Were the women really just decorations in the original DALLAS?

Rove

Telly Talk Warrior
I remember being so pissed off when Pam for example, wasn't allowed to go toe-to-toe with JR during the dream season.
Oh yes! This was THE season I was most looking forward to. After the death of Bobby I was expecting fireworks, especially between two of the biggest; JR and Pam. It was like the planets had aligned. For several seasons we witnessed JR's futile attempts at removing that Barnes woman from his life. On a recent re-watch I enjoyed the dream season for the most part but the writers balked at Pam. There was no need to reintroduce Mark as it weakened Pam. Once Bobby's WILL was read aloud and the glance JR offered Pam at the closing credits I thought, "The sh#t is gonna hit the fan."

Others will rightly disagree on this because of JR's business acumen, but let's be honest...was he really that good at business? By now I thought it was high time to ratchet Pam's character up a notch. Don't have her flailing at another mans knees. Write her as a confident - albeit nervous woman - entering into the world of business governed by men now ruffled by her very presence.

There was no need for the introduction of Angelica Nero. The story was right there, placed at your feet. The death of a much loved son, brother and father was the catalyst to transform Dallas into something we had not seen before. Again others will say Pam had nothing to offer compared to the brilliant and devious mind of JR. But I see that as a cop-out. I see a woman determined to protect her sons interest just like JR is determined to leave Ewing Oil to the rightful heir; John Ross.

The actors Larry and Victoria played beautifully off each other. You could see it each and every time they shared a scene. I wanted fireworks, face slapping or as someone else wrote...."a scorched Earth " approach from JR after the death of his brother.
 

Rove

Telly Talk Warrior
Wasn't Angelica Nero, created by Uncle Lenny, designed to steal Pam's thunder?
In hindsight it comes across as that doesn't it? Many will argue she was a creation to counter Alexis Carrington. But the whole Angelica Nero experience was misplaced on Dallas. It reeked of desperation.
 

Billy Wall

Telly Talk Dream Maker
Others will rightly disagree on this because of JR's business acumen, but let's be honest...was he really that good at business?

No he was not. JR was a master at scheming and blackmail, but he was not good at business. Whenever he faced someone his own size, he usually lost.
 
J

JDNH

Guest
Dallas writers and producers wrote women as being motivated mostly by either money (a man to take care of them) or affections and sex (again, needing a man to be happy). None of the women on Dallas were truly independent or strong (I would argue that Pam post divorce came the closest).

It always interested me when I would see a woman's name in the writing credits (Susan Howard wrote several episodes) because I found it fascinating that those female writers didn't push harder for more rounded and stronger female characters.
disagree... Sue Ellen finally became very strong during Season 9, and remained very strong in the following seasons...
 

the-lost-son

Telly Talk Well-Known Member
I listen/read many interviews of the female cast indeed that woman were underpresented in Dallas. But - even if it was hardly addressed - I always believed this to be true for behind-the-scenes only.

Dallas women were strong and stood their ground even against their husband's. Sure they had their suffering parts to play, but so did the men. So I don't think any storylines contributed anything to that feeling.

Behind the scenes it's a different story and women probably did not feel appreciated as men. BBG let go over a salary dispute, Linda Gray fired for wanting to direct an episode, VP CT SH all let go and the men still there.
Show business is tough and I'm pretty sure they all had to fight many battles many hurdles to get there, especially during the 80s and before.
 
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