'Dallas' episode recap: 'Pilot'

Open on an oil drill. A girl, Elena Ramos [played by Jordana Brewster] wakes up and tells John Ross Ewing [played by Josh Henderson] to wake up because she’s got a reading. She then yells for the other workers to “pull the drill.” John Ross runs. Oil spurts out and everyone cheers. Elena then asks John Ross how he’s going to tell Bobby since no one has ever been allowed to drill on Southfork. He tells Elena to trust him, then kisses her.

Shoot to Bobby [played by Patrick Duffy] in a doctor’s office. The doctor comes in and tells him that he has a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer and he wants to start him on chemotherapy right away. Bobby tells the doctor that he doesn’t want anyone in his family to know especially his son, who is getting married in a few days. The doctor warns him that he’s going to have to tell his family, but Bobby says that he has “family business to attend to before we tell anyone in my family that I’m dying.”

Shoot to Christopher Ewing [played by Jesse Metcalfe] sitting with some men showing them a block of flammable ice. He tells them that there’s more energy in it than all the known energy sources put together. He gives the men his proposal but they ask him about his father. He tells them that Bobby is “out of the energy business” and that he’s content raising cattle on Southfork. They hand him an offer, which doesn’t appeal to him so he gets up to leave. Then, a girl in a tennis outfit appears, she speaks French and tells Christopher, in French, that she has an embarrassing problem and hopes he can help. She takes him to a locker room, where they start to make out. Unfortunately, another woman, also in the locker room, Mrs. Stanfield, hears them and recognizes Christopher’s voice. She comments that she hopes he’s fooling around with his fiancée. The two appear, fully clothed in front of Mrs. Stanfield and Christopher’s fiancée, Rebecca Sutter [played by Julie Gonzalo], appears and introduces herself to Mrs. Stanfield. Rebecca asks Mrs. Stanfield if she’ll be at the wedding and she says that she wouldn’t miss it. She walks away and Christopher and Rebecca laugh with embarrassment.

Shoot to Bobby on a horse, riding across Southfork’s land.

Shoot to the main house on Southfork. Bobby’s wife, Ann [played by Brenda Strong], asks Bobby how he thinks Christopher and John Ross will feel about seeing each other after such a long time. She also asks Bobby if Elena knows that Christopher is coming. He tells her that she’s with John Ross now. Ann tells Bobby that something happened between Christopher and Elena, which caused him to run off to Asia and into Rebecca’s arms. Bobby then suggests to Ann that they stop in Asia while on their cruise. Ann doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He then shows her a brochure for a world cruise. She comments how he hates to travel but he replies that it’s time “for me to do something my wife wants to do.” Ann smiles and they kiss.

Shoot to a bar. John Ross, Elena and the workmen are celebrating their find. He thanks the workmen for sticking with him. They appreciate the thanks. He then tells the workmen to take their wives or girlfriends away for the weekend and he’ll foot the bill. The workmen cheer. John Ross then goes over to a man sitting at the bar and hands him a rolled-up wad of money. He then thanks him for not telling his Uncle Bobby about him drilling on Southfork. The man replies that it would have been “unpatriotic” to bet against J. R. Ewing’s son. Then, John Ross gets a call on his cell. He goes outside and talks to someone in a red sports car. We don’t see the occupant but John Ross tells the person to “stay tuned.” He then goes back into the bar and the red sports car drives off.

Shoot to Bobby visiting a man, whose sitting in a chair with his back to the door looking out a window. There’s a nurse there. Bobby asks her how the man is doing. She tells him that he has episodes but “clinical depression is like that.” She adds that he’s been taking his meds and that he’s “comfortable.” The nurse then leaves. Bobby approaches the man. He places the cruise brochure on the table next to the man then pulls up a chair to sit next to him. We then see the man is J. R. Ewing [played by Larry Hagman]. Bobby then goes on about all the fighting they’ve done over the years over Ewing Oil and Southfork. How the fighting changed him in a way he didn’t like and he wants it to be different for Christopher and John Ross, for them to “be a family, without all the bitterness and bad blood you and I had. I don’t want them to be like us.” But, Bobby still tells J. R. that he missed him. All the while Bobby is talking, J. R. is expressionless. Bobby then tells J. R. that despite everything he “always loved ya.” He then kisses J. R.’s forehead and leaves.

Shoot to the Southfork main house. Ann and Bobby welcome Christopher and Rebecca. Bobby asks Christopher how the deal went and Christopher tells him that he turned down their 90/10 offer. Bobby tells him that he’s glad that he did but asks him what he’s going to do next. Christopher then says he’ll either deal with “government subsidies or bend over to the venture capitalists.” Bobby then asks Christopher why it’s so difficult for him to ask him for money. Christopher replies that it is. Carmen then welcomes Christopher home. He’s happy to see her too and how much he missed her cooking. Bobby tells Christopher, “We’ll talk,” before going over to Ann and Rebecca. Meanwhile, Carmen asks Christopher if Rebecca can cook, says that she’ll never be able to cook like her daughter, Elena, and what a wonderful couple they were. Just then, John Ross and Elena show up. Rebecca introduces herself to John Ross. Christopher and John Ross hug and John Ross asks Christopher why he hasn’t come to see him since he’s been back almost three weeks. Christopher tells him that he’s been “busy.” Elena and Christopher share an awkward hello. Rebecca breaks the awkwardness by introducing herself to Elena. Rebecca then tells Elena that she can’t wait to hear all the stories she has about growing up with Christopher and John Ross.

Shoot to Sue Ellen Ewing [played by Linda Grey] driving up in a white Porsche. “If it isn’t the next governor,” John Ross greets his mother. She apologizes to John Ross for being late. They don’t seem to get along yet they kiss each other hello.

Shoot to everyone sitting down to dinner. Elena whispers to John Ross about how he has to tell Bobby about drilling on Southfork. He whispers back that he will. Rebecca then tells everyone that her one only bridesmaid had a family emergency and won’t be able to make the wedding. Christopher then adds that Rebecca’s parents died in a plane crash, “she has a brother but not much in the way of family.” John Ross then suggests that Elena be Rebecca’s bridesmaid. Everyone looks uncomfortable at the suggestion and Elena insists that she wouldn’t be a good bridesmaid. Yet, Rebecca replies that she would love for her to be her bridesmaid saying that she’s like “Chris’s sister.” Christopher looks uncomfortable at the statement as Elena continues to decline saying that it must be too late to have a dress made for her. Rebecca insists that the dress that’s already been made can be altered, that she would be honored for her to be her bridesmaid and was sorry she didn’t think of it first. Elena finally relents and Rebecca is happy even though everyone else is exchanging awkward looks. To change the subject, Sue Ellen asks Bobby if he’s seen J. R. He tells her that he saw him that afternoon. Ann looks surprised. Bobby then tells John Ross that he should go see his father “before it’s too late,” but John Ross replies that he has nothing to say to him. Bobby fires back that he’ll regret it. Changing the subject again, John Ross asks Christopher about his “alternative energy scheme” and tells him that he hoped he would go into the oil business with him. Christopher replies, “Oil is the past John Ross. Alternatives are the future.” John Ross disagrees. They start to bicker about who's right when Bobby interrupts and tells everyone that he’s selling Southfork. Everyone is shocked. John Ross then gets up from the table and asks Bobby to come with him.

Shoot to John Ross and Christopher at the oil site on Southfork where John Ross struck oil. Christopher yells at John Ross but he says he’s only doing what their Grandpa Jock did. But, Christopher reminds John Ross that Grandma Ellie had that oil rig thrown off the land. Bobby tells John Ross that he has no right drilling on the land, to which John Ross fires back, “I’m a Ewing! I have every right.” Elena tells Bobby about the find and how John Ross was going to tell him that evening. Christopher is shocked and angry that Elena knew what John Ross was doing and didn’t tell Bobby. Elena then tells Bobby that Southfork has about a billion gallons of crude oil underneath it. John Ross then insists how much money they’ll make and how “it will change everything,” but Bobby yells at John Ross about how “sick I am of this family devouring itself over money” and how this was what he didn’t want. Elena then implores Bobby to consider it. Christopher insists that moving forward with the drilling would mean the end of the ranch and Elena fires back that Christopher is turning his back on his blood. Booby then reminds everyone of his promise to Ellie that there would be no drilling on Southfork. “I think we’re long past caring about precious Miss Ellie’s wishes,” John Ross callously replies. Bobby then tells John Ross never to speak his mother’s name in his presence and that he’s dishonoring her by his actions. He adds that Southfork is for sale and that there will be no drilling because alternatives are the future. Christopher asks Bobby to keep him out of it but then John Ross brings up that Christopher is adopted and how he’ll “never be a Ewing.” Christopher then jumps John Ross and they start fighting on the ground. Bobby breaks it up and warns John Ross “there’s no drilling on my ranch!” Christopher and Bobby then drive away.

Shoot to Christopher telling Rebecca what happened as she puts alcohol on his cuts from the fight. He adds that John Ross knows nothing about oil, that it was Elena who found the reserve and that John Ross is just “using her. Just like when we were kids.” Rebecca then asks Christopher if he’s more angry about Elena then the drilling but Christopher insists that it’s between him and John Ross.

Shoot to John Ross asking Elena if she thinks he should fight Bobby and Elena tells him that it “isn’t worth going to war over.”

Shoot to Rebecca telling Christopher not to let John Ross get in his head.

Shoot to Elena telling John Ross that his family will be torn apart if he continues his plan.

Shoot to Rebecca telling Christopher that he’s “better than that.” He tells her that she’s right.

Shoot to John Ross telling Elena that he hoped that Bobby “would listen to reason. He’s forcing my hand.”

Shoot to Bobby and Christopher taking another meeting about flammable ice as an alternative energy source to oil. Carmen interrupts the meeting to tell Bobby that the sheriff is there. The sheriff hands Bobby a piece of paper and apologizes telling him that he’s just doing his job. Bobby reads the piece of paper and tells Christopher, Ann and the man they’re meeting with that John Ross has filed an injunction to stop the sale of Southfork and that he’s petitioning for the terms of Miss Ellie’s will to be overturned on grounds of mental incompetence. The man asks if he should hold off but Bobby tells him to continue to look for a buyer for Southfork because he’s going to give John Ross “the fight of his life.”

Shoot back to the oil rig as John Ross is continuing to drill. The sheriff, Bobby and other cop cars appear and serve John Ross with a court order to stop any further drilling. Bobby apologizes to the workmen and reiterates his promise to Miss Ellie. John Ross tells the workmen to keep working but the workmen respect Bobby too much to keep working and walk off. Bobby then tells John Ross to find oil elsewhere. John Ross replies, “We’re not done here.”

Shoot to Elena walking in as Rebecca tries on her wedding dress. Elena then asks Rebecca how old she was when her parents died. She tells her that she was 12 years old. Rebecca then tells Elena that the most valuable thing her father, who was an avid poker player, taught her was that “everyone has a tell.” She then asks Elena if Christopher told her how they met. They met on a train leaving Hong Kong after she passed the bar exam and that “Chris was a boy running away from home.” She adds that she’s going to try her best to make him happy. Then, Ann and Sue Ellen arrive. They gush over Rebecca in her wedding dress.

Shoot to Christopher working. He talks to a scientist over the computer who tells him that there may be a link between harvesting methane and earthquakes.

Shoot to John Ross visiting J. R. He tells him that Bobby is selling Southfork, about the injunction he filed and how Bobby is kicking him off the ranch. He adds that he’s selling Southfork because Christopher found an alternative energy source and can’t get funding. “Bobby was always a fool, “J. R. replies. He adds that he always doted on Christopher and how he isn’t a real Ewing. He asks John Ross on what grounds is he contesting Miss Ellie’s will. “Mental incompetence,” replies John Ross. J. R. then asks John Ross to bring him some food because they have some catching up to do and tells him that he forgives him for not visiting.

Shoot to John Ross asking Elena to snoop around Christopher’s work.

Shoot to Elena going to see Christopher and them reminiscing about what it was like when they were kids. He tells her about his setback. She tells him that she wants him to be happy in his upcoming marriage and then leaves.

Shoot to Elena going back to John Ross and not telling him about Christopher’s setback.

Shoot to Bobby waking up with a stomach ache. Ann goes to get him something for it and hears a noise. She gets a shotgun and loads it. She finds an intruder who crashes through a window and gets away. She finds a container of pills on the desk where the intruder was rummaging through.

Shoot to the sheriff telling Ann to shoot next time. Bobby comforts Ann and wants to go back to bed. She tells him that she’ll be up in a minute. Once Bobby is out of the room, she looks at the container of pills again.

Shoot to people breaking into where Christopher works and downloading info off his computer.

Shoot to Ann looking up the pills on the Internet. She finds they are used to treat gastrointestinal tumors. She starts to cry.

Shoot to Bobby meeting Marta Del Sol [played by Leonor Valera], a potential buyer for Southfork. Her father is one of the most highly respected businessmen in the country.

Shoot to. Lucy Ewing [played by Charlene Tilton] and Ray Krebbs [played by Steve Kanaly] talking to Christopher before the wedding. He’s sad that neither Uncle Cliff nor Uncle J. R. could make it but Lucy tells him that he’s lucky since they still don’t get along. Bobby appears with Marta and welcomes Lucy and Ray warmly. Bobby then tells them that he plans to sell Marta’s father’s company, Southfork. Christopher asks Bobby aside for a moment and asks him to not make any decisions until after they talk. Bobby then warns John Ross not to make a scene.

Shoot to Sue Ellen telling John Ross about Bobby selling Southfork to the Del Sol conservatory. John Ross then berates Sue Ellen for keeping him away in boarding school when he could have been learning the business. Sue Ellen then asks him to see her as an ally and that she and her connections can help him.

Shoot to John Ross getting the info from the intruder who broke into Southfork and found out Christopher’s alternative energy source is unstable. He then blackmails Christopher into coercing Bobby to take Southfork off the market or he’ll tell him that Christopher’s alternative energy source is a bust.

Shoot to Christopher pulling Elena aside and berating her because he thinks she told John Ross about the methane problem. She denies telling John Ross anything then blasts him for sending the email that caused her to run off to Mexico right before they were to be married. Christopher tells her that he never sent her any email. Christopher then realizes he still has feelings for Elena and she tells him that she will always love him, but they can’t act on their feelings. Christopher then goes to John Ross and tells him that he knows that he sent the email that broke him and Elena up.

Shoot to Christopher telling Bobby about the methane problem. Bobby asks Christopher if he thinks methane can ever be safely extracted. Christopher replies that he’s always felt that he’s had to earn his place in the family and get the Ewing name back on top. He adds that he knows that he can make “Ewing alternative energies the next Exxon.”

Shoot to Bobby, Christopher, John Ross and Marta. Marta and Bobby shake hands and move ahead with the sale of Southfork to the Del Sol Conservatory as John Ross looks on, seething.

Shoot to Christopher and Rebecca getting married as a sad Elena watches as a bridesmaid.

Shoot to a drunken John Ross going to visit J. R. He introduces him to Marta, who has been working with J. R. all along to set Bobby up. John Ross is shocked.

Shoot to John Ross and Marta, who drives a red sports car, meeting at the Dallas Cowboys stadium. She asks him if he knows what he’d be doing by double-crossing J. R. He tells her that “Southfork will be mine and only mine. The fun is just beginning.”