I grew up watching the original Dallas with my mother and sister. I remember getting my hair done as they watched the craziness unfurl. I blame my desire/love for all things soapy on that early exposure to Aaron Spelling classics like Dallas and Dynasty. But, tonight everyone said goodbye to JR Ewing-the original Texas Badass--who was portrayed by Larry Hagman. Hagman passed from cancer back in November. When watching tonight's episode I felt like I was watching the cast say their goodbye to a beloved friend and they really honored the character by writing a fantastic episode filled with classic Dallas moments-unexpected hookups, a brawl, and Cliff Barnes being a weasily little asshole. We were also treated with how Henderson and Metcalfe would carry on the torch with thier ability to have each others backs even though they spend most of the time scheming to bring each other down, but family is family. Those boys aren't just related via adoption, but they are blood siblings (Sue Ellen's mother is Christopher's birth mother and the woman who shot JR). The episode didn't just say goodbye it ushered in another mystery--who killed jr ewing and what the hell does it have to do with Pam? Not Pamela Rebecca-Barnes, but Pamela Barnes-Ewing who supposedly blew up in a car bomb. But, with Victoria Principle insisting she will not reprise her role, how will they deal with this storyline? Maybe they should have made sure they could get the actress before plotting this episode and future ones at will. We saw Sue-Ellen lose her battle with sobriety and John Ross hookup with another inappropriate quasi-relative (and people through a fuss about Dan and Serena being step-siblings they clearly did not know anything about soaps).
So, with this I say goodbye to JR, one of the only bad boys I've ever enjoyed and television-there will be no one like him.
