Murder and memory loss in the Dallas universe

[Richard Channing]

Being a suspect in a murder investigation (or attempted murder) and not being able to remember if you did it or not was a device that Dallas employed more than once. The original, and arguably the best, example of this is, of course, Sue Ellen in the 'Who Shot JR' investigation, but over on Knots Landing Gary found himself in a similar predicament in the Ciji murder investigation. Later on Cliff also got so drunk that he couldn't remember whether he had shot Bobby, and Jenna, due to being chloroformed, wasn't really sure whether she killed Naldo. I think these are the only 4 examples unless I'm forgetting something?

It's an interesting trope which the other soaps never attempted, maybe because Dallas and KL had a resident alcoholic, so it made more sense. It certainly puts an interesting twist on things when one of the prime suspects genuinely doesn't know if they did it or not. And it's not really something I've seen much, if at all, in other dramas, although I'm sure it's been done in various movies.

Any thoughts on this as a plot device?

 

[Billy Wall]

It was good the first time, but the second time they did it with Cliff was just lazy writing.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

It was good the first time, but the second time they did it with Cliff was just lazy writing.

Dallas was famous for repetitive storylines.

They obviously figured out what would work and then sugar coated it using other characters to get some mileage out of it again.

Mind you on occasions they did it with the same characters twice, such as JR & Sue Ellen getting divorced.

Back in the day on it's original run that sort of thing was less noticeable. However since the DVD releases it's become evident just how well they recycled some of the best storylines.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

It was very much noticed back then, the repetition. I've got mixed feelings about it: on one hand, I accept some of the repetition as a symptom of the Vortex of the Damned in which the Ewings reside -- the "great big morality play" that Susan Howard described DALLAS, "all these incredibly wealthy people with every advantage imaginable, constantly stabbing away at each other -- for nothing..." which would, logically involved repeating various catastrophes because the Ewings just never learn their lessons; yet some of the repetition could just get exasperating and, yes, lazy.

I don't like Sue Ellen shooting J.R. in 1988 -- I want her to stab him, holding the glistening sharp instrument in sadistic glee as J.R. slides to the floor.

They'd both earned it, after all.

 

[James from London]

It's an interesting trope which the other soaps never attempted

The Colbys did it with Miles. I can't remember right now who it was he couldn't remember if he'd killed or not - I guess I must have blacked out too. (Oh my God, that means I could have killed whoever it was!) Also, EastEnders did it with ... but I won't bore you with all that.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I think there was something similar going on with Dr Rossi and Fred Russell but I can't remember (!) if it had anything to do with amnesia....

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

If I remember right in one of the later seasons Clayton fell off his horse and through sustaining a head injury was found in a daze by the ranch hands.

He didn't recognise Miss Ellie and just called her Mam. Miss Ellie was frantic that he wouldn't get his memory back. I think then something happened to either Christopher or John Ross and Clayton sprang into action to help, it must've triggered his memories.

I wonder which season that was?

 

[Richard Channing]

It was good the first time, but the second time they did it with Cliff was just lazy writing.

Yes, although the whole scenario with Bobby's shooting was an obvious nod to 'Who shot JR' they took it a bit too far when they even had Cliff wake up in his car at the airport the same way Sue Ellen did.

EDIT: Maybe it wasn't the airport? Maybe it was the car park at his offices?? This thread is messing with my memory!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The original Bobby and his philandering brother John did it: RFK was shot four years after JFK -- it may not be a coinkidink that DALLAS (the series) did it.


JFK: "Y'know that Kristin's a piece..."
Bobby: "She's with the CIA, Jack..."
JFK: "So is Katherine Wentworth -- be careful..."
Bobby: "I have a lot of security around me and I'm not sleeping with her, so I should be safe..."

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

Yes, although the whole scenario with Bobby's shooting was an obvious nod to 'Who shot JR' they took it a bit too far when they even had Cliff wake up in his car at the airport the same way Sue Ellen did.

EDIT: Maybe it wasn't the airport? Maybe it was the car park at his offices?? This thread is messing with my memory!

well, at least there was the totally-believable added wrinkle of blackout-level-drunk Cliff apparently being so charming that a woman 20 years younger and so beautiful she could drive men crazy enough to launch an obscure lingerie brand into wild success spent enough time with him to provide an alibi that didn't require hypnosis by a prominently-coiffed psychiatrist

 

[LMLDallas78]

If I remember right in one of the later seasons Clayton fell off his horse and through sustaining a head injury was found in a daze by the ranch hands.

He didn't recognise Miss Ellie and just called her Mam. Miss Ellie was frantic that he wouldn't get his memory back. I think then something happened to either Christopher or John Ross and Clayton sprang into action to help, it must've triggered his memories.

I wonder which season that was?

Yes that rings a bell. You're right, Clayton had amnesia after falling off his horse, I can't quite recall how he recovered or what season.
He was also wrongly arrested for the murder of that David Shulton bloke who knew Laurel in season 11, after beating him up.
Oh crikey Laurel.........nah, let's not even go there.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Clayton and( beloved Howard) fell off his horse in S11 original - epiosde 303 Yellow Brick road

It returned in 306 Mission to Moscow when Ellie was burned by a pan of boling water and he seemed to know where the First Aid kit was and who to contact
The rest of the family (or nearly) appeared to be traipsing round Europe then zzzzz

There was a very lovely scene in 305 The Great Texas Waltz when he went missing and Miss Ellie got the Sherrif to drive her around and they found him at Amys grave and he said he didnt remember her dying

 

[Barbara Fan]

Oh crikey Laurel.........nah, let's not even go there.

The Bonsais were better actors - what a woodentop she was!! She was so memorable when Howard Keel was on stage doing his concert that year, he couldnt rememebr her name!!

I was impressed!

 

[Barbara Fan]

Sue Ellen appeared to have amnesia every series when she says "JR loves me" - that was after spending half the season saying "I hate him" after he lied, cheated and deceived her and was down right horrid to her - then she would go all gooey eyed at him again!

 

[LMLDallas78]

Clayton and( beloved Howard) fell off his horse in S11 original - epiosde 303 Yellow Brick road

It returned in 306 Mission to Moscow when Ellie was burned by a pan of boling water and he seemed to know where the First Aid kit was and who to contact
The rest of the family (or nearly) appeared to be traipsing round Europe then zzzzz

There was a very lovely scene in 305 The Great Texas Waltz when he went missing and Miss Ellie got the Sherrif to drive her around and they found him at Amys grave and he said he didnt remember her dying

Thank you for that, I was hoping someone would fill in the missing gaps of my vagueness.
Very informative.

Sue Ellen appeared to have amnesia every series when she says "JR loves me" - that was after spending half the season saying "I hate him" after he lied, cheated and deceived her and was down right horrid to her - then she would go all gooey eyed at him again!

In the early days I recall Sue Ellen saying how she loved JR but "JR don't love me" and "I've tried everything I know to get him to love me" which was so sad.
She really wanted to believe in him when he did love her and I always rooted for her when she sought affection elsewhere.

 

[GillesDenver]

The Colbys did it with Miles. I can't remember right now who it was he couldn't remember if he'd killed or not - I guess I must have blacked out too. (Oh my God, that means I could have killed whoever it was!) Also, EastEnders did it with ... but I won't bore you with all that.

That was William Mahoney, a man who worked at San Pedro harbour.

 

[CeeCee72]

The most repeated plotline in Dallas was simple.

JR hurts Sue Ellen one time too many. Sue Ellen drinks, sobers up, and leaves him (or moves into her own bedroom). JR moves heaven and earth to get Sue Ellen back. Sue Ellen resists JR's overtures for a while then gives in and takes hin back. JR and Sue Ellen are incredibly happy for 3-4 episodes. JR cheats - usually for no real reason. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[Richard Channing]

The original Bobby and his philandering brother John did it: RFK was shot four years after JFK -- it may not be a coinkidink that DALLAS (the series) did it.


JFK: "Y'know that Kristin's a piece..."
Bobby: "She's with the CIA, Jack..."
JFK: "So is Katherine Wentworth -- be careful..."
Bobby: "I have a lot of security around me and I'm not sleeping with her, so I should be safe..."

Somewhat related, the Dallasdecoder reviewer for the episode with Bobby's funeral suggested that Pam's black pillbox hat was "a conscious attempt to draw a parallel between Pam and Jackie Kennedy, a real-life heroine who cradled a dying husband in her arms".

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Somewhat related, the Dallasdecoder reviewer for the episode with Bobby's funeral suggested that Pam's black pillbox hat was "a conscious attempt to draw a parallel between Pam and Jackie Kennedy, a real-life heroine who cradled a dying husband in her arms".

View attachment 46817

Interesting. I hadn't heard that before. Since the hat is black, I never thought of it.

Unlike Alexis in her little pink suit when she was shot on the campaign.

 

[LMLDallas78]

The most repeated plotline in Dallas was simple.

JR hurts Sue Ellen one time too many. Sue Ellen drinks, sobers up, and leaves him (or moves into her own bedroom). JR moves heaven and earth to get Sue Ellen back. Sue Ellen resists JR's overtures for a while then gives in and takes hin back. JR and Sue Ellen are incredibly happy for 3-4 episodes. JR cheats - usually for no real reason. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Loved it! I could watch those two like that till the end of time.