A Different Will for JR (and notes)

[stevew]

Dallas


My version of JRs will:



Start with a date of December 4, 2010 as the date was never mentioned, just assumed I want to use the year 2010, the 1 year without an inheritance tax to prove a point . . .


Bobby and Gary sit on one side of a conference table and John Ross on the other. In walks the family lawyer. He sits down and says, "First I need to get some old business out of the way. Miss Ellie's will. As you all know she turned the ranch over to Bobby decades ago. Bobby."


Bobby says, "She gave me the cattle business and the land to protect. I've done my best to do so. Momma was worried JR would destroy it all to get at the oil. As you know, she made no mention of the mineral rights and earlier a court turned those rights over to her three children in trust. The benefit of that trust for JR's third now goes to his sons, James, John Ross and Bo. But, there's debate over that."


The lawyer says, "Bobby and I are in disagreement over Miss Ellie's will. While the cattle ranch clearly belongs to him, the land was only turned over to his care until JR died. It's then to be turned over to the Ewing Farlow Foundation. My understanding is that includes the mineral rights."


Bobby says, "We'll have to hash that out with the foundation at another time. But momma's will is clear as to the house being separate and while it's care was also entrusted to me, it belongs to John Ross."


"What?" John Ross exclaims.


The lawyer says, "Your grandmother left the house and its contents to you, along with a small trust fund to maintain it and it is to be turned over to you upon the death of your father."


"The house is mine?"


"Yes. In addition to Miss Ellie's will, Clayton's will leaves you control of his shares in West Star, in trust. The rest of his and your grandmother's money went to set up the foundation, but the West Star stock is for your's and Dusty's benefit. Also turned over to you, along with Dusty, upon JR's death."


John Ross says, "No one's heard from Dusty in years. Does anyone even know where to find him?"


"Not that I'm aware of. So, JR's will. JR's estate, such as it is, has been managed by Carlos DelSol for years. He'll take care of all of the details of its disbursement. Gary. JR bought the West Fork ranch. He leaves it to you and your three children."


"You're kidding me?"


"No I'm not. He acquired it sometime ago. Bobby. He also bought the Wade Ranch. He leaves that to you and Lucas."


"Why would he do that?"


"He didn't say. I also have two boxes of personal effects in my office. One for you John Ross and one for your mother."


John Ross asks, "Is that all?"


"No. JRE Investment, it's a holding company for your father's investments. As I said, Carlos DelSol had been managing it. He leaves that to you and your brother Bo."


"JRE Investment? I've never heard of it," John Ross says.


"You'll need to go over it with Carlos. It's incorporated on the Isle of Man, where JR held dual citizenship. Your father spent a lot of years lobbying behind the scenes to eliminate the estate tax too. So, at least with this year, you'll pay nothing. There's also cash disbursements he's made to a lot of people that I'll be mailing out. That about settles it. Are there any questions?"


John Ross stands up and says, "No, I guess not. So my poor father, spending all this years not talking to anyone . . ."


"That's not entirely true. He spoke to me and Carols. And Bum. Probably a few others."


John Ross stares down Bobby, "And if it wasn't for Aunt Ann, I'd toss you out just like you tried to do to me." He then leaves the room.


Gary says to Bobby, "I don't get it. Why would he leave me anything, let alone my kids and you, the Wade ranch and Ray's son Lucas. I mean I guess he's a Wade but I don't get it. What about Christopher? And who controls this foundation of momma's?"


"She and Clayton set it up with three trustees, Dusty, who's been missing for years, Sue Ellen and Lucy. Sue Ellen replaced Dusty on the board with her x-husband Don Lockwood, so she's been in effect running it alone. Along with her own foundation and other charities she's involved with."






Sue Ellen meets with Bobby in his office and says, "I'm sorry. There's no way I can leave that oil under South Fork. Do you have any idea what good that can do? No I'm sorry. I'll try and protect the land as best as I can, but I'm getting at the oil."


"Then you'll have to fight me and Gary for it. Not to mention JR's boys, including your son."


"So be it Bobby. But Miss Ellie intended her money to benefit the people of Texas. She left no one anything, except nice I'm finding out the house to John Ross."








John Ross sits across a desk from Carlos DelSol who says, "Your father kept his friends close to his chest, but you better believe we are loyal to each other. Thick as thieves."


"I honestly never thought my father had any friends."


"Well, best with the kind of things we did to keep those friendship to ourselves. But we're here for you. And you've got a lot on your plate that he's expecting out of you. I know you've got some very close friends yourself, Drew Ramos, among them."


"Yeah, well growing up about all I had was friends. Was a time I though Christopher was my friend."


"Yeah I heard about this thing with Elba Ramos. Disgusting if you as me. And your brother Bo. Your padre was very proud of how well the two of you get along. I've heard many stories, most of which I'm sure you're not even aware JR knew about. Anyway. JRE." He hands John Ross a file folder.


John Ross looks over its continents and says, "Shares of Barnes Global?"


"One third to be precise. Rebecca Wentworth's will was very complex but with your Aunt Pam and Kathryn Wentworth out of the way, Cliff was able to pull together everything for himself, yet he couldn't cut them out completely. He did have Kathryn declared dead, but she's far from dead. JR wants you to work out a deal with her, a governor's pardon so she can return to Dallas in exchange for her third of Barnes Global, which Cliff essentially stole."


"Then what's this if it's not Rebecca's share?"


"You Aunt Pam's third. JR bought it from her."


"She's alive?"


"Yes."


"Why would she sell her shares to my father?"


"That's something you'll have to ask her."


"Where is she?"


"I honestly don't know. I suspect Bum knows." Carlos hands him another folder. John Ross looks through it and Carlos says, "JRE is the single largest shareholder in West Star. Followed by me and then you and Dusty together. JR also managed to buy from West Star the name Ewing Oil. He's given you the task to put back together the company your grandpa created." Handing him another folder, "Those are shares in Ryland Transport. Judith Brown is another old friend of your father's. He expects that company to be part of the mix as well and Judith will be more then cooperative. You've got to reign in the Governor and take down Harris Ryland and Cliff Barnes. JR's given you the tools."


"What if I don't want the job?"


"Well than, sell everything and walk away. You don't owe anyone anything. No one but yourself, that's all."




This change actually creates a masterpiece worthy of JR Ewing as well as fits the character by setting up his son as he'd promised with Ewing Oil and South Fork. It also puts Sue Ellen in a bigger fight against Bobby, owning 1/4 of EE and fighting to get the oil of South Fork for the foundation. Instead of Sue Ellen getting weaker and weaker she gets stronger and stronger taking on Bobby, Christopher and John Ross. Christopher still searches for his mother. The boys still set out to set up Cliff and get rid of him once and for all. The explosion on the rig still happens. John Ross has the added task of putting together Ewing Oil and keeping JRs business secret. Still in the end Barnes Global takes over EE only to reveal John Ross owns 1/3 and so does Pamela and they are married. Cliff is arrested and so is Harris Ryland.


Season 3 starts with Sue Ellen moving into South Fork with her son and his pregnant wife because of her complications and their fragile marriage. John Ross and Drew work together to create EO and Bo shows up to join him - working together like Jock, Jason and Digger, even offering Drew a share of a new company, EwingRamos Field services. Emma takes control of Ryland Transport though she's way over her head.


Much of what we saw could still happen with minor changes but like Cliff, Ryland has to stay in prison to make JR's masterpiece work. And if they're going to do the John Ross / Emma affair we have to see more of how his marriage to Pamela is for business purposes only and she keeps hurting him by pushing him away - so it's not just sad on her part but understandable. And I'd keep Drew alive to replace Bum for John Ross. Also Instead of using Nick Trevino as Cliff's proxy he'd use and manipulate Chris with Elena using Nick on the side, not as Cliff's sudden representative. This would give Chris 1/3 of EE to control and a a chance to turn the bland character into a son of a bitch fighting to get control of what he sees as his while living in the cottage with Elena and working with very bad people like Nick - until Ann and Emma are hurt because of him allowing John Ross to become the hero.


This by the end (needing to advance to 2013 and other children of John Ross and Pamela) John Ross is Jock - trying to fix and create a real marriage with Pamela. Sue Ellen living with them.

Judith goes off to D.C. as a senator, a job John Ross gets her by forcing out the sitting senator and forcing the governor to appoint her. She takes Emma with her. Elena and Chris help put Nick in prison and take control of his company and bring back Kathryn whereby she gets her 1/3 of EE from Pamela and with Cliffs they take control of the company away from Pamela and John Ross.

The fight: John Ross and Pamela (Jock and Miss Ellie) verses Christopher and Elena (JR and Sue Ellen).

Anyway, just an idea I think could have made the TNT version better.

 

[stevew]

Anyway most of season 2 can be salvaged with some changes that ally Bobby and John Ross against Christoper and Elena against the three of them.

I used Wikipedia's summaries for the following, note the changes:

Bobby meets with Elena and signs over the plot of land formerly belonging to her family for her and Drew to create a business. It's the only part of South Fork which belongs to him personally as the rest, the original ranch, is turned over to the foundation and Bobby had bought the land from her mother to add to the ranch.





John Ross and Ann enter the room and a disturbed Elena leaves. "Bobby we need to talk. John Ross told me about the house situation."


"I'm really not interested in discussing this right now."


John Ross says, "You don't have much of a choice."


"Just so we're clear, for a dollar a year I rent the land and all the out buildings from the foundation. That includes the cottage Elena and Chris live in."


"You know," Ann says, "You're so bent on protecting Chris you ignore all the crap he does. What about saying something to him about getting back with Elena while she'd just agreed to marry his cousin? The Bobby I know would be outraged, but anything Chris does you ignore. You hold John Ross and me up to some higher standard and you and Chris get to justify everything. Now I told John Ross we should move out, so he can have this house to start a family of his own, but he insists we stay. So, I told him, like Miss Ellie and Clayton moved down stairs, that we would move into JR's old room."


Bobby considers John Ross. He hesitates and then says, "I'll move my office out to the barns. It's what momma wanted."


"Thank you Uncle Bobby."


"And Ann's right about Chris and Elena. I'm sorry."


"Thank you. Do you . . . Do you love her?"


"Elena?"


"You don't love her anymore than Chris does, do you? She's just something you've fought over."


"It doesn't really matter. It's like she cares about me. Not like any of you ever have, except maybe Aunt Ann."


"That's not true."



------------------------------------------


Bobby, Chris and John Ross meet over JR's masterpiece - to protect the family from Ryland, the Governor and Cliff.

Harris Ryland, Cliff Barnes and the Governor join forces and swear vengeance on the Ewings.

Drew is blackmailed into sabotaging Christopher's offshore methane rig.

The head of DCT is caught in a compromising position with John Ross after Barnes Global undercuts Christopher on the bid for the fuel services contract with the city, placing her political future in serious jeopardy. Christopher then blackmails her into giving him another chance at the contract. While Christopher is giving a tour of the rig, an incendiary device triggers an explosion, which could jeopardize his chances at the contract.

In the aftermath of the explosion aboard Christopher's rig, most suffer only cuts and bruises, but Pamela and her babies are left fighting for their lives. At the hospital, Pamela makes Christopher promise that the babies will be saved if her life ends up hanging in the balance.

Bobby forgives Ann for her deception regarding Emma.

Harris Ryland's mother suffers a broken leg after falling down the stairs at the Ryland mansion. She then tries to create a divide between Emma and Harris and making it clear she owns control of his company.

Pamela's mother, Afton Cooper, makes a surprise return to Dallas and blames Christopher for what happened on the rig. An initial investigation places the blame on Christopher. Pamela miscarries her and Christopher's babies.

Drew and Emma become closer and she talks him out of leaving town.

Ken Richards, an old flame, re-enters Sue Ellen's life.

John Ross and Sue Ellen agree with Bobby that the family needs to present a united front in figuring out what happened on the rig.

Bobby receives news on the possible whereabouts of his ex-wife Pam.

The T.E.S.H.A. investigation concludes and heavy fines are levied against the Ewings. Christopher is furious and confronts Ken Richards in a bar.

John Ross goes to Pamela's condo to check on her and finds her in a drug-induced stupor.

Drew is starting to have an attack of conscience about what happened on the rig. He makes a date with Emma but doesn't show because he is beaten up by Harris Ryland's thugs. Elena finds Drew at their drilling site and he tells her that Ryland had him beaten up, but he swears her to secrecy.

Sue Ellen gives Richards an ultimatum, telling him to choose a side. Later, she receives a list of Governor McConaughey's contributors showing Harris Ryland as one of the biggest.

The Henderson land is seized by the governor in the process of Eminent Domain shutting down Ewing Energies drilling. Ewing Energies is on the verge of collapse.

Ann finds drugs in Emma's dresser drawer, and Emma and Sue Ellen offer conflicting accounts to Ann about what happened when Sue Ellen saw Emma in a bar. After seeing what her father did to Drew, Emma decides to end her relationship with him and then obtains prescription painkillers from a Southfork ranch-hand in exchange for sexual favors.

Sheriff Derrick keeps an eye on Harris Ryland's trucks as a favor to Bobby.

After finding out that her father was responsible for the death of her babies, Pamela has to choose where to place her loyalties.

Christopher closes in on the search for his mother, Pam Ewing.

Pamela allies herself with John Ross, but Christopher's doubts about her make him question her true allegiance. Pamela demands and gets Kathrine's one-third of Barnes Global from her father and then she marries John Ross.

Drew becomes a fugitive from justice - John Ross reaches out to him as his old friend, believing his was forced into the rig explosion and never intended for anyone to get hurt.

Elena goes to Bobby about Drew's role in the sabotage of the Ewing methane rig, pleading his innocents.

Christopher and Elena head off to Zurich to try to find his mother.

Emma spirals deeper into drug addiction and she is pulled over for driving under the influence and hauled off to jail.

Cliff arrives to take possession of Ewing Energies, but is reminded by Bobby that the battle is not over yet.

In Zurich, Switzerland, Christopher and Elena continue the search for Christopher's mother, Pam, which leads to Christopher discovering Pam's husband, who tells him that Pam never wants to see Christopher again. Christopher finds out about Elena's contact with Drew and angrily tells her to leave.

Sue Ellen tracks down Ken Richards and demands that he get proof of the governor's involvement with the TESHA cover-up.

John Ross and Pamela discover that Cliff's plane was in Nuevo Laredo the night JR was killed, convincing John Ross that Cliff killed J.R.

Drew sets a trap for Roy Vikars who ends up being arrested for possession of narcotics. John Ross meets with Drew - now John Ross's go to man. He gets evidence on Ryland from Emma for John Ross.

JR's body is exhumed, and two shell casings are removed from his chest cavity. Evidence is planted by Bobby, John Ross and Pamela to frame Cliff for JR's murder, and Cliff is arrested in Nuevo Laredo. Pamela and John Ross reveal they own 2/3s of Barns Global and thus they control the company that owns Ewing Energies. Chris is ferrous with John Ross and his father as he still doesn't know what happened to his mother, looses his inheritance and his life's work.

Harris Ryland is arrested in Dallas on drugs charges.

Carlos DelSol blackmails and controls the Governor.

From a Mexican prison Cliff turns over his third of Barnes Global to Chris (Chris doesn't know Cliff was set up).

Ryland says he's been waiting to reveals to Elena that years back JR had switched land deeds to cheat Elena's father out of oil-rich land while the Ewings made millions of dollars. Bobby bought the worthless land from her mother. JR emptied the land that did belong to her family, though with fracking there's still more oil, but the land now belongs to West Star which John Ross and Carlos DelSol own. He makes it clear that Bobby and JR swindled her father.

Elena seeks help to avenge her father from someone from her past.

Pamela at the doctors with Sue Ellen reveals she's pregnant.

Bobby reveals to John Ross that, with JR having only a few days left to live, due to cancer, Bum shot JR, because JR asked him to do it.

 

[stevew]

Season 3 – again just notes of what we saw but with slight changes which are critical to the story:

Sue Ellen and Ann plan a wedding for John Ross and Pamela. Pamela gets close to Ann but is cold toward Sue Ellen as she feels that John Ross’s mother hasn’t been a good mother. Sue Ellen tries to get close to Pamela. Sue Ellen is worried that Pamela still loves Christopher.

John Ross and Bobby dispute over their joint ownership of Southfork, especially when it comes to a massive remodeling project. Sue Ellen cautions John Ross not to underestimate Bobby and reminds him of the importance of working together as a family. John Ross said what he wants is to refinance Ewing Energies and for him and Christopher to continue the company, just the two of them using the name Ewing Oil. Bobby also say that his 1/3 of Barnes Global should belong to Chris and John Ross tells him that JR bought it and that Pam is still out there somewhere and so is Kathryn.

Cliff Barnes begins to plot his revenge on the Ewings from prison with Chris showing up at the offices of Barnes Global announcing he has Cliff’s 1/3 and intends to be an equal partner to John Ross and Pamela. Chris doesn’t want to hear about sharing Ewing Energies with John Ross. He’s content with Barnes Global absorbing the entire thing. Chris then goes about to seduce Pamela.

Old Ramos family friend Joaquin (now calling himself Nicolas Trevino) arrives in Dallas presumably to act as a partner to Cliff Barnes in Barnes Global, he has an agreement that shows he acquired a quarter of the company from Cliff last year. He is working with Ryland and Cliff to help Chris take control of Barnes Global. Chris agrees to hire Elena as a VP of Development with Barnes Global’s new Energy Division and in fact is acting as a mole planted by Cliff and Nicholas. Chris works on seducing Elena as well.

John Ross tries to make a business deal with Emma, who is the acting-CEO of Ryland Transport now that her father is in prison. He does through Drew’s relationship with her and his friendship with her. Pamela is jealous of John Ross’s friendship with Emma and she keeps a distance from John Ross, insisting on separate bedrooms.

Christopher meets Heather (a Southfork ranch hand) for the first time.

Sue Ellen has Bum tail John Ross to see if he is cheating on Pamela with Emma Ryland. Bum finds out that he isn’t, but that John Ross is confiding in her his loneliness.

Heather lashes out at Christopher when she thinks he and Bobby are behind the efforts to drill on Southfork, but she finds out John Ross and Sue Ellen are.

Christopher invites Nicolas to the Ewing barbecue in an effort to raise capital for the arctic leases. He then volunteers to go to Mexico to see what he can find about Nicolas when details about his alleged deal with Cliff Barnes don't ring true. Seismic tests supposedly determine that the Shale plates are within the foundation’s surface rights on Southfork even after the Seismic tester confesses to having been bribed by John Ross. John Ross wants that oil for his part of Ewing Energies – and to eventually us it all the other pieces JR left him to recreate Ewing Oil. Sue Ellen wants the oil for her foundation work.

From prison Ryland warns Ann about the danger posed by the Mendez-Ochoa drug cartel to Emma, his mother, AND her.


John Ross wins Southfork ranch hands over to his side on the question of drilling on Southfork land first by fighting it out and being willing to take punch as well as give one and then by offering them lucrative drilling jobs until they can return to ranching.

Nicolas (Joaquin) attempts to bribe a witness in the Cliff Barnes murder case, but he is met by Bobby when he drops off the bribe money.

In Mexico, Christopher meets a man who was cheated out of his share of the profits from a drug patent by Nicolas (Joaquin). He is then taken to the Trevino family compound where he is introduced to Nicolas's (Joaquin's) wife.

Nicolas (Joaquin) and Elena sleep together.

Bobby shows up at John Ross's drilling site with a Lesser Prairie Chicken - reminding John Ross that drilling would threaten the bird's natural habitat thus shutting down.

On the morning of his wedding to Pamela, John Ross is called into a meeting with the Texas Railroad Commissioner about his permit to drill for oil on Southfork where he instead finds Nicholas waiting to meet with him.

Sue Ellen, expressing further concern that her son is becoming more and more like his father, asks Ann that Emma be made to move off Southfork. Ann reminds her that it might not be safe because of the dangers posed by the Mendez-Ochoa drug cartel. Ann also says that just because they are friends doesn’t mean they’re sleeping together and that the problem is that neither Pamela or John Ross have a marriage of love but one of business and how they’re bringing child into the mess. She says that maybe Sue Ellen should support her son. Sue Ellen says she is buy going after the oil on Southfork.

Christopher returns from Mexico after meeting with Nicolas's (Joaquin's) wife who then travels to Dallas and confronts him about his relationship with Elena and blackmails him over his threat to divorce her.

Drew is now hiding out on Southfork and has an attack of conscience about blowing up Christopher's methane rig. John Ross gets him to confess to Pamela who believes him that he didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt.

John Ross is issued his drilling permit after he discovers that the Texas Railroad Commissioner that initially denied him his permit has some strange sexual fetishes.

John Ross and Pamela's wedding goes off seemingly without a hitch.

Sue Ellen goes to Bobby over her concerns about John Ross's behavior.

Ryland puts into motion a plan to blackmail John Ross at a brothel a friend of his owns.

Christopher and Heather hook up after the wedding.


Christopher discovers surprising details about Heather's past. Elena agrees to sleep with Christopher – each of them thinking they’re using the other to get at control of Barnes Global. Pamela once and for all tells Christopher that she never loved him and that she was only desperate to make her father’s plan work. She reveals that she meet John Ross several years before she meet him and that she fell in love with him then and is still in love with him, though he doesn’t remember their meeting and that she doubts he has any feelings for her what so ever. She also reveals that while her father wanted his methane patent that she wanted Southfork to give to John Ross and now that doesn’t matter anymore.

Judith Ryland and Ann try, with varying degrees of success, to get Emma under control.

After Bobby’s appointment as Railroad Commissioner, John Ross scrambles to find the funds with Barnes Global to keep the Arctic lease deal alive. \

Sensing an opportunity, Elena and Nicolas get Pamela and John Ross out of the office to divide and conquer.

Christopher, while living in the Southfork cottage with Heather, begins an affair with John Ross’s secretary.

Sue Ellen confronts John Ross about what she suspects is an affair and how she’s going to call off the drilling of Southfork oil and side with Bobby, that she’s afraid he’s just like his father. They fight in her kitchen. She’s drunk. He confronts her about her drinking and abandoning him and how she’s out of control. She begs him to turn his life around. He says she’s crazy. John Ross has her committed before she hurts herself.

Bobby works to get Sue Ellen released from rehab. Ann is worried that it might be the best place for her but Bobby is sure that John Ross is just using it to control the foundation and get at the oil on Southfork to shave his artic leases. (if it can be arranged a brief appearance by Ian McShane would be nice where he sees Sue Ellen and also John Ross, and is running the foundation in her absence and he disagrees with Bobby and wants the oil pumped up).

Emma discovers the lengths her father and grandmother have gone to control her.

The crushing reality of John Ross's supposed affair with Emma hits home as Pamela views a video sent by Nicolas – but the video is not sex, more him confiding in her. As water seeps from the bathroom at Southfork Ann and Sue Ellen find Pamela sitting on the floor with the bath overflowing. With Bobby finding out the revelations, he demands that Emma leave Southfork, as the spotlight is wrongly turned on her for sending the video to Pamela.

Pamela gives birth early to John Ross Ewing IV, Jay. Pamela slips further into depression. John Ross promises his son they’ll be a happy family.

Christopher and Heather panic when her x collects his son from school and goes missing, although they are later found having a father and son moment at the rodeo after her x has assaulted five policemen and escaped vowing revenge on the Ewings; it acts to bring Christopher and Heather even closer.

Nicolas pierces Elena's diaphragm with a needle, and then having sex with her.

Pamela goes to the Ryland Mansion to confront Emma. Emma tries to explain nothing is happening only to realize that Pamela is on drugs and OD’s.

Sue Ellen, still living at Southfork, returns to the bottle because of all of the stress of the supposed affair and collapses at Southfork, with the camera cutting to Heather’s x driving to the ranch. Next flames rip through the ranch as a fire breaks out. Bobby and Christopher rush inside to try to rescue anyone trapped, when the ceiling collapses on them, leaving them in mortal danger along with Sue Ellen who is still unconscious on the floor.

Right after Southfork is on fire, Pamela, Sue Ellen, and Heather’s x have been hospitalized - an infuriated Bobby and Sue Ellen goes after John Ross and Emma. Pamela, recovering from a drug overdose, John Ross begs her to believe him, that he loves her and that he didn’t have an affair, that she’s the one that wanted the business marriage not him. She dies loving him. He says that he knows she loves him because of what she did to herself, that he’s never hurt anyone in his life and he promises to never hurt her again. Pamela tells him there is not marriage and to leave her alone.

John Ross goes on a drinking binge and Elena seduces him to get at JR’s letter.

After sharing the truth with her mother, Elena confronts the Ewings over J.R. and Bobby taking her father's oil rich land and for framing Cliff for J.R.'s death. Sue Ellen and Ann are shocked that Bobby headed J.R.'s master plan. Christopher reminds Elena how much she has changed and that he doesn’t care what happens to Cliff, Barnes Global will be his, no matter what he has to do to her to get it. John Ross tells her he’ll destroy her for going after his family.

Sue Ellen confronts Bum about J.R.'s death and learns that Bum painted J.R.'s portrait that hangs in Ewing Global.

Bobby agrees to reimburse Elena for her father's land and obtains a pardon for Cliff. Carlos tells Cliff the pardon won’t help him, that he’ll never leave Mexico alive. Elena later hands the pardon document to Pamela prior to making a phone call to Cliff in Mexico. Bobby warns Elena that by freeing Cliff she is restarting the Barnes-Ewing feud and the fallout from it is because of her. In front of Elena, John Ross reveals to Nicolas that Elena only obtained J.R.'s letter because she had sex with John Ross.

Nicolas’s plan to takeover Barnes Global for the Cartel moves forward, setting the stage for a new battle.

John Ross learns from Drew that Nicolas sent Pamela the video of John Ross and Emma making it look like they’re having sex and that Nicholas has been working with Ryland Cliff behind both Elena and Chris’s back and the Cartel behind Ryland and Cliff’s bank.

Pamela must deal with the choice to either free her father or leave him in prison. Pamela leaves him in prison saying his hatred of the Ewings was more important to him than his love for her and she also says she can never forgive him for blowing the Ewing rig knowing she was on board and killing her children.

Tired of dealing with the Ewings through Nichols the cartel kidnaps Emma and Ann.

John Ross meets Drew who informs him that the flash drive John Ross copied from Harris’s black box was encrypted with software only readable from a CIA database. John Ross tells Drew to break the encryption one way or another.

Ann and Emma are taken to a Cartel house in Tamaulipas, Mexico. John Ross, Christopher, Bobby, Sue Ellen, and Judith meet the CIA and Harris in prison and Ryland reveals that the Cartel leader has been in hiding for the last 4 years and is a notorious Mexican war criminal known as El Posolero that wants to own Barnes Global to launder money as well as Ryland Transport to ship drugs.

Ryland's trucks are stopped at the border and Luis performs a mock execution of Emma as a warning.

John Ross tells Pamela about Ann and Emma being kidnapped.

Christopher meets Nicolas's wife Lucia and informs her that Nicolas and Elena are having an affair. She tells Nicolas that Christopher knows his real identity and his debt to the Cartel. It's revealed that Lucia hired the photographer that has been photographing Nicolas and Elena. Later after Lucia learns of Nicolas's affair with Elena, she again meets Christopher and agrees to help him find Nicolas.

Nicolas confesses to Elena that after her family moved to Dallas to live on Southfork with their Aunt Teresa, he left the Mexican Catholic school and became a part of the street gang that became the Mendez-Ochoa Cartel. The leader, Ernest Mendez-Ochoa, saw potential in Nicolas's skills in numbers and mathematics and sent him to school in Europe. He made a deal that cost the Cartel $600million and they threatened his family if until he returned the money. Nicolas explains that the Cartel leader wants Nicolas to deliver enough money to buy the next Mexican presidential election and until then Nicolas, Elena, his sons, and wife are all in danger. Elena is angry that he used her to repay his debt to the Cartel. He says they also want Barnes Global to launder money and Ryland Transport to ship drugs.

Bobby calls a U.S. Senator on the Senate Intelligence Committee for help in getting Ann and Emma back. He also meets with the Texas Railroad Commission to get an emergency drilling permit in South Texas as a cover for transporting the Cartel's drugs across the border via railroad. Bobby flies to Mexico and meets with the cartel about the new plan to transport the drugs. Judith thanks Bobby for helping get Emma back. Bobby meets the cartel and makes the railroad drug shipment deal – this is the money they need now to buy the Mexican election. The cartel agrees but only allows one hostage to go back with Bobby.

Christopher scrambles to find Elena and Nicholas as they own 1/4 of Barnes Global and is sure they are next on the cartel hit list. He’s not worried about them so much as he wants their ¼ of the company he considers his.

The Cartel double crosses Bobby and he returns with just Ann.

John Ross risks all to attempt a rescue. Drew had decoded the flash drive where John Ross locates a CIA contractor - he goes to the Tamaulipas hideout where Emma is held hostage.

Pamela believes that it is Emma that John Ross loves because he risked his life for her and offers him a divorce. John Ross begs her to believe him and that he wants to be a happy family with her and their son.

Judith thanks John Ross for saving Emma. She sells JRE her shares in Ryland Transport, which in effect are control and he has the governor appoint her to a vacant Senate seat. She also gives him the pictures in the brothel.

West Star wins the artic oil leases that Barnes Global and its Energy Division (former Ewing Energy) lose. John Ross announces that JRE now owns Ryland Transport and Branch Water, a private mercenary company and that Barnes Global will be taken apart with JRE acquiring most of its pieces and JRE owning ½ and Christopher owning the other ½ of Ewing Energies after the U.S. government seized Nicholas’s ¼ share of Barnes Global. Pamela will be President of JRE and Chris will be president of Ewing Energies. John Ross is retiring to ranching with Bobby.

Chris sleeps with Elena who feels guilt over working with Nicholas and blackmailing Bobby for money. She reveals she’s lost everything. Chris vows he’ll take control of all of Ewing Energies and runs off to marry Heather.

Nicholas runs off and marries Elena the second his divorce is final.

Pamela talks to John Ross about Ewing Oil and John Ross says that the company belongs to another place and time. She wants to focus on running West Star. He tells her to have at it and that Drew will help, that Drew runs Branch Water. She is happy as a powerful business executive and John Ross will be the stay at home parent and work with Bobby. Jay comes home from the hospital.

Emma leaves for D.C. with her grandmother.

Cliff and Ryland each still in prison.

Elena finds out that she is pregnant.

Bo, Calley’s, son arrives at Southfork.

So not a major cliff hanger as cliff hangers go but since there was a good chance they’d be canceled as they were, this leaves things on better note: John Ross retires behind the scenes, Pamela runs JRE and Drew gets to be John Ross’s go to man. Chris gets to fight over Ewing Energies, having made him more like JR by finale and John Ross just being accused of being more like his father than he really is. And Elena, a woman scored by both men, now with the money to go after what she believes she was cheated out of, Ewing Energies. The five inner connected people and a new generation of Dallas.


As Nicholas is waiting in his car, the car explodes and burns while Elena watches and screams.

 

[stevew]

Season 4:

Dallas staring in Alphabetical order:

Jordana Brewster as Elena Ramos - President of the Trevino Group (conglomerate)
Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing - family patriarch
Julie Gonzalo as Pamela Ewing - President of JRE Investment (conglomerate)
Linda Gray as Sue Ellen Ewing - philanthropist and socialite
Josh Henderson as John Ross Ewing - sort of a "Godfather" figure behind the scenes
Alexander Ludwig as Bo Ewing - playboy and half owner of JRE Investment
AnnaLynne McCord as Heather Ewing - works the Southfork Ranch
Jesse Metcalfe as Chris Ewing - President of Ewing Energies (antagonist)
and
Brenda Strong as Ann Ewing - family matriarch

note: not in the opening credits but also Kuno Becker as Drew Ramos - President of Branch Water (mercenary company)


Chris and Heather and their son (now assumed adopted by Chris) walks up from the cottage out back to have breakfast by the pool with the family, John Ross, Pamela (noticeably pregnant) and Jay along with Ann. She talks about Bobby already out working on the ranch and Sue Ellen being in D.C. on foundation business. Heather talks about an expectant cow that Bobby's probably taking care of.

Bo walks out of the pool and drives off, wrapping a towel around his waist at coming over to the table for some bacon.



John Ross meets in his study with Chris, Drew and Pamela regarding strategies for the family's investments. Pamela talks about some merger opportunities for West Star and Chris mentions wanting Ewing Energies to acquire a drill bit from JRE's subsidiary Wentworth Tool and Die.





Elena walks into her office over looking the skyline of Dallas and asks a team at her table if they have any results. First she wants to know if they've located Kathryn Wentworth. They are zeroing in on her. Then she wants to know about shares in West Star, if she has enough to demand a board seat. She's assured she does. Then she asks about Chris's appeal of an early court decision giving her half rights to his extraction process. She's told there shouldn't be any problem today in court but the concern is the Supreme Court and the Ewing's influence there. "Well then, I expect we find someway to sway that influence in our direction."

 

[stevew]

Elena walks out of the court room when Chris approaches, "On to round three," he says.


"Aren't you tired of losing?"


"What I'm tired of is dealing with a cheap whore coming after my hard work."


"Our hard work."


"You provided consultation, for which I paid you. The only hard work you ever did was in bed and for that you've been paid very well."


"You're disgusting."


"I am? You nearly got us all killed, you got Ann and Emma kidnapped. You slept with a married man who made his money off drugs and then stole him from his wife and kids. You blackmailed my father to help out the man who killed my children. You tell me how that all adds up Elena."


"I did what I had to. Just like you helped out that very same man. So do us all a favor and stop pretending you're holier then any of us. You're just as dirty." Elena walks away.




Chris gets in the back of his limousine and says to the man across from him, "We need to make sure I don't loose at the Supreme Court level."


"That'll take your cousin's support. He's the one with the clout in Austin."


"I'm getting sick of dealing with him. You know who he relies on heavily, Drew. And Drew probably knows everything John Ross knows. So maybe I go through Drew. Maybe what I need to do is get Emma back from D.C., maybe my dear step sister would like to help out."





Pamela sits in her office across the desk from Elena. "I don't get why you even want on the board of West Star. Wasn't bankrupting Bobby enough? You do know he lost the ranch right?"


"Please the Ewing's don't ever loose anything."


"Bobby couldn't make the payments, so John Ross had to buy the debt. You basically gave my husband the one part of South Fork that evaded him."


"I'm not going to feel bad because Bobby lost the ranch to pay the debt he owed my family."


"Yes Drew told me you shared the money with him. So it still doesn't answer what you want with West Star."


"It's an investment of the Trevino Group."


"So you keep saying."


"Just business. A good investment."


"Alright then." Pamela slides across her desk some papers. "And so is this. JRE bought out Lucia and her boys. Partner."


"You bitch."


"It's just an investment. My accountant will be over to go over the books and account for every dime of the company. I'm curious as to what Nicholas left you and what he left your son."


"I have no intention of being in business with you."


"Then let me buy you out and you go away. Leave Dallas entirely."


Elena walks to the door, "Oh I'm not leaving."


Before she opens the door Pamela says, "And I know how you got JR's letter."


"Are you sure about that?"


"Of course I am. You used my husband just when our marriage was at its most vulnerable." Pamela stands, "I suppose since he used you all those years it was only right. And I did steal Chris away from you. But we're not even. Not by a long shot. Not until I see you crawl out of Dallas you gutter trash."


"You might be all dressed up and put on a good show but you're the trash, trading up one Ewing for the next. How's it feel sleeping with men who love me?" Elena flings open the door and walks out.






Ann works in the kitchen on dinner. John Ross comes and declares something smells good. Ann tells her that Emma is coming for dinner.






Pamela's secretary buzzes in, "Emma Ryland is here to see you."


Pamela says to her self, "Another one. What the hell." She then responds, "Send her in." Emma walks in and Pamela asks what she can do for her and then offers her a seat.


"I want to clear the air between me and you."


"I know, you didn't sleep with John Ross. The two of you are just friends, I got all that and don't want to go over it again. You were just drinking and he was up set. He told me all of this."


"We didn't sleep together, but not because of John Ross."


"Now I'm suppose to believe you're my friend looking out for me?"


"You know this whole business marriage thing is bullshit and you hurt him pretty bad. And he's not going to cheat on you because he's afraid to, what that says about him. Though he went through with his parents. At least sober. Drunk he's another person."


"Oh I know, drunk he's all in for cheating on me."


"Cheating on a bullshit marrIage to a cold bitch. Do you know how much you hurt him? How much he loves you? Before you were married we slept together. And I do love him. And I did try to get him drunk. And sleep with him. He kept crying, asking why I didn't love him. I told him I did. And he said he loved me too, except he added Pamela. Call me weird but I didn't want to sleep with a man who was pretending I was someone else."


"I see."


"And that's how you respond. You know I thought I had a chance. He'd say how my mother is the only one who cares about him. But he loved you. Poisoned with you if you ask me."


"Which I didn't."


"The one you have to watch out for is Elena."


"He told me about Elena. She came to him after I told him I . . . That I didn't love him."


"Why would you say that?"


"I thought you'd slept with him."


"And he thought you had a business arrangement and did give a damn about him. You know he doesn't think his mother and father love him. Or Bobby."


"Yeah well he's welcome to the club. Not like I grew up with living parents. My mother was on the road. My father pimped me out to get at a business deal. I'm sure you've got your issues."


"Yeah I do. The difference is I care about John Ross despite them. And he knows it. Does he know you do?" Pamela doesn't answer. "I've come back to see Drew. He's staying in Ray Krebs all house on the ranch. I guess it's some more Property Bobby acquired that's not part of the land his mother gave to the foundation. Appears that woman has stirred up a lot of problems from the grave. I don't get it myself. This constant fighting. If JR wanted the oil so much why didn't she just give it to him?"


"To protect the land."


"Like the land means more than her own son. It's like they like to fight with each other and marry women who don't love them."


"You don't know what I feel for my husband"


"You're problem is your husband doesn't know."






Elena sits and watches Bo party in a night club in Dallas. Once he's sufficiently drunk she approaches him. "Hi. I'm Elena."


"Hi Elena. I'm Bo. What's an older woman like you doing in a place like this?"


She laughs his comment off. "I'm an old friend of the family."


"Oh that Elena. Aunt Ann told me about you."


"Oh did she. What's she say?"


"Basically you're a homey hopping gold digger opportunist, he whispers the last word in her ear.


"Did she?"


"She put it a lot nicer than that."


"Those are your words."


"Mine and Pamela's."


"Oh Pamela. You do know about her breaking me and Chris up so she could . . ."


"Oh come on. If it was that easy to break you two up how much there between you. Give me a break. It's ok if you want to add me to your collection of Ewing boys. I just gotta let you know we can have some fun but I ain't taking any chances of putin' a baby in ya. You know what I mean?"


"I think I do."


"I mean honestly, I ain't looking for love. I had a good momma raise me. And my bro," he gets real serious and almost sober, "I'd slit the bitch's throat try and come between me and my brother. You fell me?"


"I guess I do."


"So you want to go to your place and try out your third Ewing boy? It is third right? You didn't screw Uncle Bobby too did ya?"


"Listen to me," she says attempting to take charge."


"No I don't think I will. So we gonna have some fun or you gonna keep up your pretense that you're a good little girl?" Bo slaps her hard on her ass.





Bo and Elena stumble into a hotel room making out, desperate to get into bed.






In the Southfork living room before dinner John Ross pours drinks while he explains that Bobby got stuck at a cattle auction in Austin, his mother's still in New York City and Bo is out celebrating his new job as an entry level data scientist for West Star.


Chris and Heather walk into the room. Chris says, "Congratulations all around for me. Elena list her appeal for a total upset. So the next move is hers, but we're moving ahead. Ewing Energies is on its way."


Pamela says, "I heard you're looking into buying solar panel manufacturer."


"I just meet with a few people. It's an opportunity."


"You need to focus on the methane extraction."


"You need to leave the running of Ewing Energies to me."


"Not when I've got a half interest in the company."


Ann announces, "OK that's enough business talk."


Drew wake in from the back and says, "But I've got something to bring up."


"After dinner." Ann kisses Emma in the cheek and pushes everyone along to the dinning room."


Sitting down they talk about pleasant things while passing food around and laughing.








John Ross sits in the lobby of the Four Seasons as Bo walks through. "Well look who finally showed up."


Surprised Bo says, "What are you doing, following me?"


"No but I've got people following Elena."


Bo grins like a devil.


"You aren't making too much out of this are you?"


"I'm not the sort to fall in love over a little play time," Bo laughs.


"Good. Because we both know why she went to bed with you not that you couldn't have played with any of the other girls in that club or half the guys for that matter and for a whole lot better reasons."


"I really don't care about her reasons. I was curious about what you and Chris were so wrapped up over. Still don't get it. But I know what she wants. To get back at our family for what she thinks we stole from her. It's not just money. She thinks we destroyed her father."


"She tell you that?"


"More or less. And I know she wants her hands on my half of JRE. I don't mind giving people enough rope to hang themselves. I'm generous that way."


"You sho of know, while JR split JRE with us equally, your shares have no vote."


Bo laughs, "He did say to listen to you."


"Yeah well he told me to put Ewing Oil back together too. If you want voting shares, I'll fix it."


"No not at all. I'm good with numbers not people. Pamela can run the business. I don't want any day so. Chris does, but I don't."


"And Elena?"


"I'm afraid we've made one hell of an enemy."


The two laugh on their way out.




Drew says to Elena as she walks through the lobby, "Bo Ewing now?"


"What the hell are you following me?"


"No. John Ross has security following Bo."


"Worried about his little brother?"


"Something like that. I heard you're going after the Al Ain leases."


"Of course I am. You and John Ross got the contract to provide security?"


"As I own half of Branch Water and JRE owns the other half, yes. JRE's various companies will provide the field services including construction and speciality drill bit manufacturing and transport and West Star will handle the refining and marketing."


"I hear it's not all sewn up. Chris is making a play for Ewing Energies weasel it's way into Pamela's deal."


"He's looking to lock up methane production. JRE owns Total Engineering and Geology. I heard you renamed the Nichols's company Douglas Scott, capitalizing off your old professor Doulas Scott's name."


"I gave him a piece of the company."


"I'm sure a very small piece. You've been converting to oil assets."


"It's what I know."


"You're lining up to take on the Ewing's."


"So."


"You need to let this go."


"After what they did to us?"


"What JR Ewing did. And he's dead. Let it go before it's too late."


"No. I don't think so." Elena walks away from him.