That was to tantalise the viewers with the will they, wont they bring Victoria back as Pam!
I was wondering the exact same thing myself. With all the references to Pam was the character going to show up? I didn't realise till after Victoria's statement was released that Cidre had no intention of asking Principal to come back. Principal would probably have said no anyway.
I applaud Victoria for issuing her statement that she hadn't been asked & wouldn't be going back. I bet that took the wind out of Cynthia Cidre, she probably wasn't expecting her to do that. The very fact that Pam might come back was probably an incentive to watch the show, but once Victoria pulled the rug away the ratings went crashing down & the show bit the dust not long after. Poetic justice!
I'm wondering did that statement of Victoria's put some of the cast's nose out of joint, primarily Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray & Larry Hagman. I don't think it would have made much difference to Larry when he was alive as he was Dallas. The other two though, that's a different story. It showed that a lot of fan's cared about the character of Pam Ewing & it must've been frustrating for both of them the interest that was shown to Victoria when she hadn't been part of the show for a very long time. So the green eyed monster of jealousy could've been in both Gray & Duffy following Victoria's statement. If I remember rightly Duffy endorsed the fact that Principal might come back but was probably fully aware that Principal wasn't going to be asked. So he was a part of the deception! I wouldn't be surprised if his nose was out of joint after news broke about Victoria's statement. And then there's the rumours that have never been fully substantiated that his contract had a clause in it where he didn't want to work with Victoria Principal!! More proof of his jealousy? Who knows but when you add all these things up it certainly looks like he's got a bee in his bonnet over Victoria Principal! I wouldn't be at all surprised if Linda Gray harbours similar pent up feelings toward Victoria. Not that either Duffy or Gray would ever choose to admit it!