Insinuated storylines which never materialized

[the-lost-son]

Sometimes the producers insinuated a storyline which never materialized.
For example:
- Clayton's affection for SueEllen which never took off
- Clayton dating Rebecca, possibly starting a love triangle with Ellie and another layer of the Barnes-Ewing-feud
- Holly Harwood's interests in Bobby

During these years Dallas was stacked with storylines and action. I'm pretty sure, many of these storylines were ended before they even started due to time restrictions. I can live without the above mentioned storylinese but the one plot which I would have liked to watch was Donna's past.
Bobby and Donna went to college together. There is one scene which gives the audience - quite out of the blue - the information that her parents both died in a car crash. Nothing followed. It happened so randomly like mentioning Jason for the first time. But in that case something followed (Jack&Jamie).
Some kind of secret in Donna's past (like Clayton-Jessica-Southern Cross) would have been great. I always keep wondering why this bid was included without any follow-up.

Are there any storylines which were hinted at (however lightly), never materialized and you would have liked to watch that?

 

[Sarah]

Think Sue Ellen and Clayton did take off to an extent.

Probably the Dream will have lots of insinuations. Surprisingly I’d have liked to have seen Angelica stick around. She was a great baddie!

 

[Rove]

For me the relationship between Angelica Nero and Grace Van Owen. There was the slightest hint something sexual existed between the two. I wish Dallas had explored or pushed this a little more. That would have lit up the small screen back then. Dallas tackled some taboos back in the day and this one was a missed opportunity.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Surprisingly I’d have liked to have seen Angelica stick around. She was a great baddie!

I agree with this. I wasn’t crazy about the long, drawn out Marinos Shipping storyline but I did like her. She made a great villain. I always hoped she would’ve returned to the show at some point later on even though she was part of the dream. I know to most she seemed more Dynasty than Dallas but I actually enjoyed her on the show.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Here's an insinuated storyline that never took off. And during the original run, we really did think they were headed somewhere:

In several episodes in a row, Bobby made comments about how much he would enjoy starting over in the oil business.

There is a sweet scene between Patrick Duffy and Barbara Bel Geddes when he announces the name of his new company, Petro Group Dallas. If you watch it, look at Barbara Bel Geddes. She cannot conceal a knowing smile as she repeats the name, "Petro Group Dallas. PGD."

PGD-- Patrick Duffy's initials. (Patrick George Duffy)

I just love little inside scenes like that!

During the original run, we really thought that they were headed toward a spin off of Bobby Ewing starting from scratch in the oil business. Imagine how cool it would be:

Bobby meeting with landowner's to seal the leases on the land.
Bobby meeting with small town bankers in the out of the way diners.
Building up an oil company from scratch-- That is a spinoff I would watch for sure!

 

[DallasFanForever]

Building up an oil company from scratch-- That is a spinoff I would watch for sure>

Only for J.R. to blow up all his oil fields so he would have to return to Ewing Oil and Dallas. I think I know how that spinoff would go.

 

[Top Jimmy]

The writers seemed to be setting up some potential fireworks with JR and Donna, after she temporarily took over for Bobby at Ewing Oil after he was shot. Nothing really came of that, I think she only stayed at Ewing Oil for an episode or two and then Bobby recovered awfully fast from his blindness.

Also, there was that one scene where Jenna and Jamie talked about their fathers, and Jenna cryptically made a comment that Lucas Wade hated Jason, and implied that Jamie was lying about how the two men felt about each other. The viewer is left to wonder if Jamie was really an impostor or if there was something more to be revealed about Jamie. They could have expanded upon that.

I think one of the biggest wastes was when Patricia came back in the dream season and Sue Ellen didn't bring up JR's affair with Kristin, the shooting and Christopher being her grandson. I don't know, maybe since she was only there for 7 episodes, maybe they felt there was too much to explore and not enough time, so they decided not to bother.

 

[Toni]

- Muriel liking Mickey and a potential catfight with Lucy for him.
- Sue Ellen´s drunk dad disappearing and never coming back.
- Herbert Wentworth´s reaction to Rebecca´s past (if she ever told him!).
- Pam and Sue Ellen becoming partners at Valentine Lingerie.
- Katherine (or Jessica) writing a diary! (Mentioned in the Dream Season but never shown).
- Jock facing "that Leslie woman" in person and firing her just because!
- Jason (nor Jack or Jamie) not returning when Jock "died" in South America.
- Miss Ellie developing true feelings for Wes (not Jock) as a man.
- Clayton never confessing to Dusty the whole ordeal of Jessica Montford.
- Mitch and Lucy reconciling (the first time) and being separated for months instead.
- Cally and James feeling something more than a mother-stepson affection.
- Mandy´s big revenge on Sue Ellen (after being fired in her last scene).
- Jenna and Charlie truly leaving Dallas forever and ever.
- J.R. running for Senate during the fight for Ewing Oil.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

- Muriel liking Mickey and a potential catfight with Lucy for him.

my understanding is that the powers that be understandably failed to pull the trigger on this one out of fear that it would overshadow the battle for Ewing Oil that they'd built the season around

 

[DallasFanForever]

- Pam and Sue Ellen becoming partners at Valentine Lingerie.

This is one I really would’ve enjoyed to see. If VP had stayed I would’ve loved to have seen Sue Ellen and Pam in business together.

 

[Rove]

The writers seemed to be setting up some potential fireworks with JR and Donna, after she temporarily took over for Bobby at Ewing Oil

It's my impression the powers that be behind Dallas couldn't handle the issue of a smart business woman working opposite JR. As if this would somehow weaken his character. Could also explain why the writers baulked after Pam was given controlling interest of Christopher's stake in Ewing Oil after the death of Bobby. But after Bobby returned to the office didn't Donna go out and purchase her own Oil field? What became of that?

 

[Sarah]

Yes I would love to have met Sue Ellen’s father.

 

[cws]

Yes I would love to have met Sue Ellen’s father.

Agree, that would have been interesting.

 

[Sarah]

Agree, that would have been interesting.

He could come back and kick JR’s ass.

 

[TheDeadBobby]

Bobby turning Gay and running off with Guzzler.

Or more likely, Bobby going into the development business and ditching the oil business.

Bobby turning into a dirtbag oil man and lying, cheating and stealing from over people like JR used to.

 

[tommie]

That storyline where Bobby goes to find his old basketball coach.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Bobby turning Gay and running off with Guzzler.

Well, Guzzler did throw a pass at Bobby in their first scene together so maybe there’s something there.

(Bad joke, bad joke. Sorry)

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

Well, Guzzler did throw a pass at Bobby in their first scene together so maybe there’s something there.

(Bad joke, bad joke. Sorry)

a flanker’s got no chance against or with a broken field runner like Bobby!

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Bobby turning into a dirtbag oil man and lying, cheating and stealing from over people like JR used to.

Interesting you posted that today. We are doing a re-watch and are in the middle of the Contest for Ewing Oil. Bobby does indeed discover that the only way to win is to get "Down in the mud" just like J.R.
Of course, Bobby does have a conscience and he tries to redeem himself. But he is fully open about the fact that this took away a little bit of his soul. It was a storyline that was fascinating to watch.

 

[Jon Ewing Jr.]

Allan Beam and Lucy getting married and how JR would have handled it.
What if Cliff or Sue Ellen had been the ones to shoot JR?
What if JR would have sold E.O. to West Star at the end of Season 4?