Ladies Of Southfork
Telly Talk Member
I want to love this character, but I just can't. I think it has more to do with I like Priscilla Presley, so I want to like Jenna. I just can't get over the low-key manipulative, self-serving side of the character that people ignore. Or may be it's that the writer's tried and failed to write that part of her character out of the story just a little too late.
I understand their back story, the being childhood sweethearts and all of that. BUT, Jenna originally left Bobby at the alter of what would have been their first wedding. She moved out of the country to get away from him (for reasons that are unclear). She was unwilling to marry Bobby, yet she married Renaldo shortly after arriving in Italy. Which are not the actions of a girl supposedly "in love".
For years, she manipulatively made Bobby believe there was a good chance he was the father of Charlie. She admitted to being in a relationship with a married man (Maynard Anderson) so he would pay her bills. Basically she was a 'kept woman'. Not to mention, after that, she had Bobby paying her bills and setting her up in an apartment (Morgan Fairchild). It seems to me, she knows that because of their past, Bobby struggles with how he feels about her and she uses that to her advantage (Francine Tacker).
Fast forward to Priscilla Presley as Jenna. She swoops in as Bobby's marriage to Pam is ending. Bobby repeatedly makes it clear that he will never love anyone, including her, like he loves Pamela. She watches him struggle with how he feels every time Pam is around. All obvious red flags. Yet, this doesn't stop her from pursuing him or allowing him to pursue her.
At the same time Bobby realized he couldn't marry anyone but Pamela, Jenna ended their engagement before he could. But, what makes her 'Bobby obsession' weird is: Even if we ignore the "dream season" (which technically doesn't count) Where she immediately started dating (cousin) Jack Ewing. Then randomly all of a sudden she was in the middle of a mental breakdown. Obsessing over this missed opportunity to be married to Bobby. Acting as if she would have married him straight out of prison, he'd still be alive. I understand it was supposed to be her coping mechanism, to pretend she didn't end their engagement the night before his death. I felt like, it was just entirely too over the top, irrational, and unnecessary, especially with how delayed it was.
Move on to Season 10: She was angry and depressed, rightfully so. A very human reaction to being on the receiving end of a broken engagement. Yet, her interactions with Pam were like she was learning for the first time that Pam and Bobby loved each other. As if, she didn't have a major part in blocking Bobby and Pam from having a chance to reconcile. Yes, Bobby pursued her, but it was obviously a rebound relationship. (Just as Mark was for Pamela.) Then Jenna completely turning her back on all of the Ewing's as if they were the cause of the break up. Going so far as to say Miss Ellie will never know Lucas as her grandchild. She refuses to name Bobby on the birth certificate as the father of his biological son. Yet, she named Bobby as Charlie's father on her birth certificate, when he wasn't.
Then, Jenna clamps onto Ray, while he's in the middle of a divorce from his pregnant wife. She even goes so far as to drop hints to Bobby after she marries Ray. I'm sure it's supposed to come off as if she's been head-over-heels in love with Bobby her whole life and always will. But, their history proves that isn't true. After all, she left him at the alter at a time when they should have been head-over-heels in love. I just can't un-see the pattern with her! She goes after married men whom can't really commit to her. Takes everything she can get, while she can. Then plays the victim when the relationship ends.
I understand their back story, the being childhood sweethearts and all of that. BUT, Jenna originally left Bobby at the alter of what would have been their first wedding. She moved out of the country to get away from him (for reasons that are unclear). She was unwilling to marry Bobby, yet she married Renaldo shortly after arriving in Italy. Which are not the actions of a girl supposedly "in love".
For years, she manipulatively made Bobby believe there was a good chance he was the father of Charlie. She admitted to being in a relationship with a married man (Maynard Anderson) so he would pay her bills. Basically she was a 'kept woman'. Not to mention, after that, she had Bobby paying her bills and setting her up in an apartment (Morgan Fairchild). It seems to me, she knows that because of their past, Bobby struggles with how he feels about her and she uses that to her advantage (Francine Tacker).
Fast forward to Priscilla Presley as Jenna. She swoops in as Bobby's marriage to Pam is ending. Bobby repeatedly makes it clear that he will never love anyone, including her, like he loves Pamela. She watches him struggle with how he feels every time Pam is around. All obvious red flags. Yet, this doesn't stop her from pursuing him or allowing him to pursue her.
At the same time Bobby realized he couldn't marry anyone but Pamela, Jenna ended their engagement before he could. But, what makes her 'Bobby obsession' weird is: Even if we ignore the "dream season" (which technically doesn't count) Where she immediately started dating (cousin) Jack Ewing. Then randomly all of a sudden she was in the middle of a mental breakdown. Obsessing over this missed opportunity to be married to Bobby. Acting as if she would have married him straight out of prison, he'd still be alive. I understand it was supposed to be her coping mechanism, to pretend she didn't end their engagement the night before his death. I felt like, it was just entirely too over the top, irrational, and unnecessary, especially with how delayed it was.
Move on to Season 10: She was angry and depressed, rightfully so. A very human reaction to being on the receiving end of a broken engagement. Yet, her interactions with Pam were like she was learning for the first time that Pam and Bobby loved each other. As if, she didn't have a major part in blocking Bobby and Pam from having a chance to reconcile. Yes, Bobby pursued her, but it was obviously a rebound relationship. (Just as Mark was for Pamela.) Then Jenna completely turning her back on all of the Ewing's as if they were the cause of the break up. Going so far as to say Miss Ellie will never know Lucas as her grandchild. She refuses to name Bobby on the birth certificate as the father of his biological son. Yet, she named Bobby as Charlie's father on her birth certificate, when he wasn't.
Then, Jenna clamps onto Ray, while he's in the middle of a divorce from his pregnant wife. She even goes so far as to drop hints to Bobby after she marries Ray. I'm sure it's supposed to come off as if she's been head-over-heels in love with Bobby her whole life and always will. But, their history proves that isn't true. After all, she left him at the alter at a time when they should have been head-over-heels in love. I just can't un-see the pattern with her! She goes after married men whom can't really commit to her. Takes everything she can get, while she can. Then plays the victim when the relationship ends.
