Why was Cathy Podewell written out?

[Grangehill1]

Season 14. Calls leaves in the first quarter of the season, makes a brief appearance with her baby and then returns for the finale

Why was she written out so early?

 

[James from London]

Budget cuts? The natural end of her story arc? I loved the abruptness of her exit: "You're not the father, James is!'" Vroooom!

 

[Grangehill1]

It’s funny when people mention budget cuts. They went to Paris!!! That wouldnt have been cheap. And a year before had been all over Europe.
And yet they couldn’t afford to film at the real Southfork?
Re Cathy Podewell. I’m sure both Gayle Hunnicutt and Barbara Eden would have been on more money

 

[James from London]

It was just a suggestion. Sounds like you know more about these things than I do.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

It’s funny when people mention budget cuts. They went to Paris!!! That wouldnt have been cheap. And a year before had been all over Europe.
And yet they couldn’t afford to film at the real Southfork?
Re Cathy Podewell. I’m sure both Gayle Hunnicutt and Barbara Eden would have been on more money

You answered your own question in a way: inconsistency.

Some executive, like Katzman, felt Europe was more interesting at this point than Texas, and that Cally was no longer serviceable to the plot (so why pay her?) although I kind of liked her.

 

[Angela Channing]

It’s funny when people mention budget cuts. They went to Paris!!! That wouldnt have been cheap. And a year before had been all over Europe.

Sometimes overseas filming can cost a similar amount to location filming in the USA. Airlines and hotel chains will offer their products and services for free (or they might even pay the production company) because appearing on Dallas would give them international exposure and be a very cost effective form of advertising. The tourist board of other countries are likely to have encouraged Dallas to go there and they would facilitate the filming because they would see it as a way of boosting tourism to their country.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Sometimes overseas filming can cost a similar amount to location filming in the USA. Airlines and hotel chains will offer their products and services for free (or they might even pay the production company) because appearing on Dallas would give them international exposure and be a very cost effective form of advertising. The tourist board of other countries are likely to have encouraged Dallas to go there and they would facilitate the filming because they would see it as a way of boosting tourism to their country.

It's a shame Aaron Spelling never considered that for DYNASTY as he did for LOVE BOAT.

 

[the-lost-son]

Sometimes overseas filming can cost a similar amount to location filming in the USA. Airlines and hotel chains will offer their products and services for free (or they might even pay the production company) because appearing on Dallas would give them international exposure and be a very cost effective form of advertising. The tourist board of other countries are likely to have encouraged Dallas to go there and they would facilitate the filming because they would see it as a way of boosting tourism to their country.

Exactly. It's amazing sometimes how limited the influence the producers regarding filming location is.
Especially in Europe substantial amount of money is paid to promote tourism. So nearly every region is featured every few years in a production.

By the way, the decision to stop film on Southfork was justified by two factors:
1. budget
2. An increasing fatigue/less thrill of the cast to relocate their lives for 2 months each year after so many years

 

[tommie]

Sometimes overseas filming can cost a similar amount to location filming in the USA. Airlines and hotel chains will offer their products and services for free (or they might even pay the production company) because appearing on Dallas would give them international exposure and be a very cost effective form of advertising. The tourist board of other countries are likely to have encouraged Dallas to go there and they would facilitate the filming because they would see it as a way of boosting tourism to their country.

NuDynasty went to Paris in season 2 and at the same time the cast did promotional activities while filming there, effectively funding a big part of the trip. That could've been the case with Dallas as it was still popular in Europe - wasn't that the case when they went to Soviet / Russia?

 

[Monzo]

When Dallas was renewed for two seasons in season 12 and ratings were bad in season 13 it was obvious that Dallas would end after season 14, at least I think so. I guess saying goodbye to Cally and then to James a few episodes later was kind of farewell tour to the entire show. Writers obviously wanted JR in a desperate situation and it would be strange that everybody left him on the penultimate episode.

 

[Billy Wall]

It’s funny when people mention budget cuts. They went to Paris!!! That wouldnt have been cheap. And a year before had been all over Europe.
And yet they couldn’t afford to film at the real Southfork?
Re Cathy Podewell. I’m sure both Gayle Hunnicutt and Barbara Eden would have been on more money

And Susan Lucci