Most Ruined Character

[Monzo]

Which character from Falcon Crest do you think was ruined the most?

The poll includes only characters who appeared in at least three seasons (excluding Chao-Li, who seemed unruinable). However, perhaps there is a character who wasn't around as long but whom you still consider the most ruined.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

If we are only allowed one vote, I suppose my first instinct is to go with Frank. His character certainly had it pretty rough the last year, but I found it mostly entertaining. I just wish they would have somehow kept him around. I wanted to include Vicki, because she was my next thought, as portrayed by Dana Sparks..I don't know that her character was really ruined, as much as it never really took off all that much to begin with. That might not be totally fair, it's been a minute since I've done a re-watch of her two seasons.

 

[Falcon Crest I]

From a character perspective, Frank. I could accept the long lost son storyline of season 8 but not the unbelievable plot twist with Genele Ericcson, in the final season.

 

[Gore-a Avery-Sumner]

I really wanted to say Julia but Frank is probably the best choice. I found it off-putting that Melissa suddenly had a whole raft of relatives even though it was established early on that all she really had left was Carlo.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

I guess my thoughts have to kind of turn towards Pamela as well..
I've only seen her seasons like once, but..because of the nixing of the treasure story-line, wasn't she pretty much rendered somewhat pointless?

 

[Monzo]

I guess my thoughts have to kind of turn towards Pamela as well, wasn't she pretty much rendered somewhat pointless?

Yes, perhaps Pamela was more pointless than ruined; however, after initially appearing in season 3 as just another assistant to Richard—a brunette this time—Sarah Douglas suddenly made it into the opening credits in season 4. Real effort was actually put into developing Pamela, notably through her fling with Greg and her role as a confidante to Lorraine. It is all the more surprising, then, that the character was simply dropped. To this day, I still haven't quite understood why Pamela suddenly felt the urge to blow up Richard's house. While the fact that she needed a new face afterward made a certain amount of sense, why did she have to keep her old hairstyle instead of getting a complete makeover?

I suppose my first instinct is to go with Frank. His character certainly had it pretty rough the last year, but I found it mostly entertaining. I just wish they would have somehow kept him around.

I have to admit, Frank wasn't even on my radar when it came to the most ruined character. I was thinking more of Melissa and Julia—and maybe Chase (because of his behavior in season 6). For anyone who liked Julia the way she was at the start, she might have been ruined by the season 2 finale; after that, her storyline was simply overused. Taking a break from her in season 6 was a good idea, but letting her rot away completely in a convent wasn't what I wanted either. As for Melissa, she headed in a direction during her final seasons that I didn't like at all. Nevertheless, it was good that she remained part of the show (at that time) and wasn't written out so unceremoniously—as was the case with Terry, but then, it happened to her after all. I’d always considered Melissa a pretty strong and smart character, but in the later seasons, she was written solely to suit the plot at hand, and I’m not sure if her original strength could have been restored—even if the writers had wanted to.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

Yes, perhaps Pamela was more pointless than ruined; however, after initially appearing in season 3 as just another assistant to Richard—a brunette this time—Sarah Douglas suddenly made it into the opening credits in season 4. Real effort was actually put into developing Pamela, notably through her fling with Greg and her role as a confidante to Lorraine. It is all the more surprising, then, that the character was simply dropped. To this day, I still haven't quite understood why Pamela suddenly felt the urge to blow up Richard's house. While the fact that she needed a new face afterward made a certain amount of sense, why did she have to keep her old hairstyle instead of getting a complete makeover?


I have to admit, Frank wasn't even on my radar when it came to the most ruined character. I was thinking more of Melissa and Julia—and maybe Chase (because of his behavior in season 6). For anyone who liked Julia the way she was at the start, she might have been ruined by the season 2 finale; after that, her storyline was simply overused. Taking a break from her in season 6 was a good idea, but letting her rot away completely in a convent wasn't what I wanted either. As for Melissa, she headed in a direction during her final seasons that I didn't like at all. Nevertheless, it was good that she remained part of the show (at that time) and wasn't written out so unceremoniously—as was the case with Terry, but then, it happened to her after all. I’d always considered Melissa a pretty strong and smart character, but in the later seasons, she was written solely to suit the plot at hand, and I’m not sure if her original strength could have been restored—even if the writers had wanted to.

I can understand Frank not being on your radar..for me, I think some of the emphasis I tend to place on later season characters is because I saw seasons 7-9 long before ever seeing the rest.

My thoughts also went to Melissa.. I mean, they certainly put her through the wringer, but I still think that, perhaps had they decided to stick with Angela and Melissa having an all out battle for Falcon Crest in season 8, maybe there still would have been some chance for redemption..but that would all depend on the way in which this was handled too.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

I voted for Melissa, but honestly, I think it was Ana-Alicia who made her two last seasons watchable. I also consider that making Julia the killer of Carlo wasn´t a mistake, but the aftermath was painful to see. There was no way to play her scenes without looking and sounding like one of Disney´s witches... which she did. Her "return" in front of Emma was, very likely, one of the show´s worst-written scenes, with Julia smiling ear to ear, seeming not to care at all about the plane accident that killed 3 people... and asking Emma for money!

About Pamela, well, Richard had thrown her to the Cartel, so the least she could do was blow him and his house up.

 

[Gioberti84]

Frank and then Melissa.