It’s hard to imagine Dallas without J.R. Ewing’s number one nemesis, Cliff Barnes, and now we won’t have to. TV Guide has reported that Ken Kercheval has signed on for a multi-episode arc on the new Dallas series which will debut next summer on TNT.
Ken Kercheval and Larry Hagman share the distinction of being the only two actors who appeared in the entire run of the original Dallas series on CBS, from April 2, 1978 until May 3, 1991. He reprised his role in the 1996 reunion movie, Dallas: JR Returns, but was not in the second one, War of the Ewings. Kercheval did however take part in the 2004 special, Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, in which the cast got together to reminisce.
In July, TNT gave the go-ahead for a new Dallas TV series. It will focus on John Ross Ewing III (Josh Henderson), the son of JR Ewing (Hagman), and Christopher Ewing (Jesse Metcalfe), the adopted son of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy). Original castmembers Hagman, Duffy, and Linda Gray have signed on for all of the first season’s 10 episodes.
It will be interesting to see what Cliff Barnes has been up to and how much, if any, of his past will be utilized in the new series. As you may recall, his late sister Pam (Victoria Principal) was married to Bobby and was mother to Christopher. Cliff had a romantic relationship with JR’s ex-wife, Sue Ellen (Gray), for awhile and even proposed to her. Cliff also had a young daughter named Pamela and reunited with her in the first reunion movie.
What do you think? Are you glad to hear Cliff Barnes is returning to Dallas? What would you like to see happen? Perhaps his daughter could be involved with one of the young Ewing men, echoing the start of the original Dallas series?
The new series is flawed in that JR Ewing has lost his fortune. He didnt. For the hard core fans of the series, you will remember that JR got all of the old Ewing Oil assets except for the Ewing Building off Jeremy Wendell. He took them into the resurrected Ewing Oil after Bobby got the name back. When Bobby chose to leave the oil business he sold the company to Leanne De La Vega, played by Barbara Eden. JR would have received the market price. Leanne gave him a small percentage but then sold the company and after a… Read more »
Peter » The new show has taken some creative license with history — to make things a bit more interesting it seems. The last time we saw John Ross for example, he seemed like a well-adjusted guy. I don’t think most people have noticed or care.
Regarding your comments about JR’s fortune, I think you’re assuming that nothing changed after the last reunion movie. JR could have lost his fortune in those years and that could be why he ended up in a catatonic depression.
AMAZING .WE LOVE DALLAS.PLEASE BRING BACK MORE RETURN;MORE LUCY[CHARLENE T.SHE IS ADORABLE],PAMELA RETURN[VICTORIA P.SHE IS A GOLDEN STAR],JENNA[PRISCILLA P.],AFTON[AUDREY L.SHE IS SO BEAUTY]WE ADORE SURPRISES.BLESSESS…MUCHOS GRACIAS…
[…] role as Cliff Barnes, speculation began to swirl about Cliff’s daughter, Pamela Rebecca, as a potential love interest for one of the Ewing boys. A mysterious orphan named Rebecca and married to Chris Ewing seems a […]
I think every single one of your insights are on point. I would only add that I would love to see Katheryn Wnetworth some how get redeemed, in a believable way, and return as the ‘evil’ sibling for both Pam and Cliff. I would like to see her be in their lives in the same way JR is to his brothers. I would also like to see her come with a few offspring to mix it it up with Ewing and Barnes next generation. I would also like more refrences and cameos by Valene and Gary Ewing. It would be… Read more »
Bobby in the shower with the previous season a dream was pure genius. Just watched the new pilot and it’s really quite good. Hopefully we will get a few summers of nuDallas !!!! JR Lives !!!!!!
Great to hear that Ken Kercheval is coming back. It would not be Dallas without him.
Morgan Woodard needs to make an appearance as Punk Anderson still alive and well!!
[…] and he are all signed for all 10 installments (which includes the pilot). We later learned that Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) will return to cause […]
I think the idea of bringing Dallas back to the screen is great. But I´m one of those persons who think it will only work to a real great audiance when some of the old characters are in it. It would be great to to have Cliff in it, but this also means to me the return of Afton Cooper, Cliff´s daughter and eventually Pam. We never saw her dying, although Margret Michaels stated that she was deadly sick and didn´t want Bobby and Christopher to see them loosing her again. Well, what really happened, nobody knows?? Where is J.R.s… Read more »