Opinions Of The Barnes/Wentworth Family.

[Jabari Lamar]

Yeah, that Rebecca Wentworth really was an a-hole, wasn't she? Screwed over all three of her children, in different ways. Abandoned Cliff and Pam when they were children, and then tried to make up for it as an adult by giving them access to Katherine's rightful inheritance. What a b***h.

 

[Chris2]

Morgan Brittany was marvelous as Katherine. The whole two-faced angle was wonderful and I don’t think they milked it enough. When Brittany left to do Aaron Spelling’s “Glitter,” they ruined her character by making her a psychopath. So they could never really use her again in a significant way. What a mistake.

I also wish they had touched more on Pam and Cliff inheriting money that Katherine’s father had made. I think that was fundamentally unfair.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

I think one of the reasons most DALLAS fans are fond of Digger, Rebecca and Katherine as characters is because none of them stuck around too long. The writers of DALLAS weren't great at repurposing or extending secondary characters. If those characters had lingered longer, we'd likely now be complaining about how they were "ruined".

I never complained about a character sticking around too long IF they were used well. Pam should never have been let go, recasting her character should have been done considering the mess with Duffy. Digger served his purpose, but Katherine and Rebecca definitely left too soon. Katherine was abused basically, it should have been a mystery as to who shot Bobby and of course, Bobby's death should never have happened.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

I believe the series began as a simple "Romeo & Juliet" saga - retold in Texas - and those early seasons' stories used the shows' entire canvas of characters to bring the Barnes/Ewing feud to life - but once "JR" became a breakout character - the "family" feud quickly devolved into various "JR vs. Cliff" battles - especially once "Jock" and "Digger" were killed off and it was revealed that "Pam" didn't belong to "Digger" (with Hutch McKinney being Pam's bio-father).

It's for certain that the feud had lost much of it's creative fuel - about the time Victoria Principal exited the series.

The best way to have rekindled that "Barnes vs. Ewing" fire?

It could have been "Cliff" - instead of "Ray" - who eventually married the beyond bitter Jenna Wade - a move that would have meant that a "Barnes" was the gatekeeper to a "Ewing" - little baby "Lucas" - and in weaponizing that baby - actually legally adopting the child as a "Barnes" - "Cliff" would have real power over Bobby and Miss Ellie and maybe even JR - especially - if it was revealed that all "Ewing" grandchildren were to be given equal ownership of "Southfork" in Miss Ellie's will - she being steadfast that "Lucas" would certainly have his birth-right - just like her other grandchildren - "Barnes" now or not.

Imagine the TNT series - that had included a handsome, smart and somewhat smarmy "Lucas Barnes" character - causing major upset to "John Ross" and also making "Christopher" to feel even more like an outsider? Including "Lucas" would have been another way to maintain the balance of story in favor of the "Ewings" instead of the "Rylands".

YES! Very good. Jenna was a wasted of space after Bobby went back to Pam, however briefly it was. Her being pissed, Cliff swoops in.... bam. Even better, since the baby was biologically Bobby's, equal legal ownership to Ewing Oil... something JR would not have....maybe JR knew the kid belonged to Bobby, but no one else did.... Jenna was silent, once again.....
The TNT sequel series should have set up a better conflict. Rebecca just wasn't that big of deal. Lucas vs. Christopher vs John Ross....

 

[Jock's Ghost]

Morgan Brittany was marvelous as Katherine. The whole two-faced angle was wonderful and I don’t think they milked it enough. When Brittany left to do Aaron Spelling’s “Glitter,” they ruined her character by making her a psychopath. So they could never really use her again in a significant way. What a mistake.

I also wish they had touched more on Pam and Cliff inheriting money that Katherine’s father had made. I think that was fundamentally unfair.

Technically that is true, but all the money did belong to Rebecca to do with as she pleased, but yeah, it is a tad unfair that should have been exploited more. Katherine hating Cliff was a start, but making her crazy was too easy and uninteresting. Once Pamela slapped her silly and Cliff nearly lost his company, Katherine should have been corporate monster....

 

[Jock's Ghost]

I agree that they could have written Katherine better than she did. Not obsessed over Bobby and bedding JR. She had every right to resent her mother bringing Cliff into her father's company and then in her will gives Cliff and Pamela a third of a company that they have no right to and should be completely Katherine's. They should have made Katherine a powerhouse of her own and not make her a joke like with Holly Harwood. She should have challenged her mother's will.

As for Cliff and Pamela, there should have been more Barnes to compete with the Ewings and Pamela not being Digger's biological daughter was a twist but not one that I liked either. I liked the David vs Golitath aspect with Cliff versus the Ewings and it was a shame the writers made Cliff a loser later on.

The did the same to JR which made no sense. Why is that interesting? NO one likes losers, we like seeing losers become winners, winners slightly losing, but always bouncing back. Not sure why Hagman didn't pick up on this and object.

 

[Billy Wall]

The did the same to JR which made no sense. Why is that interesting? NO one likes losers, we like seeing losers become winners, winners slightly losing, but always bouncing back. Not sure why Hagman didn't pick up on this and object.

They did not do the same thing to JR. Not even close.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

Katherine battling her siblings for the rest of her inheritance should have been the catalyst for a Wentworth JR.
Blaming them for the death of their mother.

 

[Billy Wall]

Katherine battling her siblings for the rest of her inheritance should have been the catalyst for a Wentworth JR.
Blaming them for the death of their mother.

I missed it in earlier re-watches, but she did say it was unfair for Pam and Cliff to get an inheritance from her father’s empire.

 

[Snowcat]

Well I suppose you have to put everything down to Digger's drunkenness and bitterness - all the hate flows from them and poisoned his and his families' minds.

Ellie chose Jock over Digger because Southfork needed saving and Digger was a drunk and wasted all his money = he blamed Jock for everything, never for one second taking any self accountability.

Later, when Cliff came along digger brainwashed him to his truth not THE truth.

Rebecca was most definitely the worst woman ever to be seen in Dallas. She left her children with a murdering drunk, slept her way to money, lied to her daughter's face about being her mum, bought her money obsessed son before dumping him and then bought him again. Then after having him nearly die she pushes him into a further battle with J.R when she could have dealt with him herself.

Cliff started off as a character who just wanted his daddy to have what he thought he deserved,but his hate and loathing for the Ewings just saw no bounds. He would be down and beaten but still pushed on, not least when he blackmailed Sly to get Ewing Oil info. Yes J.R did bad things to cliff and warned him over and over again not to cross him, but Cliff was like a lemming....he just couldn't stop himself and eventually turned from a wonderful, fully rounded character into a man with not many redeeming features at all. I won't even mention TNT because that was NOT Cliff Barnes.

Pam was OK - thought she was a bit of a cow to leave Bobby and taking her son, flying around Europe with Mark Grayson and then getting all funny about what Bobby was up to with katherine. I also really didn't like it when she gave out to Bobby when she was doing far worse and couldn't see it.

And then Katherine....basically forgotten by her own mother, walked over by Cliff and Pam, and then Pam and Cliff, who her mother has only known for a year or so take away most of her money, property and businesses. It's no wonder she went a bit ming mong really is it.

But all the troubles with the Barnes lay with Digger & Rebecca...the buck stops with them for lying about their pasts and not owning their mistakes.

Said perfectly. Jock did not hate Digger the way Digger hated him. Digger took responsibility for nothing & blamed Jock for everything. Rebecca’s death was not JR’s fault. It was the Barnes obsession with him. I also didn’t like the way Rebecca fired Cliff. He wasn’t embezzling. He was fooled & irresponsible but it wasn’t malicious. I loved Cliff & Pam’s relationship. Pam was the only person who truly understood Cliff. I have a very difficult time with the way Pam’s story ended. When I hear her talk about how much she loves Bobby & Christopher. She tells Bobby she’ll never leave him. It’s hard to watch. I can’t believe she could do that to them. The writers really ruined her. I’m glad she wasn’t in the reboot. Can you imagine if she would have been alive all of these years & never contacted them? Katherine was a bit psycho from the beginning. I understood how she felt about her mom giving Cliff so much power in her father’s company. But she had no reason to hate Pam so much. She literally was obsessed with Bobby in a fatal attraction. Also, Katherine had no bond with Pam & Cliff. There is was no love that made her feel conflicted her like there was between Pam & Cliff and JR & Bobby. Both sets of siblings had plenty of fighting but the love was strong and real

 

[Snowcat]

I think one of the reasons most DALLAS fans are fond of Digger, Rebecca and Katherine as characters is because none of them stuck around too long. The writers of DALLAS weren't great at repurposing or extending secondary characters. If those characters had lingered longer, we'd likely now be complaining about how they were "ruined".

You could be right. I was annoyed with Rebecca reviving the feud because she didn’t care about Pam at first. I’m glad she eventually did calm down for Pam. I never liked Katherine. She came across as two-faced & manipulative from the beginning

 

[Snowcat]

I never complained about a character sticking around too long IF they were used well. Pam should never have been let go, recasting her character should have been done considering the mess with Duffy. Digger served his purpose, but Katherine and Rebecca definitely left too soon. Katherine was abused basically, it should have been a mystery as to who shot Bobby and of course, Bobby's death should never have happened.

Yes, Pam should have either died or been recast

 

[Chris2]

I wish Jock and Digger had stuck around long enough to bury the hatchet. There a scene in an early episode where Jock is making some nasty comment about Digger, and Ellie chastises him, “Jock! Digger was your business partner and your friend. I still like to think of him as a friend.”

 

[Billy Wall]

I also didn’t like the way Rebecca fired Cliff. He wasn’t embezzling. He was fooled & irresponsible but it wasn’t malicious.

It certainly was embezzlement. It doesn’t matter if he was fooled, Cliff was taking Wentworth funds and using it for his own personal gain. Like Rebecca said, if it was anybody else, she’d have every right to call the state department.

 

[Toni]

It certainly was embezzlement. It doesn’t matter if he was fooled, Cliff was taking Wentworth funds and using it for his own personal gain. Like Rebecca said, if it was anybody else, she’d have every right to call the state department.

If I had been Cliff, I´d have told her, well, you bigamist weren´t even legally married to that Wentworth so you should go back to the gutter where you belong. Oh and your daughter dearest Katherine, among other things, is illegitimate (=bastard). So take your threats and shove them!

"I´m what? Repeat it if you dare you disgusting worm!
You little puppet with a Barbie doll as a girlfriend!"​

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I never complained about a character sticking around too long IF they were used well. Pam should never have been let go, recasting her character should have been done considering the mess with Duffy. Digger served his purpose, but Katherine and Rebecca definitely left too soon. Katherine was abused basically, it should have been a mystery as to who shot Bobby and of course, Bobby's death should never have happened.

It was a pity in a way that they never did A Who Shot Cliff storyline because Katherine would have been the obvious choice to have done it.

I suppose that's why they didn't.

The only time we came close to it is when Dandy Dandridge played by Bert Remsen tried to shoot him.

 

[Billy Wall]

It was a pity in a way that they never did A Who Shot Cliff storyline because Katherine would have been the obvious choice to have done it.

I suppose that's why they didn't.

The only time we came close to it is when Dandy Dandridge played by Bert Remsen tried to shoot him.

I was just thinking about this the other day. If Katherine was going to try to kill someone, it should have been Cliff. He embezzles money from her father’s company. He’s partly to blame for her mom’s death. He gets a portion of her inheritance that he AND Pam didn’t deserve.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I was just thinking about this the other day. If Katherine was going to try to kill someone, it should have been Cliff. He embezzles money from her father’s company. He’s partly to blame for her mom’s death. He gets a portion of her inheritance that he AND Pam didn’t deserve.

Well she did try to incriminate him over shooting Bobby.

She planted the gun which shot him in Cliff's apartment. Hoping that would be enough to get rid of both of them but didn't bank on Cliff having an alibi which would show he was elsewhere at the time of the shooting. He was having drinks and erm other things with Mandy Winger at the time of Bobby's shooting.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

I was just thinking about this the other day. If Katherine was going to try to kill someone, it should have been Cliff. He embezzles money from her father’s company. He’s partly to blame for her mom’s death. He gets a portion of her inheritance that he AND Pam didn’t deserve.

Also, when he is named Oil Man of the Year, he doesn't mention Katherine in his speech. She was the one who pushed for the use of the Tundra Torque (albeit, she did it for Bobby), which was instrumental in Cliff"s success.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Also, when he is named Oil Man of the Year, he doesn't mention Katherine in his speech. She was the one who pushed for the use of the Tundra Torque (albeit, she did it for Bobby), which was instrumental in Cliff"s success.

One of Cliff's vices was his selfishness and lack of appreciation for other people.

Of course this all stemmed back to the Barnes Ewing feud and his need to be a better Oil Man than JR.