Have you ever been pleasantly suprised?

[Lastkidpicked]

I always stopped my re-watch at the dream season but this time around I continued watching. I kept thinking, "This is going to be nothing like the old days."

I was pleasantly surprised!

If you have a chance, watch the season 11 episodes 26 and 27 (Last of the Good Guys and Top Gun). It really had all the fun of the early seasons. To jog your memory, Clayton is arrested for murder, Cliff owns a gas field that needs a right of way, and J.R. is attempting a takeover of Weststar. I was surprised to see these few episodes had some of the elements of the "good old days" of Dallas:

1) J.R. being the ruthless businessman and evil person we knew and loved from the early seasons. I enjoyed his blackmailing of Cliff Barnes. His blackmail of Laurel Ellis is difficult to watch (especially in modern day) but it was in character and set Clayton up to finally take charge of the family and I'm a real Clayton fan.

2) Great acting by Ken Kercheval as Cliff Barnes begins to unravel

3) Casey Denault double crossing J.R. But J.R. knew about it. And Casey knew that J.R. knew. And J.R. knew that Casey knew that J.R. knew. And as the audience, we got to see both sides of the con.

4) The very cool reveal at the end of "Top Gun". I won't describe it here in case some of you are going to view it again, I don't want to spoil it for you. But it is a fun reveal. And Linda Gray is beautiful in her freeze frame.

So my question to you is, have you ever done a re-watch and seen something that was a pleasant surprise?

 

[James from London]

So my question to you is, have you ever done a re-watch and seen something that was a pleasant surprise?

Yes, lots! I've been doing a re-watch of the whole thing and fully expected War of the Ewings to be the total drag I remembered it as but instead I really enjoyed it.

I also discovered a newfound appreciation for David Shulton (Laurel's schlubby artist friend whose murder Clayton gets arrested for), Peter Richards, Matt Cantrell and Donna Reed. Also, JR's grief during Pam's Dream and aspects his relationships with Sue Ellen and John Ross took on a deeper resonance for me after watching New DALLAS. I also thought VP does the best with what she's given during her nervous breakdown storyline at the start of Season 4. Oh and I never used to like Guzzler Bennett in Fallen Idol, but now I think he's a very poignant character.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Yes, lots! I've been doing a re-watch of the whole thing and fully expected War of the Ewings to be the total drag I remembered it as but instead I really enjoyed it.

You are right, James!
I remembered the "reunion" movies as being pretty bland, but watching them with today's perspective they are more enjoyable. When you watch, see if you notice that the actors are truly enjoying working together again.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

So my question to you is, have you ever done a re-watch and seen something that was a pleasant surprise?

Maybe not a complete surprise, but I really enjoy when I'm reminded of how Dallas had such a good balance of happy times to go along with the unhappy times. That's something they don't know today. In today's dramas, there's no light and shade; it's all darkness and it makes for something for something very unappealing to watch.

When I watch Dallas again and I see the scene where Jenna asks Ray to ask her again to marry him, it's a nice scene that makes you happy to see it. When you see JR take John Ross to Ewing Oil and you see what a great time the two of them have together. When you see Bobby and Pam on their second marriage and they both look so happy to be married again. Pam had been worried about Jenna having Lucas but then she sees Bobby tuck Christopher into bed and she sees that there is nothing that can happen that will make him love Christopher any less. Bobby didn't know she was watching in the doorway and then he turns around and is surprised because he didn't know Pam was there, but the look on her face tells him that she understands now that whether or not Bobby is part of Lucas's life won't change what he feels for Christopher, it's such a nice scene.

Today, creating those types of scenes has become a lost art.

 

[Herofan]

Maybe not a complete surprise, but I really enjoy when I'm reminded of how Dallas had such a good balance of happy times to go along with the unhappy times. That's something they don't know today. In today's dramas, there's no light and shade; it's all darkness and it makes for something for something very unappealing to watch.

One thing that I really dislike about today’s dramas is how during the last 10 minutes they play a sad song in the background while the camera shows some scene where everyone is looking serious. I’m glad that wasn’t around back in the days of Dallas.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

On rewatch I've been pleasantly surprised by the final few seasons. The quality definitely takes a dive but the show isn't awful. I think a lot of people don't own the last few seasons on DVD and end up remembering the episodes as worse than they actually are without rewatching them. Pam doesn't leave and the show just tanks, there is a lot more to enjoy after that, even after Sue Ellen leaves there is more to enjoy.

 

[Swami]

You are right, James!
I remembered the "reunion" movies as being pretty bland, but watching them with today's perspective they are more enjoyable. When you watch, see if you notice that the actors are truly enjoying working together again.

JR Returns, especially, stands up well with a good mix of the established characters and the younger generation. Whereas War Of The Ewing lacked that and also no Cliff Barnes!

Swami

 

[Lastkidpicked]

When you see JR take John Ross to Ewing Oil and you see what a great time the two of them have together.

And that sets up a really great conversation later, when Jeremy Wendell takes over Ewing Oil. J.R. tells John Ross, "Ewing Oil is not a building." He shows him the portrait of Jock. "THIS is Ewing Oil."

JR Returns, especially, stands up well with a good mix of the established characters and the younger generation.

If you just want a distraction from real life, watch J.R. Returns.

While you watch it, don't take it as a serious drama. Instead, take it for the fun romp that it is. And watch how much fun the actors are having getting back together again.

I especially enjoyed watching Larry Hagman and George Kennedy together. They gave J.R. a great line. Early in the movie, Carter Mckay tells J.R. that buying Ewing Oil was nothing personal. "It's part of a long range plan I promised my board."

When J.R. comes out on top he says, "Don't kid yourself Mac. Your long range plan just fell on it's ass."

BHWHAHAHAHAHA! That magnificent bastard. I use that line whenever I can!

 

[Kenny Coyote]

And that sets up a really great conversation later, when Jeremy Wendell takes over Ewing Oil. J.R. tells John Ross, "Ewing Oil is not a building." He shows him the portrait of Jock. "THIS is Ewing Oil."

Yes! Ewing Oil wasn't just a company; it was a legacy. It was something each generation of Ewing men wanted to hand down to their sons. That's one of the big problems I see with the last couple years - Bobby selling Ewing Oil. Bobby selling Ewing Oil because April got shot is kind of like Pam blaming Bobby because Rebecca died. They were both looking for someone or something to blame for their losses, but Pam should have blamed the pilot who made the error. Bobby should have blamed the woman who had April kidnapped and ultimately got her shot. I don't see either JR or Bobby ever selling Ewing Oil, or even considering it in the great years of the show. They idolized Jock and it was his legacy to them, and their legacy to hand to their sons.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

@Kenny Coyote makes an excellent point, as usual.

This is a big thing right now in Texas. When you think Texas oil companies, I'm sure you think of the Seven Sisters (or I should say the SuperMajors): Conoco, ExxonMobile, Chevron, BP, Shell, and Total.

But you need to remember that these companies are made up of thousands and thousands of small, family owned companies that supply them. In fact, your good buddy Last Kid Picked got his start at Total Petroleum.

And when things are tough, what keeps most of us going is the thought that, "Things might be tough, and we might even lose money this year, but we are building something for our kids to inherit. They will keep our family business alive and well."

And I understand you all are seeing the bust right now. But don't worry. For every boom there's a bust and for every bust there's another boom.

If you want to see a history of boom and bust cycles in Texas, and if it gives you hope for your part of the world, read this thread that we did a few years ago. It starts about post number 6 by Kenny Coyote.

Maybe this will give you some hope!

http://www.soapchat.net/threads/questions-for-a-texan.3094/