TNTHow do you say goodbye to a towering TV icon? Dallas fans will find out early next year with the funeral of J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman).
The larger-than-life fictional oil tycoon will be laid to rest in the eighth episode of the TNT soap's second season, which is tentatively scheduled for March 11, E! News confirms. The news comes less than three weeks after star Larry Hagman—who played J.R. on both CBS's original '80s incarnation and TNT's hit reboot—died from complications of a recent battle with cancer at age 81.
Since then, producers have been working to figure out a proper send-off for the character, and by extension, Hagman, who had completed filming on at least five episodes of season two, which premieres Jan. 28. While it's rumored that several classic Dallas characters will return to pay their onscreen respects, no guest stars have officially signed on yet, according to a source.
Another mystery: How exactly will J.R. perish? Will the character simply pass away peacefully at his beloved South Fork? Or might producers opt for a grander exit, one that gives a tip of the cowboy hat to the original series' greatest cliffhanger, "Who Shot J.R.?" According to a source, that's a detail producers are keen to keep top secret for as long as possible.
Tell us: What kind of swan song do you think would be most appropriate for J.R.? And which Dallas vets are you eager to see return for the can't-miss episode?