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30 years today since the last episode of the Original Dallas aired .Thoughts and reflections on the series 3 decades on.

May 3rd 1991 the final episode of the original series of Dallas was aired after 13 years. What are your thoughts, reflections and memories 30 years on of the glitzy iconic television soap and also how it ended?

How well does the show hold up all these years later?

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by Anonymousreply 193September 7, 2021 8:46 PM

Arguably the best family drama ever on tv. At least up until Victoria left. When I was a kid watching it, I thought it would go on forever. But thirteen years was basically forever on network tv at that time. The finale was underwhelming. The other actors who had made the show so good had left by this point like Victoria, Barbara, Linda, Charlene, Steve and Susan. The show kind of limped along until it ended. Larry and Patrick were just riding it out for the money the last few years. Thank God CBS pulled the plug on it.

by Anonymousreply 1May 3, 2021 12:39 AM

r1 I do recall reading an interview with Larry Hagman after the shows axing was announced but months before the final episode had aired and he said something along the lines that he thought the show had a good 3 or 4 years left in it and he believed it could have and should have continued until around 1994 or 1995. I was a big Dallas fan but I think that was a tad overoptimistic !

by Anonymousreply 2May 3, 2021 1:16 AM

I loved it was can't miss TV for me, it but you would have thought that several of them would have went on to have excellent careers in entertainment after that and there was almost nothing from them. Duffy had some lame show with Suzanne Somers that OMG apparently went on for 7 years, I don't think I ever watched it but did anyone else go on and do anything major. Looks like a couple of them went back and did day time soaps after Dallas.

by Anonymousreply 3May 3, 2021 1:23 AM

r3 I know Victoria Principal attempted a career in movie acting but with limited success.

by Anonymousreply 4May 3, 2021 1:30 AM

Dallas would have probably gone off the air in 1989 except for the fact that Lorimar made a renewal deal in the 80s with CBS that kept it on the air until 1991. The ratings were strong through the 86-87 season (it finished in 11th place that year), then it dropped out of the top 30 after the 1988-89 season .

The show was more like a cross between a soap and a western -it had a more masculine sensibility than Knots Landing or Dynasty.

The female characters on the show (except Sue Ellen) stagnated and regressed as the series went on. Miss Ellie and Pam suffered the most from this in particular.

The look of the show was unique , with the location shoots in Texas from the first half of each season.

The city of Dallas loved the show because it improved the reputation of the city; it went from being the place where JFK was killed to the place where the Ewings lived.

by Anonymousreply 5May 3, 2021 1:33 AM

r5 Thanks for your reply.

I agree that Pam stagnated and regressed but can you please explain how Miss Ellie stagnated and regressed please?

by Anonymousreply 6May 3, 2021 1:35 AM

It was the type of show that snobs complained about before they had Reality Television to complain about.

by Anonymousreply 7May 3, 2021 1:37 AM

Miss Ellie was a formidable character in the first several seasons of the show, r6, and the only person who was able to rein in JR after Jock’s death.

After the dream season Miss Ellie becomes weaker and less focused on her family. For example, I don’t think Miss Ellie would have tossed JR off the ranch after the BD Calhoun mess , and I don’t think she would have been so easily fooled by Wes Parmalee’s scam. Also, she never would have left Southfork to travel in Europe as she did in 1990, and she wouldn’t have given Southfork to Bobby-she would have split ownership between Bobby, Gary and Ray.

by Anonymousreply 8May 3, 2021 1:44 AM

*I think she would have tossed JR off the ranch, she didn’t do that.

by Anonymousreply 9May 3, 2021 1:45 AM

r8 Thank you for your reply.You make some good and persuasive points. do you think Lucy also stagnated and regressed?

by Anonymousreply 10May 3, 2021 3:35 AM

They ran out of story for Lucy after Mickey Trotter died. Lucy needed a love interest who was involved in Ewing Oil or Barnes Wentworth to keep her relevant, like Alan Beam was. After Mickey died she wasn’t given a good storyline; in her last season she was disconnected from the rest of the cast.

by Anonymousreply 11May 3, 2021 3:43 AM

My favorite line (JR to Sue Ellen/Swellin)

"You're a drunk, a tramp, and an unfit mother."

In our family we used that insult for years - humorously - whenever we could.

by Anonymousreply 12May 3, 2021 3:53 AM

r11 The actor who played Alan Beam was so sexy!! One of the shows better hunk castings away from the main cast. I will admit to being disapointed in Lucys lack of storylines in the 1989 to 1990 season.Her main interactions seemed to be with Cally and it was so unimaginative to give her and Miss Ellie the same exit of going off to travel in Europe. They could have put more effort into an exit storyline.

by Anonymousreply 13May 3, 2021 3:53 AM

Bump!

by Anonymousreply 14May 3, 2021 3:30 PM

When I think of it I remember how friendly Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy were with me as I was assigned to "handle" them at an industry event. They included me in the conversation as if I had know them for years.

by Anonymousreply 15May 3, 2021 4:18 PM

r15 Linda Gray has an excellent reputation

by Anonymousreply 16May 3, 2021 4:25 PM

The only people who ever complained about the atmosphere on the Dallas set were Donna Reed and Dack Rambo from what I recall.

by Anonymousreply 17May 3, 2021 4:29 PM

I preferred Folcon's Landing.

by Anonymousreply 18May 3, 2021 4:42 PM

Victoria has more money than God thanks to her skin care company. I do admire her that she left Dallas and never looked back. When they brought back Duffy it seriously undermined the credibility of the show. Granted the show wasn’t the same without him, but in retrospect they could’ve done something different other than a dream to bring him back.

by Anonymousreply 19May 3, 2021 5:01 PM

r19 You mean maybe Bobby could have faked his death instead?

by Anonymousreply 20May 3, 2021 5:05 PM

r18 Falcon Crest was lacking the level of sexiness ingredients that Dallas had in my opinion!

by Anonymousreply 21May 3, 2021 5:06 PM

The show should have handled Patrick Duffy’s ( or Victoria Principal’s) departure the way Knots Landing handled Joan Van Ark’s departure.

Val disappeared at the end of the season 13 finale. Gary went to Florida to find her, as she had been kidnapped . He ended up in a car chase with a man driving a blond woman (we never saw their faces). The car crashed and exploded, with bodies burned beyond recognition, and everyone thought Val died, only to return for the series finale.

Katherine Wentworth could have kidnapped Bobby in the1984-85 cliffhanger. It would have been more believable and we could have seen Pam and Jenna work with JR and Ray to find Bobby.

by Anonymousreply 22May 3, 2021 5:09 PM

Pretty good R22 but didn't Katherine die in the car in which she killed Bobby?

by Anonymousreply 23May 3, 2021 5:11 PM

Yes that’s what I mean-don’t do that ending with the 84-85 cliffhanger. Instead we see Bobby leaving the Ewing building when he’s approached by Katherine and some thugs and pulled into a van. End of season. Or they could have done that with Pam in. 86-87

by Anonymousreply 24May 3, 2021 5:14 PM

r22 Now that is an excellent suggestion!!

r23 I think r22 is,saying it should never have been written with that story from the beginning I thought Katherine went on the run but I might be getting mixed up with another story? I remembered loving the scene were Katherine was brilliant as a jealous sister Disney cartoon style visiting Pam after the car crash when she was bandaged up and unconscious! Sleep on little sister!Sleep on!!

by Anonymousreply 25May 3, 2021 5:15 PM

Katherine skipped bail after being arrested for shooting Bobby.

In Pam’s dream she died in the 1984-85 cliffhanger after trying to kill Bobby and Pam and crashing her car.

In “reality” we didn’t see her again until the beginning of the 1987-88 season, when she visited a badly burned Pam.

by Anonymousreply 26May 3, 2021 5:25 PM

r26 OK thanks for the clarity. I note that a lot of the shows main characters had psychopathic or evil scheming siblings- Sue Ellen with Kristin, Pam with Katherine, April with Michelle and Clayton with Jessica!

by Anonymousreply 27May 3, 2021 5:32 PM

Y'all are right. After they announced Principal was leaving THEN had Pam all-but die in Bobby's car I pretty much stopped tuning in (never even saw the visit-in-the-hospital episode by Katherine). It seemed like a typically male way to write-off an unhappy, long-suffering female cast member (no drama, just a car crash then... gone), esp one who had contributed so much to the success of the show.

R23

by Anonymousreply 28May 3, 2021 5:46 PM

I liked the friendship between Miss Ellie and Donna, it was a nice contrast to the wild ups and downs of the other relatioships. I think Donna was a saint to put up way Ray's jealously and insecurity and the shack he made her live in.

The writers could have made better use of Katharine Wentworth, she was a fine addition to the show, and the business rivalry between Pam and JR had great potential but never came to fruition.

The dream season was a rotten way to treat its viewers. Some great storylines like Donna's baby were discarded, and others were left in limbo, like Pam search for Mark Graison's.

The absence of original female characters in the final season was a big weakness and the final episode with JR and "Adam" was abysmal. Dallas deserved a much better finale.

by Anonymousreply 29May 3, 2021 5:48 PM

My husband did book signings at the book store he works at and I was able to spend some time with Linda Grey when her book came out. I can not begin to tell you how nice she was. An absolute delight. So sweet. And she 70 at the time and looked in her early 50's. Honestly not a pretentious bone in her body.

by Anonymousreply 30May 3, 2021 5:50 PM

I went to the UK in the 80s and as soon as people would recognize my American accent all they would do is interrogate me about who shot JR, as if my nationality made me somehow privy to that information.

by Anonymousreply 31May 3, 2021 5:56 PM

And I didn’t even watch the show!

by Anonymousreply 32May 3, 2021 5:57 PM

R22 unfortunately Duffy was the one who suggested that he die. Moral of the story-never listen to the actors on the show when it comes to a character dying. That’s what the writers are there for. R30 Gray looks phenomenal for her age. If she has had any plastic surgery, her surgeon is the best.

by Anonymousreply 33May 3, 2021 6:07 PM

r33 Arr I hadn't realised Duffy asked for his character to be killed off. Big mistake. Linda Gray in terms of surgery seems to be trying to look good for her age rather than obsessively trying to be younger looking.

by Anonymousreply 34May 3, 2021 6:53 PM

r29 Such a shame they couldn't persuade Barbara Bel Geddes to stay for the last season.

by Anonymousreply 35May 3, 2021 6:55 PM

R34 yeah Duffy was adamant he wasn’t coming back. When he couldn’t be a movie star and he had a family to support he came running back. Larry thought he was stupid to leave (true). When Victoria left, she had a production company for producing tv films for her and others to star in. Plus she was married to a lucrative plastic surgeon. And she had multiple books targeted towards fraus and exercise. It was before her cosmetics company. Larry tried to get her back in 88 and she said no. She had a better financial path forward than Duffy, who was just an actor for hire.

by Anonymousreply 36May 3, 2021 8:11 PM

Thanks r36 Do you know if as well as Larry if any of the shows top producers or creators like Larry Kathmandu tried to entice Victoria back? Do we know if other stars like Susan Howard, Priscilla Presley etc were unsuccessfully wooed for a return?

by Anonymousreply 37May 3, 2021 8:26 PM

I don’t think they tried to woo back Susan Howard or Priscilla Presley.

They definitely tried to get Victoria back and I’m sure Larry tried to get Linda back.

Leonard Katzman was a chauvinist and he felt JR and Bobby were the most important characters on Dallas. The producers actually fired Linda Gray at the end of the 1984-85 season when she insisted on directing an episode (as Patrick, Larry and I believe Steve Kanaly had). Larry intervened, threatening to walk if she left, and that’s why Linda Gray got to direct episodes of Dallas.

by Anonymousreply 38May 3, 2021 8:33 PM

R37 plus they fired Susan Howard for taking an anti abortion stance in the dream season. Donna eventually miscarried, but they just let her go I believe at the end of her contract. So Howard was in no hurry to go back. Presley wanted to spend time with her newborn I believe, so she voluntarily quit. Presley kind of fit into the Dallas fold I believe (many people hate her acting), but Jenna reached the end of her usefulness anyway. Barbara just decided to retire anyway and really wasn’t pleased with the direction of Miss Ellie anymore.

by Anonymousreply 39May 3, 2021 9:20 PM

I’ve been rewatching Dallas on Amazon Prime and you can see how Barbara Bel Geddes’ health impacted Miss Ellie.

In the first 6 seasons Miss Ellie is dressed like a rich, conservative woman-twinsets with pearls were her usual fare, sometimes wearing dresses or pants with a blouse. After she returned from heart surgery, she’s dressed the same but she wears a lot more of eye makeup.

When she came back in the dream season, she’s dressed in the dowdy manner we remember-jeans, keds and a blouse in almost every episode, and sometimes sack dresses. She doesn’t look like the formidable grand dame of Dallas society as implied in the early seasons.

It’s very noticeable since Dallas was trying to compete with Dynasty in costuming from 1983-86 or so, and the other female characters wear dramatic expensive clothing (like the time Sue Ellen wore a turban to go to the mall and the movies with Pam).

by Anonymousreply 40May 3, 2021 9:36 PM

I love the DL threads on Dallas so thank you, OP, for commemorating the 30 (!) year old finale.

I remember watching the series finale and I didn't hate it. I thought it was interesting that they ended on such a sombre, almost nihilistic note. Bobby possibly finding JR's dead body? Sad but almost poetic. It's actually one of the better series finales I think.

I hated the final years of Dallas though. I loved the dream season and I hated how all the female characters regressed after it. Pam became a background player and I don't blame Principal for leaving at all. I can't stand Susan Howard in real life but I can't deny it - she was excellent as Donna, and I also loved Donna's friendship with Miss Ellie. It added a sense of realism and groundedness to the show. I also liked when Pam and Sue Ellen became friends in the later seasons. For soaps, I think it's integral that the show has close friendships because you need to have strong connections between characters, other than rivalries and romances.

I thought Gray, Principal and Howard all did fantastic work in the dream season. I loved seeing Pam and JR bicker, Gray was just phenomenal as Sue Ellen really hit the skids, and Howard really carried some heavy emotional scenes. It was really sad that Ray and Donna didn't end up adopting after all. I wish there had been a way they could have tied *some* of the dream season stories into the post-shower season. I thought they might have Mark Grayson return in the post-shower season but I guess they figured he already returned in the dream season, he was not going to come back again.

I always thought it odd that Duffy was so adamant about leaving. I like Duffy but he really must have let his ego take over. Insisting Bobby die was so risky. He really must have thought he was going to make it, but then also the fact that he returned a year later must have indicated he met with the bitter truth pretty quickly.

by Anonymousreply 41May 3, 2021 10:11 PM

I remember Susan Howard saying that while she was happy Patrick Duffy returned to the show, they should have found some other way to bring Bobby back given the impact the dream had on other characters' storylines. But I can't imagine a different way that would have been fairly plausible.

by Anonymousreply 42May 3, 2021 10:35 PM

R42 daytime soaps have dealt with these situations for decades. It was just a lazy, non compelling way to bring him back. Katzman, when he returned with Duffy, said he just didn’t want to deal with anything in the dream season, except the is Jock dead or not story. Some viewers thought the dream was genius, but I think more just switched channels. The bubble had finally burst in the 86-87 season. The dream, plus the repetition of the storylines, just got too much for people to deal with. Then Victoria left, and the bottom really fell out.

by Anonymousreply 43May 3, 2021 10:58 PM

Katzman was about the men, not the women, so he basically side-lined Pam. But I think it's funny how Principal's departure seemed to have a worse effect on the show than Duffy's.

I don't think Katzman understood his show's audience -- lots of females and gays. By side-lining the women, he was, in effect, side-lining a huge portion of viewers.

by Anonymousreply 44May 3, 2021 11:11 PM

R44 true. plus Hagman forced Phil Capice, one of the executive producers since the shows inception, out after the dream season, who championed the actresses of the show. I don’t think Pam was reduced too much post dream season, but she became increasingly whinier. I remember the episode where she asked Jenna if she could give her Jennas baby after she gave birth. Yup. Like Jenna is just going to hand the baby over to Pam and Bobby after Bobby dumped her. The writing was seriously beginning to falter this season. I’m sure Victoria was just biding her time until she could get the hell out.

by Anonymousreply 45May 3, 2021 11:22 PM

I wonder if the dream "solution" factored into Principal's decision. She must have been embarrassed. After all, she is the one who opened the shower door and had to be like "Oh, Bobby, I had the strangest dream".

by Anonymousreply 46May 3, 2021 11:27 PM

R46 Principal maintains she gave her two year notice in 1985. But she was willing to stay through the 1987-1988 season if her price was met. I think it was an exorbitant salary request that she threw out to the producers knowing they wouldn’t pay. She just wanted to call their bluff but in retrospect they should’ve kept her one more season. She definitely had an exit plan though. She’s gone on record as saying the writing was deteriorating, and she just wanted to do other things. And they brought Duffy back with more money than they were paying her. I’m sure in Principals mind, the dream season was one more ridiculous thing that confirmed she was right about leaving.

by Anonymousreply 47May 3, 2021 11:54 PM

r41 Thank you and you are very welcome! Yes big example of overconfidence by Patrick Duffy. Did he land any movie roles in the year he left or were they just roles that were very much below his expectations?

I too liked Donnas relationship with Miss Ellie but I thought her relationship with Jenna was pretty decent too.However I would have loved more scenes between Sue Ellen and Donna and Pam and Donna.That angle felt under utilised to me. The sister in law relationships are always a greeat avenue to explore in any drama ,tv ,novel, theatre etc .Close enough to have a family bond but distant enough to create room for particular kinds of clashes, differences and diluted loyalty.

by Anonymousreply 48May 4, 2021 12:15 AM

r39 Yes it is hard to imagine what more they could have done with Jenna and I am glad they didnt put her back with Bobby after Pams horrendous car crash.

by Anonymousreply 49May 4, 2021 12:16 AM

Why did Miss Ellie dress like the maid?

by Anonymousreply 50May 4, 2021 12:18 AM

R48 he played a goat (I’m not lying) in a Alice in Wonderland miniseries. Plus another miniseries with another nighttime soap defector Pamela Sue Martin.

by Anonymousreply 51May 4, 2021 12:36 AM

I really hated the season without Pam. Although, funny enough, I was never a huge Pam fan, but I appreciated what Principal brought to the show. Her leaving really left a void and Bobby was never the same. Duffy and Principal had such great chemistry. I never saw it between Jenna and Bobby.

I was always intrigued by Bobby and Holly Harwood but the show never went there since she had slept with JR (although Bobby would end up with April later on). Lois Chiles was so gorgeous. She and Duffy would have had a hot love scene.

by Anonymousreply 52May 4, 2021 1:11 AM

I posted on a previous Dallas thread that I thought they should have kept Donna on the show after Pam’s departure and made her Bobby’s new love interest. The characters knew each other for decades and would create conflict with Ray and Jenna.

by Anonymousreply 53May 4, 2021 1:21 AM

R53 yes it was a huge mistake to let Howard go. She brought such intelligence to the role of Donna that would’ve been a stark contrast to the hillbillies and bimbos they brought on the last few years.

by Anonymousreply 54May 4, 2021 2:05 AM

r51 Good lord that made me chuckle! Patrick 1000% overestimated his appeal beyond Dallas!

by Anonymousreply 55May 4, 2021 3:59 AM

Vicki Ree Principal (born January 3, 1950), 71 years old. She's reportedly worth $350 million.

Later known as Victoria Principal, she is an American actress, producer, entrepreneur, and author, best known for her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on the American primetime television soap opera series Dallas. She spent nine years on the long-running series, leaving in 1987. Afterwards, she began her own production company, Victoria Principal Productions, focusing mostly on television films. In the mid-1980s, she became interested in natural beauty therapies, and in 1989, she created a self-named line of skincare products, Principal Secret.

Principal became a best-selling author, writing three books about beauty, skincare, fitness, well-being, and health: The Body Principal (1983), The Beauty Principal (1984), and The Diet Principal (1987). In the 2000s, she wrote a fourth book, Living Principal (2001). She is also a two-time Golden Globe Award nominee.

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by Anonymousreply 56May 4, 2021 4:57 AM

Thanks r56 Quite an achievement by Victoria

by Anonymousreply 57May 4, 2021 8:13 AM

Definitely preferred the opening credits, tune and sequence before autumn 1989 changes.

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by Anonymousreply 58May 4, 2021 6:33 PM

Lets continue the Dallas chatter!!

by Anonymousreply 59May 5, 2021 1:27 AM

Oh I hadn't realised that Linda Gray and Barbara Bel Geddes were so close. Lovely to hear.

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by Anonymousreply 60May 5, 2021 8:43 PM

R50 Miss Ellie looked like the matriarch of a trailer park. Her clothes looked like she shopped at K mart and her hair always looked oily.

by Anonymousreply 61May 5, 2021 9:04 PM

r61 But wasn't that an intrinsic part of her character? That she was wealthy but not superficial and grand but rather grounded?

by Anonymousreply 62May 5, 2021 9:08 PM

R62 yes. Barbara could look glam going to an event on the show, but around the ranch it was mainly her sack dresses. Plus from 1983 on, I think her casual look helped to hide her health issues and weight gain fluctuations.

by Anonymousreply 63May 5, 2021 9:30 PM

[quote]Miss Ellie looked like the matriarch of a trailer park. Her clothes looked like she shopped at K mart and her hair always looked oily.

And she smelled like toilet water and stale cigarettes.

by Anonymousreply 64May 5, 2021 9:42 PM

I remember reading an interview with Susan Howard where she said she played a joke on Barbara Bel Geddes by turning up on the set wearing a wig and one of Miss Ellie's sack-dresses.

by Anonymousreply 65May 5, 2021 10:04 PM

She didn’t always dress like that . In the early seasons (before the heart attack ) Miss Ellie dressed like an old money matron.

by Anonymousreply 66May 5, 2021 10:06 PM

R66 true. But she didn’t dress Donna Reed chic either. When she returned to the role in late 1983, her leg was bandaged up after she went through her bypass surgery. You can see it in this clip right after she rounds the table and greets Jenna. Plus Barbara smoked like a fiend which didn’t help matters.

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by Anonymousreply 67May 5, 2021 10:39 PM

The cinematography in the 1983-84 season -the one in r67’s clip- is different. The show looked more expensive that year. It’s also the year Travila started making the costumes .

by Anonymousreply 68May 5, 2021 10:55 PM

Never had the level of camp that Dallas attained.

by Anonymousreply 69May 5, 2021 11:06 PM

r69 Did you mean Dynasty?

by Anonymousreply 70May 5, 2021 11:15 PM

I really hope this show gets remastered and put on Blu-Ray one day.

by Anonymousreply 71May 5, 2021 11:19 PM

r71 To be honest I have never understood the difference between bluray and dvd.

by Anonymousreply 72May 5, 2021 11:55 PM

Basically Blu-ray is High Definition and DVD is Standard Definiton.

The show needs an upgrade.

by Anonymousreply 73May 5, 2021 11:59 PM

Thank you r73 I invested my money in a television that plays DVDS because DVDs seemed the more popular, durable and mainstream option.I hadnt considered that bluray was superior to be honest .I assumed DVDs wear because they seem more widely used.

by Anonymousreply 74May 6, 2021 2:06 AM

There's nothing wrong with DVDs but I can't lie - once I started watching Blu-Rays, it's hard to go back to DVDs. Everything looks stretched and pixilated. Blu-Ray looks so much crisper and better.

I don't think Dallas has ever been remastered. It really deserves some freshening up.

by Anonymousreply 75May 6, 2021 2:17 AM

r75 Thanks for the explainer

by Anonymousreply 76May 6, 2021 2:18 AM

One of my favorite scenes-so 80s, so camp. Love the pink computer and the Winger tramp’s whorish gait.

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by Anonymousreply 77May 7, 2021 6:43 AM

Sue Ellen and Pam conformation. Love Sue Ellen’s floozy theme music, they played this whenever she was drunk or trying to fuck another man.

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by Anonymousreply 78May 7, 2021 6:45 AM

Pam slaps the shit out of Sue Ellen.

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by Anonymousreply 79May 7, 2021 6:46 AM

r77 One of my favourite scenes in Dallas ever!! Those two women really vicious in attacking each other!! A real battle of wife and mistress battling with and playing their best cards!

by Anonymousreply 80May 7, 2021 10:02 AM

Mandy Winger was a... TRAMP!!

by Anonymousreply 81May 8, 2021 6:53 PM

r81 Indeed she was but delicious to watch!

by Anonymousreply 82May 9, 2021 12:21 AM

They should’ve kept Mandy on the show as JRs wife after the 1986-1987 season. Instead we got hick Cally. I really do believe they were trying to make this show as bad as possible after Victoria left almost daring the viewers to watch.

by Anonymousreply 83May 9, 2021 1:19 AM

I remember seeing this promo and being so excited for the series finale, and then, watched it and saw they were doing one of my least favorite tropes (It’s a Wonderful Life). And worse, they couldn’t get Victoria Principal or BBG back for the finale. I would have even been thrilled with a Susan Howard or Priscilla Presley appearance.

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by Anonymousreply 84May 9, 2021 2:00 AM

Dallas was unwatchable in the last few years.

Overall Dallas was more consistent than Dynasty. But I could still watch Dynasty in its final years, and its final season was one of its best.

by Anonymousreply 85May 9, 2021 7:00 AM

r85 How much did the ratings plunge in the last few years?

by Anonymousreply 86May 9, 2021 1:01 PM

It dropped from 21st the season after Victoria left to 61st it’s last season. Due to the ratings, even if Victoria had agreed to stay longer, she would’ve been shown the door eventually. This is what happened to Linda Gray and Steve Kanaly. They couldn’t afford the actors that made the show during its glory years.

by Anonymousreply 87May 9, 2021 1:59 PM

Thanks r87 That indeed is an incredibly steep drop.

by Anonymousreply 88May 9, 2021 9:21 PM

did they all live in that house together? It didn’t look that large.

by Anonymousreply 89May 9, 2021 9:41 PM

The real Southfork is not as large as the original show implies ; it’s a McMansion that was featured in the revival, with maybe 5 or 6 bedrooms at most.

I visited it years ago and the pool, in particular, is small.

by Anonymousreply 90May 9, 2021 11:31 PM

r89 How many bedrooms and wings did it have do we know?

by Anonymousreply 91May 10, 2021 2:50 AM

Why did they call her Miss Ellie when she was a Mrs.?

by Anonymousreply 92May 10, 2021 6:58 AM

^Because Jock wouldn't "miss" a chance to cheat on her.

by Anonymousreply 93May 10, 2021 11:16 AM

^^Jock certainly had an itch.

by Anonymousreply 94May 10, 2021 1:32 PM

The living room somehow doubled in size in later seasons compared to earlier ones. I also noticed the decor changed between the end of the season when Bobby died and the beginning of the next when they had his funeral. Despite her grief Miss Ellie seemingly found time to refurbish .

by Anonymousreply 95May 10, 2021 5:54 PM

I think it’s implied on the show that Southfork has 9 bedrooms or so.

In 1984-85, the season with the greatest number of characters living on Southfork, there were at least 10 people living at the ranch (Miss Ellie, Clayton, JR, Sue Ellen, Bobby, Jenna, Charlie, John Ross, Christopher when he visited his father, Lucy, and Jamie during the first half of the season).

Bobby and Jenna had separate bedrooms , Christopher had the old nursery with the crayon wallpaper and John Ross had a new room. Sue Ellen moved into a bedroom separate from JR after Jamie left Southfork, so maybe she took her room. That adds up to around 10 bedrooms.

When you go to the real Southfork I don’t think there are more than 5 or 6 bedrooms .

by Anonymousreply 96May 10, 2021 6:03 PM

why would they all want to live under the same roof?

by Anonymousreply 97May 10, 2021 11:43 PM

I loved Dallas when it was on, but have not seen it on TV anywhere since. Did I miss 30 years of syndication?

by Anonymousreply 98May 10, 2021 11:55 PM

It made more sense in the miniseries (the first 5 episodes ). The ranch that was used was comprised of a large main house and a series of smaller homes adjacent to the property-you’ll notice that Sue Ellen and JR live in one of these small houses, and JR points out which house belongs to which brother when he’s giving Pam a tour of Southfork in the first episode .

That house burnt to the ground after filming. It’s unfortunate because in many ways it was grander than the house we know, more like a family compound:

As for syndication- Dallas has pretty much been in syndication for 3+ decades . It was on TNN and CMT in the 90s and early aughts, then soapnet. Right now the entire show is available for free on Amazon Prime.

by Anonymousreply 99May 10, 2021 11:58 PM

Also on IMDb free.

by Anonymousreply 100May 11, 2021 12:10 AM

R99 that DOES make sense, if it’s a family compound. Although out in the middle of some dusty Texas plain doesn’t seem the ideal spot to park a rich dynasty’s compound.

by Anonymousreply 101May 11, 2021 9:22 AM

r99 Is Dynasty and Falcon Crest still in syndication?

by Anonymousreply 102May 11, 2021 11:26 PM

Dynasty is also on Amazon Prime for free ( and it really is inferior to Dallas), r102.

Falcon Crest is also on Amazon Prime but you have to pay for it.

by Anonymousreply 103May 12, 2021 12:06 AM

Thank you r103

What makes Dynasty inferior to Dallas to you?

by Anonymousreply 104May 12, 2021 2:39 AM

r97 Family love?!

by Anonymousreply 105May 13, 2021 1:07 AM

Bump!! LOVE Dallas chit chat!

by Anonymousreply 106May 16, 2021 12:09 AM

For me, a strange aspect of the show was that Sue Ellen and Donna had very little interaction. I remember just one scene in which both appeared with no-one else present. It was when Donna had separated from Ray and moved into Southfork and she and Sue Ellen reflected on the state of their respective marriages. Sue Ellen once commented that she never had much in common with Donna. It's a pity they didn't have more dialogue.

by Anonymousreply 107May 16, 2021 9:30 AM

Totally agree r107 Whilst Sue Ellen and Donna were not chalk and cheese opposites there was sufficient differences for there to be interesting elements of contrast to be explored between the two.

by Anonymousreply 108May 16, 2021 6:01 PM

[quote]Due to the ratings, even if Victoria had agreed to stay longer, she would’ve been shown the door eventually. This is what happened to Linda Gray and Steve Kanaly. They couldn’t afford the actors that made the show during its glory years.

They couldn't even afford to have Kimberly Foster or Sasha Mitchell appear in every episode during the final season! Larry and Patrick's salaries were huge and really put a dent in the show's budget.

by Anonymousreply 109May 16, 2021 11:15 PM

As much as I dislike Susan Howard as a person, she was a good actress and perfectly cast as Donna.

She had chemistry with just about everybody on the show, which helped her character.

But, yes, she had little interaction with Sue Ellen if I recall.

by Anonymousreply 110May 16, 2021 11:20 PM

The Dallas TNT show was terrific.....JRs "Masterpiece" plan to destroy Cliff was flawless. JR set in motion a plan to FIND the woman he hated = Bobbys ex wife Pamela Barnes Ewing. She had disappeared decades earlier after her accident but she still owned an equal share of Barnes Global. Pam died of cancer-which Cliff had kept hidden to keep Christopher from getting her share of Barnes Global.....Cliff had been tricked by his daughter Pamela Rebecca Ewing (Jon Ross wife) to get her hands on Katherines Global shares. Cliff went from owning Barnes Global to losing 2 thirds of it to the Ewings. Bobby and Sue Ellen then stole control of the company (in the final episode) from Jon Ross and Pamela.

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by Anonymousreply 111May 17, 2021 12:14 AM

R111 are you kidding? The show was wretched. No continuity from the CBS version. They made shit up out of thin air. To see Larry as JR one last time and giving closure to Pam were the only things it had going for it.

by Anonymousreply 112May 17, 2021 1:46 AM

r110 How much did she interact with Lucy? I am trying to remember?

by Anonymousreply 113May 17, 2021 1:54 AM

Ray and Lucy evolved into a big brother/little sister relationship by season 3, but I don’t recall Lucy and Donna having a particularly close relationship. After Mickey Trotter died, however , Lucy was more and more isolated from the other characters.

Donna’s most important relationships were with Ray, Miss Ellie and Bobby. Donna and Bobby had known each other since college, which is another meaning a Donna/Bobby pairing would have made sense after Pam left.

Ray and Sue Ellen had a one night stand early in the second season ; in fact, it’s in the only episode where we see Sue Ellen and JR have sex before she becomes pregnant with John Ross (“Black Market Baby,” a great episode). It was never brought up again and nobody knew about it except Sue Ellen and Ray.

by Anonymousreply 114May 17, 2021 2:25 AM

Thanks r114 Would you mind refreshing my memory on Donnas relationship with Jock please? Would you say she had more substantial scenes with Jock or Clayton?

by Anonymousreply 115May 17, 2021 2:28 AM

Jock liked Donna and vice versa. She confided in him a few times about her troubles with Ray as they were courting.

She had a stronger relationship with Clayton. She supported his romance and marriage to Miss Ellie and she also confided in him about Ray. She was the first one in the family to suspect that Clayton’s sister Jessica was up to no good as well.

by Anonymousreply 116May 17, 2021 2:34 AM

r116 Thanks r116 I remember Claytons sister Jessica but more her 1990 stint than the original stint .Her scenes with JR in the mental hospital were a bit of a highlight from that era.

Ive always felt that Donnas exit was too low key.I am not saying a highly dramatic fireball explosion type exit like they had for Pam was best but a build up that was more significant and felt like a lose rather than a matter of fact exit of a character.

by Anonymousreply 117May 17, 2021 2:40 AM

R112 = Dallas Reboot had No Continuity?....WRONG!!!.....They resolved the final fate of Pamela Barnes Ewing.!!! They brought on Carter McKays grandsons Tripp and Hunter!!!....They brought back Tracey Lawton, Bobbies ex!!!...Rebecca Barnes admitted she took her fake name from her grandmother Rebecca Wentworth--and she even said Rebecca died in the plane crash (which was shown on the original Dallas). They explained what happened to Katherine Wentworth after she went on the run...!! The show brought back Gary and Val and Mandy and Callie....In the original series Miss Ellie swore she would never leave JR any part of South Fork because she knew he would use it to profit instead of ranching--and in the Dallas TNT it was revealed that she left JR nothing--just as she swore she would!!..No Continuity?....How DARE you, Sir!!!

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by Anonymousreply 118May 17, 2021 4:26 AM

[quote] They explained what happened to Katherine Wentworth after she went on the run

Care to refresh my memory? I can’t remember.

by Anonymousreply 119May 17, 2021 4:39 AM

Diva von Dish in Soap Opera Digest wrote about Miss Ellie's wardrobe: "Miss Ellie, you may find the wearing of a housecoat to every family formal gathering acceptable; it is no. I saw what you wore to Pam and Bobby's wedding. Did you want to be there?"

The show was fantastic up until Pam and Donna were written out.

Knots gave fans a great finale, bringing Val and Abby back and ending things in the cul de sac where it all began.

Dallas would have done well to do the same; bring back Ray and Donna, reunite them; same with Pam and Bobby.

by Anonymousreply 120May 17, 2021 4:52 AM

R119 = She fled to Argentina South America (she was wealthy from Wentworth Tool)...She died a recluse hiding from Law Enforcement...Cliff gave his daughter Pamela Rebecca Barnes Katherines share of Barnes Global because she had proven her loyalty to him. -FUN TIDBIT---In the final Dallas TNT episode Jon Ross learned JR had a daughter with (with an unnamed mistress) and many people thought Katherine might have been that mistress. (video clip is of Jon Ross starting the search for his sister 2:25 and the death of Christopher Ewing being blown to bits. Elena had slept with Christopher. Jon Ross. and Nicholas so any one of them could have been the father of her child)...

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by Anonymousreply 121May 17, 2021 5:14 AM

R118 you weren’t watching close enough. None of the writers from the original contributed to the reboot. They got more things wrong then they did right. Cliffs personality transplant (withholding Pams death is something the 1989 Cliff would never do), Miss Ellie giving the entire ranch to John Ross (something that was dealt with by giving it to Bobby in the original) Barnes Wentworth is now Barnes Global, Katherine being dead although on the original she lives, the ranch looking nothing like it did on the original (the ranch was a character itself), Pamela Rebecca not revealing herself early on in the show (John Ross and Christopher knew her growing up). A maid that never existed in the original that now has a daughter involved with John Ross and Christopher. The producer was Latino and bent on turning into a Mexican telenovel which is why it was cancelled.

by Anonymousreply 122May 17, 2021 8:14 PM

R122 = Look--you clearly did not watch or enjoy the show, and that's fine. First, if you watched DallasTNT you would know Afton raised Rebecca away from Dallas (this was also covered in the original series). It was ELENA who grew up with Jon Ross and Christopher. Also DallasTNT made a point to say from the very beginning that they were picking up from the 1991 ending and NOT any of the Dallas Tv Movies (which is probably where you thought Christopher met Rebecca Pamela). Video Clip---->>Cliff made it look like Pamela Ewing was still alive to keep Christopher Ewing from inheriting her Barnes Global shares. As for the producer (Cynthia Cidre) being Hispanic---it does not mean she was trying to turn the show into a "Mexican Telenova"---it does however make you sound a little racist. WHY are you so offended that hispanic characters would be on a television show?

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by Anonymousreply 123May 18, 2021 4:22 AM

R123, I'm not R122.

But I do have a few thoughts. First, it was Pamela Rebecca, not Rebecca Pamela.

Second, how is it racist to say a Mexican producer wanted to emphasize Hispanic characters? My issues with Cidre have nothing to do with her nationality and everything to do with she was handed -- the reins to the MOST ICONIC show in all of TV history, certainly, the most iconic primetime serial in TV history, and she dropped the ball left and right with history.

She couldn't have researched Raul and Teresa and maybe brought those actors on or at least the characters onto the show as Elena's parents/parent?

I asked Cidre myself at an event if she'd be addressing neurofibromatosis when Pamela Rebecca was pregnant (as her grandfather Digger Barnes carried the gene and Cliff and Pam lost two siblings to the condition; or in Pam's case, two half-siblings). She was unaware of the neurofibromatosis story beat from the original. She and her producing partner were very nice and didn't dismiss me as a 'fan' -- producing partner said I was passionate, very respectfully, and I thanked him. Class act.

I would have paid money out of my own salary to have shown the clip where Miss Ellie warned Sue Ellen that someday she (Miss Ellie) wouldn't be there and John Ross and Christopher would continue the feud that JR and Bobby were fighting.

There were SO MANY missed opportunities. Where was Ray and Donna's daughter Margaret named after Ray's mother? What about Lucas, Bobby's son with Jenna? I think Priscilla Presley had destroyed her face by this time, but Dallas could have reached out to Jenna Wade OG Morgan Fairchild to reprise the role.

Bringing Rebecca Barnes Wentworth back to life would have been a stretch, but Priscilla Pointer was (and is!) still alive. Probably would have stretched credibility but as so many others -- Barbara, Howard -- were all gone...

The big money shot would have been moving heaven and earth to get Victoria Principal back as Pam and reunite her and Bobby.

THERE"S SO MUCH THEY COULD HAVE DONE AND THEY DIDN"T!!!

There were some parts of the revival I liked; Sue Ellen telling Afton the 'worst thing my husband ever did -- was YOU!" Sue Ellen's eulogy of J.R. Josh Henderson was fine as John Ross. Julie Gonzalo was great as Pamela Rebecca; the coloring was all wrong, but she turned brunette like her aunt even tho as a toddler she was blonde like her mom.

I give them props for having Mandy and Callie back for JR's funeral, but where was Abby Ewing? Sly? Serena? (Frankly, in many ways, Serena was the woman who was best suited for J.R.; their relationship was transactional, but it worked.) And that scene-stealing Fern Fitzgerald as Marilee Stone?

Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton were glorified extras. Cliff did NOT deserve to rot in a jail cell for a crime he didn't commit. If Cidre wanted to do DALLAS, then she should have done freakin' DALLAS.

Otherwise, she may have just as well called the show A Family in Texas or Capricorn Crude; though, I think the irony of those suggested titles would have been lost on her.

by Anonymousreply 124May 18, 2021 6:46 AM

and why not bring back Roseanna Christiansen as Teresa?

the woman did 112 episodes of the original Dallas

Tony Garcia (Rauol) did 19 (maybe more) episodes of Dallas

It's not a given that they were together, but they DID go to the movies once.

by Anonymousreply 125May 18, 2021 6:56 AM

R118, Rebecca took her own middle name, Rebecca.

Sure, there was SOME continuity, but Bobby got left Southfork in the original.

by Anonymousreply 126May 18, 2021 7:01 AM

R124 = Cynthia Cidre is worth over 25 million dollars...I am sure she was thrilled a nobody like you was concerned about Digger Barnes genetic flaws.....LoL

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by Anonymousreply 127May 18, 2021 7:10 AM

Dallas and Falcon Crest were Friday night staples at our house. Where has the time gone? I'd love for one of the retro broadcast stations to recreate network schedules from certain eras, with a Thursday night airing of Knots, of course.

On my first trip to Texas, my great uncle drove me straight from the airport to the house used as Southfork in the show. I thought my little gayling heart would explode.

by Anonymousreply 128May 18, 2021 9:17 AM

R128 = I loved visiting South Fork....It was fun and the people who worked there were super friendly. I bought some Dallas magnets that are still on my fridge.

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by Anonymousreply 129May 18, 2021 10:19 AM

R127, that's great that Cidre has craploads of money and yes, I'm a big old poor nobody.

But she didn't do her homework on the show. That's a fact. And she didn't seem to care much and she doesn't have to.

I'm sure she can live comfortably knowing she didn't do a good job.

Why revive Dallas if she's not going to pay attention to the history?

Maybe if someone does a Cane revival and gets all that stuff wrong, she can just shrug and say oh, well, I have my money.

Oh and I'm sure that site you posted is accurate on her wealth, but it could use a new photo editor; the pic is of Julie Gonzalo.

She played Digger's granddaughter. You and I know that, but maybe Cynthia doesn't.

by Anonymousreply 130May 18, 2021 5:35 PM

r124 Fantastic that Priscilla Pointer is still alive.

I also agree it seems like a very much of a missed opportunity not to have brought in Bobby and Jennas son Lucas as an adult.Could have cast a hunky hollywood unknown and created much onscreen enjoyment!

by Anonymousreply 131May 19, 2021 12:49 AM

William Smithers, who played Jeremy Wendell, also still alive at 93 years of age.

by Anonymousreply 132May 20, 2021 3:23 PM

William Smithers claimed that the show wanted to make him a full time cast member. When Larry Hagman heard about it, he encouraged Smithers to have his agent make a financial demand that was too high , preventing them from promoting Smithers and leading to Jeremy Wendell being written off.

Smithers seems to feel that Hagman was threatened by the Jeremy character, who consistently had the upper hand with JR.

by Anonymousreply 133May 20, 2021 3:29 PM

R133 that would’ve been great to have Jeremy on full time. Hagman didn’t know what was best for the show during the last years. It was all about the cash. Instead we got the parade of bimbos and hillbillies.

by Anonymousreply 134May 20, 2021 8:00 PM

r133 I like Larry but that was a bit naughty of him!

by Anonymousreply 135May 21, 2021 2:07 AM

Hagman treated Donna Reed like shit also.

by Anonymousreply 136May 21, 2021 2:35 AM

I just noticed that the actor who played Punk Anderson died in 2019. Surprising given how old he already looked in the early 1980s.

by Anonymousreply 137July 6, 2021 10:55 PM

I had a white International Scout like "BOBBY!"

It was the shit.

by Anonymousreply 138July 6, 2021 11:11 PM

r136 In what way? Did he verbally abuse her for instance?

by Anonymousreply 139July 10, 2021 2:06 AM

R139 not 136 here, but the cast and the crew, with the exception of Susan Howard, never warmed to Reed. They were all very close to Barbara, who saw the show through its glory years. Donna was never going to be a clone of Barbara, so I really don’t know what they wanted. It’s almost like they held it against her for NOT being Bel Geddes. Larry didn’t verbally abuse her, but shut her out. Susan was the only one who attended Donnas funeral.

by Anonymousreply 140July 10, 2021 2:17 AM

r140 Thanks for your reply. I wonder what made Susan Howard different to the rest? Was Susan herself a bit of a black sheep or outsider among the cast so could both relate to Donna Reeds predicament and understand the wrongness about how others were towards her?

by Anonymousreply 141July 10, 2021 2:21 AM

R128, I'm a dork and will still, on occasion, watch a few Knots Landings on a Thursday night.

I'm 42 but I remember watching this in the original run and oh, how I adored Lilimae.

by Anonymousreply 142July 10, 2021 2:26 AM

R141 never heard anything about the cast having issues with Howard. She brought a lot to the show in terms of an intelligent, beautiful woman. The latter seasons could’ve used her and it was a huge mistake to fire her, especially with Principal leaving. They basically fired her because of her anti abortion stance in the dream season when she lost the Downs Syndrome baby. And she hated the dream as an excuse to get Bobby back. Howard is an rabid right winger now unfortunately.

by Anonymousreply 143July 10, 2021 2:41 AM

Yeah, Howard may be a crazy right-winger now but I agree with her views back then. Donna wouldn't have done those things.

And they really did treat Donna Reed like shit. Yes, she was miscast, but she was still part of the show and they should have treated her with some respect, instead of resenting her for not being BBG.

Hagman was the star of the show but he could be a real asshole.

by Anonymousreply 144July 10, 2021 2:53 AM

Susan Howard commented on this in an interview with Ultimate Dallas a few years ago. She said she spoke to Phil Capice when she heard about the Down's syndrome abortion storyline, and it was changed because she said Donna would be one of the 2% who didn't abort. In the following season, Leonard Katzman told her that Donna would tell Jenna to have an abortion when she was pregnant with Bobby's child. Howard said she she told him that made no sense.

by Anonymousreply 145July 10, 2021 8:51 AM

Was Wes Parmalee really Jock? I tend to think so, just finished watching this part of season 10. He passed the lie detector, his X-rays matched those of Jock, and he knew too many details about the Ewings. He only told Miss Ellie that he wasn't Jock because he could see the damage his presence was doing. This was after the scene where he met with Jeremy Wendell, who said he would use Parmalee/Jock's claim for Ewing oil to destroy the Ewings, or tie them up in lawsuits for decades.

by Anonymousreply 146July 10, 2021 3:25 PM

Intriguing thought r146

by Anonymousreply 147July 10, 2021 5:56 PM

R146 Steve Forrest was going to leave to do a TV movie, but they wrote it to where he was Jock I believe. How can x rays exactly match? Unless Forrest was going to come back at a later date, I honestly don’t know what they were thinking with this storyline. The audience reportedly hated this (me too, totally unnecessary and really disrespectful to Jim Davis), so they decided to not make him Jock. The writers probably thought if we can make an entire season a dream, the audience will buy any increasingly preposterous thing. The bad writing really crept into the show post dream season.

by Anonymousreply 148July 10, 2021 7:53 PM

Watching Season 12 and it's going downhill fast. Sue Ellen got over the death of Nicholas Pearce pretty quickly, she hasn't even mentioned him. Ray would never have sold the land on Southfork that Jock gave him, it makes no sense. Carter McKay has a bad comb over and is always wearing a hideous leather waistcoat. His annoying family is going to turn up too at some point. Bobby suddenly agrees to let JR back into Ewing Oil, even though he lost them the entire company in season 10 and almost got them sent to jail.

by Anonymousreply 149August 20, 2021 11:00 PM

Has anyone else watched Dallas: The Early Years from 1986?

I just sat through it on Youtube the other night. The ending, set in the early 1950s, is unbelievably cheesy: toddler Bobby and Pam meet at an early Ewing barbecue. It's not horrible overall, but I'm curious how others received it.

by Anonymousreply 150August 20, 2021 11:08 PM

r149 The actor who played Nicholas Pearce was gorgeous !😍😘🥰

by Anonymousreply 151August 20, 2021 11:11 PM

Nicholas Pearce had the ultimate1980s look: the hair, the shiny suits, the knitwear, the stubble! I liked his storyline with Sue Ellen, and the cliffhanger was one of the best, but at the start of the next season, it was all brushed aside. He was never mentioned again, and the bullets seemingly only grazed JR despite him being shot three times at close range. Felt like the audience was being mistreated again. There should have been a scene at the start of S11 with Sue Ellen and April where Nicholas Pearce's death was mentioned. Sometimes things move on too abruptly, like when Pam was burnt to a crisp and disappeared, and Miss Ellie declared, "Well, we'll just have to put it behind us". Lol, callous old cow.

by Anonymousreply 152August 21, 2021 10:23 AM

r152 Did they have a fallout with the actor who played Nicholas?

by Anonymousreply 153August 21, 2021 12:57 PM

I haven't heard of any falling out with the actor, Jack Scalia. I tend to think his death was always meant to be part of the cliffhanger for that season's storyline. When I saw it the first time, I remember it being a genuine jaw-dropper when he was thrown over the balcony. I think he was a better match for Sue Ellen than Don Lockwood. I found their storyline silly. I mean is JR Ewing really that well-known outside of Texas, that people would watch a movie about him?

by Anonymousreply 154August 21, 2021 3:31 PM

I remember when Pam, back with Bobby, offered to buy his and Jenna's unborn baby. Why didn't she just ask Jenna to be their maid?

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by Anonymousreply 155August 21, 2021 5:21 PM

r154 Thanks

Do we know if Linda Gray was axed or choose to leave Dallas?

by Anonymousreply 156August 21, 2021 7:18 PM

Linda Gray says it was because Sue Ellen had developed into a successful woman independent of JR and she didn't want the character to go back to drinking etc. I don't know if that's the full story, as it seems the budget was getting tighter in the later seasons.

by Anonymousreply 157August 22, 2021 9:41 AM

r157 Thanks . I thought I read or heard that Larry Hagman claimed he said to Linda she should have asked him to have a word with the bosses to increase her pay if she was unhappy?

by Anonymousreply 158August 22, 2021 12:42 PM

Reed's tenure on Dallas could have been so different if someone had shown her the 'get me the shotgun Ray' scene and said DO THAT.

Miss Ellie's breast was cut off -- not her balls.

Donna was too dainty.

by Anonymousreply 159August 22, 2021 6:28 PM

[R158] I remember reading something like that too, but I think it was about Barbara Bel Geddes being unhappy with her pay. I'm continuing to watch S12. I dislike everything about the JR/Cally storyline. But more amusing is that Jeremey Wendell told Sue Ellen about how attracted he is to her. Sue Ellen looks uncertain. She's no doubt thinking that he doesn't quite compare to Nicholas Pearce.

by Anonymousreply 160August 26, 2021 8:53 PM

I watched it once. there was a hurricane I think there was a hurricane or some kind of storm and men came in the house and took over & had Sue Ellen dress in her beauty contest bathing suit or something. I thought it was creepy.

by Anonymousreply 161August 26, 2021 9:11 PM

[R161] It's been a while since I watched that episode, it was at the very start of the series. It had a different vibe then, each episode was self-contained with no story arcs.

by Anonymousreply 162August 26, 2021 9:19 PM

In junior high, I had a paperback called 'The Ewings of Dallas' and it has a scene where it was directly stated that J.R. was taking Kristin from behind. I think there was even mention of his throbbing manhood. Shudder.

by Anonymousreply 163August 26, 2021 9:37 PM

R155 that was so ridiculous. After Bobby leaving Jenna for Pam, sure Pam, Jenna was just going to hand her baby over to you. More shit writing post dream season. Victoria got the fuck out of dodge and off that show good for her.

by Anonymousreply 164August 26, 2021 9:46 PM

R164, it made Pam so unrootable. It completely soured me on her.

And then she got burnt up.

Something similar happened with Val on Knots in the 1987-88 season. She demanded that Karen and Mack lie about the twins' paternity in a deposition, just to keep Gary from having any legal rights to them. It was petty and manipulative and I never liked that character as much after that. Damn the Lechowicks and their grudge against Joan.

by Anonymousreply 165August 26, 2021 10:20 PM

r160 Casey Denault and Nicholas Pearce were probably the sexiest guest actors in the show! Both i have lusted over at nighttime! There was another actor who played a guy who was dating Lucy early on but he was a double dealer.Cant remember his name but he was dark haired and rather dishy.

by Anonymousreply 166August 27, 2021 5:03 AM

R166 do you mean Frederic Lehne? That was the Donna Reed Ellie season.

by Anonymousreply 167August 27, 2021 8:21 AM

Hi r167 No earlier than that. I think he got engaged to Lucy when she was a teenager? The season definitely featured Barbara Bel Geddes and maybe even Jock.

by Anonymousreply 168August 27, 2021 6:09 PM

Was it the Kit Mainwaring character? I can't remember the actor's name.

by Anonymousreply 169August 27, 2021 6:52 PM

Bobby in many ways seemed too good to be true.

Heroic, not without flaws, masculine, friendly, caring dad; I loved the episode where he got instantly attached to the ranchhand's son and then took him in after the ranchhand got injured.

When he was killed off, the show was so strong; viewers really feel like they lost a friend. So, while on one hand, it was great to have him back but on the other ...all that great drama down the toilet, no every pre-dream plot point was picked up (Mark?) and then crappy writing after he returned.

Maybe the dream began when Pam woke up and saw Bobby in the shower?

by Anonymousreply 170August 27, 2021 6:54 PM

R166

Do you mean Alan Beam? He was mentioned (and lusted after) earlier in the thread.

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by Anonymousreply 171August 27, 2021 7:15 PM

Alan Beam seemed kind of gay to me. Maybe it was the stilted way he delivered his lines.

I dated a guy in the late 90s who looked and sounded like a younger Randolph Powell. Unfortunately, I had already seen Dallas and his resemblance to Alan Beam ruined it.

Give me Gary Ewing #2, Ted Shackelford. Then, not now.

by Anonymousreply 172August 27, 2021 7:29 PM

r171 Yes tysnk you very much!!

Alan Beam played by the very gorgeous Randolph Powell was who I was trying to think of!!

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by Anonymousreply 173August 27, 2021 8:58 PM

I forgot Sue Ellen fucked Ray. She's a sorry case in these early episodes, often accompanied by a boozy sax theme.

by Anonymousreply 174September 1, 2021 12:31 AM

That’s Sue Ellen’s floozy music r174. They always played it in the early years when she was about to fuck someone or fuck JR up. Several of the characters had their own instrumental theme in the early years-Bobby and Pam, Jock, Ray….Ray’s theme was my favorite.

by Anonymousreply 175September 1, 2021 2:17 AM

r124 Was it a one night stand or a brief fling? I cant recall.

by Anonymousreply 176September 1, 2021 2:18 AM

It was a one night stand r176. JR rejected her and took off into the night and she was in the Southfork driveway in her nightgown, crying. Ray drove up to deliver something and tried to comfort her and they ended up kissing and fucking.

The next day , Sue Ellen is at the pool in a bathing suit. Ray says “Hi Sue Ellen,” and she coldly responds “That’s Mrs.Ewing, Ray.” He stomps off pissed and it’s never referenced again.

That’s from the excellent season 2 episode , “Black Market Baby.” In the same episode, we also see Sue Ellen and Cliff flirt, Bobby buys Pam her black Corvette, and JR forces Sue Ellen on the bed and fucks her (a disturbing scene today). That might be the time they conceived John Ross, since we don’t see them have sex again until after JR is shot.

by Anonymousreply 177September 1, 2021 3:20 AM

Watching Season 4 now and I just saw the ep when Ray's Ewing-ness was revealed. I love how .... casual the whole thing was. A brief blackmail scene, Jock's confession to the family, Ray's expressionless acceptance.... If that storyline were written today on another show, it would drag out the whole season or longer with far more histrionics!

I wish Bobby were less of an "aw-shucks" type and a lot more hardcore. I like that he'll beat JR's ass when necessary, but his sudden power-hungry side during this season would be a lot more believable if he weren't constantly showing his damn hand. He tells JR/Jock everything! That's why JR can circle back and fuck Bobby up so often.

All in all, I'm totally enjoying this show. I was born in '76 and Dallas was a mainstay in my home on Friday nights, but I was a Dynasty kid. I loved furs and catfights, so Dallas was always something I merely tolerated. Now? I realize Dallas was definitely superior.

Despite my love of flash during my youth, my favorite character is Miss Elllie. She's got the biggest dick on that ranch. She even had JR shook. She knows what's up and usually keeps her mouth shut. But when it's important to her -- Southfork, the family, something personal -- she bosses up quick and gets 'em all together. Love Barbara Bel Geddes.

A close number two is Sue Ellen. Drunk, scheming or self-pitying, I root for that crazy bitch.

Love to hate Cliff. He's so pressed and pathetic. He eats, drinks and dreams Ewing. He should have been the Barnes to marry into the family. He and JR would have been great together.

Larry Hagman carries the show, though. I never understood his appeal when younger. But when I started my watch, there was a scene where he grinned after doing something absolutely evil and he just sold me in that moment. I got why women lined up to be in his bed. I understood why men went into business with him. I even saw why Bobby and Sue Ellen always forgave him. With deep charisma like that, you don't have to be the hottest dude.

by Anonymousreply 178September 1, 2021 4:18 PM

Was JR TV’s first popular anti hero? I watched Dallas as a kid and found him to be such a compelling character. I do t remember ever rooting for a bad guy before him.

by Anonymousreply 179September 1, 2021 4:56 PM

Cheers r177

A shame that one night stand was never explored more as an issue. Could have been tv soap dynamite.

by Anonymousreply 180September 1, 2021 5:35 PM

R175, that is totally her floozy theme! I think I heard it in 'Bypass' when she was getting drunk in the driveway and then wandered inside to parade up and down the staircase, pretending to be Lady of the Manor until Miss Ellie and Pamela catch her.

I swear TNN used to cut the Ray/Sue Ellen scenes from 'Black Market Baby.' For whatever reason, that got cut to add more commercials.

Finishing 'Double Wedding' now. They make really good use of Digger here, and I like that we get to see Digger sober and helpful in solving the mystery. Digger Barnes and Grampa Simpson = I like them both for the same reason.

'Runaway' is next. Lucy is taken hostage by a psychotic Greg Evigan. I remember this one: the crazier he gets, the more insanely fuckable he becomes.

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by Anonymousreply 181September 2, 2021 1:07 AM

r178 No mention of saintly Pam? Was she not a favorite of yours?

by Anonymousreply 182September 2, 2021 2:28 AM

Pam became such a nag!

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by Anonymousreply 183September 2, 2021 2:37 AM

R177, I was either 16 or 17 when JR and Sue Ellen had that rape scene; she does get into it when he starts kissing her neck a little bit. There were some gray areas; I love how she turned away when he went to kiss her outside; Sue Ellen was lamenting she'd never have anything playful or sweet or fun like Bobby and Pam had.

by Anonymousreply 184September 2, 2021 2:49 AM

r183 Love that scene!!

by Anonymousreply 185September 2, 2021 2:52 AM

The only thing I can say about Pam, R182, is that her body was amazing. VP was luminous. I didn't care much about Pam after the first couple of seasons. So far, she's been a driven career woman, nearly endangering her marriage to work at some tacky clothing store. Then she was heartbroken because she was afraid to carry Bobby's child due to a disease passed down by Digger (who it turns out was NOT her father). In the eps I'm watching, she just met her mother Rebecca, who pretended to not know Pam. Does the show ever address the fact that Pam can't have Digger's inherited disease? What was the reason she and Bobby had to adopt Christopher?

I'm shallow so I enjoy VP for scenery (Ted Shackelford, too, during his visits) but I don't really care about Pam the character. I find Cliff to be more interesting. Hell, Kristen is more interesting than Pam.

I enjoy spoiled Lucy more than Pam. Like a lot of people, Lucy much prefers to go after things she can't have. She's just finished stalking hottie Mitch and she just asked him to marry her. He'd tried to wiggle out of her grasp, only whetting her appetite for more. Can't wait to see how that turns out. I'm a little disappointed that Ray and Lucy didn't discuss the fact that they were fucking during the first season. Talk about awkward.

My Sue Ellen cannot catch a break. Poor Dusty died in a plane crash and took his tight jeans with him. I'd go back to drinking too.

by Anonymousreply 186September 2, 2021 4:33 AM

R166- No they were NOT. The best looking recurring character was MICKEY aka Timothy Patrick Murphy.

by Anonymousreply 187September 2, 2021 4:45 AM

Oh I must beg to differ!! r187 Those two made me very moist!!

r186 My mum used to get frustrated with Pam and say most of the time she was a very weak woman who got upset and or even cried far too easily! I think Donna was her favorite female character.

by Anonymousreply 188September 2, 2021 4:50 AM

I fucking hate Liz Craig. That is all.

However, I love Marilee Stone. Take that as you will.

by Anonymousreply 189September 2, 2021 5:33 PM

r189 Marilee could be sooo naughty!!😄

by Anonymousreply 190September 2, 2021 7:07 PM

R190, I love it because she's all church lady at first, one of Sue Ellen's friends, and then she develops into a maneater who is one of the few powerful women on Dallas. Marilee knew how to swing her dick and I approved.

I am currently watching 'Fallen Idol.' It's no 'Black Market Baby.'

by Anonymousreply 191September 2, 2021 8:43 PM

Dusty! He's alive!! Alive!!!

by Anonymousreply 192September 7, 2021 1:15 PM

I've stumbled into watching Falcon Crest from the beginning. So far, it feels closer in spirit to Knots Landing than Dallas. It's trashier and more gothic, me like.

by Anonymousreply 193September 7, 2021 8:46 PM
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