What's The Real Reason Why People Don't Like Clayton?

[Billy Wall]

I always liked Clayton. The only real issue I ever had with Clayton was when he went after Sue Ellen. Going after your son's ex is lame. But other than that, why is Clayton disliked? IMO, it seems as if he's hated because he's a nice man. For some strange reason, being a good/nice man means that you're weak. I also get the feeling that some fault Clayton for even helping out Sue Ellen when she was estranged from JR.

Again, why is Clayton so disliked?

 

[LMLDallas78]

Oh where do I start?
For a supposedly nice guy he was complex. I loved it when he would stand up to JR and he had fire, but he blew very hot and cold.
As you're probably aware we've both discussed his thing with Sue Ellen at great length and I really enjoyed that debate. Was he so nice he couldn't be honest with her? In the end JR made him run a mile then he took up with his Momma.

I wish Clayton could've been different and I'm still not sure why he was disliked. Maybe a little inconsistent and we never really believed or understood his motives which could've looked like he wasn't so genuine.

Then to top it all off the Laurel story....I'll say no more.

 

[Monzo]

To be superficial, could it have bothered some that Clayton was extremely tanned? Maybe for some people it didn't really matter what Clayton did or didn't do, his look was too much like that of an old dandy that people just didn't like him.

 

[Billy Wall]

Oh where do I start?
For a supposedly nice guy he was complex. I loved it when he would stand up to JR and he had fire, but he blew very hot and cold.
As you're probably aware we've both discussed his thing with Sue Ellen at great length and I really enjoyed that debate. Was he so nice he couldn't be honest with her? In the end JR made him run a mile then he took up with his Momma.

I wish Clayton could've been different and I'm still not sure why he was disliked. Maybe a little inconsistent and we never really believed or understood his motives which could've looked like he wasn't so genuine.

Then to top it all off the Laurel story....I'll say no more.

Understood, but as for the Laurel story, I didn't like that either. But the great Jock Ewing pretty much did the same thing with Julie Gray, but no one gives him flack about it.

 

[Barbara Fan]

Personally I loved Clayton, Howard Keel even more and I think he was a great addition to the cast in Dallas

I prefered him to Jock Ewing and Clayton was a far nicer man and wish Miss Ellie met him when she was 20!

 

[tommie]

Hm, I've never gotten the impression that people disliked him in general?

 

[LMLDallas78]

Understood, but as for the Laurel story, I didn't like that either. But the great Jock Ewing pretty much did the same thing with Julie Gray, but no one gives him flack about it.

Oh I did! Jock was no angel, but probably, obviously more likeable and maybe easier to forgive.

 

[Billy Wall]

Oh I did! Jock was no angel, but probably, obviously more likeable and maybe easier to forgive.

Jock was more likable than Clayton?

Hm, I've never gotten the impression that people disliked him in general?

Maybe the ones who don't like Clayton are just more vocal. I've seen people crucify Clayton simply for not being Jock.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Understood, but as for the Laurel story, I didn't like that either. But the great Jock Ewing pretty much did the same thing with Julie Gray, but no one gives him flack about it.

Now hold on a second buddy! You can't compare that young Laurel Ellis with the lovely Julie Grey. Julie was a lot older than Laurel.

 

[LMLDallas78]

Jock was more likable than Clayton?

Well he was Jock Ewing, head of the Ewing Family. As Punk said " He was tough but he was fair" with Jock you knew what you were getting. Clayton not so, never sure where you were with him.
I'm not a Clayton hater, just feel I never really knew the real him.

 

[Billy Wall]

Now hold on a second buddy! You can't compare that young Laurel Ellis with the lovely Julie Grey. Julie was a lot older than Laurel.

And....Does JR get any flack for "sleeping" with his wife's sister, who just happened to be about the same age as Laurel was?

 

[LMLDallas78]

And....Does JR get any flack for "sleeping" with his wife's sister, who just happened to be about the same age as Laurel was?

He does from me, that was one of the lowest things JR did, it was unforgivable. I used to shout at Sue Ellen for giving in to him so quickly after they took Kristen to the airport after the revelation she shot JR.

Sue Ellen should've waited for her revenge when it was knowledge a while later that Ray was JR's half brother, she should've told JR about their night of passion.
"JR I forgive you now over your affair with Kristen, coz I slept with Ray, I'm so confused right now and had to tell you".
Then they could've made up, JR needed to suffer for sleeping with his wife's sister.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

And....Does JR get any flack for "sleeping" with his wife's sister, who just happened to be about the same age as Laurel was?

J R was a lot younger then too. He was like a dirty old man when he bedded poor Laurel Ellis though.

 

[Billy Wall]

J R was a lot younger then too. He was like a dirty old man when he bedded poor Laurel Ellis though.

.

What about Cally? Lol

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

.

What about Cally? Lol

He wanted to have his cake and eat it. He tried to stay faithful but temptation got the better of him as usual although he justified it as business. At least he didn't cheat with Vanessa, the late Gayle Hunnicutt who bore a startling similarity to Sue Ellen our beloved Linda Gray.

I should point out I've always liked Clayton. One of the best things they ever did was keep Howard Keel on the show as a regular.

Admittedly he was no Jock Ewing but sadly Keel remaining on the show was a direct result of the death of our beloved Jim Davis.

Clayton was his own man and whilst I didn't always agree with him at times he was a good fit for the show. However I will always prefer Jock as played by both Jim Davis and Steve Forrest over him. Barbara Bel Geddes had great chemistry with both Jim and Steve.

May all three of them rest in peace.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Maybe the ones who don't like Clayton are just more vocal. I've seen people crucify Clayton simply for not being Jock.

I think that's mostly it -- it's the same reason some people hate Mark or Jenna.

It's true, though, that some people perceive niceness to be "weakness". And withhold their contempt for those who create a contrast to the Jocks and JRs and Alexises and Abbys and Angela Channings of the world (whose villainy is presumed to be "strength"). You gotta keep an eye on those folks.

That said, Clayton Farlow was nice like Miss Ellie was nice. Kinda-sorta. So people don't hate him all that much... I mean, he's still a statured man with tons of money, which is how "nice" is often defined.

Even if he's not usually as overtly mean as some would prefer.

As Punk said " He was tough but he was fair" with Jock you knew what you were getting

"Tough but fair" is Friendspeak (or Wifespeak) for: the man's a bastard.

 

[LMLDallas78]

.

What about Cally? Lol

Obviously that was perfectly acceptable if you cared enough!

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Obviously that was perfectly acceptable if you cared enough!

And obviously Cally liked a sugar Daddy type as a husband! She really did love JR you know.

 

[LMLDallas78]

And obviously Cally liked a sugar Daddy type as a husband! She really did love JR you know.

Did she? Sue Ellen really loved JR too especially at the beginning. She once said she tried all ways she could to get JR to love her.
She also told Bobby "I really do love JR but you know what, JR doesn't love me".

I think JR with Cally was acceptable to some viewers yet other age gap relationships caused shock horror depending on who the couple were and also the viewer.
I can't rewatch her scenes, only Sue Ellen scenes by then because Dallas was not my Dallas.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I don't know what the consensus opinion is on Clayton, but Howard Keel is a fine actor. I liked him and Doris Day together in Calamity Jane.
Having said that, never liked Clayton and never will?
Why? Because Clayton was a phony. He was presented as a man of integrity, but he was not one.
JR was right about him - he was an outsider and an opportunist.

Among Clayton's lowlights:
Had plans for seducing Sue Ellen - His son's (at the time, anyway) lover.
Cheap- punched JR at the wedding to Sue Ellen - Jealous much?
The Laurel Ellis story - need I say more?
Was hot-headed and self-righteous
JR was right to object when Miss Ellie gave him half of Southfork, Even Bobby wasn't happy, and Bobby should have supported JR.
Even though Miss Ellie had the legal right to do so, it was disrespectful to Jock, who saved the ranch,
and had Miss Ellie predeceased Clayton, JR, Bobby and Gary (and Ray and Lucy) would have no legal right
to the property. Shame on Miss Ellie
Blaming JR for Rebecca's fate when there were multiple people circumstances involved in those events.

I could name more

And really, Miss Ellie-Clayton was an adversary to JR - How could Miss Ellie support him against her own son
(I know, that is a whole other discussion- How Miss Ellie turned away when Jock and JR made questionable deals, as long
as her life of wealth and privilege was intact, and how Miss Ellie never really took responsibility for her role in how JR became who he was)
I know this will cause flak, but I think HK had more chemistry with Donna Reed than BBG

Again, I like Howard Keel, but not Clayton