LITTLE ROCK — Veteran actor Larry Hagman died Nov. 23 at the age of 81. Thanks to television and Dallas, he’ll live on as the iconic villain J.R. Ewing.
The revived Dallas returns for a second season at 8 p.m. Monday on TNT.
There will be 15 episodes this season and No. 8 (scheduled for March 11) will deal with the funeral of J.R. Ewing. It’s sure to be memorable. Reports say a number of cast members from the original Dallas (1978-1991) will attend.
Although weak from his battle with cancer, Hagman finished six episodes for Season 2 before his death. Producers were caught off guard and had to re-tool the season’s plot to give Ewing (and Hagman) a proper send-off.
Many of us are old enough to recall Hagman’s turn as baffled Capt. Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie. That sitcom ran from 1965-’70 and coincided with my college years. I confess that it wasn’t Hagman I tuned in to watch.
Thank you, Barbara Eden.
Hagman’s TV immortality was guaranteed on Nov. 21, 1980, when an estimated 83 million viewers tuned in to find the answer to “who shot J.R.?”
Bonus round: Name the shooter.
Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby), J.R.’s sister-in-law and mistress. Of course, the shooter could have been a half dozen folks who had it in for J.R.
The Dallas reboot still centers on the Ewing clan and their enormous wealth. There is still sibling rivalry, romance and betrayal, greed and corruption.
Patrick Duffy is back as Bobby Ewing and Linda Gray returns as J.R.’s ex, Sue Ellen Ewing.
The next generation of plotters and schemers include Josh Henderson as John Ross, the son of J.R. and Sue Ellen, and Jesse Metcalfe as Christopher, Bobby’s adopted son.
Jordana Brewster plays Elena Ramos, John Ross’ girlfriend and Christopher’s former fiancee.
Julie Gonzalo plays Rebecca Sutter, Christopher’s wife, and Brenda Strong stars as Bobby’s wife, Ann.
Joining the series this season as a regular is Mitch Pileggi (The X-Files) as Harris Ryland, Ann’s manipulative ex-husband.
Also on board is Emma Bell as Emma Brown, “a sheltered beauty and equestrian,” and Kuno Becker as Drew Ramos, Elena’s estranged older brother who returns to Southfork to continue drilling on his father’s land.
Four more years. In case you missed my first mention,here’s more info. Fox News has signed the always entertaining and frequently exasperating Karl Rove to a new four-year contract as political commentator.
The former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to President George W. Bush was the most amusing thing about November’s presidential election night coverage.Rove had gotten all wound up for an evening of commenting and threw a tantrum when Fox News decided to call the election in President Barack Obama’s favor.
Rove thought it was too early. It wasn’t.
Rove has been with Fox News since February 2008. Before his turn in the White House, Rove was the chief strategist for Bush’s 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns.
Newtown studied. PBS has announced a week of programs dealing with December’s school massacre in Newtown, Conn.
Beginning the week of Feb. 18, PBS News Hour, Frontline, Washington Week With Gwen Ifill and Nova will all deal with aspects of the shooting and its aftermath.
The discussions will include a profile of shooter Adam Lanza and an examination of America’s gun laws and gun culture.
Soaps reborn. In case you missed the news, here it is again. Canceled ABC soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live will be revived on the Internet.
I know. It’s not quite TV. Or is it? The lines are blurring these days.
No premiere date has been announced for the revival, but the legal niceties and logistics of bringing back the soaps seem to have been overcome by the Hollywood production company Prospect Park, according to The New York Times.
Production resumes next month and the series will air on The Online Network (TOLN), still a work in progress.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. E-mail: mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style, Pages 46 on 01/27/2013