Dallas Couples JR & Sue Ellen - Swoonalicious Appreciation Thread

[Alexia]

Today it's Dallas birthday so I figured it would be a good idea to post some really early caps from the first JR/SE scene in episode three:


Sue Ellen has bought new lingerie.

I don't know why but somehow the complex relationship between JR & Sue Ellen and that wonderful chemistry that Larry & Linda had is all there to see in this scene. Somehow they can convey so much with just their facial expressions and there are so many layers already in their characters. It shifts from something that looks almost tender and loving to rejection and anger.

There is something sexy about this scene and the fact that JR has a wife at home that throws himself at him and yet he is not interested in her speaks volumes about his character. He is patronizing, insulting and tries to control the situation. She is vulnerable, insecure and desperate for his love.

The scene is also a nice contrast if you compare them to Bobby and Pam who are the happily newlywed couple at this time period. JR and Sue Ellen has already been married for I guess 8 years or something like that when the show begins and it's obvious that their marriage is already in trouble. Sue Ellen is not happy. She is more or less trapped in what might appear as a loveless marriage and yet there is something there. In some of the caps you can see that JR looks at her with interest, almost like he is conflicted between what he wants in a woman and what he thinks is appropriate behavior for a wife.

So well that's my interpretation of this scene. What is yours?

Amazing pictures!!!! Yes, newlyweds Bobby & Pam were all sweet and lovey-Dovey, but JR & Sue Ellen were mesmerizing!!!! :10:

 

[Sarah]

Doesn't everyone on Dallas have flaws?

I was under the impression that Pammykins doesn't have any flaws.

 

[Ms Southworth]

I was under the impression that Pammykins doesn't have any flaws.

@Sarah, Please define "Pammykins"!

None of the characters on Dallas were perfect! In looks maybe ... ... but certainly not in other ways!

 

[Sarah]

Of course. I think Pam is sometimes made out to be perfect and flawless, that's how I see it anyway. Untouchable. Whereas I see her as very selfish, self absorbed. I also have never found her to be the most beautiful - that's Sue Ellen for me! @Ms Southworth

 

[Ms Southworth]

Of course. I think Pam is sometimes made out to be perfect and flawless, that's how I see it anyway. Untouchable. Whereas I see her as very selfish, self absorbed. I also have never found her to be the most beautiful - that's Sue Ellen for me! @Ms Southworth

I've never seen Pam as a perfect or flawless character on Dallas! Neither do I think that she was made out to be one! She had her shortcomings as did everybody else!
PS. I do think that Victoria is (and was) one of the prettiest women on this planet! Linda is right up there too nowadays, since she, IMHO, has aged more beautifully and more gracefully than any other character on TV!

 

[Sarah]

Hmmm. I do think she is made out to be flawless, but she does have shortcomings. I do think Victoria was very pretty but I never ever found her sexy. I remember a UK tv host saying that Sue Ellen was much sexier and I agree. I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No denying Victoria was beautiful in the day (not so much now), but I do get tired of everyone having to have the same opinion. For me, it was always always Linda. I really don't like things being forced on me because it's maybe the majority opinion - I've always been of the opinion that Linda is the most beautiful and it will never change. I simply adore her.

 

[Ms Southworth]

Hmmm. I do think she is made out to be flawless, but she does have shortcomings. I do think Victoria was very pretty but I never ever found her sexy. I remember a UK tv host saying that Sue Ellen was much sexier and I agree. I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No denying Victoria was beautiful in the day (not so much now), but I do get tired of everyone having to have the same opinion. For me, it was always always Linda. I really don't like things being forced on me because it's maybe the majority opinion - I've always been of the opinion that Linda is the most beautiful and it will never change. I simply adore her.

You adore Linda??? No way!!! You could have fooled me!!! :lolo:

What did you mean when you said that you think that everyone has the "same opinion"? About what, if I may ask?

BTW, I agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Just because Bobby and Pam were made out to be the "Romeo and Juliet" of Dallas, it certainly didn't mean that those two characters didn't have their share of flaws or their share of "bumps on the road", so to speak!

 

[Sarah]

Well, in all honesty I'm very aware that Victoria graced many magazines in the 1980's and was thought of as the most beautiful - but not to me - does that make sense? So I kinda get fed up of the popularity back then being used as proof. It's not proof to me. Sorry if that is harsh, but it's how I feel and how I see it. I always feel like I'm fighting to be heard because I have a different opinion.

Good to talk about this - thanks!!

 

[Karin]

Pamela definitely had her flaws too, which did make her interesting. She came from a broken home, she had a drunk for a father, she didn't fit in with the Ewings to start with and well further down the line they watered down her character and made her act sort of foolish at times. I mean the way she went to France with Mark Graison and almost slept with him while married to Bobby was definitely not ok. She could come across as confused and she did have her nervous break and identity crisis after she found out that Digger wasn't really her father and that her mother wasn't dead but had chosen to abandon her. So Pamela was far from perfect. She was flawed.

 

[Sarah]

It's a more personal thing to me - I'm not referring to Pam's personality. The whole way through my childhood, all I ever heard was Pam Pam, perfect Pam. I had a different opinion. Sue Ellen was my girl but it felt like she was in Pam's shadow. It hurt. I didn't understand why people couldn't see then how fantastic she was. But it's come full circle now I feel, and Sue Ellen has her rightful place. She is finally recognised along with Linda for the fantastic women they are.

 

[Ms Southworth]

Well, in all honesty I'm very aware that Victoria graced many magazines in the 1980's and was thought of as the most beautiful - but not to me - does that make sense? So I kinda get fed up of the popularity back then being used as proof. It's not proof to me. Sorry if that is harsh, but it's how I feel and how I see it. I always feel like I'm fighting to be heard because I have a different opinion.

Good to talk about this - thanks!!

@Sarah, I'm sorry to hear about the difficult times you went through ... that you supposedly felt no one respected your right to have a different opinion! For what it's worth, I think that it's a waste of time trying to argue with people who aren't willing to listen or who don't respect a different point of view!

It's a more personal thing to me - I'm not referring to Pam's personality. The whole way through my childhood, all I ever heard was Pam Pam, perfect Pam. I had a different opinion. Sue Ellen was my girl but it felt like she was in Pam's shadow. It hurt. I didn't understand why people couldn't see then how fantastic she was. But it's come full circle now I feel, and Sue Ellen has her rightful place. She is finally recognised along with Linda for the fantastic women they are.

I can only speak for myself, but I've always been able to identify more with the character of Pam! I had a hard time (still do at times) understanding why Sue Ellen would put up with JR and his ways for as long as she did (in spite of being in love with the man)! I know that there are thousands of women like Sue Ellen "out there", and I feel sad that they can't seem to find the strength within themselves to just leave, have faith in their own self, and make their own happiness - either on their own or with somebody else! I was cheering the loudest when Sue Ellen discovered her own strengths and stood up for herself!
Linda and Victoria are both great role models for women who want to go places! :girl::girl::girl:

 

[Sarah]

Thanks @Ms Southworth. Unfortunately it does still continue today with people finding subtle little ways to put Linda and other cast members down, while keeping Victoria on a pedestal. Victoria is no longer an actress so it is really unfair of people to compare Victoria's success in business to the fact that the other cast members have kept doing what they are doing and kept acting. I sometimes feel like Linda is supposed to have sought permission from Victoria to keep acting. It was Victoria's choice to stop acting, and the other actors shouldn't be blamed for that but I see it time and time again.

I can identify with both Pam and Sue Ellen - however Pam always puts herself first which is something I wish I could do. Unfortunately a lot of fans do seem to conveniently forget that Sue Ellen had her own strengths and in the end it was proven she was even stronger than JR!!!

 

[Karin]

I love it when Sue Ellen became stronger too. It was enjoyable when she outsmarted JR. I think she won his respect when she sent Mandy packing and I actually love the Valentine's lingerie plot:




Just too bad that they ruined it all again in the next season, as it would have been so much better if JR & Sue Ellen would have teamed up together to buy WestStar Stock. I mean JR had April buying stocks for him but not Sue Ellen. It makes no sense and it cost him dearly when he lost control over Weststar due to Sue Ellen siding with Kimberly Cryder.

I wish they had gone down the power couple route with JR/SE instead!

 

[Alexia]

I love it when Sue Ellen became stronger too. It was enjoyable when she outsmarted JR. I think she won his respect when she sent Mandy packing and I actually love the Valentine's lingerie plot:


Just too bad that they ruined it all again in the next season, as it would have been so much better if JR & Sue Ellen would have teamed up together to buy WestStar Stock. I mean JR had April buying stocks for him but not Sue Ellen. It makes no sense and it cost him dearly when he lost control over Weststar due to Sue Ellen siding with Kimberly Cryder.

I wish they had gone down the power couple route with JR/SE instead!

Sue Ellen & JR were doing so well in season 11, the writers should have given them a real chance at happiness for once, instead of having JR betray Sue Ellen AGAIN! Especially with Kimberly, who JR wasn't even that attracted to!

 

[Sarah]

Amen to both these posts. The writing was just ridiculous. We've come up with better stories in our Writers Room!

 

[Alexia]

Amen to both these posts. The writing was just ridiculous. We've come up with better stories in our Writers Room!

Absolutely!! Thank god for the fan fictions!!:thank: And yes, I can't believe they ended JR&Sue Ellen for good with such a ridiculous storyline either!:scream:

 

[Sarah]

Larry Hagman said with JR Returns that he wanted the writers to take the opportunity to 'make things right between JR and Sue Ellen'.

 

[pete lashmar]

What I love about Sue Ellen is her journey through the series, unlike Pam who seemed to go into business without any expert knowledge or experience to run a multi-billion dollar companies.

Sue Ellen learnt her trade from the best, for every put down, scheme and dream of J.R she managed to bank it and turn it into a positive. She overcame everything in order to succeed - first with Valentines, then with the Weststar take-over and then with the Don Lockwood movie.

J.R and Sue Ellen had the very best story of the series IMO - when they were separated there were still sparks and conflict, whereas when Pam and Bobby split they just went forward with their own lives, occasionally crossing paths.

For me, when Sue Ellen left, the show lost it's most crucial character other than J.R - had any of the originals left early in the run it would have still had potential because of Larry & Linda - their partnership drove the show for me.

I loved Pam - and especially VP and when VP and LG had scenes together, especially when they went to Hong Kong it was great TV - but Pam fell into things far too easily for the daughter of an old drunk who had no business experience in life.

 

[Sarah]

J.R and Sue Ellen had the very best story of the series IMO - when they were separated there were still sparks and conflict, whereas when Pam and Bobby split they just went forward with their own lives, occasionally crossing paths.

For me, when Sue Ellen left, the show lost it's most crucial character other than J.R - had any of the originals left early in the run it would have still had potential because of Larry & Linda - their partnership drove the show for me.

.

THIS. Thank you Pete

 

[pete lashmar]