Recap: Bobby tells Harv Smithfield that he doesn't want to push Miss Ellie into declaring Jock legally dead, and an exasperated Harv points out that Jock would want her to so that his final will and testament could be read. Bobby asks him if there's any possible way the company can run in its current state of limbo, based on the voting shares system that Jock had implemented just prior to his death, and Harv gives him an unenthusiastic maybe - but only if they can prove that Ewing Oil is a tight, well-managed company. Bobby says that since Jock hadn't been at the helm of Ewing Oil for years prior to his death, essentially nothing has changed...except, of course, for JR's lack of interest in functioning as president anymore. JR has once again spent the night at Serena's place...and as he sips a glass of orange juice, Serena makes it clear that she'd really really like it if he got dressed and left, like pronto. A put out looking JR reminds her that there was once a time she wanted him all to herself, so she reminds him that at the time he made it abundantly clear that that was never ever going to happen. Miss Ellie calls Bobby at his Ewing Oil office to inform him that Southfork just received a large delivery of cattle...and since stupid Ray is nowhere to be found, no one can to confirm the order. Sounds like Southfork could really use some workplace redundancy. Bobby says that since the deliverer (Kevin McDonnell) is a reliable fellow, they can safely assume that the order is legitimate and that she should go ahead and sign for it. After that, Phyllis tells him that a pile of purchase orders just arrived by messenger...and Bobby instructs her to send them back, 'cause there's no way in hell he's going to be able to get JR's signature on them. Roger Larson is photographing four women scantily clad in swimwear when Lucy enters his studio. She's immediately approached by Blair Sullivan, the "agency man" Roger claimed could turn her into America's next great cover model. Blair oooohs about how right Roger was about her fantastic bone structure (er, OK..?), then wanks her about how, with the right person behind her, she really could shoot for the stars. A few seconds later, Roger wanders over and offers to put together a "dynamite portfolio" for her, and Lucy tells him that she definitely likes the sound of that, but first needs to wrap up a few personal things. Clayton arrives at Sue Ellen's new digs to pick her up to attend another wretched dinner party. She bellyaches about how hard it is to live alone...then says she's been out on a couple of dates since dumping Dusty, but isn't yet ready to jump headfirst into a relationship. Clayton urges her to take her time and reminds her that if she ever gets too lonely she can always find refuge at Southern Cross, and she thanks him for that and also for agreeing to be her escort for the evening. Ray is at a bar, hanging with a group of boisterous storytelling cowboys, when Bobby enters and wanders over to him with an expression of dismay etched across his face. He informs Ray that a hundred head of cattle was delivered at Southfork earlier, and that no one had a clue where they came from. Ray confirms that, yep, he ordered them and didn't think to tell anyone, sheepishly adding, "I guess I just let it slip my mind." Bobby chides him for his lacklustre work performance and urges him to talk about whatever's preventing him from functioning, at least at a base level, as Southfork's foreman - but Ray pissily retorts that there's nothing to talk about. Sue Ellen and Clayton arrive at the dinner party, where the couples are playing board and video games. She introduces Clayton as an old friend, and the wives are all, "Mmm hmm...sure" while cackling amusedly at what they all assume is the start of a May-December fling. The next morning at Southfork, Lucy gabbles at Miss Ellie, Pam, and Bobby about how Roger Larson has offered to shoot her portfolio, then asks Pam if she could help her pick out some flattering outfits to wear for the shoot. Pam happily agrees...and after the two scamper upstairs, Miss Ellie asks Bobby why he's so quiet. He tells her that JR isn't functioning at Ewing Oil, like at all, and Miss Ellie nods sympathetically and assures him that probably/hopefully JR will one day snap out of it. Bobby tells her they have a dozen deals pending that require JR's approval, then suggests he step in temporarily as president - but Miss Ellie puts the kibosh on that 'cause she doesn't like the idea of making any major management changes during this mourning period. Back at the studio, Lucy is posing for Roger when he orders her to undo the top button on her blouse and then lean forward to "show a little bit of curve". When Lucy looks too nervous and icked out to proceed, Roger shuts off the music and complains that she's not emoting the kind of personality or energy he needs in order to cobble together a dynamite portfolio. Lucy admits that she's still unsettled by her grandfather's grisly death, and that it's hard to get her brain to focus on posing for photographs. Roger chews on that for a few seconds and invites her to tell him about Jock...and says she should feel free to talk about him for the next several hours if that's what it'll take to spark the kind of sexy poutishness that's going to take the modelling world by storm. Bobby invites Dr. Conrad to dine with the family at Southfork under the pretence of checking up on Pam, when really he wants her to sneakily assess Miss Ellie's mental state as she mourns Jock (or not, as the case seems to be). Dr. Conrad says it's fairly obvious that Miss Ellie is going through "classic denial" ... and when Bobby says that her serene calmness is freaking him out, Dr. Conrad says there's nothing he can really do, except stand by and let her face her grief when she can no longer pretend Jock is alive, and cross his fingers that she comes out the other end emotionally intact. Jordan Lee tells Bobby that, out of respect for Miss Ellie and Jock, he and the cartel would like to mend fences with Ewing Oil and involve them in their latest wheelin' and dealin'. Bobby thanks Jordan and agrees to talk to JR about it...and after Jordan heads off, Bobby storms over to the office next door, where JR is glumly boozing at his desk. Looking completely exasperated, he tells JR that the cartel is open to doing business with them again - but he (Bobby) can't make any commitments until he (JR) starts functioning as president again. JR makes it clear how disinterested he is in discussing any of this and excuses himself from the room, grumbling, "It's getting a little crowded in here." Over at Casa Yokel, Donna is discussing with her publisher the prospect of writing a prequel to her bestseller - Sam Culver: The Early Years - when Ray returns home and snidely apologizes for interrupting their business meetin'. When he ignores the publisher's outstretched hand and rudely stalks across the room and into the bedroom, a mortified Donna announces that she's definitely, 100%, for sure going to write a second book. After JR enjoys a nooner with Heather Wilson, he announces that he should prolly be getting back to the office. When he tells her he'd like to drop by again later, she says he's welcome to stay at her place - but that she's jetting off to London with Vaughn Leland this evening, and that they've been enjoying hitting the sheets together ever since he (JR) pimped her out to the old creep during The Split episode. Bobby arrives home and is startled to learn that Mrs. Bruce from one of Dallas's adoption agencies stopped by to personally give them the good news that they have a baby girl available for adoption. She adds that she was surprised to learn that they've already adopted a little boy, but will cross them off her list and inform the family behind them in line of their good fortune. After she sees herself out and Miss Ellie offers to put Christopher to bed, Pam tells Bobby she felt kinda silly not knowing which agency they got Christopher from. Bobby nervously tells her that Christopher didn't actually come from an agency...then fibs that his bio parents were killed in a car accident. Pam's all, "Say wuh?" and asks what the parents' names were, and Bobby says he didn't see the point of asking anyone that question and reminds her that the most important thing is that Christopher is their adopted son (um, hopefully). Pam seems satisfied enough with that vague-ish answer and thanks him for bringing the precious tot into their lives, and firmly adds that no one is ever going to take him away from them. The next day, Bobby calls the rest of the adoption agencies in Dallas and tells them to take his/Pam's name off their lists. A few seconds later, Phyllis informs him that he received a call from Jeff Farraday and that he said he'd be in touch...and Bobby pales as he stares worriedly into space. Miss Ellie enters JR's room to bring him a cup of coffee and ask why he's not at work, given that it's 9:30am. JR grumbles that he doesn't much feel like pretending to work while he drinks at his desk, so she tells him that she really really wants the family to get back to normal...and, to that end, wants him to pull himself together and make it a point to join her and the rest of the family for dinner at 7pm. Clayton phones Sue Ellen and tells her he's not going to be able to make her dinner party 'cause he has a refinery emergency to attend to. Sue Ellen debates whether or not she should cancel the party, but Clayton urges her to go ahead and have fun with the awful couples (sans him). A horrendously disheveled looking Ray is loafing atop his couch, guzzling beer and watching TV, when Bobby drops by. He tells her that Miss Ellie is worried about the family drifting apart and that she'd like it if he and Donna joined them for dinner this evening - but Ray makes it clear he has zero interest in that, petulantly growling, "I didn't eat dinner at Southfork when Jock was alive! I'll be damned if I'm going to start eating there now!" Bobby looks stunned and dismayed at his yokelly half-brother's hostile bitchitude, then quietly gets up and exits the house. Sue Ellen greets her dinner party guests, who wonder aloud where Clayton is hiding, then express skepticism that he's really just a platonic friend. One of the husbands, Henry Webster, gets all grab handsy with Sue Ellen as he guffawingly offers to pour his own drink...and his irked wife, Dee Dee, shoots Sue Ellen an extra squinty stink-eye instead of telling her idiot husband to stop making a dumb spectacle of himself in front of a roomful of people. When only Pam and Bobby show up for dinner, Miss Ellie moans about how sad she is that the rest of the family bailed on her. Pam assures her that things will eventually get back to normal, then heads upstairs to put Christopher to bed - just as a bedraggled JR staggers home and says he lost track of time. He then pours himself drink and announces that he's going upstairs to lie down. Bobby storms upstairs to confront JR about where he was tonight, then reminds him that he's not the only family member who's mourning Jock. He says he too misses their gruff daddy, but that surely Jock would want his sons to be "up and doing" running Ewing Oil, the way he once did. JR glumly says that nothing matters anymore now that Jock is dead, and Bobby angrily says he's sick and tired of covering for him at a company that's in danger of dying of neglect. He then grabs JR, physically drags him over to the mirror to force him to view his patheticness, and snarlingly reminds him that Jock built Ewing Oil for them, their kids, their kids' kids, and so forth. He barks, "Get off your butt, JR. We've got work to do!" JR whimpers that nothing will ever be the same, and Bobby agrees - but points out that it's not a reason to give up and just sit around and booze all day. He urges him to think of his legacy, as well as John Ross...and after Bobby exits the room, JR stares at a framed photo of his son and begins to look newly determined to get himself back into the oil business game. Henry raves about how he hasn't eaten anything as awesome as Sue Ellen's catered dinner in awhile, and a miffed Dee Dee despondently mutters that that remark doesn't say much about her cooking. She then looks even more miffed when Henry openly leers at Sue Ellen and once again gets grab handsy with her while she attempts to pour drinks for the other guests...and Sue Ellen somehow refrains from telling the uncouth oaf to take his disgusting hands off of her. Miss Ellie drops by Casa Yokel to asks Donna whassup with Ray fucking the dog all day instead of at least doing the bare minimum in his job at Southfork. Donna says she's gotten so fed up with the hillbilly's rudeness, boozing, and general state of dishevelment that she's starting to give far less of a shit about their marriage than she ever has. She rails about how she's given him all the love, compassion, and understanding she can...and is at the point where she has nothing left. When she starts to weep, Miss Ellie gives her a comforting hug and urges her to hang in there and hope that Ray will eventually snap out of it, start combing his hair again, and get back to at least a basic level of personal hygiene. As the dinner party guests start to head home, Dee Dee tells Henry to go start the car so she can private warn Sue Ellen to not make a fool of herself with her [icky shitbag excuse for a] husband just 'cause she struck out with her marriage. She bitterly adds, "I thought you were my friend, Sue Ellen. Some friend" before angrily flouncing off. Sue Ellen then gets a call from Cliff, who invites her to get together tomorrow...and she tells him she likes the sound of that, and - because she's an unemployed lady of leisure - she just happens to be free all day. Miss Ellie is going through the mail when JR wanders by and tells her he's off to pick up John Ross for the weekend. He then promises his mama that he and his tot will be back at Southfork for dinner at 7pm. Outside, Pam and Bobby are swimming and playfully bantering by the pool before they engage in an amorous smoochfest. The two exchange I love yous, and Pam happily coos about how, with the arrival of Christopher, she now has everything she's ever dreamed of. JR arrives at Sue Ellen's house and looks dismayed to find Cliff there. As Sue Ellen goes upstairs to fetch John Ross, Cliff boasts about how Barnes-Wentworth 1, aka the oil field he coerced him into signing over, is starting to make a nice profit...and JR snarlingly replies that he only let him have that field so he can one day take it back. Sue Ellen returns to the room with John Ross and his little suitcase...and as he and JR head out, JR snidely remarks to Cliff and Sue Ellen, "You two really deserve each other." During dinner at Southfork, Miss Ellie gushes (at Lucy, JR, John Ross, Pam, and Bobby) about how thrilled she is that they're finally partaking in a fully attended family dinner again. Everyone then turns to gaze over at John Ross, who's grinning happily as he sits in Jock's chair, the way JR used to do when he was a boy. JR stares lovingly at his tiny son for several seconds, then proudly pronounces, "He's really a Ewing. That's for sure." Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying TVofYore's recaps, consider thanking me by buying me a "coffee"!
1 Comment
Kyle
10/12/2023 07:56:02 pm
This is one of the best episodes of the series. The writers were always careful to make sure that JR’s villainy was motivated (he wanted to please his father, who always preferred Bobby to JR). With Jock gone, they pivoted JR’s motivation to building a legacy for his son. And with that pivot complete in this episode, the show soldiered on.
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