Who was the worst character ever in Dallas?

[Swami]

A couple of recent discussions have set me thinking, just to see who others consider to be the worst character ever to appear in Dallas. Perhaps you may even think of others over and above those I have listed.

I think a strong case can be made for every one of them, they were all completely out of place on the show.

But for me the worst has to be Vanessa Beaumont, though Rose McKay, James Beaumont and Angelica Nero aren't far away.

Swami

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Which are you weighing more heavily: the bad acting or something about the actual concept of the character- the way it was written?

 

[Jock's Ghost]

Haha. Stupid Vanessa. I'd add that dumb boyfriend of Lucys when she was slumming as the waitress.
Vanessa definitely just for the floodgate of poop it released. What should have been monumental was flat as miss ellies's chest. John Ross has a brother to battle with... uhhh
Nope.

Which are you weighing more heavily: the bad acting or something about the actual concept of the character- the way it was written?

I would say both. From her and from Larry who was boring with her. Seems like this triggered JRs lazy, buffoon years.

Which are you weighing more heavily: the bad acting or something about the actual concept of the character- the way it was written?

I would say both. From her and from Larry who was boring with her. Seems like this triggered JRs lazy, buffoon years.

The last five beginning with that idiot Vanessa. Add April to the list.

 

[TJames03]

Anyone in the post-VP years. Simple as that.

 

[Miss Ellie Fan]

There were many good characters left after Victoria Principal left, we still had Miss Ellie, JR, Sue Ellen, Bobby,Cliff - you can’t put them in the same bracket as some of those terrible later seasons characters, it just doesn’t wash.

My vote out of the poll goes to James. He just irritated me But those twins that had Miss Ellie on the treasure hunt drove me mad as well lol

 

[Billy Wall]

James. He brought absolutely nothing to the show.

There were many good characters left after Victoria Principal left, we still had Miss Ellie, JR, Sue Ellen, Bobby,Cliff - you can’t put them in the same bracket as some of those terrible later seasons characters, it just doesn’t wash.

My vote out of the poll goes to James. He just irritated me But those twins that had Miss Ellie on the treasure hunt drove me mad as well lol

I’m pretty sure they meant characters created after VP left. Lol

 

[Swami]

Which are you weighing more heavily: the bad acting or something about the actual concept of the character- the way it was written?

Probably best to take both factors into account.

Swami

 

[Kenny Coyote]

There were many good characters left after Victoria Principal left, we still had Miss Ellie, JR, Sue Ellen, Bobby,Cliff - you can’t put them in the same bracket as some of those terrible later seasons characters, it just doesn’t wash.

My vote out of the poll goes to James. He just irritated me But those twins that had Miss Ellie on the treasure hunt drove me mad as well lol

There was one great addition in the later years of the show - April. Sheree J.Wilson played April perfectly, saving seasons 11, 12 and 13 from being considerably worse.

James irritated me too. That's a bad character and a bad actor as opposed to Cally who was not a good character because it just didn't fit in Dallas, but Cathy Podewell as an actress did as well as you could reasonably expect anyone to do given that role. Cathy Podewell was convincing as that character, but unfortunately it was a character that was badly out of place on Dallas. Still, Cally had far more charm than Michelle or Rose or Leslie!

I say Leslie Stewart was the worst character because it was a bad concept for a character and terribly written, which really marred what was an otherwise amazing season. By seasons 11 or 12, there were enough bad characters that one more couldn't do a whole lot of damage; it could only take it from bad to worse. In comparison, Leslie Stewart was the worst because all the rest of season 4 was so good that it was a situation where her character badly tarnished what was otherwise a great season.

I compare it to a painting: if you have something great, maybe even a masterpiece, and it gets damaged, it's really tragic. If you have a painting that is just OK, and it gets damaged, it's not as sad.

@Swami, I think Leeann De La Vega and Peter Richards both could have fit on your list very well, but it's hard to remember everyone. What did you think of those two?

 

[CeeCee72]

Tie. James Beaumont and Peter Richards.

Both characters COULD have had a very deep and dramatic impact on the show. Part of their failure was bad writing, but most of it was the atrocious acting.

It was painful to watch both of them. Even now, I fast forward every time they are in a scene.

Honorable mention to Vanessa. The actress was fine. The plotline was terrible. A love from JR's past with a secret son could have been AMAZING. But it all felt so forced, ridiculous, and flat.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Anyone from the final dire season of Dallas thas wasnt Dallas - name only but no heart or soul left anymore and proof that Dallas wasnt the Hagman/Duffy show

Tommy, Rose McKay were awful, James was dire, and never bought the love of his life nonsesne with Vanessa, Michelle was dire, nice hair but thats about it! Cally was just embarassing making JR seem an old perv and couldnt act her way out of a paper bag

One omitted from that list was the awful, insipid, simpering SJW/April Stevens - rotten acting, no rapport with Pat Duffy and oh how i cheered when she went to Paris. Pity it wasnt 3 seasons earlier!

 

[Billy Wall]

Tommy at least held his own in that fight scene against Bobby. Lol

 

[Swami]

There was one great addition in the later years of the show - April. Sheree J.Wilson played April perfectly, saving seasons 11, 12 and 13 from being considerably worse.

James irritated me too. That's a bad character and a bad actor as opposed to Cally who was not a good character because it just didn't fit in Dallas, but Cathy Podewell as an actress did as well as you could reasonably expect anyone to do given that role. Cathy Podewell was convincing as that character, but unfortunately it was a character that was badly out of place on Dallas. Still, Cally had far more charm than Michelle or Rose or Leslie!

I say Leslie Stewart was the worst character because it was a bad concept for a character and terribly written, which really marred what was an otherwise amazing season. By seasons 11 or 12, there were enough bad characters that one more couldn't do a whole lot of damage; it could only take it from bad to worse. In comparison, Leslie Stewart was the worst because all the rest of season 4 was so good that it was a situation where her character badly tarnished what was otherwise a great season.

I compare it to a painting: if you have something great, maybe even a masterpiece, and it gets damaged, it's really tragic. If you have a painting that is just OK, and it gets damaged, it's not as sad.

@Swami, I think Leeann De La Vega and Peter Richards both could have fit on your list very well, but it's hard to remember everyone. What did you think of those two?

I was always prepared to give Leeann De La Vega the benefit of the doubt given that Barbara Eden was portraying her. Peter Richards was annoying and I never warmed to the Sue Ellen-Peter fling, but I don't think he was bad enough to surpass the other candidates for awfulness.

I know April has her critics, I think she inevitably suffered from being compared with Pam (directly or indirectly). Having said that, she was best in her first season on the show before she lost her mischievous side.

Leslie Stewart, I think, was by far the worst character during the show at its peak.

Swami

 

[Chris2]

James. He was a terrible character played by a terrible actor.

Leslie Stewart and Peedur at least had the benefit of being on the show when it was at its peak.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I was always prepared to give Leeann De La Vega the benefit of the doubt given that Barbara Eden was portraying her. Peter Richards was annoying and I never warmed to the Sue Ellen-Peter fling, but I don't think he was bad enough to surpass the other candidates for awfulness.

I know April has her critics, I think she inevitably suffered from being compared with Pam (directly or indirectly). Having said that, she was best in her first season on the show before she lost her mischievous side.

Leslie Stewart, I think, was by far the worst character during the show at its peak.

Swami

Well that's what made the character so terrible, when the show was at it's peak everything was so good that when they introduce this one horrible character, you'e thinking: what the hell is she doing here and why would they have that character in an otherwise great show? That's what made it so annoying.

I can't think of anything Tommy McKay did that was as pitiful as Peter and Sue Ellen together. He was nuts because he was an addict, but that's the character - he's supposed to have a lot of issues. With Peter, they present him as this great all American type kid, and then he wants to screw the mother of the little camper he's helping, knowing she's married. Even worse, Sue consents to having sex with her 5 year old son's counselor and he's too dumb to figure out that JR will find out. Of course he'll find out because the kid acts so enamored with his wife anytime he's in her presence so it couldn't be any more obvious. What would a woman of her age possibly have in common with a college kid?

With Tommy McKay, I totally understand that he think he can get money from his dad to buy cocaine under the guise that he's running an import-export business because his dad wants to see the best in him and is desperately hoping Tommy has turned good, which makes Carter very easily manipulable. It's not a bad character,although the actor wasn't as good as Dallas level actors usually were. Good character but bad actor.

I would think that if someone thinks of a Barbara Eden as a good actress, than it would make it that much more disappointing to see her portray Leann De La Vega that way. She makes herself so incredibly transparent, and we're supposed to believe JR can't believe he's being manipulated? He's a master of manipulation, but somehow ca't see through Leeann. If she'd been a little more subtle and spoke her lines instead of gushing words out of her mouth, possibly, but she just wasn't believable as someone who could manipulate JR that effectively.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

oh how i cheered when she went to Paris.

You cheered for a woman being kidnapped and murdered? Ya know what? I believe you.

 

[Victoriafan3]

April for sure. She needs to be on the list. But yes during the peak of the show Leslie

 

[Rove]

Another character I wold have voted for was Jamie Ewing however this has more to with the actress Jenilee Harrison. Just a bad casting choice.

 

[TJames03]

Another character I wold have voted for was Jamie Ewing however this has more to with the actress Jenilee Harrison. Just a bad casting choice.

Jamie started out as a strong character, got weak, and then became strong again right before she left Dallas to meet her untimely fate...

 

[Mel O'Drama]

What should have been monumental was flat as miss ellies's chest.

Considering both Ellie and Barbara Bel Geddes had undergone a mastectomy, isn't this comment in the poorest of taste?

 

[thomaswak]

James. He never belonged there. The actor was sitcom material and had the charisma of a hamster.