'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
'Dallas' Reboot: Josh Henderson Signs Up, Plus Original Stars Hagman, Gray and Duffy
by Catherine Lawson, posted Feb 2nd 2011 8:25AM
Maybe in the end it will all turn out to have been nothing but a weird dream, but for now it looks like it's time to dust off those sequinned shoulder pads and get ready for The Oil Barons' Ball: The much-hyped 'Dallas' reboot is a "Go."With new casting updates comes news that the rebooted 'Dallas' will contain some classic elements: Love triangles, betrayals, family clashes and, finally, Mr. J.R. Ewing himself.
According to deadline.com, 'Desperate Housewives' alum Josh Henderson has signed on to play J.R. and Su Ellen's son, John Ross. Producers say that the new drama will focus on the next generation of the Ewing dynasty as they squabble over power, money and women.
However, the old Southfork guard will still be scheming in the background: TNT has confirmed that the trio at the center of the original series, Larry Hagman (J.R.), Linda Gray (Su Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby) will all be returning.
Hagman shot to megastardom in the 1980s playing the pivotal role of the scheming, villainous oil baron J.R. Ewing, and had said he was keen to return to the role. However, the future of the new series was put in doubt after pay negotiations with the actor carried on for months without a deal. While Hagman was holding out execs even went so far as to devise a version in which J.R. was shown only in flashbacks from the original series.
Producers have revealed a plot twist for the pilot episode that mirrors the bitter sibling rivalry between J.R. and his younger brother Bobby. Henderson's character, John Ross, will become entangled in a love triangle with Bobby's son -- his cousin Christopher -- and a woman named Elena. Jordana Brewster has already signed on to play Elena, but the part of Christopher has yet to be cast.
Michael M. Robin ('The Closer') is attached to exec-produce and direct the pilot episode, but so far there's been no word on when it will air.
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