Dallas (1978–1991): Season 9, Episode 2 - Rock Bottom - full transcript

In his will, Bobby leaves 30% of Ewing Oil to Christopher, meaning Pam will be in control of those shares until the boy turns 18. Sue Ellen stumbles drunkenly in the city among the hobos and bag ladies.

We could help each other.

Go back to your bottle.
It's the help you need.

I haven't been drinking.

The day is young yet.

"Until Christopher reaches
the age of consent...

his share of Ewing Oil...

is to be administered by his
mother, Pamela Barnes Ewing."

Hi.

Could I buy you a drink?

Any decision she would make
would be disaster for my company.

That's speculation.



If you think I'm gonna wait
around till she ruins my company...

you've got another thing coming.

[SCREAMS]

SUE ELLEN: Stop
the car. DUSTY: What?

SUE ELLEN: Please stop the
car. DUSTY: What's the matter?

SUE ELLEN: I just have
to get out. Just please stop.

Don't argue with me. Just stop.

Wait a minute. Sue
Ellen, what's going on?

- It was a mistake.
- What's a mistake?

I took the easy
way out. I always do.

Now, wait a minute. Calm
down. You're not making sense.

You wanted time to think.
The drive is doing you good.

- I have to go back to the house.
- Sue Ellen.

Do you realize I never even said
one word to Miss Ellie after the funeral?



And I never told
J.R. how terrible I felt.

I don't even think
J.R. was interested.

Dusty, I'm still a member of this family,
and I have an obligation to be with them.

Especially now.

I know how much Bobby
meant to you. You're upset.

- Of course I'm upset.
- When you're upset, you do things...

to hurt yourself, and I don't
wanna see that happen.

You're right.

I want a drink right now.

I want one real bad.

But I have no intention of
sneaking around to try to find a bottle.

Believe it or not, my
family's more important.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

It's not that you didn't
have good reason.

Come on. I'll drop you off.

No.

Thanks, but I'd rather walk.

All right.

If things get rough back there,
you know where to find me.

I'll be fine.

Hello.

Are you all right?

[J.R. SIGHS]

Well, I miss him.

I really miss him.

J.R., again, my sympathies.

J.R., Harv seems to feel,
and I agree with him...

that we should attend to
Bobby's will as soon as possible.

Well, you don't waste
any time, do you?

There's never a good
time to raise this issue.

J.R.: Well, this
is no time at all.

Well, I'm sorry, but...

J.R.: Isn't it enough my
mama buried her youngest son?

Do you have to add to
her grief with all this talk?

J.R., he's just trying to carry
out his duty as a family lawyer.

Well, those duties include respecting a
decent period of mourning for this family.

Nevertheless, for legal
and practical reasons...

I am obligated to execute
Bobby's will as quickly as possible.

Tomorrow will not be too soon.

Damn it, Harv, you
haven't been listening to me.

ELLIE: J.R., that's enough.

The sooner we get this behind
us, the better off we'll all be.

Tomorrow will be fine, Harv.

I'll make the necessary
arrangements.

What kind of arrangements?

Look, I don't wanna deal with this any more
than you do, but we gotta do something.

Because coroner's
released Katherine's body.

Cliff, can't this wait?

Hey, I know it's a bad time...

but Pam and I have to come
to some kind of a decision.

Just do whatever
you think is best.

Maybe it'd be easier for both of
you if I took care of arrangements.

Thank you, Jamie.

Sure.

You had quite a little talk with Harv
Smithfield after the funeral, huh?

What was he telling you when
you walked back to the car?

Pam?

Nothing, really.

Did an awful lot of
talking about nothing.

Just small talk about Bobby.

Harv was expressing
his sympathies.

That's all?

Well, what else do Harv
and I have to talk about?

I don't know.

I shouldn't have
left after the funeral.

It was wrong.

You should've thought about
that before you deserted the family.

It was a mistake.

A little late to
apologize, isn't it?

J.R., you're not the
only one who's hurting.

Bobby was very
special to me too.

He wasn't your brother.

I loved him.

Is that supposed to
make me feel better?

Don't you think I
share your pain?

Well, I won't let you.

We haven't shared anything
in a long, long time, Sue Ellen.

Not my love, my bed or the
responsibility for John Ross. Ha.

What's left?

We could help each other.

Go back to your bottle.
That's the only help you need.

I haven't been drinking.

The day's young yet.

Where are you going?

I have to see Miss Ellie.

J.R.: Don't even think about it.

J.R., please, I'm sorry.

You're a terrible
embarrassment, Sue Ellen.

Nobody around here
wants to see you.

You're sinking, honey, and
you're dragging me down with you.

And I can't allow that to go
on. Not for my sake or my son's.

He's my son too.

He doesn't have a mother.

I don't have a wife.
You don't exist.

You're just a bad memory,
doesn't know when to go away.

[CAR DOOR CLOSES
THEN ENGINE REVS]

DONNA: I hope you don't mind
I canceled dinner with the family.

No. No, you did the right thing.

We all need some
time to ourselves.

This, uh, isn't easy, is it?

What?

You and I being together again.

No.

It isn't, it really isn't.

Look, I know I messed things up pretty
bad around here in the last few months.

I said a lot of lousy
things that I regret.

I guess I just let some
mixed-up notion...

about who's the breadwinner around here
get in the way of what's really important.

You can cut in any
time you want to now.

[CHUCKLES]

I think you're doing
pretty good all by yourself.

[SIGHS]

I could kick myself for just
about letting you get away.

I could have kicked you
a couple of times myself.

I guess what I'm
really trying to say...

is that our marriage is
all I really care about.

The past is the past.

I can't promise I'll change.

I'm just gonna try my damnedest
to make our marriage work, Donna.

Me too.

I really want it to work.

Miss?

[CLEARS THROAT]

I'd like another drink, please.

WAITRESS: We've
already had last call.

Well, I must have missed it.

No, you ordered.

That's it, right there.

Then I'll have one for the road.

Look, I'm sorry.

I shouldn't even let you
get behind the wheel.

- I think you've had enough.
- I'm fine.

And I'm closed for the night.

I expect to be served.

MAN: You okay?

What do you have to do
to get a drink around here?

Well, you know,
everybody's got a job to do.

She's just doing hers.

She thinks I'm drunk.

I think she's right.

Oh, I'd just hate to see a
nice lady like you hurt herself.

Well, maybe I could
give you a lift home.

[SIGHS]

[SCOFFS]

[QUIETLY] I can drive myself.

[CLANKING]

No, I...

I think maybe I, uh, better
drive you home, hmm?

MAN: Hmm?

[CLATTERING]

Now, why don't you
give me your keys?

Ahh, here, let
me do it. It's okay.

Uh, what kind of
a car do you got?

Gray.

Gray. Great.

I'll get it. I'll get it.

SUE ELLEN: Thank you.

Hey.

[TIRES SQUEAL]

Where are you
going? That's my car.

Need a hand?

That's Banjo.

Oh, so that's her name, huh?

She's Bobby's horse.

I didn't know.

- I'm Jack.
- I know who you are.

Why don't you try loosening
that a couple of notches?

Then give it a yank.

You probably know your way
around the ranch pretty well, huh?

Mind if I ride along?

You know, you really
shouldn't be riding Banjo.

She doesn't belong to you.

[SIGHS]

Of all the horses here...

I had to pick you.

CLAYTON: She didn't
come home last night...

and we were hoping that maybe
she came back to your motel.

Have you checked your messages?
Did Sue Ellen even try to call you?

[CLAYTON SIGHS]

No, we asked J.R. this
morning. He hasn't seen her.

We considered that but I think
it's too soon to call the police.

It's a big city, Steven. I wouldn't
know where to start looking.

[SIGHS]

Fine.

I'll leave a message if
she turns up here. Hmm.

Maybe I'll try to call Pam or Jamie.
Maybe they've heard from her.

[SIGHS]

We should call the hospitals.

Let's not get ahead of
ourselves. No reason to worry yet.

Every time she drinks,
her chances get worse.

We don't know that
she's been drinking.

Don't we?

WOMAN: Nice day, isn't it?

You look like you could
use this more than me.

Help yourself.

I don't have all day.

Now, come on. This
will help your head.

Uh, could you please
tell me where I am?

You don't know?

No, I don't.

The bottom of
the bottle, sweetie.

[COUGHS]

Just like me.

[HORSE SNORTS]

She's taking Bobby's
death pretty hard.

DONNA: I guess she just
needs some time. We all do.

Time.

Charlie's already lost so
much of it without a father.

I blame myself for that.

You've done a
great job raising her.

I guess I'm old-fashioned
when it comes to kids.

I've always believed it takes
two people to raise a child.

She's bright, she's
beautiful and she's happy.

What more could you ask for?

I'm grateful I have her.

No matter what's
gone wrong in my life...

I've had my share of bad times.

I've always had Charlie to
remind me of what's gone right.

It's made all the
difference in the world.

I'm glad to hear you say that.

Because I'm about
to find out for myself.

- You mean...?
- Yeah. Ha, ha.

- Donna, that's wonderful.
- It is.

It was just hard finding out I was
pregnant after Ray and I separated.

I just didn't want it to be the only
reason that we got back together.

Well, you're both back together.

We are gonna try.

And you love each
other very much?

Oh, Lord, yes.

Well, you're gonna make it work.

I'm so happy for you.

Thank you.

J.R.?

I've been worried about you.

I tried to call...

but the phone was being picked
up by the answering service.

Well, I let the girls go home again
today. I couldn't concentrate on work.

Is there anything I can do?

No, darling, there's
nothing anybody can do.

I've just been
sitting here thinking...

that maybe if I wish hard enough,
Bobby will walk through that door...

and tell me it was all a joke.

Just a bad, bad joke.

I don't know what to say.

Well, they're...

They're reading his will today.

I just don't know if I'm
gonna get through it.

All of my life, I've wanted
control of Ewing Oil.

I never doubted for a
day it wouldn't be mine.

It just didn't happen
the way I imagined.

Bobby's share of the
company will go to Christopher.

And I have to
manage it for the boy.

And so I win control
of Ewing Oil by default.

And that's no victory.

No victory at all.

It doesn't mean a
damn without Bobby.

You called us here
to talk about J.R.?

CLIFF: Jordan,
where have you been?

J.R. is probably doing
handstands right now.

He just lost his brother.

Hey, with Bobby gone,
there's no one to stop him.

- Stop him from what?
- From coming after us.

[ANDY SIGHS]

I think I missed something.

Look, we're his competition, right?
You know how J.R. hates competition.

We're his strengths,
last of the independents.

Now, together, we've always been
able to keep the major companies at bay.

None of us would
stand a chance alone.

You try telling that to J.R.

What do you have in mind?

I want an understanding. Look,
you know how J.R. operates.

It's just a matter of time before he
starts playing one of us against another.

He'll come to you, Jordan,
with a deal, or to Marilee.

I mean, that's the way it's
worked in the past for him.

Come on, now, Cliff, admit it.

You're just afraid you're
gonna be the odd man out.

No, I'm just afraid that he's gonna
drive us under if we're not careful.

Unless we agree
to band together.

Then what?

Together we're unbeatable.

We can handle
anything he throws at us.

Yeah, well, I think
you're wrong about J.R.

He's got you
spooked. Always has.

On the remote chance
that you're right...

I'm right. I am right.

Well, what have we got
to gain by siding with you?

When it comes to J.R.,
you're always on the losing end.

J.R. Ewing having complete control
of Ewing Oil can only mean trouble.

And one of these days,
you're gonna see that I'm right.

Let's just hope it's
not too late to stop him.

Harv, let's get this over with. It's
difficult enough for the family as it is.

HARV: Not everyone's here yet.

Oh, well, I didn't tell you that we
had a slight problem out at the house.

Sue Ellen won't be joining us.

And as you know, Gary
had to go back to California.

That's not who I had in mind.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

I hope it's not a problem,
I asked Jamie to come.

- It's fine, Pam.
J.R.: No, it's not fine.

What's going on here?
What's happening?

J.R., you didn't want this to
take any longer than necessary.

I suggest we begin.

We wouldn't be here if it
wasn't for her deranged sister.

- J.R...
- Well, Mama, I'm sorry.

I find this totally
unacceptable.

- Let's go.
- Pam, don't leave.

Bobby wanted you here.

We should start, Harv.

HARV: Sit down, Pam.

I'll skip all the formalities.

You're aware of my
authority as Bobby's attorney...

to execute his last will and
testament. It's a lengthy document.

It was Bobby's wish that
I read to you instead...

a cover letter that he
wrote some time ago.

Now, I should add that
the language is informal...

and in Bobby's own words.

"To Jenna Wade...

I leave sole ownership in the
boutique known by her name.

Do with it as you wish.

I think I wanted it for you
more than you ever did.

Also, I leave the lump
sum of $500,000...

of which I request one-fifth
be put in trust for your daughter.

To Ray, my brother...

I leave the thing he
loves best: the land.

I place all my real-estate holdings,
commercial and agricultural...

in his steady hands.

It gives me particular
joy that Cedar Ridge...

the 7000-acre range
adjacent to Southfork...

is among these properties.

I bought that land on
your recommendation.

You said it was an
investment in the future.

You couldn't have
been more right.

Now I invest the future of
all these holdings in you...

and I rest easy knowing I
couldn't be more right in doing it.

Ellie, my beautiful Mama.

I can't begin to count the
gifts you filled my life with.

One was more
precious than the next.

There is one I wish to
return should you survive me:

a gold pocket watch
which was your father's...

and his father's before.

I treasured it always.

It made me feel connected to a
past I only knew through your stories.

What proud stories they were.

Don't forget them,
Mama. Don't let them die.

It's time this old watch was
passed on to the next generation.

I know you'll choose
someone special.

And I know they'll treasure the
stories behind it as much as I did.

Gary, my brother...

you've made your own
fortune in California.

I'm proud of you, of what
you've accomplished there.

When we were kids, you and
I found a mare running wild.

Daddy promised she'd
be mine if I could break her.

He never knew you did it for me.

You almost broke your
back in the process.

I want you to have Banjo.

She's a lot like that
mare you broke:

spirited, full of life...

just like you.

J.R., we've had our good
times, we've had our fights.

Through it all, I never
stopped loving you.

And I'd like to believe you never
lost sight of your love for me.

What can I leave you that
you don't already have?

My hunting rifle, my
over-and-under shotgun...

are all that come to mind.

And with them, the memories of
the hunting trips we took together.

I think we were
the closest then...

before things changed, and
circumstances, more times than not...

put us on opposite
sides of Ewing Oil.

You taught me how to use
these guns when we were boys.

I never thanked you for that.

There were lots of things you taught me
throughout my life I never thanked you for.

I do now.

You were a good
teacher, J.R., the best.

I leave you with that
compliment and these gifts.

And I hope the thought of
both will give you pleasure.

Pamela Barnes Ewing.

Financially, you already have
more than you could ever need.

Whatever possessions I
have seem inadequate...

to express my feelings for you.

But I can leave one thing.

A wish that you be happy, and
the certain belief that you will be.

Remember the good times.

I know there are many,
many more to come.

To Christopher, my son...

I leave the remainder
of my wealth...

which includes my 30-percent
interest in Ewing Oil."

Ahem. Thank you,
Harv. Thank you.

There's one more thing.

It was Bobby's wish that:

"Until Christopher reaches
the age of consent...

his share of Ewing Oil...

is to be administered by his
mother, Pamela Barnes Ewing."

Yeah, man, it's like I said.
I was in Vietnam, man.

I know, I was in Vietnam.

- Where was you at in Vietnam?
- I was in moo goo gai pan, man.

Ha. You don't even know
what moo goo gai pan is.

- Man, I used to work for the CIA.
- CIA? Don't give me that...

Hey, hey, hey. Ow.

Excuse me, can
we help you with...?

- Don't pay this fool no attention...
- Shut up.

- This girl ain't your type, homey.
- I'm a doctor.

I can help you with that,
you know what I mean?

- I'm talking to you.
- Don't put your hands on the lady.

- She got too much class for that stuff.
- You ain't got no class.

Look at this, man. She
looks like a Dallas Cowboy.

- See, I would...
- Don't throw your hand at me like that.

Listen, don't talk
to the lady, man.

I told you. Say, say, honey.

- Right away, honey.
- Say, baby, listen.

Don't leave home
without it, all right?

MAN: Yeah. Hey, baby.

- Oh, check it out.
- Hey, hey, hey.

WOMAN: Check it out.
- You're lost, lady?

You better find your
way home, sweetie.

Fast.

What are you staring at,
honey? My slip showing?

Oh, check it out. Oh,
she is too sweet for words.

I think it's Nancy Reagan. I
think it's Nancy goddamn Reagan.

WOMAN: I think we
got rid of the duchess.

- Hey, the usual?
- Not today.

A bottle of your good stuff.

No, no, no. Make it a fifth.

Must be your lucky day.

You may be right about that.

Hi.

Could I buy you a drink?

Don't you tell me there's nothing I
can do. There's very little I cannot do.

I drew up this will.

Well, I'm gonna
take it to court.

Think I'd let Bobby put anything in
his will that wouldn't hold up in court?

There are no legal
grounds to contest here.

Having that Barnes woman as
an equal partner in Ewing Oil...

is grounds enough for me.

- But it is not a matter for the court.
- Don't you understand?

She doesn't know a damn
thing about the oil business.

Any decision she would make
would be a disaster for my company.

That's speculation.

If you think I'm gonna wait
around till she ruins my company...

you got another thing coming.

J.R., this doesn't say...

that Pamela has to literally run
Christopher's share of the business.

She could put somebody in the
company, monitor what's going on...

advise her on these matters.

I'm not gonna do
business that way.

I'm sorry. You have no choice.

There's always a choice, Harv.

As your attorney, I have to
advise you against being foolish.

- Hmm.
- J.R...

what are you gonna do?

Whatever it takes.

Are you kidding, huh?
No, you're not kidding.

How did J.R. take
the news? Ha-ha-ha.

- A lot worse than you.
- I'll bet he did.

JAMIE: You don't understand.

Ah, what's to understand?

Bobby left Pam 30
percent of Ewing Oil.

He left it to Christopher.

Yeah, but she's the
administrator. It's same thing.

Don't you care how Pam feels?

[CLIFF CHUCKLES]

Sure I care, but she's a big
girl. She can take of herself.

I don't know, Cliff.
You didn't see J.R.

- He's not gonna make this easy for her.
- You're right, you know.

I mean, Pam is no match for J.R.

I might just have to step in and
help her protect her interests.

Did she go straight home?

Why?

Well, because we ought
to go there and see her.

Pam is heartbroken over Bobby.

Well, I know it. I don't want
her to do anything foolish.

Well, the reading of the
will only upset her more.

But that's all the more reason
I should be there with her.

No, Cliff, we're not going.

If you rushed over there right
now, Pam would never forgive you.

She wants to be left alone.

Oh. Yeah, you're right.

Yeah. I mean, what's the rush?

[SCREAMS]

[WHIMPERING]

Are you okay?

Yeah, yeah.

I'm all right.

You're a very lucky lady.

Lucky?

You almost got yourself killed.

Now, listen, Harv, I'm not
gonna take this lying down.

One way or another, we gotta find a way
of keeping that woman out of Ewing Oil.

Yeah. Now, would
you just listen to me?

I put in a call to a friend of mine,
Bud Dreyfuss, on the East Coast...

and he said there was a court ruling
that might be applicable to our situation.

That's right, the
Goreman decision.

[SIGHS]

Well, we won't know if it will
work or not work unless we try it.

Well, then you find a
precedent that does apply.

That's what you lawyers are for.

[WHISPERS] Damn.

J.R., we wanna talk
to you about Sue Ellen.

[IN NORMAL VOICE] I have to
apologize for her behavior, Mama.

I know how worried
she's got you.

We're all worried.

Well, she'll be all right.

The good Lord has ways of
looking after drunks like her.

That's enough of that, J.R.

Well, I'm sorry, I truly am, but I
just can't deal with it anymore.

Well, somebody has to.

Your boy seems willing enough.
Maybe he can do better job than I have.

Oh, please, J.R.

She'll be back, Mama.
She always comes back.

- Where are you going?
- Out.

It's different this time,
Clayton. She's in trouble.

I just feel it.

But this guy guaranteed results
or double your money back.

I figured, what have I
got to lose, you know?

So I sent away for his book.

Studied it.

I went to the track, and do
you know what happened?

Honey, are you listening to me?

Hey.

Hey.

[SIGHS]

Boy, you can sure put it away.

Well, I'd hate for the evening
to become a complete waste.

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

MANDY: Coming.

- Oh, J.R.
- Did I get you out of bed?

No, I was just reading.

You go and change into something real
nice because we're going out on the town.

I don't understand.
You were feeling so low.

Well, what a better
reason to go out.

Mandy, I just lost my brother.

My wife is off on another
one of her benders...

and, well, I may have to do business
with a Barnes looking over my shoulder.

I just wanna put a stop to all this,
even if only for a couple of hours.

And I couldn't think of anybody
I'd rather do that with than you.

We don't have to
go out, you know.

We could make it
all stop right here.

I know we could.

But then I wouldn't have
anything to look forward to, would I?

[J.R. CHUCKLING]

I'm feeling better already.

I'll just be a minute.

Where do you wanna go, J.R.?

Well, I hear Oliver's
is a lively place.

Oliver's is a dance club,
J.R. You never dance.

Well, you know me, honey,
always full of surprises.

[CLAYTON SIGHS]

Sue Ellen is not in her room.

I know. I already checked.

J.R. didn't make it home either.

[ELLIE SIGHS]

Thanks, Jenna.

Can I get you anything else?

No, I'm fine. Thank you.

I guess we have no choice.

Would you like me to
make the call for you?

Would you mind?

Of course not.

We're doing the right thing.

I know.

Uh, yes, I'd like to make
a missing-persons report.

Thank you.

Yes, I'll hold.

[SIGHS]

Yes, the name is
Sue Ellen Ewing.

[DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN]

You had yourself
quite a party, didn't you?

What time is it?

Checkout time. I
got a room to clean.

The manager said
this room was empty.

Your boyfriend
left a long time ago.

Boyfriend?

Whatever you wanna call him.

Come back later.

MAID: Guests here don't
check out when they please.

When the maid comes, you go.

[SUE ELLEN SCOFFS]

What are you looking at?

I'll give you 10 minutes
to clear out of here.

Wait.

Um...

I'd like to have
a drink sent up.

What kind of place
you think this is?

Uh, bloody mary.

We don't have room service.

Ten minutes, that's all you got.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[SIGHS]

[GASPS]

[WHISPERING] Oh, my God.

Not my ring.

[SHOUTING] J.R.'s right.

They're all right.

You are disgusting.

I hate you.

I hate you.

Hi.

I was on my way to work...

and I thought I'd just stop
by, see how you were doing.

PAMELA: I'm doing better.
- Good.

Jamie told me
about Bobby's will.

I thought you might
wanna talk about that.

Well, what happened to you? I
expected you to come by yesterday.

[LAUGHS]

No, come on, now.

Give me a little more
credit than that, please.

I'm sorry.

You know, Christopher's share of
Ewing Oil is gonna be a big responsibility.

I know it is.

I just didn't want you to feel that
you had to shoulder that all by yourself.

Who did you have in mind, Cliff?

Well, I love you, you know,
and I'd be glad to help in any way.

[SIGHS]

I love you too. But this
isn't the way to help me.

Well, good morning.

Good morning.

I was wondering
when you'd get up.

Well, we had
ourselves quite a night.

I had a wonderful time.

Wish I could say
the same for you.

Well, didn't I look
like I was having fun?

Yes.

J.R.: Well, then?

MANDY: Well, that's just it.

You looked like you
were, but you weren't.

I never danced so
much in my whole life.

You can't dance forever, J.R.

You don't have to
put on an act for me.

Oh, Mandy.

You're not only beautiful,
you're real smart.

I'm just worried about you.

Well, I feel bad, real bad about
Bobby, but you know all that.

And I just can't wait around
for things to get better.

They will.

Well, I'm finished
feeling sorry for myself.

It's time I got
back to business...

and you are the
first on my list.

I love you, Mandy, and
you deserve the best.

You need a new
apartment, new clothes.

You're gonna start living the
good life according to J.R. Ewing.

I know I sound like a
broken record, but...

Sue Ellen.

Yes.

Well, I have a very strong feeling
that this Sue Ellen problem...

is going to take care of itself.

MAN: Don't be so greedy.

We got a new customer.

Well, I knew you'd
come around, sweetie.

MAN: You two know each other?

We all know each other.

Help yourself.

Drink it.

[WHIMPERS]

[ENGLISH SDH]