Miss Ellie and custody of John Ross

[CeeCee72]

I have a question regarding JR and Sue Ellen's custody battle over John Ross during their first divorce. Specifically, I have a question about why Miss Ellie was so determined not to allow JR to drag Sue Ellen through the mud.


It seemed to me that the fact that SE was an alcoholic was generally well known by the time she left JR. There was a scene where Sue Ellen was sitting around a table surrounded by her society friends going on and on about how she kept herself nice and she was CLEARLY drunk. It also seemed very well known that JR was habitually unfaithful to his wife (the scene where he was supposed to be out of town but SE and her friends see him out with another woman).


Given that the Ewings were such a prominent family in Dallas business and society circles, I assume they would be very well covered in the local press. One would think that when SE was institutionalized during her pregnancy and when she had the drunk driving accident that caused John Ross to be born early it all would have been at least mentioned in the papers. Plus, Cliff's paternity suit made the papers for sure.


So my question is,why would Ellie want to protect SE (or JR for that matter) from being dragged by the press? Surely Marilee Stone and other gossips already knew all the dirt.


I get Ellie was kind. But, the welfare of her grandson was at stake. Seems strange to me she would demand JR play nice knowing he probably would lose custody, especially since I doubt SE's problems were much of a secret around town anyway.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I have a question regarding JR and Sue Ellen's custody battle over John Ross during their first divorce. Specifically, I have a question about why Miss Ellie was so determined not to allow JR to drag Sue Ellen through the mud.


It seemed to me that the fact that SE was an alcoholic was generally well known by the time she left JR. There was a scene where Sue Ellen was sitting around a table surrounded by her society friends going on and on about how she kept herself nice and she was CLEARLY drunk. It also seemed very well known that JR was habitually unfaithful to his wife (the scene where he was supposed to be out of town but SE and her friends see him out with another woman).


Given that the Ewings were such a prominent family in Dallas business and society circles, I assume they would be very well covered in the local press. One would think that when SE was institutionalized during her pregnancy and when she had the drunk driving accident that caused John Ross to be born early it all would have been at least mentioned in the papers. Plus, Cliff's paternity suit made the papers for sure.


So my question is,why would Ellie want to protect SE (or JR for that matter) from being dragged by the press? Surely Marilee Stone and other gossips already knew all the dirt.


I get Ellie was kind. But, the welfare of her grandson was at stake. Seems strange to me she would demand JR play nice knowing he probably would lose custody, especially since I doubt SE's problems were much of a secret around town anyway.

Interesting point. I always thought that Miss Ellie was not too warm toward JR. It may explain Jr's behavior, in part

 

[Billy Wall]

Sue Ellen at least appeared to be getting her life in order. At least Sue Ellen was going to raise John Ross. Like Miss Ellie said to JR “what you’re going to bring John Ross back to? To be raised by a nurse while you see him a few minutes in the morning and a few minute at night? Me and Jock are too old to raise another grandchild.”

I see Miss Ellie’s point.

 

[Trainwreck]

Interesting point. I always thought that Miss Ellie was not too warm toward JR. It may explain Jr's behavior, in part

It’s no secret Ms Ellie didn’t like JR. she might have sided along with him once throughout the entire series.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

It’s no secret Ms Ellie didn’t like JR. she might have sided along with him once throughout the entire series.

It's not that she didn't like him, she didn't approve of his underhand scheming behind people's backs.

She was his Mother but even Miss Ellie didn't like his attitude at times where he was clearly all for himself and couldn't give a damn for anyone else!

 

[Angela Channing]

Evidence given in court becomes a public record forever. When John Ross was older he could have accessed the transcript of the legal proceedings of the divorce and read all the mud that JR slung in the direction of Sue Ellen and any that went back in the opposite direction. Ellie might not have wanted JR air the dirty laundry of their marriage in public to protect her grandson.

 

[Mustard]

So my question is,why would Ellie want to protect SE (or JR for that matter) from being dragged by the press? Surely Marilee Stone and other gossips already knew all the dirt.

The Ewings stick together publicly, even if fighting like rats in the sack in private. That was always their mode of operation. I bet even Pam and J.R. would stick up for each other publicly if Marilee Stone was after dirt about the Ewing family to gossip around town about.

I get Ellie was kind. But, the welfare of her grandson was at stake. Seems strange to me she would demand JR play nice knowing he probably would lose custody, especially since I doubt SE's problems were much of a secret around town anyway.

It makes perfect sense that Miss Ellie would want an amicable divorce between J.R. and Sue Ellen if they can't mend the marriage. Also, there was perhaps some past guilt with Lucy too.

 

[One Mighty Hobble]

Miss Ellie regularly blamed JR for Sue Ellen's bad behavior and poor choices. Perhaps she felt taking it out publicly in court was not fair and now that they were divorced, SE could get her life together and be a good mother. Once they remarried and SE fell for the Holly Harwood trap, Miss Ellie barks to JR, "So, you've destroyed her again. Don't you ever learn?!" I don't feel Miss Ellie blamed Sue Ellen for hardly anything, hence her warning JR to keep things civil in court.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Miss Ellie regularly blamed JR for Sue Ellen's bad behavior and poor choices. Perhaps she felt taking it out publicly in court was not fair and now that they were divorced, SE could get her life together and be a good mother. Once they remarried and SE fell for the Holly Harwood trap, Miss Ellie barks to JR, "So, you've destroyed her again. Don't you ever learn?!" I don't feel Miss Ellie blamed Sue Ellen for hardly anything, hence her warning JR to keep things civil in court.

I feel that Miss Ellie was one of the few people who could see right through JR at times.

She didn't like the way JR would justify his actions by saying they were for his Daddy. She even told both JR & Bobby that in JR's office at Ewing Oil once were she insisted that they had both dishonoured Jock's name & his company & she wouldn't support either of them any more.

She was probably fed up with the constant fighting and feuding with Cliff Barnes, as well as the other shenanigans JR got up to.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I feel that Miss Ellie was one of the few people who could see right through JR at times.

She didn't like the way JR would justify his actions by saying they were for his Daddy. She even told both JR & Bobby that in JR's office at Ewing Oil once were she insisted that they had both dishonoured Jock's name & his company & she wouldn't support either of them any more.

She was probably fed up with the constant fighting and feuding with Cliff Barnes, as well as the other shenanigans JR got up to.

I think lots of people didn't trust JIt's amazing that they did business with him, despite that

 

[Billy Wall]

I think lots of people didn't trust JIt's amazing that they did business with him, despite that

And they all needed their heads examined. Think back. Were there anybody who did business with JR that didn’t end up eventually getting burned?