There’s still no telling which Ewing will die during “Dallas’s” third-season finale, although executive producer Cynthia Cidre offered a helpful hint when she told Dallas Decoder the death will be storyline-driven. So whose demise would yield the most drama? Here’s how the loss of certain characters might affect the storytelling.

Please don’t go, girl

Ann Ewing. Even if Bobby brings Ann and Emma home from Mexico, the gals may not be out of danger. Suppose there’s a final clash between the Ewings and the cartel and Ann gets caught in the crossfire? What if Bobby holds Harris and Judith responsible for her death and embarks on a quest for revenge? It would add another dimension to the Ewing/Ryland feud while evoking the last season of the original show, when April was murdered and Bobby became obsessed with getting revenge. Of course, Bobby’s anger after Ann’s death would probably pale in comparison to the rage Brenda Strong’s fans would feel if “Dallas” kills off Ann — and can you imagine how upset they’ll be when Bobby starts dating again? (You know he will. It usually doesn’t take Bob long to mend a broken heart.) Even though Ann’s death could open new storylines for Patrick Duffy, it would be sad to see “Dallas” lose Strong, a marvelous actress and one of the show’s biggest boosters on social media. Nevertheless, like KSiteTV points out, our beloved Annie might be the likeliest to go.

Like father, like son?

Christopher Ewing. If the thought of watching Bobby lose yet another wife doesn’t put a lump in your throat, imagine what it would be like to see him lose a son. Dropping Jesse Metcalfe from “Dallas” would be shocking, although the show would undoubtedly send Christopher out in a blaze of glory. Suppose Nicolas runs afoul of the Mexican drug lord El Pozolero, who retaliates by ordering a hit on Elena — only to have Christopher take the bullet for her? It would be this “Dallas’s” version of Bobby pushing Pam out of the path of Krazy Katherine’s car, minus the “it was all a dream” twist. Once again, Bobby might blame the Rylands for bringing the cartel into the Ewings’ lives and seek revenge, giving Duffy a powerful storyline next year. Christopher’s death could also allow “Dallas” to introduce a grown-up version of Lucas, Bobby’s biological son with Jenna — and not a moment too soon. Now that Pamela, Elena and Emma have all taken turns in John Ross’s bed, aren’t the “Dallas” leading ladies going to be in the market for some fresh beefcake?

Adios, Elena?

Elena Ramos. Cidre told Dallas Decoder the character who dies is named Ewing, adding, “It’s a Ewing we know well.” This would seem to rule out Jordana Brewster’s character — unless there’s a quickie wedding between Christopher and Elena during the season finale and Elena kicks the bucket shortly thereafter. It’s true the show has set the stage for Elena to be at the center of a “who’s the daddy?” pregnancy storyline, now that she’s bedded both Nicolas and John Ross while using her Swiss cheese diaphragm. But what if all that pregnancy business is a decoy to throw fans off the Elena death trail? In Cidre’s Ultimate Dallas interview, she coyly hinted the pregnancy storyline won’t play out the way the audience expects. Could that mean it won’t play out at all? Whatever the case, as much as I like Brewster, killing off Elena could be an efficient way to get rid of the Ramoses, whom many vocal fans never warmed to. Think about it: Now that Drew is dead and Carmen has quit working for the Ewings, what’s left for Elena to do?

Gone, darlin’, gone?

Pamela Barnes Ewing. Now here’s a death that would truly suck. Julie Gonzalo and her character are hugely popular, especially among fans who are clamoring to see John Ross and Pamela get back together. But what if the Bobby/Ann scenario described above happens instead to John Ross and Pamela? Suppose she dies tragically at the hands of the cartel, setting John Ross off on a mission to destroy Nicolas and/or the Rylands? What if Cliff blames John Ross for his daughter’s death and comes after him, creating a circle of vengeance? There’s also the Barnes/Ewing feud to think about. Does Cliff have other kids who might crawl out of the woodwork to do battle with the Ewings? Or what if — I can barely bring myself to write this — the show decides to drop the feud altogether? Pamela did declare it was over recently (although she also said her fight with John Ross is just beginning). I can’t imagine “Dallas” without these two families squabbling, but don’t forget the title of this season’s final hour: “Brave New World.” Could that be the biggest hint of all?

No, nope, nada

Bobby, Sue Ellen or John Ross Ewing. I refuse to entertain the thought of any of these three characters dying. It also seems unlikely the show would kill off a beloved character from the original “Dallas.” It’s hard enough to imagine losing Ann, Christopher and Pamela! If pressed, I guess I could envision a scenario in which … nope, sorry. Can’t do it.

Which Ewing do you think will die? Share your thoughts below and watch the two-hour season finale of TNT’s “Dallas” on Monday, September 22.

Southfork showdown?

Here are the questions we’re pondering as we await tonight’s telecast of “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” the final episodes from “Dallas’s” third season:

Will Bobby rescue Ann and Emma? In the previous episode, “Boxed In,” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) learned about the kidnapping of Ann and Emma (Brenda Strong, Emma Bell) and devised a plan to secure their release. He persuaded his fellow railroad commissioners to approve an emergency drill near the Texas-Mexico border, hoping it will distract law enforcement long enough for the Mendez-Ochoa cartel to bring a train full of drugs into the United States. Bobby went to the Mexican “kill house,” where Ann and Emma are being held, and pitched his plan to Luis (Antonio Jamarillo), who said he’d go along with the scheme. Luis then threw Bobby a curveball, telling him he could take only one hostage home. Will Bobby really be forced to choose?

What will happen when Sue Ellen meets Judith? When Bobby embarked on his plan to bring Ann and Emma home, he received support from Harris and Judith (Mitch Pileggi, Judith Ryland). The publicity photos for tonight’s episodes show the Rylands at Southfork, where it looks like Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Judith will finally come face to face. This will probably be a low-key meeting between two understated, unassuming women, don’t you think?

What will happen to Ewing Global? After Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) moved into Elena’s old cottage on Southfork, she agreed to help John Ross (Josh Henderson) do his part to help save Ann and Emma. The estranged spouses went to Las Vegas, where Pamela charmed Nasir (Pej Vahdat), the sheik’s son, and persuaded him to give the Ewings a huge loan. John Ross and Pamela’s plan: to make the cartel an offer it can’t refuse by buying in one fell swoop all the divisions of the company the gangsters are liquidating, piece by piece. Will the plan work?

Will Christopher rescue Elena? Elena (Jordana Brewster) was stunned when Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) confessed his connection to the cartel. Later, after Nicolas’s wife Lucia (Angélica Celaya) received the photographs her private eye snapped of Nicolas and Elena at their lakeside hideaway, Lucia agreed to tell Christopher where he’ll find her husband and Christopher’s ex-fiancée. Will Christopher arrive in time to save Elena? And why do the promos for tonight’s episode show Elena wielding a gun?

What brings Tracey back into Bobby’s life? Melinda Clarke, who made her “Dallas” debut a few weeks ago as Tracey McKay, one of Bobby’s ex-flames from the late 1980s, will appear during “Brave New World,” the second of tonight’s back-to-back episodes. Will she turn to Bobby to recover from the death of her nephew Hunter, or could she have something else in mind?

Which Ewing dies — and what’s J.R.’s secret? By now, everyone knows the “Dallas” producers are planning to kill a Ewing tonight. Showrunner Cynthia Cidre told Dallas Decoder the character will indeed be named “Ewing” and that the death will occur near the end of tonight’s finale. So who’ll be the victim? Perhaps equally importantly is this: According to TNT’s preview of the cliffhanger, “John Ross learns a shocking secret about J.R. that sends him halfway around the globe in search of a surprising new cohort.” What’s the secret, and who’s the cohort?

What “Dallas Burning Questions” are on your mind? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and watch TNT’s “Dallas” tonight at 9, Eastern, Mountain and Pacific times, and 8, Central time.

Warning: This article reveals the identity of the character killed during “Dallas’s” third-season finale. Other storylines are also discussed. Scroll down to read more.

No, seriously, if you don’t want to know, stop reading now.

You’ve been warned.

As promised, TNT’s “Dallas” killed off a Ewing in its third-season finale. The victim: Christopher, who apparently perished in a car bombing. In another surprise twist, John Ross learned he has a sister — or maybe a half-sister — courtesy of J.R.

During the back-to-back episodes, Ann and Emma (Brenda Strong, Emma Bell) were rescued from the cartel, Elena (Jordana Brewster) shot and wounded Nicolas (Juan Pablo Di Pace) after discovering he was responsible for her brother’s death, and Bobby and Ann reconciled, although she worried Tracey (Melinda Clarke) was making a play for her husband.

At the end of the second hour, Bobby and Sue Ellen (Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray) joined forces to buy back Ewing Global from the government after the feds seized the cartel’s assets. John Ross (Josh Henderson) — angry that he was shut out of Ewing Global and that Pamela (Julie Gonzalo) was cheating on him with Nasir (Pej Vahdat) — formed an alliance with Judith (Judith Ryland) and reconnected with Emma, who gave him a mysterious red file that Harris (Mitch Pileggi) had been compiling on J.R. before his death.

Meanwhile, after a more-menacing-than-ever Nicolas ordered hits on El Pozolero and Luis (Miguel Sandoval, Antonio Jaramillo), Elena was seen getting sick in a gas station bathroom, where the results of a home pregnancy test revealed she was expecting. She was on her way to join Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) in the car when it blew up — the result, apparently, of a bomb planted by one of Nicolas’s henchmen.

The final scene: John Ross was in the back of limousine, where he received a call from Bum (Kevin Page), who wanted to discuss the contents of the mysterious red file on J.R. “What do you want me to do about it?” Bum asked. John Ross’s response: “I want you to find her, Bum. I want you to find my sister.”

Dallas Decoder’s coverage of the season finale will continue throughout the week, including a special edition of #DallasChat on Tuesday, September 23, as well as full-length critiques of the season-ending episodes, “Endgame” and “Brave New World,” and much more.

What did you think of “Dallas’s” third-season finale? Share your thoughts below and read more “Which Ewing Dies” coverage.

Cynthia Cidre

Spoiler alert! “Dallas” fans are still reeling from this week’s season finale, in which Christopher (Jesse Metcalfe) was killed when his car blew up and John Ross (Josh Henderson) learned J.R. has a secret daughter. I spoke with executive producer Cynthia Cidre about the cliffhangers — and what fans will see if “Dallas” returns next year.

Is Christopher really dead?

Yes. Believe me, we thought about teasing that: Did he die? Did he not die? And then, because I knew he was going to be dead for sure, I just felt dirty about doing that. It didn’t feel honest. So I thought the explosion was pretty big, and pretty definite — although I’m told all the blogs are saying he’s not really dead.

Yeah, the readers on my site are filling up the comments section with all kinds of theories.

That’s fun. I’ve got to read that.

But why kill a Ewing?

Well, we aim to surprise everybody — always. We like doing what you don’t see coming at the end of every season. I thought we did that well in Season 1, when we found out Rebecca was Pamela Barnes, and then we had Season 2 end with Elena finding out J.R. cheated her father. We always want to do the unexpected. And what would people expect less than if you actually killed off one of your main characters?

Swan song

Why Christopher?

If you really think about it, there were really only two options. I couldn’t kill Sue Ellen or Bobby because somebody might kill me. I couldn’t kill John Ross because the show is really on Josh’s shoulders since Larry [Hagman] died. That left Ann and Christopher. Whose death would have the bigger impact? It would be Christopher’s.

Was there a lot of debate in the writers’ room?

We pitched it back and forth for months and months: “Are we doing it? Can we do it? Are we insane? This will drive the fan nuts. They’ll want to watch the next season to see what happens. No, we can’t do it. Yes, we can. No, we can’t.” And by the way, it costs a lot of money, so we had to get permission from the studio and the network. Finally, when the money came through, Mike [Robin, a “Dallas” executive producer and director] and I looked at each other and said, “Oh, my God. I guess we’re really doing it.”

When was the scene filmed?

Only about three weeks ago. That we kept it secret is more incredible. At a certain point, only the writers and Mike knew, and then it became the studio, and then it became the network. Every time it went to someone else, I would freak and think, “How are you going to keep this secret?” Then we had to budget it and schedule it, and that involved a whole other film crew because our crew was not working. So we used the crew for “Major Crimes.”

You kept it in the TNT family.

They didn’t know what they were shooting. They knew there was going to be an explosion, but they had no idea what show, what character. And then when Jordana [Brewster] showed up on set, they realized, “Oh my God, we’re shooting the finale for ‘Dallas.’” We talked to them afterwards and said, “Guys, you’re so great to do this. You showed up on a Saturday. Thank you for your time. Please, please, please keep this to yourselves.”

Jesse Metcalfe gave a nice statement to Entertainment Weekly. What was Jordana’s reaction to the news?

I only told her the night before we shot it. She was shocked. At first she thought we were killing her because we wouldn’t tell her what we were shooting. So I finally told her, “Just rest easy. We’re not killing you, okay?”

It was a big twist, which is why I’m sorry it aired on such a tough night. What’s your reaction to the ratings?

Well, we held our own, which is insane since seven other shows premiered that day. There was “The Blacklist,” there was “The Voice,” there was “Monday Night Football.” Literally, I’m stunned. But we’re a DVR darling. Every episode this summer has gone up [significantly in viewers through DVR playback]. All I can do is make a show we’re proud of and hope the diehard fans show up.

Brave new world

You’re still waiting to hear whether you’ll be renewed for a fourth year, but as you said the other day, you’ve already started writing next season’s storylines. So how’s Bobby going to cope with his son’s death?

I just finished the first [episode] outline and it’s all about him. How’s he dealing with this? He has a pretty good idea who did it, even though there’s absolutely no proof. And Nicolas is in Mexico, so he can’t get to him. So you’re going to see a slightly different Bobby than you’ve seen before. He’s extraordinarily angry and vengeful, he’s extraordinarily hurt — and he’s refusing to express his hurt.

What about the rest of the family?

It affects everybody. Elena’s guilt goes without saying. She feels like her hands are dirty. There’s going to be a tortured relationship between her and Bobby. Believe me, this will be the emotional core of the show. The other thing that will be at the core of it is John Ross’s sister.

Yes, let’s talk about her. What can you say?

I can tell you that although J.R. has many spawns around town — if not around the world — this girl is different and special, and there’s a reason for that. That’s going to be the surprise that I hope will make your head spin.

You’re killing me here.

We had originally filmed the scene of John Ross finding her as an alternate ending because we didn’t know if we were going to get the money to blow up the car. But because we hadn’t cast the actress, all you were going to see was [the character’s] hand, and it was a great hand. It had bitten cuticles and some chipped nails and a bunch of bracelets. It was in a very exotic location. And we shot it, and it worked, but we thought because we’re going to move forward six months [when the new season opens], it would be better if John Ross finds her then. Because what the heck is he doing with her for six months?

So who’s this character’s mother?

It was a woman. [Laughs]

That’s good to know!

She’s passed away, so we’re not going to meet her. If I tell you that, then I would be spoiling something that I think would be a lot of fun — which, by the way, has been a pitch in our writers’ room for three years. We have something called the “duck pond,” where we throw up crazy ideas. And finally, that one looked good to us this year, so we’re employing it.

Will we see more old favorites from the original show?

Yes. There will be one who is a very, very, very popular old character. We’re excited to bring him or her back.

Wait, what? You’re not going to tell me if it’s a him or a her?

[Laughs] Okay, it’s a her. We’re looking forward to that storyline. It’ll be a lot of fun.

What about Cliff Barnes? Will Ken Kercheval be back?

Maybe. We’ve used him extensively for three seasons, but he’s in jail. We decided to leave him in jail, and so that kind of hurt us a little bit. There’s not a lot he can do from there. But there are some pitches about that also.

What about this business of adding a wing onto Southfork?

We’re doing it!

Really?

It burned! We have to add a wing. [Laughs] It’s a two-bedroom house with 15 people living in it.

But what about fans like me who consider Southfork sacred ground?

That’s why we’re going to put [the addition] in the back of the house. You won’t get to see it from the front, so the silhouette of the house will remain the same. We did not want to upset anybody. But we’ve made fun of [Southfork’s size] from the beginning.

I think that’s part of the show’s charm.

Yeah, definitely. We talk about it all the time. I mean, if you’ve ever visited that house, it’s probably 2,000 square feet, but somehow there are eight bedrooms. [Laughs]

Speaking of fans: Do you pay attention to the fan sites?

Not that much because I hate to get sucked into it. I mean, I want to hear all the good ones, and I want to hear the bad ones too. Mike Robin always leads with the good news. I lead with the bad news. That’s how I want notes from the studio. That’s how I want notes from the network. Just give me the bad news and I’ll fix it.

Listen up

Fans talk a lot about the show on social media. Do you do that?

No.

Why is that?

I don’t know. I feel like it’s passed me by — like I didn’t catch on at the beginning — and now my brain is so overloaded, unless I dump some “Gilligan’s Island” from my hard drive, I can’t learn anything new. But I know it’s very important, and thank goodness, all of our actors do it. They’re really into it, and they have a lot of followers. I also know the younger members of our writing staff do it. I just haven’t. Every time somebody tries to introduce me to it, I’m like, “No, I have so many emails I have to answer!”

But you hear what fans say. Is it hard to balance giving them what they want with pursuing your own creative vision for the show?

Maybe, because I’m not sure I always give the fans what they want. Maybe they’d like it to be more soapier than it is. I come from very dark writing. I wrote violent movies for Michael Mann and many other dark directors. That’s a place where I’m comfortable, and so I’ll often go to that place. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s probably not the best choice.

Can you give an example?

I just did it in something we were [discussing] for Season 4 about Pamela. I said, “How about she does this and this and this,” and then Robert Rovner [a “Dallas” executive producer and writer] said, “But that’s not empowering for her.” And I said, “You know what? You’re absolutely right.” I was going to a dark place for her. But I just want to work to the best of my ability, and I do want to make it delicious, and so I try never to steal that from the show.

You mentioned the “duck pond” in the writers’ room. Do I dare ask what other ideas are up there?

Most of them are goofy — and then one day they’re not goofy any more.

What I’d give to be a fly on the wall when you guys are discussing this stuff.

You have no idea. There are four comedy writers [on staff] and the things that get said inside that room — you can’t repeat them on the outside. Seriously, it’s insane. Every other day, I’m crying. We have fun. And at the end of the day, somehow the work gets done.

Share your comments below and read more Dallas Decoder interviews.

Going down

Throughout “Dallas’s” third season, John Ross strives to honor J.R. without becoming him. He wears Daddy’s wristwatch and belt buckle and embarks on one ambitious scheme after another, hoping to emulate J.R.’s business successes without repeating his personal failures. Nothing goes according to plan, of course, and by the end of the season’s final hour, “Brave New World,” John Ross has lost his company, his wife and his family’s goodwill. In a climactic scene, the young man who was so eager to be a better man than J.R. — the son who previously slammed his hand on Sue Ellen’s kitchen counter and insisted he wasn’t his father — stands before her and Uncle Bobby and repeats this assertion, this time with a caveat. “I’m not just like my father,” John Ross says. “I’m worse.”

Chilling? Yes, but also poignant. The truth is, John Ross isn’t worse than J.R. Not by a long shot. John Ross is more heroic than his father, as we see at the beginning of “Brave New World,” when he defeats the drug cartel and tries to avenge Emma’s rape by nearly killing Luis. John Ross is also much more emotional than J.R., which we witness during this episode’s elevator scene, when — having lost it all — he collapses in tears and listens to an old voice mail in which J.R. says he’s proud of him. How could anyone this sensitive be worse than J.R.? Maybe the setbacks John Ross experienced this season will harden him and make him as cruel and as calculating as his father, but he’s not there yet.

Regardless of how bad John Ross becomes, there’s no denying how good Josh Henderson is at articulating his character’s complexities. Henderson allows us to feel John Ross’s vein-popping rage in “Brave New World’s” opening scene, when John Ross slams Luis to the floor, digs a gun barrel into his face and screams, “You regret what you did to her now? Huh?” Henderson offers a different kind of anger in the scene with Bobby and Sue Ellen, when he doesn’t deliver the “I’m worse” line as much as he growls it. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the elevator scene, which is moving not just because we hear Larry Hagman’s voice, but also because we see Henderson’s tears. (By the way: J.R.’s voice mail comes from a phone conversation between him and John Ross in the first-season episode “The Price You Pay,” and the song that plays when John Ross begins weeping was written and performed by Henderson. Is there anything he can’t do?)

If John Ross’s elevator breakdown supplies “Brave New World” with its emotional high point, what is there to say about Christopher’s death at the end of the episode? Even though TNT’s promos warned us a Ewing would die, this is still a shocking moment. Much of the credit goes to Jordana Brewster, whose anguish is palpable when Elena sees Christopher’s car blow up with him inside. (And yes, that is supposed to be Christopher, even though we don’t actually see Jesse Metcalfe get behind the wheel.) Nevertheless, this doesn’t feel like the blaze-of-glory exit the heroic Christopher deserves. Is the audience supposed to admire him for dying while helping Elena? Sorry, but I can’t fathom why he remains so devoted to her after all the terrible choices she’s made. I recognize killing off Metcalfe opens lots of new storytelling avenues for this series, but I can’t help but wish Elena had been the one to blow up instead.

Christopher’s death puts a grisly punctuation mark on this season’s better-than-expected drug cartel storyline. There’s also a nifty musical montage in which the braided henchman Jacobo kills Luis and El Pozolero in their jail cell before a cane-wielding Nicolas is revealed as the mastermind behind the murders. (The cool song that powers this sequence: Eric Church’s “Devil, Devil.”) Other highlights include Mitch Pileggi’s beautiful performance when Harris professes his love for Ann, as well as Elena and Nicolas’s dramatic showdown, although I wish she hadn’t shot him. Now virtually every leading lady on this show has plugged someone. Likewise, I could do without Judith Light’s mugging when John Ross tells Bobby and Sue Ellen he’s worse than J.R. — a scene that should’ve been reserved for Ewings only. (And isn’t it funny how the elevator doors open and reveal Judith at the precise moment John Ross announces she’s the new railroad commissioner?)

Criticisms aside, “Brave New World,” which comes from scriptwriter Robert Rovner and director Steve Robin, brings the third season to a satisfying conclusion and resets the table for “Dallas’s” fourth year — and TNT willing, there’ll be one. The scene where Bobby and Sue Ellen foil Pamela’s plan to reclaim Ewing Global is heartening because it suggests the Barnes/Ewing feud isn’t over, despite what Pamela told Cliff a few episodes ago. I especially like how Pamela accuses her in-laws of screwing her over like Jock cheated Digger. (Is she wrong?) The other promising development: the addition of Tracey McKay to the Bobby/Ann/Harris triangle — especially if it means Tracey and Harris will join forces against the newly reconciled couple.

“Dallas’s” most intriguing new storyline, of course, is John Ross’s discovery that J.R. has a secret daughter. Like all “Dallas” fans, I have lots of questions about this one, beginning with the obvious: Who’s the mama? I figured the young woman would turn out to be the product of J.R.’s marriage to Cally, although executive producer Cynthia Cidre tells Dallas Decoder the daughter’s mother is dead. (Cally is still alive in this “Dallas” universe, or at least she was when she showed up at J.R.’s funeral last season.) Will the mother turn out to be J.R.’s longtime secretary Sly, who slept with him shortly before he fired her at the end of the original series? What if Kristin Shepard didn’t suffer a miscarriage after J.R. impregnated her in 1980? Could the daughter be the product of J.R.’s romp with Katherine Wentworth, who may or may not be lurking around somewhere? The mind reels.

More questions: How is John Ross going to use the existence of a half-sister to his advantage? You might think someone like him wouldn’t want other siblings hanging around, especially if there’s a possibility they could stake a claim on his inheritance. On the other hand, he must have something up his sleeve. How else to explain his toast to J.R. and his “Thank you, Daddy” line in the final shot? (Is this a nod to the classic scene where J.R. gazes at the heavens and thanks Jock after sneaking a peek at his will?) There’s also the question of where John Ross’s sister will fit into “Dallas’s” romantic sphere. If she likes guys, she doesn’t have a lot of options among the show’s main cast members, does she? If, however, she likes gals, there are a few tantalizing possibilities. This could be fertile new storytelling terrain for “Dallas,” although I’m not sure the show would want to go that route after the uproar over John Ross, Pamela and Emma’s threesome this year.

Then again, maybe that’s all the more reason to do it.

Grade: B

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hot wheel

‘BRAVE NEW WORLD’

Season 3, Episode 15

Telecast: September 22, 2014

Audience: 1.72 million viewers on September 22

Writer: Robert Rovner

Director: Steve Robin

Synopsis: John Ross’s commandos rescue him and the Mexican police arrest El Pozolero and Luis, who are later murdered in their jail cells by Nicolas’s henchman. When the government seizes the cartel’s Ewing Global assets, Pamela plans to buy them back, but Bobby and Sue Ellen beat her to the punch, infuriating both John Ross and Pamela. Bobby and Ann reconcile, but she becomes alarmed when she finds him comforting a grieving Tracey. Elena realizes Nicolas is responsible for Drew’s death and shoots Nicolas in a fit of anger, but he escapes. John Ross walks in on Pamela and Nasir in bed and later forms an alliance with Judith, who returns Candace’s blue dress to him, replaces Bobby on the railroad commission, and gets her hands on Harris’s tape of her drug deals. Emma gives one of Harris’s secret files to John Ross, who discovers J.R. has a daughter and tells Bum to find her. Elena learns she’s pregnant and is getting ready to leave a gas station when a car bomb planted by another one of Nicolas’s henchmen goes off, killing Christopher.

Cast: Emma Bell (Emma Ryland), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Melinda Clarke (Tracey McKay), Juan Pablo Di Pace (Nicolas Treviño), Akari Draco (Sheriff Derrick), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Julie Gonzalo (Pamela Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Josh Henderson (John Ross Ewing), Antonio Jaramillo (Luis), Judith Light (Judith Ryland), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing), Kevin Page (Bum), Pete Partida (Jacobo), Gino Anthony Pesi (George Tatangelo), Mitch Pileggi (Harris Ryland), Carlos Sandoval (El Pozolero), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Mikal Vega (Walter)

“Brave New World” is available at DallasTNT.com, Amazon and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.

Gone but not forgotten

You’re invited to Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Monday, September 29, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

Now that another year of “Dallas” has concluded, our theme will be: “The Best and Worst of Season 3.”

If you have ideas for questions, leave them in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I may choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

New to #DallasChat? Here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet 10 questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, so your answers should do the same. Please include the show’s official hashtag, #DallasTNT, in your tweets too.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. Who was your favorite character on #DallasTNT this season? #DallasChat

A1. Christopher. I loved his storyline with Heather. I’m going to miss him. #DallasTNT #DallasChat

Two tips:

• During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

This promises to be a fun discussion. I look forward to seeing you tonight!

III

Mark your calendars: The third and final season of TNT’s “Dallas” will come to DVD on Tuesday, January 13.

The three-disc set will contain all 15 episodes, along with never-before-aired scenes. The recommended sale price is $39.98

You can pre-order the set from WBshop.com, the online retail arm of Warner Bros., the studio that produced “Dallas,” as well as Amazon.

Which deleted scenes would you like to see on the “Dallas: The Complete Third Season” DVD set? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

“Dallas’s” third and final season was a thrill ride, even if our beloved Larry Hagman wasn’t around to take the trip with us. Here’s a look back at the highs and lows.

Performances

Rising son

Josh Henderson was a revelation this year. As John Ross struggled to follow J.R.’s boot steps, he kept getting sidetracked by his own demons — and Henderson was outstanding at every turn. His performances were sometimes sly, sometimes sensitive and always superb. I was less enthralled with the other “J.R.”: Judith Ryland, a.k.a. Judith Light, who was moving during the hostage crisis but cartoonish most of the rest of the time (“Let’s go make us a drug deal.”).

Storylines

Ewing Global’s rocky road to its initial public offering was a modern take on classic “Dallas” wheeling and dealing. It included the dramatic boardroom showdown where Sue Ellen voted against John Ross’s plan; John Ross and Pamela’s trip to Las Vegas, where he gambled away J.R.’s wristwatch to prove his mettle to the sheik; and finally the frenzied day of the IPO, when Hunter McKay swooped in and turned the tables on John Ross — much like Hunter’s granddaddy Carter once did to J.R. Even Wolf Blitzer showed up to report on the Ewings’ doings. The worst storyline? Nope, not the drug cartel, which ended up being better than expected, but all the silliness involving the brothel, including the eye-rolling revelation that Judith is a madam.

Episodes

Direct hit

The achingly poignant “Hurt,” written by Aaron Allen and directed by Patrick Duffy, dared to challenge the audience to stop sentimentalizing J.R. This was an actors’ episode, beginning with the theatrical scene where Elena exposed Bobby’s scheme to frame Cliff. No whiplash-inducing plot twists here; just solid Ewing family drama. There was also a lot to like about the “Lifting the Veil” wedding episode. Unfortunately, much of it was cut to make room for those bonkers brothel scenes.

Scenes

John Ross and Sue Ellen’s kitchen confrontation was the season’s emotional high point. It began with her standing at the counter, sloshing a drink, no longer denying her fall from the wagon. Into the room stormed John Ross, furious over his mother’s boardroom betrayal and still very much in denial about his addiction to power. The chills-inducing climax: He slams down his hand and screams, “I am not my father!” Maybe not, but this scene showed Henderson could light up our screens just like Hagman. Best scene runner-up: The unbearably tense moment when Ann, Harris and Judith hear Luis fire a shot after holding a gun to Emma’s head. The worst scene involved a corrupt politician, a hooker and a dog costume. Need I say more?

Twists

Bug off

Sue Ellen gives a bottle of J.R. Ewing Bourbon to Governor McConaughey (Steven Weber, who was always a welcome guest on this show), but the smug jerk refuses to help her stop John Ross’s Southfork drilling scheme. Later, the guv pours from the bottle while plotting with a corrupt crony to cover up a scandal — unaware that Sue Ellen and Bobby are in a van outside, recording their conversation. How? Because Sue Ellen bugged the bottle! Oh, how I wish Linda Gray had been given more scenes like this.

Cliffhangers

Worst first: Christopher’s death. Jesse Metcalfe’s alter ego went out like a chump by protecting Elena, an increasingly exasperating character who brought Nicolas and the drug cartel into the Ewings’ lives and threatened to send Bobby to prison. (Jordana Brewster, however, was fantastic when Elena saw the car blow up.) I have no doubt Christopher’s murder would’ve opened dramatic new storylines for the show, but since we’ve been denied a fourth season, I can’t help but feel like a “Dallas” legacy character was killed off for no good reason. The best cliffhanger: The doomed three-way between John Ross, Pamela and Emma was sexy and provocative, although the resolution — learning Pamela overdosed to teach her cheating husband and his mistress a lesson — was bananas.

Villains

Guess who?

Mitch Pileggi has always been one of “Dallas’s” best actors, but his performances this year were more complex than ever. Was Harris really working for the CIA, or was he merely out to get Judith? Did he mean it when he told Ann he loved her, or was he just messing with her head? Pileggi kept us guessing all season long — just like a certain Machiavellian character from an earlier era of “Dallas.” Runner-up: Emma Bell’s Emma, who had me throwing things at my TV one moment and reaching for the Kleenex the next.

Supporting Players

Here we have an embarrassment of riches. I loved Antonio Jaramillo, who was frightening and fascinating as cartel general Luis; Kevin Page, who turned sweet-natured Bum into John Ross’s unlikely conscience; and Donny Boaz, who made down-on-his-luck ranch hand Bo McCabe the closest thing this show had to a modern version of Ray Krebbs. But no performance touched me like Marlene Forte, who was heartbreaking in “Dead Reckoning,” the haunting episode in which Carmen learned Drew was dead. Honorable mention: Cynthia Jackson, who played Nurse Harlan, the no-nonsense nightingale who tangled with John Ross in the hospital (“Plant your ass over there in those seats before I plant it for you”).

Newcomers

Killer smile

Juan Pablo Di Pace was sinister and seductive as Nicolas Treviño, who changed the Ewings’ lives forever the day he waltzed into their boardroom and declared himself Cliff’s proxy. Now that he has Christopher’s blood on his hands, Nicolas will be remembered as the Ewings’ most dangerous foe since Katherine ran over Bobby. Honorable mention: AnnaLynne McCord, whose Heather McCabe — a working-class single mom who wanted to do right by her son — was refreshingly free of secret identities and hidden agendas.

Returning Favorites

Two “Dallas” vets earn a spot in the “best” column: Audrey Landers, who was a hoot when Afton showed up at John Ross and Pamela’s wedding, smacked the groom upside his head and sparred with Sue Ellen; and Ken Kercheval, who was downright tragic in the scene where Pamela refused to get Cliff out of jail. You could always count on Landers and Kercheval to make the most of their “Dallas” guest spots; what a shame they never had a scene together. My other old favorite: the return of “Dallas’s” retro-style split-screen opening credits. What took so long?

Costumes

Stylin’

Highlighting just one of costume designer Rachel Sage Kunin’s creations is tough, but if forced to choose, I’ll go with Pamela’s black-and-white dress, which looked striking on Julie Gonazalo. The dress also highlighted the link between Pamela and Sue Ellen, who wore a lot of black and white on the original show. No costume deserves a spot in the “worst” column, although now that I know how much effort went into choosing the jewelry for J.R.’s daughter’s debut, I sure wish that scene hadn’t been left on the cutting room floor.

Music

Johnny Cash returned to “Dallas” for the first time since Season 1 with his cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt,” which played during the powerful sequence where Bobby destroys his den after J.R.’s masterpiece unravels. Can you watch this scene without getting chills? Other highlights: Ed Sheeran’s “Kiss Me,” which was heard when John Ross and Pamela were making love on their honeymoon while lonely Emma was crying herself to sleep; The Doors’ “Break On Through,” an ideal choice for the diaphragm puncturing/threeway/Southfork fire montage; and Eric Church’s “Devil, Devil,” the song that played when Nicolas’s henchman killed Luis and El Pozolero. And who didn’t love Henderson’s “I See You” during John Ross’s breakdown in the elevator during the season finale?

Props

Good to the last drop

Best: The J.R. Ewing Bourbon bottles, which popped up throughout the season, including the last scene, when John Ross toasts his dearly departed daddy in the back of the limousine. I also got a kick out of seeing Henderson sport replicas of some of Hagman’s signature accessories, even if it looked like that J.R. belt buckle was wearing John Ross instead of the other way around. My least favorite prop: Candace’s severed hands. Good grief. Were those things purchased in the Halloween aisle at Kmart?

Quips

It’s always tough to choose a favorite in this category, and this year is no exception. Contenders include Judith’s J.R.-like analogy (“Money and morality are like two cars on a one-lane road. When they meet, morality’s going to end up in the ditch.”), John Ross’s apt description of his family (“We’re slow, but we do figure things out.”), and Sue Ellen’s memorable put-down of a longtime rival (“Just so you know, Afton, the most despicable thing J.R. ever did was you.”). But nothing tops Miss Texas’s memorable schooling of Emma at the wedding: “Has anyone ever told you about my sister Kristin? She was a lot like you. She ended up face down in the pool.” It’s a shame this line was cut from the episode, but at least TNT had the good sense to turn it into a promo.

Hashtags

#ChristopherRIP

If you didn’t watch “Dallas” while simultaneously tweeting about it, you missed half the fun. The year in hashtags: #Aftershave #BeachBoys #BeMyProxyNicolas #CafeConLechePorFavor #DefineTheRelationship #GoFrackYourself #GoodBlackmailNeverSours #GraspingSuccubus #IceBreakingShips #JusticeNotRevenge #LesserPrairieChicken #MamaLike #MillerLight #MobyDick #Mole #Pozole #SeismicSuperstar #Sprinkles #StupidPills #Supermajority #SurfaceRights #WhoWoreItBetter #WhichEwingDies #YouSmellLikeMyWife #RenewDallasTNT #SaveDallas #DallasForever

What did you love and loathe about the third season of TNT’s “Dallas”? Share your comments below and read more “Best & Worst” reviews.

Lights out

You’re invited to Dallas Decoder’s next #DallasChat on Twitter, which I’ll hold Monday, December 22, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

Since this will be our second annual holiday-themed discussion, the topic will be “A Very Merry #DallasChat II.”

If you have ideas for questions, leave them in the comments section below, tweet them to me @DallasDecoder or post them to my Facebook page. I may choose one or more questions and ask them during our discussion.

Are you new to #DallasChat? Here’s how it works: For one hour, I tweet 10 questions to my fellow “Dallas” fans. Each question is numbered and includes the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should include the answer number and the hashtag.

Here’s a sample exchange:

Q1. What’s on your Christmas wish list this year? #DallasChat

A1. If we can’t have “Dallas” back, can we at least have some fan fic in which Christopher lives? #DallasChat

Here are two tips:

• During the discussion, enter #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Click “All” to see all the related tweets.

• Be sure to include #DallasChat in your tweets. This allows the other participants to see your contributions to the conversation.

This will be the final #DallasChat of the year, so I hope you won’t miss it. See you tonight!

Still standing

The only thing I enjoy more than watching “Dallas” is writing about it, so I want to take a moment to thank everyone who read Dallas Decoder in 2014. Please know much I appreciate your support, feedback and enthusiasm.

This is the first December in a while that we don’t have new “Dallas” episodes to look forward to, but I hope none of us will allow that to dampen our holiday spirit. That’s why this post is accompanied by an image from the cast’s 2012 Christmas-gone-awry Funny or Die video. Patrick Duffy, Josh Henderson and the rest may look a little beat up here, but they’re still standing — and by golly, so are their fans.

In that spirit, I look forward to joining with you next year to continue sharing our love for “Dallas.” Thanks again, and happy holidays.

What does the new year hold for “Dallas” fans? Your guesses are as good as mine, but one thing is certain: Just because our favorite show isn’t returning in 2015 doesn’t mean we have nothing to look forward to. Here’s what Dallas Decoder’s crystal ball shows. What about yours?

IN | OUT

In: Cameos

Out: Chiefs

Guesting | Starring

Celebrating | Mourning

Hardcore fandom |
Casual viewing

Deleted scenes | New episodes

Dreaming up your own resolutions | Limbo

In: Saviors

Out: Sinners

Have mercy, Jesus! |
Have mercy, Nicolas!

Live chatting | Live tweeting

Gratitude | Griping

Wands | Flasks

Cheap gas from everyone |
Cheap gas from the Ewings

In: Mothers

Out: Madams

More Shelly, please |
Less Judith, please

Ooh, what’s Jane wearing? |
Ooh, what’s Elena wearing?

Bust | Boom

#JRForever | #FarewellJR

“Next year in Dallas!” |
“Next year in Cuba!”

 Now it’s your turn. Share your ins and outs for 2015 in the comments section below and read more Dal-Lists.

They’re back

“Dallas: The Complete Third Season” arrives on DVD today. You can purchase the three-disc set from Amazon and other retailers.

Dallas Decoder shared an exclusive deleted scene from the DVD yesterday, along with a review of the extras and a poll on the third season’s best scene.

Also, if you were unable to join the DVD discussion during last night’s #DallasChat, visit Dallas Decoder’s Twitter page to read the my questions and the fans’ responses.

Happy viewing!

Share your thoughts on “Dallas: The Complete Third Season” below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

Who says you can’t beat a Ewing?

As the original “Dallas” neared its end, two Westar board members invited J.R. to become the company’s new chairman. J.R. found the offer too good to refuse, so he sold his share of Ewing Oil to Cliff Barnes and accepted the offer to join Westar — only to have the rug pulled out from under him by Carter McKay. In “The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire,” J.R. discovered the Westar job was a ruse; Carter’s minions had dangled the offer in front of J.R. long enough for him to sell Ewing Oil, and then Carter snatched Westar away, leaving J.R. with nothing.

History repeated itself, sort of, as TNT’s “Dallas” sequel series drew to a close. Carter’s grandson Hunter encouraged J.R.’s son John Ross to take Ewing Global public, making shares of the company available to outside investors. In “Victims of Love,” Hunter, with help from partner-in-crime Nicolas Trevino, purchased all of Ewing Global’s shares during the company’s initial public offering — seizing control of John Ross’s company in a single swoop. Once again, a McKay had beaten a Ewing.

The parallels between these storylines aren’t perfect. Carter merely tricked J.R. into giving up Ewing Oil, while Hunter took over Ewing Global. Nevertheless, there are similarities between the scenes where J.R. and John Ross each realize the tables have been turned against them. Both sequences feature surprise reunions — J.R. and Dusty Farlow (!) in “The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire,” Christopher and Hunter in “Victims of Love” — and J.R. and John Ross use similar language. J.R. to Carter: “You son of a bitch. You set me up.” John Ross to Hunter: “You and Nicolas were setting me up.” There are also important differences: cool-as-a-cucumber J.R. keeps a stiff upper lip after Carter’s victory, while hot-headed John Ross attacks Hunter.

It took a while, but J.R. eventually clawed his way back to power. Will John Ross do the same? More importantly, how long will we have to wait to see it?

‘You Son of a Bitch. You Set Me Up.’

Like son

In “The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire,” a 14th-season “Dallas” episode, J.R. (Larry Hagman) is sitting at his office desk when Rose (Jeri Gaile) enters the room.

ROSE: Mind if I come in?

J.R.: What do you want?

ROSE: Thought maybe there was an office you wanted me to bug. [Looking around] Oh, this is nice. This is very nice. Oh, yes. I especially like your desk. [She sits on it and strokes the lamp.] It’s so … big. Use it much?

J.R.: How the hell did you get in here?

Carter (George Kennedy) enters.

CARTER: Your assistant seems to have vacated her post. Hello, J.R. Rose is right. It’s a very nice office.

J.R.: I thought you left Dallas for good.

CARTER: Only to find Rose. [Puts his arm around her] We decided to come back here for a while. Just to see how things were doing. [Sits in a chair]

J.R.: You heard, huh?

CARTER: Heard what?

J.R.: That I’m going to be the new chairman of the board of Westar. You come here to stop me?

CARTER: I did receive a few phone calls about it. Frankly, J.R., I think you’d make a terrible chairman of the board. [J.R. smiles.] I do have some affection for Westar. I’d hate to see you destroy it.

J.R.: Well, that’s too bad. Because I now have the voting rights. [Rose smiles coyly.]

CARTER: Oh, that’s right. Clayton gave them to you, didn’t he? They carry a lot of weight.

J.R.: [Chuckles] That’s an understatement.

CARTER: Maybe, but maybe the voting rights aren’t enough. Don’t you have to have the shares to go with them?

J.R.: Oh, don’t you worry about that. [Stands, moves from behind the desk] I’ll get ’em. In time, I’ll get them.

Dusty (Jared Martin) enters.

DUSTY: I wouldn’t be too sure of that, J.R.

CARTER: You do remember Dusty Farlow, don’t you?

J.R.: Like I remember athlete’s foot. Well, I don’t know what rock you had to turn over to find him, but those voting rights are legally mine.

DUSTY: You haven’t changed, have you? You’re still plottin’ and schemin’ and one-uppin’ everyone you can.

J.R.: [Chuckles] Well, some people are easier to one-up than others — as I’m sure you remember.

DUSTY: Oh, I remember J.R. Except this time, I don’t think your little schemes are going to work.

J.R.: You going to try to stop me?

DUSTY: I already have. You see, those shares were more trouble than they were worth. I was happy to sell them to Mac.

J.R.: [To Carter] You son of a bitch. You set me up.

CARTER: True, and I didn’t think it would be that easy. I’m the majority stockholder now, J.R., and tomorrow, I’m putting my own man in. And you can kiss your dreams of becoming chairman goodbye. [Rose blows him a kiss, and then she and Carter exit.]

DUSTY: So long, J.R. Give my regards to Sue Ellen. Oh, that’s right. I forgot. She dumped you. [He smiles and leaves.]

‘You and Nicholas Were Setting Me Up’

Like father

In “Victims of Love,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Hunter (Fran Kranz) is in his apartment when he answers a knock at the door, revealing John Ross and Christopher (Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe)

HUNTER: John Ross, Christopher. What’s up guys?

CHRISTOPHER: Hunter, we were hoping to have a little chat.

HUNTER: Yeah, no problem, of course. Come on in. Come on. [The cousins follow him into the apartment, where he pauses a video game and picks up a beer bottle.] All right. Man, Christopher. It’s been a minute, huh? [Laughs] Last time I saw you must’ve been … high school. [He takes a potato chip from a bowl and eats it.]

JOHN ROSS: And last time you saw me, you and Nicholas were setting me up so that you could steal our company.

HUNTER: Whoa, guys, I-I-I don’t want there to be any hard feelings. It was all just business.

CHRISTOPHER: Except what you did was illegal. You see, we know the money you used came from the Mendez-Ochoa cartel.

HUNTER: I don’t know what you’re talking about. [Sips his beer]

JOHN ROSS: I think you do.

CHRISTOPHER: And we’re filing a suit with the SEC, and when we do, you’re going to find yourself in jail.

HUNTER: [Sets down his beer] Guys, let’s just be honest. If you already had proof of where that money came from, you wouldn’t be standing in my apartment. [Chuckles] I think I win.

CHRISTOPHER: [To John Ross] Let’s go. [They turn and head for the door.]

HUNTER: You know, John Ross, Nicolas wasn’t so sure you’d take the bait. But then I told him how J.R. fell for a similar move when my grandfather tricked him into giving up Ewing Oil. That’s sort of poetic justice, right? You losing your company the same way your daddy did?

John Ross lunges for Hunter and grabs him by his sweatshirt.

CHRISTOPHER: John Ross!

JOHN ROSS: We’re going to find out where that money came from, McKay, and when we do, you’re finished!

CHRISTOPHER: [Pulls John Ross away] Let’s go! Come on.

What do you think of the Ewings’ losses to the McKays? Share your comments below and read more “Dallas Parallels.”

“Dallas,” this one’s for you.

For this year’s “Dallas Desserts” Valentine’s Day treat, Cook In / Dine Out whipped up a special version of tres leches cake. The recipe calls for three kinds of milk, making it an ideal choice to honor “Dallas’s” three-season run. The cake also happens to be sinfully delicious, just like the show.

So fire up your DVD player, pop in a “Dallas” disc and spend your Valentine’s Day reliving the series with your sweetheart and a slice of this cake. Be warned, though: Once you taste the cake, you probably won’t want to share it — one more reason this dessert is fit for a Ewing.

Here’s a list of “Dallas” characters who were killed off for a variety of reasons. Choose one character who should have stayed alive, even if it meant recasting the role with another actor.

Share your comments below and check out Dallas Decoder’s other polls.

Return engagements

It’s not the same as seeing “Dallas” return as a weekly series, but the Hallmark Channel will feature two of the show’s stars in new movies during the next two Saturday nights. Both productions are worth checking out, even if you find yourself pretending you’re watching an alternate-reality version of the Ewings.

Reconnect

First up: “Perfect Match,” which debuts June 20 and casts Danica McKellar (“The Wonder Years”) and Paul Greene as competing wedding planners who fall for each other while helping a young couple arrange their ceremony. Linda Gray plays Gabby, the groom’s mother, and it should come as no surprise to hear she’s the best part of the movie. The script doesn’t give Gray nearly enough to do, but at this point, the actress has mastered the art of making the most of limited screen time. The twinkle in her eye when Gabby plays matchmaker for the lead characters is worth the price of admission alone. Like Sue Ellen, Gabby is stylish and classy — and every time she mentions her son’s fiancée Lucy, you might have to remind yourself she’s not referring to Charlene Tilton’s “Dallas” character — but otherwise “Perfect Match” doesn’t have much in common with the Ewing family saga. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing: After all the suffering Sue Ellen did last year, isn’t it nice to see Gray in something lighter?

Like old times

Up next: “A Country Wedding,” debuting June 27, stars Jesse Metcalfe as Bradley Suttons, a famous country singer who finds himself torn between the self-centered starlet he’s engaged to marry and the down-to-earth childhood sweetheart who unexpectedly re-enters his life. (Gee, wonder which gal we’re supposed to root for?) This movie is a little weightier than “Perfect Match,” and it’s certainly the more “Dallas”-like of the two: “A Country Wedding” takes place in rural Texas, so there are lots of scenes of Metcalfe riding horses, hanging out in barns and mending fences (metaphorical and otherwise). We even get to see the actor wrangle some livestock, just like he did during the calf-birthing sequence during his first year at Southfork. “A Country Wedding” also offers some surprises, beginning with this: Metcalfe can sing! He carries a tune nicely, and his musical performances give the movie its best moments. On the other hand, every time Metcalfe belts out his character’s signature tune — the melancholy “A Cowboy Rides Away” — you might find yourself thinking about how poor Christopher Ewing got blown away last year.

If that memory depresses you as much as it does me, maybe Hallmark Channel will cast more “Dallas” actors in more movies to cheer us up?

Are you looking forward to “Perfect Match” and “A Country Wedding”? Share your comments below and read more opinions from Dallas Decoder.

Josh Henderson in August (Getty Images)

The final episode of TNT’s “Dallas” aired one year ago today. Here’s an update on the show’s stars and key players from behind the scenes.

JOSH HENDERSON has been cast as the male lead in “The Arrangement,” an eagerly anticipated E! pilot about an actress who is offered $10 million to marry Hollywood’s biggest star. Filming began this month in Vancouver.

Patrick Duffy in June (Getty Images)

PATRICK DUFFY will appear in “Trafficked,” a forthcoming feature film based on the best-selling book “Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery.” Duffy also led the TV series jury at the prestigious Monte Carlo Television Festival, and he guest starred on NBC’s “Welcome to Sweden” and ABC Family’s “The Fosters.”

LINDA GRAY published her memoirs, “The Road to Happiness is Always Under Construction,” guest starred on CW’s “Significant Mother” and appeared in the Hallmark Channel movie “Perfect Match.” She also stars in “Wally’s Will,” an independent short slated to play at film festivals.

JESSE METCALFE will be seen in “God’s Not Dead 2,” a Christian-themed film now in production. He also appeared in Hallmark Channel’s “A Country Wedding,” which drew big numbers in June, and the online flick “Dead Rising: Watchtower.”

JORDANA BREWSTER reprised her role as Mia in the latest “Fast and Furious” flick, “Furious 7,” which has grossed $1.5 billion since its release in April. Next up: Brewster will appear alongside John Travolta and Cuba Gooding Jr. in FX’s “American Crime Story,” a 2016 series about the O.J. Simpson trial, and then she’ll star in the second season of the ABC crime drama “Secrets and Lies.”

JULIE GONZALO has roles in two forthcoming films: “Waffle Street,” which stars Danny Glover, and the romantic comedy “The List.” She also stars in the independent film “I Did Not Forget You,” produced by Brenda Strong.

Brenda Strong in July (Hallmark Channel)

BRENDA STRONG has joined the cast of “The 100,” a CW fantasy series that will return for its third season next year. The newly married Strong also co-stars in “Ice Sculpture Christmas,” a Hallmark Channel holiday movie.

MITCH PILEGGI will reprise his role as Walter Skinner in Fox’s six-episode “The X-Files” revival, slated to debut January 24. He also can be seen in the film “The Girl in the Photographs,” and he did a guest stint on CBS’s “Blue Bloods.”

EMMA BELL has been cast as the young Emily Dickinson in “A Quiet Passion,” a film starring Cynthia Nixon as the adult poet. Bell also stars in the short film “BYoutiful” and has roles in two other projects, “The Good Ones” and “See You in Valhalla.”

JUDITH LIGHT plays a grandmother in the recent release “Digging for Fire,” starring Orlando Bloom. She’ll also continue to be seen in Amazon’s Emmy-winning series “Transparent,” which will begin its second season December 4.

JUAN PABLO DI PACE played Jesus in NBC’s “A.D. The Bible Continues,” which aired in the spring. Di Pace will next be seen in the feature film “After the Reality” starring Matthew Morrison and Jane Lynch.

KEVIN PAGE has opened a gallery in Dallas to showcase artworks created through three-dimensional printing. His website is http://kevinpage3d.com/.

CYNTHIA CIDRE (Executive producer) is now an executive producer of ABC’s “Dallas”-esque drama “Blood and Oil,” which debuts September 27.

RODNEY CHARTERS (Cinematographer) is shooting director Zach Braff’s feature film “Going in Style,” which stars Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Alan Arkin as three retirees who plan a bank heist.

RACHEL SAGE KUNIN (Costume designer) has brought her talents to CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” which will begin its second season October 12.

CHARLES YUSKO (Hair stylist) is now hair department head for “From Dusk Till Dawn,” a series on the El Ray channel.

Which projects from the “Dallas” cast and crew are you looking forward to? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.

You love “Star Wars.” You love “Dallas.” Have you ever noticed how much they have in common?

The first “Star Wars” trilogy and the original “Dallas” series are both sweeping sagas that feature dreamy heroes, scary villains, epic romances and lots of family drama.

The similarities continue in “The Force Awakens” and the canceled-too-soon “Dallas” sequel series.

Both stories combine new characters and old favorites.

Both also feature ambitious young men with daddy (or granddaddy) complexes …

Kickass heroines …

Handsome heroes who like to go fast …

And tender reunions between beloved characters.

Also, the “Star Wars” and “Dallas” guys get hotter with age …

And so do the gals.

Other similarities include evil masterminds who toil in the shadows …

Complicated bromances …

Tall gals with guns …

And iconic villains who cast long shadows.

Only one question remains: Now that “Star Wars” has been reawakened …

Why can’t “Dallas” rise again?

What similarities do you see between “Star Wars” and “Dallas”? Share your comments below and read more features from Dallas Decoder.