A Strong Woman

[SteveW]

I have mentioned this in lots of place but let me make my case here. I believe this show needs a strong woman - and a central character - a Ewing. Dallas 1.0 had Miss Ellie, Knots Landing has Abby, and Falcon Crest had Angela Channing - you don't mess with them or you get burned (I am wiling to argue the KL one but that's who I saw and really like and like with Miss Ellie gone from Dallas when Abby left KL it was over with for me). These women did have their counter weight - JR, Greg Sumner, Richard Channing but they held their own.

I also believe it should be someone of the younger generation and if it is to be a Ewing that only leaves Betsy who would be about mid to late twenties - I'm thinking 27 - so just a bit younger then John Ross and Christopher. I'd want her to be well educated, maybe in finance and law. I'd want her to be well connected, maybe she worked for Greg Sumner for a while. I'd want her to be John Ross's counter weight - but more like Miss Ellie - be his support as well as the one to keep him in check - and the one to remind everyone "we are all Ewings" - like Miss Ellie. I see no one like this. Elena and Rebecca seem at best support. Angela and Abby could fight Richard and Greg and could be their biggest supporters.

He's the scene: John Ross and Christopher are fighting at Southfork - a good old slug fest near the pool but not in it yet.

Betsy comes up for the drive and says "what the hell are you two going."

They stop.

Looking at Christopher, "I get text from you about all hell breaking loose around her," then looking at John Ross, "and then from you. We are going to sit down and figure this out like rational adult without your father's interfering and Elena is off the table - I never like that girl in the first place."

John Ross, "don't talk about."

Betsy, "I don't intend to. Not yet."

She sits down with them and Christopher agrees that drilling won't hurt the land and John Ross agrees they have to invest in alternative energy - after a lot of yelling which she manages to control just by her personality. Betsy says, "so you're partners." They look at each other cautiously. "How about Bobby and I put some money into this deal? He's even worked on IPO's, when we're ready to raise some real money. So can we end this?" She waits, stands, they stand, she waits, "shake." They do. "Hug." They do, tentatively.

She walks out of the study, "now about this Elena thing."

John Ross, "don't start."

Betsy, "come one I've got Christopher telling me she's just a friend one minute and the next he can't live without her and you telling me she's the love of your life and you're on the phone crying. We have to talk about it."

They walk back out to the pool deck.

Christopher to John Ross, "you were crying?"

"Thanks a lot Betsy."

Betsy, "cool off John Ross," and she shoves him in the pool.

Now they can really get to business - Ewing Oil will be back up and running with 4 young Ewings - and lots of people to come out of the woodwork - Wendell, Lucas, Cally's son, Meg McKenzie, how about Greg Sumner and Abby Ewing Sumner. So much character development to happen with three or four strong willed cousins and so many new plots.

Anyway just my idea - I stand behind the fact that this show needs a strong woman to play off of John Ross and she should come from the younger generation.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

I tried to reply to this post from my Droid over the weekend (I was away from my computer) and got too annoyed with the crappy keypad, so I gave up. Now I'll try again. I don't know if folks would accept a Betsy character as some kind of matriarch figure since she was never a part of the original series. No credibility If you really want a young person, why not Lucy? She was tough and she always knew how to handle JR. She'll know how to handle John Ross and Christopher too. I don't know how fair she'd be though. She always sided against JR in the original series, and Bobby was always her favorite uncle. Obviously she still feels that way since she sided with Bobby and Christopher and against John Ross. I was really hoping she would have sided with John Ross, just once, to really shake things up. It would have given her character more dimension too and opened up a world of possibilities for her to finally have a decent storyline for once, since she was so misused and snubbed so often in the original series. Would have loved to see Bobby's reaction to Lucy's "about-face". I guess Cidre isn't that creative though.

[Jock-1981]

Miss Ellie would be a hard act to follow.

[SteveW]

I tried to reply to this post from my Droid over the weekend (I was away from my computer) and got too annoyed with the crappy keypad, so I gave up. Now I'll try again. I don't know if folks would accept a Betsy character as some kind of matriarch figure since she was never a part of the original series. No credibility If you really want a young person, why not Lucy? She was tough and she always knew how to handle JR. She'll know how to handle John Ross and Christopher too. I don't know how fair she'd be though. She always sided against JR in the original series, and Bobby was always her favorite uncle. Obviously she still feels that way since she sided with Bobby and Christopher and against John Ross. I was really hoping she would have sided with John Ross, just once, to really shake things up. It would have given her character more dimension too and opened up a world of possibilities for her to finally have a decent storyline for once, since she was so misused and snubbed so often in the original series. Would have loved to see Bobby's reaction to Lucy's "about-face". I guess Cidre isn't that creative though.

No offense but I don't like her character or the way she is played - maybe it is the acting - idk. I'm not looking for a matriarch just a strong woman. I think that having this girl from no where so up would be taken seriously - like Alexis showing up on Dynasty (though I don't know those details as I didn't really watch it) or Richard Channing showing up on Falcon Crest (that did work and got even better when Angela was his mom). I also think the age would be different - make her brilliant like high IQ - make her mature for her years - make her someone different then these people have interacted with before. I see you point but I don't want another Miss Ellie or Abby or Angela - that won't work - they need someone no one would expect - a cute California blonde with 170 IQ would certainly through these boys for a loop - and with modern technology they could have been texting, tweeting and facebooking for years. I'm just saying it doesn't have to be here but looking at the list (and their aren't many girl) she is all I see that could be developed to say "different."

[SteveW]

Miss Ellie would be a hard act to follow.

I totally agree - so don't try and copy here with another person trying to be just like her. Give us someone different - but they better come up with a strong woman (and I don't see one so far) - or else this won't last long. KL knew it when they brought in Abby. And though I didn't watch it Dynasty got it when they brought in Alexis. Dallas suffered without Miss Ellie and Falcon Crest was dead with out Angela. All 4 of these women were very different but what they had in common - they loved their families and they were strong - arguably stronger then any of the men in these shows.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

I wouldn't want Lucy to take the place of Miss Ellie, but all I was saying is that it would have been fun to see her totally change and side with John Ross and JR for a change. To me she was always such a one-dimensional character. It's true her acting sucked when she was younger, and maybe that's why she wasn't used much in major storylines, but in her scene with John Ross, however short it was, I thought she did fine. Maybe I'm still hung up on the originals and want to see more of them, Lucy and Ray included.

[SteveW]

I wouldn't want Lucy to take the place of Miss Ellie, but all I was saying is that it would have been fun to see her totally change and side with John Ross and JR for a change. To me she was always such a one-dimensional character. It's true her acting sucked when she was younger, and maybe that's why she wasn't used much in major storylines, but in her scene with John Ross, however short it was, I thought she did fine. Maybe I'm still hung up on the originals and want to see more of them, Lucy and Ray included.

I love discussing with you. I didn't want to say it but yes her acting sucks. I agree it would have been great to see her side with John Ross - she's make some money, they'd all make some money, the oil would get drilled and the land would be cared for - what a dunce she was - and a tattletale. I think you might be - I was too when I first thought about it - but seeing them again - and I heard somewhere Larry Hagman or Patrick Duffy say that it is all about the younger generation has me hung up on them. I want to see more. I want to see Lucas, and Cally's son (who ever it is I bet his name starts with a "J"), Betsy and Bobby, Meg McKenzie, I'd even bring on the kids from Falcon Crest: Michael, Kevin and Lisa. I'm not talking HS and college I'm talking mid twenties to mid thirties and big business drama. But maybe that is just me.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

I love discussing with you. I didn't want to say it but yes her acting sucks. I agree it would have been great to see her side with John Ross - she's make some money, they'd all make some money, the oil would get drilled and the land would be cared for - what a dunce she was - and a tattletale. I think you might be - I was too when I first thought about it - but seeing them again - and I heard somewhere Larry Hagman or Patrick Duffy say that it is all about the younger generation has me hung up on them. I want to see more. I want to see Lucas, and Cally's son (who ever it is I bet his name starts with a "J"), Betsy and Bobby, Meg McKenzie, I'd even bring on the kids from Falcon Crest: Michael, Kevin and Lisa. I'm not talking HS and college I'm talking mid twenties to mid thirties and big business drama. But maybe that is just me.

As I suggested in an earlier thread, I'd love to see Lucas swagger back into town, looking for his share of Southfork. He's a Ewing. Bobby's flesh and blood. He should stake his claim. Stir up some trouble. Remember how intolerant JR was of the long lost relatives coming out of the woodwork (Jamie and Jack, for instance). Used to drive JR crazy. I'd love to see how John Ross and Christopher would react to a long lost relative like Lucas.

[SteveW]

As I suggested in an earlier thread, I'd love to see Lucas swagger back into town, looking for his share of Southfork. He's a Ewing. Bobby's flesh and blood. He should stake his claim. Stir up some trouble. Remember how intolerant JR was of the long lost relatives coming out of the woodwork (Jamie and Jack, for instance). Used to drive JR crazy. I'd love to see how John Ross and Christopher would react to a long lost relative like Lucas.

I can agree on the premise but as I stated I don't think as being raised by Ray he has any claim - but then maybe he had some contact with Bobby. I know to many adopted and fostered people to believe in flesh and blood means anything other then two people had sex. But I can go with the story. Still doesn't give the story a strong women it so desperately needs.

[F2B&G]

I agree, in a general sense. Ann occasionally pointing a shotgun at someone doesn't make her a strong woman. Now, if she had any power at all, she would've sat John Ross and Christopher down in the living room over a shot of bourbon and told them how their little feud was going to end (at least, for now). Problem is, she isn't really related to either of them, so there's no way she can have that kind of power in the Ewing household, especially as far as J.R. and John Ross would be concerned.

[Sarah]

Sue Ellen is a Ewing and a strong woman - I don't see why that is being missed?

[F2B&G]

Sue Ellen is a Ewing and a strong woman - I don't see why that is being missed?

She'll always do what is best for John Ross though. So she can't be a diplomatic force within the family the way that Miss Ellie could.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

Sue Ellen is a Ewing and a strong woman - I don't see why that is being missed?

I haven't missed that. I've been saying it all along. Of course she might be biased toward John Ross but, I keep thinking back to the old times when she used to side against JR. Something about her tells me she had some morals.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

I can't figure out what they are doing with Ann. She did start off very strong. One of the first scenes we see of her, she's chasing an intruder with a shotgun. Then we see her doing target practice and not missing much. Now she's falling apart at the seams over a necklace? Help, anyone?

[SteveW]

I agree, in a general sense. Ann occasionally pointing a shotgun at someone doesn't make her a strong woman. Now, if she had any power at all, she would've sat John Ross and Christopher down in the living room over a shot of bourbon and told them how their little feud was going to end (at least, for now). Problem is, she isn't really related to either of them, so there's no way she can have that kind of power in the Ewing household, especially as far as J.R. and John Ross would be concerned.

Totally agree - that is another reason I think the person has to be related to them - but man if she could have pulled that off over a bottle of Bourbon - "and as for these girls, since when do Ewing men let a girl mess them up?"

[SteveW]

Sue Ellen is a Ewing and a strong woman - I don't see why that is being missed?

I agree - I just want someone from the younger generation. I think her character has developed more then anyone. I also think she could be played more of a strong women - not hat in hand to Ryland - but as is she is notable.

[SteveW]

I can't figure out what they are doing with Ann. She did start off very strong. One of the first scenes we see of her, she's chasing an intruder with a shotgun. Then we see her doing target practice and not missing much. Now she's falling apart at the seams over a necklace? Help, anyone?

Good points - as I said I want to see someone from the younger generation - as this would be different and this being different is key to me. I also think this person should be good with a shot gun who ever it is - even if it is Sue Ellen - should could have learned over the years.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

Good points - as I said I want to see someone from the younger generation - as this would be different and this being different is key to me. I also think this person should be good with a shot gun who ever it is - even if it is Sue Ellen - should could have learned over the years.

Well, Sue Ellen was never really much of a cowgirl type. Never saw her ride horses at Southfork much, but a little more often at Southern Cross. Oh, she did compete at the Ewing rodeo one year too. But she was more of an indoor girl. "I'm a very busy woman, Peter. I'm involved with several charities and organizations and such...."

What's Ann's history? Did she grow up on a ranch? I suppose we'll find out much more about her in the second season.

[Tessie]

*cough* Margaret at Southfork *cough*

[SteveW]

*cough* Margaret at Southfork *cough*

Who is Margaret?