J.R.'s Possible Suicide Not Mentioned on KL 1991

[Ray_Krebbs]

I understand both shows went in different directions when the Dream occurred on Dallas, but I like to think that part could have been swept under the rug. Perhaps Val named her son Bobby because of her fondness of her former brother-in-law. Lucy living in Europe was mentioned by Mack and Gary after it was assumed Val died. Perhaps both shows were in the same universe anyways. Did anyone wonder if the series finale of J.R. possibly committing suicide would be mentioned on KL? Did it appear awkward it wasn't, or did anyone foresee it to mean J R. made it, Were there any thoughts to bring Duffy, Harris (Christopher) and/or anyone else from Dallas after it's cancellation to KL? I even honestly think Ray and Jenna's family moving to KL would make more sense than Switzerland. Ray and Gary could have run Westfork together.

 

[Michelle Stevens]

I remember watching Knots Landing much more after Dallas ended in 1991 hoping some reference from the finale would come up. Even though the Dallas actors had gone onto new projects at least a mention of JR's possible suicide from Gary would have been noteworthy. It's a shame the two series' went their different ways after the Dream season.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

KNOTS said that they wouldn't reference the events on the parent series after the 1986 dream resolution... I mean, how could they?

 

[Seaviewer]

KNOTS said that they wouldn't reference the events on the parent series after the 1986 dream resolution... I mean, how could they?

As @Ray_Krebbs notes, they did acknowledge Lucy being in Europe. I think they could easily have glossed over the discrepancies, especially considering that they would never have expected the continued dissection decades later. In the event, we'll just have to imagine those conversations taking place off screen.

 

[Michelle Stevens]

KNOTS said that they wouldn't reference the events on the parent series after the 1986 dream resolution... I mean, how could they?

At least when TNT Dallas came around Gary and Valene were included around JR's funeral in 2013. I was glad they did that.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I think it was Ted Shackelford that said in an interview, that trying to deal with anything Dallas related on Knots, post dream season, would have been like pulling at a loose thread on a jumper, so they just left it alone. There was also a suggestion, probably on here, that the Knots writers (who considered their show to be a superior product) didn’t want to get dragged into the nonsense and made the decision to cut ties.

Presumably the later mention of Lucy was when the writers either felt that enough time had passed or just didn’t care at that stage.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Presumably the later mention of Lucy was when the writers either felt that enough time had passed or just didn’t care at that stage.

Reportedly, Ted and Joan were against bringing in Lucy to KNOTS. Personally, I think that was a mistake, but I think I can understand the reasoning. And I suspect it was never seriously considered anyway.

 

[Daniel Avery]

I've said this before whenever this "divorce" is brought up, but here goes again....

It was decided after the Dream Season that KL and Dallas were in different 'realities'---in KL's world, Bobby was still dead and in Dallas's world I assume Miss Ellie didn't know she had twin grandchildren, etc. But that does not mean each "reality" did not have occasional coincidences. The line about Lucy being in Europe could very well be true in both realities and would not automatically indicate that everything in Dallas's reality was occurring in KL's. Gary and Val's time on TNT Dallas is part of Dallas's reality, but we don't have to accept their Dallas activities as a part of KL's reality because the "divorce" allows for two Garys, two Vals, two Lucys, etc. just as there are two Bobbys (one dead and one still alive).

 

[xab]

This makes Bobby some sort of Schrödinger's cat : both alive and dead.

 

[Chase Gioberti]

Also JR Returns told us there was no suicide attempt, he just shot the mirror. Nobody ever told Gary about that most likely.

 

[Seaviewer]

It was decided after the Dream Season that KL and Dallas were in different 'realities'---in KL's world, Bobby was still dead

That may well have been the case off screen, but there was never an on screen declaration that Bobby is "still dead" so viewers are free to make up whatever explanation they prefer.
I think the bigger problem with the specific example of JR's possible suicide is that it was knot their cliffhanger to resolve.
I too wondered that since Dallas was over and Knots was continuing, that they might give us a clue, but in hindsight there was always the possibility that there would be some kind of Dallas reunion (I remember an interview with Duffy who said they were watching to see how the Dynasty reunion was received before deciding whether to do one of their own) and it would be difficult (and probably pointless anyway) to reference it without stating whether he was alive or not.

 

[ClassyCo]

I don't believe I've ever thought about them mentioning J.R. and his alleged suicide attempt on KNOTS LANDING (which, to date, I've yet to finish to post-dream seasons of DALLAS). Once DALLAS decided to wipe away its 1985-86 season as a dream, we all know the KNOTS producers decided to disfellowship their parent show. That trend was already in place anyway. A crossover between the two hadn't happened in a long time --- well, until Gary went back to Southfork when Bobby died.

For me, I don't really associate the two shows together after Pam's dream. I don't even really think of Gary as a "Texas Ewing" anymore. KNOTS and DALLAS each have their own identities, and they proceeded in a direction that was, more or less, inside that identity. If that makes sense.

That being said, having Gary or Valene mention J.R. and his suicide attempt would've been a nice touch. But it doesn't bother me that they didn't do it.

Reportedly, Ted and Joan were against bringing in Lucy to KNOTS. Personally, I think that was a mistake, but I think I can understand the reasoning. And I suspect it was never seriously considered anyway.

I've always thought this was a mistake. Perhaps more traction could've been given towards Lucy in the cul-de-sac than at Southfork. But I fear the KNOTS writers would've made her another Diana instead of another Paige.

Why were Ted and Joan so adamant that Charlene not be brought over? I've read Joan was very insecure about being routinely seen on TV as the mother of a grown daughter. And that rings true.

 

[Toni]

Jacobs and co. had no idea how to write for Lucy. They did it for the Pilot-Miniseries, and tried again for Gary & Val´s remarriage and "Knots" guesting. She was like a live Barbie doll who never stopped; it was infuriating to see poor Charlene try to reenact those poorly written scenes in "Home if for...". Over one year had passed by: she had been kidnapped, committed to a gay guy, learned to treat Ray as a friend only, and overcome her pill addiction. If you ask me, I´d say that character development would result after all that. I´d rather think it was all to the "Knots" egos (knot only Joannie´s...).