Closure. How Do You Find It?

[Sarah]

Just my opinion @Rove - I understand her initial importance but as time went on she just grated on me. I know it’s not a popular opinion but one I will voice anyway as it’s what the site is all about. I appreciate her pivotal role but there is too much focus put on her especially once the show started to take a different direction.

 

[James from London]

I don't object to the contradictions or paradoxes or the open-endedness of it all. I find the differences and similarities between all the different versions - David Jacobs' original DALLAS (the mini-series), Lee Raintree's DALLAS (the prequel novel), Leonard Katzman's DALLAS, Knots' version of DALLAS, Val Ewing's fictionalised version of DALLAS, Pam Ewing's dream version of DALLAS, DALLAS: The Early Years, the reunion films and New DALLAS - fascinating: how the various interpretations sometimes dovetail neatly together and at other times wildly contradict each other. The Ewingverse contains multitudes.

I wonder if it's because I read Lee Raintree's book at such a formative time - around the same period I was first getting into the original series. The book differs greatly from the show - some characters have different names, different paternities etc. - yet it painted such a hugely evocative picture of the Ewing family that complemented what I was seeing on screen as much as it contradicted it. So I guess it's the feel, the atmosphere, the mythos of the saga that I respond to as much as the minutiae of it (and I like the minutiae plenty too).

As an ongoing series, I'm not sure DALLAS was ever really designed to "end." FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and SIX FEET UNDER are two recent series that went to a lot of trouble to provide viewers with a nice, neat definitive ending. I appreciated the effort they went to, but I found both finales strangely unsatisfying. They almost felt too neat and tidy, leaving nothing to the imagination. I guess I like a few loose ends, maybe cos that's more like real life.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Although I have the entire series on DVD on any re-watches I always stop at the end of DVD season ten.

Once Bobby's Mercedes SL hits the tanker that's it for me.

 

[the-lost-son]

I would have chosen to end the show with Sue Ellen and JR triumphantly taking Ewing Oil back. If Pam comes back so be it and the the rest of the Ewings return.

It's actually quite easy, like Miss Ellie said:
"We may be wrong, we may be right, but we're Ewings, and we stick together. That's what makes us unbeatable!"

The Ewings need to come out on top.

During the last season Dallas hardly made it into the top 50. The series' Finale was no. 2 (for the 1st time since '85).
So many viewers returned probably expecting sth. which made the show so compelling.
Some fights within the family and reunions against outsiders.

Have a final B-B-Q at iconic Southfork, maybe some references to the past/people gone and give the feeling that the drama will continue (e.g. JR returns accomplished that for me in the final minutes)

 

[Willie Oleson]

I'm still waiting for DALLAS to return and therefore closure is the last thing on my mind.

 

[Sarah]

I would not have wanted this to happen, but it’s just an idea.

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet kills herself upon hearing of Romeo’s death. That would be one way to keep the characters entwined and end their story.

 

[Jock's Ghost]

I love how the sequel series closed out JR. How many other others playing their famous character get to come back and close them out with their own death?
We wont be seeing Kelsey Grammar doing that. Patrick Duffy wont be doing that.
But the absolute last season I can stomach ends with Pam's car wreck. The wrap up is moronic. Mummy pam. Katzman can eat 8 dicks at once if he thought that was good writing.....

 

[Sarah]

Great to have a strong opinion but could we maybe tone down the need to tell the EP/Director to eat… well as above?

Thanks @Jock's Ghost

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I still consider J.R. Returns to be the real ending to the original Dallas.

@Jabari Lamar would you consider doing a podcast on J.R Returns? A lot of us would be interested in watching you do that.

Well I hated the way the original Dallas ended. But I would have been satisfied with JR Returns (1996) as the end if the Julia character had been Pam, which I suspect she was in the first draft of the script.

Some people dislike the reunion movies, but you may enjoy them in the right context-- a fun romp to re-live the good old days of watching Dallas. After watching this clip, see if your reaction to the ending is the same as mine, "Well, that was fun!"

 

[Bobby Southworth]

If Bobby would have just tried a little harder to go after her, or tried at all, it wouldn't have been so bad. That was where the writing was ridiculous, in my opinion.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

For me, as I stated above, I think, even though Dallas had been past it's prime for a while, I think season 12(13 dvd) would have been a good place to stop. They really tried to inject new life into the series that year, and even though most will say it didn't work, it was the last season that truly felt anything like dallas to me. You had the tanker collision, and Cliff having the chance to nail the Ewings once and for all, but he put his relationship with Bobby, and their ties to Pam into perspective, and went with what he truly thought was right in the end. Bobby finally expressed some emotion for Pam, and never getting to say goodbye; you still had Miss Ellie present, and caring about her family, and finally Bobby and April marry. The series ending with JR being stuck in the mental institution would have been a little funny and fitting, as opposed to a year later when he's contemplating suicide?? Once they knew Barbara wasn't returning, and Sheree only wanted to be in a handful of episodes, they should have stopped. Even though most of us of course wanted Bobby and Pam to be together, why not let Bobby find happiness if he couldn't be with Pam. To think the powers that be were ok with killing off April just in case Victoria "might" come back at the end seems crazy.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

It's been a minute since I've seen either of the reunion movies. I thought "JR Returns" was decent, but there were a few inconsistencies, that I'm having a slightly hard time placing at the moment. I think one of them was that Ray still owned his ranch house, even though Carter owned it the last few years of the series, and then Michelle. Also, I think that Lucy and Mitch were referenced as being married. The latter could be written off, I suppose, as perhaps they gave marriage a third shot? I might be mixing up details from the two movies. I just remember being pretty disappointed with "War Of The Ewings". I remember when it had begun it's second hour, thinking..."I can't believe this is almost over already, and this is it?" I will have to go back and watch "JR Returns", and see if that seems like it could have been a good time to wrap up the Ewing saga. Why did Cynthia Cidre decide to remove the two movies from the history?

 

[Rove]

Why did Cynthia Cidre decide to remove the two movies from the history?

I might be wrong here but I believe that request came from higher up the food chain. The request was to ignore the reunion movies to tell her version of Dallas. Such a strange thing to do. You see this is why quite a few series end up in the mess they do, executives sticking their collective noses into things they shouldn't. Let the creative types be creative.

But by ignoring the reunion movies Cynthia set herself up for failure. Instead of starting her continuation with the Ewing story from 2012 she decided her continuation should begin from 1991. How else do we explain the utterly stupid storyline that Christopher was about to marry his cousin and had no idea? The Ramos kids grew up with the Ewing family. Cliff adopted some random kid off the street. Did Pam dream this? Choosing random ideas and forcing them into the original timeline and expecting long time fans to swallow the bitter pill was what let down her continuation...and there was no need for it. It wasn't like she had plenty of time to create a good solid story to begin with. In 2010 TNT had ordered a new continuation of Dallas. It didn't appear on our screens until 2012.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

How else do we explain the utterly stupid storyline that Christopher was about to marry his cousin and had no idea? The Ramos kids grew up with the Ewing family. Cliff adopted some random kid off the street. Did Pam dream this? Choosing random ideas and forcing them into the original timeline and expecting long time fans to swallow the bitter pill was what let down her continuation...and there was no need for it.

Very insightful post, Rove.

You explained what was wrong with TNT Dallas from the very first episode. Fans of the original show expected that Dallas would pick up the same characters from the original series as they would be in 2012. Not a bunch of new characters we've never even heard of.

 

[the-lost-son]

But by ignoring the reunion movies Cynthia set herself up for failure. ...and there was no need for it.

Exactly. There was no need for it.

Christopher marrying his "unknown" cousin was irritating for fans of Lorimar Dallas (because they had met before) and for the new fans (why should Christopher who was in contact with Cliff not know his cousin - - in a show which was about family?

I was willing to overlook such inconsistencies if it helped the story as a whole (I'm happy to overlook Ray having an affair with Lucy for example) but this was pointless.
Their marriage hardly mattered after the first episode of season 2.

I'm convinced there was much influence by higher management wanting a show which could grab part of the Desperate Housewives audience which stopped in the same year. That's why we got all these DH alumni (Henderson, Metcalf, Strong).

Season 3 was obviously designed to profit from Breaking Bad without any previous approach to drugs.

Seanson 2 played out differently due to Hagman's death. No time listening to management, marketing or peer groups - quick changes of scripts resulting in the best part of the series (in my opinion).

 

[Rove]

Just my opinion @Rove - I understand her initial importance but as time went on she just grated on me. I know it’s not a popular opinion but one I will voice anyway as it’s what the site is all about. I appreciate her pivotal role but there is too much focus put on her especially once the show started to take a different direction.

I always respect the opinions of others Sarah. I was just surprised when you mentioned the character of Pam.

 

[Rove]

Not a bunch of new characters we've never even heard of.

I have no issue with new characters so long as they compliment the story that is the Ewing family, something which Lorimar Dallas did so well. What I took issue with was new characters dropped into the Ewing timeline which was unnecessary. I know we bang on about it but the character of Elena - as an example - didn't need to have history with the Ewing's. She could have simply been married to or been the girlfriend of John Ross.

But what grates me with this continuation was the recasting of John Ross and Christopher. I understand why producers feel the need to do it. I'm sure the generation of today would much prefer to fawn over Josh Henderson and Jesse Metcalf as @the-lost-son rightly points out in his previous post than seeing an aging Omri Katz and Joshua Harris. But this is what makes a continuation work. There is a familiarity about it. We recognize the actors and the characters they portrayed immediately. I don't need the frustration trying to figure out who is playing who. I just want to get stuck into the action.

 

[Jabari Lamar]

I love how the sequel series closed out JR. How many other others playing their famous character get to come back and close them out with their own death?

That is one thing I also took solace in, at the time of Larry's death. He died while an employed actor, working alongside his two best friends, having reprised his iconic character of J.R. Ewing, and seeing that his revival was a hit (as it was at the time). So he "went out on top," so to speak.

 

[Jabari Lamar]

@Jabari Lamar would you consider doing a podcast on J.R Returns? A lot of us would be interested in watching you do that.

I gotta remind y'all again, those Dallas Aftershows I share are not ME. That's my brother, James Lott Jr. (yes, we're full brothers, I changed my last name when I turned 18 for reasons which I won't get into now), the person who got me into Dallas when I was 13 (he's 3 years older than me and was already watching it from the beginning). We've discussed Dallas a bajllion times since he first went off the air, including all of the ways we would have revived the show if we had gotten the chance, as well as all things we disagreed with and would have done differently on the TNT revival, and share many of the same views on the topic, so his shows are often similar to what I would say, but they're all him. He's the video guy. I have a face built for radio, as they say.

FYI recent big news is that Morgan Brittany responded to his recent video on Katherine Wentworth, and may be open to doing an interview with him, so hopefully they'll make that happen.

I'll suggest to him the idea of covering the reunion films soon.

 

[Jabari Lamar]

It's been a minute since I've seen either of the reunion movies. I thought "JR Returns" was decent, but there were a few inconsistencies, that I'm having a slightly hard time placing at the moment. I think one of them was that Ray still owned his ranch house, even though Carter owned it the last few years of the series, and then Michelle. Also, I think that Lucy and Mitch were referenced as being married. The latter could be written off, I suppose, as perhaps they gave marriage a third shot? I might be mixing up details from the two movies. I just remember being pretty disappointed with "War Of The Ewings". I remember when it had begun it's second hour, thinking..."I can't believe this is almost over already, and this is it?" I will have to go back and watch "JR Returns", and see if that seems like it could have been a good time to wrap up the Ewing saga. Why did Cynthia Cidre decide to remove the two movies from the history?

You are correct in that J.R. Returns wasn't perfect, there were some of those plot inconsistencies that you mentioned and others. Like they later did on DallasTNT, the movie opens with the idea that Bobby was planning to sell Southfork because Christopher was going away to college and he thought the ranch was too big for a single man to live at and should be sold to a new family. We know Bobby would never just sell Southfork like that. And, if you're really going to do a story with J.R. faking his death then you need to do it right, and bring back as many original characters as you could to attend the funeral. Especially Miss Ellie, wouldn't she be there for her son's funeral? But since it was obviously not possible to get Barbara Bel Geddes back, I would have skipped that particular plot point in the film.

But overall I was able to overlook those little details, I like the theme of the film, J.R. returning to Dallas after some time away to regroup, with a master plan to take over Westar, get Ewing Oil back in the family and get Sue Ellen and John Ross back at Southfork, and the plan works out perfectly in the end, with the final shot being of J.R. laughing at how well it worked. Plus I did like the subplot with John Ross, Christopher and Pamela Rebecca, setting up a potential love triangle. So that's why I consider it a good ending to the original Dallas saga.

War of The Ewings was just bad for several reasons, with even more egregious plot inconsistencies, so I prefer to just ignore it. But at least it didn't undo the status quo established at the end of J.R. Returns. When it ended, J.R. was still running Westar, Bobby and Sue Ellen still owned Ewing Oil, and they were all still living at Southfork. So if the revival series included the canon of the films, it wouldn't need to retcon WOTE, but there's nothing in it that would need to specifically be addressed.