‘Dallas’ Preview: TNT Confirms Larry Hagman Funeral Plans

One of the many tragic losses of 2012 belonged to legendary 'Dallas' star Larry Hagman, losing his battle with cancer while filming the hotly-anticipated second season of TNT's revival series. While mourning the loss in real life, TNT expressed plans to properly eulogize both Hagman and his iconic character J.R. Ewing on the series itself, writing around the actor's death. Now as the TCA tour unfolds on the west coast, we've learned precisely how 'Dallas' will incorporate Hagman's death into the proceedings.

'Dallas' fans were heartbroken to learn that long-time series star Larry Hagman lost his battle with cancer in 2012, part-way into filming his spot as J.R. Ewing for the revival's second season. TNT head of original programming Michael Wright today addressed the loss' effect on 'Dallas,' telling the Television Critics Association press tour that the new season would feature “an episode including J.R.’s funeral” as part of “a storyline that would have made Larry very happy.”

Reportedly, the series will begin exploring J.R.'s absence in the seventh episode of the 15-hour run, through which Hagman had partly completed filming. The eighth episode of the season, airing March 11, will pay tribute to Hagman with a funeral episode for J.R. that features an unidentified roster of past 'Dallas' stars not otherwise featured in the revival. “It will be funny and appropriate to J.R., but it will also be sad because his family loved him,” says executive producer Cynthia Cidre to Entertainment Weekly. “As do the fans.”

Much of the season 2 plans are reportedly still in place without Larry Hagman or J.R. Ewing, but what say you? Will 'Dallas' season 2 pay fitting tribute to Larry Hagman? Tell us if you'll watch the new season premiering January 28!