Who is the most dishonest?

[quiche]

This contest covers Season 1 only. The contest is Who is the Most Dishonest? Notice the question is not who is the greatest liar - but who is the most "dishonest". Being a liar and being dishonest are two different and distinct things. Before you jump right in with an answer, consider all the possibilities.

J.R. - seems an almost too obvious choice.

John Ross - probably other people's first choice, but wait ...

Christopher - did Christopher tell Rebecca about his relationship with Elena before marrying her? How does blackmail rate on the dishonesty scales?

Rebecca - also seems like a too obvious choice. But ask yourself this question. Do you believe that Rebecca honestly loves Christopher?

Elena - was she honest with John Ross about her break-up with Christopher? John Ross said he thought she had broken up with Christopher. How honest is it to take up with the cousin of your ex and not tell him what happened between you and his cousin? A better question - who does Elena "honestly" love?

Bobby - it is far too easy to cross Bobby off this list. But consider this question. Hasn't Bobby been subtley manipulating Christopher to stay in his marriage to Rebecca?

Ann - we know she's keeping secrets from Bobby.

Sue Ellen - at the drop of a hat, Sue Ellen will bribe and blackmail anyone to save her son. Yet she campaigns as the "honest" candidate.

We'll stick to the main cast.

[A.W. Ewing]

Who are the biggest sanctimonius hypocrites? That would be Bobby and his half breed son Christopher in my opinion. Both of them make me want to puke.

[JRandSueEllenForever]

Christopher and Elena are the most dishonest in my opinion. Elena went into a relationship with John Ross, knowing she was still in love with Christopher. She lead him on and lead him to believe she felt the same way he did about her. She even agreed to marry him. Then she cowardly has her mother return the engagement ring while she hops into bed with Christopher at some motel. Christopher is even worse. He actually marries someone, knowing he was still in love with Elena. Rebecca was right when she accused Christopher of being dishonest because he was still in love with Elena. That's playing with people's feelings and emotions. That's hurting people. That's breaking hearts. It hurts far worse than taking some ranch away or some company. I'm not saying Rebecca and John Ross haven't done wrong. They certainly have. But Christopher and Elena have used and hurt people.

[quiche]

Christopher and Elena are the most dishonest in my opinion. Elena went into a relationship with John Ross, knowing she was still in love with Christopher. She lead him on and lead him to believe she felt the same way he did about her. She even agreed to marry him. Then she cowardly has her mother return the engagement ring while she hops into bed with Christopher at some motel. Christopher is even worse. He actually marries someone, knowing he was still in love with Elena. Rebecca was right when she accused Christopher of being dishonest because he was still in love with Elena. That's playing with people's feelings and emotions. That's hurting people. That's breaking hearts. It hurts far worse than taking some ranch away or some company. I'm not saying Rebecca and John Ross haven't done wrong. They certainly have. But Christopher and Elena have used and hurt people.

Very good post. I was going to vote for Rebecca until I read your post. Why do you think that Rebecca is not more dishonest than Christopher or Elena?

[Tatianna]

Gosh!!!! No way I can choose. Each one of them have shown dishonesty and corruption. I suppose it depends who's on the receiving end.

[tbimh]

Christopher and Elena are the most dishonest in my opinion. Elena went into a relationship with John Ross, knowing she was still in love with Christopher. She lead him on and lead him to believe she felt the same way he did about her. She even agreed to marry him. Then she cowardly has her mother return the engagement ring while she hops into bed with Christopher at some motel. Christopher is even worse. He actually marries someone, knowing he was still in love with Elena. Rebecca was right when she accused Christopher of being dishonest because he was still in love with Elena. That's playing with people's feelings and emotions. That's hurting people. That's breaking hearts. It hurts far worse than taking some ranch away or some company. I'm not saying Rebecca and John Ross haven't done wrong. They certainly have. But Christopher and Elena have used and hurt people.

If Rebecca knew she never had a chance with Christopher because he was still in love with Elena, then why didn't she use her big girl words to talk with him about it before marrying him? If she really wanted to make it work with Christopher, all she had to do was get a million bucks from her billionare father and give it to Tommy, then wash her hands of her psychotic father. How is what she did not playing with people's emotions, using them, hurting them and breaking their hearts?

[witchboy]

Elena is the most dishonest imo because she was dishonest with her heart, accepting John Ross's proposal only to send her mom to break up with him for her when Christopher proposed.
Christopher actually is nearly as bad, but he at least didn't leave Rebecca until he began to learn of her trechery.
What Elena did is more dishonest in an emotional and spiritual way than anything else that went on. JR did it for money, and Bobby was so foolish over the oil that I couldn't sympathise. Sue Ellen did what she did for love of her child, etc.

[SteveW]

From what I've seen at this point the only one who has nothing left to be dishonest about and the only one who has been punished for his dishonesty is John Ross. And, to me that dishonesty was warranted. If Ray or Gary had been upset that Southfork was being sold to strangers would we be as mad at them for trying to get it? And, in reality of most real estate sales we never know the buyer - and in some cases through brokers it is illegal to know the buyers. Furthermore, if this all comes down to protecting the oil - why did the idiot need to sell everything to do that??? Any way, why couldn't the boy have the leases on the oil - it would make the 3 brothers very rich at the same time and the land could be protected (they proved that last week)? What was the only thing Miss Ellie ever wanted in this world was to not drill on Southfork - I think not. She wanted her family to love each other and be happy and be prosperous. She wanted the land protected (which could be done and drill). She wanted Southfork in the family and everyone living together. Of all the lies John Ross's lie (and by extension JR's) is the least of concern.

[quiche]

If Rebecca knew she never had a chance with Christopher because he was still in love with Elena, then why didn't she use her big girl words to talk with him about it before marrying him? If she really wanted to make it work with Christopher, all she had to do was get a million bucks from her billionare father and give it to Tommy, then wash her hands of her psychotic father. How is what she did not playing with people's emotions, using them, hurting them and breaking their hearts?

I think the writers kept changing their minds on Rebecca's story, because not much of it logically flowed. Yes, she could have gotten rid of Tommy. Even Frank Ascani said they warned her not to get involved with Tommy. There is like one non sequiter after another in this storyline.

When the writing is bad in a story, then I don't hold the characters culpable.

[tbimh]

I think the writers kept changing their minds on Rebecca's story, because not much of it logically flowed. Yes, she could have gotten rid of Tommy. Even Frank Ascani said they warned her not to get involved with Tommy. There is like one non sequiter after another in this storyline.

When the writing is bad in a story, then I don't hold the characters culpable.

I think you're right that they changed the storyline. Back at the very beginning of the season, there was an interview with Julie Gonzalo and she said that Rebecca was all about Christopher--lived and breathed for him. Perhaps, originally, Christopher and Elena were not supposed to get back together this season, but they moved it up, so they had to turn her bad.

[quiche]

I think you're right that they changed the storyline. Back at the very beginning of the season, there was an interview with Julie Gonzalo and she said that Rebecca was all about Christopher--lived and breathed for him. Perhaps, originally, Christopher and Elena were not supposed to get back together this season, but they moved it up, so they had to turn her bad.

I think so.

[Greg Sumner]

Who are the biggest sanctimonius hypocrites? That would be Bobby and his half breed son Christopher in my opinion. Both of them make me want to puke.

I gotta agree with this one. Bobby used to be the "white knight" of the series--always the moral compass of the show. Now, it's as if his sense of "right" has been turned into something darker... it just doesn't seem like he's doing what's right, he's doing his sick version of what's "right".

[SteveW]

I gotta agree with this one. Bobby used to be the "white knight" of the series--always the moral compass of the show. Now, it's as if his sense of "right" has been turned into something darker... it just doesn't seem like he's doing what's right, he's doing his sick version of what's "right".

And not just that but he's stupid. A veteran oil man didn't think of oil rights. What piece of land in Texas has oil rights tied to it anymore at all? He didn't realize he could separate the house from the land too? How about turn the land over to the state of Texas without the right to develop it or drill for oil - done all the time. So even if he is going to take this road - which I totally agree is a bunch of bull shit - pardon the Texan - he was a total idiot about it and my 17 year old son could have out smarted him - and would have if he were John Ross (but used better backers).

[SteveW]

Can I ask - if you take out John Ross and put in Ray or Gary who did what John Ross did to get Southfork - would anyone be mad at them, since it was there home too, and Bobby was just selling it out from under everyone?

[PAMANDBOBBYFOREVER]

Cidre-she kept telling us that this would be a faithful continuation of the original series, and based on the contradictions with the original its not

[ohptk]

I'd say Sue Ellen's dishonesty is the least selfish of anyone's. True, it's for "her" son, but its to save him.

There's still too many unanswered questions about Rebecca. We don't know how long she's even known Cliff. Perhaps only a few years? Maybe her dishonesty/selfishness is more about gaining her father's approval than actually for the money. It could've started as an easy scam but now she finds herself torn because maybe she did fall in love with Chris, yet she still needs that acceptance from Cliff. Not to say that she's still not near the top of the list of dishonest, but we still don't know her true motive behind it. There were several times that she could've got the information for Tommy/Cliff, but she held back from doing it.

[SteveW]

I'd say Sue Ellen's dishonesty is the least selfish of anyone's. True, it's for "her" son, but its to save him.

There's still too many unanswered questions about Rebecca. We don't know how long she's even known Cliff. Perhaps only a few years? Maybe her dishonesty/selfishness is more about gaining her father's approval than actually for the money. It could've started as an easy scam but now she finds herself torn because maybe she did fall in love with Chris, yet she still needs that acceptance from Cliff. Not to say that she's still not near the top of the list of dishonest, but we still don't know her true motive behind it. There were several times that she could've got the information for Tommy/Cliff, but she held back from doing it.

Excellent points - what is going on with her is a total mystery.

[quiche]

This is a terrifically tough choice. It depends much upon who gets hurt.

For instance, when Sue Ellen is dishonest, she may be saving her son but she is hurting the people of Texas. So is the greatest wrong equal to the greatest amount of people who are hurt by that wrong?

If J.R. is dishonest, he is usually hurting his business rivals and also his family. Which is the more heinous?

If someone is reacting out of hurt, then is that good enough justification for the dishonesty -- such as in John Ross's case.

What if the person is just plain crazy, as I suspect is the case for Rebecca Barnes Ewing? I mean crazy in the sense that she comes to believe her own lies and it is like she lives in her own world with a totally different and alternate reality.

Does the motive for the dishonesty weigh in? For instance, Sue Ellen acts dishonestly to save her son, whereas Elena acts dishonestly to selfishly mislead John Ross about the reason for her break-up with Christopher. Elena might contest that it was her business alone.

[Jessie]

They all have been dishonest to a point, but I wouldn't call Bobby dishonest. I guess Rebecca is the worst, JR, Ann, Sue Ellen, and John Ross have been dishonest, but Cliff probably might be the most dishonest person in Season 1.

[ohptk]

This is really tough, but for now i'm going for John Ross & Rebecca at the top of the list (based only on this season).

John Ross - The season began with him stealing oil from Southfork & his uncle. Then he gets Veronica to front the purchase of South Fork (but really, did anyone get hurt by this? Bobby wasn't being forced to sell. Then again, it's still hard to forgive the 1st thing: stealing oil from Bobby/Southfork). He lies to JR until JR discovers Marta is Veronica. He has an affair with Veronica. He lies to Elena about being behind the Southfork scandal. Season ends with him declaring that he plans to steal Ewing Energies from Chris & Elena.

Rebecca - She's carried on a charade of a relationship for 2 years! She lied & said there was nothing else to hide when obviously there was. Played with Chris's heart. Yet, she passed the opportunity to steal his plans. Maybe she did fall for Christopher but then (as i mentioned earlier) she's still pressured for approval from her father, and she's afraid of Chris dumping her when he finds out it all began as a scam.

JR - In old Dallas, he would've topped this list anytime, but this season his dishonesty has all been around the Southfork deal. Totally awful that he tried stabbing his own son in the back! I forgive the deception against Bobby, its not like he really hurt Bobby by it. It was Bobby's decision to sell and half these problems would've been avoided if Bobby would've kept SF in the family instead of selling out.

Elena - I don't think of her as much dishonest as I consider her emotionally unstable and flakey.