jokes about J.R. stepping on her toes while dancing and has his back and supports him through all his difficulties and shit. What the hell happened to her extremely complicated relationship with Cliff? She doesn’t have an ounce of love or emotion for him anymore? I guess not; after the failed attempt at Sue Ellen/Cliff round 2 in season 5, that was probably put to rest. It’s a cardinal mistake to try and support a pairing by having the characters in it excuse and explain it away, disregarding all history and dynamics. The audience never falls for it. Instead, if the characters were honest without trying to excuse, things might have been different. As it is, Sue Ellen’s character needs a revival, stat!

LOL. Sorry, Sue Ellen is storyline-less for a while now.

Oh, in this episode’s edition of The Piggy Chronicles, Miss Piggy opens with an excruciating scene of her failing miserably at waitressing. Oh, sure, you can be confused since you’ve never worked before, but it just reminds me of Season 4 Lucy antics (and Mitch Cooper) and it hurts. Before long, Ray goes to The Hot Biscuit (because the plot needs to be advanced) and sees Lucy. Sweetly, he takes her out, puts her over his knee and gives her a good whooping for being such a nasty little piglet. I wish. Nah, Ray does the Uncley thing and asks her why the frack she’s working there. To be honest, Lucy’s explanation is convincing enough. She goes through the list of her storylines from Season 4 afterwards, dismissing each and every one of them (her marriage, her modeling career) as jokes (David Paulsen must have had a lot of fun with this) and says that she needs to do something worthwhile with her time. Actually, considering that DYNASTY was all “RICH PEOPLE ROCK AND POOR PEOPLE SUCK” at this time, it’s fun to see DALLAS take this attitude with their spoiled little princess. If only they could let her roam free and really be that! As it is, Miss Piggy will go on to serve coffee for many more episodes.

Hilarious. At least, you know, this ties into Valene somehow.

Bobby returns to the office, still in need of settling a few storylines. First off, it’s Donna's exit from Ewing Oil. Aaaaw, that was it? No real competition, no real arguments? I’m disappointed. Then he asks J.R. about the bugged phones; J.R. explains that he did it after he realized that Cliff was somehow spying on him. Matter closed.

Yep. No fireworks. It's over already.

It seems that Donna's short-lived brush with oil left her with the desire to make this her new career. As you do, she invests $10 million in her own little company. There is this somewhat uncomfortable scene between her and Ray, in which she attempts to appease him with a great lunch before she tells him she’s an Oil Baroness now. Oh, it’s all wonderfully acted and all but something didn’t quite sit so well with me in regards to how much worried Donna was and how she wanted his approval so badly. But it’ll be fine. J.R. has found out as well and can’t resist throwing jabs at Donna during dinner time. Actually, he would have been better off commenting on the weird ass clothes all the women are wearing. They still feel like they fit the fabric of the show but, nevertheless, it’s a bit jarring.

"I'm sorry, I can't see my cue cards over the shoulderpads."

One of the most entertaining parts of this episode is the whole Cliff/Pam/Mandy/Joe thing. Cliff and Mandy are having a weird combination of sex and Chinese food when Pamela stops by to give him the news that Katherine has gone crazy. Cliff stops by Pamela's house a couple of times for breakfast. It’s during moments like these that I really missed Afton and Mark. While both Cliff and Pam are deeply involved in the fabric of the show, their story seems directly involved with the Ewings. But when all four of them were together, they had created a new dynamic, a new little niche for them; Pam and Cliff really had a private life of their own. That is, sadly, gone. In any case, Pam does bring up Afton, feeling sorry to see her go. It leads Cliff to proclaim that the thing that matters the most in his life is his desire to prove himself worthy to Digger and that was more important than Afton. It may not be right, but that’s how it is. It’s an excellent scene, probably my favorite throughout the whole episode.

Yes. To all of the above.

[QUOTE]Cliff also doesn’t waste time and introduces Pam to Joe. Joe, Pam, Cliff and Mandy all go out to dinner. What I really love about Principal’s delivery here is how subtle it is; you can really tell that she barely stands Joe, that she’s not too impressed, yet it’s not really shown. In what is a great moment, Bobby runs into Joe at Pamela's back yard and is not impressed at all. When Joe makes the mistake of picking Christopher up, Bobby pushes him into the pool and tells him not to stain the water. Yes, that’s it! He is so oily! In an epic moment, Pam gets over her shock and can’t help but smile at Bobby's move.[QUOTE]

Funny stuff.

When it’s time for the ending cliffhanger, we find all of the Ewings by the pool. Ray is wearing the freakiest cut off short jeans in lieu of a bathing suit. It all actually looks so freaky. Suddenly, a boy—no a girl!—approaches. It's the title of the episode! I kinda like her entrance, the image of her dressed like that and dirty. Instantly makes you wonder what her story is. “Hi y’all bitches,” she says. “I’m here to start the new season-long storyline. You dig?” You can just see J.R.’s head going KABOOM. Aaaand, credits!

Till next week, lovelies!

There's lingering weirdness in how incongruous everyone is dressed here. Meanwhile, did Jamie walk all the way out to Southfork? 'Cause that's a long way...

[Ray&Donna]

EPISODE 4: JAMIE

Of course, Katherine goes all CRAAAAAAAAAZY without much indication of this in advance, so one might decide whether they want to take it or leave it. Hilariously, Cliff and Mandy run into Katherine after she gets out on bail. To no-one’s surprise, Katherine skips bail and rushes off to parts unknown until it’s time for another cliffhanger.

LMAO. See ya later, Krazy Kat!

As Bobby and Jenna drive off, Pamela breaks down in tears. Bless you, Pamela. You are finally the lead heroine I have wanted you to be!

Ugh, so awesome. Season 7/8 Pam rocks.

Speaking of insipid couples, Sue Ellen and J.R. are so HAPPY and IN LOVE and HAPPY and did I mention HAPPY? Sue Ellen is probably at her most puke-worthy she has EVER been, as she makes jokes about J.R. stepping on her toes while dancing and has his back and supports him through all his difficulties and shit. What the hell happened to her extremely complicated relationship with Cliff? She doesn’t have an ounce of love or emotion for him anymore? I guess not; after the failed attempt at Sue Ellen/Cliff round 2 in season 5, that was probably put to rest. It’s a cardinal mistake to try and support a pairing by having the characters in it excuse and explain it away, disregarding all history and dynamics. The audience never falls for it. Instead, if the characters were honest without trying to excuse, things might have been different. As it is, Sue Ellen’s character needs a revival, stat!

LOL. Sorry, Sue Ellen is storyline-less for a while now.

Oh, in this episode’s edition of The Piggy Chronicles, Miss Piggy opens with an excruciating scene of her failing miserably at waitressing. Oh, sure, you can be confused since you’ve never worked before, but it just reminds me of Season 4 Lucy antics (and Mitch Cooper) and it hurts. Before long, Ray goes to The Hot Biscuit (because the plot needs to be advanced) and sees Lucy. Sweetly, he takes her out, puts her over his knee and gives her a good whooping for being such a nasty little piglet. I wish. Nah, Ray does the Uncley thing and asks her why the frack she’s working there. To be honest, Lucy’s explanation is convincing enough. She goes through the list of her storylines from Season 4 afterwards, dismissing each and every one of them (her marriage, her modeling career) as jokes (David Paulsen must have had a lot of fun with this) and says that she needs to do something worthwhile with her time. Actually, considering that DYNASTY was all “RICH PEOPLE ROCK AND POOR PEOPLE SUCK” at this time, it’s fun to see DALLAS take this attitude with their spoiled little princess. If only they could let her roam free and really be that! As it is, Miss Piggy will go on to serve coffee for many more episodes.

Hilarious. At least, you know, this ties into Valene somehow.

Bobby returns to the office, still in need of settling a few storylines. First off, it’s Donna's exit from Ewing Oil. Aaaaw, that was it? No real competition, no real arguments? I’m disappointed. Then he asks J.R. about the bugged phones; J.R. explains that he did it after he realized that Cliff was somehow spying on him. Matter closed.

Yep. No fireworks. It's over already.

It seems that Donna's short-lived brush with oil left her with the desire to make this her new career. As you do, she invests $10 million in her own little company. There is this somewhat uncomfortable scene between her and Ray, in which she attempts to appease him with a great lunch before she tells him she’s an Oil Baroness now. Oh, it’s all wonderfully acted and all but something didn’t quite sit so well with me in regards to how much worried Donna was and how she wanted his approval so badly. But it’ll be fine. J.R. has found out as well and can’t resist throwing jabs at Donna during dinner time. Actually, he would have been better off commenting on the weird ass clothes all the women are wearing. They still feel like they fit the fabric of the show but, nevertheless, it’s a bit jarring.

"I'm sorry, I can't see my cue cards over the shoulderpads."

One of the most entertaining parts of this episode is the whole Cliff/Pam/Mandy/Joe thing. Cliff and Mandy are having a weird combination of sex and Chinese food when Pamela stops by to give him the news that Katherine has gone crazy. Cliff stops by Pamela's house a couple of times for breakfast. It’s during moments like these that I really missed Afton and Mark. While both Cliff and Pam are deeply involved in the fabric of the show, their story seems directly involved with the Ewings. But when all four of them were together, they had created a new dynamic, a new little niche for them; Pam and Cliff really had a private life of their own. That is, sadly, gone. In any case, Pam does bring up Afton, feeling sorry to see her go. It leads Cliff to proclaim that the thing that matters the most in his life is his desire to prove himself worthy to Digger and that was more important than Afton. It may not be right, but that’s how it is. It’s an excellent scene, probably my favorite throughout the whole episode.

Yes. To all of the above.

[QUOTE]Cliff also doesn’t waste time and introduces Pam to Joe. Joe, Pam, Cliff and Mandy all go out to dinner. What I really love about Principal’s delivery here is how subtle it is; you can really tell that she barely stands Joe, that she’s not too impressed, yet it’s not really shown. In what is a great moment, Bobby runs into Joe at Pamela's back yard and is not impressed at all. When Joe makes the mistake of picking Christopher up, Bobby pushes him into the pool and tells him not to stain the water. Yes, that’s it! He is so oily! In an epic moment, Pam gets over her shock and can’t help but smile at Bobby's move.[QUOTE]

Funny stuff.

When it’s time for the ending cliffhanger, we find all of the Ewings by the pool. Ray is wearing the freakiest cut off short jeans in lieu of a bathing suit. It all actually looks so freaky. Suddenly, a boy—no a girl!—approaches. It's the title of the episode! I kinda like her entrance, the image of her dressed like that and dirty. Instantly makes you wonder what her story is. “Hi y’all bitches,” she says. “I’m here to start the new season-long storyline. You dig?” You can just see J.R.’s head going KABOOM. Aaaand, credits!

Till next week, lovelies!

There's lingering weirdness in how incongruous everyone is dressed here. Meanwhile, did Jamie walk all the way out to Southfork? 'Cause that's a long way...

[ronald mascot]

EPISODE 4: JAMIE


Out of the freaking blue, Bobby regains his eye sight. Jenna’s all excited and jumpy about it. Well, honestly, it’s good that he does; this doesn’t serve much dramatic purpose anymore and Bobby needs to get a change of scenery.

Yes, the Ray Charles glasses were getting comical and Bobby is even more boring without sight than he is with it.

Speaking of insipid couples, Sue Ellen and J.R. are so HAPPY and IN LOVE and HAPPY and did I mention HAPPY? Sue Ellen is probably at her most puke-worthy she has EVER been, as she makes jokes about J.R. stepping on her toes while dancing and has his back and supports him through all his difficulties and shit. What the hell happened to her extremely complicated relationship with Cliff? She doesn’t have an ounce of love or emotion for him anymore? I guess not;

Sue Ellen is such a shallow and self-absorbed character, I think it almost works with her. Any other character, you might wonder where's the depth- but Sue Ellen at times has not depth- especially when she's with JR



Bobby returns to the office, still in need of settling a few storylines. First off, it’s Donna's exit from Ewing Oil. Aaaaw, that was it? No real competition, no real arguments? I’m disappointed.

Me, too- it seems it was a great set-up for something more explosive for Donna/ JR

It seems that Donna's short-lived brush with oil left her with the desire to make this her new career. As you do, she invests $10 million in her own little company. There is this somewhat uncomfortable scene between her and Ray, in which she attempts to appease him with a great lunch before she tells him she’s an Oil Baroness now. Oh, it’s all wonderfully acted and all but something didn’t quite sit so well with me in regards to how much worried Donna was and how she wanted his approval so badly. But it’ll be fine. J.R. has found out as well and can’t resist throwing jabs at Donna during dinner time. Actually, he would have been better off commenting on the weird ass clothes all the women are wearing. They still feel like they fit the fabric of the show but, nevertheless, it’s a bit jarring.

This plotline has potential because we all know how insecure Ray is- though why Donna, knowing that, does not include him more is a mystery

One of the most entertaining parts of this episode is the whole Cliff/Pam/Mandy/Joe thing. Cliff and Mandy are having a weird combination of sex and Chinese food when Pamela stops by to give him the news that Katherine has gone crazy. Cliff stops by Pamela's house a couple of times for breakfast. It’s during moments like these that I really missed Afton and Mark. While both Cliff and Pam are deeply involved in the fabric of the show, their story seems directly involved with the Ewings. But when all four of them were together, they had created a new dynamic, a new little niche for them; Pam and Cliff really had a private life of their own. That is, sadly, gone.

Yes, I thought the same thing. And 3 of them go around the same time so it would be hard to replace such a dynamic- but it was wonderful while it lasted. Even when JR visited them the year before to ask them to that party at Southfork, it seemed like he entered their own little world that was apart from the Ewings.

Cliff also doesn’t waste time and introduces Pam to Joe. Joe, Pam, Cliff and Mandy all go out to dinner. What I really love about Principal’s delivery here is how subtle it is; you can really tell that she barely stands Joe, that she’s not too impressed, yet it’s not really shown. In what is a great moment, Bobby runs into Joe at Pamela's back yard and is not impressed at all. When Joe makes the mistake of picking Christopher up, Bobby pushes him into the pool and tells him not to stain the water. Yes, that’s it! He is so oily! In an epic moment, Pam gets over her shock and can’t help but smile at Bobby's move.

I hated this scene, it felt really fake and contrived.

When it’s time for the ending cliffhanger, we find all of the Ewings by the pool. Ray is wearing the freakiest cut off short jeans in lieu of a bathing suit. It all actually looks so freaky. Suddenly, a boy—no a girl!—approaches. It's the title of the episode! I kinda like her entrance, the image of her dressed like that and dirty. Instantly makes you wonder what her story is. “Hi y’all bitches,” she says. “I’m here to start the new season-long storyline. You dig?” You can just see J.R.’s head going KABOOM. Aaaand, credits!

It's an interesting cliffhanger because it really does open a new chapter for the show and the show obviously knew it by giving Jamie such an uneventful but dramatic entrance.

Till next week, lovelies!

DDD

I love your reviews of the episodes.

[ronald mascot]

EPISODE 4: JAMIE[/U]


Out of the freaking blue, Bobby regains his eye sight. Jenna’s all excited and jumpy about it. Well, honestly, it’s good that he does; this doesn’t serve much dramatic purpose anymore and Bobby needs to get a change of scenery.

Yes, the Ray Charles glasses were getting comical and Bobby is even more boring without sight than he is with it.

Speaking of insipid couples, Sue Ellen and J.R. are so HAPPY and IN LOVE and HAPPY and did I mention HAPPY? Sue Ellen is probably at her most puke-worthy she has EVER been, as she makes jokes about J.R. stepping on her toes while dancing and has his back and supports him through all his difficulties and shit. What the hell happened to her extremely complicated relationship with Cliff? She doesn’t have an ounce of love or emotion for him anymore? I guess not;

Sue Ellen is such a shallow and self-absorbed character, I think it almost works with her. Any other character, you might wonder where's the depth- but Sue Ellen at times has not depth- especially when she's with JR

Bobby returns to the office, still in need of settling a few storylines. First off, it’s Donna's exit from Ewing Oil. Aaaaw, that was it? No real competition, no real arguments? I’m disappointed.

Me, too- it seems it was a great set-up for something more explosive for Donna/ JR

It seems that Donna's short-lived brush with oil left her with the desire to make this her new career. As you do, she invests $10 million in her own little company. There is this somewhat uncomfortable scene between her and Ray, in which she attempts to appease him with a great lunch before she tells him she’s an Oil Baroness now. Oh, it’s all wonderfully acted and all but something didn’t quite sit so well with me in regards to how much worried Donna was and how she wanted his approval so badly. But it’ll be fine. J.R. has found out as well and can’t resist throwing jabs at Donna during dinner time. Actually, he would have been better off commenting on the weird ass clothes all the women are wearing. They still feel like they fit the fabric of the show but, nevertheless, it’s a bit jarring.

This plotline has potential because we all know how insecure Ray is- though why Donna, knowing that, does not include him more is a mystery

One of the most entertaining parts of this episode is the whole Cliff/Pam/Mandy/Joe thing. Cliff and Mandy are having a weird combination of sex and Chinese food when Pamela stops by to give him the news that Katherine has gone crazy. Cliff stops by Pamela's house a couple of times for breakfast. It’s during moments like these that I really missed Afton and Mark. While both Cliff and Pam are deeply involved in the fabric of the show, their story seems directly involved with the Ewings. But when all four of them were together, they had created a new dynamic, a new little niche for them; Pam and Cliff really had a private life of their own. That is, sadly, gone.

Yes, I thought the same thing. And 3 of them go around the same time so it would be hard to replace such a dynamic- but it was wonderful while it lasted. Even when JR visited them the year before to ask them to that party at Southfork, it seemed like he entered their own little world that was apart from the Ewings.

Cliff also doesn’t waste time and introduces Pam to Joe. Joe, Pam, Cliff and Mandy all go out to dinner. What I really love about Principal’s delivery here is how subtle it is; you can really tell that she barely stands Joe, that she’s not too impressed, yet it’s not really shown. In what is a great moment, Bobby runs into Joe at Pamela's back yard and is not impressed at all. When Joe makes the mistake of picking Christopher up, Bobby pushes him into the pool and tells him not to stain the water. Yes, that’s it! He is so oily! In an epic moment, Pam gets over her shock and can’t help but smile at Bobby's move.

I hated that scene, it felt really fake and contrived.

When it’s time for the ending cliffhanger, we find all of the Ewings by the pool. Ray is wearing the freakiest cut off short jeans in lieu of a bathing suit. It all actually looks so freaky. Suddenly, a boy—no a girl!—approaches. It's the title of the episode! I kinda like her entrance, the image of her dressed like that and dirty. Instantly makes you wonder what her story is. “Hi y’all bitches,” she says. “I’m here to start the new season-long storyline. You dig?” You can just see J.R.’s head going KABOOM. Aaaand, credits!

It's an interesting cliffhanger because it really does open a new chapter for the show and the show obviously knew it by giving Jamie such an uneventful but dramatic entrance.

Till next week, lovelies!

DDD

I love your reviews of the episodes.

[JROG]

EPISODE 5: FAMILY
I really loved this episode. At times gorgeous and with some very nice shots (like the one of Sly coming out of Ewing Oil to meet Cliff), there is also a sense that a whole slate of new drama is beginning and it is, therefore, quite intoxicating. Or maybe my expectations compared to Season 7 were very low so everything seems great to me.

All the Ewings do in this episode is swim. The pool gets so much action you’d think it was a barbecue or a wedding. We pick up exactly where we left off last week, with Jamie's exclamation that she’s starting a new storyline. I’ve seen pics of this scene before and the way everyone looked so different always annoyed me but it doesn’t quite look so bad live. Or maybe it’s just the fact that Bobby is so damn fine in these Speedo scenes. All things considered, Jamie's arrival is handled pretty well. J.R. is immediately suspicious and asks for identification, while Sue Ellen adopts the role of Saintly Hostess (partly to make Jamie's stay a little bit easier to implement). Jack Ewing is also mentioned, probably setting his arrival up for sometime later.

Jamie has a lot to prove here and the writing is quite careful in the way it handles her. As a matter of fact, everything about her earlier scenes seems designed to make her liked by the audience. She is tired but polite, sweet but not afraid to stand up for herself, smart and not naïve. In all honesty, you get to know a lot about her pretty fast. Sue Ellen goes into Polite Robo Mode during lunch with Jamie and Donna and defends her when J.R. goes apeshit on her during dinner. That specific dinner scene was very interesting. There was something stilted, almost frozen about it, as if the actors weren’t comfortable with each other. On the other hand, watching Jamie outmaneuver each and every one of J.R.’s questions was a lot of fun. You believe her but there is always something in the back of your mind that’s got you wondering. J.R. later corners Jamie at the Southfork staircase (I liked the way they blocked this scene) and offers her money to leave, which Jamie doesn’t accept. Jenna realizes that she gotta do something to justify her name in the opening credits, so she questions Jamie about Lucas Wade. Jamie's shocked reaction is the first indication we get that something is going on. Jamie insists that Lucas and Jason got along but Jenna is just darn sure that they didn’t. Mystery! Harve later joins Bobby and J.R. at Ewing Oil and tells them that Jamie's story checks out for the time being. This might mean that she’ll turn out to be some demented psycho that could give Jessica a run for her money. As of now, I like Jamie. Sure, she hasn’t taken my breath away, but she delivers well enough. We shall see what happens later, of course.

The first signs of trouble start showing in Donna and Ray’s marriage (again). Donna is busy writing her resignation letter to the Texas Energy Committee, when Ray reminds her that going against the Ewings can be very detrimental. Donna reassures him that she is not going against them and that she has nothing to prove; this is a small company and she plans to keep it that way. It’s such a subtly and wonderfully acted scene. If you pay attention, you see the doom and gloom coming but, if you merely glance, you’ll miss it all together. Love it!

Miss Piggy has yet another one of those painful “I can’t get it right!” scenes over at The Hot Biscuit. Hasn’t she been working there for weeks? She still hasn’t learned? I guess the take home message here is that rich people really are useless. The whole thing is saved by the timely arrival of the Hot and Masculine Savior Who’s Going To Be A Love Interest. We can always use one of those. Eddie barges in and stops the Nasty Men from making Pork Chops out of poor Lucy. Lucy then disappears for the rest of the episode and there is absolutely no indication that she is even aware of Jamie's presence at Southfork. What a major, utter and epic fail. When she goes back again, she runs into Eddie and the next chapter of this thrilling story is introduced: Eddie is seeing one of the other waitresses, Betty. Bitchy Betty doesn’t waste much time and tells Lucy that Eddie is hers. Lucy finally adopts that famous smirk of hers (that could have come handy when the Nasty Men were being all nasty) and laughs at Bitchy Betty's face. I like both Eddie and Bitchy Betty. This could be fun!

Another brilliant development sees Jeremy Wendell approaching Cliff and asking for a meeting. I adore the actor who plays him; a voice that reminds me of Steve Buscemi and a subtly scary performance. Jeremy shocks both Cliff and Pam (who takes way too long to appear!) by asking them to sell Barnes Wentworth to him in exchange for a seat in the board of directors for Cliff. Where does all of this leave Pam? Cleverly, Jeremy approaches Pam on her own and asks her to consider this. It’s quite shocking to see a woman on this show in the same position that Bobby, Cliff or J.R. would have had in a similar scene. As it is, Pam handles Jeremy wonderfully and has a terrific comeback for him when he oh-so-happens to mention that he’s a terrible enemy. By the way, what the hell was up with those salads? Were they serious? In order to look into Jeremy's true intentions, Cliff employs the wonderful Mandy. Mandy brings out the big guns and skillfully plays with Jeremy until she gets what she wants out of him. Not satisfied, and apparently having learned his lessons, Cliff asks Sly to find out whether J.R. has any involvement with Jeremy. I don’t know where this is going, but it is brilliant. I smell a lot of trouble.

What else? Oh, yes! J.R. asks Bobby why he’s being so sad and Bobby promptly responds that it’s because he cannot stop thinking of Pam. I think he probably should have kept that to himself. Jenna mentions that they will be getting married one of these days. Not unless you die first, bitch.

And, for that ending… that ending! Pam gets to work, looking as fabulous as ever, when she spots something that shocks her: Mark's car parked right there. Running into Jackie, she asks her if someone from Graisco was there today. Learning that no one came, Pam turns to the car and sees it pulling out. “Mark!” she proclaims and we freeze on her pretty but distressed face. Was it this? I don’t know, but it’s brilliant!

DDD

[Vote4Cliff]

"Eddie barges in and stops the Nasty Men from making Pork Chops out of poor Lucy."

"Not unless you die first, bitch."

LMAO - your reviews are brilliant, I enjoy them so much. I must admit your observations about Lucy caused me to do some very unladylike piggy laughing/snorting.

[Ray&Donna]

EPISODE 5: FAMILY
I really loved this episode. At times gorgeous and with some very nice shots (like the one of Sly coming out of Ewing Oil to meet Cliff), there is also a sense that a whole slate of new drama is beginning and it is, therefore, quite intoxicating. Or maybe my expectations compared to Season 7 were very low so everything seems great to me.

All the Ewings do in this episode is swim. The pool gets so much action you’d think it was a barbecue or a wedding. We pick up exactly where we left off last week, with Jamie's exclamation that she’s starting a new storyline. I’ve seen pics of this scene before and the way everyone looked so different always annoyed me but it doesn’t quite look so bad live. Or maybe it’s just the fact that Bobby is so damn fine in these Speedo scenes. All things considered, Jamie's arrival is handled pretty well. J.R. is immediately suspicious and asks for identification, while Sue Ellen adopts the role of Saintly Hostess (partly to make Jamie's stay a little bit easier to implement). Jack Ewing is also mentioned, probably setting his arrival up for sometime later.

The good thing about all the swimming going on is that no one has died in the pool lately, LOL

Jenna realizes that she gotta do something to justify her name in the opening credits, so she questions Jamie about Lucas Wade. Jamie's shocked reaction is the first indication we get that something is going on. Jamie insists that Lucas and Jason got along but Jenna is just darn sure that they didn’t. Mystery!

And here is where we broach DYNASTY territory. Nothing ever, ever comes of this. But at least they try to integrate Jamie amongst the cast.

The first signs of trouble start showing in Donna and Ray’s marriage (again). Donna is busy writing her resignation letter to the Texas Energy Committee, when Ray reminds her that going against the Ewings can be very detrimental. Donna reassures him that she is not going against them and that she has nothing to prove; this is a small company and she plans to keep it that way. It’s such a subtly and wonderfully acted scene. If you pay attention, you see the doom and gloom coming but, if you merely glance, you’ll miss it all together. Love it!

Not gonna lie--I wish Donna had stuck with the TEC.

Miss Piggy has yet another one of those painful “I can’t get it right!” scenes over at The Hot Biscuit. Hasn’t she been working there for weeks? She still hasn’t learned? I guess the take home message here is that rich people really are useless. The whole thing is saved by the timely arrival of the Hot and Masculine Savior Who’s Going To Be A Love Interest. We can always use one of those. Eddie barges in and stops the Nasty Men from making Pork Chops out of poor Lucy. Lucy then disappears for the rest of the episode and there is absolutely no indication that she is even aware of Jamie's presence at Southfork. What a major, utter and epic fail. When she goes back again, she runs into Eddie and the next chapter of this thrilling story is introduced: Eddie is seeing one of the other waitresses, Betty. Bitchy Betty doesn’t waste much time and tells Lucy that Eddie is hers. Lucy finally adopts that famous smirk of hers (that could have come handy when the Nasty Men were being all nasty) and laughs at Bitchy Betty's face. I like both Eddie and Bitchy Betty. This could be fun!

The good thing about Lucy slinging hash? A nice supporting cast.

Another brilliant development sees Jeremy Wendell approaching Cliff and asking for a meeting. I adore the actor who plays him; a voice that reminds me of Steve Buscemi and a subtly scary performance. Jeremy shocks both Cliff and Pam (who takes way too long to appear!) by asking them to sell Barnes Wentworth to him in exchange for a seat in the board of directors for Cliff. Where does all of this leave Pam? Cleverly, Jeremy approaches Pam on her own and asks her to consider this. It’s quite shocking to see a woman on this show in the same position that Bobby, Cliff or J.R. would have had in a similar scene. As it is, Pam handles Jeremy wonderfully and has a terrific comeback for him when he oh-so-happens to mention that he’s a terrible enemy. By the way, what the hell was up with those salads? Were they serious? In order to look into Jeremy's true intentions, Cliff employs the wonderful Mandy. Mandy brings out the big guns and skillfully plays with Jeremy until she gets what she wants out of him. Not satisfied, and apparently having learned his lessons, Cliff asks Sly to find out whether J.R. has any involvement with Jeremy. I don’t know where this is going, but it is brilliant. I smell a lot of trouble.

Welcome back, Wendell! What a great, creepy, awesome villian.

What else? Oh, yes! J.R. asks Bobby why he’s being so sad and Bobby promptly responds that it’s because he cannot stop thinking of Pam. I think he probably should have kept that to himself. Jenna mentions that they will be getting married one of these days. Not unless you die first, bitch.

HA HA HA HA HA

And, for that ending… that ending! Pam gets to work, looking as fabulous as ever, when she spots something that shocks her: Mark's car parked right there. Running into Jackie, she asks her if someone from Graisco was there today. Learning that no one came, Pam turns to the car and sees it pulling out. “Mark!” she proclaims and we freeze on her pretty but distressed face. Was it this? I don’t know, but it’s brilliant!

Love it! Oh, dear...Miss Ellie's coming home soon. Sort of.

[ronald mascot]

EPISODE 5: FAMILY
Jenna realizes that she gotta do something to justify her name in the opening credits, so she questions Jamie about Lucas Wade. Jamie's shocked reaction is the first indication we get that something is going on. Jamie insists that Lucas and Jason got along but Jenna is just darn sure that they didn’t. Mystery! Harve later joins Bobby and J.R. at Ewing Oil and tells them that Jamie's story checks out for the time being. This might mean that she’ll turn out to be some demented psycho that could give Jessica a run for her money. As of now, I like Jamie. Sure, she hasn’t taken my breath away, but she delivers well enough. We shall see what happens later, of course.


The whole thing is saved by the timely arrival of the Hot and Masculine Savior Who’s Going To Be A Love Interest. We can always use one of those.

And, for that ending… that ending! Pam gets to work, looking as fabulous as ever, when she spots something that shocks her: Mark's car parked right there. Running into Jackie, she asks her if someone from Graisco was there today. Learning that no one came, Pam turns to the car and sees it pulling out. “Mark!” she proclaims and we freeze on her pretty but distressed face. Was it this? I don’t know, but it’s brilliant!

DDD

The script actually called for Priscilla to whisper to herself, you know she loved that- funny enough, it didn't sound that much different from her talking to other people.

Eddie is really cute- and that does help save the storyline somewhat.

At the time, I was surprised at the ending, I thought it was interesting. I still do.

[AJ]

EPISODE 5: FAMILY
And, for that ending… that ending! Pam gets to work, looking as fabulous as ever, when she spots something that shocks her: Mark's car parked right there. Running into Jackie, she asks her if someone from Graisco was there today. Learning that no one came, Pam turns to the car and sees it pulling out. “Mark!” she proclaims and we freeze on her pretty but distressed face. Was it this? I don’t know, but it’s brilliant!
DDD

When Pam scenes end an episode it really feels like a cliffhanger ol.........You can tell Victoria is loving this season she get to play with a lot of emotions and expressions.....plus she looks HOT!

[ronald mascot]

I always thought Victoria did a good job on Dallas- and she is great in this season- the only bad time was the 'crazy plotline' where she ended up in the sanitarium- I wonder what she thought about doing that- it nearly wrecked both her character and her acting reputation.

[JROG]

EPISODE 6: SHADOW OF A DOUBT

OMG. STOP THE PRESSES. NO. JUST—STOP. What is this Piglish craziness that is going on right now? Am I really seeing this? Is this really happening? No, really. Is Miss Piggy an ultra entertaining part of the show right now for real? Well, take out the mud pies and cook me some bacon, I am enjoying it!

First off, Lucy runs into sexy Eddie after finishing work. He’s all sweaty, smug and driving a horrid van. Then, Bitchy Betty comes out and calls Lucy Freaking Ewing a MIDGET. A MIDGET! Oh… my… God. I think I must have terrified my neighbors with the howl of hysterical laughter that I made. But, wait, that’s not all! Later, Lucy and Betty are enjoying a slow morning at The Hot Biscuit. It all looks like a run-of-the-mill, leave-my-boyfriend-alone-bitch scene, but it develops into a clusterfuck of unexpectedness when Bitchy Betty throws her water at Lucy! Lucy throws her beverage right back and the two women hit each other as best they can, considering that Miss Piggy is behind the counter and can’t reach. Unfortunately, they are torn apart, ending what I would describe as the show’s first catfight ever (unless you count Donna's punch at what’s-her-name as a catfight). Such deliciousness! DALLAS, you surprise me.

OK, back to the other, non Piggly stuff. Sly reports back to J.R. concerning her meeting with Cliff and J.R. instructs her to tell Cliff that he really is behind the deal with Wendell. Wendell has a fabulously nonsensical tennis party, during which Sly tells Cliff that J.R. is trying to set him up. Not one to do things in half measures, Cliff doesn’t just turn Wendell's offer down, but gives him a long speech about how bad he is on top of that. There’s something wonderfully sinister about Wendell—the actor can do threatening really well. In the meantime, Dave has been gaining Pamela's trust (and a nod of approval from Bobby) but ends up just being there to help Wendell get into Barnes Wentworth through Pam.

Cliff is also busy trying desperately to turn Mandy into Afton (which is kinda sweet and disturbing at the same time, considering he basically demands she become his housekeeper). Sassy Mandy won’t have it, though, and calls for a maid—horrible flashback of Lucy’s Season 4 storyline ensues. I really hope this doesn’t go like that. Other than that, Mandy meets Bobby and gets all horny eyed as soon as that happens. Uh oh.

Speaking of Bobby, he spends the episode with Jenna. First, he, Jenna, Ray and Donna celebrate Donna's oil venture, first at the field and then at a bar. The scenes don’t really work for me; they [the writers, actors, whomever] try too hard to bring a sense of camaraderie, friendship and togetherness but somehow fall short. Ray and Bobby's tribute scene to Jock’s memory should have been so strong, but it felt flat. But all this is nothing compared to Bobby finally telling Jenna he wants to make plans at a water park. There is also this demented shot of Bobby and Jenna coming down the slide, with the camera doing so as well. One is not used to stuff like this on DALLAS, that’s for sure. Later, Bobby insists that he and Jenna wait for Miss Ellie to come back before they have their wedding, ensuring a further delay in that little plot development. I guess there are more fun locations they can go to before that happens.

J.R. is very Alexis Carrington in this episode. Everything that he does with Cliff feels so easy, cliché and inconsequential. I don’t know if I’m just complaining too much, but that’s how he feels. He just sits there and laughs self-retrospectively with Sly about how nasty and mean he is. Then, he makes bitchy comments at Jamie, causing the poor girl to cry. Wow, I guess he’s, like, totally evil! Sue Ellen, a very boring Sue Ellen, has to comfort Jamie and get angry at J.R., because she thought he had changed. Seriously, Sue Ellen? Go find a bottle of vodka and DOWN THAT SHIT.

Once again, it is left to Pam to really drive the episode with her frantic search for answers. First, she goes to Mark's house and learns that Mark's car was taken to KL Motors (I wish!) to be maintained. The car place it is, then! She learns nothing there, so she ends up at Mark's stables, where she learns that everything continues to be run like before. Sexy Tony arrives to tell her that he did stop by her office building to go to the bank. Can Pam and Tony have wild sex, please? What Tony says is not enough for Pam. She sees Avery Carson, who tells her that it will take some time to settle Mark's estate. As an excuse, it’s totally feasible, but the show makes no attempt to be subtle and clearly shows that Carson has something to hide. It’s not long until Pam receives flowers signed from Mark. Honestly, that would be really, really painful if it happened to someone. She ends up back at Carson’s office after a short stop at the flower place, and demands to find out what happened. When Carson says that Mark changed his will a day before he died, Pam exclaims that it sounds as if Carson is saying that Mark is alive and may be returning! Then, we suddenly freeze, as if they ran out of time and couldn’t fit in reaction shots.

DDD

[Ray&Donna]

EPISODE 6: SHADOW OF A DOUBT

Such a good Hitchcock movie title...what's it doing on this episode?

OMG. STOP THE PRESSES. NO. JUST—STOP. What is this Piglish craziness that is going on right now? Am I really seeing this? Is this really happening? No, really. Is Miss Piggy an ultra entertaining part of the show right now for real? Well, take out the mud pies and cook me some bacon, I am enjoying it!

First off, Lucy runs into sexy Eddie after finishing work. He’s all sweaty, smug and driving a horrid van. Then, Bitchy Betty comes out and calls Lucy Freaking Ewing a MIDGET. A MIDGET! Oh… my… God. I think I must have terrified my neighbors with the howl of hysterical laughter that I made. But, wait, that’s not all! Later, Lucy and Betty are enjoying a slow morning at The Hot Biscuit. It all looks like a run-of-the-mill, leave-my-boyfriend-alone-bitch scene, but it develops into a clusterfuck of unexpectedness when Bitchy Betty throws her water at Lucy! Lucy throws her beverage right back and the two women hit each other as best they can, considering that Miss Piggy is behind the counter and can’t reach. Unfortunately, they are torn apart, ending what I would describe as the show’s first catfight ever (unless you count Donna's punch at what’s-her-name as a catfight). Such deliciousness! DALLAS, you surprise me.

I guess one doesn't have to be a midget just to get in a water fight at The Hot Biscuit. But very funny, otherwise. Isn't Eddie already better than Peter Speedo?

Cliff is also busy trying desperately to turn Mandy into Afton (which is kinda sweet and disturbing at the same time, considering he basically demands she become his housekeeper). Sassy Mandy won’t have it, though, and calls for a maid—horrible flashback of Lucy’s Season 4 storyline ensues. I really hope this doesn’t go like that. Other than that, Mandy meets Bobby and gets all horny eyed as soon as that happens. Uh oh.

Oh, Mandy. You came and you gave without eating any Chinese food, but Cliff sent your wontons away...

Speaking of Bobby, he spends the episode with Jenna. First, he, Jenna, Ray and Donna celebrate Donna's oil venture, first at the field and then at a bar. The scenes don’t really work for me; they [the writers, actors, whomever] try too hard to bring a sense of camaraderie, friendship and togetherness but somehow fall short. Ray and Bobby's tribute scene to Jock’s memory should have been so strong, but it felt flat. But all this is nothing compared to Bobby finally telling Jenna he wants to make plans at a water park. There is also this demented shot of Bobby and Jenna coming down the slide, with the camera doing so as well. One is not used to stuff like this on DALLAS, that’s for sure. Later, Bobby insists that he and Jenna wait for Miss Ellie to come back before they have their wedding, ensuring a further delay in that little plot development. I guess there are more fun locations they can go to before that happens.

Yes.

Sue Ellen, a very boring Sue Ellen, has to comfort Jamie and get angry at J.R., because she thought he had changed. Seriously, Sue Ellen? Go find a bottle of vodka and DOWN THAT SHIT.

OMG...too true and too funny.

Once again, it is left to Pam to really drive the episode with her frantic search for answers. First, she goes to Mark's house and learns that Mark's car was taken to KL Motors (I wish!) to be maintained. The car place it is, then! She learns nothing there, so she ends up at Mark's stables, where she learns that everything continues to be run like before. Sexy Tony arrives to tell her that he did stop by her office building to go to the bank. Can Pam and Tony have wild sex, please? What Tony says is not enough for Pam. She sees Avery Carson, who tells her that it will take some time to settle Mark's estate. As an excuse, it’s totally feasible, but the show makes no attempt to be subtle and clearly shows that Carson has something to hide. It’s not long until Pam receives flowers signed from Mark. Honestly, that would be really, really painful if it happened to someone. She ends up back at Carson’s office after a short stop at the flower place, and demands to find out what happened. When Carson says that Mark changed his will a day before he died, Pam exclaims that it sounds as if Carson is saying that Mark is alive and may be returning! Then, we suddenly freeze, as if they ran out of time and couldn’t fit in reaction shots.

More of Pammy's investigations--I love it! I really need to re-watching this season.

[Ray&Donna]

EPISODE 6: SHADOW OF A DOUBT

Such a good Hitchcock movie title...what's it doing on this episode?

OMG. STOP THE PRESSES. NO. JUST—STOP. What is this Piglish craziness that is going on right now? Am I really seeing this? Is this really happening? No, really. Is Miss Piggy an ultra entertaining part of the show right now for real? Well, take out the mud pies and cook me some bacon, I am enjoying it!

First off, Lucy runs into sexy Eddie after finishing work. He’s all sweaty, smug and driving a horrid van. Then, Bitchy Betty comes out and calls Lucy Freaking Ewing a MIDGET. A MIDGET! Oh… my… God. I think I must have terrified my neighbors with the howl of hysterical laughter that I made. But, wait, that’s not all! Later, Lucy and Betty are enjoying a slow morning at The Hot Biscuit. It all looks like a run-of-the-mill, leave-my-boyfriend-alone-bitch scene, but it develops into a clusterfuck of unexpectedness when Bitchy Betty throws her water at Lucy! Lucy throws her beverage right back and the two women hit each other as best they can, considering that Miss Piggy is behind the counter and can’t reach. Unfortunately, they are torn apart, ending what I would describe as the show’s first catfight ever (unless you count Donna's punch at what’s-her-name as a catfight). Such deliciousness! DALLAS, you surprise me.

I guess one doesn't have to be a midget just to get in a water fight at The Hot Biscuit. But very funny, otherwise. Isn't Eddie already better than Peter Speedo?

Cliff is also busy trying desperately to turn Mandy into Afton (which is kinda sweet and disturbing at the same time, considering he basically demands she become his housekeeper). Sassy Mandy won’t have it, though, and calls for a maid—horrible flashback of Lucy’s Season 4 storyline ensues. I really hope this doesn’t go like that. Other than that, Mandy meets Bobby and gets all horny eyed as soon as that happens. Uh oh.

Oh, Mandy. You came and you gave without eating any Chinese food, but Cliff sent your wontons away...

Speaking of Bobby, he spends the episode with Jenna. First, he, Jenna, Ray and Donna celebrate Donna's oil venture, first at the field and then at a bar. The scenes don’t really work for me; they [the writers, actors, whomever] try too hard to bring a sense of camaraderie, friendship and togetherness but somehow fall short. Ray and Bobby's tribute scene to Jock’s memory should have been so strong, but it felt flat. But all this is nothing compared to Bobby finally telling Jenna he wants to make plans at a water park. There is also this demented shot of Bobby and Jenna coming down the slide, with the camera doing so as well. One is not used to stuff like this on DALLAS, that’s for sure. Later, Bobby insists that he and Jenna wait for Miss Ellie to come back before they have their wedding, ensuring a further delay in that little plot development. I guess there are more fun locations they can go to before that happens.

Yes.

Sue Ellen, a very boring Sue Ellen, has to comfort Jamie and get angry at J.R., because she thought he had changed. Seriously, Sue Ellen? Go find a bottle of vodka and DOWN THAT SHIT.

OMG...too true and too funny.

Once again, it is left to Pam to really drive the episode with her frantic search for answers. First, she goes to Mark's house and learns that Mark's car was taken to KL Motors (I wish!) to be maintained. The car place it is, then! She learns nothing there, so she ends up at Mark's stables, where she learns that everything continues to be run like before. Sexy Tony arrives to tell her that he did stop by her office building to go to the bank. Can Pam and Tony have wild sex, please? What Tony says is not enough for Pam. She sees Avery Carson, who tells her that it will take some time to settle Mark's estate. As an excuse, it’s totally feasible, but the show makes no attempt to be subtle and clearly shows that Carson has something to hide. It’s not long until Pam receives flowers signed from Mark. Honestly, that would be really, really painful if it happened to someone. She ends up back at Carson’s office after a short stop at the flower place, and demands to find out what happened. When Carson says that Mark changed his will a day before he died, Pam exclaims that it sounds as if Carson is saying that Mark is alive and may be returning! Then, we suddenly freeze, as if they ran out of time and couldn’t fit in reaction shots.

More of Pammy's investigations--I love it! I really need to re-watching this season.

[Barbara Fan]

Great and funny review JROG

Love the Miss Piggy comparison!!! And a drunk Sue Ellen is much more interesting!

cant tell you just how much I hate / HATE / the next episode!!! shotgun and bullets at the ready!!
BANG!

[JROG]

EPISODE 7: HOMECOMING

This episode makes for some very uncomfortable viewing. It’s not enough that the writing is somewhat off, now we have to deal with the arrival of a new Miss Ellie. I was all prepared to be open-minded, accepting and understanding of the recast; after all, the concept of recasts is not new in daytime TV and I am more than used to it. But the problem with NuEllie goes far beyond the new face.

The scene where Miss Ellie finally returns must be one of the most bizarre things that ever hit Dallas… I mean, it must be! A recast has to be treated as non-eventfully as possible: Just replace the actor and keep on going as if nothing ever happened; if the recast is good, then you will be fine. The people behind the scenes seem to feel so awkward at having a new Ellie that they do just the opposite: They make a HUGE deal out of it. Lewis scripts it in a way so that the Ewing family cannot spot Miss Ellie as she’s coming out of the airplane… “where is she?” “OMG, this is so mysterious!” “There’s her hair!” “No, that’s a dog!” and so on and so forth. Finally, the big reveal is made and you can just guess at what they were going for in terms of audience reaction: “OMG, no way, like… wow! Miss Ellie? It’s another actress!” It’s made worse by cutting to commercial. It’s made even worse by having Miss Ellie go through every member of the family, as if to prove that she knows them, and the underlying impression on gets from the script that it is trying to make it as clear as possible that this is Miss Ellie. No, really, you get it? She has a new face, but it’s her. No really. That can either mean two things: They’re trying REALLY hard to establish her, or they’re afraid that people won’t get that it’s her. Either way, it doesn’t work.

I’m going to refrain from saying much about Reed’s acting in the episode. I wasn’t thrilled, but I’m going to wait before I actually form an opinion. What I do have a problem with is every scene in which she was in; first, that patio scene with Jamie. Then, the living room one. Just not impressed at all. When Clayton seems to try and come to terms with living in another man’s house, Miss Ellie seems completely unaware; like it didn’t even cross her mind. Is that Miss Ellie? Has she ever been so clueless?

Thankfully, this return brings out more issues. I like that the show chose to deal with Clayton’s adjustment to this new house and family. Bobby and J.R. have a kitchen scene were they talk about having a new man in the house. Interestingly, Bobby chooses to vocalize his opinion on the subject by attempting to remove Jock’s portrait from the living room. Suddenly, the portrait gains great importance: It’s a physical manifestation of Jock’s continued presence in the house. Clayton seems to feel that as well. At the end of the episode, he goes downstairs to the portrait and tells Jock that he’s still everywhere.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the episode is what is slowly starting to happen between Ray and Donna. Their scenes (while not as crisply written as some of their others) exhibit various dimensions of their relationship and dynamic, while very subtly laying down foundation for future issues, as well as creating some cracks. Donna arrives late but successful in pumping oil and you can just tell that something is brewing. They’re excellently played, but what else is new?

Meanwhile, the fast paced Pig Saga has yet another awesome twist: Eddie discovers that Lucy is not only a Piggy, she’s a Ewing Piggy.

Sue Ellen and Jamie continue their extremely odd and forced relationship by going to an ever weirder restaurant, where models walk around selling clothes. Mandy, of course, is there and overhears Sue Ellen and Jamie talking about how J.R. is scared of Cliff. While this echoes J.R.’s warning to Bobby that Cliff is becoming stronger, it is very lazy writing. The writers needed Cliff to be aware and simply concocted this to make it happen. At least it brings Cliff out of his usual stingy mode and he surprises Mandy with a lovely dinner.

Pam is safely involved in her own plot but continues to remain a highlight. By now, she’s caught Cliff up on what’s been going on and determined to find definitive proof that Mark is dead. To my happiness, Jerry Kenderson returns to reassure Pam that Mark would not have killed himself. However, he does not have the brilliance that he had last season.

All in all… such an odd, odd episode.

DDD

[JohnRossEwingtheBest]

Love me some Katherine. Keep your Afton, gives me some Krazy Kat!

[JROG]

EPISODE 8: THE OIL BARON’S BALL III

The Oil Baron’s Ball! Hell yeah! It promises to be great and has never failed to deliver.

We start off with Clayton: He’s fallen asleep outside, at the patio. Miss Ellie finds him and adopts a look that mostly says she’s annoyed she has to take the liquor back inside, instead of concern. The next day, she confides in Donna, which already feels like a stretch. Not that Miss Ellie has never confided in Donna, but she’s always had to be pushed to do so; Miss Ellie is just too private. Here, you don’t feel any of the hesitancy. Or am I expecting too much from a recast? This isn’t looking well at all. Last episode, Miss Ellie was clueless. In this episode, she senses Clayton’s problems as well as questions Bobby on whether he still is in love with Pam. One has the feeling she wouldn’t have asked had it not been for what lies ahead in the episode concerning Bobby and Pam. After that, she takes Clayton to a hotel room, wanting to spend yet one more night alone with him. Would Miss Ellie do that or would she just say that Clayton needs to deal with it? I don’t know. It’s hard to tell where the overreaction starts, but it did feel foreign to the character. The talk they have is clearly supposed to be touching but zilch. The next day, she reveals that she’s ordered new furniture for her and Clayton bedroom—so she was listening! Clayton seems all happy, as if everything has been settled but later looks at Jock’s portrait, showing that not all is done just yet.

There’s an interesting development in the Spy Sly Storyline: She tells J.R. that she needs a break and has to go away for a few months. It comes out of the blue. Uncharacteristically, J.R. offers to give her two months paid leave. Will this serve some kind of storyline purpose? For example, is this meant to be a way to stretch out certain events? Or is this a backstage, let’s-fire-the-actress thing? Time (and further viewing) will tell! I do hope she comes back. She’s finally learned not to completely suck.

I love how Bobby accidentally finds out about Pam’s search for Mark and tries to talk to her about it. It’s great that Mandy comments on male chauvinism in a chauvinistic show, but it’s also somewhat feels too glamour 80s than a real social comment. Pam and Cliff’s argument at the restaurant is great; not only some interesting shots, but Pam’s explosive reaction to Cliff’s suggestion that she put this behind her. Cliff and Mandy return home and Cliff brings up Pam’s breakdown (the horror! Paulsen, why would you do this?) from a few years ago. This is somewhat confusing. The last two or three episodes have gone overboard in trying to show Pam as very strong and determined. Now, Pam is suddenly weak, in dire need of a man in her life (Bobby), obsessive and in danger of turning into a bad actress again. While I am fine with Pam being all of that (strong, weak, obsessive, determined, crazy and sane) at the same time, it does feel like a retread, like a purposeful set up to make bigger drama out of the ending of the episode than needed by making Pam seem vulnerable and needy. Also, I kind of hate how her love for Bobby keeps being vocalized; the audience really does not need to be told. It has been clear and consistent ever since seconds after they decided to call it quits. By harping on about it, it almost feels like they’re trying to convince us, as if it hasn’t been there all along—I understand why you would want to bring up their love in light of what is about to happen but I just felt it really was not needed at all to be so insistent on it. It almost feels like they are writing for the lowest common denominator; not the stupidest viewer, but the person who has just tuned in and has no idea about Bobby and Pam’s relationship. Maybe I’m splitting hairs.

Meanwhile, J.R. deals with the threat that Cliff has cast over him and Ewing Oil. He meets with Marilee (unfortunately, off screen) and it seems like she’s angry at Cliff. However, Jordan refuses to work with J.R., telling him that Cliff has turned into a major oilman… and he won’t go against him.

Jamie also rivets us with her fast-paced, thrilling storyline. In the latest installment of Cow Girl from Alaska, J.R. tries to get her to go to East Texas to work as someone’s assistant. Sue Ellen, Defender Of All That Is Boring, tells J.R. to STOP IT.

J.R. also sees Mandy Winger for the first time. Hagman is hilarious in this scene; the lust that he manages to express towards Mandy is wonderful.

Eddie researches the Ewings, having seen Lucy’s license plate. “I can’t believe you don’t know who the Ewings are!” some girl tells him. No, really, I can’t believe it. This doesn’t make sense. How could he not have heard, after the Ewings have CLEARLY been established as Dallas royalty? In any case, he is a very interesting character (played wonderfully). After he breaks a date with Bitchy Betty, he asks Lucy out. For some reason, Lucy can’t make it, but she makes sure that Eddie asks her again. You can’t quite tell if Eddie is asking because he likes Lucy or because his interest has been renewed due to the discovery of Lucy’s wealth. Later, Lucy comes home to find John Ross awake late. Poor Lucy has been so reduced, that she has to tell John Ross about her motivation behind her actions in this season. It’s painful to see.

Surprisingly, Wendell asks Cliff to join him at his table at the ball. Ha! Highly unlikely. What are these writers smoking? After the way Cliff spoke to Wendell at that odd tennis balls party, this is the last thing that would happen. Dave is around as well, offering to take Pam as his date. I wonder if they’ll ever do anything about Dave’s plan to use Pam to get to Barnes Wentworth. I hope so, but it may be too much drama for the character.

We finally get to the Oil Baron’s Ball. So much fun. The fashion (or lack thereof), the exploding dynamics, the promise of drama to come! J.R. spends most of his time going after Mandy, which is great, until he sees her dancing with Cliff. It’s hard to tell whether he realizes they’re in a relationship or just dancing. Cliff is anxious to win the award for a second year in a row. NuEllie and Pam have their first encounter; Pam doesn’t barf in her face. Miss Ellie smiles a hell of a lot. Punk gives the award to Wendell (for some reason, I love that he won it). Jordan turns down J.R. once again. And, then, the awesomeness that is the ending: J.R. overhears Mandy and Pam talking. Mandy encourages Pam to talk to Bobby, tell him that she still has feelings for him. J.R., in one of his nastiest, most entertaining moves, takes the podium and announces Bobby and Jenna’s engagement in front of everyone. Everything is perfect: Pam looking up from Bobby to J.R., as she realizes what he said. Her look of shock. Bobby catching Pam’s teary eyes. Pam’s devastated, inquiring look. A classic ending.

By the way, Pam’s gotten 4 out of 8 freeze frames this season. Go Pam!

DDD

[Barbara Fan]

5 mins after episode 7 had aired, i wiped away my tears - ran upstairs and dug out my good and expensive note paper - you know the good quality paper that had my name and address on it - and wrote to Lorimar production team, katzman and capice to say that they had made a huge mistake replacing BBG and to bring her back asap as her replacement was wooden and quite dreadful in the role.

I then stuck all 3 letters in an envelope for lorimar productions /Warner Boulevard

at from that point onward - all through s7 - dallas was never the same for me again without the heart and soul of SF - it was flat - and with the exception of Swan Song I dont watch it very often

my fav that season was Pamela - and she looked hot (not fair really)