It Was All A Dream

[stevew]

What if Pam never turned around in the shower? What if they began Dallas TNT from the prospective that Pam had a mental breakdown and dreamed she saw Bobby again and everything which followed was a dream, thus the dream season was cannon again?

After the explosion, JR spent years by Sue Ellen’s side as she regained her life and he grew into the man his father had been. He also expanded the company, back into Ewing Enterprises with Ewing Oil as one subsidiary, along with the South Fork Cattle Company.

We return to Dallas in 2012:

J.R.: owns 30% of EE in trust for John Ross, as well as the South Fork house. John Ross is married to Amy Anderson and has 3 young children living in a mansion in Dallas and staying weekends and such at South Fork. He runs EE while JR is “retired.”

Bobby: Pam is in a mental institution much like Amanda, JR controls his trust with 30% of EE for Christoper. Mark was killed and Pam broke down into a catatonic and delusional state. JR bankrupted the Wentworth companies, gobbling up all the pieces. He takes care of Pam in an institution for Bobby while Cliff and Katherine rot in prison. JR and Sue Ellen raise Christopher after Pam’s breakdown as a Ewing, JR looking at him as all he has left of his brother. Christopher also looks up to JR and tries to be like him, while John Ross always backs his “brother” despite disagreeing with him in business most of the time. Chris has recently taken over as President of Ewing mining, getting into lithium and looking to create the Ewing Motor Company. He still lives at South Fork.

Gary: owns 10% of EE in a trust controlled by Lucy to benefit himself, Lucy and the twins, the premise is she has also been married several times and is now a wealthy woman on her own living in NYC.

Miss Ellie: her 10% of EE went to set up the Ellie and Clayton Farlow Foundation (along with all of Clayton’s money) and is controlled by Lucy.

Ray: moved to Virginia to ranch on his own where Donna has been Secretary of Energy and is a U.S. Senator. His 10% of EE sits in trust for Tony and Margret Krebs.

Jack: Jack and his wife died in a car crash and his daughter, Nancy Ewing, showed up in Dallas with 10% of EE and JR and Sue Ellen adopted her. She moved into South Fork and is like a sister to the boys. She has arranged to buy Ray’s shares and now wants to buy out Gary

J. Paul Wendell (Jeremy’s son) is married to Pamela Barnes (Cliff and Jamie’s daughter) and the feud is about to be rekindled.

Just an idea ……

 

[Karin Schill]

I miss the "creative" rating that we used to have. Since your idea is "creative" IMHO.

So I guess this means that Bobby is still dead?
You had me confused for a moment there when you listed "Bobby" but after reading the description several times I understood it like he was dead and this is what happened to his family.

I don't get why Cliff ended up in prison in this version. There was nothing in the dream season that indicated he'd end up there. If anything he and Jamie were happy together. Also how can he have a daughter with Jamie if Jamie died in the end of the dream season?

Poor Pam back in the nuthouse again.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

Erase all the post Bobby returns years, save for Wes Parmalee, I liked that story; hells yeah! But your premise was based soley on the return of Victoria Principal, although Margret Michaels still gotta eat...

A little too much intermingling and twisty. Wendell prided himself on having never been married.....

 

[Sarah Danner]

J. Paul Wendell (Jeremy’s son)

Jeremy was a eunuch so no son. All your other ideas I can support.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Wendell prided himself on having never been married.....

I agree with this but at the same time I do find it a little intriguing to see how a son of Wendell would’ve turned out. I would assume he’d be quite the rebellious type perhaps.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

That stupid dream business really ruined things.
Bobby Ewing is severely injured in a hit-and-run, but he survives, slipping into a coma instead of dying. The incident happens in much the same way: he pushes Pam out of danger, taking the full impact of the car. He’s rushed to the hospital and stabilized, but remains unconscious. Doctors warn the family that he may never wake up. The driver is never identified, and suspicion lingers heavily over the entire season.


Rather than relying on dream sequences or internal fantasy, the narrative stays grounded. Bobby becomes a silent witness to the world moving on without him. His hospital room becomes a quiet confessional and battleground, as characters—especially J.R. and Pam—visit him regularly.


Pam’s visits are raw and confessional. She tells Bobby how much she misses him, keeps him informed on what's happening at Southfork, and slowly begins to unravel emotionally under the weight of guilt and grief. She feels like she failed him. She questions whether she's strong enough to wait indefinitely.


J.R., on the other hand, treats Bobby’s comatose state like he’s just asleep. He talks to him as if he were still there, ranting about business deals, politics, and family problems. Occasionally, he speaks as though he’s talking to their father, Jock, recalling advice or trying to make sense of his own increasingly fractured choices. These moments are some of the most vulnerable for J.R.—a man who rarely admits he needs anyone, now talking to his silent brother for guidance, or maybe even forgiveness.


Clues begin to emerge that Bobby’s hit-and-run may not have been an accident. A side arc follows Ray and Donna uncovering strange connections to land deals, while Cliff Barnes starts acting increasingly cagey, though his involvement remains ambiguous. Was it business-related? Revenge? Or something far more personal?


Meanwhile, the Ewing family becomes increasingly divided in Bobby’s absence. The vacuum of his moral compass is felt deeply. Power struggles erupt. Loyalties shift. The shadow of Bobby lies over it all.


Season Finale Twist:
In the final moments of the season, J.R. is alone in Bobby’s room late at night. He’s drinking, emotionally frayed, rambling about how he "tried to do what was best" and that "this family is rotten without you, Bob." He stands, mutters one final thing—"I need you to come back now, little brother…"—and turns to leave.


Then, Bobby opens his eyes.

FREEZE FRAME

 

[Rove]

Bobby Ewing is severely injured in a hit-and-run, but he survives

I really like your ideas...just one problem. Patrick was adamant he was done and dusted with Dallas. He wasn't returning and this is why the world witnessed one of the most harrowing scenes on the small screens.

Your synopsis is based on the idea Patrick was happy to continue his role and receive a pay cheque while lying in hospital accepting confessionals. Personally I'd be demanding a bigger pay cheque. If it was agreed between the producers and Patrick he required a break then your story for this season works really well especially if it allowed the delicious and wicked Katherine Wentworth to loom large.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

I really like your ideas...just one problem. Patrick was adamant he was done and dusted with Dallas. He wasn't returning and this is why the world witnessed one of the most harrowing scenes on the small screens.

Your synopsis is based on the idea Patrick was happy to continue his role and receive a pay cheque while lying in hospital accepting confessionals. Personally I'd be demanding a bigger pay cheque. If it was agreed between the producers and Patrick he required a break then your story for this season works really well especially if it allowed the delicious and wicked Katherine Wentworth to loom large.

No, not at all. Bobby would be in the background, just in case Patrick was wanted back. IF they felt he wasn't needed back, Bobby is recast or dies. Hell, I bet there were bets in the offices of Lorimar that Duffy will be back.

 

[RachelBixby]

That stupid dream business really ruined things.
Bobby Ewing is severely injured in a hit-and-run, but he survives, slipping into a coma instead of dying. The incident happens in much the same way: he pushes Pam out of danger, taking the full impact of the car. He’s rushed to the hospital and stabilized, but remains unconscious. Doctors warn the family that he may never wake up. The driver is never identified, and suspicion lingers heavily over the entire season.


Rather than relying on dream sequences or internal fantasy, the narrative stays grounded. Bobby becomes a silent witness to the world moving on without him. His hospital room becomes a quiet confessional and battleground, as characters—especially J.R. and Pam—visit him regularly.


Pam’s visits are raw and confessional. She tells Bobby how much she misses him, keeps him informed on what's happening at Southfork, and slowly begins to unravel emotionally under the weight of guilt and grief. She feels like she failed him. She questions whether she's strong enough to wait indefinitely.


J.R., on the other hand, treats Bobby’s comatose state like he’s just asleep. He talks to him as if he were still there, ranting about business deals, politics, and family problems. Occasionally, he speaks as though he’s talking to their father, Jock, recalling advice or trying to make sense of his own increasingly fractured choices. These moments are some of the most vulnerable for J.R.—a man who rarely admits he needs anyone, now talking to his silent brother for guidance, or maybe even forgiveness.


Clues begin to emerge that Bobby’s hit-and-run may not have been an accident. A side arc follows Ray and Donna uncovering strange connections to land deals, while Cliff Barnes starts acting increasingly cagey, though his involvement remains ambiguous. Was it business-related? Revenge? Or something far more personal?


Meanwhile, the Ewing family becomes increasingly divided in Bobby’s absence. The vacuum of his moral compass is felt deeply. Power struggles erupt. Loyalties shift. The shadow of Bobby lies over it all.


Season Finale Twist:
In the final moments of the season, J.R. is alone in Bobby’s room late at night. He’s drinking, emotionally frayed, rambling about how he "tried to do what was best" and that "this family is rotten without you, Bob." He stands, mutters one final thing—"I need you to come back now, little brother…"—and turns to leave.


Then, Bobby opens his eyes.

FREEZE FRAME

All of this is compelling and makes so much sense that it makes me angry the show didn't just do this! In one episode, they destroyed the credibility and good will they had built over many years.