“Dallas” has given us so many bad dads over the years, it’s hard to know which one is the worst. But let’s try to choose the franchise’s most feckless father anyway, OK?
Candidates include Digger Barnes, who “sold” Pam to Jock; Jeff Farraday, who sold Christopher to Bobby; Amos Krebbs, who tried to extort money from his in-name-only son Ray; Harris Ryland, who kidnapped Emma and sent her to live with his mother in England; Renaldo Marchetta, who kidnapped Charlie Wade and sent her to live with his parents in Rome; and of course Cliff Barnes, who blew up the Ewing Energies rig, even though his pregnant daughter Pamela was aboard.
Your #DallasChat Daily question: Who’s the worst father in “Dallas” history?
Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Have a great discussion!
Dallas Decoder 
It’s tough given those choices!! I’d say Digger. He was never much of a father to Pam or Cliff. Cliff would be second runner up though.
LIke you said, take your pick. I’d have to go with one of the kidnappers myself. It’s still hard to pick between Marchetta and Ryland.
Harris took roughly 20 years of Emma’s life from Ann. Marchetta can’t match that total but it’s not to say he wouldn’t have if given the chance. Then again Marchetta’s kidnapping was motivated by Katherine Wentworth putting him up to it while Harris was just plain spitefull. (Somebody remind me again why we are suddenly supposed to see Harris as sympathetic this season.) Like I said take your pick.
So many to choose from but I would say the Cliff Barnes of Dallas TNT! He deliberately had the rig explode and he knew from Roy Vickers that Pamela was pregnant and on the rig! He killed her babies so to me that makes the “new” Cliff the worst father in Dallas history!
I agree Miss Jenny. Also fellow ranch hand Hutch Mckenney, Pamela’s real daddy gets a pass on being the worst father since fellow ranch hand Digger Barnes murdered him.
I forgot about ol’ Hutch, R.J. I bet he would’ve been a lousy father, had he lived.
Also, I like your nickname for Ms. Irons — “Miss Jenny.” It’s very appropriate for such a devoted “Dallas” fan. I wonder if she’ll let me call her that too?
Thanks to all y’all for keeping these #DallasChat Daily discussions going. Please know how much I appreciate it, even if I don’t get to comment as often as I used to.
CB
Hey, CB, of course you can call me “Miss Jenny” along with RJ! I like the nickname! I actually had forgotten about Hutch McKinney too!
So many terrible dads to choose from but knowingly harming your pregnant daughter is the worst.
If anyone didnt say cliff I think they are insane. If I had to choose I would rather my dad kidnap me send me to another country, “sell” me, sell me, and extort me then kill my unborn babies
Dallas TNT Cliff. What Cidre did to this character was horrible. The Cliff in the original could be arrogant, power hungry, revenge obsessed, mean, self absorbed and put himself and his needs above other people and their needs sometimes but he will never try to put a family member or loved one in physical danger. The one you expected to do that was JR but not even he would stoop that low. Shame on you Cidre!!!