Does anyone else think Bobby’s decision to sell Ewing Oil was a complete overreaction and almost unbelievable decision? First, his devastation to April’s death I felt was over the top considering he barely blinked an eye to Pam leaving. Second, if wanted out of the oil business, fine. But selling the company is a complete slap in the face to Jock. He fought so hard to get it from JR that it destroyed his marriage to Pam. But he didn’t want to back out of a challenge from his Daddy. Yes, Jocks death was fresh then. But why betray the family. Why not just give it to JR. Even if JR had to change the name. Then in one of the last episodes Bobby tells JR that he is Daddy’s son & that he should continue In the oil business. Well in this case, why not let JR have the business. Bobby was supposed to be the “good” brother. Now that I’ve rewatched the series as an adult, I’ve seen a lot of behaviors in Bobby that I didn’t like
Angela Channing
Telly Talk Veteran
I agree and it was just more of the nonsense that they producers thought the audience would buy into. Also, the company was his family's legacy, surely Bobby would want to leave it for his son to continue. I also didn't accept that nonsense about Christopher and John Ross fighting over the company in the future. Why would that be inevitable? They could have different companies or they could decide not to be in the oil business altogether. If Bobby wanted out, he could put in place a board of directors to run the company while still remaining the owner and then in the future Christopher could choose whether or not he wanted to be involved in the company.
the-lost-son
Telly Talk Well-Known Member
That would be a character-driven storyline. Bobby out of the action and putting someone in his place, I like that really much. It worked with Donna when he was shot. It was a breath of fresh air back then and would have been in the last seasons as well.
When did she sell Ewing Oil?
The Ewing Oil that they had after season 11 was not really the Ewing Oil that Jock Ewing built. I know they had the nonsense about JR getting the assets back. But they didn’t have the Ewing Building back and it just never seemed the same to me. Maybe Bobby felt the same way.
Mustard
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
The real Ewing Oil ended at the end of Season 10 DVD when the Justice Department shut it down.
Donna getting into JR's face and walking into Ewing Oil was dumb. For one thing, she had no business being there and JR should have had security throw her out of the building. Once again, the writers made him a paper tiger putting up with her. JR also should have reminded Bobby on how Bobby took advantage after JR had been shot and that he (JR) would not do the same.
Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
Please tell me that last sentence is a joke. Lol
I should have explained that more. What I meant to say was I understood his stepping into Ewing Oil after JR's shooting to take care of the company in his absence but once JR was able to take the reins again, Bobby should have given him back his job instead he kept it. Now one can say that Bobby did better in the company. JR burned his bridges with the Cartel when he screwed them over in the Asian Oil fields so they would have preferred Bobby to him.
Luke_Krebbs_Ewing
Telly Talk Champion
Now hold on a second buddy!
Donna was at Ewing Oil only to look after Bobby's interests.
Bobby wanted her there! So if it was dumb then that was Bobby's decision!
The thing I love about the oil business is that pretty much anyone can step in - regardless of experience - and assume high level executive roles to help run a company (see Pam, Donna, Jack, Cliff, Michelle, and Bobby himself). Let’s face it: of the main cast, only Jock and JR truly had the experience to run an oil company. They might as well have had Charlie Wade herself step in to run Ewing Oil, given the parade of newbies, nitwits, and dim bulbs who pretended to be oil company executives on the show.
Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
Yep. Great show, but this is why Larry Hagman himself called Dallas a cartoon.
Mustard
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Who ran Ewing Oil in the first 10 seasons DVD? It was J.R., then Bobby, then J.R., then the Battle for Ewing Oil, then J.R. and Bobby together, J.R. alone again in the dream season. Jack had been around the oil business all his life (although mostly on the ground than the office), Donna is involved in politics and the Texas Energy Commission so has to know a lot about oil, and Pam was shown to be a fish out of water when she first started in oil and was eager to learn fast.
Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
We all know that they did it for dramatic purposes. No way we’re anybody outside of JR, Jock and possibly Bobby were qualified to run an oil company. Take Digger for example. He’s been around the oil industry as long as Jock. Even if he wasn’t a drunk, was he qualified to run an oil company?
Mustard
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Digger could do it to some extent if he set his mind to it, I'm sure. J.R. with the Southeast Asian wells made Ewing Oil the biggest independent oil company in Texas, though. Most of these other characters would be safe, safe, safe, while J.R. gambles, connives, and takes calculated risks. Bobby's time as president in Season 4 DVD saw him deplete Ewing Oil of its liquid assets that J.R. had acquired when he dumped those Asian oil fields on the cartel and Vaughn Leland before they were nationalized.
Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
JR takes risk, but at what cost? Look at how many lives he ruined to get what he wants. Seth Stone killed himself over the Asian oil leases and others were financially ruined. If it wasn’t for Miss Ellie, JR would have lost Southfork over the Asian oil leases.
They had enough liquid assets until JR manipulated Jock to take money out of the account knowing it was going to sabotage Bobby. Despite JR, Bobby got them a refinery, something JR could never do.
Mustard
Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Well, Jock's idea was to keep Ewing Oil in the Ewing family rather than give it to outsiders. Gary and Ray are Jock's sons, and had only 10 voting shares each, compared to J.R. and Bobby getting 20 voting shares each. It was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement anyway, until Jock got back from South America. Miss Ellie and J.R. had the power really, the balance tilting either way depending on whether John Ross was at Southfork or not. Miss Ellie had 30 voting shares and controlled John Ross' 10 voting shares if John Ross wasn't living at Southfork, but J.R. controlled John Ross' 10 voting shares if John Ross was living at Southfork. J.R. later got control of Ray's 10 voting shares as well, of course. To remove J.R. as president and install someone else, there needed to be 60 voting shares voting in favour of that. Getting 50 voting shares voting your way was enough to keep the status quo intact.
When J.R. was voted out after the Cliff Barnes suicide attempt and after Bobby and Pam knew that Christopher wasn't J.R.'s biological son, J.R. voted his 20 shares, John Ross' 10 and Ray's 10 to stay, while Miss Ellie voted her 30, Lucy her 10 (after Gary had given them to her early on) and Bobby his 20 to remove J.R. as president. Then J.R. suddenly started agitating to know what was in the codocil of Jock's will and for Jock's will to be read, having previously been against it when the voting shares arrangement had been serving its purpose for him.
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Billy Wall
Telly Talk Dream Maker
Just because you don’t know exactly how a company is run doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to voting shares, particularly in a family business. What exactly did Miss Ellie know? I think Jock did the right thing by assuring all his offsprings had a hand in the family business. Especially when you have someone like JR at the head.