Was Victoria Principal right to speak out

[Kenny Coyote]

ne of CC's biggest mistakes was not switching the personalities of the cousins. Making Christopher the J.R of TNT would have led to far more drama and conflict, but she went with the generic formula and Jesse really was mis-cast imo.

I think it could have work either way. When you have the two cousins competing with each other, is there a reason why it's important for the son of the nicer brother to be meaner and the son of the meaner dad to be nicer? It's counter-intuitive, sure, and yeah Christopher's adopted, but who is gonna still be bothered by that at his age? People get over that early. I'm guessing you have a good reason for wanting to switch the two personalities.

BTW, I'm guessing this has nothing to do with the actors they hired. If it did, there's no way Metcalfe could be convincing as a JR type. He does not have the charisma or the swagger to pull that role off. @Pamela_E said Metcalfe was doing badly in the viewer opinion polls, and so I'm not surprised they had Christopher die from that car bomb. Henderson, I'd say is a better candidate for the JR style role, even though he was just average as John Ross, but you could cast him as Christopher.

I think their big mistake with John Ross was the scripts made him come across as an ungrateful, back stabber. Nobody likes that kind of kid. JR, for all his faults, always had a healthy respect for his parents. He had enough redeeming qualities that fans liked him even though he did a lot of bad things. Do you think they'd have liked JR if he'd tried to threaten Jock to send him to an old folks home if he didn't do what JR said? No way.

Better yet, have two entirely different actors. Ones that act more mature and are a little taller so as to have a more powerful screen presence. Notice how all the Ewing men were over six feet tall. I think that helps convey the image they wanted. Someone here even started a thread on Dallas actor heights if you're curious.

Metcalfe and Henderson both came across as immature to me as well. More juvenile than the original Dallas Ewing men. By far. Think of how JR came across, even when he was new to the role back in 1978. Henderson acts like a teenager in comparison.

When cast members start appearing at conventions, charging for their autographs you know they've become feeders...meet and make your fans pay to see you, to have an autograph or photo..? Never agreed with that and the prices are outrageous.

I've got news for you, that is standard now for stars of the 20th century. It's not only for "feeders" whatever they are. Doesn't matter whether they're actors or pro athletes. They charge for autographs and for more money, maybe $20 or $30, you can get a picture taken of the two of you and have the star autograph it. Not a bad deal for people who are into that stuff. Everything costs money these days. There is no more free anything!.

EDIT: Come to think of it, if Larry Hagman were still alive, I'd pay $20 or $30 to have my picture taken with him and have him autograph it.

 

[pete lashmar]

I think it could have work either way. When you have the two cousins competing with each other, is there a reason why it's important for the son of the nicer brother to be meaner and the son of the meaner dad to be nicer? It's counter-intuitive, sure, and yeah Christopher's adopted, but who is gonna still be bothered by that at his age? People get over that early. I'm guessing you have a good reason for wanting to switch the two personalities.

By switching their personalities the conflict between Bobby & Christopher would have been much better, instead of his nephew wanting to drill oil on SF etc it would be his own son. Also the dynamic between John Ross and Christopher would have been far more entertaining - J.R's first born and heir to J.R's crown beaten (business wise) by the "bastard" cousin who wasn't even a Ewing - it would have been so much better than we got.

BTW, I'm guessing this has nothing to do with the actors they hired. If it did, there's no way Metcalfe could be convincing as a JR type. He does not have the charisma or the swagger to pull that role off. @Pamela_E said Metcalfe was doing badly in the viewer opinion polls, and so I'm not surprised they had Christopher die from that car bomb. Henderson, I'd say is a better candidate for the JR style role, even though he was just average as John Ross, but you could cast him as Christopher.

Jesse looked cute, that is about as much as I can say in his favour. Unfortunately he just couldn't cut it in something like Dallas. There was no grit in his performance, he played it all on one level and it almost sent me to sleep.

I think their big mistake with John Ross was the scripts made him come across as an ungrateful, back stabber. Nobody likes that kind of kid. JR, for all his faults, always had a healthy respect for his parents. He had enough redeeming qualities that fans liked him even though he did a lot of bad things. Do you think they'd have liked JR if he'd tried to threaten Jock to send him to an old folks home if he didn't do what JR said? No way.

Better yet, have two entirely different actors. Ones that act more mature and are a little taller so as to have a more powerful screen presence. Notice how all the Ewing men were over six feet tall. I think that helps convey the image they wanted. Someone here even started a thread on Dallas actor heights if you're curious.

Metcalfe and Henderson both came across as immature to me as well. More juvenile than the original Dallas Ewing men. By far. Think of how JR came across, even when he was new to the role back in 1978. Henderson acts like a teenager in comparison.

I absolutely agree with all of this, but I think Henderson's performance was more down to the script and direction. He could easily have been Bobby's son, but with better scripts and less entitlement I think he would have done the role justice as Bad Christopher.

Jesse should never have been cast, as I said above, there was no grit in his performance.

I've got news for you, that is standard now for stars of the 20th century. It's not only for "feeders" whatever they are. Doesn't matter whether they're actors or pro athletes. They charge for autographs and for more money, maybe $20 or $30, you can get a picture taken of the two of you and have the star autograph it. Not a bad deal for people who are into that stuff. Everything costs money these days. There is no more free anything!.

EDIT: Come to think of it, if Larry Hagman were still alive, I'd pay $20 or $30 to have my picture taken with him and have him autograph it.

I know it's standard now and still think it's disgusting. As someone who worked in the West End theatres for many years and collected autographs and signed photos they were always free and they were always given with a smile and a quick chat - now it's a million pound industry that "fans" take online to get even more money.

I get that people are willing to pay for such things, but I never would - and believe me, Larry would be charging the upper tier prices and we're talking nearly £100 just for an autograph in this day and age....Larry never did anything my halves.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

This was always going to be a struggle for SOME original fans who wanted some throwback piece.

Which is what the majority of continuations are. Twin Peaks, Roseanne/The Connors, Will and Grace, and even Fuller House and Girl Meets World are faithful throwback pieces.

Dallas is the anomaly in the current landscape of television continuations. They turned it into something else entirely.

They were making a TV show and yes it failed on many levels in terms of story and character but this had no connection to their loyalty to the original.

In fact I think Sue Ellen had some of the best materiel the character had been given since the very early episodes of Dallas, if not better. The dynamic with Linda and Josh was at times electric.

No argument here. Unfortunately, the scenes that resonated the most were the exception rather than the rule. I would have rather had more scenes between Sue Ellen and John Ross than to have to suffer through the drug cartel nonsense or Elena's convoluted revenge plot. I personally don't get the point of doing a continuation if the goal isn't loyalty to the original.

As a Producer you are trying to make a TV show and some characters just don't work regardless if they were original characters or new ones.

Christopher as played by Jesse Metcalfe just didn't cut it. He rated badly with the audience polls so the whole premise for the show was changed. That is to say it was meant to be about the cousins feud, that was dropped and the character sidelined.

Christopher didn't work because of the casting and writing, but mostly the casting. Metcalfe came off smug and unlikable even though he was playing "the good guy."

Even so, killing him off so early in the show signaled to me that this so-called "Dallas continuation" was going to veer even further into the direction of the original's later seasons.

It is highly likely that Jr's daughter would have changed from being John Ross's ally to his enemy. So picking the fued up again but between John Ross and his sister.

My only issue with Christopher's end was that it was a knee jerk and implemented in a panic. I would rather have known he was going and see it play out with a build up.

The sister nobody knew about sounds as desperate as the introduction of James on the later seasons. I've never been a fan of the long lost relative plot.

I think it would have been more interesting to bring on Lucas since he was Bobby's biological son. I'd like to have seen how he turned out having been raised by his mom and his uncle.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I grew to despise Bobby on TNT Dallas and as a lifelong fan, that was difficult for me. So frankly, I didn't much care who he was with anymore or what he did for that matter.

I'd have to Google the character name too.

SO glad its not just me @Laurie! - for years i worshipped the ground he walked - both Bobby and Pat D, then along comes TNT Dallas and it all changes for me!

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

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.

And that's partly why Duffy may harbour a bit of jealousy toward Victoria, because that statement effectly pulled the rug from Cidre's marketing ploy in getting people to watch the new TNT Dallas. Plus the fact the character of Pam has always remained very popular amongst the show's fans even though she left the show so long ago.

 

[Piggyrella Sanderson]

And that's partly why Duffy may harbour a bit of jealousy toward Victoria, because that statement effectly pulled the rug from Cidre's marketing ploy in getting people to watch the new TNT Dallas. Plus the fact the character of Pam has always remained very popular amongst the show's fans even though she left the show so long ago.

Of course she has! She has been working on the melon industry for maaany years! And she appeared in Playboy too...!

Here is she in her last ad campaign,
special for her recent 27th anniversary...​

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Of course she has! She has been working on the melon industry for maaany years! And she appeared in Playboy too...!

Here is she in her last ad campaign,
special for her recent 27th anniversary...​

Well, I don't need to see Victoria Principal's melons!

Even the one's in her Playboy pose!

 

[tommie]

Of course she has! She has been working on the melon industry for maaany years! And she appeared in Playboy too...!

Here is she in her last ad campaign,
special for her recent 27th anniversary...​

Happy 27th Birthday Victoria! xoxoxo

 

[Rove]

J.R's first born and heir to J.R's crown beaten (business wise) by the "bastard" cousin who wasn't even a Ewing - it would have been so much better than we got.

And many - not all - soapchaters forget Sue Ellen was Christopher's aunt. Another angle for drama. TNT Dallas somehow conveniently forgot that.

 

[tommie]

I mean, it deserves to be said - this was the potential dynamite they were sitting on:

Then they decided to do this:

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

I mean, it deserves to be said - this was the potential dynamite they were sitting on:

Then they decided to do this:

That Sue Ellen and John Ross scene represents everything I expected a modern Dallas to be like. Full of emotion, evoking the past, yet with a contemporary look.

It's such a shame that most of new Dallas doesn't even come close to living up to this moment.

 

[Frankenstein Underworld]

Here's another scene I absolutely love. Sue Ellen shows her inner strength and channels her inner JR as she goes up against the governor. Again, if only the show had been more like this:

 

[stevew]

I mean, it deserves to be said - this was the potential dynamite they were sitting on:

Then they decided to do this:

That was brilliant! That should have been the end to her drinking. That should have been where Sue Ellen spoke to Don Lockwood and he agrees with John Ross, that her drinking is her responsibility, not his and not JR’s. Then he say, “And the Sue Ellen I know, she’s stronger than that. She’s stronger than JR. What was it you told me Miss Ellie use to say? Right or wrong, when Ewing’s pull together they’re unstoppable. Maybe it’s time you realize you surpassed JR who tore his family apart. Time you bring it together. Right or wrong you stand by your son and the world be damned.”

 

[stevew]

Here's another scene I absolutely love. Sue Ellen shows her inner strength and channels her inner JR as she goes up against the governor. Again, if only the show had been more like this:

Just one more notch and she’d have pulled off Frank Underwood (which is what I wanted).

 

[stevew]

Just one more notch and she’d have pulled off Frank Underwood (which is what I wanted).

Now picture her against Jeremy Wendell. Add a little comedy. = a hit.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Now picture her against Jeremy Wendell. Add a little comedy. = a hit.

Picture Sue Ellen against Wendell? He ran the 8th largest oil company in the world and she ran a lingerie company. I just can't imagine who'd win.

 

[stevew]

Picture Sue Ellen against Wendell? He ran the 8th largest oil company in the world and she ran a lingerie company. I just can't imagine who'd win.

That was 20 years ago - a lot has changed. He went to prison. She grew stronger.

 

[Michael Torrance]

Picture Sue Ellen against Wendell? He ran the 8th largest oil company in the world and she ran a lingerie company. I just can't imagine who'd win.

If all these Fortune 500 honchos were so smart/ingenious/brilliant, we would not have them parade in jail ever so often. In that, the show was quite realistic.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

If all these Fortune 500 honchos were so smart/ingenious/brilliant, we would not have them parade in jail ever so often. In that, the show was quite realistic.

Don't you think intelligent people ever go to jail? Breaking the law isn't always a matter of stupidity; sometimes it's a matter of an intelligent guy getting greedy when he sees a risk to reward ratio he decides he can't turn down. Somewhere along the line he makes a bad judgement call, but bad judgment doesn't equal low I.Q.

Fortune 500 executives get to where they are though competence. Business is a competency hierarchy. The more competent you are and the harder you work, the higher up the corporate ladder you get. If a man is highly intelligent and willing to forsake all else in life he can work 70 to 80 hours a week for years and years, climb to the top and become a Fortune 500 CEO. A woman can too, but women do it far less often because it's not in their nature to want to give up having a family, friends and all the rest in exchange for achieving that one goal. You might call that being "better adjusted."

If you look at all the scenes Jeremy Wendell had in Dallas, I think you'd conclude he was portrayed as a far more intelligent and competent person than Sue Ellen with by far the superior credentials to beat Sue Ellen in any type of business or even political competition, but you can do anything you want. It's fiction. At the push of a pen, Lucy can beat Ray in a rodeo and Jeremy Wendell can drink Sue Ellen under the table.

It all depends on how faithful to the original story do you want to be. Cynthia Cidre decided being faithful to the original was of no consequence whatsoever and we saw how well the audience accepted that.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

That was 20 years ago - a lot has changed. He went to prison. She grew stronger.

Maybe so, but she didn't grow a whole lot smarter if spending a year of her life and millions of her dollars making a movie that she promptly threw in a vault and never did anything with is any indication. Strength is good to have, but strength is no substitute for intelligence, expertise, and experience. Strength just means (I'm referring to strength of character since I doubt you meant physical strength) that you've got good self-esteem, confidence, resiliency and can weather adversity. Having a reasonably strong character is a pre-requisite to success at the top level of industry, but it's far from being everything one needs to be competitive with the other people at those top levels of industry.