'Dallas' episode recap - 'Playing Chicken'

We open on John Ross making Pamela breakfast at Southfork. He sprays her chest with whipped cream from a can and they start kissing. Then, Emma interrupts, gives John Ross a look that Pamela doesn't see, then says she's sorry that she interrupted and that she's going to be by the pool. Meanwhile, Sue Ellen sees the exchange between the three and Emma's look at John Ross.

Bobby is talking to a ranch hand, Bo about changes he wants to make to security on the ranch. Then, the ranch hand gets call that there's trouble.

Bobby finds John Ross fighting with the head ranch hand, Bo and there's graffiti everywhere insulting John Ross.. Bobby stops the fight and tells Bo and the other ranch hands that they won't be losing their jobs because he's going to stop John Ross' plan to drill/"frack" on Southfork. After they disperse, John Ross tells Bobby that they need to stop Cliff's plans his way.

Ann and Sue Ellen are talking about the seating arrangement for John Ross and Pamela's wedding as Sue Ellen watches Emma in a skimpy bikini by the pool. Ann notices this and suggests that Sue Ellen and Afton, Pamela's mother, sit next to each other. Sue Ellen agrees, which shows Ann that Sue Ellen isn't paying attention because Afton and Sue Ellen hate each other. Sue Ellen then tells Ann that she thinks something is going on between John Ross and Emma because he saw him coming out of her room late at night. Ann thinks Pamela and John Ross seem so happy together, but she wasn't wrong about Emma's drug use and urges Sue Ellen to talk to John Ross.

Christopher goes to visit Cliff in the Mexican prison. Christopher tells him that his money may get him special privileges in prison, but it won't get him out of prison and neither will whatever he's planning with Nicolas. Cliff disagrees and Christopher tells him that he's going to find out what his and Nicolas' plan is for Ewing Global and then says that he's exactly where he belongs because he "murdered my unborn children." Cliff still maintains that "the truth will come out and I will be set free." Christopher then leaves as Cliff smiles. As Christopher leaves, a kid bumps into him. Christopher tells him to be more careful that the kid pickpocketed Christopher, stole his wallet and then hands it to a man in a black SUV, who follows Christopher as he drives away.

In a car, Nicolas shows Elena a picture of Rhonda, the hairstylist/witness he says the Ewings paid to say that she saw Cliff in the bar the night JR was murdered. He tells her that he's going to talk to her while Elena goes to the gun range to look at surveillance footage from before JR's murder to prove that Cliff's gun really was stolen like he said. then, Rhonda pulls up outside her hair salon. Nicolas goes into the salon and offers Rhonda $25,000 he says she must have dropped outside. Rhonda replies that the money isn't hers. Nicolas fires back, "but it could be, if you only tell the truth about Cliff Barnes and JR Ewing's murder." She still says that she doesn't know what he's talking about, but Nicolas says that he knows that she deposited a large amount of cash in her bank account when she came back to Texas from Mexico. He then adds that he's "offering her freedom...with the truth," but she still refuses to take the money. He then gives her his card, tells her that she has until the end of the day tomorrow and leaves.

Emma is rubbing lotion on her body by the pool as Ann arrives. John Ross also arrives at the same time and Ann sees them exchange looks. Once John Ross is gone, Ann advises Emma that with Harris now out of jail, Bobby is upping security around the ranch and "we have no idea what danger the cartel might pose so stay close to home" and to stay away from John Ross and not to ruin his marriage with Pamela. Emma angrily replies that not Harris nor her grandmother and especially not her (Ann) controls her actions and walks away. Emma runs into Pamela inside the house, who sees she's upset. Pamela then invites Emma to join her for some "retail therapy" since she's going honeymoon shopping. Emma agrees and says, "You want to make John Ross happy on his honeymoon? Then, Operation Lingerie starts now" and tells her to give her a minute to change. As Emma enters her room, she makes a conniving face.

Bobby meets his friend, Stan, for dinner. He's a railroad commissioner, who Bobby hopes can deny John Ross' application to "frack" on Southfork. Stan replies that he can deny the permit if "the underlying groundwater is threatened," but says that he can't just go off denying permits left and right because he'll get in trouble with the higher-ups and he has "to keep my constituents happy."

John Ross meets with Bo, the ranch hand he fought with. Bo thinks that John Ross is going to fire him and continue the fight, but John Ross says that he "enjoyed the workout," but is worried about how he's treating Emma. Bo denies that he's done anything to Emma and John Ross then drops a bag of pills on the table and asks Bo who the police or Bobby is going to believe. John Ross then tells Bo that Bobby wants to convince him and the other ranch hands "that ranching is the only way to make a decent living, but that is bulls**t. " He adds that the other ranch hands look up to him and then says, "My uncle...he's the past, I'm the future. You can either get your men and hop on board my train or watch them get run over."

Ann goes to see Harris and tells him that she "holds you personally responsible for the danger that Emma now faces" because of his dealings with the cartel and working for the CIA. She then tells him that Emma is " acting out and taking unnecessary risks." Ann then asks for Harris' help to "reign her in" and wants him to tell Emma about his dealings with the CIA, but Harris doesn't think that Emma can be trusted since she already put him in jail once. He then says that he "never meant to put the people I love in danger" and says that he loves Emma, despite what she may think. Ann then tells Harris that she thinks that Emma is sleeping with John Ross.

Meanwhile, Emma and Pamela are lingerie shopping. and Emma asks her how she knew that John Ross was "the one?" Pamela replies that it was when she was still pregnant and technically still married to Christopher, who was still getting over Elena and says that once they got to know each other "we saw that we're a lot alike and because saw each other at our worst so early on, we're able to reveal our real selves to each other." Pamela then asks Emma if she's seeing anyone. Emma replies that she ",et someone recently, but it's mostly just sex. Really great sex.," she chuckles. Pamela chuckles too and says that, "John Ross is epic in that department." Emma then suggests that they find Pamela "something hot, that he'll never forget." Pamela agrees and they go off while Emma makes a sly grin.

Sue Ellen meets Bum for lunch to apologize for asking him to spy in John Ross and to thank him for telling her the truth that he found nothing that shows that John Ross and Emma are sleeping together. Sue Ellen then tells him that she almost called him again to spy in him again because when she sees John Ross and Emma together "it makes me sick to my stomach. Maybe I'm projecting the sins of JR onto our son. Maybe I'm haunted by JR's ghost because I keep seeing him in John Ross." She then says to Bum that she appreciates him telling her the truth and that she know "you regret the heartache that you caused me by not telling me about JR's philandering ways." She then tells Pamela "deserves more than a marriage based on lies." Sue Ellen then wants to toast with her water to "Pamela and John Ross. May they live happily ever after and faithfully ever after." Bum lifts his glass to toast, but is hesitant, which Sue Ellen doesn't see.

Christopher goes to visit an ex-partner of Nicolas' that he screwed over by stealing the man's drug patent. The man, Jose, tells Christopher that everything Nicolas did was legal and that he spent years fighting a losing battle. When Christopher tells Jose that Nicolas "has insinuated himself in my family's business and I want to know why" Jose then gives Christopher a folder and tells him that Nicolas Trevino didn't exist before 1997 and advises Christopher to find out who he really is.

Elena is shooting at the gun range and one of the techs sees that she's shooting the target in its private parts. He comments on it. She tells him that "the bastard cheated on me right here at this gun range." He advises her to get even, so she convinces him to let her peek at the surveillance recordings from before JR's murder. The tech tells her that the recordings for the days she asked for are missing.

Harris tells Judith that Emma took files from his safe. Judith praises her actions and when Harris tells her that Emma and John Ross are sleeping together. Harris then says the files contained info hurtful to her as well as him. "Lucky for you, my instinct for self-preservation is stronger than my instinct for revenge," Judith tells Harris and says that she's sure they can find something on John Ross which will convince him to give them back the files.

John Ross meets with Bum to tell him that Bo and the other ranch hands are now on his side. Then, Emma walks in. He asks Bum to leave, who warns him that he's married. John Ross thanks Bum, but replies, "You are not my father," tells him to find something that will put Harris back in jail. Bum replies that Judith is in charge of Harris' holdings now. John Ross still urges Bum to find something he can use and closes the door on him. He then asks Emma if she's sure about having her grandmother under control. She assures him that she does then strips down into a green teddy. He then grabs her and tries to take it off, but she insists that he let her leave it on because she "got it especially for you." Then, they have passionate sex.

Bum then goes to see Sue Ellen. He tells her that he lied to her about John Ross and Emma not sleeping together and apologizes. She replies, "Not nearly as sorry as I am."

Christopher is outside waiting for a taxi when some men pull up beside him in a black SUV. They ask him about his asking around about Nicolas. They say they can help and open their back door. Christopher gets in.

John Ross calls Bo and the other ranch hands out to tell them that he was wrong and Bobby was right, but that he isn't their enemy and tells them to get to work "fracking." Then, Bobby arrives. John Ross tells him that he can't stop him and he agrees. Bobby then pulls out a chicken. John Ross laughs and then Bobby says this chicken is a species native to the area he wants to "frack" on. Plus they're endangered and the Sierra Club is pushing for an investigation on him "fracking" on their land and Bobby reminds John Ross that investigations can take months even years.

Nicolas is cooking for Elena at his penthouse. She asks him if Rhonda has called yet. He replies that he would have told her if she had. She tells him that she has no idea how they got rid of the footage at the gun range. He assures her that they will find what they're looking for because they're looking for "justice." He's rubbing her back as he says this. They have a moment but are interrupted by the phone ringing. It's Rhonda and Nicolas sets up a meeting.

Nicolas meets Rhonda and tells her that he's glad she's decided to tell the truth, but then Bobby emerges saying that Rhonda called him. Rhonda tells Nicolas how she saw Cliff follow JR out of the Mexican bar. Bobby then Nicolas that the truth hurts, but he replies, "That's true, but I'm wondering who it will hurt more." Nicolas then gives Rhonda the money anyway and leaves.

Pamela sets up a candlelit surprise for John Ross. He comes in, strips down and he sees that she's wearing the same green teddy Emma wore when he had sex with her. Pamela starts kissing John Ross and it's clear that she wants make love, but he keeps flashing back to Emma wearing the teddy and them having sex. So, he tells Pamela that he's tired and just wants to take a shower. Pamela is clearly puzzled when he leaves to do so.

Elena asks Nicolas what happened and he tells her that Bobby was there, but they'll find what they need another way. He then tells her that he's glad she's back in his life and when they were children, he couldn't express his real feelings for her, but now that they're adults, he can,. He kisses her, she reciprocates and they have sex.

Christopher meets a woman and sees the boy who bumped into him, who runs to her then gives him back his wallet. She then says that she can tell him everything he wants to know about Nicolas because she's Lucia Trevino...his wife!

image courtesy of TNT