When this series was good, it was GREAT

[stevew]

Who are they? Abbey is someone from KL, I've read here. Are the other ones from other prime time soaps? If so, I couldn't disagree more. Dallas was the innovator. The last thing they needed to do was copy the people copying them. Dallas did NOT need to be changed. Dallas needed no change. It was the most successful prime time drama in history. There is a reason Dallas was at the top and the rest were where they were.

Angela from Falcon Crest and Alexis from Dynasty. Unlike Dallas - strong women were at the core of the success of the other ‘80’s soaps.

What you ignore is that change happens and no show can avoid it. Dallas WAS the most successful show for a time, others eclipsed it, even other soaps. I’m not sure how you define “most successful prime time drama in history.” There have been others before and after with longer runs. Do you mean ratings? I’ve never seen such a statistic other then episode ratings, of which they were very strong for a moment in time. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the show when it was good. I even stuck with the show when it was bad. I also showed up when they tried to do it again (owing more to Madoff for ripping of Hagman than anything Cidre did I’m sure). I’m also certainly not talking about copying the others, but putting their spin on things, just as Dallas did with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Giant. JR tearing up the town fighting with Bobby and everyone else only had so much of a life span. They needed to consider JR getting older and becoming more like Jock. That would require others to fill the void for drama, pushing and breaking the lines of morality and decency. BBG was to face health issues and needed replacing from within with a character that grew into her role in the family. PD wanted off to explore other options and so again needed another character from within to develop into his role in the family. Change was going to happen. It was up to the writers to manage it and stay strong, not jump off a cliff into the abyss of absurdity (Bobby in the shower until the fatalistic end and weak movies and the wtf was that TNT version).

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Unlike Dallas - strong women were at the core of the success of the other ‘80’s soaps.

So, why copy them? Dallas did better and for longer than any of them. I'm sure there was an audience for shows with those types of women you described because they were successful shows as well, but why treat to beat them at what they're already good at and what they already have an audience for? Dallas had its audience and the biggest in terms of the record for most watched episode and more years at #1 than any of their competition. Until Dallas, traditionally soap operas had always had a predominantly female audience but Dallas had something unique that appealed to men and women. Their only problem was they eventually did change instead of sticking with what their audience liked about it - the realism, the Western feel and grittiness, and instead tried to get slicker, more over the top and more outlandish, and less believable. Only the stories and some of the cast (as some retire) need to change. The foundation, the core of what made it Dallas needed no change.

 

[stevew]

So, why copy them? Dallas did better and for longer than any of them. I'm sure there was an audience for shows with those types of women you described because they were successful shows as well, but why treat to beat them at what they're already good at and what they already have an audience for? Dallas had its audience and the biggest in terms of the record for most watched episode and more years at #1 than any of their competition. Until Dallas, traditionally soap operas had always had a predominantly female audience but Dallas had something unique that appealed to men and women. Their only problem was they eventually did change instead of sticking with what their audience liked about it - the realism, the Western feel and grittiness, and instead tried to get slicker, more over the top and more outlandish, and less believable. Only the stories and some of the cast (as some retire) need to change. The foundation, the core of what made it Dallas needed no change.

I’m not saying copy them, I’m saying to put their own spin on things. In all 2 of the 3 shows I mentioned (KL and Dynasty) the strong female wasn’t the lead to the show anyway, at least not completely, so I’m not talking about changing JR completely and replacing him with Donna, but to explore her character more than they did and give her a strong will and see what happens.

Dallas did not last longer than KL and Dynasty at one point did surpassed it in the ratings. Dallas also turned to crap at one point and that’s the point I’m making. It didn’t need to sour when it did. Miss Ellie didn’t need to be replaced with a new actress. Bobby didn’t need to die for PD to find a new venture. And Dallas had the capability to continue to grown and change not lead a long, slow and agonizing death.

I would agree that the foundation didn’t need to change and that’s not what I’m calling for. Unless you’re a misogynist, what you’re saying can apply to a woman and also be something men want to watch. Susan Howard was a good actress very capable of realism. Her character was from Texas. She had strength and grit. No problem pushing JR into the pool. I’m not suggesting they take a new character and thrust her into the forefront but take an established character and develop her, especially one with a strong actress, as others moved on to other projects. With Bobby gone they’d need to move on from the Romeo and Juliet and Cain and Able themes, which were at the foundation of the series, but maybe in some ways they could be picked up through Ray.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I’m not saying copy them, I’m saying to put their own spin on things. In all 2 of the 3 shows I mentioned (KL and Dynasty) the strong female wasn’t the lead to the show anyway, at least not completely, so I’m not talking about changing JR completely and replacing him with Donna, but to explore her character more than they did and give her a strong will and see what happens.

Maybe I misinterpreted what you meant. Dallas was already full of strong women like Miss Ellie, Pam and Donna. So saying "Dallas need strong women like Abbey, Angela and Alexis" seemed to me that you wanted Dallas to be more like the other soaps by having characters more like theirs.

 

[stevew]

Maybe I misinterpreted what you meant. Dallas was already full of strong women like Miss Ellie, Pam and Donna. So saying "Dallas need strong women like Abbey, Angela and Alexis" seemed to me that you wanted Dallas to be more like the other soaps by having characters more like theirs.

I don’t think Miss Ellie and Pam were strong or capable and Donna wasn’t much explored. Miss Ellie could be personally very strong but in business she was over her head. Her whole “no drilling on Southfork” proved that as it was outdated and belonged in the 1930s. Pam was way over here head. I felt it was wrong of her to hold onto so much of the Wentworth money that obviously belonged to her sister in the first place. Contrary to what some people wanted, the reality is in business JR would have destroyed her quick. But Donna we didn’t know enough for that conclusion. She was involved in politics at a very high level yes, but maybe her dad was a rigger so she knew the oil business as a kid from the ground up. Maybe she has a degree in poli sci and economics from UofT or some other prominent school. Fleshing our her character would have given an establishment cast member a greater role as Bobby, Pam and Miss Ellie (taking Clayton with her) left. By strong I mean in their ability to stand up take on their rivals.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Changing the subject a bit, but I just saw another wonderfully written and acted scene that made me remember-- When this series was good, it was GREAT.

It is the storyline where Cliff gets in over his head on the offshore oil leases. Ken Kercheval does an amazing job of playing Cliff becoming more and more panicked as he realizes that he is going to lose everything.

Afton and Cliff are in the kitchen, and while Cliff is putting groceries in the refrigerator, he starts getting all wound up. "I have to make this deal! Everything I have worked for is on the line!" His voice rises as he is saying it, and he slams the refrigerator door so hard that it bounces back open and the groceries fall out.

He steps back as he realizes what he has done.

"I'm sorry", he says. "I guess the pressure got to me." You can watch Cliff as the life almost literally drains out of him. You almost expect him to collapse right in front of you.

If you are a fan of Ken Kercheval, you may agree that is some of the best acting of the entire series.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

I don’t think Miss Ellie and Pam were strong or capable and Donna wasn’t much explored. Miss Ellie could be personally very strong but in business she was over her head. Her whole “no drilling on Southfork” proved that as it was outdated and belonged in the 1930s. Pam was way over here head. I felt it was wrong of her to hold onto so much of the Wentworth money that obviously belonged to her sister in the first place. Contrary to what some people wanted, the reality is in business JR would have destroyed her quick. But Donna we didn’t know enough for that conclusion. She was involved in politics at a very high level yes, but maybe her dad was a rigger so she knew the oil business as a kid from the ground up. Maybe she has a degree in poli sci and economics from UofT or some other prominent school. Fleshing our her character would have given an establishment cast member a greater role as Bobby, Pam and Miss Ellie (taking Clayton with her) left. By strong I mean in their ability to stand up take on their rivals.

I think Leslie Stewart was an experiment in that direction. The consensus here seems to be that it didn’t pan out (check out the ABC of Dallas thread!), though the reviewer at Dallas Decoder is a fan.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I think Leslie Stewart was an experiment in that direction. The consensus here seems to be that it didn’t pan out (check out the ABC of Dallas thread!), though the reviewer at Dallas Decoder is a fan.

Yeah. Do you remember Leslie Stewart asking JR to think of her as a man? JR said "Oh Leslie, you've got to be kidding." Then Leslie asked: "As a soft man"? They both laugh.

I think that sums up their "experiment" as well as anything. Their own characters aren't even buying it so why would the audience?

It's a prerequisite that the characters in the show are portrayed as being able to buy into whatever idea or concept they're trying to portray. That doesn't guarantee the audience will accept it but its a given that if the characters don't buy into it, the audience certainly won't.

If they want to create a female character who can compete with the male characters in some ways, they need to figure out how they'll make the female character strong in a way where she keeps her femininity.

Otherwise they end up with a female character who acts so hard and aggressive in trying to compete with men that she loses her femininity. That is so unattractive. It just doesn't work.

 

[stevew]

Yeah. Do you remember Leslie Stewart asking JR to think of her as a man? JR said "Oh Leslie, you've got to be kidding." Then Leslie asked: "As a soft man"? They both laugh.

I think that sums up their "experiment" as well as anything. Their own characters aren't even buying it so why would the audience?

It's a prerequisite that the characters in the show are portrayed as being able to buy into whatever idea or concept they're trying to portray. That doesn't guarantee the audience will accept it but its a given that if the characters don't buy into it, the audience certainly won't.

If they want to create a female character who can compete with the male characters in some ways, they need to figure out how they'll make the female character strong in a way where she keeps her femininity.

Otherwise they end up with a female character who acts so hard and aggressive in trying to compete with men that she loses her femininity. That is so unattractive. It just doesn't work.

They pulled it off on Knots Landing with Abbey. I think she nailed feminine and strong.

On the same subject I think JR wasn’t the masculine character. Bobby and Ray were far more manly, even getting into fist fights. JR was seen as weaker in that traditional macho way. Yet no one would think him week.

Maybe in someways there needs to be a little sociopath, a little traditional male/female aspect and a little untraditional, a lot of entitlement and selfishness, and an Achilles heal = a great, string, drama chapter around which the rest of us normal people revolve.

A character I’ve created in some of my fan fictions, which I enjoy, Ellie (sometimes other names) defiantly has sociopathic tendencies. She always had traditional female traits, diminutive in stature, pretty, sexy without being slutty, elegant but as a child not a fully mature woman, and she doesn't work (like Jock expected of all Ewing women). But untraditional in that she doesn’t cook or raise children, she might not be in the office daily but she directs what goes on, she uses men because she can, she can out shot any man, yet she rides side saddle. She is entitled and if your not a Ewing, or the equivalent, you’re just in the world to serve one, from years of spoiling and years of collecting friends to her circle of equals. But in the end her weakness is her family. Growing up alone she craves to be part of a family, what is family in her mind, strong, stick together, determined, never fight and always entitled.

Ellie stands over her uncle, yet they’re close to eye to eye. Bobby says to his niece following her JR-like insults of some guests of his, “You certainly don’t need to tell anyone you’re JR’s daughter.”

Ellie replies, “There’s a big difference between me and my father.”

“Oh and what is that?”

“Right or wrong, my brothers stand by my side and I’m by theirs. If John Ross wanted to burn down Southfork, I’d hand him the match. If Bo wanted to sleep with everybody in Dallas, I’d line ‘em up for STD testing. If my dad said to fight your brothers for Ewing Oil, I’d laugh and give to them shares. And they’d do the same for each other and for me.” Both brothers stand on either side of their sister. “That’s why we’re unstoppable.”

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Interesting how JR’s the villain for providing cheap gas to the masses as the free market intends but Punk and Bobby are good guys for participating in illegal collusion. Says a lot right there as to who America is as a nation.

I think I may have missed this post the first time. I have a question before I can really respond to the following part:. What "illegal collusion" are you referring to regarding Punk and Bobby?

The reason JR's competitors are angry at JR for "providing cheap gas to the masses as the market intends" is that they all know JR well enough to know he is only going to do that very short term - until the contest for Ewing Oil ends. Then he will bring prices right back up to where everyone else is selling gas for, unless he just sells the stations entirely. I know its easy to say this hindsight - now we both know JR didn't continue to sell cheap gas after the contest - but I'm curious: When you originally watched this did you think JR had any intention of selling cheap gas after the content ended?


Also, in the last sentence, do you mean "says a lot" in a positive or negative way?

I'm not sure it says anything about America. I think it says a lot about how the writers and producers wanted the other characters to respond to JR opening cheap gas stations. His competitors were angry at him because although I think they knew the cheap gas would only last until the end of the contest, and therefore it was done to cut their throats and make a quick profit to help him win the contest. In the meantime it was putting some of them out of business. Threaten people's livelihoods for a short term stunt and of course you're going to piss them off. (something changed the letter i to the letter a in what now says "pass them off.")

If they had instead thought JR really meant to do that on a permanent, or at least for as long as he possibly could, "as the free market intends", would they have been less angry? Ideally, yes, at least some of them would have been less angry and some may have even congratulated him and followed his lead. It is what the free market intends. Realistically. they still would have been angry because they were smaller companies and couldn't afford to compete with those prices. That means some would go out of business.

This is one of the biggest problems we're seeing right now in America; it may be he biggest. There are a very few huge companies in each industry putting all the rest out of business with cut-rate prices. Their customers love it because they get things for low prices. What happens when there is just one company left in each industry? They put prices wherever they want. We all have a choice then to either patronize that one company and pay them however much they want to charge or go without.

How often do you see the Wal-Marts of each industry putting their competitors out of business? I see it happening way too much. We've gotten to a point in America where the American Dream of owning your own business, working hard and treating people right is a thing of the past. If you want to open a small family owned store in the same industry as Wal-Mart, good luck, because it won't last long. How will you outdo them, or at last stay in business? They have economies of scale, of buying in bulk you will not be able to match.

The anti-trust laws are supposed to protect the free market from this exact thing happening, but what have the courts been doing? Looking the other way while all the big fish devour all the small and medium size fish. When was the last time you heard about a big anti-trust suit succeeding and breaking up a monopoly?

 

[stevew]

I think I may have missed this post the first time. I have a question before I can really respond to the following part:. What "illegal collusion" are you referring to regarding Punk and Bobby?

The reason JR's competitors are angry at JR for "providing cheap gas to the masses as the market intends" is that they all know JR well enough to know he is only going to do that very short term - until the contest for Ewing Oil ends. Then he will bring prices right back up to where everyone else is selling gas for, unless he just sells the stations entirely. I know its easy to say this hindsight - now we both know JR didn't continue to sell cheap gas after the contest - but I'm curious: When you originally watched this did you think JR had any intention of selling cheap gas after the content ended?


Also, in the last sentence, do you mean "says a lot" in a positive or negative way?

I'm not sure it says anything about America. I think it says a lot about how the writers and producers wanted the other characters to respond to JR opening cheap gas stations. His competitors were angry at him because although I think they knew the cheap gas would only last until the end of the contest, and therefore it was done to cut their throats and make a quick profit to help him win the contest. In the meantime it was putting some of them out of business. Threaten people's livelihoods for a short term stunt and of course you're going to pass them off. (something changed the letter i to the letter a in what now says "pass them off.")

If they had instead thought JR really meant to do that on a permanent, or at least for as long as he possibly could, "as the free market intends", would they have been less angry? Ideally, yes, at least some of them would have been less angry and some may have even congratulated him and followed his lead. It is what the free market intends. Realistically. they still would have been angry because they were smaller companies and couldn't afford to compete with those prices. That means some would go out of business.

This is one of the biggest problems we're seeing right now in America; it may be he biggest. There are a very few huge companies in each industry putting all the rest out of business with cut-rate prices. Their customers love it because they get things for low prices. What happens when there is just one company left in each industry? They put prices wherever they want. We all have a choice then to either patronize that one company and pay them however much they want to charge or go without.

How often do you see the Wal-Marts of each industry putting their competitors out of business? I see it happening way too much. We've gotten to a point in America where the American Dream of owning your own business, working hard and treating people right is a thing of the past. If you want to open a small family owned store in the same industry as Wal-Mart, good luck, because it won't last long. How will you outdo them, or at last stay in business? They have economies of scale, of buying in bulk you will not be able to match.

The anti-trust laws are supposed to protect the free market from this exact thing happening, but what have the courts been doing? Looking the other way while all the big fish devour all the small and medium size fish. When was the last time you heard about a big anti-trust suit succeeding and breaking up a monopoly?

I’m referring to the Cartel itself as illegal collusion. There’s not a problem for The Independent Oilman's Association to exist and support each other, say a united political front, but they went way beyond such, especially when it comes to attempting to fix prices.

The issue isn’t JR’s intention short term or long term. Many company’s have applied this practice. Over a century ago a chemical company tried to drive Dow out of business by selling bromine under cost. Dow just bought everything they had and resold it, thus driving the competition to near ruin. Long term it never works. I’m also not saying JR is the good guy here, we all know he’s not. Though, if I’d had been a customer of his, I might have thought so. The point is, this is how business plays out and and the Cartel’s attempts to keep prices high, no matter what their thinking, is not the free market capitalism on which this country was founded - freedom.

I mean “says a lot” as negative. Because despite all our national talk about free market capitalism, we’re not interested in such. Again and again we’ve fought for protections to keep prices high and ignored monopolies and collusion. Now not always, there’s a lot of good stories about free markets prevailing, about the fight for equal opportunity and so forth. But when a group of guys colluding to elevate the price of gas at the pump are seen as the “good guys” and the bad guy is selling on the cheap - instead of both being viewed as bad guys, it says a lot to me.

I disagree - I don’t think they would have been less angry if Jesus himself were selling cheap gas and thus driving them out of business.

There should never be just one company left in an industry - that is illegal (without regulation). The Cartel was in fact attempting to act as one big company and that is the problem. Big can be good as it drives down prices by saving on economies of scale. Your point is valid and the government’s role has been to make sure there isn’t one big company - like breaking up Standard Oil. But, if a smaller business goes out of business because it can’t compete, that’s a good thing for the free markets - people expressing their freedom to buy what they want at the price they want.

The American Dream wasn’t killed by Walmart and giant business’s - they’ve been around long before and will be around long after. Amazon is going after Walmart. They stated small and are building. Walmart is by no means a monopoly. Part of the American dream has evolved to buying a lot of stuff - companies like Walmart and Amazon make that possible. There are many opportunities to own your own business in America in all shapes and forms. But, I’m not sure if that was ever the American Dream to own your own business or just a dream of some Americans, certainly not most. I certainly am not one to protect businesses for the shake of the business owner - think of all the buggy businesses we’d be supporting today. Instead the smart guys in buggies, like Durant, switched to cars.

The issue with the anti trust laws not working as you see it is: 1) they’re not intended to protect the little business man but the free market so yes Walmart is big and has driven small shops out of business but the free market is still in tact, there are still plenty of options for people. Applying the law to break up Walmart wouldn’t help the free market but protect small businesses - which is not what the laws are there for. 2) the political will has to be there and to often the politicians we elect are puppets of business interests, bought off by people like JR and the Cartel instead of fighting for freedom for the nation they promote the self interests of a few. Again I’m not saying JR was a good guy, but I won’t pretend the Cartel attempting to collude and price fix is either.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Nice Post Steve. I can only get to some right now though.

I mean “says a lot” as negative. Because despite all our national talk about free market capitalism, we’re not interested in such.

I think it says a lot about what story the writers wanted to tell. They don't speak for anyone except Dallas and certainly don't speak our country.

But when a group of guys colluding to elevate the price of gas at the pump are seen as the “good guys” and the bad guy is selling on the cheap - instead of both being viewed as bad guys, it says a lot to me.

Not everyone saw in the audience saw it that way. I didn't. The people trying to prevent JR from doing what he want were just a bunch of thugs who tried to lynch him at the BBQ. Capitalism is not based upon "My gang is bigger than yours so we'll do it my way."

There should never be just one company left in an industry - that is illegal (without regulation)

I agree! Sadly, that's just where we're headed.

The Cartel was in fact attempting to act as one big company and that is the problem.

In that particular storyline with JR, yes. That particular time, The Cartel was out of line. Let's look at the way The Cartel usually behaved:

Westar tried to and did act as a big company. To put it another way, Westar was more powerful than The Cartel combined. The Cartel were doing what they had to to keep Westar from devouring them. Men were trying to protect their livelihoods and the thousands of jobs they provide. They were doing what they had to to survive. What wouldn't you do to survive and provide for your family?

Remember, Jock wanted JR in The Cartel. Without The Cartel, Westar could have run everyone out of business in the state and the customers in Texas would be left with the choice of either pay whatever Jeremy Wendell decides he wants it to be, or don't drive anymore. I wouldn' want that situation and I'm sure you wouldn't either. Sure, the courts are supposed to protect us from that but they're not, which is why you had to go back to the Standard Oil case to show an anti-trust suit that actually broke up a monopoly. The courts stopped protecting us from monopolies a long time ago.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I've reread all of your posts twice now, and really have to say:

It is a pleasure to watch smart people take different positions and have a respectful discussion, even when we don't agree. There are a lot of smart people on this board, that is for sure.

Nice job, gentlemen. Thank you for allowing us to eavesdrop on your well thought out debate.

 

[stevew]

Nice Post Steve. I can only get to some right now though.



I think it says a lot about what story the writers wanted to tell. They don't speak for anyone except Dallas and certainly don't speak our country.



Not everyone saw in the audience saw it that way. I didn't. The people trying to prevent JR from doing what he want were just a bunch of thugs who tried to lynch him at the BBQ. Capitalism is not based upon "My gang is bigger than yours so we'll do it my way."



I agree! Sadly, that's just where we're headed.



In that particular storyline with JR, yes. That particular time, The Cartel was out of line. Let's look at the way The Cartel usually behaved:

Westar tried to and did act as a big company. To put it another way, Westar was more powerful than The Cartel combined. The Cartel were doing what they had to to keep Westar from devouring them. Men were trying to protect their livelihoods and the thousands of jobs they provide. They were doing what they had to to survive. What wouldn't you do to survive and provide for your family?

Remember, Jock wanted JR in The Cartel. Without The Cartel, Westar could have run everyone out of business in the state and the customers in Texas would be left with the choice of either pay whatever Jeremy Wendell decides he wants it to be, or don't drive anymore. I wouldn' want that situation and I'm sure you wouldn't either. Sure, the courts are supposed to protect us from that but they're not, which is why you had to go back to the Standard Oil case to show an anti-trust suit that actually broke up a monopoly. The courts stopped protecting us from monopolies a long time ago.

It’s kind of the progression of things. There’s the founder of the fortune who wants to stay in charge and do things only his way. Then typically the second generation doesn’t do so well - hence they lost EO in the long run. Then the third generation - I wanted to see John Ross come in with his friends, professionals to manage the family fortune and take control of West Star. Sure was/is a fun ride to watch.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Sure was/is a fun ride to watch

Agreed! And the fact we are still talking about it all these years later is a testament to the great writing and great acting.

And here's one more "When this series was good, it was GREAT" lines that only a handful of people will appreciate. In fact, I'm not even sure how the writers knew to include it.

It is the season when Clayton and Miss Ellie marry. It's important to know that it is summer time. When Clayton is asked about Dusty, his response is

"Last I spoke with Dusty, he was in Cheyenne. I think he was headed to Calgary."

That is exactly the rodeo circuit. The dates even line up.

Now, maybe one half of one percent of viewers would know this. But they were that careful with the details.

I like that.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

"Last I spoke with Dusty, he was in Cheyenne. I think he was headed to Calgary."

That is exactly the rodeo circuit. The dates even line up.

That's the Calgary Stampede, right?

 

[Rove]

end up with a female character who acts so hard and aggressive in trying to compete with men that she loses her femininity. That is so unattractive. It just doesn't work.

Then explain to me Marilee Stone. I'd go weak at the knees whenever she was around.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Then explain to me Marilee Stone. I'd go weak at the knees whenever she was around.

Then you would have enjoyed playing the Casey Denault character.
Remember when J.R. served him oysters so he could keep up with her?

That's the Calgary Stampede, right?

Yes it is! I was at the Cheyenne Frontier Days this year, but didn't make it to Calgary.

I volunteer at some of the rodeos, to show the younger guys that we still have what it takes. Lots of fun this year.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

When Dallas realized that the Barnes-Ewing feud, as great as it was, didn't provide enough variety of conflict for Ewing Oil, they brought in the coldest, baddest, S.O.B. they could have dreamed up: Jeremy Wendell. They had some great storylines involving the Ewings vs. Jeremy Wendell. Until he, and Westar appeared, Ewing Oil was the biggest oil company in Texas. It turned out they were the biggest privately held oil company in Texas. Westar was the biggest oil company in Texas and it was publicly held.

Unlike Cliff, who was far from a brilliant oilman, Jeremy Wendell knew exactly what he was doing. Unlike Cliff, he was very cautious and rarely made mistakes. In many ways, Wendell vs the opposite of Cliff. Wendell relied on expertise rather than pure determination in seeking vengeance. To Cliff, fighting the Ewings was as personal as it got. More personal to him than his relationship with his own sister! Cliff's hatred of the Ewings was a more powerful emotion than his love for Pam. In Cliff's world, when push came to shove, he would always choose to try to hurt the Ewings rather than give Pam what she asked of him - an end to the feud.

To Wendell, in most of his storylines anyway, he wasn't going after the Ewings and Ewing Oil out of any personal hatred. Wendell wanted to put Ewing Oil out of business, or buy them, because he saw them as a threat to his plan of overtaking all the independents. That was his goal - to wipe out all the Texas independent oil companies so as to make Westar just as big and powerful as it could possibly become. He knew that if Ewing Oil fell, the rest of the independents would fall much more easily. Because his goal wasn't emotion driven, he could be cold and calculating. Cold, calculating, and a tremendous level of expertise make for an enemy who is a very serious threat and Wendell certainly was a major threat.

 

[Laurie Marr]

William Smithers was a classy actor and a great addition to the cast. Too bad his departure from the show was so lame. Wendell was as smart as a tack and it stretches credulity that he would have fallen for that easily rumbled double cross.