Ann Ewing -- a key symptom of nuDALLAS' problems?

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

I don't think Anne Ewing was the issue with NuDallas
The writing seemed inconsistent with the strengths of the original series.
Some of the original characters were not well-written (ie Cliff)
Some of the new characters just were not interesting

It might have been interesting if some of the supporting characters were expanded
or new characters

IE Katherine Wentworth and Michelle Stevens back to battle the Ewings
Morgan Fairchild as Jenna Wade
A son or daughter of Jock and Amanda
Jack Ewing as a darker character
A son or daughter of Garrison

Cider House quickly killed off Katherine, probably assuming her death in "Swan Song" really happened...
Michelle I´m sure she knew her well, because the latter seasons were the only ones she watched...
She wouldn´t bother calling Fairchild when she could (and intended to in Season 4) call a true celebrity like PP...
A son or daughter of Amanda would be 80 or 90 at least in 2012, and CH didn´t like characters of that age...
She was going to include Jack in the first draft of the pilot (available out there) in the wedding scene... *
Garrison´s son or daughter would be the same age or slightly younger than Amanda´s...

*From the script:

"Christopher is playing host to the Ewing’s extended family. RAY, DONNA, LUCY, JENNA, JACK (ETC.)" (No further mention of Donna, Jenna or Jack!!)

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Cider House quickly killed off Katherine, probably assuming her death in "Swan Song" really happened...
Michelle I´m sure she knew her well, because the latter seasons were the only ones she watched...
She wouldn´t bother calling Fairchild when she could (and intended to in Season 4) call a true celebrity like PP...
A son or daughter of Amanda would be 80 or 90 at least in 2012, and CH didn´t like characters of that age...
She was going to include Jack in the first draft of the pilot (available out there) in the wedding scene... *
Garrison´s son or daughter would be the same age or slightly younger than Amanda´s...

*From the script:

"Christopher is playing host to the Ewing’s extended family. RAY, DONNA, LUCY, JENNA, JACK (ETC.)" (No further mention of Donna, Jenna or Jack!!)

Well, Grandson, Granddaughter/Great Granddaughter, Great Granddaughter.
I forgot that Dallas was quite good at realistic aging
I think there were plans for a JR daughter in season 4.

I think Cidre just didn't understand Dallas at a fundamental level

 

[Spooky Owl!]

If nuDALLAS had run 7 seasons, it would have been revealed that the bomb in Christopher's car -- the bomb which killed Ann -- was planted by noneother than Bobby himself, because "I just couldn't stay married to another bitch!" His confession tidied away in a dusty binder buried in the attic of Sam Culver's old mansion where Donna Krebbs can uncover it in nunuDALLAS, infuriating Bobby's next wife (I vote: Afton) who yells at Donna in the Southfork kitchen when Donna threatens to publish Bobby Ewing: The Later Years.


"Raaaaaaaay, Afton knocked me over the head with a coffee pot and just ran out.......!"

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I was mostly ok with Anne, because I like Brenda Strong, who played Sue Ellen Mishkin in Seinfeld (Sue Ellen!).
The writing for Anne could have been better, the same as any other character in NuDallas
At least she wasn't as whiny, self-righteous, self-centered and hypocritical as Pam

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

I was mostly ok with Anne, because I like Brenda Strong, who played Sue Ellen Mishkin in Seinfeld (Sue Ellen!).
The writing for Anne could have been better, the same as any other character in NuDallas
At least she wasn't as whiny, self-righteous, self-centered and hypocritical as Pam

The salts! Please bring me salts...!!

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

At least she wasn't as whiny, self-righteous, self-centered and hypocritical as Pam

Really? I thought Ann was much worse when it came to those traits.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Really? I thought Ann was much worse when it came to those traits.

I am curious why you would say that.

Anne was certainly a flawed character, like all the one on the show.

I saw her as a stabilizing presence, the new matriarch

Unlike Pam, she was supportive of Bobby, she was on good terms with JR,
and she did not interfere in business endeavors, and didn't run away
every time she disagreed or didn't get her way.

Well, in any case, TNT Dallas just had too many flaws,
far more than any issues with Anne

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

I am curious why you would say that.

Anne was certainly a flawed character, like all the one on the show.

I saw her as a stabilizing presence, the new matriarch

Unlike Pam, she was supportive of Bobby, she was on good terms with JR,
and she did not interfere in business endeavors, and didn't run away
every time she disagreed or didn't get her way.

Well, in any case, TNT Dallas just had too many flaws,
far more than any issues with Anne

Oh yeah. So many more...​

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

I am curious why you would say that.

Anne was certainly a flawed character, like all the one on the show.

I saw her as a stabilizing presence, the new matriarch

Unlike Pam, she was supportive of Bobby, she was on good terms with JR,
and she did not interfere in business endeavors, and didn't run away
every time she disagreed or didn't get her way.

Well, in any case, TNT Dallas just had too many flaws,
far more than any issues with Anne

It's been quite a while since I've seen TNT Dallas, but if I recall correctly, Ann got upset at Bobby for lying to her about something (despite lying to him about Emma.)

I also seem to recall her falling to pieces several times over issues with the Rylands, and of course she acted self-righteous and entitled when she shot Harris.

Ann also had the added benefit of not being hated by the Ewing family simply because of who her daddy was. Pam stayed longer than most people would in that situation.

That said, sad sack Pam could be hard to watch at times. Her depressive episode over wanting a baby was particularly rough. However, I felt her feelings towards JR were justified. Even Ann threw JR out after he tried to swindle Bobby. There was a smugness to Ann that I never warmed to. Pam could be whiny, but I still found her more likeable.

I do agree that the flaws of TNT Dallas went far beyond just Ann, but I certainly found her to be part of the problem.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

VP was not returning so there had to be someone for Bobby to pair up.
Making a new character was the right decision IMHO
I do think Anne had some good qualities, and Brenda Strong was a good choice.
Again, the problems were at the basic level of the writers not understanding and/or interpreting
Dallas at the narrative level
If it wasn't Anne, there would be numerous complaints about any similar casting/writing decision

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Ann deserved to die. Brenda Strong was just standard smug 2010s casting. DALLAS wasn't DESPERATE HOUSWIVES.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

Ann deserved to die. Brenda Strong was just standard smug 2010s casting. DALLAS wasn't DESPERATE HOUSWIVES.

The couple Bobby-Ann was like watching Daffy Duck married to Disney´s Daisy Duck. Something doesn´t quite fit!

They even copied this scene with Daisy finding a thief at home!​

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

Early reporting suggested Melissa Gilbert for the role. I think she's more the earthy rancher type that was needed but I guess they were trying to cash in on the Desperate Housewives hype. Ditto Jesse Metcalfe.

 

[Rove]

Ditto Jesse Metcalfe

...and Josh Henderson

 

[Soaplover]

Ann should have been a background character... the amount of times Cidre kept trying to make Ann happen was so laughable.
No way would Bobby have ever married someone like Ann... he seemed to like someone with spirit ala Pam and April.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Ann should have been a background character... the amount of times Cidre kept trying to make Ann happen was so laughable.
No way would Bobby have ever married someone like Ann... he seemed to like someone with spirit ala Pam and April.

Although they had to adjust April too much for life at Southfork.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

Although they had to adjust April too much for life at Southfork.

April and Afton went through similar transformations, but Afton's felt much more organic. Afton also never became overly corny like April did.

I'm not sure why April became the choice for Bobby's 2nd wife. Tracy McKay seemed like a better match for Bobby to me.

As insufferable as I found Ann to be, I think I disliked April even more (at least as Bobby's wife.) We were supposed to feel sad when April was killed off, but I was relieved.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

April and Afton went through similar transformations, but Afton's felt much more organic. Afton also never became overly corny like April did.

I'm not sure why April became the choice for Bobby's 2nd wife. Tracy McKay seemed like a better match for Bobby to me.

As insufferable as I found Ann to be, I think I disliked April even more (at least as Bobby's wife.) We were supposed to feel sad when April was killed off, but I was relieved.

Précisément! Tracey was a better choice. Apparently, Patrick liked Kay Lloyd.

But, reportedly, Katzman "liked" Sherre Wilson in particular, so that's where the choice went.

As many people here may know, I wanted to see Bobby & Afton together (I can smell the potential chemistry!) in the final days of DALLAS: Tracey is murdered in Paris, April -- who'd turned into a benign stalker who followed them to France -- is killed in the crossfire, and Bobby unexpectedly turns his grief towards Afton (who's being neglected by Cliff as he chases Michele and her piece of Ewing Oil).

Naturally, Cliff is enraged that yet another Ewing "has stolen a Barnes woman!"


"You were the wrong casting! You were the wrong casting!!"

 

[Sea - Boo! - Er]

Précisément! Tracey was a better choice.

Tracey was the only one who had any kind of spark about her IMO.

 

[Soaplover]

Tracey seemed like an attempt for the show to recreate the Pam element... ala daughter of a Ewing rival that Bobby is sweet on.

I did think he and Tracey seemed to spark