Characters which should have been used once more

[the-lost-son]

Apart from the first seasons of Falcon Crest, Dallas is the only series which can give me the feeling of a saga.
One major factor to accomplish that, was to use certain characters more than once (then it helped the sory to progress).

For example:
- Dusty Farlow (I loved it then he he showed up after his plane crash, early dream season and in one of the last episodes. The character never overstayed his welcome Imo.)
- Gary Ewing (only on a short term basis, but certain events felt more important with him around - Lucy‘s wedding, Jock‘s will, Bobby‘s funeral)
- and many „minor“ characters which gave the show a familiar, grounded „saga“ feeling - Punk Anderson, Vaughn Leeland as the sleazy banker, Harve Smithfield, Harry McSween...

However there are some characters which were great but should have been used at least once more.
1. Patricia Shepard (I liked her meddling in the dream season. Instead of Jeff Faraday‘s sister we never heard of I would have loved Patricia to fight the Ewing over her biological grandson. Would have been fun to watch her having another go at Miss Ellie.)
2. Katherine Wentworth (I liked her initial ending but as it was a dream I‘d have liked to have her once more. Maybe convincing Cliff to accept her help against the Ewings or having her involved in April‘s death, instead of a woman we‘ve never heard of.)
3. Peter Richards (I‘m aware that some didn‘t like his romance with SueEllen. I liked it. It was different to SueEllens usual affairs (Cliff, Clint, Fusty). Maybe as a doctor he could have helped JR out of the sanatorium and maybe rekindle his relationship with Lucy. That would have given her sth. to do. A few episodes would have done it.)
4. Holly Harwood (once more instead of a woman we‘ve never heard of, if JR had to lose EwingOil to former lover, make it Holly Harwood instead of LeeAnn Della Vega)
5. and of course the obvious ones - Pam, SueEllen, Miss Ellie, Donna...

Do you agree with my list? Do you have any characters you would have liked to welcome back once more?

 

[Billy Wall]

Willie Joe and Jeb Ames definitely had reasons to come back and seek revenge against JR and Bobby.

Side note: I didn’t realize until recently that the actor who played Willie Joe also played detective Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Wes Parmalee, perhaps?

 

[DallasFanForever]

I, for one, would’ve loved a Katherine Wentworth return just so she could stir up some trouble one last time. I enjoyed her brief return in season 11 DVD at the hospital but I would’ve loved to see her once more. Maybe she could’ve been in the same mental hospital that J.R. checked himself into later on. Or maybe she could’ve been the one behind Lisa Alden trying to take Christopher instead of J.R. And when that didn’t work she could try to run down Bobby with her car again as a wink and a nod to the dream, only this time she misses and crashes into the Southfork pool and finally dies. Another Ewing sister in law dies in the pool? Maybe that would be too much. Or perhaps it would’ve come off as being too humorous but you get my point. There was another run left in the character imo.

 

[CeeCee72]

Katherine. She should have been used to explain the whole Pam cluster. Kidnapping is a better explanation than Pam just running away.

Holly. They should have brought her back in the later seasons. Hell of a lot more interesting than the pitiful foils for JR we got stuck with.

Parmelee. We never got a real resolution to that storyline.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Wes Parmalee is definitely another one I agree with. The ending to that storyline with him just walking away was too abrupt and lacked closure. I would’ve liked him to return at some point.

 

[Jon Ewing Jr.]

What about Alan Beam? Maybe he could have come back towards the end of the series out of thin air.

 

[the-lost-son]

What about Alan Beam? Maybe he could have come back towards the end of the series out of thin air.

That‘s one I like. He could have given Lucy something to do as well in the later seasons. Going after the Ewings or ending up dead. Lucy becoming a suspect.

If you don‘t have any intention to use a character, why not kill him/her off? That‘s a mistake especially during the later years when certain characters were hardly used at all due to budget restraints (the cartell)

 

[Billy Wall]

What about Dr Ellby? Pam definitely could have paid him a visit.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Dr. Ellby definitely could’ve come back at any time as everyone on the show was pretty much in need of a psychiatrist at one point LOL.

I always wondered what happened to Edgar Randolph as well. I would’ve liked to see him make a return in the later years just to show J.R. he got his life back together.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

Alan Beam - would have been great had he married Lucy instead of Mitch the bitch. Beam marries Lucy, stays buddies with JR, slowly falls in love with Lucy for real and rebuffs all of JR s meddling. Drama ensues.

Katherine- My darling Crazy Kat. Loved Morgans beautiful face, those eyes, hair, nails. A true striking woman. Pretty darn good actor too. She was the female JR. They should have used her as such. Her obsession with Bobby was a good start. That shouldn't have been her only link. She could throw in with Windell.
Wouldn't have made her Bobby's killer. That damn revival of Bobby screwed so much up.....
But kidnapping Pam would have made more sense than Mummy Pam.

Rebecca Wentworth- Everyone's favorite mannish looking woman was killed off way too soon. Her marrying Clayton would have made more sense. She's killed and he becomes vengeful widower.... she was a good ass kicker of Cliff when he was at his most selfish. Better than whiny Afton.

Mitch- only if he had turned into a heavy gambler getting into trouble with skeezy thugs to the point of JR intervening or blackmailing him, move to Atlanta with Lucy or else.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Vaughn Leland is another character I would’ve liked to have seen make a return in the later years. I always enjoyed his scenes and the actor was just terrific! Maybe he comes back to team up with Wendell just to put the screws to J.R. one last time. Or when Ewing Oil became a hot potato in that final season, maybe somehow Vaughn ends up with it at some point.

 

[Billy Wall]

Vaughn Leland is another character I would’ve liked to have seen make a return in the later years. I always enjoyed his scenes and the actor was just terrific! Maybe he comes back to team up with Wendell just to put the screws to J.R. one last time. Or when Ewing Oil became a hot potato in that final season, maybe somehow Vaughn ends up with it at some point.

Leland did actually come back years after the Asian oil wells/who shot JR storyline.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Well, I meant I would’ve liked another return for Vaughn in those later seasons. I guess I should’ve clarified. I loved his return when he helped J.R. try to destroy Cliff in season 7 DVD but I meant I could’ve used another return a few years later, as I really enjoyed the character.

 

[Rove]

What about Alan Beam?

They should never have killed off Kristin Shepard. I liked the pairing of Alan and Kristin. After Kristin announces her jaw-dropping "jail baby" to Sue Ellen and JR at the Southfork swimming pool it would have been a hoot to see Alan meet up with Kristin in California. After learning Kristin is pregnant with JR's baby he senses an opportunity to good to miss and sets about romancing Kristin.
Back at the Southfork living room JR and Sue Ellen are pensive as news has arrived Kristin has given birth and is on her way to Southfork with the baby. Kristin being the devilish little manipulator she is has held back on other news.
The family have gathered. Miss Ellie has cooked her special dish. Jock doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. JR is sweating bullets. Sue Ellen keeps looking at the bar. Pam is depressed because everyone else can have babies except her.
In walks Kristin and her baby. Kristin hands over her daughter to Miss Ellie. She has no clue she is holding her grand-daughter. Sue Ellen offers JR a stare. JR asks daddy for another drink. Pam looks like she is about to curl up in the foetal position. Bobby calms her and asks if she wishes for him to call the doctor.

Miss Ellie: "Kristin she is beautiful. When JR and Sue Ellen told us you were coming with a bundle of joy we had no idea you had married."
Kristin: "Well. When I returned to California I bumped into a friend...and well everything happened so quickly."
Miss Ellie: "Kristin you both could have married here at Southfork...you're part of our family." JR chokes on his bourbon. Jock pats him on the back.
Kristin: "Oh we didn't wish to impose and we were happy with just a small wedding. We did however have Gary and Valene as witnesses."
JR: "Gary was there?"
Miss Ellie: "So where is your husband?"

"I'm right here Mrs Ewing," says Alan.​

 

[Monzo]

Leslie Stewart could have been a powerhouse if she returned in later seasons. Instead of Carter McKay she could have run Weststar.

 

[the-lost-son]

Leslie Stewart could have been a powerhouse if she returned in later seasons. Instead of Carter McKay she could have run Weststar.

The idea of an old nemesis returning is an idea I really like. In this case though I'd prefer Katherine giving JR/Bobby a hard time in business.

I liked it when JR once was scared that Barnes-Wentworth, Graisco and the cartel might unit against him. JR winning as an underdog always worked anyhow.

 

[Rove]

JR winning as an underdog always worked anyhow.

The joy was watching how JR would manipulate a winning outcome. The writers in early Lorimar Dallas did this so well.

 

[Monzo]

Bruce Harvey. I liked him. He was fun with Sue Ellen.

 

[Chris2]

Garnet McGee!