Paternity in question

[the-lost-son]

Over the years Dallas created several storylines where the ancestry of one character was put into question or revealed to be different than expected. Some of these plots gave a nice twist to the epic saga as a whole, others created shock moments with/without any long-term consequences, others fell just flat or were left unresolved.

If the producers had chosen a different result when paternity was in question the story as a whole would have been impacted. So I‘d like to list these storylines (hope I cover the majority), give my 2cents to each. I would like to know if you‘d change any paternity storyline or leave it as it is.

1. John Ross
Possibilities: JR, Cliff
It was the right outcome. Every saga needs an heir. Had Cliff been the father this would have realistically resulted in less interactions between him/Sue Ellen and the Ewings.

2. Ray
Possibilities: Amos Krebbs, Jock
The right outcome as well. Ray being a Ewing made the story more complex with Ellie‘s insecuritie, Gary‘s role in the family. I would have like if he took the Ewing name. But I don‘t know if that was realistic at that time.

3. Pam
Possibilities: Hutch McKinney, Digger
Completely pointless. I truly disliked this revelation because it didn‘t add anything to the story except some shock value. Apart from two nasty remarks made by JR Pam‘s biological father was completely forgotten. They probably wanted to give Pam a reason looking for her mother. But that could have been achieved differently. It weakened the family ties. In my mind Digger is the daddy.

4. Christopher
Possibilities: JR, Jordan Lee, (Jeff Faraday)
couldn‘t have been better, great writing

5. Charlie Wade
Possibilities: Bobby, Naldo Merchetta
Charlie‘s ancestry was a messed up story, cleared already in the early days and rehashed in season 7-8 (DVD). I would have preferred Bobby as the father. It would have been sufficient if Merchetta just believed to be the father.

6. Sue Ellen‘s unborn baby
Possibilities: Peter, JR
First of all she should have gotten that baby. There happened too many miscarriages anyway.
In the longterm JR is the more sensible option. One could have played it out similar to JohnRoss paternity suit.

 

[CeeCee72]

That last one, Peter and JR...

The missed opportunity for drama there was so disappointing. Think of what could have been. JR having to deal with a pregnant wife who didn't know who the daddy was AGAIN. Sue Ellen struggling with the decision about whether or not to keep the baby. John Ross being insecure about a new baby brother or sister. The miscarriage was a cheat.

 

[Billy Wall]

Pam not being Digger’s daughter didn’t make any sense. Heck, very 1st episode was “Digger’s Daughter.” It was just yet another way to throw dirt on Digger. It wasn’t bad enough that he was a murderer, now he’s not even Pam’s biological father.

As for Ray, I can’t see an adult man changing his last name after finding out someone else is his father.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I was glad that John Ross turned out to be JR’s but thinking about what would’ve happened if he was Cliff’s? Very intriguing!

I liked Ray becoming the fourth son for the reasons you mentioned. But I’m glad he remained a Krebbs. The Ewing name just never fit him for me. What I didn’t like about him becoming Jock’s son was his prior relationship with Lucy. They tried to erase that but it really couldn’t be from my mind.

I wish that Pam would’ve remained Digger’s instead of Hutch’s daughter but I do love the shock value of that deathbed scene. And it did send Pam off on her depression and her search for Rebecca so it served its purpose.

Christopher I think they got right. I’m glad he wasn’t JR’s son after all. Having Jeff be the father of Kristin’s son made more sense and Sue Ellen being his natural Aunt was something I always enjoyed.

I would’ve loved if Charlie turned out to be Bobby’s but just as long as it didn’t cause even more problems for he and Pam. But I’m afraid that would’ve made him feel guilty about not marrying Jenna and he might’ve felt compelled to do the right thing and then we don’t get a reunion with Pam.

I was not a fan of the Sue Ellen and Peter storyline at all. Could the baby have been Peter’s? I think it’s very possible but I wouldn’t have wanted it to be. Again, like Cliff being the father of John Ross it would’ve created even more drama but I think it’s best they didn’t go that route in either case.

 

[Grant Jennings]

Pam not being Digger’s daughter didn’t make any sense. Heck, very 1st episode was “Digger’s Daughter.” It was just yet another way to throw dirt on Digger. It wasn’t bad enough that he was a murderer, now he’s not even Pam’s biological father.

As for Ray, I can’t see an adult man changing his last name after finding out someone else is his father.

Pam being a Barnes married to a Ewing is the very premise of the show, undoing this is preposterous!

The whole "Bobby's the father. No, Naldo's the father. Maybe Bobby is the father." nonsense grew tired very quickly. I think the writers originally intended this to be a "one-off" when the show was more episodic. When it became serialized bringing Bobby's "first love" back made sense but they shouldn't have revisited the paternity issue.

They could have had Sue Ellen get hit by the car and have the doctor tell J.R. that he expected her to make a full recovery and carry her child to term.

I like the way John Ross, Ray and Christopher were all handled.

 

[CeeCee72]

To be honest, they threw that whole Pam/Digger storyline in the trash so fast I had forgotten all about it until I read this thread.

Destroyed important history for nothing

 

[Angela Channing]

The other paternity question mark was over JR's father. In Dallas: The Early Years Ellie was in a relationship with Digger when she told Jock she was pregnant with his child. When John Ross's paternity was in doubt, JR and Cliff had blood tests and were found to have the same blood group. I think they dropped a few hints that JR could be Digger's son but they never followed up on this storyline fully.

 

[DallasFanForever]

The possibility of J.R. being Digger’s son is another one of those storylines that intrigues me cause of the mere shock value and the repercussions it would’ve caused but in retrospect I’m glad they didn’t pull the trigger on that one. One of the main premises of the show was J.R. fighting for Jock’s approval and trying to live up to his name so I think I for one would’ve been very disappointed if this turned out not to be the case.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I think that would have been the best way to end Dallas at the end of the dire final series, Momma is on her death bed and her last words are that Digger is JRs father and thet he and Cliff are half brothers
Cue theme tune and a shocked JR end credit / freeze frame

 

[Billy Wall]

Digger being JR’s father might have worked in a daytime soap, but not on Dallas. Besides, Jock was long gone and it wouldn’t have nearly the impact it would have if he was still living. And it would make Miss Ellie look really bad. Glad they didn’t go that route.

 

[the-lost-son]

I think that would have been the best way to end Dallas at the end of the dire final series, Momma is on her death bed and her last words are that Digger is JRs father and thet he and Cliff are half brothers
Cue theme tune and a shocked JR end credit / freeze frame

They advertised Dallas' last regular episode with "Trust us. It ends with a bang." Your scenario certainly would have matched that description (instead of nonsense we got.)

But I would have been offended by it. The character of Miss Ellie would have been tarnished. She was the (moral) center and an integral part of the family to keep JR in line. Her marriage to Jock, the values she stood for - the last impression we would have got of her - a lying hypocrite.

I think they made a similar move in Roseanne, turning the whole story upside down which wasn't well received (I just read about it.)

If I imagine Miss Ellie and Digger having a son and watching their other children getting married - I'm apalled by it.

Dallas was known to push boundaries. Maybe people would have like it. I certainly wouldn' t have.

 

[Ukdallasfan]

I also feel that it would have been majorly unsatisfactory if JR had turned out to be Digger’s son. Best left alone in my view

 

[CeeCee72]

They advertised Dallas' last regular episode with "Trust us. It ends with a bang." Your scenario certainly would have matched that description (instead of nonsense we got.)

But I would have been offended by it. The character of Miss Ellie would have been tarnished. She was the (moral) center and an integral part of the family to keep JR in line. Her marriage to Jock, the values she stood for - the last impression we would have got of her - a lying hypocrite.

I think they made a similar move in Roseanne, turning the whole story upside down which wasn't well received (I just read about it.)

If I imagine Miss Ellie and Digger having a son and watching their other children getting married - I'm apalled by it.

Dallas was known to push boundaries. Maybe people would have like it. I certainly wouldn' t have.

Good points.

Although I was intrigued by the idea of Digger being JR'' father, you're right. It would have destroyed Miss Ellie's character.

 

[DallasFanForever]

It definitely would’ve destroyed Miss Ellie as we knew her. But I’m just picturing J.R.’s face in that final freeze frame! It would’ve totally destroyed his life and everything he thought he was. In retrospect I’m glad they didn’t do it but I have to admit this topic does interest me.

 

[lbf522]

I had always felt that JR and Sue Ellen should have had a daughter after John Ross. I agree that Pamela not being Digger's biological daughter was awful like with same with Charlie not being Bobby's.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I would’ve liked to see them do a reverse on Charlie’s paternity in the later years and have her turn out to be Bobby’s. Now you would have both of Bobby’s biological children living with Ray and Jenna. Could’ve created some good drama.

 

[Angela Channing]

I had always felt that JR and Sue Ellen should have had a daughter after John Ross. I agree that Pamela not being Digger's biological daughter was awful like with same with Charlie not being Bobby's.

I would have liked Sue Ellen to have been pregnant with a daughter by Peter Richards and then having to go back to JR to trick him into believing it was his child. I think it would have been so much more believable than how they decided to get JR and Sue Ellen back together and it would have been a long running secret between the Sue Ellen and the viewers regarding whether or when JR would find out the truth.

 

[Karin]

1. John Ross
Definitely the right outcome. If JR hadn't been John Ross father JR/SE wouldn't have stayed together and how much duller would Dallas have been if Sue Ellen had been with Cliff instead?
Also being a father changed JR's character and gave him a softer side. It was much needed to add a complex layer to JR's character. He wasn't just a bad guy. He was a bad guy who loved his son and his father. It made him more human.

2. Ray
It was the right call to make Ray Jock's son, although it did create a sticky situation with Lucy.

3. Pam
I would have preferred if she had stayed Digger's daughter, as the retcon ruined the premise of the show. But I think they needed the Hutch McKinney plot to open up the possibility for Rebecca to show up. Also with the neurofibromatosis they had written themselves into a corner, so by making Hutch Pam's natural father they could get around that so if Bobby and Pam would have had a biological child that child would have been healthy.

4. Christopher
I like that he was Jeff Faraday's son since that way both his parents were gone which removed the obstacles that Bobby and Pam were facing when adopting him.
So from that moment on Bobby and Pam became his parents.

5. Charlie Wade
I would have preferred for her to actually be Bobby's daughter. But I think they needed her to be Naldo's to break up Bobby and Jenna because if she had been Bobby's daughter Naldo wouldn't have been able to kidnap her. Still the way Jenna acted about the whole thing, deliberately making Bobby believe he could be Charlie's father would have made more sense if she hadn't known who the father was.

6. Sue Ellen‘s unborn baby
I agree that the baby should have been JR's and it should have been born. I think not giving JR and Sue Ellen more children was a missed opportunity. Especially considering that the show came back in 2012. Preferably they should have had a son (John Ross) and a daughter.

7. JR
I am glad they never went down the route of making JR Digger's son since IMHO it would have ruined the entire show. JR had to be Jock's son.