In "The Road Back," "Dallas's" seventh-season opener, J.R. (Larry Hagman) arrives at Missing River, where Bobby and Ray (Patrick Duffy, Steve Kanaly) await him.
BOBBY: [To Ray] All right. You've got a beef with J.R. Let's get it out in the open and talk about it.
RAY: It's like I said before. There's nothing to talk about. Driscoll tried to kill J.R. He hurt Mickey instead. If J.R. hadn't double-crossed Driscoll, it never would have happened.
J.R.: That's not the way I see it, Ray.
RAY: If Mickey dies, it's the same as if you killed him!
BOBBY: [Puts his hand on Ray's shoulder] Now, just wait a minute. I think that's stretching things a little.
J.R.: That's not stretching things. It's twisting things. You got your facts mixed up, Ray.
RAY: You're not going to talk your way out of this one, J.R.
J.R.: Well, maybe you're right. Maybe I am guilty. But you and Bobby share that guilt because if that boy dies, we're all responsible.
RAY: Now you just hold on!
J.R.: Listen to me, Ray. You and Bobby pulled a sting operation on poor old Driscoll. You took the money out of his briefcase and put in two loaded pistols. He not only didn't get through airport security, he ended up in jail. And that's why he didn't get his payoff on the Cuban deal. No, sir. You boys set him up for a jail term, not me. And Ray, you were right there in the middle of everything. So don't try to dump this Driscoll thing on me. You wanted to get involved in the fight for Ewing Oil? Well, you'll just have to accept the consequences. None of us have clean hands, boys. None of us.
I loved it when JR threw it back at them and he was right. Ray's violence and causing Southfork to burn bothered me. I mean the show already had a mindless hothead. To me Ray had outlasted his usefullness and why still had him was a question for me.
LBF, I think Ray was a vital character, but he never seemed to express much regret for helping to start the fire. That surprised me.
This has always bothered me. JR is technically right. But he is sawing, gee I'm sorry you had to get down in the mud in order to stop my illegal scheme. Next time just let me get away with whatever I want and this kind of thing won't happen.
I always enjoy getting these in my email. I have not yet made it to this episode! (I'm a Dallas Fan newbie) but I can't wait!!!!
Brother J. R. was rather a wise man wasn't he?