I forgot ... the main role of Pamela in the 1985-1986 Season.
If this season wasn't a nightmare of 31 episodes, we probably wouldn't have lost Victoria Principal.
I'm a fan of Bobby Ewing, but I would have preferred to leave him dead just to have good stories.
Losing either of them was equally bad for the series. They're both one half of the fan favorite couple on Dallas because they're the nicest and best looking couple on the show. In fact, originally David Jacobs wanted the show to center around Bobby and Pambut when JR's acting and character outshine their acting and characters, JR was made the central figure.
Without either Bobby or Pam you don't have the favorite Dallas couple anymore, the "Romeo and Juliet of Dallas." So what's the difference whether Bobby dies and Pam lives or Pam dies and Bobby lives? Either way you lose the most popular couple on the show. Either way you lose one of the two nicest, best liked people on the show. It's kind of like saying Romeo and Juliet could have had a good sequel if only Romeo died and Juliet survived but if Romeo lived and Juliet died then a sequel would have been bad.
Bobby and Pam were equally integral so why is one dying , or left dead, as you put it supposed to result in better stories? We saw what happened when Pam, for all practical purposes died. It did not result in better stories. No!
When Bobby was "dead' did it result in better stories" No! We got the Anjelica Nero story and the emerald mine. That was some riveting television!
So why would you expect the stories would have been better if they'd kept him dead for longer than they already did? Are you saying you consider Bobby more of a liability to Dallas than an asset to Dallas?
One of the most important part of Dallas is the home atmosphere, especially while having drinks before dinner and then eating dinner together. Pam had already left Southfork in season 6 so Bobby was the one still helping keep the home atmosphere interesting and keeping the conversation lively and the drama high. They're close brothers who love each other and are also highly competitive with each other. Take Bobby away and JR becomes similar to an only child. That wouldn't help the conversation at meals and when having drinks as they gather together to relax after a hard day of work. Take away either Bobby or JR and the other loses the person who pushes him to be his best - they thrive on the competition. It's a family saga but without Jock and Bobby and with Gary hiding somewhere, there is practically no Ewing family left.