The “Dallas” reboot ended with a whimper, an in joke about Victoria Principal and the answer to who killed JR Ewing. Principal said some time ago she would not return to “Dallas” and she meant it. But was she asked at all? I doubt it. As one “Dallas”-Lorimar former insider said to me last night: “They [the show] always hated her. Why? Because she told them–” he made gesture meaning, “f- off.” Indeed, Principal left “Dallas” at the height of her popularity and the show’s. Larry Hagman, the producers, and the cast did not mind seeing her go. When I wrote a piece in 1991 about the end of the real “Dallas” all I heard from the supporting cast were horror stories about Principal.
In last night’s finale, it was revealed that Pam Ewing had died of cancer 24 years ago. The in joke? The man who was her “husband” was a plastic surgeon. Principal was married for years in a tempestuous union with Hollywood cutter Dr. Harry Glassman. So that was their nod to Principal, who may– oh — cut off her to spite her face all those years ago.
And where does “Dallas” go from here? I guess TNT could renew it. I don’t see why, though. With Hagman gone, the stories are wrapped up. There’s no compelling reason to keep going. This “Dallas” was fun, but the real story of the Ewings is over. If it does come back, they’re going to have inject some humor and stop shooting the show like it’s a skyscraper drama mixed with “Blade Runner.”
Oh, who killed JR? Sadly, it doesn’t matter.
