Paternity Suit

Dallas 

Season 3 Episode 17

Original Airdate:  January 11, 1980

Recap:  JR tells Jock that there’s something on TV that he will want to watch.  Jock tells JR that he’s busy, but JR tells him that he will be interested in seeing this.

   Cliff is practicing his speech when Alan comes in, he asks him how much money he got.  Alan tells him that he has gone to everyone and he came up with nothing, he says that he thinks someone scared everyone off.  Cliff asks who it was, then says he knows it was JR.  Alan says that whoever it was did a good job, everyone has heard the news and now Cliff is broke.  He tells Cliff that he had to cancel all the ads and mailing, and that tonight will be his last broadcast.  Cliff tells him no, he is going to turn the broadcast into a fundraiser and tell the public what is really going on.  Alan tells him that they will need big money to run the campaign, not the $10 here and there that they will get, Cliff’s supporters are out of that league.  Alan gives him the list of contributors that he tried, and suggests that it’s time to back out gracefully.

   Everyone is watching Cliff’s speech on TV, Pam at her office, Digger at Cliff’s house, Miss Ellie, Sue Ellen, and Lucy at Southfork, and JR, Jock and Bobby at the Ewing Oil offices.  Cliff announces that he is withdrawing from the race.  JR and Jock go to the Cattlemen’s Club to celebrate.

   Back at Southfork, Lucy answers the phone and tells Sue Ellen she has a call from a man, it’s Dusty.  He tells Sue Ellen that he wants to meet with her, Lucy is watching Sue Ellen carefully throughout the conversation.  Sue Ellen agrees to meet him at his hotel room.  Sue Ellen tells Miss Ellie that it was her sorority sister’s husband who is planning a surprise party for her and she wants to go.  Miss Ellie tells her that she will take good care of Baby John while she is gone.  Lucy asks Sue Ellen if JR will be going with her.

   At the club Cliff goes to JR’s table, he tells him that he wants to talk, he wants an investigation into the campaign.  Cliff realizes that JR was behind the big donations Cliff was receiving.  JR denies this and Cliff tells him that he will get him.  After he leaves Jock tells him that he was too rough on him, JR says he can’t do anything to them now.

   Sue Ellen arrives at Dusty’s room, he tells her that he is glad she is there.  She says that she missed him. 

   Digger opens the door and it’s a reporter, she asks him how he feels about Cliff dropping out of the race.  He tells her that he is sure that Jock is behind it all, and tells her about what Jock did to him years ago.  He lets it slip that Cliff is really the father of Sue Ellen’s baby.  When Cliff comes home, she asks him if what Digger said is true, Cliff confirms it.

   When breakfast is brought up to Dusty's room, Sue Ellen takes the paper, she sees the headline about the baby drama, she tells Dusty that she has to go and rushes out.

   At Southfork JR tells Jock that it’s just Cliff’s way of getting revenge against him.  Bobby tells them that Pam has gone to talk to Cliff.  Jock says that they are going to sue Cliff, Bobby says that he doesn’t think that that is the way to handle the situation, and JR agrees with him, he tells Jock that a court case could send Sue Ellen back to the sanitarium.  Jock can’t believe that his son doesn’t want to do something about this.  When Sue Ellen comes home, Jock tells her that they are going to take care of the situation.  Sue Ellen says that she thinks that they should ignore it, Miss Ellie agrees with her, but Jock won’t have any of that, they are going to sue.

   Pam asks Cliff why he did it, Cliff tells her that he’s not going to let JR take everything away from him like Jock did to Digger. 

   The next day at Ewing Oil Sue Ellen goes into the office, Kristin tells her how sorry she is for what’s happening, Sue Ellen tells her that she knows that she isn’t really sorry and that she doesn’t know JR as well as she thinks she does.  In JR’s office, the lawyer goes over the law suit.  (I love the look JR has on his face when the lawyer starts to laugh).  Again Sue Ellen tries to get them to drop the law suit, but Jock insists that they will go forward, he tells JR to make her sign the papers, and JR does.  When they get home they go up to the nursery where JR tells Sue Ellen that she got them in quite a mess, she reminds him that he made her sign the papers, and that if he would like she will go down and tell Jock that Cliff really is the father of his grandson.  He walks out after telling her that none of this would have happened if she hadn’t been whoring around. 

   Cliff is going over paper work with a friend from college named Barry, they are trying to find anything to prove that JR was behind the money.  But his friend tells him that everything looks legal and if JR laundered the money then he did a good job.  He asks Cliff if he thinks that Alan was in on the scheme, but Cliff says no, Barry reminds him about Alan’s engagement to Lucy, but Cliff tells him that is the reason why JR hates Alan.  Digger comes home and is introduced to Barry, Digger asks if they got anything on the Ewing’s yet, and Barry tells him no.  There is a knock at the door, and Digger goes to answer it as Cliff asks if they could call the Federal Election Committee, Barry tells him that it wouldn’t do any good since anything they might uncover would look bad on him since he was the candidate.  Digger gives Cliff the envelope, and after Cliff opens it he asks what it is, Barry looks at the papers and tells Digger that Sue Ellen is suing Cliff.  Digger can’t understand why, he says that Cliff should be suing her since she took his son from him.  Cliff says that he doesn’t stand a chance against a married couple.  Barry tells him about a case in New York, Cliff tells him that it wouldn’t work in Texas, Barry agrees that he wouldn’t get custody, but if he could prove paternity then he might get visitation rights.  Digger likes this idea, it would really rub it in JR’s face when he came to pick up his son every weekend.  Cliff agrees and says to draw up the papers.

   Sue Ellen goes to Dusty and tells him that she needs to talk to him, (her coat reminds me of a coat I had for my barbies) She asks him if he’s seen the papers.  He says yes and asks her if it’s true, she tells him that it might be.  She says that this is why she won’t be able to see him for awhile, and that it’s a mess and she doesn’t want to drag him into it all.  He is upset and asks her how many other affairs she has had.  She tells him he’s wrong and leaves him.

   The family is having breakfast when the lawyer arrives, he tells him that Cliff has initiated a custody suit and that they want to have a blood test, Sue Ellen reacts to this, and says that she won’t do it.  JR asks if enforceable, the lawyer says that they don’t have to do it, but they could lose the case by default.  Sue Ellen says that it’s inhuman and goes into the house, JR follows her.  In the nursery she asks him what they are going to do, he tells her that they don’t have much choice in the matter, Sue Ellen tells him that he’s got to do something.  He tells her that if Cliff is proven to be the father, that he will divorce her and she will be on the streets.

   They go to the doctor’s office, JR wonders why they couldn’t go to their own doctor, Sue Ellen tells him that they probably thought he would bride the doctor.  (as if he couldn’t manage it with this doctor too?) 

Miss Ellie and Lucy are out shopping when Marilee and Linda come over, they tell them how surprised they are to see them out.  Lucy asks where they expected to see them.  Marilee says how hard it must be for Miss Ellie and that they are going to miss Sue Ellen at the DOA dinner.  Miss Ellie doesn’t know what they are talking about, they tells her that with all the stuff in the papers, she must be uncomfortable.  Miss Ellie tells them that Sue Ellen wouldn’t miss the dinner and that they all plan on going.  She invites them to come over to the ranch for cocktails, she tells them that they are having a little party before the dinner.  They accept and say goodbye.  Lucy tells her grandmother that she was terrific, and Miss Ellie tells her that no one can keep a Ewing down..

   Sue Ellen goes outside later that night, Bobby is sitting out there, he asks her if she is alright, she tells him that she can’t stop thinking about all the lives she has messed up.  Bobby tells her that it never did anyone any good reliving the past.  Sue Ellen tells him that she never thought her life would turn out like this.  Bobby asks when the results will come in, she tells him that they will be ready in the morning.  He tells her that whatever the results are that they will stand by her (and by “they” I can only believe that he is talking about he and Pam) and she says that maybe he will, but no one else will.

   The next day at breakfast Miss Ellie tells them all that she expects them to be come to the DOA dinner, and she tells JR and Pam to come home early from work.  Bobby goes to answer the phone, when he comes back he tells them that the results came back inconclusive, since Cliff and JR both have the same blood type.  JR says that this means they won, but Bobby tells him that the courts have ordered more sophisticated tests. 

   JR and Sue Ellen go have their blood taken and the doctor explains what they are going to do.

When Cliff comes home, Digger asks if he was at the doctors, he seems to be losing hope, but Cliff tells him that the doctor will prove that he is the father of the baby.  Digger asks how the baby is doing, if he is healthy.  Cliff tells him that they have been lucky so far.

   That night at the party at Southfork, everyone is mingling and seem to be having a good time.  They get a call and Jock tells JR that the results have come back conclusive and that the lawyer is on his way over with the results.  Sue Ellen excuses herself in the library, she is about to pour herself a drink when Lucy comes in and tells her that she has a phone call.  Dusty is calling to tell her that he is sorry for being jealous and that he is there for her.  JR come in and gets her and tells her that the lawyer is coming with the results.  When he gets to Southfork he tells the family that JR is the baby’s father.  Jock calls everyone's attention and tells them that the results proved that Cliff was a liar.  Pam slips out of the house.  Sue Ellen tells Jock and JR that she wants to drop the law suit, since it would be the graceful thing to do under the circumstances. 

   At Cliff’s apartment he hangs up the phone as Pam calls to him from outside, he lets her in and she asks him if he heard the news, he tells her that he can’t believe it, he says that JR must have got to the doctor.  Pam tells him that at least they know that the baby won’t die from the disease that they both carry.  She tells him how sorry she is, he tells her that it isn’t fair that JR gets everything, he says that they will have more children and he will never try.
   As everyone leaves for the DOA dinner, Sue Ellen asks Miss Ellie where JR is, Miss Ellie tells her that he will meet them there.  JR is upstairs in the nursery, he goes over to the baby and hold the baby.
Final Thoughts:  This episode seemed really long as I was watching it, so many things were going on, I liked the part when Miss Ellie and Lucy were shopping and she got the two gossips to shut up.  I like how the outcome of the storyline, since we won't have to hear so much about the disease that Cliff and Pam carry.  So they wrapped up this storyline so I wonder what the cliffhanger is going to be about this season.

Best Outfit:  This is one of the frumpiest things Kristin has ever worn, it may have been better if she hadn't worn the turtleneck underneath.  I love how she always acts like she is the best looking person in the whole room.