Dallas Character Dallas After Pam

[Angela Chilling]

Whenever I re-watch Dallas, I always stop at the end of season 10 when Pam drives her car into the oil tanker. I do this not because I particularly miss Pam but because I don't think there was a single compelling storyline in any of the subsequent seasons. The introduction of lame characters like April, James, "Little Miss Tight Skirt", Cally and the entire Mackay clan didn't help matters either.

My question is: do you think there were any strong storylines in the series after season 10? The only one that I think comes close to being described as strong was JR's attempted takeover of Westar in season 11 but even this was weak compared with the plots of Dallas in it's heyday.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

Season 10 was also the last season we saw the core main cast and characters on the series, afterwards there was a mass exodus of half the Ewing family colonising Europe.

Season 10 for all its faults and flaws, still had a great storyline with BD Calhoun; a character who would've been a great threatening, recurring presence in the final half decade of the series, Pam and Bobby were back together for one last time, and overall I think of season 10 as a trip down memory lane to the shows glorious past, albeit repetitive like season 8 was, but I also still pinpoint that season as to when it all fell apart and I think the series should've ended there with Pam saying she's pregnant and she and Bobby decide to leave Dallas for a new start elsewhere.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Thank you for starting this topic!
We also have to remember that the very premise of the show (at least the mini-series) was Bobby marrying Pam and bringing her (That Barnes Woman!) into the Ewing home.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Despite Pam's absence, I find that Season 11 (per DVD count) is the last time DALLAS feels like DALLAS, albeit an obviously weakening one.

My problem with the remaining four years after Pam is gone is not so much the storylines on paper, but the tone, details and execution. Season 11 is acceptable, but Pam's exit is swept away under the pretense that Bobby is "sensitive" about it, as a way of the show just not dealing with it. To me, this cries out for a lengthy, background plot in which Pam's disappearance becomes a bit of a mystery, and one which Cliff takes a while to get Bobby to become engaged with. Jack Scalia's mafia story is perfectly acceptable (despite the rather bourgeois suggestion that an oil family as powerful as the Ewings would be so cowed by mobsters) but the plot takes up a disproportionate amount of screen time that season.

The next year, the Ewing boys so easily whisking Jeremy Wendell off to prison is stupid. And then Bobby quickly agreeing to Miss Ellie's living room suggestion that he take on Cliff at Ewing Oil isn't even met with any dramatic pause.

Add to that, the increasing campy tone, and it just isn't Our Dallas anymore.

There were ways to do many of the stories they did in the closing seasons without the sloppy dumbness which marked them.

 

[Rove]

My DVD collection ends with "Swan Song", when Bobby flatlines. I have no need to continue with Dallas after this point only because of the dreaded Dream Season, a season which we're meant to forget anyway since none of it matters. Then the reset button is pushed only to see Pam slam into the tanker. For a character that was central to the story it was an appalling way to end Pam's tenure with Dallas. After her exit not one story had me excited. It stumbled from one horrid story into another.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Pam was IMHO the most essential member of the Dallas cast and when she left, so did much of the shows back history and on screen dynamics

She was the central and key piece of the Dallas jigsaw

The link to Digger, Cliff, The Barnes family in general and their hatred of Jock, JR, the Digger / Miss Ellie history, Bobby V his family storylines - it all came together because of Pam Ewing

Something died on the show when she left, and it was never the same show again

Pam should have died in the tanker explosion, no mummy Pam, or second rate look alike appearance as Pam later on in the show

As proven with BBG who was Ellie, no one else, the same can be said for Victoria Principal, she was perfect Pam, and by the mid 80s it was VP who took most of the Dallas headlines in the press and coverage of her outstripped her co stars in terms of publicity by a very large margin. It was like she could do no wrong

And then she left and i so admire her for leaving - she was a smart cookie - and it was the beginning of a slow decline to what would become dire in its final season when no one was left that mattered except JR, Bob and Cliff. She jumped ship at the right time and i can see why some people dont watch beyond her exit, I do as BBG was still there albeit less than before, (but good enough for me) but it was a different show without her (sadly)

When i think of classic Dallas and storylines, i think of mini series to S6 original

After Pam left, there is nothing that stands out.

 

[Ms Southworth]

Like @Rove, my DVD collection ends at "Swansong". (And Bobby doesn't die ... ...)!

After "Swansong", it was pretty much a mix of a season long dream, terrible and/or uninteresting storylines, and an extensive list of bad characters, whom the writers/producers thought would be able to replace Pam, Donna, Miss Ellie, etc. (... yeah, right ...!!! )

"Dallas" should have been "wrapped up" nicely when Patrick Duffy decided to leave! When PD gave his notice, they had an entire season to tie up storylines and make sure that "Dallas" got to go out on top! Thus, the potential was there to give "Dallas" the grand ending that not only the show, the characters, the actors/actresses, but also the fans deserved!

 

[Angela Chilling]

Like @Rove, my DVD collection ends at "Swansong". (And Bobby doesn't die ... ...)!

After "Swansong", it was pretty much a mix of a season long dream, terrible and/or uninteresting storylines, and an extensive list of bad characters, whom the writers/producers thought would be able to replace Pam, Donna, Miss Ellie, etc. (... yeah, right ...!!! )

"Dallas" should have been "wrapped up" nicely when Patrick Duffy decided to leave! When PD gave his notice, they had an entire season to tie up storylines and make sure that "Dallas" got to go out on top! Thus, the potential was there to give "Dallas" the grand ending that not only the show, the characters, the actors/actresses, but also the fans deserved!

Although I agree that overall Dallas went downhill after Swansong, I still think the following 2 seasons had a couple of memorable storylines. For example, I really like Sue Ellen on skid row and her battle with alcoholism in season 9 and the Wes Parmalee storyline in season 10 is one of my favourites from any season. However, it's really hard for me to think of a single standout storyline from season 11 onwards.

 

[Willywill316]

The range war when Carter MacKay bought Ray and Donna's home was intriguing to me, but yes there wasn't much past about half way into the season after Pam died once Bobby realized she was gone for good.

 

[Victoriafan3]

Pam was IMHO the most essential member of the Dallas cast and when she left, so did much of the shows back history and on screen dynamics

She was the central and key piece of the Dallas jigsaw

The link to Digger, Cliff, The Barnes family in general and their hatred of Jock, JR, the Digger / Miss Ellie history, Bobby V his family storylines - it all came together because of Pam Ewing

Something died on the show when she left, and it was never the same show again

Pam should have died in the tanker explosion, no mummy Pam, or second rate look alike appearance as Pam later on in the show

As proven with BBG who was Ellie, no one else, the same can be said for Victoria Principal, she was perfect Pam, and by the mid 80s it was VP who took most of the Dallas headlines in the press and coverage of her outstripped her co stars in terms of publicity by a very large margin. It was like she could do no wrong

And then she left and i so admire her for leaving - she was a smart cookie - and it was the beginning of a slow decline to what would become dire in its final season when no one was left that mattered except JR, Bob and Cliff. She jumped ship at the right time and i can see why some people dont watch beyond her exit, I do as BBG was still there albeit less than before, (but good enough for me) but it was a different show without her (sadly)

When i think of classic Dallas and storylines, i think of mini series to S6 original

After Pam left, there is nothing that stands out.

Here here! Beautifully said BF

 

[Rove]

In an odd way Pam echoes the short life of Princess Diana. She marries the bachelor Prince Bobby. Now I understand Bobby was in love with Pam but he knew that marrying Pam was going against the wishes of his parents. Princess Pam then enters that wasp of a family led by Prince Jock, stodgy and old fashioned in many ways. Queen Miss Ellie tends to her duties by attending charitable events with assistance from her daughter-in-law, Princess Sue Ellen, the ever dutiful wife of King in waiting, Prince JR. Poor Princess Pam is left at the Castle (Southfork) to wander the empty halls, fulfilling her days reading fashion magazines. She awaits her Prince Charming to return from another trip, shelling out Ewing money to get people on-side.

Princess Pam is pushing hard for Prince Bobby to take a real interest in Ewing Oil which of course irks Prince JR. He doesn't like how Princess Pam is changing the dynamics of the family and schemes to be rid of her. Princess Pam resists and continues to drag the Ewing family out of there inward looking view on life and people.

As time moves we witness the first fractures in the fairy-tale romance between Prince Bobby and Princess Pam. They separate and have adulteress affairs. It would seem all is lost until they discover each other again only for Princess Pam to die tragically and the world mourns.

Well, it doesn't quite mirror exactly how Pam reflects Princess Diana but I'm fascinated how the Ewing family mirrors that British family, The Windsors.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Or perhaps it's April who mirrors Princess Diana -- killed in Paris, after a phony relationship with an older guy.

Pam would be like Camilla: the slightly older woman Bobby really loved and whom relied (or should have relied) heavily on plastic surgery and cosmetics. Except that Camilla isn't dead, and Pam may still be Margaret Michaels, so we just don't know.



April, killed in France by the MI5... Or maybe the MI6, depending on whether you count the miniseries as a season...

 

[Rove]

Something died on the show when she left, and it was never the same show again

I agree. I believe Dallas suffered greatly from Pam's exist, more so than Bobby's death. When that occurred it was exactly what Dallas needed, a seismic shift to push the stories further. Bobby's death (much like Jock's) would have been felt for the next few seasons, even if Victoria continued with her resignation. I thought the writers were on track when the season returns without Bobby. The rightful Miss Ellie had returned, the reading of Bobby's Will had set in motion a chain of events which I still believe is exactly where Dallas was heading, the ultimate grudge match between JR and Pam.

Unfortunately it all came to naught. Leonard Katzman had created one of the worst characters ever to grace our television screens, Angelica Nero. The behind the scenes men's club, led by Larry himself believed the show was suffering from the loss of Bobby (Patrick) and so set in motion one of the most ridiculous stories in television history...all bets were off to get Bobby back from the dead. Larry desperately wanted to rekindle his bromance, never mind the reaction from the viewing public. I'm the King of television and everyone should kneel before me.

The funny thing? JR (The King) inevitable lost his Crown as his subjects walked away, disillusioned.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

I suppose I'm one of the few who doesn't think the show really became less than interesting until after Sue Ellen left. The final two seasons have their moments but for the most part are full of randoms pretending to be somebodies. I did enjoy most stuff up to that point though and it always strikes me as so abrupt when people say they stop watching after Bobby "dies" or Pam's accident.

Clearly jmo :forgive:

 

[Ms Southworth]

I suppose I'm one of the few who doesn't think the show really became less than interesting until after Sue Ellen left. The final two seasons have their moments but for the most part are full of randoms pretending to be somebodies. I did enjoy most stuff up to that point though and it always strikes me as so abrupt when people say they stop watching after Bobby "dies" or Pam's accident.

Clearly jmo :forgive:

Good for you, @Miss Texas 1967! And certainly no need to forgive!

I watched the entire series the first time around! For many years, I watched "Dallas" episodes on old and quite worn out VCR tapes. However, I only watched past "Swan Song" on a few occasions. Looking back, I clearly was not as emotionally "invested" after "Swansong", because the unique "Dallas" magic (IMO) had disappeared.

Thus, when the DVD collections were released, I knew exactly which seasons to buy! :danc: (And no, I don't find it "abrupt" to stop at "Swan Song", because I let my imagination take over as to what happened next!)

 

[Ms Southworth]

Pam was IMHO the most essential member of the Dallas cast and when she left, so did much of the shows back history and on screen dynamics

She was the central and key piece of the Dallas jigsaw

The link to Digger, Cliff, The Barnes family in general and their hatred of Jock, JR, the Digger / Miss Ellie history, Bobby V his family storylines - it all came together because of Pam Ewing

You said it perfectly, @Barbara Fan!

 

[Rove]

I to watched the first series run in its entirety, though sometimes you had to drag me to the television to watch those final years, especially after Pam burst into flames. For whatever reason Warner Bros. Australia stopped releasing Dallas on DVD at Swan Song. Ironic when I think about it because I cannot bring myself to purchase the remaining years.

 

[Ms Southworth]

Or perhaps it's April who mirrors Princess Diana -- killed in Paris, after a phony relationship with an older guy.

Uhh ... ... how can you even think of mentioning her in the same sentence as the People's Princess?

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Uhh ... ... how can you even think of mentioning her in the same sentence as the People's Princess?

Oh, you're right. April wasn't such a ho.

 

[Michael Torrance]

When i think of classic Dallas and storylines, i think of mini series to S6 original

That is what I think as well. The plotting was very tight in these seasons. focused on the main characters, and these characters were consistent.