Southfork Livens Up For Big Reason: ‘J.R. Returns’

When “Dallas” fans last saw the crafty, charming, conniving J.R. Ewing on the series finale five years ago, he was literally in a devil of a mess. Only brother Bobby witnessed what really happened when the suicidal J.R. raised his pistol and a shot rang out.

Even Larry Hagman, who played the role to perfection for 13 seasons, was in the dark as to J.R.’s fate.

“I didn’t know if he was dead,” Hagman says. “I didn’t know if they were going to do (a “Dallas” movie). The way we ended it left it open.”

Well, J.R. is alive and well and up to his dirty tricks in the CBS reunion flick, “Dallas: J.R. Returns,” which airs this week in the series’ old 9 p.m. Friday time slot.

It seems that for the past five years, J.R. has been living, and loving, in Paris. But he’s come home to reclaim Ewing Oil from his old nemesis Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval). Cliff is busy trying to relocate the long-lost daughter he had with former flame Afton Cooper (Audrey Landers).

Meanwhile, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) has been running Southfork and is living a quiet life on the ranch with son Christopher (Chris Demetral). J.R.’s former wife, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), and son John Ross (Omri Katz), who have been living in London with her new husband, return to Southfork when they hear some startling news about J.R.

Reuniting for the movie, Duffy says, was “just like you seeing your family again. We obviously don’t call each other ‘J.R.’ and ‘Bobby’ when we see each other socially, but you put on those clothes and you step in front of that camera and it was like, ‘This is wonderful. This is the best life ever.”’

“It was like we had never stopped,” Kercheval adds.

“J.R. Returns” had been in development for a few years.

“Larry and I have always wanted to do something with ‘Dallas,”’ says Duffy, who is co-executive producer of the movie with Hagman.

“We even considered at one time - and I still think it would be a great idea - to do the ‘Airplane!’ version of ‘Dallas’ as a feature film and just go for right-off-the-wall humor.”

Production originally was set to start a year ago but was delayed when Hagman had a liver transplant. Six months after his surgery, the actor was strong enough to do the film.

“We were really cheerleaders for his health,” Gray says. “It was really a magical experience for us. We had to watch his pacing, but he was fine.”

As with the original series, “J.R. Returns” has plenty of sex. Not only does J.R. have a one-night stand with Sue Ellen, he also has an affair with his attorney’s niece (Tracy Scoggins).

“It was hell, but somebody had to do it,” says Hagman, laughing. “Tracy’s not a bad-looking girl.”

“Well, you know, it is the ‘80s thing,” muses Duffy. “We were doing the horizontal Macarena a lot in those days.”

Reruns of “Dallas,” once the most popular show on television, are currently airing three times a day on The Nashville Network.