Return of the Mack – J.R. Ewing

June 13, 2012 – Mark this day in infamy. The highly publicized, highly anticipated return of “Dallas” to the small screen is finally here. Bobby Ewing, Sue Ellen Ewing, and the dastardly J.R. Ewing return to the living rooms of America with much fanfare and delight. It airs tonight at 8pm CST on TNT.

I only hope it lives up to the hype.

I hardly ever write about particular television shows, but this particular series…ooooooooo-weeeeeee, man! Juicy! The twists and turns every week were more exciting than a ride on the “Texas Cyclone” roller coaster at the long since shuttered Six Flags – Astroworld of my youth.

J.R. Ewing and the rest of the cast of “Dallas” was every bit as much of my television experience growing up as was “All In The Family”,  “The Jeffersons”, “A Different World” and “The Cosby Show”. When “Dallas” premiered in 1978, I was only seven years old. I never really paid attention to it. However as  each episode debuted, I would notice that 8pm on Thursday nights would become increasingly more important to my mother.

 I remember getting ready for bed on one paricular Thursday evening when I heard my mother in our family room shouting at someone.

“You dirty dog! You dirty, dirty dog! God’s gonna make you pay!” (No joke! I remember this!)

This frightened me to hear my mother so upset. I came out of my room and walked through the dark hallway to the family room.  I peeked around the corner and  watched my mother grumble  and cuss at the glowing television set. Then I saw the object of her disdain.

He was wearing a black hat and a million-dollar smile.

I was hooked.

(to be continued…)

Tagged as: BOBBY EWING, CLIFF BARNES, dallas the television show, JOCK EWING, JR EWING, SUE ELLEN, that dirty dog!, TNT