The second season of TNT's Dallas again proved it to be one of the only reboots to truly care about fans of the original. This show painstakingly preserves as much continuity as possible with the first Dallas, lavishing love and respect on old school characters and themes in a way that is truly admirable. Meanwhile, the cast of new characters are stepping up to the plate, indulging in delightfully absurd, over -the-top soapy shenanigans while remaining lovable and loathsome where they need to be.
While this was one of the most suspenseful and enjoyable seasons of television I've seen, there were also a few issues that might be improved upon in Season 3. Here's my take on the most interesting aspects of the season:
6. Elena's struggle to remain relevant
5. Anne vs Ryland and Ryland's crazy Mama
Sometimes this season slipped into becoming the Mitch Pileggi show, but as a longtime fan of this wonderful actor, I cannot complain about seeing him chew such copious amounts of scenery. This entire plotline, from the trial where Anne was ridiculously set free after totally shooting Ryland point blank and admitting to it (though one must agree this is the result the viewer longed for), to the insane interactions between Ryland and his wack-ass Mama (Judith Light, so clearly not old enough to be Pileggi's mother that it brings the giggles) was fabulous.I also have to give major props to Emma Bell, whose character of Emma started out weak, like an even more ditzy Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl, but slowly worked her way up to becoming an admirable manipulator and diva deluxe in her own right.
4. The badassness of Bobby and Sue Ellen
Ehmagawd. I love it when either one of these original Dallas characters gets to confront a bad guy. It's so terrific. Sue Ellen's brassy sassiness. Bobby's hilarious self-righteous, indignant nature and awesome rage attacks. It's the best.Also, is there a way for the writers to work more occasions of Bobby saying "Marta Del Sol" into the scripts? Best pronunciation ever.
3. The fate of Pamela Barnes Ewing the 1st
Did anyone else expect that weird nurse lady to announce she was actually the first Pam Ewing, post-surgery? Does anyone seriously believe Pam Ewing 1 is dead for good? Anyway, the method in which Christopher's emotional ordeal was portrayed in this plotline was the most powerful and effective part of it. The twists and turns here, while immensely fun, just made it a little too clear the show is pussyfooting around while trying to convince Victoria Principal to come back.2. John Ross & Pamela....and John Ross' legacy
I kind of wish Dallas hadn't so effectively sucked me into shipping John Ross/Pamela. These two are so meant to be and romantical in their perfect oppositional beginnings and similar personalities and conflicts. It's too bad that after all of the progress they made in their relationship, seemingly happily married by the end of the season, the show feels the need to turn John Ross into the spitting image of his philandering father.
I guess now that The Ewings All Worked Together to Solve a Problem (my favorite part of the show, for sure, is whenever that happens), John Ross has to stop being Mr. Nice Guy and revert back to his wicked ways. But this feels more like a Writer's Room decision than a realistic choice for John Ross at this juncture.
It's a fair guess that Pamela/John Ross/Emma might be a huge love triangle next season, and that will probably prove to be extraordinarily entertaining. Unfortunately, it is just too much of a leap for me to see John Ross immediately go stepping out on his new wife with whom he's clearly in love, and who just lost her babies. Though one could argue that this has always been his personality and lifestyle, and I get that, it just didn't play out in an entirely believable way for me at the very end of the season.
1. Who Killed J.R.?
At once brilliantly and profoundly bizarre in its final unfurlings, the revelations as to who shot and killed J.R. in Mexico kept the suspense going at a fever pitch throughout the season. Yes, I think we have to admit to the believability of J.R.'s never letting anyone but himself make the last call on his mortality. And of course, Bobby's emotional reading of J.R.'s last letter was beautiful and poignant.But does J.R.'s suicide and the Ewings' subsequent framing of Cliff (who obviously deserves jail for his horrific bombing of the rig) really end the Barnes/Ewing feud, and would J.R. have truly believed that would work? This part is stretching my belief a little bit. After all, Cliff's not going to stop fighting the Ewings at any cost, and he's enlisting others to join the cause.
Still, while it may not be a perfect way to explain J.R.'s demise, the amount of careful tribute paid to the character as the show bid him adieu but never farewell was a fantastic sight to behold. As was the second season of Dallas overall.
