Were the women really just decorations in the original DALLAS?

[Snarky Oracle!]

The female cast are fond of repeating this point in interviews, but is it really true?

Sure, Southfork itself was certainly a chauvinistic environment and unwelcoming to anyone (man or woman) who was too vulnerable, but that doesn't mean the show itself was, too. .. Yes, sometimes the writers, not exactly male feminists, kept Miss Ellie in a box and overly-domesticated Pam pretty quickly (Sue Ellen's self-destructiveness was just who she was) but the underdog's story is always the more interesting one. And you could be pretty tough and sassy as a lady on DALLAS as long as you didn't live at the ranch.

The women of the cast complain that the female characters were "reactive" instead of pro-active, but I always recall everybody chattering about how Sue Ellen or Pam reacted to the tumult around them more than Bobby's latest oil deal with Jordan Lee.


1983: Pam in the shadow of yet another man...

"Jock, you're in my key light.... did you upstage Amanda in the same way?"

 

[pete lashmar]

It certainly would have been a lot more dull without them, but I would say they were definitely more reactionary most of the time.

Sue Ellen was definitely the most pro-active since she started Valentines & the JR Movie idea, and Donna was very pro-active in her first couple of years but other than that, and Lucy deciding to be a house builder, I can't think of any other pro-active women.

But that's doesn't demean their roles in the show, because for me, they were the backbone of Dallas.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I never looked at the women of Dallas as being just decorations. To me they were all very strong, especially considering some of the stuff they had to put up with from the men.

 

[Sarah]

I never looked at the women of Dallas as being just decorations. To me they were all very strong, especially considering some of the stuff they had to put up with from the men.

SOME were decorations from the pound store. The main gals were stronger than the men in many ways.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

When they were talking about doing a DALLAS movie about twenty years ago, David Jacobs said something about Miss Ellie having her own local talk show... I like this idea for the 89/90 season, where JR takes his mama onto the Roy Ralston Show in the midst of the tanker oil spill crisis; she's a smash after a couple of appearances, Ralston's show goes national, and the local station offers Ellie his timeslot.

JR sees this as a public relations coup initially, until Ellie's liberal environmental leanings begin to emerge on air, the cartel members not yet chopped to death by Lady Jessica are appalled at Ellie's outspokenness, and JR panics and has to sabotage her new career (is this where the cocaine in the cold cream comes in? Maybe she can have a televised collapse...)


",,,And Jessica will be my co-host...."

 

[Laurie!]

Sue Ellen was definitely the most pro-active since she started Valentines & the JR Movie idea, and Donna was very pro-active in her first couple of years but other than that, and Lucy deciding to be a house builder, I can't think of any other pro-active women.

It answers Snarky's question when SE is the most pro-active doesn't it? That's very sad when you think about it. After all, she only bought Valentine's and made the movie as a reaction to JR's infidelity. Heck, she didn't even run Valentine's or produce the movie. Each and every single thing that woman ever did was a reaction to her husband.

In fact when Pam was proactive and left Southfork like any smart woman would do, most people call her flakey for it. When she wanted to keep her job at The Store, the characters ridiculed her for it.

Donna married a rich old man who had political influence while he was on death's door and inherited his wealth and status. Sadly, that's how she achieved success. When she wrote a book, it was even his notoriety that made it a success.

Also...Victoria Principal started out as a military brat and forged her own way in Hollywood...started a company that made over $1.5 billion...and now gets to choose whatever she wants to do. Is it truly a coincidence that she's seemingly the most disliked cast member from DALLAS? Or is it telling that a woman who becomes a self-made multi-millionaire, is automatically considered a bitch in her generation? Things that make you go hmmm.

 

[Laurie!]

Also, Michael Preece (in a very mysogiinistic fashion), once commented how he couldn't understand why Victoria didn't like being shown as much as possible with very little on since she was married to a plastic surgeon. Again, doesn't that tell you all you need to know about the women's roles on the show?

Do you think it was ever a subject of discussion amongst the powers of the show, as to why Larry never wanted to be seen without clothes or a blanket below his man nips?

 

[Willie Oleson]

Yes, they were.
But as long as it's being acknowledged and properly dramatized then it's not a bad thing at all.
Likewise, female empowerment in soaps can be very dull when it's badly scripted. Actions aren't necessarily more interesting than reactions.

 

[Sarah]

How can you agree that a woman who:

Started her own successful business behind her husbands back and then took his company from him...

A woman who helped her brother run an oil company

A politician

An author

And a woman who could frighten any grown man into doing her bidding...

were decorations?,,

 

[DallasFanForever]

To me J.R., Bobby and Ray were never the same post Sue Ellen, Pam and Donna. So to me the that just proves the women were more than just decorations. That’s just the way I look at it anyway.

 

[Sarah]

To me J.R., Bobby and Ray were never the same post Sue Ellen, Pam and Donna. So to me the that just proves the women were more than just decorations. That’s just the way I look at it anyway.

This is the correct way of looking at it!

 

[Angela Channing]

In the early years of Dallas the men generally drove the main storylines and the women were either just appendages to them or only had minor subplots. Sue Ellen's drinking was a reaction to her husband's spousal abuse, Ellie was the adoring wife who would always believe "Jock was a great man", Lucy was rebelling against her anger towards Gary and JR and Pam was just the piggy-in-the-middle of an ancient feud between to elderly oil men.

The women only had flashes of strength e.g. "Ray, get me the shotgun out of the hall closet" but otherwise were kind of weak e.g. Pam's breakdown over not being able to have a child, Sue Ellen's drinking, Jock ignoring Ellie's pleas to stop seeing Julie Grey. Over time the roles of all the women evolved and they became much stronger and had their own significant storylines.

 

[Billy Wall]

In the early seasons, I’d say yes. As time went on they got much stronger with more purpose.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I never watched Dallas for Ewing Oil, Business deals, the Cartel - once i got a VCR those were the bits i fwd on a rewatch and found a little dull at times

I watched Dallas for the Ewings of SF at SF, The Ewings at mealtimes, The pool, for the interactions of Bobby and Pam, Jock and Miss Ellie, JR and Sue Ellen, Donna, Ray, Lucy Clayton, Pam and Cliff and co

It was THE FAMILY at home At SF that did it for me and the women got stronger over time on Dallas.

 

[Angela Channing]

Contrast early Ellie when she confronts Jock over his liaisons with Julie Grey. She tell him she expects him home for dinner and he doesn't care, doesn't show up and continues seeing Julie. Ellie doesn't really do anything else about it. Fast forward several seasons and Clayton is having secret liaisons with Laurel Ellis. This time Ellie tells her husband she doesn't trust him any more and throws him out. She has transformed from being doormat Ellie into being strong, self-respecting Ellie.

 

[Laurie!]

How can you agree that a woman who:

Started her own successful business behind her husbands back and then took his company from him...

A woman who helped her brother run an oil company

A politician

An author

And a woman who could frighten any grown man into doing her bidding...

were decorations?,,

You answer your own questions in your post. If it wasn't reactive to JR, why did she do it behind his back...took his company, etc. She did it just to piss him off as a reaction to his actions.

SE didn't help Bobby run the company any more than Pam helped Cliff. Also, I don't take TNT DALLAS as canon. But even Sue Ellen the short lived, losing politician wasn't enough to make Linda think she had a meaty enough role.

 

[Laurie!]

In the early seasons, I’d say yes. As time went on they got much stronger with more purpose.

I honestly don't see that but I really wanted to. I remember being so pissed off when Pam for example, wasn't allowed to go toe-to-toe with JR during the dream season. They had her need Mark's assistance and then ultimately just gave up and sold to JR. Some of the scenes between JR and Pam were many of the best on the show and could've been very entertaining that season....wasted opportunity. It was almost like they didn't want to beef up Victoria's role in Patrick's absence and make her a legitimate co-star.

Just look how difficult it was for Linda to be allowed to direct an episode. The behind the scenes powers thought Victoria and the other women would expect the same thing. Quite pathetic actually but a sign of the times just the same.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Pam for example, wasn't allowed to go toe-to-toe with JR during the dream season. They had her need Mark's assistance and then ultimately just gave up and sold to JR. Some of the scenes between JR and Pam were many of the best on the show and could've been very entertaining that season....wasted opportunity. It was almost like they didn't want to beef up Victoria's role in Patrick's absence and make her a legitimate co-star. L

Absolutely. Wasn't Angelica Nero, created by Uncle Lenny, designed to steal Pam's thunder??

 

[Willie Oleson]

Over time the roles of all the women evolved and they became much stronger and had their own significant storylines.

A character doesn't have to be strong or independent to be significant.
I love the sulky trophy wives!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Again, the underdog's story is often the more interesting.