Pam and Ray's relationship

[Miss Texas 1967]

It's a bit too much of a coincidence that Swellin' turns out pregnant as she's just had slept with JR, Cliff and Ray. It always sticks out to me like something that would've been explored had David Jacobs not left to focus on Knots Landing; plus in itself it's just a classic soap trope. Have someone sleep around and do a "who's the father?".

Maybe the next continuation of Dallas will reveal John Ross's true identity.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't they only do a blood typing test (as opposed to full DNA) to determine paternity, meaning that it could have been even more up in the air if Ray and JR had both been in the running as potential fathers as they were close relatives to each other and to John Ross.

 

[Karin]

@Miss Texas 1967 you are correct when you say that they only did a blood test since DNA testing was not yet available when the paternity suit episode was being broadcast. It was still a few years off until DNA became a thing.

However it is possible that Ray was never a candidate for John Ross paternity. I mean it would depend on when the baby was conceived and they indicated that it was later on the show.

It is hard to determine how much time that passes by in an episode when it's centered around one plot but I would assume that some weeks might have passed between the beginning and end of the Black Market Baby episode considering that Sue Ellen tried to adopt a baby that this girl was pregnant with. I think it would take JR some time to get wind of all that.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

@Miss Texas 1967 you are correct when you say that they only did a blood test since DNA testing was not yet available when the paternity suit episode was being broadcast. It was still a few years off until DNA became a thing.

However it is possible that Ray was never a candidate for John Ross paternity. I mean it would depend on when the baby was conceived and they indicated that it was later on the show.

It is hard to determine how much time that passes by in an episode when it's centered around one plot but I would assume that some weeks might have passed between the beginning and end of the Black Market Baby episode considering that Sue Ellen tried to adopt a baby that this girl was pregnant with. I think it would take JR some time to get wind of all that.

Good point. Taking into account air dates it could work but since the show never touched on it as a plot I'm sure we're supposed to forget it happened and not consider Ray an option.