Missed Opportunities Of The Last Seasons

[Chase Gioberti]

Yes, there's a difference between the show reflecting JR's chauvinism and the show wallowing in it of its own accord.

And Miss Ellie, the only original female cast member still around, gets marginalized and then pushed-out instead the part being, if anything, expanded in order to represent the homefront??

Wasn't her health failing her the last couple of seasons?

 

[LMLDallas78]

Sadly, there's so much truth in that simple statement.

There's no other way to explain the complete dumbing down of Miss Ellie, firing Linda Gray (though today Patrick tries to sell the BS about the self-proclaimed "big three" always having each other's backs) and the dumb blondes brought in to need saving by hero Bobby.

Even real life somehow makes me wonder if Patrick is misogynistic. He and Linda Purl seem cute together but why do their comedic reels need to make her the dumb blonde with him the eye rolling sensible one? It's a bit obnoxious.

I'm not sure if obnoxious is the right word, but you definitely have something there. Most interviews PD comes across as the joker, the lovely guy, but older interviews I've seen, he's been very over confident, silly and at times almost rude and certainly loves the sound of his own voice.

Maybe that's how he was as a much younger him.
At the reunion (sorry to keep on about it) his close relationship with Linda Gray was evident, but not noticeable with anyone else. At the meet and greet afterwards he kept looking at his watch and I don't recall him really engaging with anyone. He certainly didn't look at or even acknowledge me as I asked for his autograph. Obviously he was joined to Linda's hip and I spent loads of time with her but nothing from him and then I felt too nervous to ask for a pic with him after he completely ignored me.
Most fans seemed to be there for Linda so maybe he didn't like that and those 2 only stayed about an hour then left.
I don't like to speak in a derogatory way about any of them, but I didn't warm to him at all and he was the only one I feel disappointed with. I feel if Mr Duffy isn't getting all the limelight then he doesn't like it and makes it obvious he doesn't like it. Could've been an off day for him I suppose.

 

[Snowcat]

The last 3 seasons were awful & I can never watch them again. It was clear Patrick & Larry were working for the almighty dollar alone & no other reason. Dallas was definitely an ensemble. Linda once said she felt people liked the family unit as dysfunctional as it was. They should have either killed Pam or recast her. Anything is better than the mummy storyline. Nothing about that was believable. I think they should have brought Wes Parmalee back as Jock when they lost Ewing Oil & killed Clayton. I have several different scenarios on how to do this. Jock would have given JR a serious tongue lashing. Sue Ellen should have left JR for Dusty, there was no chemistry between her & Don. If April had to stay, put her with JR not Bobby. Jenna way over stayed her time on the show. She should have left after she & Bobby split. I would love to have seen Ray and Donna back together. Or they could have put Ray with Tracy. A good storyline could have been built with Cliff, Afton & their daughter. If they must include James, there should have been more about making him part of the family. There could have been touching scenes with him & Miss Ellie. They literally wasted Lucy’s return. All she ever did was look for her next relationship. She never grew up. Again misogynist writing to bother focusing on developing an independent female character. It became the JR & Bobby show. Their plots rarely involved each other. Aprils death impacted Bobby much more than Pam leaving. The whole thing was unbelievable & awful

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Even real life somehow makes me wonder if Patrick is misogynistic.

I dunno. I never liked the interview where Patrick asserted that Pam's goodness was secondary to Bobby's goodness... I mean, why make a point like that...?

But he's made comments in another interview that an actor can get very "full of yourself" when some project you're involved in takes off. So maybe he feels his own ego was out of control at one point -- and ego is something most actors, and most non-actors, have to work to self-regulate.

Wasn't her health failing her the last couple of seasons?

I don't know if BBG's health was failing again at that point. Howard Keel said she gently pressed him to ask the producers for more scenes, but he declined, perhaps knowing that that might be a bad move politically.

Alas, a matriarchy gives you the dream season and most of DYNASTY; a patriarchy gives you the closing years of oldDALLAS.

I guess.

 

[Laurie!]

I dunno. I never liked the interview where Patrick asserted that Pam's goodness was secondary to Bobby's goodness... I mean, why make a point like that...?

But he's made comments in another interview that an actor can get very "full of yourself" when some project you're involved in takes off. So maybe he feels his own ego was out of control at one point -- and ego is something most actors, and most non-actors, have to work to self-regulate.

Yeah, I know the interview you're talking about and there's one where he said the female characters were sub (can't remember the term he used) and essentially just reactionary to the male characters.

In the full Pioneer's of Television interview, Patrick acknowledges that at the start of DALLAS, he was full of himself after being the star of Man From Atlantis and whined (my word) to Lenny about not having a larger role and seeming weak (I assume this is when he refers to VP as stealing his light) and when he started directing, he learned to value the ensemble and bringing out the best in the other characters.

I just don't understand how you become self aware of what a selfish jerk you were and then return to a show you willingly left after requesting to die a certain death heroically.....but couldn't care less about the ensemble when you return with demands of a larger role at the others expense (females mostly) and you make it the JR and Bobby show that completely tosses away what made the show successful.

I've come to the realization that Patrick knew how to get what he wanted from Larry, Uncle Lenny and then knew exactly how to throw on the charm with Cynthia Cidre in the reboot....so much so, his character became the lead and they were killing off Christopher to give Bobby a meatier storyline. Really makes sense for a show about the younger generation...kill a core young one to give the old man better storylines.

 

[Laurie!]

I'm not sure if obnoxious is the right word, but you definitely have something there. Most interviews PD comes across as the joker, the lovely guy, but older interviews I've seen, he's been very over confident, silly and at times almost rude and certainly loves the sound of his own voice.

Maybe that's how he was as a much younger him.
At the reunion (sorry to keep on about it) his close relationship with Linda Gray was evident, but not noticeable with anyone else. At the meet and greet afterwards he kept looking at his watch and I don't recall him really engaging with anyone. He certainly didn't look at or even acknowledge me as I asked for his autograph. Obviously he was joined to Linda's hip and I spent loads of time with her but nothing from him and then I felt too nervous to ask for a pic with him after he completely ignored me.
Most fans seemed to be there for Linda so maybe he didn't like that and those 2 only stayed about an hour then left.
I don't like to speak in a derogatory way about any of them, but I didn't warm to him at all and he was the only one I feel disappointed with. I feel if Mr Duffy isn't getting all the limelight then he doesn't like it and makes it obvious he doesn't like it. Could've been an off day for him I suppose.

I'm sorry about your bad experience but glad that Linda was so gracious with you.
That's why I've never made any attempt to meet any people I grew up idolizing. Though I probably should also stop watching interviews too that make me dislike them and it taints my childhood memories of a show I love(ed).

 

[LMLDallas78]

I'm sorry about your bad experience but glad that Linda was so gracious with you.
That's why I've never made any attempt to meet any people I grew up idolizing. Though I probably should also stop watching interviews too that make me dislike them and it taints my childhood memories of a show I love(ed).

Oh I wouldn't ever let Patrick Duffy spoil my experience or taint my view of my favourite ever tv show.
I've always liked him and as I say was disappointed with him, but he was never my idol and Linda more than made up for how he was. I wouldn't of missed the opportunity to witness that reunion for anything.
Finally meeting Linda was a massive deal for me and those memories will never be forgotten.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

and then knew exactly how to throw on the charm with Cynthia Cidre in the reboot....so much so, his character became the lead and they were killing off Christopher to give Bobby a meatier storyline. Really makes sense for a show about the younger generation...kill a core young one to give the old man better storylines.

Is that why they killed Christopher?? I know that Patricia Blair wanted more screen time and had her daughter eaten by a bear on DANIIEL BOONE.

I'm sorry about your bad experience but glad that Linda was so gracious with you.
That's why I've never made any attempt to meet any people I grew up idolizing. Though I probably should also stop watching interviews too that make me dislike them and it taints my childhood memories of a show I love(ed).

A friend of mine once went to an off-Broadway play to see one of her favorite actors from film and stage, and there was a meet-and-greet after the show. In a fairly small room, a modest group of women congregated around the dapper star, and he warmly spoke to each of them briefly, going from gushing lady to gushing lady. Until he got to my friend, looked directly at her, said nothing, turned away and just moved on to the next woman. And left.

Even she thought it was funny.

 

[LMLDallas78]

Is that why they killed Christopher?? I know that Patricia Blair wanted more screen time and had her daughter eaten by a bear on DANIIEL BOONE.



A friend of mine once went to an off-Broadway play to see one of her favorite actors from film and stage, and there was a meet-and-greet after the show. In a fairly small room, a modest group of women congregated around the dapper star, and he warmly spoke to each of them briefly, going from gushing lady to gushing lady. Until he got to my friend, looked directly at her, said nothing, turned away and just moved on to the next woman. And left.

Even she thought it was funny.

Great story! Bless your friend finding it funny.

I've recently watched Dallas TNT after not seeing it since it originally aired. Can't believe how much screen time Patrick Duffy had. He's obviously so popular with his fan base, but in the tnt version I just can't see why.

Original Bob was great and as we know Dallas suffered when he temporarily left, but tnt Bob wasn't so great and shouldn't have hogged so many storylines.
He was given too much clout as usual.

 

[Laurie!]

Is that why they killed Christopher?? I know that Patricia Blair wanted more screen time and had her daughter eaten by a bear on DANIIEL BOONE.



A friend of mine once went to an off-Broadway play to see one of her favorite actors from film and stage, and there was a meet-and-greet after the show. In a fairly small room, a modest group of women congregated around the dapper star, and he warmly spoke to each of them briefly, going from gushing lady to gushing lady. Until he got to my friend, looked directly at her, said nothing, turned away and just moved on to the next woman. And left.

Even she thought it was funny.

The plan was to bring Priscilla on the show so a grieving Bobby could replace adopted Christopher (and all remnants of Pam) with his biological son Lucas. Apparently because it's DALLAS, no grown ass man can do anything without their Mama....so of course Jenna would come to town as well.

What storyline would appeal to the younger viewers more...old man Bobby building a relationship with a son he let another man raise...or an adopted young heartthrob learning how to stay relevant in his father's life when the biological Ewing suddenly shows up?

Just imagine if original DALLAS had killed Bobby off so we could see more of Jock's relationship building with Ray. That kind of horrible decision making is what caused the final seasons to be awful. An actor having too much creative say in storylines and crawled too far up the producer's a$$.

Giving Patrick more screen time at the expense of the next generation and original ensemble was only good business for Patrick...numero uno.

Funny story about your friend...I would have died lol.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The plan was to bring Priscilla on the show so a grieving Bobby could replace adopted Christopher (and all remnants of Pam) with his biological son Lucas. Apparently because it's DALLAS, no grown ass man can do anything without their Mama....so of course Jenna would come to town as well.

What storyline would appeal to the younger viewers more...old man Bobby building a relationship with a son he let another man raise...or an adopted young heartthrob learning how to stay relevant in his father's life when the biological Ewing suddenly shows up?

OMG -- are you serious? That was the plan??

Well, Christopher seemed doomed from the very beginning. Allegedly, Mickey's fateful place in the accident in Sue Ellen's car in 1983 was intended to be little Christopher, the ultimate victim in the battle over Jock's will (and the first victim of Jock's Ghost's refusal to permit anymore unhealthy half-breeds on Southfork, something his pet bull later took care of when Donna was carrying a Down's Syndrome baby).

One of the tabloids said that after the car accident, during which Pam would be driving, she would develop psychic powers.

How we laughed and laughed.

Funny story about your friend...I would have died lol.

I suspect she was atypical from his other fawning lady-fans. She probably looked him in the eye too directly, in a decidedly un-gushy way, and he probably thought "uh oh -- stalker!"

But I will go to my grave never, ever revealing the actor's identity.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

Allegedly, Mickey's fateful place in the accident in Sue Ellen's car in 1983 was intended to be little Christopher

wow, I didn’t know that! Unfortunately, at that point young Eric Farlow was still fairly green as an actor, likely a year away from being able to deliver a credible deathbed scene ala Bobby in Swan Song..

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

wow, I didn’t know that! Unfortunately, at that point young Eric Farlow was still fairly green as an actor, likely a year away from being able to deliver a credible deathbed scene ala Bobby in Swan Song..

Yeah can you imagine the scene. Christopher is hooked up to the heart monitor. He looks up at Pam. "Oh Momma!" Pam is in tears, Bobby holding her, also in tears. "Be good to each other, be a family. I love you all so much.". The pips on the heart monitor slow down, Christopher whispers "Eggs and." The heart monitor flatlines just as JR enters the room. Before he can stop himself JR crassly comments "Looks like he's toast!"

The expression on Bobby and Pam's face changes to fury and Bobby grabs JR pushing him up against the wall and promptly punches him in the face.

"One more comment like that and Sue Ellen will be a very rich widow," Bobby says menacingly.

JR clutches his face and mutters "I guess I asked for that!"

Pam looks at JR with an expression of disgust on her face as she continues to weep for her son. Bobby holds her close and motions for JR to leave.

Miss Ellie grabs JR by the arm and takes him out the room. The expression on her face is one of fury too but she bites her lip rather than adding to the fight.

 

[Crimson]

There are very few plotlines you can't do. It's the execution (as it were) -- the tone, the details -- which make all the difference. And the closing seasons of oldDALLAS just started to fake it, somehow. It's all too facetious, too contemptuous of the audience, etc..

And therein was the problem, indeed. By the second half of the 80s, all of the soaps (except, I guess, KNOTS) had adopted variations of the same tone: smirky and frivolous. No one involved in the shows were even trying to take it seriously. I'm hard pressed to think of any late era DALLAS storyline that couldn't have worked with better execution. The Haleyville plot, for instance, should have been rustic and seedy, rather feeling like GREEN ACRES.

The second major problem to me is that the producers, for some reason, seemed to think the audience wanted a bunch of new characters. Some fresh blood was necessary, but there were plenty of established B- and C- level characters who should have been elevated to the main cast rather than new characters no one cared about. The all-too-brief re-appearances of Afton and Katherine felt like a kick in the teeth.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I thought that an opportunity was missed when Miss Ellie gave half of Southfork to Clayton (yuck)
JR could have made good on his words and moved away, manipulate his way to gain ownership of SF and kick out Clayton.
Wes Parmalee could have returned, and a major Ewing family battle could have been written
Best guess - a reduced budget meant that it was less costly to have JR live at SF.

Also, JR could have returned to Haleyville with a private Army and exacted revenge.

I think that James and Vanessa was actually a good idea. The writing and the story failed more than the concept.

Michelle Stevens was a good idea that didn't quite make its mark

Never cared for eliminating April, though I would have paired her with Ray instead of Bobby (Take a chance)

 

[Michelle Stevens]

Michelle Stevens was a good idea that didn't quite make its mark

All I needed was another season and some better writing ...