A revisit to the television series “Dallas” after a five year absence is the subject of the CBS television movie “Dallas: J. R. Returns.” Most of the cast from the final year of 1991 are reassembled here, along with producer-director-teleplay writer Leonard Katzman. (He passed away before the film’s airdate in November, 1996; the movie is dedicated to him.)
“J. R. Returns” does have much of the excitement of the series, which ran for thirteen seasons, 1978-1991, albeit with some predictability and less polish. The teleplay by Katzman and Arthur Bernard Lewis has J. R. uttering such corny lines as “Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bug.”
However, Larry Hagman still “cooks” as an aging John Ross Ewing Jr., now a teetotaler by order of his doctors. He returns to Dallas after five relaxing years in Europe. Other returnees include Linda Gray as Sue Ellen, Patrick Duffy as Bobby, Omri Katz as John Ross, Ken Kercheval as Cliff Barnes, Audrey Landers as Afton Cooper, George Kennedy as Carter McKay, Deborah Rennard as Sly Lovegren (J. R.’s long-time secretary), and George O. Petrie as Ewing family attorney Harv Smithfield.
The newcomers seem to fit right in: Christopher Demetral as Christopher Ewing (Bobby & Pam’s son), Deborah Kellner as Pamela Cooper (daughter of Cliff & Afton), Rosalind Allen as Bobby’s new love interest Julia Cunningham, Buck Taylor as Steve Grisham, and Tracy Scoggins as Anita Smithfield.
“Dallas: J. R. Returns” is a fun reunion of what is probably the most popular soap opera of all time. Of course, as with all nighttime dramas, beware of excessive soap and soap suds. The second reunion movie would be “War of the Ewings” (1998). A second “Dallas” television series would run for three season on TNT from 2012 to 2014.
Dallas: J. R. Returns (1996)
cinema
My Review
A revisit to the television series “Dallas” after a five year absence is the subject of the CBS television movie “Dallas: J. R. Returns.” Most of the cast from the final year of 1991 are reassembled here, along with producer-director-teleplay writer Leonard Katzman. (He passed away before the film’s airdate in November, 1996; the movie is dedicated to him.)
“J. R. Returns” does have much of the excitement of the series, which ran for thirteen seasons, 1978-1991, albeit with some predictability and less polish. The teleplay by Katzman and Arthur Bernard Lewis has J. R. uttering such corny lines as “Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bug.”
However, Larry Hagman still “cooks” as an aging John Ross Ewing Jr., now a teetotaler by order of his doctors. He returns to Dallas after five relaxing years in Europe. Other returnees include Linda Gray as Sue Ellen, Patrick Duffy as Bobby, Omri Katz as John Ross, Ken Kercheval as Cliff Barnes, Audrey Landers as Afton Cooper, George Kennedy as Carter McKay, Deborah Rennard as Sly Lovegren (J. R.’s long-time secretary), and George O. Petrie as Ewing family attorney Harv Smithfield.
The newcomers seem to fit right in: Christopher Demetral as Christopher Ewing (Bobby & Pam’s son), Deborah Kellner as Pamela Cooper (daughter of Cliff & Afton), Rosalind Allen as Bobby’s new love interest Julia Cunningham, Buck Taylor as Steve Grisham, and Tracy Scoggins as Anita Smithfield.
“Dallas: J. R. Returns” is a fun reunion of what is probably the most popular soap opera of all time. Of course, as with all nighttime dramas, beware of excessive soap and soap suds. The second reunion movie would be “War of the Ewings” (1998). A second “Dallas” television series would run for three season on TNT from 2012 to 2014.