"I need to be loved"- - - JR???

[Frankie]

Was JR just a regular person in need of love? Did his childhood and lack of the attenetion he so desperatly needed when he was young, warp his idea of what love should be?

I think JR's reason for always having another woman was because he had very little love when he was young. He was jealous of the love his parents had for Gary and Bobby, and he still is to some extent.

JR was always looking for love, and that's because once JR had love, he wanted more. Love and sex was like money to him. I know that's a weird analogy, but sometimes people do have that appetite for love and sex. The more they have it, the more they want.

That's what I think JR was. A man who had a twisted appetite for love, but had a good reason for it, at least in his mind.

[Sanoahwolf]

Miss Ellie was right when she told J.R. that she gave up on him to early. J.R. fought for his daddy's attention which would explain the jealousy he showed towards Bobby. Bobby had what J.R. wanted. Jock and Ellie were to consumed with Gary and Bobby and let J.R. go and become his own worst enemy. I allways tell myself when I have children of my own I will never favor any one over the other. I know it's easy to say that and only time will tell if my wishes are carried out. I know Jock and Ellie didn't shower Gary and Bobby with more affection deliberately.

One would think after J.R. was shot that he would have gotten the msg-clean up your act or continue to be the prey of your enemies. Not a way that I would choose to live but again thank God I'm not J.R. Ewing!!!

J.R. laughed everything off and that is why he allways was squarely behind the eight ball.

[SueEllen35]

I always found it so sad how children can become so isolated, so lonely, so lost because of lack of attention and love from a parent. J.R. certainly had these problems. I don't know if J.R. was just born to be vile/evil or just the lack of attention and nurturing and love from Jock and Miss Ellie led him to become the ruthless man he is today. So many people tried to love him. So many people tried to change his ways. It's hard to love a man like J.R. I never could understand how Sue Ellen could still love him even after his dasterdly deeds he pulled on her. The same thing goes for Bobby. But I guess blood is thicker than anything.

He was neglected in deed when he was growing up. All the attention that Miss Ellie gave to Gary and all the attention that Jock and Miss Ellie gave to Bobby was all that J.R. could bare. I think he turned towards hate and vengence at Gary and Bobby. Gary was weak, so obviously J.R.'s ruthless attitude just ate up Gary. J.R. truly loved his brothers, but Gary didn't fight back like Bobby did. That's why Gary was a target for J.R. Ray, being the "half-breed" as J.R. called him, stood his ground towards J.R., but deep down inside he was just like Bobby.

I think anyone that didn't play the same game as J.R. ended up the loser. Bobby was the only one that could keep up and track of J.R. and try to always set him straight. Gary nor Ray could really do that. Ray, especially without Bobby's help. But he did try and welp J.R. a few times. He just didn't put with J.R. like Bobby did.

J.R. just had a very strange way of showing love to everyone. But I feel very strongly that Sue Ellen was the love of J.R.'s life. Even though he treated her so badly, she always stayed by his side. Yes, eventually, she did leave him. But in the later movies you saw how much they still needed/loved each other. You either hated or loved J.R. I think Bobby and Sue Ellen ended up both ways. Miss Ellie disliked J.R. many times, but her love for him was neverending no matter what vile deed he performed.

Sex, controlling people, and power were the only things J.R. cared about. He couldn't get enough fulfillment of all three because he lacked love from the very beginning. J.R. lived for all three. Remember all the times J.R. did a vile deed to someone, that smile always came out.

If Gary and Bobby were never born, J.R. would have turned out completely the opposite. But how boring would that be!

[Sarah]

I'm so glad, Sue Ellen, that someone else can see the tremendous bond and love between JR and Sue Ellen. To me, it's like a tragic love story, and excites me so much more than Pam and Bobby's, except I'd be lying if I said I would actually want a relationship like JR and SE's.

I always found it strange that JR was the one who felt the need for his parents approval. Usually it's the child in the middle who finds growing up difficult.

I can understand why Sue Ellen loved him so much. I believe that what she felt for him was a fiery, passionate and overwhelming love, rather than a nicey-nicey kind of love. A man like JR can have a tremendous hold over a woman- he's charismatic, he's powerful, he's like no one else - whether or not he means it intentionally. And don't forget that Sue Ellen will have seen sides of him that no one else has.

If we go back to before Dallas hit the screens, JR and Sue Ellen had already been married for 7 years. I wish that in Dallas The Early Years, we had gotten a glimpse of when they first met and what their relationship was like in the first couple of years they were together. JR has referred to it in the past saying "Remember how it used to be, we used to spend hours together, just the two of us......"

But the need for approval once again took over and JR had to go and prove to everyone how wonderful he was and how he could get whatever he wanted. She stuck by him, but she paid the price with the best years of her life, and no man is worth that, no matter how much love is there.

If JR had only sat and thought for a moment he would have realised the number of people who loved and cared for him - Sue Ellen, Miss Ellie, Bobby, John Ross - and perhaps realised that the love of these people were all he needed. Sue Ellen only ever wanted him, she never wanted him to be anything other than he was. All she asked was that he be hers and only hers.

Maybe we should learn a lesson from JR.....