J.R. still has it.
Back in the early 80's I got hooked on the TV series "Dallas". I was a lot younger then and so were the characters. On Friday nights, I put my kids to bed early so that I could treat myself to the trials and tribulations of the Ewings and drink Squirt and whiskey and eat popcorn. At the time, Bruce was working at the Tinderbox and on Friday night, he volunteered for KRCL, a local radio station. So Dallas was my secret Friday night indulgence.
I was never one for soap operas but for some reason, I loved watching this show and seeing what people with unlimited funds lived like. There was a definite theme - JR was the bad guy, his wife Sue Ellen was the long suffering wife who put up with a husband who screwed any pretty girl he could. JR always drank Bourbon and branch water - whatever that is. Sue Ellen, dressed in her fancy shoulder padded outfits, took to alcohol to drown her sorrows - and she always took JR back. Bobby Ewing was the goody two shoes brother who always did the right thing and in the end, triumphed over his brother - even if it took a few seasons to do so. His wife Pamela was also kind and nice but came from a family that was feuding with the Ewings so she was never accepted and never felt good enough. I am not sure what happened to her but after she left the show she did some exercise videos and sold makeup or skin care products I think. Of course Sue Ellen and JR's son, John Ross, and Pamela and Bobby's son Christopher would grow up to continue the feud, John Ross being the scheming, screwing replica of his daddy and Christopher the kind caring one - again good versus evil.
Don't know why I was fascinated with the Ewings but I know I liked seeing all the different clothes they wore. It was fun to view people who dressed up for dinner and had it served in a formal dining room. Their booze was always in fancy decanters and not mixed with Squirt, I bet. I am not sure what these characters did with their time when they weren't involved in family feuds because someone cleaned the house (they all lived at Southfork) and cooked all of their meals and took care of the kids. No wonder Sue Ellen took up drinking - she had nothing else to do. Their life style and situations was a reminder to me of something I have always believed....having a lot of money doesn't make a person happy.
I think I watched the series until it died a natural death. JR ended up (in real life) getting a liver transplant - maybe he destroyed his having too much bourbon and branch water. Bobby went on to do other TV series although none as successful as Dallas. Miss Ellie died and I don't really think any of the other actors got any big jobs.
I was happy, but doubtful, when TNT brought the series back. I decided to watch it and was pleasantly surprised. Some of the same characters reappeared including JR, looking good (but old) with his new liver and curly eyebrows, and Sue Ellen who looked great. Bobby somehow got himself a new wife but she was also the nicey nice person that Pamela was in the original series. The good versus evil theme was still there and in the first episode, JR rouses himself from a nursing home to help his son try to take over Southfork.
The personality of the characters is the same. Sue Ellen will do anything to protect her son and help him - even bribe medical examiners. She has given up drinking and instead is running for Governor of Texas. JR is still trying to get her back by sweet talking her and I am sure that sometime during the series he will be successful. He always is.
It makes me weirdly happy to watch this new series. I no longer have squirt and whiskey and popcorn (but I might have a beer in my free St. Vinnie's glass) and my kids are grown up and putting themselves to bed any time they want to go. I smile when I hear the familiar music and scenes from the opening credits - it's the same as the old ones.
Maybe it is the sweet memories of early motherhood and remembering how I cherished that time to myself. I know it is a cliche' but time does go by so fast. I would rather have time to do the things I enjoy than money to buy fancy clothes with shoulder pads.
Damn though - even well into his 80's JR still has it.
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| This is what the characters looked like back then - Jock Ewing, the patriach is missing from this photo. But Miss Ellie ruled the roost anyway. |
I was never one for soap operas but for some reason, I loved watching this show and seeing what people with unlimited funds lived like. There was a definite theme - JR was the bad guy, his wife Sue Ellen was the long suffering wife who put up with a husband who screwed any pretty girl he could. JR always drank Bourbon and branch water - whatever that is. Sue Ellen, dressed in her fancy shoulder padded outfits, took to alcohol to drown her sorrows - and she always took JR back. Bobby Ewing was the goody two shoes brother who always did the right thing and in the end, triumphed over his brother - even if it took a few seasons to do so. His wife Pamela was also kind and nice but came from a family that was feuding with the Ewings so she was never accepted and never felt good enough. I am not sure what happened to her but after she left the show she did some exercise videos and sold makeup or skin care products I think. Of course Sue Ellen and JR's son, John Ross, and Pamela and Bobby's son Christopher would grow up to continue the feud, John Ross being the scheming, screwing replica of his daddy and Christopher the kind caring one - again good versus evil.
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| My dad, Billy, me (no shoulder pads), Kseniya and Bruce in the early 80's |
I think I watched the series until it died a natural death. JR ended up (in real life) getting a liver transplant - maybe he destroyed his having too much bourbon and branch water. Bobby went on to do other TV series although none as successful as Dallas. Miss Ellie died and I don't really think any of the other actors got any big jobs.
I was happy, but doubtful, when TNT brought the series back. I decided to watch it and was pleasantly surprised. Some of the same characters reappeared including JR, looking good (but old) with his new liver and curly eyebrows, and Sue Ellen who looked great. Bobby somehow got himself a new wife but she was also the nicey nice person that Pamela was in the original series. The good versus evil theme was still there and in the first episode, JR rouses himself from a nursing home to help his son try to take over Southfork.
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| Here's some of the new cast - JR and Sue Ellen are on the left and Bobby and his new wife on the right |
It makes me weirdly happy to watch this new series. I no longer have squirt and whiskey and popcorn (but I might have a beer in my free St. Vinnie's glass) and my kids are grown up and putting themselves to bed any time they want to go. I smile when I hear the familiar music and scenes from the opening credits - it's the same as the old ones.
Maybe it is the sweet memories of early motherhood and remembering how I cherished that time to myself. I know it is a cliche' but time does go by so fast. I would rather have time to do the things I enjoy than money to buy fancy clothes with shoulder pads.
Damn though - even well into his 80's JR still has it.
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