New posts

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="James from London" data-source="post: 243628" data-attributes="member: 22">Daniel (KNOTS, 07 Oct 82) v The Dark at the End of the Tunnel (DALLAS, 01 May 87)These are both really strong eps. While Daniel is the second episode of KNOTS’ fourth season and really feels like the start of an exciting new era, Dark at the End of the Tunnel is the antepenultimate episode of DALLAS’s ninth season and exudes an equally strong sense of an era drawing to a close. “That part of my life is behind me,” says Ray, having bid a final on-screen farewell to Donna. Meanwhile, Pam tells Cliff she’s leaving Barnes Wentworth and Bobby tells JR he’s selling his shares of Ewing Oil, along with the rest of the family. “There’s a new time coming ... for all of us,” declares Pam. Miss Ellie’s looking forward to it: “This breakup of the company, I really think it’s going to be for the best.” Meanwhile, Sue Ellen and JR both seem strangely mesmerised by the returning Mandy Winger, who shimmers with Hollywood stardust.With the exception of the Wards, all of the KNOTS residents have strong storylines to get their teeth into. Laura is the same position Ginger was a year ago: sick of being pregnant and irritated by her overly attentive, over-enthusiastic husband. She and Richard get into hot water when their car crashes on the way to the hospital and he is obliged to deliver the baby single-handedly. So far so soapy, but the actors make it so real, it feels like a scenario you’ve never seen before. Meanwhile, Karen plots revenge against Sid’s killers until Richard reminds her that she’s living in the real world not some piece of dramatic fiction:.“I'm a nice lady with three kids, a house and a business to run, not Michael Corleone,” she agrees.Speaking of dramatic fiction, Val is dismayed when JR shows up at her front door again. If anything, he’s even larger than life (and funnier) than he was in Community Spirit. When we first see him, he’s chortling away in the back of a limo as he reads Val’s fictionalised version of his life in 'Capricorn Crude'. But it's notable that, whereas Richard fawned all over JR when they first met, now he can’t even remember his name — a subtle indication, perhaps, that KNOTS considers itself to be on an equal footing with DALLAS these days — or almost equal. Now that Abby is with Gary, JR is concerned that she wants to be Queen of the Ewings. She assures him she’ll settle for Princess. “Fine, you got it,” he tells her. “You get the jewels and the ermine, but the crown stays in Dallas because the crown is mine.” And with that line in the sand drawn, JR need never set foot in Knots (the city) again. He will make one more appearance on KNOTS (the series) in a few weeks time, but on home turf as Gary arrives in Dallas for the reading of Jock’s will.Referring to that will, JR assures Abby that “Gary’s coming into money, big money,” including 10% of Ewing Oil. Five years later on DALLAS, Bobby informs Harve Smithfield that Gary has given him his proxy to sell that 10%. He’d better hurry — having discreetly lit the blue touch paper that will lead to the downfall of the family empire, Jeremy Wendell predicts that “pretty soon, 5% of Ewing Oil and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee.” Word of this reaches Donna in Washington before it does Southfork, whereupon Miss Ellie starts wailing and Clayton launches himself at JR before becoming only the second person to take a soapy tumble down the SF staircase (a drunk and pregnant Sue Ellen being the first, eight years earlier).And the winner is … DanielBONUS BEATS:[MEDIA=youtube]7mHJ0TeHak8[/MEDIA]</blockquote>

Verification: Who played Sue Ellen in Dallas?