1984-85: A season of decline

[Snarky Oracle!]

Aside from the changing Ellies issue, one ball they dropped was not really doing anything with Pam's rage at finding out JR had sent her on a wild goose chase in pursuit of Mark Graison.

She wanted to make JR "feel the kind of pain I'm feeling!" by joining the Barnes battle against Ewing Oil. And she really doesn't follow through. She even points out that she's never followed through before, but "this time it's different" (yet it really isn't).

If a man made this kind of focused threat, the show probably wouldn't have dropped it. But, I suspect, because she's a woman, the brass kind of forgot about it -- seriously. Even this important scene is poorly edited, especially regarding Pam's "Shut up -- just sit there and listen!!" moment:

Classic DALLAS irony dictates that something she does along that line -- even something minor -- perversely leads to Bobby winding up laying in her driveway via Katherine's vehicle. Yes, Bobby having spent the night makes Katherine crazy jealous, but one more tiny little thing Pam had done in her fury at JR, biblically helps leads to disaster. And she can then blame herself for it all next season.

But what could it be??

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Being a fan of the NBC daytime program Texas, I've wondered how Josephine Nichols (who played Marshall family matriarch Kate) would have been received as Miss Ellie.View attachment 52642

I don't now anything about her, but she and anyone else would have been treaty unfairly, just like Donna Reed. Too many Dallas fans were unwilling to give anyone else a chance

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Donna Reed was treated badly,not given a fair chance, and she didn't deserve that.

Donna Reed was treated badly and not given a fair chance.

Many Dallas fans were unwilling to give anyone else a chance.

just like Donna Reed. Too many Dallas fans were unwilling to give anyone else a chance

You seem to be about giving people a fair chance. I think that's nice.

 

[Willie Oleson]

 

[DallasFanForever]

Would this simply be history repeating itself? JR gets cosy between the sheets with Kristin Shepherd and now we are expected to believe Bobby would slip between the sheets with Katherine?

Yes, it can be considered a little repetitive, but Dallas always did repetition so well.

 

[Rove]

one ball they dropped was not really doing anything with Pam's rage at finding out JR had sent her on a wild goose chase in pursuit of Mark Graison.

One of my all-time favourite scenes from Dallas. The seed was planted, especially so when Bobby flatlined and Pam was put in charge of Christopher's stake in Ewing Oil. With Pam in Ewing Oil what wicked plot would JR conjure up to get rid of her. And for good measure, Pam hires Donna as a consultant.

 

[DallasFanForever]

One of my all-time favourite scenes from Dallas. The seed was planted, especially so when Bobby flatlined and Pam was put in charge of Christopher's stake in Ewing Oil. With Pam in Ewing Oil what wicked plot would JR conjure up to get rid of her. And for good measure, Pam hires Donna as a consultant.

I love that scene as well. The one on one J.R. and Pam scenes were always memorable. I do wish more had come out of it though. Pam’s threats even had J.R. looking a little worried for once. It did lead to her getting involved in the battle for Ewing Oil that season, which was good to see. Historically Pam would distance herself from that kind of thing so to see her her involved and going against the Ewings was a nice change. It made perfect sense here.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I know it's not DYNASTY and shouldn't be, but should JR and Pam have at least one free-for-all at the office after she takes over Bobby's share of Ewing Oil? One which ensues after she refuses to go along with one of his schemes -- one she technically has to sign off on -- and he snipes that she and her family "killed muh brother!", and she smacks him and it turns into a physical fight?

It's been coming on for eight years, forgoodnesssake....

And, needless to say, JR doesn't entirely win.

 

[Chris2]

The lack of anger around Bobby’s murder isn’t realistic. At least some of the Ewings would blame the Barnes Wentworth clan - irrationally perhaps, but that’s what happens. They sure as hell wouldn’t be inviting the Barnes clan to the funeral. I’m not sure if one of my siblings murdered someone that I’d show up for their victim’s funeral.

I’m not against Bobby dying and opening up some new story avenues. But Katherine ultimately winning and killing Bobby (“If I can’t have him, no one can!”) is depressing as hell and just doesn’t work for what is essentially an escapist show.

 

[GillesDenver]

With artificial intelligence, that season could be improved... or not !

 

[Richard Channing]

With artificial intelligence, that season could be improved... or not !

BBG with that hair is hilarious! She looks like a drag queen. Barbara Bella Donna!

 

[DallasFanForever]

know it's not DYNASTY and shouldn't be, but should JR and Pam have at least one free-for-all at the office after she takes over Bobby's share of Ewing Oil?

Yes, they absolutely should have. They should’ve had a huge fight where J.R. blames her family and more specifically Katherine for Bobby’s death. At the same time Pam could fight back that he had a hand in manipulating and encouraging Katherine as well.

Although there is another part of me that would’ve liked to have seen them join forces just once in one of his underhanded schemes. We did get a little tease with this when J.R. told her they were starting to think alike, which of course she quickly distanced herself from. I would’ve liked to have seen her embrace it a little more just one time maybe.

The lack of anger around Bobby’s murder isn’t realistic. At least some of the Ewings would blame the Barnes Wentworth clan - irrationally perhaps, but that’s what happens.

More anger definitely would’ve been more realistic. It’s only natural given the circumstances, but everyone had to think of Christopher and what was best for him so I guess we have to look at it from Miss Ellie’s point of view. She wanted peace and she was the one that went to Pam to invite her entire family to the funeral. This was very unselfish of her and I’m not sure many mothers who just lost a son to murder by someone in that family would do that.

What always bothered me about the funeral itself though was where the Barnes family was seated. If you’re saying you want them at the funeral and you want there to be peace between the families then why not all sit together and show that? Why look like two different families? I never understood that part of it. Maybe J.R. had his objections about the seating arrangements but I would expect someone like Miss Ellie to insist they all sit together for the service. Just my thoughts.

 

[GillesDenver]

BBG with that hair is hilarious! She looks like a drag queen. Barbara Bella Donna!

And what about Donna Reed with BBG's hair and sack's dress ? Now she seems to work better in Miss Ellie's role, doesn't she ?

 

[Richard Channing]

And what about Donna Reed with BBG's hair and sack's dress ? Now she seems to work better in Miss Ellie's role, doesn't she ?

Definitely. If they at least would have styled her similar to BBG's look on the show it would have softened the blow and she might have felt a little less like a totally different person.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

The entire assertion of this post is erroneous.

Dallas was not in decline yet.

Overall Ratings were #2 and 20.97 ratings points.
The previous season was #1 and 21.5 ratings points.
A "decline" of 1 place and barely one quarter of one percent in ratings points.
Any show would have traded spots with Dallas, except for the #1 show, obviously.
Added to the cast was dack Rambo (a seasoned actor), Jenilee Harrison (surprisingly strong performance) and
Deborah Shelton (whose role would be significant for JR, Sue Ellen and Cliff)
Morgan Brittany would play a significant role in events, and William Smithers returned.
And I do think Donna Reed brought some positives to the role, including dressing more fashionably as a wealthy
Texas woman

Decline began in the next season, the Dream Season (Season 9)
Ratings at #6 and 18.8 ratings points, a 10% drop even though BBG returned.
Season 10: Ratings at #11 and 18.6 ratings points, probably would have been worse without Patrick Duffy's return

Obviously, recasting Miss ellie had no detrimental effect on ratings, and BBG's return had no positive effect on ratings.
Yes, BBG was iconic as Miss Ellie, but people didn't watch Dallas to see
what Miss Ellie was doing.
Ironically, there was probably more interest initially to see Donna Reed in the role.
People watched the show for JR, Sue Ellen, Bobby and Pam.
and to some extent, how Cliff would try to defeat Ewing Oil.
Donna , Ray and Miss Ellie were basically good supporting characters.

Again, it was not a season of decline

List of Dallas (1978 TV series) episodes - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GillesDenver]

The entire assertion of this post is erroneous.

Dallas was not in decline yet.

Again, it was not a season of decline

In terms of ratings, probably not, but in terms of writing, clearly, the decline was there.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

You seem to be about giving people a fair chance. I think that's nice.

Are you being..Snarky Oracle LOL!
People had to give the show itself a chance when it started.
Ratings were mediocre at best when it started,
and the actors/actresses were mostly somewhat familiar at best, except
for Larry Hagman a/k/a Major Nelson
and Tina Louise Jim Davis was in many westerns, and Patrick Duffy was in a short lived show

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

And I do think Donna Reed brought some positives to the role, including dressing more fashionably as a wealthy
Texas woman

Yes, BBG was iconic as Miss Ellie, but people didn't watch Dallas to see
what Miss Ellie was doing.

So viewers were interested in Donna Reed's fashions. But not what BBG was doing.

 

[the-lost-son]

For me the declining quality though that season showed very much in the introduction of new characters. In the years prior characters were introduced briefly, left shortly after and when they were brought back on a permanent basis, it felt like having known them for a long(er) time, like a saga.
They did that with Rebecca, Clayton, Afton, Kristen, Katherine or Donna (and probably intended with Gary&Val had KL not materialized).

In 84/85 many new characters were introduced without the same work&thought put into - Jack, Jamie or Mandy Winger appeared all out of the blue with no/contrieved ties. It didn't feel like a saga to say the least. That was sth. which even got worse in the following years - from Matt Cantrall to Vanessa Beaumont.

When Miss Ellie with her new head spoke with her niece Jamie - who we never heard of - about her brother-in-law Jason - who was never mentioned before either - it was just bizarre.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

So viewers were interested in Donna Reed's fashions. But not what BBG was doing.

That is not what is said. I was trying to say that there was a curiosity factor when Donna Reed was cast as Miss Ellie, and that viewers would have initially been more interested in the character because Donna reed was an iconic actress with an impressive list of credits. C'mon, you are more than capable of understanding what I actually said