"Good" character who wasn't so good.

[Jimmy Todd]

Only true in some cases. It certainly wasn't well written to have JR act completely out of character the way he did from Season 11 onwards. And part of Season 10.

That's a very good point, @Sarah. Imho, the writers in season 6 skillfully presented Bobby as so drained and confused by the events surrounding Jock's will that it for the character at that time to not be as judgemental and appalled by Holly's actions as he may have been a season or two earlier. Patrick Duffy, of course, deserves praise for his strong performance
JR in season 10 and 11 was definitely not written well and true to his character at that time. There was not one thing believable about his marriage to Cally. The scene in which that Hallsville sheriff came to JR's and threatened him? ? ??? Nothing in the writing made that scene convincing. It's possible that a more skillful writer could create events that would lead to JR having the reaction he did, but that didn't happen.
It makes me have more respect for the writers and directors of Dallas and Knots Landing at their peak. Being a good writing is not for the faint of heart.

 

[Canuck21]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but which character(s) in the four 1980s prime time soaps who was considered one of the ostensibly morally "good" characters, was, uh, not so much, in your opinion?
I'd put Jeff from Dynasty in that category, mainly for his treatment of Kirby.

Jeff has his flaws and could have treated Kirby better, but as a whole I think he's a good person. I just finished watching season 4 and I gotta say, Kirby was extremely annoying. She's a pathetically weak character that is hard for me sympathize. I understand why Jeff got fed up of her after awhile. Sure his reaction to her being raped wasn't good, but he was mad and couldn't believe that she had kept it a secret for so long. It was a reaction that I kind of understand a little. At least he admitted that he shouldn't have married Kirby. She was in fact a rebound.

Jeff was an ass (or "arse") to anybody who lacked status. But DYNASTY didn't address such things.
(

I don't remember Jeff ever being rude to someone specifically because the person lacked status. Jeff can lash out when under stressed, but he doesn't do it on purpose based on the person.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Jeff was very impatient with Kirby regarding her father's suicide. He commented to Krystle that Kirby needed to get over it mere days after Joseph's demise. Krystle should have said? "You miserable bitch," punched him into the lily pond and jumped in after him and given him a good thrashing. That would've fixed his wagon.

 

[Canuck21]

Jeff was very impatient with Kirby regarding her father's suicide. He commented to Krystle that Kirby needed to get over it mere days after Joseph's demise. Krystle should have said? "You miserable bitch," punched him into the lily pond and jumped in after him and given him a good thrashing. That would've fixed his wagon.

That was insensitive yes, but he was already annoyed by Kirby way before so it doesn't take much for someone to be insensitive towards people we already are annoyed with. Kirby is the most pathetic character on Dynasty, I would have a short fuse with her too.

 

[lbf522]

On Falcon Crest, there was Cole who slept with Melissa not long after his wife's death which made it hard to have any use for him.