Recap: Bobby and Ray ride over to an area of Southfork, where a group of prospective ranch hands are gathered. Ray gives the grizzled men a once-over, grimacing at some of the older candidates, when a young boy - Luke Middens - saucily tells Bobby he'd loooove to ride his horse sometime. Bobby perks up at that, decides he'd like to bond with a spirited young boy this episode 'cause of how much he loves laying it on thick about his deep love of children, and motions at Ray to hire the young'un's father, Bo Middens. Sue Ellen stops by the breakfast patio to announce that she's off to run errands in town. JR hobbles after her and asks her exactly how she's been spending her days lately, and pretends to be worried that she's overdoing it. Sue Ellen glares at him and tells him to stay out of her life the way she stays out of his - but he argues that he doesn't want to spoil "the pretty picture" that is their dysfunctional marriage. She snaps, "That's for the public, not for us" and climbs into her car. Bobby gushes to Pam about how cute, adorable, and all around awesome the new ranch hand's kid is, and that he looooves the idea of a child frolicking around Southfork. Pam's like, "That's nice", then scrunches her face concernedly and spacily wanders off in the direction of her car. Bobby wonders aloud if he said anything wrong, and Miss Ellie tells him that Pam is probably just nervous about her baby 'cause of the miscarriage she suffered in Season 1. When JR arrives at work, he discreetly fondles Kristen, who suggests they hook up at her condo later. He perks up and is all, "Can do", then asks her to please get his private investigator, Cal McBride, on the phone pronto. Sue Ellen is in a session with her therapist, Dr. Ellby. She drones on about her dismal life, including (possibly) getting knocked up by Cliff Barnes. When Dr. Ellby points out that even though it's 1979, there are ways to establish paternity, Sue Ellen's like, "Meh.." and says she prefers to live with the uncertainty as to who fathered her spawn. She tells him she'd rather spend her energy figuring out how to be happy, gain full control over her life, and be a good mother to the son she's been so shittily neglecting from the moment she discovered she was preggers.
JR orders Cal McBride to follow Sue Ellen, then report back asap about how and with whom she's spending her leisure time. Pam and Cliff are having one of their usual meetings-on-the-street about the usual Ewing-Barnes-feud-fueled conundrums. Pam chides her brother for being so consumed with hatred toward the Ewings and accuses him of using his OLM job to constantly stick it to them. Cliff weakly denies doing any such thing, then says there's been talk of rich donors wanting him to run for Congress...and that he's so flattered he's seriously considering launching a campaign. Pam's like, "That's nice" and tells him she hasn't yet 'fessed up to Bobby about the genetic disease situation their baby could be facing, and Cliff stares at her incredulously and is all, "Wha-a-a-a??" Pam returns home from work and watches Bobby as he teaches Luke how to make and throw a lasso. Bobby and Luke are enjoying a lunch break and talking about Luke's nomadic existence on account of his pa moving them from place to place in a never ending search for permanent employment. Ray gallops over and informs them that the hot weather has attracted more rattlesnakes than usual, and that one just bit Bo. Luke looks alarmed and cries, "Pa!" and he and Bobby quickly mount their horses and gallop into the remoteness of Southfork. Bo is laying on the ground, moaning all delirious-like when Bobby, Luke, and Ray ride over. Bobby hovers over Bo and assures him he'll take good care of Luke while he's in the hospital getting his anti-venom treatments. Sue Ellen is sashaying down the street in Dallas when she unexpectedly runs into JR and Kristin, who claim they were just entertaining clients at a business lunch and that she should have joined them. Sue Ellen glares at them skeptically and coldly retorts, "I never interfere with my husband's business" and saunters off. Once she's out of earshot, Kristin asks JR if he thinks his wife is onto them, and JR just shrugs and goes, "Do you care?" ... and when it's clear that neither of them does, they head back to the office. Cal McBride reports to JR that Sue Ellen spent the day shopping and getting her hair done. JR looks unsatisfied with that and orders him to continue following her around. JR returns home and finds Jock sitting on the patio, talking on the phone to the doctor who's treating Bo...and he gruffly orders him to take good care of the ranch hand and send him the hospital bill. When he finishes the call, he asks JR if he set up the trust fund for his first wife, and JR barely refrains from rolling his eyes and promises to get on that asap. He asks his daddy if he told Miss Ellie about his first wife, and Jock admits that, nope, he hasn't gotten around to that yet. A few seconds later, Miss Ellie steps outside to see how Jock is doing...and Jock assures her he's feeling fine and waxes on about how much he loves her. She, in turn, kisses his hand and tells him he's a good man and that she's always loved and trusted him. Subtle, show.
Ray tells Bobby that Bo is going to make a full recovery, but that they'll need someone to take over his workload. Luke offers to do it...and after some hemming and hawing from Bobby about how he's much too young to do the work of a grown man, he agrees to give the kid a shot and orders him to round up the stray cattle in the south end of the ranch. Luke [literally] screeches, "Ye haw!" and rushes off...and Ray stares after him with a look of dismay and tells Bobby, "I hope you know what you're doing." Sue Ellen stares down at Baby John Ross in his crib and promises to finally be a good mother...and JR overhears her and calls it "a touching scene". He asks her again how she's been spending her days in downtown Dallas, but she refuses to say and retorts that she should be the one asking what he's been doing with Kristin. JR fibs, "Just lunch" and reminds her that she's his wife and is therefore expected to act accordingly. Sue Ellen argues that she's not his wife in any way that matters, and points out that they no longer share their lives together or give even the tiniest of rat's asses about each other. She describes their marriage as "sick, very sick", shoots him the stink-eye, and stalks out of the room. Please get a divorce.
Luke reports to Bobby that he was able to round up the stray cattle, then assures him he's A-OK with sleeping and eating at the bunk house, like the rest of the ranch hands are expected to do. Bobby nods approvingly, then offers to take him out to a movie later. Later, Pam tells Bobby she had great time at the movies and is happy that Luke seemed to really enjoy third-wheeling it with them. Bobby says he likes the kid a lot and could totally see himself planning a father-son type picnic so they could cement their bond even tighter...then quickly promises that he'll love their baby just as much. Pam asks him if he'd be OK not having a baby, and Bobby's like, "The hell you talking about?" and tells her she's just nervous after the Season 1 miscarriage and assures her that she's going to deliver a healthy baby and that everything is going to be marvelous. The next morning, Pam goes down to the patio for breakfast and is informed by Miss Ellie that Bobby and Luke went riding...and Pam decides that even though she's pregnant and that there's been more rattlesnakes slithering around the ranch than usual, it would be a good idea for her to go riding too. Bobby is at the bunk house, saddling up Luke's horse when he sees Pam come riding over. A few seconds later, a rattlesnake spooks her horse...and she gets thrown from her saddle and hits the ground with a loud thud. Bobby's all, "Pammmmmm! Nooooooo!" and races over to where she's laying, unconscious. In the next scene, Pam regains consciousness in the hospital and asks Bobby about the baby, but he just tells her not to worry about anything and go back to sleep. The doctor pulls Bobby aside and confirms that she did lose the baby, but that they could always try for another one. Bobby tears up and squeaks, "But we wanted this one sooo much", then sadly ambles off. Cal McBride reports to JR that in between charity meetings and fashion shows, Sue Ellen has been keeping regular appointments with a therapist. He adds that Dr. Ellby has a solid reputation as a psychiatrist, but that he's also known as a ladies man who has a penchant for rich, beautiful women. JR stares contemplatively into space. Bobby tells Luke that he's moping around 'cause he's sad about Pam losing their baby. Luke shares the sad story of how his mom died giving birth to him, and that he feels bad about causing her death. JR returns home from work and finds Sue Ellen sunning herself by the pool. He seats himself beside her and asks her whassup with her going to a shrink, so Sue Ellen tells him that their married life is less than desirable and so she needs to get her shit together to figure out how it got so bad. JR grimly retorts, "It's probably 'cause you can't stay away from any man who stares cross-eyed at you", then chides her for wanting it all: the Ewing name, privileges, and the freedom to be a tramp. He says he's pretty sure that Dr. Ellby is only treating her 'cause he's trying to get her in the sack, and Sue Ellen asks if it bugs him more that she might sleep with him, or reveal something he'd rather keep hidden. Pam tells Bobby there can't be anymore children for them...and when Bobby's all, "Wha-at do you mean??" she finally tells him about the genetic disease she recently learned she's a carrier of, and that she'll likely pass it onto their children. Bobby scrunches his face in misery, then looks alarmed and asks about Baby John Ross. Pam says she took him to a doctor for some tests, and that in a few months they'll know whether or not he's afflicted with the disease. She then tears up and says how sad she is that she can't give him the one thing he really really wants.
Digger and Cliff drop by the hospital to visit Pam...and afterwards, Digger moans to Cliff about how sad he is that he'll probably never have grandchildren (and apparently, any kids Bobby and Pam adopt won't count, the douchebag). Cliff boldly announces, "You have a grandson" and says he's pretty sure he was the one who knocked up Sue Ellen nine months before Baby John Ross was born. He promises Digger that if Baby John Ross doesn't die of neurofibromatosis and someone decides to finally take the bull by the horns and looks into some paternity testing that proves he's the baby daddy, he'll demand that the Ewings turn the tot over to his bio dad. Bobby returns home that evening and tells everyone that Pam is OK, but that she's taking the miscarriage very hard. The next morning, Luke tells Bobby that his pa is out of the hospital, and that they're moving to Montana to live and work at his uncle's farm. Bobby looks sad, but says it sounds great, and that living in Montana is a whole lot better than constantly moving from place to place. Bobby arrives at the hospital, where Pam is packing her stuff and hanging with Cliff. When Cliff remarks on how the miscarriage was probably for the best, Bobby gets angry and snarls, "You've never loved anyone!" Cliff snaps back that he loves his son, who could be dying right now...then calls Bobby out on trying to "corner the market on self-pity". When Pam and Bobby return home, Sue Ellen expresses her condolences about the miscarriage and assures Pam that the grief will get easier with time. A few seconds later, Bo and Luke pull into the driveway to say goodbye...and Luke promises to send Bobby a postcard. The two shake hands before Luke climbs back in to the truck...but then rethinks the inadequateness of that goodbye and jumps out of the truck, races toward Bobby, and leaps into his arms for an extended hug. As the two tear up about the end of their three day friendship, Pam stares over at them with a stricken expression on her face. Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying TVofYore's recaps, consider thanking me by buying me a "coffee"!
1 Comment
Just a guy
1/25/2023 06:51:44 pm
Have a heart about the day friendship. That ending made me tear up. I hate the cynical times we live in now. Leave a Reply. |
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