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Conundrum (Dallas) AI simulator
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Conundrum (Dallas) AI simulator
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Conundrum (Dallas)
"Conundrum" is the title of the 22nd episode of the fourteenth season of the American television drama series Dallas. It is also the 356th and last episode of the original Dallas series. The episode was written and directed by showrunner Leonard Katzman and aired on CBS on Friday, May 3, 1991, as a double-length episode. Subsequent airings in syndication split the episode into individual hours, which raises the total episode count to 23 for the season and 357 for the series.
The plot of the episode mirrors that of the film It's a Wonderful Life, as J. R. Ewing is taken on a journey to visit what would become of the Ewing family had he never existed.
It has taken many years and numerous efforts by a multitude of people over the course of his life, but finally J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) has been reduced to practically nothing. He has lost control of the Southfork ranch, which was given to Bobby (Patrick Duffy) by Clayton Farlow (Howard Keel) after Clayton decided to spend more time traveling with Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes).
J.R.'s business empire has also crumbled. Clayton gave him voting power on the board at WestStar Oil, but through the scheming of Clayton's son Dusty (Jared Martin) and WestStar executive Carter McKay (George Kennedy), J.R. was tricked into selling the controlling stake in Ewing Oil to his archenemy, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval). After McKay revealed the ruse to J.R., McKay promptly fired J.R. from WestStar and left him with no form of employment. Additionally, J.R.'s long-time secretary Sly Lovegren (Deborah Rennard) left Ewing Oil to marry, and Bobby's secretary Phyllis Wapner (Deborah Tranelli) refused to help J.R., telling him that "Hell would freeze over" before she worked for him.
Finally, J.R. lost his closest family member as his son and namesake John Ross (Omri Katz) disowned him, deciding to stay in London to be with his mother Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and her new husband Don Lockwood (Ian McShane). The fallout from these events appeared to be too much for J.R. to bear, and as the penultimate episode drew to a close, he took his father Jock’s pearl-handled six-shooter out of his nightstand.
In the intervening time between the end of the previous episode and the beginning of this one, J.R. has consumed a significant amount of bourbon whiskey and is walking around Southfork in a drunken stupor. He is still holding Jock’s revolver, and is seriously considering whether or not to turn it on himself and end what is left of his life.
A spirit named Adam (portrayed by Joel Grey) pays a visit to J.R., who cannot believe what he is seeing. The white tuxedo-clad Adam tells J.R. his "boss" likes him and has dispatched him to Earth. In a parallel with the storyline of the movie It's a Wonderful Life, Adam proceeds to take J.R. on a journey to show him what life would have been like for other people if he had not been born. Among what he shows him:
After being taken through this journey, Adam tries to get J.R. to shoot himself. J.R. tells Adam he does not want to give Adam the satisfaction as he went back to Heaven. Adam then asks J.R. what made him think he was dispatched from Heaven and begins laughing demonically, revealing his true purpose. J.R. is immediately jolted awake in his bedroom while still holding the bourbon bottle and the revolver. He appears relieved that it was only a nightmare, but once again, Adam appears to J.R., this time in the bedroom mirror in a red suit. Adam is determined to have J.R. shoot himself, reminding him of reality for J.R. and the current state of his life and how better off everyone concerned would be. J.R. seems willing to oblige.
Conundrum (Dallas)
"Conundrum" is the title of the 22nd episode of the fourteenth season of the American television drama series Dallas. It is also the 356th and last episode of the original Dallas series. The episode was written and directed by showrunner Leonard Katzman and aired on CBS on Friday, May 3, 1991, as a double-length episode. Subsequent airings in syndication split the episode into individual hours, which raises the total episode count to 23 for the season and 357 for the series.
The plot of the episode mirrors that of the film It's a Wonderful Life, as J. R. Ewing is taken on a journey to visit what would become of the Ewing family had he never existed.
It has taken many years and numerous efforts by a multitude of people over the course of his life, but finally J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) has been reduced to practically nothing. He has lost control of the Southfork ranch, which was given to Bobby (Patrick Duffy) by Clayton Farlow (Howard Keel) after Clayton decided to spend more time traveling with Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes).
J.R.'s business empire has also crumbled. Clayton gave him voting power on the board at WestStar Oil, but through the scheming of Clayton's son Dusty (Jared Martin) and WestStar executive Carter McKay (George Kennedy), J.R. was tricked into selling the controlling stake in Ewing Oil to his archenemy, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval). After McKay revealed the ruse to J.R., McKay promptly fired J.R. from WestStar and left him with no form of employment. Additionally, J.R.'s long-time secretary Sly Lovegren (Deborah Rennard) left Ewing Oil to marry, and Bobby's secretary Phyllis Wapner (Deborah Tranelli) refused to help J.R., telling him that "Hell would freeze over" before she worked for him.
Finally, J.R. lost his closest family member as his son and namesake John Ross (Omri Katz) disowned him, deciding to stay in London to be with his mother Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and her new husband Don Lockwood (Ian McShane). The fallout from these events appeared to be too much for J.R. to bear, and as the penultimate episode drew to a close, he took his father Jock’s pearl-handled six-shooter out of his nightstand.
In the intervening time between the end of the previous episode and the beginning of this one, J.R. has consumed a significant amount of bourbon whiskey and is walking around Southfork in a drunken stupor. He is still holding Jock’s revolver, and is seriously considering whether or not to turn it on himself and end what is left of his life.
A spirit named Adam (portrayed by Joel Grey) pays a visit to J.R., who cannot believe what he is seeing. The white tuxedo-clad Adam tells J.R. his "boss" likes him and has dispatched him to Earth. In a parallel with the storyline of the movie It's a Wonderful Life, Adam proceeds to take J.R. on a journey to show him what life would have been like for other people if he had not been born. Among what he shows him:
After being taken through this journey, Adam tries to get J.R. to shoot himself. J.R. tells Adam he does not want to give Adam the satisfaction as he went back to Heaven. Adam then asks J.R. what made him think he was dispatched from Heaven and begins laughing demonically, revealing his true purpose. J.R. is immediately jolted awake in his bedroom while still holding the bourbon bottle and the revolver. He appears relieved that it was only a nightmare, but once again, Adam appears to J.R., this time in the bedroom mirror in a red suit. Adam is determined to have J.R. shoot himself, reminding him of reality for J.R. and the current state of his life and how better off everyone concerned would be. J.R. seems willing to oblige.