9:52 pm - 03/12/2013
Producers Cynthia Cidre and Mike Robin appeared on Sunday with the cast of TNT's Dallas reboot at a PaleyFest session in Beverly Hills, where Cidre and Robin said that J.R.'s killer would be revealed by the end of the next eight episodes.
"J.R.'s Masterpiece," the March 11 episode, confirms that J.R. Ewing, the rascally oil man played by late TV icon Larry Hagman, was fatally shot at the end of last week's episode. "Masterpiece" finds friends, family, foes, and ex-loves all descending upon the memorial service and funeral.
Duffy revered the producers and writers concerning the handling of tonight's episode titled, "J.R.'s Masterpiece," exclaiming, "I've never worked with producers and writers that had a sense of respect, you know, still maintaining their position as the leaders of the production, but a sense of respect of what they were doing and I think this show personifies that."
He added, "It is so respectful of Larry and his influence in the terms of Dallas, which there wouldn't be a Dallas if it weren't for him, it also understand that this show is gonna go on."
Patrick Duffy, who, the producers confirmed, is the only cast member currently who knows the identity of the shooter, calls the homage to the 1980 "Who shot J.R.?" storyline "probably the most brilliant piece of scriptwriting … in the way that it resolves a problem with such dignity and respect … it's a pinnacle of Dallas writing," he concluded.
SPOILERS!
Other tidbits from the PaleyFest session with the cast, who all shared their love of and favorite moments with Hagman:
* Original series stars Audrey Landers -- who plays Afton, the mom of Cliff Barnes's daughter, Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo) -- and Joan Van Ark (Gary Ewing's on-again, off-again wife, Valene) will be making appearances in the next couple of episodes: Van Ark on March 18, Landers on March 25.
* Cidre confirmed that, had Hagman lived, there was talk of reuniting J.R. and ex-wife Sue Ellen, which nearly made star Linda Gray, Sue Ellen's portrayer, teary.
* Cidre and Robin shared that they were able to have J.R.'s death play out the way it does because of a lot of extra footage the editing crew was able to cull from Seasons 1 and 2 of the reboot.
* Duffy talked about how he and Hagman, one of his best friends since the two portrayed the Ewing brothers on the original series, loved to play pranks on each other, and the best he played on Hagman were once putting a lizard in his briefcase and once paying a naked man to surprise Hagman when he opened a bedroom closet as J.R.
* In "J.R.'s Masterpiece," a beautiful custom-designed bottle of bourbon in J.R.'s room plays a role in one of the episode's most emotional scenes. Cidre says the show has teamed up with a premium bourbon maker to produce a libation that will come packaged in a replica of the bottle.
* Julie Gonzalo laughing it up answering questions about her duplicitous nature. When asked if she knew she was a Barnes, she said she was told before the pilot. "You're Cliff Barnes' daughter, don't play it, don't tell anyone, it's a secret," to which Gonzalo gasps, "a bad guy?" Except it wasn't much of a secret, the producers came to find out, since she told her costar Jordana Brewster a long time ago.
To this news, Cidre played it off, "Well, we thought she kept it a secret." Gonzalo defended herself, "It was just one person!' and Robin fired back, "That's how it starts!" as the crowd erupted in laughter.
* Anne Ewing herself, Brenda Strong, praised the filming of the episode, which also premiered in front of a packed auditorium. "It was poignant, it was bittersweet, it was all of life rolled into one 8-day filming of some of the best and hardest things that we all have to face which is, you know, none of us get out of here alive."
Fan-favorite moments from the session included Duffy, Gray, and their onscreen sons, Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe, re-enacting scenes from the original Dallas involving Bobby, Sue Ellen, and elementary school-age John Ross and Christopher; Henderson sharing that he called Hagman "Pops"; one audience member's detailed question to Duffy about a nearly 30-year-old episode of "Dallas"; and one fan's thank-you: She watched the original series as a kid but is grateful that it was brought back because now her mom allows her to watch the kissing scenes, she joked.
The original series was famous for its season-ending cliffhangers, which often involved a freeze-frame close-up of a cast member (which was usually Hagman, Duffy and Gray joked). Cidre confirmed that there will be two freeze frames at the end of this season, though she's not sure whose will come first. She did say that Jordana Brewster, who plays Christopher's fiancée, Elena, has "a big moment" in the finale.
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WeLoveSoaps, JustJared
DALLAS at Paleyfest: Patrick Duffy Is The Only Cast Member That Knows Who Killed J.R. Ewing!!!
Producers Cynthia Cidre and Mike Robin appeared on Sunday with the cast of TNT's Dallas reboot at a PaleyFest session in Beverly Hills, where Cidre and Robin said that J.R.'s killer would be revealed by the end of the next eight episodes.
"J.R.'s Masterpiece," the March 11 episode, confirms that J.R. Ewing, the rascally oil man played by late TV icon Larry Hagman, was fatally shot at the end of last week's episode. "Masterpiece" finds friends, family, foes, and ex-loves all descending upon the memorial service and funeral.
Duffy revered the producers and writers concerning the handling of tonight's episode titled, "J.R.'s Masterpiece," exclaiming, "I've never worked with producers and writers that had a sense of respect, you know, still maintaining their position as the leaders of the production, but a sense of respect of what they were doing and I think this show personifies that."
He added, "It is so respectful of Larry and his influence in the terms of Dallas, which there wouldn't be a Dallas if it weren't for him, it also understand that this show is gonna go on."
Patrick Duffy, who, the producers confirmed, is the only cast member currently who knows the identity of the shooter, calls the homage to the 1980 "Who shot J.R.?" storyline "probably the most brilliant piece of scriptwriting … in the way that it resolves a problem with such dignity and respect … it's a pinnacle of Dallas writing," he concluded.
Other tidbits from the PaleyFest session with the cast, who all shared their love of and favorite moments with Hagman:
* Original series stars Audrey Landers -- who plays Afton, the mom of Cliff Barnes's daughter, Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo) -- and Joan Van Ark (Gary Ewing's on-again, off-again wife, Valene) will be making appearances in the next couple of episodes: Van Ark on March 18, Landers on March 25.
* Cidre confirmed that, had Hagman lived, there was talk of reuniting J.R. and ex-wife Sue Ellen, which nearly made star Linda Gray, Sue Ellen's portrayer, teary.
* Cidre and Robin shared that they were able to have J.R.'s death play out the way it does because of a lot of extra footage the editing crew was able to cull from Seasons 1 and 2 of the reboot.
* Duffy talked about how he and Hagman, one of his best friends since the two portrayed the Ewing brothers on the original series, loved to play pranks on each other, and the best he played on Hagman were once putting a lizard in his briefcase and once paying a naked man to surprise Hagman when he opened a bedroom closet as J.R.
* In "J.R.'s Masterpiece," a beautiful custom-designed bottle of bourbon in J.R.'s room plays a role in one of the episode's most emotional scenes. Cidre says the show has teamed up with a premium bourbon maker to produce a libation that will come packaged in a replica of the bottle.
* Julie Gonzalo laughing it up answering questions about her duplicitous nature. When asked if she knew she was a Barnes, she said she was told before the pilot. "You're Cliff Barnes' daughter, don't play it, don't tell anyone, it's a secret," to which Gonzalo gasps, "a bad guy?" Except it wasn't much of a secret, the producers came to find out, since she told her costar Jordana Brewster a long time ago.
To this news, Cidre played it off, "Well, we thought she kept it a secret." Gonzalo defended herself, "It was just one person!' and Robin fired back, "That's how it starts!" as the crowd erupted in laughter.
* Anne Ewing herself, Brenda Strong, praised the filming of the episode, which also premiered in front of a packed auditorium. "It was poignant, it was bittersweet, it was all of life rolled into one 8-day filming of some of the best and hardest things that we all have to face which is, you know, none of us get out of here alive."
Fan-favorite moments from the session included Duffy, Gray, and their onscreen sons, Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalfe, re-enacting scenes from the original Dallas involving Bobby, Sue Ellen, and elementary school-age John Ross and Christopher; Henderson sharing that he called Hagman "Pops"; one audience member's detailed question to Duffy about a nearly 30-year-old episode of "Dallas"; and one fan's thank-you: She watched the original series as a kid but is grateful that it was brought back because now her mom allows her to watch the kissing scenes, she joked.
The original series was famous for its season-ending cliffhangers, which often involved a freeze-frame close-up of a cast member (which was usually Hagman, Duffy and Gray joked). Cidre confirmed that there will be two freeze frames at the end of this season, though she's not sure whose will come first. She did say that Jordana Brewster, who plays Christopher's fiancée, Elena, has "a big moment" in the finale.
WeLoveSoaps, JustJared
I feel like it'd only be right if Cliff killed him. I don't think I could accept it being some new person we don't even know.
how come Lucy looks a lot older than her mom??
And lol, she does! How weird.
he got so fat in the new Dallas.
aww ray & donna <3
he was the driving force and the reason they brought it back.
Luv these lying, stealing, backstabbing oil hungry people.
Henderson is a pale bitch, I like him tan.
David what in the world smh