Dallas/Swan Song

Swan Song
Season 8, Episode 30
Airdate	May 17, 1985
Production Number	173130
Written by	Leonard Katzman
Directed by	Leonard Katzman
← 8x29 Deliverance	9x01 → The Family Ewing
Dallas — Season Eight

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Swan Song is the thirtieth episode of the eighth season of Dallas, and the one hundred ninety-first episode overall.

With Patrick Duffy's seven-year contract to appear on Dallas at an end and his decision to leave the show, the producers – rather than re-casting the role of Robert James Ewing – decided to use this episode as one of the series' most memorable season-ending episodes.

Here, Bobby faces a dilemma of who to marry, as he has two loves of his life: Jenna Wade, an old flame and single mother of 13-year-old Charlie; and his ex-wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing. But there's a fly in the ointment, as a mysterious woman who is stalking Bobby wants to make sure he gets neither woman. In the end, the stalker's actions will beget devastating consequences for Bobby, Pamela, Jenna ... and the entire Ewing family.

Guest Stars: Donna Reed (Ellie Farlow), Jared Martin (Steven "Dusty" Farlow), Deborah Shelton (Mandy Winger), Jenilee Harrison (Jamie Ewing), Leigh J. McCloskey (Mitch Cooper), Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing), Morgan Brittany (Katherine Wentworth), Pat Colbert (Dora Mae), Anne C. Lucas (Cassie), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Mary Armstrong (Louise), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Shalane McCall (Charlie Wade), Omri Katz (John Ross Ewing III), Debbie Rennard (Sly Lovegren), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Sherril Lynn Rettino (Jackie Dugan), David White (Mark), John Banach (), Bobbie Ferguson (), Walker Edmiston (Parson Carson), Kathleen Buse (), Rhonda Shear ()

Plot Overview

The most memorable scene comes when Bobby finally settles on Pamela, even knowing that Jenna – whom Pamela would approved had he chosen her – would be heartbroken. Bobby asks Pamela the question: "Will you marry me ... again?" And an overjoyed Pamela says yes!

After a hearty breakfast and some time with Christopher, and a little more time planning their future together, Bobby and Pamela walk outside, arm-in-arm and kissing.

Unfortunately, the mystery woman wants Bobby, too ... and when Bobby and Pamela walk outside, they're still kissing and very much in the moment. Bobby bids Pamela goodbye as he is ready to go off to work ...

... and then the mystery woman, parked in her maroon Buick Regal 4-door sedan, starts her car, puts the transmission in drive ... and floors the accellerator.

It's possible her intended target was Pamela ...

... but then Bobby sees what's about to happen, as Pamela has her back turned and has no idea of her impending fate ...

... and Bobby pushes her out of the way, just in time.

Only for Bobby to take the full brunt of getting hit by the mystery woman's car. After tumbling over the car's roof and trunk, he hits the pavement with full force and suffers severe injuries.

The mystery woman's car, meantime, crashes into a landscaper's parked truck. The driver strikes her head with full force on the steering wheel and the horn begins blaring loudly, getting the landscaper's attention. He rushes over to see what's going on, finding the woman driver dead, likely killed upon impact of massive head and chest injuries.

The mystery driver? Katherine Wentworth, a former broadcast journalist who had become obsessed with Bobby and had tried to ruin his relationships with both Pamela and Jenna.

Pamela, meantime, screams out for help and screams Bobby's name, as she cradles the semi-conscious Bobby in her arms. (It is presumed the landscaper called for an ambulance.)

The drama shifts to Miss Ellie getting the call no mother should ever get, and then trying to find both J.R. and Sue Ellen. J.R. is in a tryst with another tramp, Mandy Winger, at her condo, and it is by chance that J.R. calls his secretary to say he's decided to take the day off (to have sex with Mandy, natch, and enjoy time in Paris ... this to celebrate over a big court victory over Cliff Barnes). The secretary is barely able to coherently tell J.R. that Bobby was in an accident and not expected to live; to his credit, J.R. immediately leaves for the hospital. Sue Ellen, meanwhile, is on a date with Dusty Farlow, blissfully unaware of the turn of events and nobody knows where to find her. In another part of town, Cliff learns of the incident while visiting Jamie's condo ... and is stunned and winces as he tries to hold his emotions.

In the closing scene, all the Ewings except for Sue Ellen assembles at the hospital, where Bobby has been drifting in and out of consciousness. They have been told that Bobby has been suffering from massive internal injuries and that they should prepare for the worst. They are all there at his bedside in Bobby's final moments, and he is barely able to whisper as he addresses Ray (standing next to Donna, whose major argument they had just a few hours earlier is now meaningless), Miss Ellie (with Clayton trying to comfort him as he's also fighting tears), Pamela and Jenna, and then J.R. He then mutters that he loves everyone very much and that they should all be good to each other before he goes into shock.

The MRI monitor begins to flatine, and Pamela is immediately jolted as she and Jenna embrace and break down in deep sobs, as do Miss Ellie and Clayton, J.R. (with Sue Ellen nowhere in sight) and Ray and Donna. The attending nurse turns off the machine as the others remain at bedside.

Notes

When filmed and produced in the spring of 1985, the idea behind this episode was that Patrick Duffy was never coming back to the show, and that no actor could credibly play the role of Bobby Ewing, which Duffy had audiences knowing was a man who'd do the right thing and was bound to ethics and morals, but was fiercely loyal to his family and would take whatever means was needed to defend Ewing Oil. Things would change by early 1986, and Duffy would eventually return to his role (in an even more memorable season cliffhanger) ... but for the time being, plans moving forward were for the Ewings, and the two loves of his life (Pamela Barnes and Jenna Wade( and the two children of his life (his and Pamela's son, Christopher, and Jenna's daughter, Charlie) to adjust to life without Bobby.

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