Dallas: Discussion Thread

[Soapsuds]

I thought Jenilee was miscast. Although I am enjoying her more this time around than when the episodes originally aired.

Jack was originally suppose to replace Bobby as the good guy. I thought he worked better as a mysterious out for himself guy in the first season he appeared. After that season he didn't have much of a personality. I was more interested in how tight his pants were.  His front side and backside looked very good in those jeans. I wondered how he could walk in them since they were so tight on.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Soapsuds

[Franko]

It says something that they had three almost Bobbys in one season: Jack, Matt Cantrell and, of course, Mark Graison.

[Soapsuds]

There is no way Bobby would've been friends with someone like Matt. Matt gave me the creeps.

I always hated Mark. He was insufferable. All he did was stalk Pam. When he returned during the dream season the new writers toned him down for the most part.

[Franko]

Also, it was too late to salvage Jack and Jamie by the time Steve Forrest showed up, but I'm wondering if he should have been Jason Ewing instead of Ben/Wes/not Jock.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Franko

[Paul Raven]

I agree that Jack and Jamie were miscast. 

Dack Rambo never really took off in any of the roles he had over the years. He was easy on the eye but didn't deliver on bringing characters to life.

Garrison, Ellie's brother should have had children. They could have caused trouble causing Ellie to be torn b/w them and her kids.

[te.]

Watching season 11 I thought Dack might've made a good Casey Denault. 

One of the biggest issues in the later years is that the casting is insanely bland for the most part, but then again all Lorimar soaps seemed to have this issue. If there's anything where Dynasty had the upper hand on them it was in the casting department, which was usually spot-on there with a few exceptions (even if they didn't utilise them well). 

[kalbir]

Budget mode casting. Hired on the cheap.

[Chris 2]

Agreed 100%. Dallas couldn’t stand for any of the women to be single, so Pam hopped into bed with Mark about 30 seconds after Bobby died. And Mark was happy to be with Pam even though he knew that he would always be second fiddle to Bobby.

There was no reason to resurrect Mark. All he did was take up space which could have been better filled with a new love interest for Pam later on.

[Beetle Bailey]

I agree about the casting of Jack and Jamie Ewing.  Since The Dukes of Hazzard had ended in spring 1985 and it had been Dallas' lead in for many years, either Tom Wopat or John Schneider should have been Jack.  I would have cast John Schneider as Jack and Tom Wopat as Matt Cantrell or another character.  As for Jamie, she should have been a Southworth, from Miss Ellie's side of the family.  Dallas should have casted an unknown actress and saved money.  Maybe Susan Dey could have played Jamie?

[SoapDope]

I would have loved to have seen Susan Dey on Dallas. She is one those actresses that draws you in no matter what she's playing. She could have played Jamie hard as nails that took now crap from anyone. I couldn't picture her with Cliff though. 

Maybe Dey's Jamie could have been paired with Mark. 

[Beetle Bailey]

With regards to Jenilee Harrison, I don't think she was a bad actress, but I think she had the same problem she had on Three's Company.  She was a limited actress there as well, not very funny.  Unfortunately John Ritter nor Don Knotts gave her any tips or took her under their wing.  Maybe if they had, she would not have been demoted and replaced with Priscilla Barnes, a more experienced actress.  To me, Jenilee did not have enough fire to play Jamie.  She might have fared better as one of JR's girlfriends or one of the Ewing Oil secretaries.

[Franko]

If nothing else, Dey as Jamie would at least have held her own in conflict scenes. This screengrab will never not make me laugh.

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[Chris 2]

I always thought they should have gotten Gregory Harrison to join as a Bobby substitute - whether as Jack or someone else. He is a similar type as Patrick Duffy and would have looked good with Victoria Principal. He was finishing up his run on Trapper John MD as the dream season began.

[SoapDope]

Gregory Harrison would have been great on Dallas. I'm surprised that Larry Wilcox from Chips never showed up on the show. He was kind of a real life cowboy and owned a ranch. I could picture him as a cousin of Ray's. The cousin would fall in love with Donna and step in to declare his feelings for her when Ray got stupid and pulled away from her. 

Those duds they paired Lucy with like Mitch, Mickey etc....was worthless storyline. They could have had Lucy work with Aunt Pam at Barnes-Wentworth or at least given her a love interest that didn't blend in with the wallpaper. Maybe Grant Goodeve from Eight Is Enough ? 

 

 

 

[Vee]

Lucy was just always a complete wash for me. Charlene Tilton is astonishingly bad in virtually any scene and I can't take her seriously doing anything.

I do agree that after her decent intro scene Jenilee Harrison is also quite cringe.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Vee