Main character that changed most

[lbf522]

For me:

1. JR: I get it that the writers did not want him to be over the top evil but when they made him a paper tiger who lost to every person under the Sun starting with that awful Hayleyville storyline.

2. Ray: Making him Jock's son was one thing but to make him a sanctimious, self-righteous and hypocritical hothead. With his past sins, Ray was in no position to act superior to JR. He had an illicit affair with JR's then underaged niece and had that one night stand with JR's wife. I also hated that they made him a mindless hothead like Bobby.

3. Ellie: She told off the Cartel members, saved Ewing Oil twice but overtime they watered her down. Bad enough she married Clayton but make her less of what she was. Her traveling Europe was not the Ellie we knew who loved her ranch and would never leave it.

4. Cliff: When we first met Cliff he was like David going after Goliath (Ewing Oil). Yes he was partly doing this to avenge his father but he also saw the Ewings as evil. The changed happened first when JR would set Cliff up and fall for JR's traps. When he was the head of the OLM, and was coming close to destroying Ewing Oil and there was this ground sweal for Cliff to run for Congress which means he would have to quit his position (which was dumb) Cliff should have seen right through that obvious set up. I hated that they made Cliff more and more corrupt and a loser.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Of course the other character on the show which changed drastically was Southfork itself.

From the Cloyce Box Ranch to the Duncan Acres ranch which we came to love as Southfork.



Such a shame the original ranch was destroyed in a fire. Visually this ranch had so much presence and actually looks more of a property befitting the Ewing's however I will always love the Duncan Acres ranch house which replaced it. That for me is the real Southfork even though it's not the original Southfork. I just love the design of the Duncan Acres ranch house. It's so iconic.

 

[ClassyCo]

I'd probably say Sue Ellen was the character (especially among the original cast) that changed the most. On a basic level, she went from barely being in the show at all (the producers wouldn't even give Linda Gray opening credits billing for the miniseries in 1978) to being one of the most important characters overall. She even outlasted other original female characters in terms of longevity and importance on the show.

On the flipside, Sue Ellen grew most as a person. Similar to Valene Ewing, her black sheep sister-in-love, Sue Ellen went from being a dependent, neglected trophy wife to a woman with her own ambitions and career desires. She eventually wedged her way out of J.R.'s clutches (although she occasionally drifted back there) and had several prominent storylines, such as her relationships with Dusty and Clayton Farlow, Peter Richards, and her ongoing struggle with alcoholism.

I guess one could make an argument for Pam evolving, but I thought she got increasingly squeaky and occasionally irritating as the show progressed. If we were talking about characters that regressed (instead of progressed) the most, I'd argue that Lucy was the most wasted of the original characters. She fizzled out quickly and was only used to make bad decisions, have boyfriends die, or husbands run out on her.

 

[lbf522]

I'd probably say Sue Ellen was the character (especially among the original cast) that changed the most. On a basic level, she went from barely being in the show at all (the producers wouldn't even give Linda Gray opening credits billing for the miniseries in 1978) to being one of the most important characters overall. She even outlasted other original female characters in terms of longevity and importance on the show.

On the flipside, Sue Ellen grew most as a person. Similar to Valene Ewing, her black sheep sister-in-love, Sue Ellen went from being a dependent, neglected trophy wife to a woman with her own ambitions and career desires. She eventually wedged her way out of J.R.'s clutches (although she occasionally drifted back there) and had several prominent storylines, such as her relationships with Dusty and Clayton Farlow, Peter Richards, and her ongoing struggle with alcoholism.

I guess one could make an argument for Pam evolving, but I thought she got increasingly squeaky and occasionally irritating as the show progressed. If we were talking about characters that regressed (instead of progressed) the most, I'd argue that Lucy was the most wasted of the original characters. She fizzled out quickly and was only used to make bad decisions, have boyfriends die, or husbands run out on her.

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Love your analysis of Sue Ellen and agree in regards to Lucy. He was great in the mini series.