Underrated Scene In The Later Seasons.

[Jock's Ghost]

Pricilla was only as good as her co-star. She was acceptable with Duffy and better with Kanaly, but so terrible with the also terrible Charly.

 

[Billy Wall]

Pricilla was only as good as her co-star. She was acceptable with Duffy and better with Kanaly, but so terrible with the also terrible Charly.

I disagree. Jenna and Charly had good chemistry as a mother and daughter. Jenna had absolutely no chemistry with Ray.

 

[DallasFanForever]

J.R. and Bobby stuck in the elevator is one of my favorites from the later seasons. Seeing what Jock meant to the both of them and how he shaped them to run his company from very early on is a nice tribute to the early years of the show. When I watch that scene and hear them both talk it’s hard to not be reminded how much alike the brothers really were at times.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

I disagree. Jenna and Charly had good chemistry as a mother and daughter. Jenna had absolutely no chemistry with Ray.

I actually thought Charlie was at least serviceable in this scene. Reminds me a bit of my sister, who was about that age at the time (but my sister would have been more convincing, if the middle school talent show was any indication).

Priscilla, though… I’d say this scene’s more like a minimally-viable daytime soap actress’s hasty impression of what an untalented, still-delusional local beauty midway through her second lesson at a disreputable San Fernando Valley acting school of the time (if such things existed) would come up with.

Now that I think of it, I’d put Steve Kanaly in the category of someone who could rise up to the level of others, but you wouldn’t necessarily count on to carry lesser actors through a scene. Think of some of his scenes with Susan Howard or with Jim Davis in the Fourth Son versus the later Jenna/Charlie dreck.

Of course, the quality of writing was a big factor. Meryl Streep or Jocelyn Brando or whomever might have had trouble doing much with the burnt eggs and orange juice and tragically-unrequited Krebbs-longing witnessed above.

(I’m just glad Jenna didn’t screw up an order of eggs and toast for cherubic young Christopher a couple of years prior)

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

I actually thought Charlie was at least serviceable in this scene. Reminds me a bit of my sister, who was about that age at the time (but my sister would have been more convincing, if the middle school talent show was any indication).

Priscilla, though… I’d say this scene’s more like a minimally-viable daytime soap actress’s hasty impression of what an untalented, still-delusional local beauty midway through her second lesson at a disreputable San Fernando Valley acting school of the time (if such things existed) would come up with.

Now that I think of it, I’d put Steve Kanaly in the category of someone who could rise up to the level of others, but you wouldn’t necessarily count on to carry lesser actors through a scene. Think of some of his scenes with Susan Howard or with Jim Davis in the Fourth Son versus the later Jenna/Charlie dreck.

Of course, the quality of writing was a big factor. Meryl Streep or Jocelyn Brando or whomever might have had trouble doing much with the burnt eggs and orange juice and tragically-unrequited Krebbs-longing witnessed above.

(I’m just glad Jenna didn’t screw up an order of eggs and toast for cherubic young Christopher a couple of years prior)

on the other hand… (and I guess now more firmly in the ‘middle years’ of the show)

I like Jenna’s dramatic flair here (matching the kind of nutso string accompaniment), and Pam/Victoria seems like the one who’s out of her depth:

the whole scene is so disjointed that it gives the feeling that they weren’t even in the same location at all.. is that Priscilla passing by Pam at the end or a stand-in?

 

[Billy Wall]

on the other hand… (and I guess now more firmly in the ‘middle years’ of the show)

I like Jenna’s dramatic flair here (matching the kind of nutso string accompaniment), and Pam/Victoria seems like the one who’s out of her depth:

the whole scene is so disjointed that it gives the feeling that they weren’t even in the same location at all.. is that Priscilla passing by Pam at the end or a stand-in?

That was actually good acting by Priscilla. She looked like she was going a little crazy. Lol

 

[Popular Piggy Defying Gravity]

That was actually good acting by Priscilla. She looked like she was going a little crazy. Lol

I disagree, that's usual Prissy trying to get some Emmy consideration... Vicks probably pitied her and didn't upstage her as much as she could have...

 

[Jock's Ghost]

HA!

this scene has it all: JR’s legendary dealmaking powers strained to the limits against perhaps his most gritty, formidable opponents of all, a majestic John Parker score fusing soaring electric guitar, tinkly barroom piano, and plaintive bass clarinet like only the maestro could, a nod to Mss Ellie’s love of the land and Miss Charlie’s love of Darius…

hm, speaking of the fan-favorite young Miss Wade…

masterful acting, compelling drama, culinary intrigue, a searingly realistic frying sound echoing our exquisitely frazzled nerves as viewers, a Swiss-cheese-like sweater subtly foreshadowing a tragic exile in exotic Europe.. quite possibly the apotheosis of late 20th century television!

 

[lbf522]

I never understood the level of JR's rather intense dislike of Gary, other than Miss Ellie's favoring him.
Both parents favored Bobby, but JR didn't have the same feeling about that

I never understood JR's dislike of Gary either. If anything he should have disliked Bobby who wanted to be apart of Ewing Oil. Also, it was never told why JR had Lucy taken away from Valene. Why would he care about his brother's daughter. I have two theories on that. Either he and Valene had an affair and Lucy was the result or most likely, Jock and Ellie went to JR and told him that they wanted their then only grandchild on Southfork.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Meryl Streep or Jocelyn Brando or whomever might have had trouble doing much with the burnt eggs and orange juice

Jocelyn Brando.

on the other hand… (and I guess now more firmly in the ‘middle years’ of the show)

I like Jenna’s dramatic flair here (matching the kind of nutso string accompaniment), and Pam/Victoria seems like the one who’s out of her depth:

the whole scene is so disjointed that it gives the feeling that they weren’t even in the same location at all.. is that Priscilla passing by Pam at the end or a stand-in?

I, too, rather like that scene on the steps between Pam and Jenna. And while Priscilla may not be Hepburn here, it kind of works anyway -- I think the acting is serviceable, and Presley's borderline-insanity is convincing enough for me to believe it.

But they got into a problem when Jenna collapsed on her knees on the floor of the Southfork living room, her psychiatric meltdown supposedly complete. "Cringe" doesn't even begin to describe it, and I consider it abuse by the producers of Ms. Presley... It was time for Pam to wake up.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I never understood JR's dislike of Gary either. If anything he should have disliked Bobby who wanted to be apart of Ewing Oil. Also, it was never told why JR had Lucy taken away from Valene. Why would he care about his brother's daughter. I have two theories on that. Either he and Valene had an affair and Lucy was the result or most likely, Jock and Ellie went to JR and told him that they wanted their then only grandchild on Southfork.

I have wondered sometimes if JR was Lucy's biological father.
In one of the Dallas books that was published circa 1980, Valene is renamed Maureen and there might have been something with the two of them

 

[xab]

I have wondered sometimes if JR was Lucy's biological father.
In one of the Dallas books that was published circa 1980, Valene is renamed Maureen and there might have been something with the two of them

Yep, Dallas by Lee Raintree. I still have the book ( in french). It was first released just after Dallas proved to be a hit and before a Valene entered the picture. (The ranch on the cover is the Brinkmann ranch, first location for Southfork)
If I remember correctly JR had an affair with "Maureen" and Lucy's paternity was not clear.
Jock had an affair with his secretary, Roberta, and Bobby was supposed to be named after her... ( How thoughtful....)
Half the book took place before the very first episode. It is interesting to read this alternative "Dallas : the early years".
No Aaron Southworth, but a Sam Southworth dying in the very first page.
I remember being amazed at the explicit and crude sex ( I was 12)