With thanks to
@Karin Schill in guiding me to a recent interview with Patrick Duffy the following has me intrigued when Patrick is asked if he would revisit Bobby again.
"I put Bobby Ewing behind me twice already and it didn’t work out. So, I’m never one to say, ‘never again.” If it were that brilliant next step in the sequence of the story of those characters, I would be willing to do it. I think it would have to lose a bit of its history in terms of the way that the show was done."
Patrick talks about, "...
it would have to lose a bit of its history in the terms of the way that the show was done." Is Patrick talking about Lorimar Dallas or TNT Dallas?
To me it feels like he is discussing the latter and if that's the case I agree with him.
I don't know but I agree - it has to shed some history (or at least do a better job of explaining it) and get back to Dallas as it was prior to the Dream Season, in my opinion, in it's quality of family and business story lines. But, I also think part of that shred is to tie up some of those stories.
Within the first evening (maybe 2-3 hour pilot):
1. Reveal Bobby has moved to California with Pam, who turned out to be a live but won't return to Texas with him, so he lives happily every after with Gary running West Fork. Story ending on a happily every after note.
2. Sue Ellen is sober, happily living a life between Europe and Texas and doing all sorts of social (DoA) and charity (her foundation) work, a happy grandmother who receives flowers from JR on her birthday and both anniversaries every year. She gets to live happily ever after know JR loved her and being a grandmother showing up now and again. Story ending on a happily every after note.
3. JR hands John Ross everything he promised via his master plan: Rylan stays in prison and John Ross gets his black box (along with Jock's red files) and Ryland Transport; John Ross gets West Star, taking it private and including Ewing Oil; John Ross takes control of Ewing Global (the Wentworth assets, Barnes assets, Ewing Alternative and Southfork's Oil) - all combined into Ewing Industries. Story ending on a happily ever after note - JR kept his promise and his Master Plan ended his life on a high of great success.
Then:
4. Chris must turn out to have survived the explosion and can include a long recovery all the years between 2014 and when the show returns.
5. I'd like to see more of Lucy as a regular living at South Fork (maybe buy Bobby out)
6. I'd also like to see some kids at South Fork, especially John Ross Ewing IV, maybe a kid we didn't know about that John Ross had when he was 18 (so he's a young adult now).
and
7. the house has to be put back to the lay out we know.
If they did that, wrapping up story lines that need happy ever after endings and focusing on the 3 children of the 3 children, John Ross, Lucy and Christopher - I'd be very much interested and I believe that it could be brilliant.
Picture it:
Lucy like Angela Channing
John Ross Ewing IV like Lance Cumson
John Ross like Richard Channing
Christopher Ewing like Chase Giobertti
A highly dysfunctional family fighting over land and business. I'd give it a try.