Kristin vs Katherine

[Richard Channing]

Hard to choose between these two because they were both great in their own ways. Two characters who had a lot on in common, and had quite similar trajectories, however they had their differences too. Kristin was more overtly sexual and more of a social climber, whereas Katherine was a rich heiress who was used to getting what she wants. Both were perfectly cast and both actresses played their roles very well. But if you had to pick, which was your favourite?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Impossible to choose. For me. They're both emblematic of their respective periods of the show.

You learned more about what made Kristin, like Sue Ellen, tick: an ambitious mother who raised both daughters to gain their identities by catching a rich man.

We were never told about Katherine's history, and we received no information about how she felt about losing two-thirds of her father's estate to two half-siblings she barely knew and clearly didn't like. And yet I never really felt that lacking as a viewer -- her nutsy OTT villainy seemed to work, and we filled in the blanks as necessary.

Even maniacal Lady Jessica received more backstory explanation for why she became such a homicidal heifer, but that seemed required.

Oh, those DALLAS sisters-in-law. Next thing you know we'll find out horrid Lee Radziwill killed Kennedy! Or maybe Ethel!

 

[Jimmy Todd]

So hard to choose for all the reasons @Snarky Oracle stated. Kristin had that great scene in which she taunted JR in the hospital after shooting him, which might give her the edge. Katherine never had quite a scene with JR because he never took her too seriously. However, Katherine just seemed to draw the camera to her in every scene.I could never take my eyes off of her.
Thank goodness we got both of them and didn't have to choose

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I liked them both but if I had to pick one it would be Katherine.

 

[Billy Wall]

Probably the only reason I’m picking Kristen is because she is the answer to what was the biggest TV phenomenon up until that point and she was part of Dallas when Dallas was at its height.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Katherine never had quite a scene with JR because he never took her too seriously.

Especially after he slept with her.

 

[Rove]

This was difficult. I chose Katherine because her influence on the Ewing family was more worthy than Kristin. The problem I had was the writers pigeon holed both characters when I believe there was so much more life in them.

 

[Monzo]

I can't find anything negative about Kristin's run, while there is one thing that bothered me about Katherine's run: Jenna's trial. If Katherine hadn't killed Naldo, Jenna wouldn't have been on trial, and her trial was the first trial on Dallas that really got on my nerves.

 

[Richard Channing]

If Katherine hadn't killed Naldo, Jenna wouldn't have been on trial, and her trial was the first trial on Dallas that really got on my nerves.

She really just should have had Jenna murdered instead of this convoluted plan to frame her.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Both were great characters and both great supporting cast players in Dallas

When you consider them compared to the newbies at the end of Dallas there is no comparison

Both Kath and Kristin gave Dallas memorable storylines, i cant pick one over the other

 

[James from London]

Katherine was great but as big-haired, shoulder-padded Soap Land villainesses go, pretty conventional. Kristin was funnier, sexier and wonkier.

 

[Emelee]

I found Kristin annoying while Katherine was more entertaining.

 

[Mustard]

Katherine would win in a head-to-head easily. Far too powerful, cunning and ruthless, especially when out of sight.

She really just should have had Jenna murdered instead of this convoluted plan to frame her.

Katherine didn't do that because she wanted Jenna, and Bobby, to suffer.

 

[CeeCee72]

Loved them both. But have to go with Katherine. She was over the top, but sooo entertaining.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

As others have said, both are thoroughly entertaining on different levels.

Katherine was a big part of the reason I got hooked on Dallas. End Game was my entree to the series and I then re-watched the season leading up to it. She was right at the centre of things and one of the most memorable things about the entire series at that point for me.

Today, Katherine might have still edged into the lead for me if her death hadn't been a dream. Because of her wishy-washy return and forgettable final scene she lacks the true great ending she originally had, which dilutes her story for me.

Kristin had it all, including the ending. Beyond this, she left more of an impactful legacy on the series as well: not least Christopher. Despite Kristin's background being explained more, I also found her more complex. The psychology of the sibling rivalry with Sue Ellen was fascinating (particularly when you factor Patricia into things). Screwing her sister's husband while gaslighting her seemed far more of a betrayal than Katherine making eyes at Bobby because Sue Ellen and Kristin had been in each others' lives for longer (which is exactly what made the psychology between them endlessly fascinating).

Plus she has the kudos of being the original sharp-shootin' sister-in-law.

So, yes, I'll go with Kristin.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Katherine would win in a head-to-head easily. Far too powerful, cunning and ruthless, especially when out of sight.

As others have said, both are thoroughly entertaining on different levels.

Katherine was a big part of the reason I got hooked on Dallas. End Game was my entree to the series and I then re-watched the season leading up to it. She was right at the centre of things and one of the most memorable things about the entire series at that point for me.

Today, Katherine might have still edged into the lead for me if her death hadn't been a dream. Because of her wishy-washy return and forgettable final scene she lacks the true great ending she originally had, which dilutes her story for me.

Kristin had it all, including the ending. Beyond this, she left more of an impactful legacy on the series as well: not least Christopher. Despite Kristin's background being explained more, I also found her more complex. The psychology of the sibling rivalry with Sue Ellen was fascinating (particularly when you factor Patricia into things). Screwing her sister's husband while gaslighting her seemed far more of a betrayal than Katherine making eyes at Bobby because Sue Ellen and Kristin had been in each others' lives for longer (which is exactly what made the psychology between them endlessly fascinating).

Plus she has the kudos of being the original sharp-shootin' sister-in-law.

So, yes, I'll go with Kristin.

​

Yes, Kristin was basically the grasping ho her mama made her; Katherine was an unhinged sociopath.

I'm guessing Kristin would probably have never shot someone else had she lived after leaving DALLAS, while who knows how many elite, high-end assassins Katherine would have hired -- or did hire -- to knock people off during her travels through life all over the world.

They both slept with JR. But so did the rest of us.

Kristin appears to have slept with the entire cartel, and I suspect Lady Jessica did, too, back in the day.

Katherine, except for her mediocre dalliance with JR, was probably a virgin. And they tend to shoot more people,

 

[Mustard]

Yes, Kristin was basically the grasping ho her mama made her; Katherine was an unhinged sociopath.

Katherine didn't start out that way, though. She was originally a feisty yet friendly rich person's daughter, so is used to getting her way, doesn't know that she has any siblings and her rich father never found out about it before his death. No wonder Katherine starts to hate Cliff for his attitude and obsession with using a part of the Wentworth business to take down the Ewings, and later hates Pam as well over the Bobby situation. The inheritance stuff is bound to have played into Katherine's hate as well. You can understand how Katherine ends up the absolute villain that she becomes. J.R. always seemed to have the edge on Katherine though, largely because of him recording them having sex, which would scare Bobby off her for good even if Bobby had been very interested. Katherine badly miscalculated on that.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Kristin wants to take a big bite out of the DALLAS pie while Katherine's obsession - which could have happened in any soap - feels more isolated. If she had managed to marry Bobby, live on Southfork and become the clingy wife then my choice may have been different.

Sue Ellen and Kristin's past, or the little we know of it, has a whiff of Southern gothic that suits this particular soap very well. I like to think that their hometown was once terrorized by a serial killer who turned out to be Patricia's firstborn (by Aaron Southworth) whom she had given up for adoption. But I digress.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Katherine didn't start out that way, though. She was originally a feisty yet friendly rich person's daughter, so is used to getting her way, doesn't know that she has any siblings and her rich father never found out about it before his death. No wonder Katherine starts to hate Cliff for his attitude and obsession with using a part of the Wentworth business to take down the Ewings, and later hates Pam as well over the Bobby situation. The inheritance stuff is bound to have played into Katherine's hate as well. You can understand how Katherine ends up the absolute villain that she becomes. J.R. always seemed to have the edge on Katherine though, largely because of him recording them having sex, which would scare Bobby off her for good even if Bobby had been very interested. Katherine badly miscalculated on that.

It always seemed out of character that Katherine went to bed with JR. There was just this scene in which they are on bed with no particular lead up to it. It seemed to be more of a contrivance of the writers so that JR would have the upper hand over a woman.

 

[Crimson]

This is an easy answer for me (Katherine), with some very complicated caveats and justifications. Perhaps the simplest explanation is that I found Katherine enjoyably villainous, whereas I just wanted to punch Kristin in the face.

Kristen had better development and the overall better storyline; the show's writing was extremely sharp in her seasons. Kristen's motivations were rather seedy and petty: envy, greed, spite. She fit in well in the rougher and more disreputable early years of the show. As a character, she benefitted from having a fairly well executed story arc, even if the manner in which she was brought back and dispatched was a bit shoddy.

I've never found Katherine's motivations to be that inscrutable: obsession. All three of Rebecca's kids showed apparent mental disorders, specifically a self-destructive, obsessive focus on a specific objective (revenge; baby; Bobby). Obsessions are inherently irrational, and Katherine's single-minded focus on Bobby can explain why she wasn't, for instance, more resentful at Pam & Cliff getting 2/3 of her inheritance. The only thing unclear to me is whether the writers knew this, or they just fell ass-backwards into something that worked. If Katherine's storyline had peaked a year or two earlier, she probably would have fared better; the writing had started to fray a bit by 83/84. Which is the biggest problem with the character: her storyline is maddeningly erratic.

It seemed to be more of a contrivance of the writers so that JR would have the upper hand over a woman.

And here's probably the reason. The producers seemed to recognize, circa 83/84, that Katherine was their obligatory scheming rich bitch complete with drag queen outfits. But the writers also thwarted her at every turn. The DALLAS pecking order and the inherent machismo of the series required JR to outmatch her.