Why Was There No In Memoriam Larry Hagman Tribute During The 65th Emmy Awards Telecast?

I made it through a few minutes past the 90 minute mark of Sunday's 65th Annual Emmy Awards telecast.

I usually find Neil Patrick Harris to be amusing when he is in host mode. But, last night, not so much. The middle of the show, at the 90 minute mark dance production number's finish, is when I hit the TV off button.

I did not know til this morning that Larry Hagman did not get a featured "In Memoriam" tribute.  I saw the Jean Stapleton, Jonathon Winters and Cory Monteith tributes.

Even before learning of the Larry Hagman snub/flub I was sort of appalled that Cory Monteith was featured, what with him being on TV a very short time, as in his big break came in only 2009, in Glee. Cory Monteith did not have a long, storied career. He was an addict who died from an alcohol/heroin overdose.

Meanwhile, Larry Hagman was a TV giant. One of TV's all time most popular stars. Larry Hagman was already well known and well like after 5 seasons with his first hit, I Dream of Jeannie. Followed, about a decade later, with one of the most popular, worldwide, TV shows of all time.

Dallas.

Larry Hagman's character on Dallas, J.R. Ewing, may be the most well know fictional TV character of all time.

Dallas was the #1 show in America for years. Dallas was the #1 show worldwide for much of its run.

The "Who Shot J.R.?" Dallas episode got one of the highest ratings of all time.

And then, in this century, Larry Hagman came back to TV, on TNT, in a well-received re-boot of Dallas, where both Larry Hagman and J.R. Ewing died in the re-booted Dallas second season, which was in this year's Emmy season.

And yet no mention made of Larry Hagman at Sunday night's Emmy telecast.

Appalling.

Larry Hagman should have been nominated for an Emmy this year. In addition to an "In Memoriam" tribute.

The World Is Not Dying To Know Who Killed J.R. Ewing

I put off watching J.R. Ewing's Monday night Dallas funeral til Friday night.

I have opined previously that the re-boot of Dallas has been so much better than I thought it might be. I am still of that opinion.

But, something about Larry Hagman dying 7 episodes into filming the second season of the Dallas re-boot caused me to put off viewing each week's new episode til later. Why I was doing this,  I am not sure, but I think a lot of viewers were of a similar mind, because the ratings have been down.

I was really impressed with how well the J.R. funeral episode, titled "J.R.'s Masterpiece," was done. Classic Dallas, and then some.

And the acting by Sue Ellen and Bobby, I mean, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy really should get them Emmy nominations.

I can not remember another instance where the actor playing a character as well known and popular as J.R. Ewing died, causing the plotting for the show to change.

Whoever it is who is creating the plot for Dallas did a seamless job with the "J.R.'s Masterpiece" episode ending with multiple mysteries, all engineered by J.R.

When the "Who Shot J.R.?" phenomenon hit American and the rest of the world in 1980 I was not then a Dallas watcher. Over the summer of 1980 I watched the re-runs, so by the time J.R. got shot in the re-run, I was on board with the rest of the world wondering who shot J.R.

I believe the "Who Shot J.R.?" phenomenon remains at the top of TVs most memorable moments.

The "J.R.'s Masterpiece" episode ended with the question "Who Killed J.R.?" This time the question has not caused a reaction of the sort that happened back in 1980.

The town in Texas that claims Larry Hagman as their hometown boy is going to erect a statue to his memory. That town is Weatherford. Weatherford already has a statue of Larry Hagman's mother, Mary Martin.

Even though it goes without saying it, I'll say it anyway. Dallas will not be the same without J.R. Ewing.