Review of 'Dallas' Season 11 [MINOR SPOILERS]
'Dallas' Season 11 brings forth a lot of what defined the series' success; J.R.'s battle this season is to reclaim the now fallen Ewing Oil empire; Sue Ellen continues to find her way and make sense of her relationship with J.R.; Clayton and Miss Ellie have their own relationship issues to work out. For me though, the eleventh season was just average. It lacked the drama and emotional intensity of the 'dream' season but it was definitely less awkward that season 10 which attempted to make-up for the dream season. Still, the eleventh season felt a bit sedate and tame compared to season's past. Even with 30 episodes, this season felt rather anti-climatic.
Part of my issue with this season is that it definitely felt as if the producers were either running out of ideas or trying to shift the focus from the core group of characters we've come to know and care about to a slew of new characters. Some of them, such as Sue Ellen's new interest Nicholas Pearce, were interesting and...
The year that the "seniors" got a chance to shine!
Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Of course, the star of the show was Larry Hagman as the devious J.R. Ewing. He was always given the best lines and the most memorable confrontations. However, season eleven, with the departure of a fan favorite, seemed to allow some of the older cast members, regular and recurrent, an opportunity to share some of Hagman's "spotlight".
Barbara Bel Geddes and her on-camera husband Howard Keel really came to the forefront with a storyline about a presumed "affair" between Clayton and a much-younger woman, portrayed by English actress Annabel Schofield . The plot allowed Bel Geddes to really show her acting mettle, especially in the episode entitled "Farlow's Follies" wherein Miss Ellie falls into Sue Ellen (played as always by the flawless Linda Gray) territory by resorting to the bottle to "drown her sorrows".
Not only does the season showcase Bel Geddes and Keel, it also lets recurring player Alice Hirson have a memorable...
Surprisingly satisfying season
I just finished watching this season and have to say I was impressed - easily the best of the later seasons and it makes up for the atrocity that was the "dream" season and its unsatisfying follow-up season. What makes this year fun is solid plotting and unpredictability - that's what keeps you watching all the way through to the satisfying climax.
It's worth noting that April really comes into her own this season, and the "new cast of the season" - Jack Scalia as a hot headed investment banker with a secret, Leigh Taylor Young as the conniving Kimberly Cryder and Andrew Stevens as a cheeky hustler - are much more successful than the supporting cast members were introduced in previous seasons, such as the lacklustre Jack and Jamie Ewing. Plus we get Sue Ellen in a meaty story that does not involve drinking, JR at his conniving best, a surprisingly promiscuous Bobby getting over Pam, and quite a nice story for Ray and Jenna.
One thing I did find jolting was the...
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