A House Divided

Dallas

Season 3 Episode 25 

Original Airdate:   March 21, 1980

Recap:  Reporters are asking Jock and JR about the nationalized wells and what Ewing Oil lost.  JR tells them that he can’t talk about the deal they got in on, but that they are still in business.  Bobby comes in and asks what’s going on, JR tells him that he sold the leases and got in on a deal with a gas company that he and Jock had been talking about for awhile.  Bobby asks who bought the leases, JR tells him that the cartel and Vaughn Leland.  Bobby demands to know why they weren’t told, JR tells him that they were both in Colorado, and he had to move fast.  Jordan Lee comes into the office, he isn’t happy, he knows that JR knew what was going to happen in Southeast Asia, Jock tells him that JR didn’t know anything, but Jordan doesn’t buy that, JR points out that they lost a lot of money too, about 25 million, plus all the royalties from the leases that everyone bought from them.  Jordan tell them that Seth Stone killed himself that morning. 

   Sue Ellen is watching the news in bed, she hears about Ewing Oil and Seth’s death.

   Vaughn bursts into the office, he tells them that he wants answers, he wants and apology and compensation.  Jock tells him no, they won’t give him his money back.  Vaughn tells them all that JR knew that this was going to happen, he tells them that he borrowed money from a bank in Fort Worth and used his shares as collateral and now he is wiped out.  Vaughn tells Jock that he needs to help him, but Jock reminds him about when they came to him for help with Southfork and did nothing.  Vaughn say that JR will regret this, and JR asks if that is a threat.   Vaughn says that it’s a promise, Jock tells him to get out.  Once he is gone Bobby asks JR if he knew, and that he thinks Vaughn is right.  Jock tells JR that he is only going to ask once, he wants to know if he knew about the nationalization of the oil wells in Southeast Asia.  JR says he didn’t.  Bobby leaves the office in disgust.

   Lucy and her Lit professor are talking a walk, she asks if they have a problem because all they do is walk and have lunch together.  He tells her that she is his student, she asks him if that all she is to him.  He says no and kisses her.

   Alan comes over to see Kristin, he says it’s quite a story, and she tells him that its old news.  She tells him that JR sold the leases days ago.  She plays him a tape of Jordan Lee telling her about the deal JR offered him and the cartel.  Alan says that JR must have known what was going to happen.  Kristin mentions Hank Johnson, and say that he must have told JR, Alan asks who that is and she tells him that he’s JR’s man in Southeast Asia.  He asks her who JR sold the leases to, Kristin tells him, Alan says that they probably would be interested to know that JR knew all along.  Alan tells her that he thinks that JR would pay to keep them quite.  She tells him that JR is too smart to leave a trail back to himself, he asks her to try.  Kristin calls Hank.

   Miss Ellie tells Bobby that Pam left for Corpus Christie, he tells her that he is concerned about Pam rushing off to search for clues about her mother so soon after the shock she got that Digger isn’t her father.  Sue Ellen comes downstairs, and Bobby asks her how she is feeling.  She tells him that she feels embarrassed, and that she can’t remember anything that happened last night.  She tells Bobby that JR has enough to put her away now, Bobby tells her that he will help her, she just needs to stop drinking.  Sue Ellen tells him that she hadn’t been drinking before when she told him, but she got a shock and started again, but she tells him that she won’t take another drink.  Bobby tells her that he hopes she’s right.  He suggests that she go talk with Miss Ellie.

   JR gets a phone call from Hank, he asks him what he is doing telling Kristin.  JR tells him he didn’t say anything to her.  Hank tells him that Kristin called telling to send all the paper work to the condo so it can be destroyed.  JR tells him to destroy them himself and that he did the right thing to call.  JR hangs up and leaves the office.

   Sue Ellen tells Dr. Elby that she isn't going to drink again and that Bobby is going to help her.  He tells her that she is relying on someone else again, putting her welfare in Bobby’s hands.  She tells him that she trusts Bobby, he asks her if she trusts him more than herself.  She says yes.

   Pam gets out of a cab in Corpus Christie, she stops an old lady and asks her if is remembers anything about her mother.  The lady says she sees a resemblance, and says that she remembers her with a little boy and being pregnant, she tells Pam that after she came back from visiting her brother, that Pam’s family was gone and no one knew anything.

   JR walks into the condo and tells Kristin he wants some answers.  She tells him that Alan made her do it.  JR tells her that they are out of their league.  Kristin tells JR that he can’t scare her, he gives her a handful of cash and tells her to leave town.  She gives him back the money and tells him that he can’t buy her off.  He says we’ll see and leaves the condo.

   Pam has been looking through all the death certificates at the Corpus Christi hall of records and can’t find anything on her mother.

   JR tells Sue Ellen that she is headed for a breakdown.  She tells him that she is fine and that Bobby is going to stop him.  As he leaves she asks him which slut he’ll be staying with tonight.  He tells her that it doesn’t matter since any of them would be more interesting than the slut before him.  She starts throwing things, just like any sane person would, she stops when she finds the gun in her drawer.

   Cliff bursts into the office and hands JR a copy of the deed.  JR says that it’s a forgery, but Cliff tells him it isn’t he makes JR read it out loud.  JR tells Bobby that he just made his brother-in-law a wealthy man.  Cliff is gloating, and JR gets up to get them a drink, Bobby leaves them and JR tells Cliff that he admires a man who gets what he wants, he makes a call and asks for a report on the oil field.  Then he tells them to close the field down.  Cliff wasn’t expecting this at all.

   Pam tells Bobby what she found out about her mother, and that she thinks her mother my still be alive.  She tells him that she is going to quit her job and find more about her mother.  He tells her that she needs to take some time.

   Lucy goes into the professors office and is upset when he tells her that he has to break their date to grade papers, she tells him that she thinks they should break things off, but he tells her that he still wants to see her.  She tells him she will see him later, after she leaves he makes a phone call to his wife.

   JR has Alan brought to his office by Detective Harry McSween , he asks him what he and Kristin are planning.  He tells Alan he better get out of Dallas, but Alan tells him that he can’t do anything to him.  JR asks Harry what the penalty is for rape, Alan asks him what he is talking about, and JR makes it pretty clear that he will set him up on rape charges.  Alan tells JR that he messed with the wrong man.

   Bobby comes in and shows Jock and JR the newspaper, the headline is about the disappearance of Vaughn Leland.  Bobby asks JR if he told Jock about the paper Cliff brought in.  He tells Jock about he deed he wrote up with Digger, and JR lets them both know that he closed up the oil field.  Bobby tells JR that Cliff has a legal right.  Jock tells Bobby that he would have done the same thing.  Bobby tells him that he was afraid he would say that.  After Bobby leaves JR tells Jock that Bobby is getting weak.

   At home Bobby tells Pam about what JR did, and that Jock approved of it.  He tells her that they are going to leave Southfork.  She tells him that he just can’t run away.  But Bobby tells her that he can’t deal with all the wheeling and dealing and the backstabbing. 

   The next morning he makes her go to the car, and he goes into the dinning room and tells his mother that he and Pam are leaving, that he can’t stay in the same house as JR anymore.  Miss Ellie is crying begging him not to go,but he tells her he can’t, he is sorry and he tried his best.  She asks him where he is going to go, Bobby tells her as far away as he can get.  Sue Ellen watches Bobby leave from the stairs.  She follows JR into the dining room.  JR notices that Miss Ellie is crying and asks her what’s wrong.  Sue Ellen tells him that he drove Gary away and now Bobby.  She says that he has cheated his friends and did everything in his power to get what he wanted, and now he got it, he is the only son.  JR tells Miss Ellie that he never wanted Bobby to leave, Miss Ellie tells him that all she knows is that he is gone.  JR tells Sue Ellen she’s got no right to talk to him like that in front of his parents.  He tells her that he is going to call the doctor and have her put away for good.

   The police knock at the door and Kristin answers it.  Alan tells Detective McSween that this is harassment.  The detective tells Kristin that he's got a warrant for her arrest, she asks him what it is for.  He tells her it's for prostitution, he asks Alan if she is any good.  He tells her that he is going to hold the warrant for 24 hours to give her some time to get out of town.  After the detective leaves Kristin tells Alan that she is going to kill JR, he tells her to take a number.

   JR is talking to the doctor, he tells him that he needs to come and get Sue Ellen tonight, he tells him that she needs help. Vaughn calls JR and tells him to give him his money back.  He gives him one more chance.

   Sue Ellen looks at the gun lying on the bed, she grabs it and puts it in her purse.  

   Cliff is at Digger's grave and he is telling him that JR got him, just like Jock got Digger.  He promises him that he will stop him.

   Sue Ellen tells Dr. Elby that JR's got to be stopped, she tells him that JR doesn't care, he will always get what he wants.  Sue Ellen looks in her purse and looks at the gun, she tells him that he was right, that she can't rely on anyone else to do what she has to do and she leaves the office.

   JR is alone in his office, he goes out and gets a cup of coffee and goes back into his office.  The door to the office opens and someone walks in, we are seeing everything from their perspective.  JR calls out to see who is there, he goes to the door and is shot, he falls to the ground.

Final Thoughts:   Best cliffhanger ever, there are so many suspects.  What a great way to end the season.

Best Outfit:  I actually like this outfit, it doesn't look dated except for her purse.