Was Victoria Principal right to speak out

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

On 12th July 2013, Karin Schill and I had the opportunity to interview DALLAS cast members at a festival in the south of France. That was shortly after Victoria Principal‘s statement. And I remember Karin asking Patrick Duffy if there had been any real possibility of Victoria returning to the show. Patrick answered that he wasn’t aware of any offer having been made to Victoria, but there had been the potential for Pam’s character to return, until Victoria Principal chose to publicly declare that she wasn’t coming back. At another point in the interview, Patrick described the relationship between Bobby and Pam as “unsuccessful”, and his reason was that the character of Pam had been “pigstuck [?] nutty”. So maybe that would indicate that it was Patrick who wasn’t too keen on Pam returning to the show. Linda Gray’s reaction to Patrick’s negative description of Pam’s character was rather astounded and taken aback.

It looks to me that the body language on display in this video from Linda Gray that she probably doesn't particularly like Victoria. She does look a bit stunned when Patrick says pigstick nutty but then she grins rather smugly afterwards. There's really no need to insult the character of Pam but when you take into context the statement Victoria issued that she wouldn't be coming back it puts it quite clearly into perspective. Cidre was using the character of Pam as a marketing ploy to get viewers to watch the show. When Principal issued the statement it obviously put Duffy's nose out of joint. Why else would he go into a long winded explanation of anyone who was still alive could return to Dallas when he knew full well that Principal was never going to be asked to come back.

I've always suspected & believed that some of the remaining Dallas veterans are just a bit jealous of Victoria Principal's career post Dallas. She was really the only main cast member who used Dallas as a stepping stone to a better & more profitable career. Duffy tried leaving too but it didn't work out for him as we all know. It must really irk some of them that Victoria's character of Pam is still so popular amongst fans now even though she left the series so long ago! Duffy clearly harbors a touch of the old green eyed monster.

 

[Laurie!]

I've always suspected & believed that some of the remaining Dallas veterans are just a bit jealous of Victoria Principal's career post Dallas. She was really the only main cast member who used Dallas as a stepping stone to a better & more profitable career. Duffy tried leaving too but it didn't work out for him as we all know. It must really irk some of them that Victoria's character of Pam is still so popular amongst fans now even though she left the series so long ago! Duffy clearly harbors a touch of the old green eyed monster.

I don't know if it's jealousy. One would assume that Patrick would be jealous of Suzanne too if that were the case (both of his TV wives made a fortune).

Perhaps I pay too much attention (I think we all critique things to death) but I do find it glaringly obvious that Victoria's co-stars don't follow her on social media and even if you pay attention to trivial details like what posts they "like" on Twitter for example...Linda will always "like" Fanzine's posts for birthdays, etc. but unless another co-star is in a photo with Victoria, she never "likes" VP pics or birthday wishes. Perhaps a bit telling.

 

[Frank Underwood]

Didn't Victoria also say that the quality of TNT Dallas "speaks for itself" after it was cancelled? I couldn't agree with her more on that.

I'm also glad that she spilled the beans that she wasn't coming back. After what Cidre did with Dallas and her poor treatment of David Jacobs, she deserved to have her balloon popped.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I'm also glad that she spilled the beans that she wasn't coming back. After what Cidre did with Dallas and her poor treatment of David Jacobs, she deserved to have her balloon popped.

I found it a very emotional, irrational reaction by VP. If she doesn't want to come back, fine. But who to go on a public forum and says words to the effect of: I don't know if you're considering making me an offer or not, but I want not just you but the public as well to know that no offer you could make me could possibly interest me, so don't even bother." What emotionally stable, well adjusted person does that?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Didn't Victoria also say that the quality of TNT Dallas "speaks for itself" after it was cancelled? I couldn't agree with her more on that.

I'm also glad that she spilled the beans that she wasn't coming back. After what Cidre did with Dallas and her poor treatment of David Jacobs, she deserved to have her balloon popped.

I found it a very emotional, irrational reaction by VP. If she doesn't want to come back, fine. But who to go on a public forum and says words to the effect of: I don't know if you're considering making me an offer or not, but I want not just you but the public as well to know that no offer you could make me could possibly interest me, so don't even bother." What emotionally stable, well adjusted person does that?

I think you're both right.

You can be emotionally unstable and still do the right thing.

 

[Rove]

What emotionally stable, well adjusted person does that?

Victoria Principle, that's who!

 

[Frank Underwood]

I found it a very emotional, irrational reaction by VP. If she doesn't want to come back, fine. But who to go on a public forum and says words to the effect of: I don't know if you're considering making me an offer or not, but I want not just you but the public as well to know that no offer you could make me could possibly interest me, so don't even bother." What emotionally stable, well adjusted person does that?

Fair enough. Of course, she also wanted to squash speculation of her return. Cidre admitted to TV Guide that they planned to use Pam to string fans along, saying "We were probably going to let [the mystery] continue for years on end. Then there were too many questions around it and a little too much drama for us after Victoria Principal's statement." IMO, that shows a blatant disregard for fans. Perhaps it would have been good for ratings to keep the mystery surrounding Pam's fate alive indefinitely, but I find it contemptible. It had already been unresolved for 25 years because the original series had left her fate open ended. It's only because Victoria spoke up that Cidre chose to kill off Pam once and for all.

Perhaps I'm being petty as well, but I loved that Victoria's statement got under Cidre's skin. She got rather testy when asked about Pam's fate by TV Guide:

TV Guide Magazine: What did you think of Principal's statement?
Cidre: People have to do what they have to do for themselves, but for those people who read it, I regret it kind of ruined our story for them. But it's all good. We're happy to have put that to rest and Christopher gets his shares of Barnes Global.

TV Guide Magazine: Just so we are clear, Pam is now unequivocally dead?
Cidre: Unequivocally dead.

TV Guide Magazine: And if Victoria Principal changed her mind and wanted to come back, it's now too late?
Cidre: Dead. Okay?

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

Fair enough. Of course, she also wanted to squash speculation of her return. Cidre admitted to TV Guide that they planned to use Pam to string fans along, saying "We were probably going to let [the mystery] continue for years on end. Then there were too many questions around it and a little too much drama for us after Victoria Principal's statement." IMO, that shows a blatant disregard for fans. Perhaps it would have been good for ratings to keep the mystery surrounding Pam's fate alive indefinitely, but I find it contemptible. It had already been unresolved for 25 years because the original series had left her fate open ended. It's only because Victoria spoke up that Cidre chose to kill off Pam once and for all.

It makes me laugh that even without having any involvement in the show Victoria was pulling in an audience for it and once she cut her ties (or clarified that there were no ties) the showrunners didn't know what to do. I can't imagine it doesn't bother them and/or the other actors involved that Victoria was still getting attention for her part decades on without being a part of the new "better" project.

 

[Rove]

Cidre: Dead. Okay?

Ouch!

 

[Rove]

I regret it kind of ruined our story for them.

Cidre and Co., dangling the carrot that is Pamela under my nose is what ruined it for me. It's not the conclusion to the mystery of Pam I'm annoyed with rather the journey taken there. Cidre could have redeemed herself if it was revealed the lady in the black hat was Katherine Wentworth. Now there is a mystery some of us would have went along with. JR Ewing was gone so why not have the next best thing.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Fair enough. Of course, she also wanted to squash speculation of her return. Cidre admitted to TV Guide that they planned to use Pam to string fans along

Nice post, Frank. You make the best argument for that side I've seen.

Cidre could have redeemed herself if it was revealed the lady in the black hat was Katherine Wentworth. Now there is a mystery some of us would have went along with.

I agree that they could have used Katherine. Morgan Brittany said in an interview that she watched TNT Dallas every week, so I have to think she would have participated as long as she had the time available. I was going to say I don't know why they didn't, but I think I do know. One more original Lorimar character involved would take away from time available for Cidre's own precious characters. She wouldn't have had that.

JR Ewing was gone

That's the key statement. When Larry died it was over for them. The two seasons with him had at least a little of the Dallas feel to them; the third had none. They looked hopelessly lost in their season without JR.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Victoria Principle, that's who!

Exactly. Nobody else does that. She also hasn't worked as an actress since 2001.

 

[Karin]

It makes me laugh that even without having any involvement in the show Victoria was pulling in an audience for it and once she cut her ties (or clarified that there were no ties) the showrunners didn't know what to do. I can't imagine it doesn't bother them and/or the other actors involved that Victoria was still getting attention for her part decades on without being a part of the new "better" project.

So true. She was making more money for her charity foundation because Dallas was back on the air too. I stumbled across an article about a year ago where she was listed among the most I think it was 20 or 40 most generous celebrities in 2012, who had donated most money to charity. So Dallas being back on the air benefited her too even though she didn't appear in a single episode of the new show!

Also the Pam storyline and how it was concluded was the one storyline on Dallas TNT that I was most annoyed with. Sure I didn't like the drug cartel and chopped off hands and threesomes or men in dog suits either. But it was all nonsense. Pam being dead hurt since we had been invested in the character for so many years and a lot of us had been holding out hope that she would return.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Pam being dead hurt since we had been invested in the character for so many years and a lot of us had been holding out hope that she would return.

How would you ideally have liked Pam to return in TNT Dallas?

I 've got a feeling that it would hurt more if she'd been alive and well over 20 years after abandoning her family, and had become another Rebecca. The last thing Pam would have wanted is to become just like that woman.

 

[Karin]

How would you ideally have liked Pam to return in TNT Dallas?

I guess the only way to do it without hurting her character would have been if she had been kidnapped back in 1987. Katherine Wentworth did show up at the hospital around the time when Pam disappeared. So it was hinted at that she could be behind Pam's disappearance...

 

[pete lashmar]

I've just been reading through this thread and I have so many conflicting views and opinions about it.

Should VP have made the statement? In my opinion yes, she should have. VP has always held fans in high regard, she has always paid homage to the show that made her an international star and she has always shown her love for the character of Pam. But TNT were not just teasing Pam's return in the shadows, they were building something up and fans saw it bubbling away and many - myself included - really started to wonder whether they had pulled off the impossible...it was at this point that VP made her statement, no doubt because genuine fans of the show had contacted her - very excited about the prospect of a return - and it was (in my opinion) that reaction from fans that forced her to make the statement. It wasn't an ego trip, it wasn't to point shade at TNT, it was made so that the fans didn't get played.

Just my thoughts on it.

 

[Pamela_E]

Just touching on my original post, I made it because Fear the Walking Dead were hinting that it's original and well loved character of Maidson was returning. This went on for several weeks/months. Turns out to be a big bluff causing huge disappointment but the actress didn't say a word, allowing the story to play out.

She was actually let go from the role but showed no bitterness or arrogance by making any form of statement.

I feel she handled it really well. Could have been considered petty and sour grapes if she had done a VP.

 

[pete lashmar]

Just touching on my original post, I made it because Fear the Walking Dead were hinting that it's original and well loved character of Maidson was returning. This went on for several weeks/months. Turns out to be a big bluff causing huge disappointment but the actress didn't say a word, allowing the story to play out.

She was actually let go from the role but showed no bitterness or arrogance by making any form of statement.

I feel she handled it really well. Could have been considered petty and sour grapes if she had done a VP.

So do you think fans will trust the producers of FtWD in future? Have they not actually alienated their viewers by teasing something and letting them down? I don't watch the show so I have no idea how popular this character was, but in Dallas terms Victoria Principle was internationally the most famous face on the show. Larry had carried the show for many years, but VP was now one of the most famous people on the planet - so in terms of the possibility of her returning the news would have been huge. But she didn't take kindly to TNT teasing the fans, so she spoke out - good for her I say.

It should be pointed out also that if the actress from FtWD had spoken out it could have harmed her career - VP didn't need to worry about such things and therefore maybe they can't really compare.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

she has always shown her love for the character of Pam

That's true but she doesn't own the rights to the character. Dallas and TNT Dallas both had the right to recast Pam.

she didn't take kindly to TNT teasing the fans, so she spoke out - good for her I say.

When original Dallas was teasing the fans with the possible reappearance of Pam (which they eventually did in the form of Margaret Michaels), VP said nothing. Why do you suppose she didn't make a public statement then too as soon as she saw they were teasing a return of Pam? If she had made a statement before Margaret Michaels had appeared as Pam, would you have said "good for her" in that case too?

The biggest difference is that with Lorimar, she knew they wanted her back. With TNT, they hadn't made her an offer yet. That's a big blow to her ego to not be asked to be part of the show.

 

[pete lashmar]

That's true but she doesn't own the rights to the character. Dallas and TNT Dallas both had the right to recast Pam.



When original Dallas was teasing the fans with the possible reappearance of Pam (which they eventually did in the form of Margaret Michaels), VP said nothing. Why do you suppose she didn't make a public statement then too as soon as she saw they were teasing a return of Pam? If she had made a statement before Margaret Michaels had appeared as Pam, would you have said "good for her" in that case too?

The biggest difference is that with Lorimar, she knew they wanted her back. With TNT, they hadn't made her an offer yet. That's a big blow to her ego to not be asked to be part of the show.

I really don't see it like that. When she left the show originally she made it very clear in all the interviews she did, whether it be on TV or in the press, that she was leaving/left and that Pam had died in the car crash. In fact I think I'm right in thinking that when the show returned and Pam had survived, she was very surprised that producers had taken that decision.

Because of the amount of press coverage she didn't need to make a public statement.

Just out of curiosity, when Cliff is told by Jordan Lee that he saw Pam it's in the last episode of season 10 - does anyone know if this was done with the idea to approach VP to return or just a tease for the quick appearance of Margaret Michaels?

Edited to add - Larry had sadly passed when all this was happening and the future of TNT was really iffy...what better way of shoring it up with the return of a huge fan favourite....maybe, just maybe VP also saw this as a TNT tactic.