Dallas Couples JR & Sue Ellen - Swoonalicious Appreciation Thread

[Sarah]

These are great discussions thank you for raising them and keeping this topic alive!!

For the most part I agree although I thought he always wanted her - when did he not really? He said it himself ‘I always wanted you you know that’. Did he not want her when Cliff did?

For me the first thing that comes to mind to answer the question is during BD Calhouns reign of terror. He was concerned for her, protected her as best he could and for the first time in ages, they connected and she opened up to him from the talk about Calhouns false name to her throwing her arms around him when John Ross was kidnapped. Those scenes for me truly show their love and need for one another, although I can think of a dozen more.

What I’m interested in also is how Sue Ellen knew he loved her. When he says ‘I have loved you’, she says ‘I know that’, but given his behaviour, how do you think she did know?

 

[Ukdallasfan]

I think Sue Ellen knew he loved her because of the experiences they must have shared together, whether physical or emotional or both. She understood him and he knew that. Whenever he was troubled he always ran to her and for the most part she would support him. That kind of relationship can only come from true love

 

[Sarah]

I think Sue Ellen knew he loved her because of the experiences they must have shared together, whether physical or emotional or both. She understood him and he knew that. Whenever he was troubled he always ran to her and for the most part she would support him. That kind of relationship can only come from true love

Oh my God that’s beautiful. I need a tissue!!

 

[Goldie]

But with Sue Ellen and JR they can be hotter than hell even with a look.

Boom. That's it right there. And no matter what situations the writers put them in, it always came through. Like all the other great scenes everyone has mentioned, it was just there. Couldn't be stopped or contained. Even the reveal of West Star deal with the Cryder Creature when everything was so awful between them, that moment at the end with them in the West Star board room ... there was just something still there between them. It's too bad the writers gave the characters that opportunity then turned it into Sue Ellen and Don's movie instead. It would've been something, seeing them at odds, running the opposing West Star and Ewing Oil companies during the series. War Of The Ewings at least gave a nod to that, even though it was kinda bizarre the way it seemed out of synch with JR Returns.

 

[Ukdallasfan]

We all know that Linda wanted to leave the show but, apart from not killing her off, they could have come up with a more fitting end for Sue Ellen in the show. I agree that they could have centred her final season around a business war with JR that ends with her making even more money via West Star and taking off to find herself, possibly on an open ended round the world tour, thereby leaving the way open for her to return. JR in turn is left bereft when she leaves, narrowly failing to persuade her to stay but pledging undying love and that he will wait for her. That way, the horrid Cally marriage and Don saga could have been avoided. JR didn’t need a wife or love interest in the final years. He could simply have concentrated on being a total bad ass in business, preparing the way for John Ross to take over, with the odd casual encounter thrown in to ensure that he kept all his urges

 

[Sarah]

He needed Sue Ellen. He was completely and utterly lost without her. I would have liked to have seen them end up together but not necessarily married. She wouldn’t remarry him that easily. They keep separate houses but are faithful to each other. Larry said he was always welcome to the character returning because ‘she’s the boys mother and she’s not dead’. Thank God!!!

There was absolutely no need at all for Cally or Don and absolutely no need for the horror of the Beaumonts.

It should have been so different. JR does not ‘work’ without Sue Ellen.

 

[Ukdallasfan]

Them having their own houses after she comes back would have been so cool. There would have been so many opportunities for romantic/sexy scenes between them

 

[Sarah]

Them having their own houses after she comes back would have been so cool. There would have been so many opportunities for romantic/sexy scenes between them

Some of the fan fiction here is better than the later season writing. I love Dallas to my very soul but I would rather it had ended sooner than be subjected to some of that later years stuff. Without Sue Ellen and JR together it just didn’t work.

 

[Ukdallasfan]

It’s a shame that the writers didn’t take soundings from the fans re Sue Ellen’s exit. Judging from the stories on here a much more satisfying ending for her would have been devised

 

[Sarah]

Cynthia did reply to me over JR and Sue Ellen’s ending. I asked her to make it special and worthy and she did. I mentioned a letter to her, but don’t know whether that was already in the pipeline. :love5:

If their story was happening now, as it did in 1989, I’d have been tearing that set down to get someone to listen.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Another scene that comes to mind in which I think you can see the complexity of their relationship was in the beginning of season 7 (8 DVD). I’m going blank on the episode title right now but it’s a scene on the Southfork patio where JR is kind of down about Bobby being shot, feeling a little guilty about it even and he’s also down about Cliff finally striking oil. I like how he confides in Sue Ellen in this scene and she listens to him as he vents. They had obviously been at odds at the end of the last season and the beginning of this one yet this scene illustrates how much they really do still care about one another.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

Another scene that comes to mind in which I think you can see the complexity of their relationship was in the beginning of season 7 (8 DVD). I’m going blank on the episode title right now but it’s a scene on the Southfork patio where JR is kind of down about Bobby being shot, feeling a little guilty about it even and he’s also down about Cliff finally striking oil. I like how he confides in Sue Ellen in this scene and she listens to him as he vents. They had obviously been at odds at the end of the last season and the beginning of this one yet this scene illustrates how much they really do still care about one another.

Good one. To go with this, early on, I think maybe in Runaway or another episode where Sue Ellen throws a party they're hardly getting along great but she's charming with the governor or senator or whoever and at the end they're sitting on the patio and JR congratulates her, it's sweet. The scene where she's in a purple dress.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Yes, you are right @Miss Texas 1967. That scene was in Runaway. I just watched this episode recently. It’s a quick, subtle blink and you’ll miss it exchange between them but it’s very nice

 

[Ukdallasfan]

Plus, if she came onto him he never ever rejected her even when they weren’t getting on. He always had the hots for her, like the scene where she seduces him and then jumps up and says he’ll never have her. He’s so annoyed lol

 

[Mrs Bobby James Ewing]

Another scene that comes to mind in which I think you can see the complexity of their relationship was in the beginning of season 7 (8 DVD). I’m going blank on the episode title right now but it’s a scene on the Southfork patio where JR is kind of down about Bobby being shot, feeling a little guilty about it even and he’s also down about Cliff finally striking oil. I like how he confides in Sue Ellen in this scene and she listens to him as he vents. They had obviously been at odds at the end of the last season and the beginning of this one yet this scene illustrates how much they really do still care about one another.

DallasFanForever, this scene between JR and Sue Ellen takes place in the episode Battle Lines. I love this scene so much and I agree with you 100% that this scene illustrates how much JR and Sue Ellen care for each other even though they were at odds during that time.

 

[Sarah]

You guys are making my Ovaltine boil! :love7:

 

[Sarah]

What do you guys think would have happened, had Linda stayed and the WestStar, divorce etc all happened anyway?

 

[Ukdallasfan]

I think she and JR would ultimately have reconciled albeit I couldn’t see her going back to Southfork. They could have had a new and invigorated relationship preceded by a period where they were at odds with one another and the sparks really fly between them

 

[Sarah]

Who do you think would have ‘fallen’ first? @Ukdallasfan

 

[DallasFanForever]

I definitely think J.R. and Sue Ellen would’ve gotten back together at some point had Linda stayed on. And I actually could see her living at Southfork again to be honest. The family did love her despite everything. They always did. I’m intrigued by the idea of she and J.R. living someplace else other than Southfork their third time around, but then you run the risk of taking two of the most important characters out of the house. And let’s face it, Southfork had already lost enough of its original core cast by this point. If Sue Ellen stayed on the show, I can see her being a big help to J.R. in the final season when Ewing oil was such a hot potato and he eventually ends up losing it again. And I can see her busting him out of the funny farm at the beginning of the season. No way Sue Ellen lets him stay in there if she was around. She might tell him he finally got what he deserved and I can see her even laughing at him for his scheme backfiring on him but she’d help him nonetheless. And whether they get married again or not, I can see them being awfully close again and teaming up to raise some hell against his enemies.