Ray in season 5

[Chase Gioberti]

I am currently rewatching season 5. I forgot how good it was. My one problem is Ray. He is great for the first 2/3 of the season. He was great trying to make real estate deals and coping with Jock’s death.

Then, they completely neutered him once that storyline wrapped up. He turns into Donna’s lapdog. They are both used just as a vehicle to help Miss Ellie accept Jock’s death but it’s painful to watch. It’s too bad. I thought it was almost a perfect season.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Then, they completely neutered him once that storyline wrapped up. He turns into Donna’s lapdog. They are both used just as a vehicle to help Miss Ellie accept Jock’s death but it’s painful to watch. It’s too bad. I thought it was almost a perfect season.

I'm glad you posted this, because I'm currently rewatching season 6.

You will begin to enjoy Ray again. He takes on more of his old role, running the ranch.

And you will especially like the Mickey Trotter storyline, which could not happen without Ray.

Plus, you can watch him punch J.R. in the mouth, right in front of Sue Ellen and Miss Ellie!

 

[Mustard]

Ray had the reverse Midas touch around that time when he was doing land deals, and Punk Anderson wasn't around. It was particularly bad when Miss Ellie was going to help him out of the hole he had gotten himself to, only to find out that J.R. had stockpiled the Farlows' oil and put Ewing Oil in deep financial trouble, with Miss Ellie then sorting out the situation and then went to give Ray his money, but Ray by then had already sold the land at a loss. Good grief. And Ray obviously had very old fashioned views about a man standing completely on his two feet financially in any relationship with a woman, so felt very uncomfortable about Miss Ellie helping him out, and even worse about Donna helping him out.

With Mickey the following season, Ray is acting as a mentor, so a good role for him.

 

[Justine]

Ray obviously had very old fashioned views about a man standing completely on his two feet financially in any relationship with a woman, so felt very uncomfortable about Miss Ellie helping him out, and even worse about Donna helping him out.

Ray has always annoyed me for this very reason. He was always so worried about his masculinity - it was pathetic. Of course, some characteristics redeemed him but he usually back-tracked to how important it was to be a "man's man"

 

[Chase Gioberti]

I'm glad you posted this, because I'm currently rewatching season 6.

You will begin to enjoy Ray again. He takes on more of his old role, running the ranch.

And you will especially like the Mickey Trotter storyline, which could not happen without Ray.

Plus, you can watch him punch J.R. in the mouth, right in front of Sue Ellen and Miss Ellie!

I must disagree. I’ve watched the series multiple times. Ray peaks in season 5.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I must disagree. I’ve watched the series multiple times. Ray peaks in season 5.

Are you talking about Ray's redemption arc?

I enjoy that storyline for him. Mourning Jock's death falling into a depression, staying out later and later in the bars with different women.

But then, over the course of the season he pulls himself back together.

I still remember the conversation when Donna calls to announce she'll be gone longer than expected. She was shocked that Ray even cared.

"Things will be a lot different when you get back," Ray promises her.

Is this in Season 5?

 

[Chase Gioberti]

Are you talking about Ray's redemption arc?

I enjoy that storyline for him. Mourning Jock's death falling into a depression, staying out later and later in the bars with different women.

But then, over the course of the season he pulls himself back together.

I still remember the conversation when Donna calls to announce she'll be gone longer than expected. She was shocked that Ray even cared.

"Things will be a lot different when you get back," Ray promises her.

Is this in Season 5?

Yes. After he “fixes” himself he is reduced to nothing more than a neutered lap dog. He gets one interesting episode in the finale of the following season and that’s it for poor old uninteresting Ray.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Yes. After he “fixes” himself he is reduced to nothing more than a neutered lap dog. He gets one interesting episode in the finale of the following season and that’s it for poor old u interesting Ray.

I agree with you that the character of Ray just kind of fizzled out. I think that after a while they just didn't know what kinds of storylines they could write for him. He is too good of a character to be reduced to "Knock it off, J.R.!" every couple of episodes.

One thing that would have been interesting to explore: It would have been fun to watch his relationship with Mickey develop over time. It would have been great to see Ray take Mickey in and help him grow up the same way that Jock helped Ray grow up. I wish we could have seen that.