Jeremy Windell Isn't THAT Dumb.

[Billy Wall]

I'm watching the scene where Windell gets arrested. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that someone that was always perceived as being very smart, to be that dumb to confess to attempted murder and hiring killers in a room full of people. And to be tricked into buying a worthless plot of land by McKay.

I'm also curious in knowing how much time he received. Someone with his wealth and stature might have gotten off relatively easy.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

And it's not getting any better from there ...

 

[LMLDallas78]

I'm watching the scene where Windell gets arrested. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that someone that was always perceived as being very smart, to be that dumb to confess to attempted murder and hiring killers in a room full of people. And to be tricked into buying a worthless plot of land by McKay.

I'm also curious in knowing how much time he received. Someone with his wealth and stature might have gotten off relatively easy.

Hated how Jeremy Wendell became, I found him so cool, calculated and intriguing. They made his character unrecognisable because they were getting rid of William Smithers, damn shame.

 

[lbf522]

Yes Jeremy Wendell was a great villian and certainally a better adversary than Cliff was.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I'm watching the scene where Windell gets arrested. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that someone that was always perceived as being very smart, to be that dumb to confess to attempted murder and hiring killers in a room full of people.

J.R. was right about Jeremy's weakness from the beginning.
"I know you, Wendell. You are a proud and pompous man. You don't make mistakes. . . At least, none that anybody knows about."

It was this very pompous attitude that drove Jeremy to confess. He had to admit--BRAG-- about his crimes in order to rub it in.

He was enjoying his run at being an evil villain. If he had a mustache, he would have twirled it while recounting his dirty deeds.

 

[Billy Wall]

J.R. was right about Jeremy's weakness from the beginning.
"I know you, Wendell. You are a proud and pompous man. You don't make mistakes. . . At least, none that anybody knows about."

It was this very pompous attitude that drove Jeremy to confess. He had to admit--BRAG-- about his crimes in order to rub it in.

He was enjoying his run at being an evil villain. If he had a mustache, he would have twirled it while recounting his dirty deeds.

Being pompous and being dumb are two different things. There were five people in the room. I just don't see Wendell being that careless to admitting attempted murder of all things. And to let Mack dive him into buying some worthless land.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Being pompous and being dumb are two different things. There were five people in the room. I just don't see Wendell being that careless to admitting attempted murder of all things. And to let Mack dive him into buying some worthless land.

You are right about that.
It was worth it to see the reveal. Wendell hands the check over to the Ewings. Mack hands the contract to Wendell. As Wendell is looking at the contract, he notices something wrong:

"What's going on? This is not section 40. You bought some worthless range land."
Mack's smile as he says, "So I did." As the audience realizes that the Ewings and Carter Mckay were working together to pull off a scam against Jeremy.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Even if you don't like the storyline, there is one part I think you will enjoy.
Do you remember early in the series, Miss Ellie says, "We're a family. We stick together, and that is what makes us unbeatable."

Watch the scene again where Jeremy is arrested. Bobby says, "I told you if my brother didn't get you, I would. . . Turns out, we both did!"

And J.R. has a big smile on his face as he puts his hand on Bobby's shoulder.

I like to think that J.R. is smiling not just because he beat Wendell, but also because he and Bobby did it as a team.

 

[Chris2]

Wendell should have been kept around as a rival for the rest of the series - someone who tried to prevent JR and Bobby from rebuilding the company. What a missed opportunity.

Of course, we’re talking about a show that had Sue Ellen somehow becoming a major player in the takeover of Weststar using proceeds from the sale of her little lingerie store which she had owned for about a year. That was also ridiculous.

 

[LMLDallas78]

Wendell should have been kept around as a rival for the rest of the series - someone who tried to prevent JR and Bobby from rebuilding the company. What a missed opportunity.

Of course, we’re talking about a show that had Sue Ellen somehow becoming a major player in the takeover of Weststar using proceeds from the sale of her little lingerie store which she had owned for about a year. That was also ridiculous.

Yes, sadly a massive missed opportunity, would've made for some gripping viewing.
Sue Ellen's journey to strong and powerful was taken just too far.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Larry apparently encouraged Smithers to ask for a raise when Lorimar/Telepictures were cutting back.

Sabotage??

Yes, Wendell's arrest scene is cringeworthy and totally unbelievable. They should have undid it the next season by having JR discover the whole thing was a counter-scam on Wendell's part, to lull the Ewings into an unvigilant calm while he plotted in the shadows... like their slowly discovering that Jeremy masterminded Pam's kidnapping .... We don't even have to find out why, the evil bastard!!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Wendell's arrest scene is cringeworthy and totally unbelievable. They should have undid it the next season by having JR discover the whole thing was a counter-scam on Wendell's part, to lull the Ewings into an unvigilant calm while he plotted in the shadows... like their slowly discovering that Jeremy masterminded Pam's kidnapping .... We don't even have to find out why, the evil bastard!!

How would we revive the character after the foolishly-easy arrest?

I picture a conversation at Ewing Oil months later where Bobby hesitantly mentions how easily Wendell went down. JR pulls out of Bobby his suspicions, and then reveals he's had the same suspicions from the very beginning -- and he's been investigating it, determining that Wendell's incarceration quietly didn't unfold in a normal way, and that JR's been unable to locate any of the proper legal records on the case.

The brothers decide that their set-up of Wendell was in fact a reverse set-up by Wendell, and he's been plotting against the Ewings ever since.