Dallas Killed Off Way Too Many Good Characters.

[Billy Wall]

I would like to know, why would the writers kill off so many characters that were an integral part of Dallas? I understand that some storylines come to an end, but all these characters would have brought so much more to the later seasons than what we got.

The characters I think should not have been killed/died off were Julie Gray, Digger Barnes, Kristen, Rebecca Wentworth, Mickey Trotter and Mark Graison. Am I missing anyone or is my list too long and you have no problem with these characters being killed/dying off?

 

[Popular Piggy Defying Gravity]

I would like to know, why would the writers kill off so many characters that were an integral part of Dallas? I understand that some storylines come to an end, but all these characters would have brought so much more to the later seasons than what we got.

The characters I think should not have been killed/died off were Julie Gray, Digger Barnes, Kristen, Rebecca Wentworth, Mickey Trotter and Mark Graison. Am I missing anyone or is my list too long and you have no problem with these characters being killed/dying off?

About the ladies, it was a secret aloud that every woman who slept with J.R. had to be axed soon after, Morgan Brittany explains it in one of her interviews. In Rebecca´s case, they seemed to have the dumb idea that she needed to die so they could bring her daughter back, when it would have been a great storyline to have her manipulate Mama and make her hate the Ewings more and more (not that the old beech Beckie needed her for that!).

I also read somewhere that the producers regretted later to have killed Julie Grey because Tina Louise had a lot of chemistry with her co-stars and her character could have done, let´s say, what Kristin eventually did. Timothy Patrick Murphy was part of the long cause-effect storyline that was the fight for Ewing Oil, but I think Driscoll´s suicide was enough for that and they should have kept Lucy´s best boyfriend a little longer. Actor and character worked greatly in the show.

The same goes for John Beck, he seemed to have been hired for her suicide and quest storyline after his introduction, only that all happened in a long-term instead (remember that his story lasted 4 seasons, with him present or not, or being part of Pam´s dream or not). I loved Mark more in each viewing, and I honestly think that it was Beck´s one-in-a-lifetime role, his charm was old-school Hollywood and had enormous chemistry with Victoria and later Linda.

I don´t know if Keenan Wynn already had health issues when he was on "Dallas", but he did have tinnitus already and used hearing aids, as Ken Kercheval revealed in Barbara Curran´s book. Wynn died in 1986. So I´d say that it was a producers´ idea to get Digger killed, thus expanding the Barnes family with the Wentworth "girls"...

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

DALLAS only killed off their core characters if the actor died or chose to leave the show permanently. Otherwise, they stuck to killing their supporting characters, because sometimes the narrative needs a sacrificial body count (like with Rebecca and Mickey during the battle over Jock's will).

FALCN CREST could throw all their core characters under the bus -- and usually did -- whenever the whim hit them. So the vibe in Tuscany Valley was more ruthless.

DYNASTY re-cast them, and sometimes re-cast them back, to slap the actors down with no regard to the audience (which Aaron Spelling asserted "didn't give a damn"). Which is why DYNASTY was DYNASTY.

KNOTS could revive characters from the dead and make you believe it -- be they leading or supporting.

 

[Richard Channing]

While on the one hand it's normal to get attached to certain characters and miss them when they're gone, soaps need drama, and there's nothing more dramatic than a character dying, especially an important or well loved one. And if you regularly have characters almost die but end up surviving it undermines the drama of characters in peril because the viewer knows they'll be fine. So now and then you have to follow through.

Although I actually really liked all the characters mentioned above, I'm not sure I'd change anything about how and when they exited the show, with the possible exception of Digger, as he died very early in the shows run and the Barnes family was already very small compared to the number of Ewings.

 

[Rove]

Of all the characters I'd say Kristin should not have been killed off. The beautifully written, "Now wouldn't that be a scandal. Jock Ewing's grandson, jail baby." This was Kristin's get out of jail free card. While JR went on to deliver, "I'll handle Kristin my own way," in the next episode Kristin should have demanded $5 million dollars and a house on Malibu. It's only when JR goes to California to check up on Kristin she never arrived.

So. Somewhere out there in the world is Kristin and JR's child. Imagine the drama of her turning up to Southfork one day unannounced. Of course this negates the story of Christopher but I would have preferred the ongoing manipulative presence of Kristin.

 

[Popular Piggy Defying Gravity]

Of all the characters I'd say Kristin should not have been killed off. The beautifully written, "Now wouldn't that be a scandal. Jock Ewing's grandson, jail baby." This was Kristin's get out of jail free card. While JR went on to deliver, "I'll handle Kristin my own way," in the next episode Kristin should have demanded $5 million dollars and a house on Malibu. It's only when JR goes to California to check up on Kristin she never arrived.

So. Somewhere out there in the world is Kristin and JR's child. Imagine the drama of her turning up to Southfork one day unannounced. Of course this negates the story of Christopher but I would have preferred the ongoing manipulative presence of Kristin.

The potential problem of that situation is that she might have become the "Dallas" precedent to "Melrose´s" Kimberly: at the end she would´ve turned into "the laughing stock of Texas"...

 

[Soaplover]

Julie Gray was killed off too soon, as was Kristen.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I don’t have a problem with a popular character being killed off if it furthers the story, and with most of the people mentioned in this thread so far I’ll say that was certainly the case.

Kristin and Julie could’ve definitely stayed around much longer though. Both characters had a lot more life left in my opinion.

I have no problem with the deaths of Rebecca and Mickey given they were both casualties of the show’s best storyline but it would’ve been interesting to see where their stories would’ve gone. Rebecca in particular had ties to so many of the main characters. Mickey’s death, ironically, may have killed the Lucy character as well. It was her last great storyline and she was never the same after that.

 

[Richard Channing]

I think also in it's heyday when Dallas did kill off characters the writing and casting team could be relied on to bring in new, captivating characters that the viewer could get invested in.

 

[Laurie!]

I think most of the character deaths were appropriate. I do however think Priscilla Pointer had great chemistry with Ken and Victoria and that could have gone longer. Even if just to cause friction/competition for Clayton and give BBG a meaty storyline after a long drought.

The character they didn't kill nearly soon enough once she was no longer a gold-digging skank, was April Steven's. I think Patrick had more screen chemistry with himself in a mirror than he did with her.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Kristin and Julie could’ve definitely stayed around much longer though. Both characters had a lot more life left in my opinion.

I have a fantasy 15th (per prospective DVD count) where Julie Grey's twin sister returns (also played by Ginger Grant) and Kristin's death investigation is re-opened (Mary Crosby in flashback?)

The character they didn't kill nearly soon enough once she was no longer a gold-digging skank, was April Steven's. I think Patrick had more screen chemistry with himself in a mirror than he did with her.

God, yes. But Uncle Lenny "liked" her.

I'd have April gone more quickly, or turn her into another Bobby-stalker (of a non-homicidal nature). Maybe she could die in a hail of gunfire in Paris after she follows him there when he marries poor, doomed Tracey Lawton (who also succumbs)... People always think I'm nuts, but I want Bobby to fall for Afton Cooper, neglected by Cliff and his chasing of Michelle's piece of Ewing Oil, in the show's eleventh hour.

 

[Laurie!]

@Snarky Oracle! I too think Afton would have made more sense. At least her character transformation was much more gradual and realistic. I don't however think Audrey was a particularly good actress other than her sultry, sad looks. Although by that point in the series especially, they didn't seem to care about the quality of acting or plots.

 

[Rove]

Mickey’s death, ironically, may have killed the Lucy character as well. It was her last great storyline and she was never the same after that.

Perhaps that was the perfect opportunity to move Lucy on. Worn out by the Ewing family dramas she packs her bags and leaves. Now, does she hang onto her shares in Ewing Oil or appoint a proxy in her absence? Interesting.

 

[Rove]

I do however think Priscilla Pointer had great chemistry with Ken and Victoria and that could have gone longer. Even if just to cause friction/competition for Clayton and give BBG a meaty storyline after a long drought.

Priscilla Pointer would have been my second choice to keep. Rebecca's confrontation with Miss Ellie at Southfork was memorable and Rebecca being around during the Jock/Miss Ellie/Digger days added weight to that brilliant Dallas history. I would have loved to see a scene where Rebecca calls out Miss Ellie's behaviour from those days.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

I will always maintain that Jock should have been recast.
Yes Jim Davis was great, and the show was never as good without him
The character of Jock was important to the overall narrative
Without Jock, Jr did not have as many layers ie trying to win Jock's approval
and having at least some oversight over him
While Bobby was filling that role, it wasn't the same for me.
I always thought that JR should have remained as President of Ewing Oil
Bobby, instead of working at Ewing Oil, could have been a Senator,
thus creating a more interesting interaction with Jock and JR
Never liked Clayton

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

@Snarky Oracle! I too think Afton would have made more sense. At least her character transformation was much more gradual and realistic. I don't however think Audrey was a particularly good actress other than her sultry, sad looks. Although by that point in the series especially, they didn't seem to care about the quality of acting or plots.

I actually think Audrey Landers' acing was pretty decent, despite her halting, pouty delivery (which made her fun to vocally impersonate when we used to dub fake dialogue over DALLAS episodes back in the day -- we were soooooo good at it).

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

it made for riveting television, but I hated to see master kidnappers Al and Will go out like this:

 

[lbf522]

There were possibilities to

I will always maintain that Jock should have been recast.
Yes Jim Davis was great, and the show was never as good without him
The character of Jock was important to the overall narrative
Without Jock, Jr did not have as many layers ie trying to win Jock's approval
and having at least some oversight over him
While Bobby was filling that role, it wasn't the same for me.
I always thought that JR should have remained as President of Ewing Oil
Bobby, instead of working at Ewing Oil, could have been a Senator,
thus creating a more interesting interaction with Jock and JR
Never liked Clayton

I get that recasting a main character is a risky move that fans may or may not like. I wish that they had explored Jock's family maybe meeting his parents or siblings. Did not care much for Jamie the freeloader and Jack. I agree that Jock was an important part of the show and it was sad losing him.

I also never cared for Clayton. He earned JR's dislike and I agreed with JR whenever he referred to Clayton as an outsider which is what he was. Clayton did not belong on Southfork.

 

[Rove]

I get that recasting a main character is a risky move that fans may or may not like.

I've personally never liked them, in prime time or now daytime. On the rare occurrence I catch a glimpse of Y&R or B&B the characters names should be written in every conversation because they've swapped faces so many times I have no clue who Brooke (on B&B) is talking to...oh, that's the new Taylor.

I'm stiff baffled why the writers on Dallas thought it was a great idea to dangle the carrot, "Is this Jock?" Did they not learn from the colossal mistake recasting Miss Ellie?

 

[Rove]

I think also in it's heyday when Dallas did kill off characters the writing and casting team could be relied on to bring in new, captivating characters that the viewer could get invested in.

Then we have the opposite scenario. Kicking out living characters to make way for the new which upsets the rhythm of a series. Case in point. Upon the series return after Afton finds Bobby shot within the first 4 (I think) episodes we lose Katherine Wentworth and Afton Cooper. I kind of get the loss of Katherine but suddenly we had to contend with Mandy Winger and Jamie Ewing, two characters just sprung out of nowhere. In the scheme of things the whole Mandy Winger experience was a waste. Most didn't like her character but her ongoing story was weak.

I liked the story of the introduction of Jamie Ewing but the casting and timing was off. Jamie should have been a guy and his introduction should have occurred right at the end of this scene...