Bobby Taking Pam From Ray

[Kenny Coyote]

Did it seem to you that there was maybe a lost opportunity here - that Ray should have shown a lot more resentment towards Bobby from taking his girlfriend from him?

I could see how Ray could have been very angry about it, that of all the women he could have had, Bobby just had to go after his ranch foreman's girlfriend. With all Bobby's money and social status, sure it's easy to see how he could have impressed Pam and taken her away from his ranch foreman, but if he had any respect at all for his foreman, why do it? Especially with all the problems it would, and did, cause to marry a Barnes. Why make the family who hates you the most your in-laws?

From a drama-creating point of view I see exactly why they had that happen, but realistically, it shows Bobby as being not too bright. More importantly, it shows Bobby to be callous toward his supposed friend and local ranch foreman. It doesn't show Bobby in a very sympathetic light, does it?

I suppose that's why they downplayed the resentment you'd expect Ray to have had - so that the audience would overlook Bobby being the arrogant jerk he was being.

Still, I think it was a missed opportunity and would have loved to have had a scene where Ray says something like this:

Ray: Bobby, you think you can just take anything from anyone, anytime you feel like it, with no consequences don't you? Well, maybe you can just have anything you want and I guess you just proved it. None of us are above consequences though, Bobby. Not even you. So mark my words, Bobby, taking Pam from me is gonna cause you nothing but misery.

Bobby: Don't threaten me Ray. Besides, you might not like it, but what the hell can you do about it? (smirks)

Ray: (Laughs) Oh, I can't do anything to you Bobby and I'm not even gonna try. I'm not threatening you; I'm just telling you what I see headed your way. Take this for what you want, I realize I don't have a fancy university education like you do, but even a cowboy like me can see what's coming your way and I don't have to lift a finger to make it happen. There isn't anybody in the world who hates the Ewings as much as the Barneses do, and you've just made them in-laws! Good one, Bob. You just gave your family's worst enemies in the world, the key to the gate that guards your empire. (chuckles) "Threaten" you...Nope, I don't have to do anything but sit back and watch the world of hurt headed your way. Whatever the consequences may be, it's all on your head now Bob.

 

[Swami]

Perhaps the only time a bit of lingering resentment was involved was when Bobby tried to get involved with Jenna's pregnancy (the scuffle at Ray's house).

If Ray had made things difficult, he could have ended up off Southfork at that early time.

Swami

 

[Laurie!]

I really dislike it when men speak of women as though they're merely objects for their taking. Rephrase that and wonder why Ray didn't show any lingering resentment towards Pam for choosing Bobby over Ray....please!

 

[Swami]

I really dislike it when men speak of women as though they're merely objects for their taking. Rephrase that and wonder why Ray didn't show any lingering resentment towards Pam for choosing Bobby over Ray....please!

Yes, that is the point I was trying to make, but equally maybe it was still at the back of Ray's mind around the Jenna business.

Swami

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

if Ray took the relationship with Pam seriously, he sure didn't show in the pilot episode. The exchange with Jock indicated it was kind of an on-and-off thing. Clearly he'd been screwing around with Lucy in the hayloft for a while.

Sure, he came out with the "we should have gotten hitched long ago" line before throwing her into a freezing pond, but that was in the midst of JR's scheme to manipulate her and cause her strife. Not exactly something one does to someone they truly care for.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

if Ray took the relationship with Pam seriously, he sure didn't show in the pilot episode. The exchange with Jock indicated it was kind of an on-and-off thing. Clearly he'd been screwing around with Lucy in the hayloft for a while.

I agree with this. In theory you could have a Bobby/Ray/Pam triangle, but the reality was they never detailed anything of the sort and dropped the history pretty quickly. Ray's few lines indicated he brought Pam to a couple of barbecues and was surprised by her arrival at Southfork without him, but outside of that surprise and Lucy's very brief mention of Ray/Pam's history in Winds of Vengeance, the show never took it anywhere and later on pretty much acted like it never happened, much the same way they did Ray/Sue Ellen and Ray/Lucy.

I never got the impression Ray/Pam was a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship, more that it was a casual bit of fun. I'd say it was more surprising that even before falling for Bobby Ewing Pam felt comfortable going to Southfork as a Barnes. Other than the little scene in The Early Years movie with young Bobby and Pam, the way the show described the Barnes/Ewing relationship didn't indicate that things were ever really very good between the families. Obviously everyone is welcome at a Ewing barbecue and unless someone came to cause trouble they weren't going to kick them out, but on Cliff or Pam's end why would they want to go to Southfork, the home of that terrible Jock Ewing who ruined their daddy's life etc.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

If Ray had made things difficult, he could have ended up off Southfork at that early time.

That's exactly why I worded the exchange the way I did.

I think screwing the ranch owners' granddaughter in the hayloft was riskier for Ray, and his employment at Southfork, yet he did that. .

I realize that the relationship wasn't made out to be too serious, but at the push of a scriptwriter's pen, it could have been something more. The way I see it, if they were going to have a story where Bobby takes Pam away from Ray, they should have used it to its full potential. Watching Ray and Bobby have that particular exchange would have been amazing. To me, that's a missed opportunity. The objective is to create drama, to create excitement, so why just go halfway with it and just do what they did when they could have done so much more?

 

[lbf522]

I agree with this. In theory you could have a Bobby/Ray/Pam triangle, but the reality was they never detailed anything of the sort and dropped the history pretty quickly. Ray's few lines indicated he brought Pam to a couple of barbecues and was surprised by her arrival at Southfork without him, but outside of that surprise and Lucy's very brief mention of Ray/Pam's history in Winds of Vengeance, the show never took it anywhere and later on pretty much acted like it never happened, much the same way they did Ray/Sue Ellen and Ray/Lucy.

I never got the impression Ray/Pam was a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship, more that it was a casual bit of fun. I'd say it was more surprising that even before falling for Bobby Ewing Pam felt comfortable going to Southfork as a Barnes. Other than the little scene in The Early Years movie with young Bobby and Pam, the way the show described the Barnes/Ewing relationship didn't indicate that things were ever really very good between the families. Obviously everyone is welcome at a Ewing barbecue and unless someone came to cause trouble they weren't going to kick them out, but on Cliff or Pam's end why would they want to go to Southfork, the home of that terrible Jock Ewing who ruined their daddy's life etc.

It shocked me whenever Cliff came to Southfork. He hates Jock Ewing and the Ewing family so why would he want to be on their property? Also why would they want him on their property?

I have wondered if Pam got involved with Bobby because he was a Ewing and that the writers dropped that idea that she was a golddigger.