The absurdity of JR.

[kenneth]

His thought process is so out there sometimes - completely detached from how real people behave, that I wonder how others make sense of it.

One example is him genuinely expecting that news of Jenna's pregnancy to make Bobby cancel his wedding to Pam and just slot Jenna in as the new bride — like it was a casting change, not a life decision. Do you see this as J.R. being delusional, or is it just part of his ends-justify-the-means worldview?

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

His thought process is so out there sometimes - completely detached from how real people behave

in some ways, sure, but… “could never please hardass self-made father so resorted to charismatic cruelness and womanizing as compensation for feelings of masculine inadequacy” isn’t exactly something we don’t see in today’s world..

His thought process is so out there sometimes - completely detached from how real people behave, that I wonder how others make sense of it.

One example is him genuinely expecting that news of Jenna's pregnancy to make Bobby cancel his wedding to Pam and just slot Jenna in as the new bride — like it was a casting change, not a life decision. Do you see this as J.R. being delusional, or is it just part of his ends-justify-the-means worldview?

I think that one was just funny!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

His thought process is so out there sometimes - completely detached from how real people behave, that I wonder how others make sense of it.

One example is him genuinely expecting that news of Jenna's pregnancy to make Bobby cancel his wedding to Pam and just slot Jenna in as the new bride — like it was a casting change, not a life decision. Do you see this as J.R. being delusional, or is it just part of his ends-justify-the-means worldview?

Well, he's clever in terms of strategy, but, like most sociopathically-inclined people, he's self-destructive (if only because he'll later go to Hell -- which I hear totally sucks) and lives in the bubble that is his selfish, narcissistic head.

Also, his calling Jenna and expecting she & Bobby to now turn Pam's wedding into Jenna's wedding -- without even a change in the dinner menu -- is just J.R.'s way of saying "eff you!" and laughing at everybody.

It's not rational. It's J.R.'s capricious delight.

 

[Mustard]

It must have been a bit scandalous in 1980s Texas to get a woman pregnant and then marry another woman. Bobby is a defiant character though, especially when it comes to his personal stuff.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

JR may have thought he could take advantage of Bobby's strong sense of honor, the highly emotional situation and that the preacher or judge is right there. I can see JR's thinking he might as well seize the moment, crazier things have happened, and at the very least having Bobby's pregnant ex-girlfriend show up will totally ruin the day for Pam.
I love the idea of this thread, and it has me thinking what other things JR has done that were absurd. There was a part of JR that always seemed to find so much of life amusing and he probably would embrace the absurdities of life.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

this is right in line with how he reacted when Bobby confronted him with Lucy’s fiancée Kit Mainwaring being gay, which JR of course already knew.

“Lucy? What’s Lucy got to do with this?” or something like that..

I think JR was aware that that was a ridiculous thing to say and was amusing himself just a bit along with stating his pro-business-at-all-costs position.

these were two of the favorites of Lastkidpicked, whom I haven’t seen around here in a while

 

[CeeCee72]

To JR,most people (especially women) we objects - like chess pieces to be moved around for his own purposes/enjoyment. That view frequently made him do absurd things and react to situations in absurd ways.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I liked J.R.’s absurdity. It fit the character and it made things a lot more interesting. Sometimes his absurdity backfired, like trying to use his own mother as a shield to kidnap his son. Other times it worked, like mortgaging Southfork to finance a deal. Either way, without the absurdity it wouldn’t have been the same J.R. for me. It was part of his appeal.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

what were those safari suits if not a statement of abject absurdity?

 

[Billy Wall]

I agree. That made absolutely no sense. Did he really think Jenna was just going to show up and take Pam's place? JR must have been drunk to even think that.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I agree. That made absolutely no sense. Did he really think Jenna was just going to show up and take Pam's place? JR must have been drunk to even think that.

It was probably the equivalent of hoping for his desired outcome

His thought process is so out there sometimes - completely detached from how real people behave, that I wonder how others make sense of it.

One example is him genuinely expecting that news of Jenna's pregnancy to make Bobby cancel his wedding to Pam and just slot Jenna in as the new bride — like it was a casting change, not a life decision. Do you see this as J.R. being delusional, or is it just part of his ends-justify-the-means worldview?

Difficult to say when it is a fictional narrative, and the writers have to make the pieces fit. At this point, Dallas became more and more like Daytime soaps, with
hard-to-believe stories. I don't think it was a delusion, as much as trying anything to not have Pam back at SF

In other matters, JR was simply adapting to what he learned from Jock, which was to do anything and everything to grow Ewing Oil.
While his plans may not have always been plausible, there was a certain rationality to them, based on JR's perception of how people would make decisions.
Ultimately, Jr would do almost anything in pursuit of his goals

 

[RachelBixby]

I love JR's reaction in that episode! It's very in line with who JR is. He hates the Barnes family and he especially hates Pamela. He never hated Jenna; to him Jenna is 'not Pam.' Therefore, she is not a threat. Knowing that Bobby had two great loves, he is determined to push Jenna and Bobby together. At the very least, JR making a big deal about Jenna being pregnant ruins Pam's big day and stops the wedding from happening (at least temporarily) even if Bobby does not marry Jenna that day. The news of the baby allows JR to buy time and do more damage to Bobby/Pam.