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Message: <blockquote data-quote="James from London" data-source="post: 254519" data-attributes="member: 22">Distant Rumblings (KNOTS, 13 Mar 86) v Divorce, Ewing Style (DALLAS, 15 Feb 80)Sandwiched between Gary’s short-lived role as Paul Galveston’s protege (as seen in Distant Locations) and his temporary turn as a senatorial candidate (Distant Echoes) lies his even briefer phase as a driver of dangerously fast cars. Distant Rumblings finds him in hospital recovering from his latest prang when Val pays him a visit. “I know about dry drunks. Sometimes I think you still feel the need for the high,” she tells him insightfully. However, it’s Ben’s reaction upon learning of her visit that’s really fascinating: “I don’t think I know right from wrong anymore,” he tells her wearily. "Is it right for me to expect you not to care about the suicide course your ex-husband has set for himself? Is it right for me to resent you for going to visit him? … You could save his life. What is my resentment compared to that? You’re doing what’s right for you and I respect you for it. And if I also resent you for it, then I guess it’s my problem, isn’t it?”Distant Rumblings also includes live coverage of Garbage Day, the weekly cul-de-sac event Anne Matheson found so mysteriously exotic in Deadly Combination. Val likewise manages to make a drama out of dragging a couple of trash cans to the kerb as she knocks one over and then breaks down sobbing over the state of her marriage. In the process of comforting her, Laura casually mentions that her marriage to Richard is officially over. I guess that’s what you’d call Divorce, Avery Style. The episode ends more dramatically with Gary asks Abby for a Divorce, Ewing Style.The actual episode Divorce, Ewing Style is, alphabetically-speaking, the first instalment of the great 79/80 season and it’s one of my favourites — it's lean and mean and moves even faster than New DALLAS. The ep opens with Sue Ellen throwing a surprise anniversary party for JR at Southfork. Despite all previous evidence to contrary, everyone present, including the man himself once he’s had a few drinks, falls for her ever-lovin’ wife act. Only when they’re in the privacy of their bedroom does she gloatingly explain that it’s all part of her plan to divorce him and win custody of Little Josh.Fuming, JR (who's in almost every scene of the episode and is really funny throughout) decides to fight fire with fire by making it look as if she’s back on the bottle so he can have her locked up again. Kristin, gleeful at the prospect of destroying her sister, agrees to help — on the strict understanding that she become the next Mrs JR Ewing once Sue Ellen is out of the way. Within three scenes of hatching their plan, they’ve got Jock and Ellie believing Sue Ellen's back on the booze, with Bobby and Pam following suit two scenes later. We're constantly reminded in later years how wise and shrewd Jock and Miss Ellie are, but here they’re gloriously gullible, swallowing every lie that’s put in front of them.Sue Ellen, who began the episode on such a triumphant note, swiftly finds herself in an untenable situation. “I’m afraid to stay with JR and even more afraid to leave him,” she tells Dr Elby, who listens sympathetically but is ultimately powerless to help. In the final scene of the ep, she has to be restrained from physically attacking JR in front of the rest of the family who now think she’s gone completely round the bend. The freeze frame is of JR turning his face away so they won’t see what an absolute blast he’s having.And the winner is ... Divorce, Ewing StyleBONUS BEATS:[MEDIA=youtube]wCBF_6DzOe8[/MEDIA]</blockquote>

Verification: Who played Sue Ellen in Dallas?