Yes I think after all he went through John Ross could be the head of the family, especially his own family. He could know enough about business, Bill Gates was a young man running a giant corporation he built. He should have started married with kids by mid thirties in my opinion. He certainly could have gone and brought his younger brother to Southfork to be part of the family. He could have done the things Jock did as a young man, save the ranch from burning, get in fist fights, all the things Bobby could respect.
They seemed to have this bad Uncle Bobby idea and like in Hamlet, that doesn’t lead to the head of the family. Bobby was the head of his family with Chris as his father rather Chris liked it or not. But as for extended family with John Ross, they’d have to have a good relationship for John Ross to see Bobby as such - which is the route I’d have gone. But as they didn’t go that way John Ross would have to take on the role alone, forced yet again to main up, much like his grandfather had to grow up.
I disagree with you on race. There are many talented actors out there of all races and it wouldn’t work in most cases just to hire based on talent. What if Miss Ellie ended up black and Jock Hispanic and JR still Larry Hagman, according to your hiring process. How do you explain that? JR was adopted? Doesn’t it change a great many things about the show? Jock’s experiences would be different? Dallas was like the Cosby show, they hired those who fit the role in the story they were telling. If CC’s purpose was to tell a more diverse story, especially as wealth is now more diverse, the idea of Carlos DelSol (taken from Carlos Slim) certainly would accomplish that. I gave no problem if that was her goal verses forcing race into a story just to do so. Also marriages and relationships are also more diverse today, even diverse regarding sexual orientation. If Pam has been played by Phylicia Rashad we’d have had a much different sorry, wouldn’t we? A highly talented actress where comparisons are difficult, so who is better? Victoria Rincipsl for the story they were trying to tell. Take Rita Moreno, an extremely talented actress (at least greater awarded than anyone ever in Dallas), and closer to Larry Hagman’s age than Linda Grey. She would have change the story a great deal, if she played a Mexican American or Mexican character as opposed to Sue Ellen. Often we would have ignored her heritage, like they ignored a Hispanic American playing the daughter of Cliff and Afton, so in that case it doesn’t matter and that’s not the story they’re telling. But if they don’t just ignore race, because it is part of a persons character, then the story totally changes. Ben Kingsley did a fabulous job as Gandhi, so it can be done even when you’re telling a story regarding a person of a particular race. But they did work to make him look like Gandhi, not ignore race all together. It’s all the story one wants to tell. I have no problem with an authentic story involving racial considerations. Again one of TNT’s most under utilized characters in my opinions was DelSol and race certainly played a role. Interesting enough Carlos Slim is not Hispanic though he’s a Mexican national. He’s Lebanese.