Jul 26, 201202:49 PMThe Telegraph
The Premier Blog of the West
TV Recap: Top 5 Things To Know About 'Dallas' Episode 8
dallastnt.com
They’re heading into the home stretch for the premiere season of Dallas, the TNT cable network’s ambitious reboot of the phenomenally popular prime-time soap opera. Once again, we’re offering a day-after recap of Wednesday evening’s episode. But be forewarned: As usual, this summary is stuffed with spoilers.
If you missed Wednesday’s airing of Episode No. 8 – “No Good Deed” -- here are the Top 5 things you need to know before you tune in next week.
BUSTED: Even after being arrested and charged with the murder of the faux Marta Del Sol (a.k.a. Veronica Martinez), John Ross is reluctant to tell Elena the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth because he’s reluctant to admit that (a) he had a brief but steamy affair with the deceased, and (b) he hasn’t been entirely truthful about his role in the sale of Southfork. On the other hand, he’s a bit more forthcoming with his mother, Sue Ellen, who’s determined to use her political connections to free her son. And John Ross is entirely too candid with Vincente the Venezuelan, the soft-spoken scoundrel who holds the lien on Southfork. Even though he’s in no position to demand anything, John Ross insists that Vincente turn over the video that the bad guy’s henchman obviously seized at the scene of the crime. (Said video, of course, will prove Marta/Veronica was still alive when John Ross left her apartment.)
BEATEN: In earlier episodes, there have been indications here and there that, for all his bold talk and aggressive manner, John Ross isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. Even so, nothing he’s ever done has suggested he has a fully functioning death wish. That is, not until now. If Vincente doesn’t come across with the video, John Ross threatens, he’ll expose the scam that allowed Vincente and Marta/Veronica to buy Southfork from a credulous Bobby. This is a big mistake. A few scenes later, two other inmates brutally beat John Ross, and warn him that if he implicates Vincente in any illegal activity, there’ll be even worse brutality in the offing. And John Ross won’t be the only once who’ll get hurt.
BLACKMAILED: John Ross winds up in the hospital, where – while he’s unconscious – he’s briefly visited by an atypically subdued J.R., who actually appears concerned about his son and even a tad remorseful for getting him involved with Vincente. For Sue Ellen, it’s clear that a desperate situation calls for drastic measures. She visits the medical examiner in charge of the autopsy of Marta/Veronica, and suggests that if he rules the death was a suicide, he might get a cushy job after Sue Ellen is elected governor. When that doesn’t work, Sue Ellen pulls out the heavy artillery: “You’ve been writing more prescriptions than Michael Jackson’s doctor,” she says, noting that such excessive prescribing looks pretty dang suspicious for a medical examiner, since all of his patients are, well, you know, dead.
BARGAINED: Looks like Christopher has made a major breakthrough with his alternative-energy technology: A representative from Exxon-Mobil drops buy with a serious offer to buy exclusive rights to whatever he’s developed. But Christopher brushes aside the proposal, claiming that he wants to retain all rights for Ewing Alternative Energy. But then some bad things happen. First, Vincente the Venezuelan – OK, his real name is Vincente Cano -- drops by Southfork to inform Bobby that if he and his associates don’t start getting oil from John Ross’ drilling site, Vincente will lay claim to the family ranch. Vincente is predictably upset when Bobby tells him all about that pesky mineral-rights trust that will prevent any drilling on Southfork. Bobby in turn is upset when he learns about the major beatdown inflicted upon John Ross. And Christopher is very upset when he hears his father may allow drilling to resume at Southfork in order to insure that John Ross isn’t killed by Vincente’s minions. So John Ross makes Vincente an offer he can’t – and doesn’t – refuse: If he’ll agree to stop pestering the Ewing family – and, by the way, turn over the video that will exonerate John Ross – Vincente can have exclusive rights in Venezuela for the clean energy technology (which Christopher claims, and Vincente believes, ultimately will prove more valuable than a dozen Southfork drilling sites). Then some good things happen: The video is “discovered” by investigators, John Ross is freed, and most of the Ewings are happily reunited at the family ranch. (No sign of J.R., though.) Unfortunately, Sue Ellen feels really, really bad about blackmailing the medical examiner, especially since the strong-arming wasn’t necessary. And she feels even worse when the ME tells her that (a) Marta/Veronica actually was killed, and (b) because he proclaimed the death was a suicide, the killers will never be brought to justice.
BAMBOOZLED: Christopher is ready to take responsibility for Rebecca’s pregnancy. (As we learned last week: She’s carrying twins.) But he’s not ready to forgive and forget and reunite with his estranged wife. Naturally, Rebecca is disappointed – but that’s not the worst news she gets in Episode No. 8. Tommy returns to her apartment to demand that she help him find a way to make money off Christopher’s clean-energy technology. When she refuses, he reminds her that… well, they aren’t linked quite the way they’ve been pretending to be. Or as he puts it: “Are you so deep in this lie that you still think we’re brother and sister?”
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