JR and Miss Ellie

J

Jimmy Todd

Telly Talk Mega Star
Were there ever any scenes where JR and Miss Ellie displayed any bond? I remember a scene when she bemoaned how JR turned out: "If only I had held on just a little bit longer." However, I can't remember a scene where you even got the impression they liked each other. This is understandable on JR's part if Miss Ellie made it clear he was her least favorite, but I can't recall Miss Ellie showing too much of a maternal feeling for him. Even after Sue Ellen shot him, when she visited him in the hospital it seemed to be a courtesy visit and they ended up arguing. Later, she tells Sue Ellen she's "disappointed" with her. She should have ripped into Sue Ellen and banished her from SF forever for shooting her son!
So, anyone know a scene between them that you actually could see they were mother and son? There were plenty with Bobby, Ray, and Gary.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

Telly Talk Dream Maker
There were plenty of scenes where they bonded. First, how can you add Gary when he was barely in the show? For one thing, you have to understand that it’s hard to bond with someone like JR. Virtually every friend he had he ended up turning into an enemy. One scene in particular where she appreciated JR was when when JR kept Clayton out of jail. Miss Ellie says “Sometimes JR, you amazes me.” There were plenty other times where they were mother and son.
 
Kenny Coyote

Kenny Coyote

Telly Talk Star
Jimmy Todd said:
Were there ever any scenes where JR and Miss Ellie displayed any bond? I remember a scene when she bemoaned how JR turned out: "If only I had held on just a little bit longer." However, I can't remember a scene where you even got the impression they liked each other. This is understandable on JR's part if Miss Ellie made it clear he was her least favorite, but I can't recall Miss Ellie showing too much of a maternal feeling for him. Even after Sue Ellen shot him, when she visited him in the hospital it seemed to be a courtesy visit and they ended up arguing. Later, she tells Sue Ellen she's "disappointed" with her. She should have ripped into Sue Ellen and banished her from SF forever for shooting her son!
So, anyone know a scene between them that you actually could see they were mother and son? There were plenty with Bobby, Ray, and Gary.
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Good idea for a thread @Jimmy Todd!

Miss Ellie didn't show a lot of warmth towards JR, did she? She treated JR pretty much the way she accused Jock of treating Gary. It was another case of: "Do as I say - not as I do." You'd think she wouldn't repeat behavior that she said bothered her so much. I think there's a word for that. Of course, you can only be "driven off" if you let it get to you. I don't recall JR ever showing that her lack of maternal feeling towards him got to him . It helps explain what formed his personality though, doesn't it?

The only scene of any real significance that comes to mind right now is the one where in the dream season, after JR is told that Pam will sell her shares to Wendell, that Miss Ellie goes to JR's office. She finds him looking at Jock's portrait and saying that he tried his best to get them to not sell Ewing Oil, but they just wouldn't listen. He says he has no more reason to stay and that he's going to take John Ross and move somewhere else to start over. Miss Ellie looks quite disheartened and tries to convince him to stay. That's the closest thing I can think of right now to what you're asking about.
 
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Swami

Swami

Telly Talk Supreme
A couple of scenes I can recall: after Jock has died (even though Miss Ellie is in denial), she tries to perk JR up a bit.

At the start of the dream season, in the aftermath of Bobby's funeral, she tells JR that he needs to be strong for the whole family. Later still (season 12 perhaps), she visits Ewing Oil to hand JR a letter from Jock (previously unsent).

Swami
 
Kenny Coyote

Kenny Coyote

Telly Talk Star
Swami said:
A couple of scenes I can recall: after Jock has died (even though Miss Ellie is in denial), she tries to perk JR up a bit.

At the start of the dream season, in the aftermath of Bobby's funeral, she tells JR that he needs to be strong for the whole family. Later still (season 12 perhaps), she visits Ewing Oil to hand JR a letter from Jock (previously unsent).

Swami
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That, and my example, tend to indicate that Ellie showed JR no maternal warmth except in a crisis or in an exceptional situation, such as receiving a letter from Jock when he had been dead for years.
 
Sarah

Sarah

Moderator Emerita
I think Miss Ellie knew JR was no saint to Sue Ellen @Jimmy Todd!! If she’d ripped into him more often maybe people wouldn’t have found the need to shoot him?!
 
CeeCee72

CeeCee72

Telly Talk Star
There was a scene in the Donna Reed season after Ellie overheard JR and and Sue Ellen arguing in the exercise room. She showed concern over his well-being and offered advice about his marriage.
 
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J

Jimmy Todd

Telly Talk Mega Star
Sarah said:
I think Miss Ellie knew JR was no saint to Sue Ellen @Jimmy Todd!! If she’d ripped into him more often maybe people wouldn’t have found the need to shoot him?!
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Valid point. Miss Ellie saw how cruel JR could be. I'm just thinking that her maternal protective instinct might have kicked in at least a little. Also, Miss Ellie had said things such as,"We may be right or we may be wrong, but we're Ewings, we stick together. That's what makes us unbeatable!" Another thing she said regarding Ray running the ranch, "And not a drop of Southworth blood in him."
I'm just saying with all that focus on family loyalty, she might be more peeved her blood son was almost killed.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

Telly Talk Dream Maker
Jimmy Todd said:
I'm just saying with all that focus on family loyalty, she might be more peeved her blood son was almost killed.
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She was cold towards Sue Ellen initially. If you want something to complain about, Bobby actually wanted to bail her out of jail after they believed she had shot JR the first time. To me, that’s worse.
 
Swami

Swami

Telly Talk Supreme
Billy Wall said:
She was cold towards Sue Ellen initially. If you want something to complain about, Bobby actually wanted to bail her out of jail after they believed she had shot JR the first time. To me, that’s worse.
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As Jock quite rightly pointed out to Bobby at the time.

Swami
 
CeeCee72

CeeCee72

Telly Talk Star
Billy Wall said:
She was cold towards Sue Ellen initially. If you want something to complain about, Bobby actually wanted to bail her out of jail after they believed she had shot JR the first time. To me, that’s worse.
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I almost understand Bobby's thinking there. He knew a lot more about the horrid shape of JR and Sue Ellen's marriage than Jock or Ellie did. He probably had a lot of sympathy for Sue Ellen knowing how horrible JR had been to her.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

Telly Talk Dream Maker
CeeCee72 said:
I almost understand Bobby's thinking there. He knew a lot more about the horrid shape of JR and Sue Ellen's marriage than Jock or Ellie did. He probably had a lot of sympathy for Sue Ellen knowing how horrible JR had been to her.
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Maybe, but you still can’t offer to bail out the person that was charged with attempting to murder your own brother.
 
Billy Wall

Billy Wall

Telly Talk Dream Maker
Jimmy Todd said:
I don't remember, but did Bobby really believe she had shot JR? The second time there was no doubt, but the first time he might not even have thought she did it.
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I think it was more like he didn’t want to believe it. At the time, all the evidence was pointing in Sue Ellen’s direction. He or anybody else really had no reason to think it was anybody other than her.
 
Toni

Toni

Maximum Member
Jimmy Todd said:
Were there ever any scenes where JR and Miss Ellie displayed any bond? I remember a scene when she bemoaned how JR turned out: "If only I had held on just a little bit longer." However, I can't remember a scene where you even got the impression they liked each other. This is understandable on JR's part if Miss Ellie made it clear he was her least favorite, but I can't recall Miss Ellie showing too much of a maternal feeling for him. Even after Sue Ellen shot him, when she visited him in the hospital it seemed to be a courtesy visit and they ended up arguing. Later, she tells Sue Ellen she's "disappointed" with her. She should have ripped into Sue Ellen and banished her from SF forever for shooting her son!
So, anyone know a scene between them that you actually could see they were mother and son? There were plenty with Bobby, Ray, and Gary.
Click to expand...

If I had been Sue Ellen, I´d have told Miss Ellie: "Here is Nick Pearce´s father´s number. Give him a call and ask him is he is disappointed too! Please b*tch...!" Again she was looking away from the problems in her life, and thinking her family was a victim of everybody else. J.R. had not been shot once before, but quite more times, and Ellie should´ve thought that he must have done something bad. At least the Ellie pre-Donna Dread would have!!

images

"But Clayton, who is the woman in the bouffant?
She doesn´t look, dress, act or wink like Mama!!"​
 
J

Jimmy Todd

Telly Talk Mega Star
Toni said:
If I had been Sue Ellen, I´d have told Miss Ellie: "Here is Nick Pearce´s father´s number. Give him a call and ask him is he is disappointed too! Please b*tch...!" Again she was looking away from the problems in her life, and thinking her family was a victim of everybody else. J.R. had not been shot once before, but quite more times, and Ellie should´ve thought that he must have done something bad. At least the Ellie pre-Donna Dread would have!!

images

"But Clayton, who is the woman in the bouffant?
She doesn´t look, dress, act or wink like Mama!!"​
Click to expand...

Miss Ellie could have easily turned that on Sue Ellen because she and Nick Pearce broke into JR's hotel room and Pearce attacked him. I would think any Texas lawyer would use that defense.
JR was still Miss Ellie's son. She doesn't have to condone his actions, but a mother would react strongly to him being almost murdered.
 
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