Dallas:Season 9

Well, here we are finally, at the release of the famous dream season. Now, after my last review where I got down on the last season, I found upon re-watching it that it was really quite good-I think all of Dallas is brilliant in it's way really. So, this season is different to be sure-Leonard Katzman was gone and the style of the show went very glamorous, very Dynasty-esque, and it is not at all like Dallas of before or after in many ways. Lucy is gone and that doesn't matter of course, but Bobby is also gone and that does indeed make a difference. The season itself has of course been hampered in retrospect by the fact that we now know none of it really happens. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of interesting twists and turns that keep the season good dramatically. The only question is how you will react to the different ways that the characters speak and act, and that I've found is more a matter of personal taste than anything else. I am not going to lie that this is probably my least favorite season of the show for these reasons I've listed above-but it still beats almost anything else from other shows, and it's still Dallas so it gets 5 stars, especially after I was pleasantly surprised by my re-viewing of the last season on DVD. With Barabara Bel Geddes back as Miss Ellie, and also starring Jared Martin as Dusty Farlow, Steve Forrest as Ben Stivers, Deborah Shelton as Mandy Winger, Jenilee Harrison as Jamie Ewing Barnes, Dack Rambo as Jack Ewing, Marc Singer as Matt Cantrell, and John Beck as Mark Graison.

"Dallas" Season 9 (1985-86) begins with final goodbyes to Bobby as the Ewing clan come together to pay their respects. This season sees the departure of Patrick Duffy, as Bobby, and the return of the much beloved Barbara Belle Geddes, as she reprises her role as Miss Ellie. Donna Reed, of course, exits the show, and new faces abound as Jenilee Harrison (Three's Company) as Jamie Ewing Barnes, Dack Rambo as Jack Ewing, Marc Singer as Matt Cantrell, and John Beck returns as Mark Graison. As mentioned in the previous reviews, "Season 9" is Pam Ewing's "dream season," and is quiet enjoyable in it's storyline and characters. The return of Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing in the following season, was no doubt an attempt to boost the shows TV ratings and put it back in the top spot. "Dallas" fans have seen "the best" of the series with these 9 season sets, with the shows producers and directors loosing the show's identity with far-fetched shcemes and over-the-top glamour that strays way too far from the original formula that made "Dallas" the traditional TV drama that viewers loved to endulge themselves in. The original formula of TV's "Dallas" guaranteed the viewer a season filled with fun and creative storylines which remained in a believable setting that the viewer had not only become familiar with, but enjoyed looking forward to the suspense and drama that came with each episodes deals, plots, and schemes! And as the season came to it's close it always gleefully culminated into a "season finale cliffhanger" that left you begging for more!

Here's a listing of "Dallas" Season 9 episodes:

1- The Family Ewing- The Ewings come together for Bobby's funeral; Dusty tells Sue Ellen he loves her; Miss Ellie is happy to have Gary back for a time

2- Rock Bottom- Sue Ellen goes on a massive bender, as a worried Clayton and Miss Ellie search for her; Bobby's will is read, leaving Cliff hoping to take advantage of its orders; Mandy presses J.R. to divorce Sue Ellen

3- Those Eyes- Clayton and Miss Ellie keep searching for Sue Ellen; Pam is courted by two offers for Christopher's Ewing Oil shares; J.R. and Dusty clash over Sue Ellen

4- Resurrection- Miss Ellie ponders Jeremy Wendell's offer for her Ewing Oil shares; Dusty vows to stick by Sue Ellen; Pam is tailed by a mysterious figure

5- Saving Grace- Pam is stunned to discover Mark Graison really is alive; J.R. digs into Jack's background; Ray and Miss Ellie question whether to accept Weststar's offer for their Ewing Oil shares; Dusty worries his attempt to help Sue Ellen may actually be a hindrance to her recovery

6- Mothers- Sue Ellen's mother comes to Southfork, hoping to get her and J.R. together again; Mark explains his absence to Pam, who decides what to do with Christopher's Ewing Oil shares; Jack grows fond of Jenna; Miss Ellie wrestles with her decision on her own Ewing Oil shares

7- The Wind of Change- Miss Ellie and Pam make their final decisions on the Weststar offer; Donna and Ray get bad news about her pregnancy; Sue Ellen continues to progress in her recovery; Jack woos Jenna further; Mandy shows up at the Oil Baron's Ball

8- Quandary- Ray and Donna investigate options to deal with their retarded baby; Dusty claims he's staying in Dallas; J.R. immediately seeks to find a way to rid himself of Pam; Cliff wants Jamie back; Angelica Nero wines and dines the town's oilmen

9- Close Encounters- Angelica attends a Southfork Rodeo; Sue Ellen's mother warns her away from Dusty; J.R. offers Jack a job at Ewing Oil

10- Suffer The Little Children- Donna is rushed to the hospital, with hers and the baby's life at risk; Cliff tries to repair his relationships with Jamie and Pam; Sue Ellen renews the custody battle with J.R., who's busy discovering Angelica's past

11- The Prize- John Ross runs away as the custody fight comes to a close; Angelica tries to rush her deal with Ewing Oil, while J.R. continues to investigate her motives

12- En Passant- J.R. appeals his loss of John Ross' custody; Donna and Ray deal with the loss of their baby in very different ways; J.R.'s kidnapped detective is used by Angelica and Nicholas to futher the Marinos venture; Sue Ellen and her mother argue over her future

13- Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen- J.R. hopes to trick Sue Ellen into giving up custody; Jenna breaks things off with Jack; Pam wants to vacation with Mark; Clayton makes a deal without Miss Ellie's knowledge

14- Curiosity Killed The Cat- Clayton shields Miss Ellie from his financial pinch; Ray and Donna move into Southfork; Cliff tries to tell Mandy that J.R. doesn't care about her; Jack goes missing

15- The Missing Link- Pam seeks answers about the emerald from Matt Cantrell; Mandy double-crosses J.R.; Jack is still missing, and his presence is needed more than ever; Sue Ellen starts working

16- Twenty-Four Hours- The search for Jack takes new urgency as Jamie lay near death; Donna starts working with downs syndrome kids; Angelica reveals why Jack is so important to her; Pam seeks a way to work with Mark.

17- The Deadly Game- Jamie slowly recovers at the hospital; J.R. recruits Marilee Stone into the Marinos deal; Clayton's problems ease, not knowing Miss Ellie is the source; Pam arranges for a visit to Mark's Colombian emerald mine

18- Blame It On Bogota- J.R. and Cantrell continue their plot to set up Pam; Angelica grows unhappy over the profit sharing arrangement from the Marinos deal; Mark feels he and Pam may not have a future

19- Shadow Games- Pam and Matt get to Colombia; Sue Ellen's newfound stability makes J.R. reevaluate her; Clayton finds out Miss Ellie balied him out; Donna confides to Miss Ellie that her baby would've had downs syndrome; Jenna becomes increasingly despondant over Bobby's death

20- Missing- J.R. and local authorities try to locate Pam, who has disappeared in Colombia; Jack succumbs to Grace's wiles; Mandy stops working for Cliff

21- Dire Straits- Mark and Cliff work to secure Pam's release; Jenna sinks deeper into depression; Donna grows close to a retarded child; J.R. thinks he understands Dimitri; Mandy confesses her treachery

22- Overture- J.R. shows an increasingly active interest in reconciling with Sue Ellen; Jenna begins to realize she can't deal with her grief over Bobby alone; Pam wants to explore the emerald mine; Ray takes interest in a deaf foster child

23- Sitting Ducks- J.R. grows more suspicious of Angelica and the Marinos deal; Pam must defend her job at Ewing Oil; Lucy's wedding rattles Jenna; Ray continues to grow fond of a parentless deaf boy

24- Masquerade- J.R. and Jack are unaware of the danger they're in at the Martinique conference; Pam questions her role at Ewing Oil; Jenna nears a total mental breakdown

25- Just Desserts- Angelica disappears in the aftermath of the assassination attempt; Jenna plans to leave Dallas; Ray talks to Donna about adopting; Pam makes a decision regarding her employment at Ewing Oil

26- Nothing's Ever Perfect- Having regained control of Ewing Oil, J.R. sets his sights firmly on Sue Ellen; Ray and Donna start adoption procedures; Angelica plots revenge; Jenna second-guesses leaving Southfork

27- J.R. Rising- J.R. tries to get a bigger piece of the Marinos deal; Ray's manslaughter conviction hampers the adoption proceedings; Matt makes an emerald strike; Angelica comes back to the United States

28- Serendipity- Cliff thinks J.R.'s set up he and the cartel for failure in the Marinos deal; Donna and Ray work on Tony's reluctance to be adopted; Jamie fears a new Barnes/Ewing feud is brewing; Angelica makes a beeline for Dallas

29- Thrice In A Lifetime- The cartel is ready to join Cliff to battle J.R.; Pam and Mark make wedding preparations; Angelica moves forward with her revenge scheme; the Krebbs meet more obstacles in their quest to adopt Tony

30- Hello, Goodbye, Hello- New ranch hand Ben Stivers prompts suspicion from Clayton and Punk; J.R. gets valuable information against Mark Graison, but finds Ewing Oil in danger; Ray and Donna get a hearing in their adoption case; Angelica gets closer to her revenge

31- Blast From The Past- J.R. pledges himself anew to Sue Ellen; Angelica brings her revenge plot to fruition; Ray and Donna learn if they'll be allowed to adopt Tony; Pam and Mark are married, but she awakens to a surprise in her shower...

"Dallas - The Complete Tenth Season" is probably scheduled for a late Autumn release this year, and will continue where Season 8 left off, which makes this "Season 9" sadly "obsolete." I just don't understand how the show's writers could simply toss out Season 9's storylines and happenings and think that the show wouldn't be damaged in some way by it? Bobby Ewing was a great part of the "Dallas" cast, however, his resurrection became the death of it.

Ah the controversial dream season arrives! I guess we're not in Dallas anymore Toto. For that alone this deserves a five-star rating. Admittedly, many (if not all) Dallas fans were deeply conflicted about the show's attempt at adding a bit of gloss to the sudsy goings-on at Southfork. The void left in the wake of Patrick Duffy's departure would be felt throughout the season despite the extra testosterone supplied by Dack Rambo, Marc Singer and the return of John Beck. Interestingly enough, the show's original premise was to have Bobby die following his wedding to Pam, leaving the grieving widow to deal with the Ewings. And while the powers-that-be kept flirting with the idea (Mr. Hagman certainly played it this way for most of the show's run), even going so far this season as to set the perfect stage - the battle between Pam and JR never quite materializes - ill-veiled threats from both sides notwithstanding. While most of the new ideas meant to revitalize the show ultimately caused a kind of dissonance to its brand, they, at the least, made this particular season stand out. Frankly, had I been faced with trying to create excitement for the show at this point, why bother with Angelica Nero? I'd have negotiated a cross-over storyline with Dynasty. Imagine JR and Alexis playing a corporate "Strangers on a Train" deal of you destroy my enemy and I'll destroy yours. Nielsen would've blown a fuse! But I digress. This season is well worth Pam's extended REM cycle with enough intrigue and melodrama to keep everyone on tenterhooks until she flings open that shower door and finds there's no place like home.

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