He's ba-aack.
The meanest, orneriest, most manipulative - and, often, one of the funniest - characters in television history reappears on Friday night in "Dallas: J.R. Returns."And ol' J.R. is bringing a big chunk of the Ewing clan along with him - the clan that made "Dallas" the second-longest running drama series in television history, with 356 episodes from 1978-91.
When last we saw him, J.R. had just had an encounter with the devil himself. In the show's final scene, a shot rang out, and only brother Bobby (Patrick Duffy) knew if a suicidal J.R. had shot himself.
"It was just a dream," quipped Duffy, whose character's death turned out to be the most famous seasonlong dream in TV history.
But this is no dream. Turns out J.R. has spent the past five years in Europe. And in Friday's "Dallas" reunion movie (8 p.m., CBS/Ch. 2), he's out to recapture his old power and glory.
"You make Machiavelli look like Mother Theresa," one of J.R.'s allies tells him.
"Dallas" fans won't be disappointed in this reunion movie. The old magic is there - the magic that carried the show through 13 seasons (including seven in the top 10 and three as the No. 1 show on TV).
"We all have such identifiable characters that have sort of been indelibly etched in the viewers' minds," Duffy said. "You can't change a great deal within those parameters and satisfy an audience that hung with you for 13 years."
For the past five years, Bobby has been out of the oil business and running the family ranch with his son, Christopher (new cast member Christopher Demetrol). But, as the movie opens, Bobby quickly falls in love with an old friend
J.R.'s old rival, Cliff Barnes, has been in control of Ewing Oil. But he's tiring of the oil business and is obsessed with finding old flame Afton Cooper (Audrey Landers) and their daughter.
When "J.R. Returns," he's plotting and manipulating once again.
"Sometimes you're the windshield - and sometimes you're the bug," J.R. drawls at one vanquished rival.
He opens by threatening Cliff. He uses his lawyer's sexy niece (Tracy Scoggins) and his own secretary (Deborah Rennard). He manipulates his brother, Bobby, his ex-wife, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), and even his son, John Ross (Omri Katz).
Heck, J.R. steals $200 million from his own son. (Well, it was sort of illicit borrowing.)
"What's wrong with that?" Hagman quipped. "I mean, I would expect him to steal it from me."
While J.R. has plans for his ex-wife, Bobby has a new flame - nicely played by "Dallas" newcomer Rosalind Allen.
It's all great fun. And, best of all, just when you think you've figured out what J.R. is doing, there's another twist in his plots - all the way up to the movie's final seconds.
The movie is being dedicated to Leonard Katzman, the longtime "Dallas" producer who wrote and directed dozens of episodes of the series. Katzman, who died of a heart attack in September, co-wrote the script and directed "J.R. Returns."
"It was extraordinarily easy to write," Katzman said shortly before his death. "I mean, five years ago when we had Patrick staring in that room, I never thought I would never write Bobby, J.R. and Sue Ellen again. But once I sat down, the characters just sort of took over the show as they had for so many years. Everything they say just falls into place. That's who they were. And you see the actors and the characters all at the same time."
For their parts, the actors all appeared to be having great fun.
"Getting back into character was easy because once you've done it for 15 years, it's kind of close to my heart," Hagman said.
"I thought it would take me a long time to get into it," Gray said. "And the minute I was on the set, it came right back. So Sue Ellen was kind of there hiding somewhere, and she came right back."
"That script read to me like one of the real good episodes of `Dallas,' " Duffy said. "And it was like fitting into a pair of comfortable old shoes."
"My approach to J.R. is about the same," Hagman said. "It's a good character, and it's fun to do."
One thing will be different about J.R., however - he's sworn off alcohol. Hagman himself insisted upon that in the aftermath of his own liver failure and liver transplant, and the point is made clearly in the movie.
"I don't think old J.R. would be drinking anymore," Hagman said. "He's doing other things a lot, but he ain't drinkin' no more."
After seeing the script, Gray did, however, ask that Sue Ellen be made "a little bit stronger."
"I felt that in the six years she had gathered her life together. . . . And I really love the way it kind of spun out," Gray said. "I walked on the set feeling very much more in control. Sue Ellen was no longer the victim. . . . It was great to kind of stand eye-to-eye with the big guy."
Katzman and Arthur Bernard Lewis, another "Dallas" veteran who co-wrote the script, were smart enough not to try to reunite the entire cast. There are references to Miss Ellie, Clayton, Ray and even the "Knots Landing" Ewings - Gary and Valene - but bringing everyone back would have meant too many characters in too little time.
"It's only a two-hour movie, and we didn't have time to tell everybody's stories after a six-year gap," Katzman said. "So we settled on the people that we felt were most germaine to the theme of `Dallas' - the hub of the show: Patrick and Larry and Linda, Kenny and the two boys. And went from there.
"Besides which, with Larry and Linda and Patrick, we couldn't afford anybody else."
"That's true," Duffy interjected.
The "Dallas" reunion was actually more than just what viewers will see on TV.
"It truly was a reunion," Gray said. "I think that was the best part of all. Everybody was looking forward to coming back together."
It wasn't just the cast that returned, however. Much of the original production staff and crew were also back.
"It was just wonderful to go up and hug Patrick - I missed him dearly - and look around the set and find our executive producer/director/writer, Mr. Katzman, was there," Gray said. "His son was keeping everyone quiet on the set, just like the old days. And the grips and the electricians were mostly a lot of people that we had worked with. So it was really like going home."
"I cried every minute. Cried and cried and cried," Hagman said. "We had such a wonderful time. These are dear friends. They're family, too. We spent a lot of time together. I probably have spent more time with these two guys than with my whole family."
Hagman, Duffy and Gray have remained close since the end of "Dallas" five years ago. "He would come and make fun of me on the set of my show, things like that," Duffy said.
And they were both there to support Hagman when he underwent a life-saving liver transplant last year. Gray was the first friend to see him after the transplant - and the first one Hagman showed his scar.
"I saw it, and I loved him, and we had this very connected moment when we cried together," Gray said.
Hagman is obviously rejuvenated and extremely grateful to have gotten a second chance with the transplant. And it's apparent to his friends and co-stars.
"There hasn't been a change in Larry, except in the intensity of what Larry is now," Duffy said. "And, again, without getting maudlin about things, I've never acted or been friends with anybody that I've cared more about than Larry."
Hagman, for his part, is raring to go.
"It was just great being back together," Hagman said. "I'd like to do three or four of these a year."
According to CBS executives, more "Dallas" movies are a definite possibility. There have even been rumors of reviving the show as a weekly series.
The fact is that, while "J.R. Returns" wraps up a lot of loose ends, it also opens a lot of possibilities to continue the Ewing saga - including adding another generation to the Barnes-Ewing feud.
"Whatever happens, happens," said executive producer Lee Rich. "We're here. It'll probably do very well. Whether there's a new series here or not, who knows?"
"Well, it'd be interesting if Pat and I are available," Hagman said with a laugh.
(Hagman is currently in production on a CBS midseason replacement series, "Orleans." Duffy is still working on the ABC sitcom "Step by Step," which is also scheduled to return at midseason.)
"We can work weekends," Duffy said.
"I'm willing to negotiate," Hagman added.