Here’s a list of “Dallas” characters who were killed off for a variety of reasons. Choose one character who should have stayed alive, even if it meant recasting the role with another actor.
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Dallas Decoder 
None of the above
Digger was a stretch to recast is it was and the rest I just can’t imagine with anybody else.
Thanks Dan!
Yes, killing Pam Ewing was a big mistake, both times. The reasons for killing her were wrong and the ways they handled her death were wrong too. It was a mistake to merely announce her pending death in the classic show and announcing her death 25 years later. That’s not how one kills a character. If you want to kill a character, show it so everybody buys into it. If you want to keep a loop hole to resurrect the character, be more clever. The way Val was written out and more so back in was a lot smarter.
Second choice: Christopher. Don’t kill a Ewing! Although I have to admit he wasn’t bringing much to the table at the end. And there always was the spare tire, uh, son, Lucas. But hey, why kill? Just have him move to California inventing new solar batteries, right?
Christopher could have moved to Knots Landing!
I recently watched season 2 of the new dallas again the other day, and I could not believe that during that season it had looked as if the writers were preparing a Pamela Ewing showdown with Christopher finding his mother. Many episodes included evidence she was a live and then to just flat out show she was dead like that at the end was a huge let down. I know there is no reason to dwell on it but I would like to know why Cynthia Cidre thought killing off Pamela Ewing was a wise decision. Fans were screaming for Pam Ewing to be alive, even if Victoria Principal decided not to come back they should have called Maragret Michaels and asked her to present a few episodes, it would have helped the ratings!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Dallas Fan. I think Pam’s death was handled appropriately on the new series. It gave the audience closure and redeemed the character. I find it moving to think Pam was trying to get back to Bobby and Christopher when the clock ran out on her and she died. It’s tragic, which fits the character.
JOCK SHOULD OF STAYED ALIVE
Would you have cast another actor in the role, Marilyn? If so, who? Or would you have kept him alive off-screen?
The catch is b/c we were denied a Season IV C.B. & Andy, we cannot factually say that Bobby’s Boy Christopher was the young man that the very sexy & lovely Miss Elena Ramos saw burning alive in that automobile!
A lot of fans agree with you, R.J.
I was not a great fan of Jesse’s although he often did a decent job but the character was needed for the show. They set up all this plot for a potential “Who’s the Daddy” plot and killed off one of the major players. It was a sad and disappointing way to end the show. Pam became very boring by the later seasons.
Sigh. I agree, Garnet.
Killing April off was the biggest mistake as Katzman stated being his biggest regret. She would have been a perfect fit in this most current Dallas for this matriarch position dating back to the Ewing-Barnes feud just like Miss Ellie.. Just like Miss Ellie she was a golddigger turned saint who brought some peace between Cliff Barnes, Bobby, and JR just like Miss Ellie sharing the same such goal.
Cristopher wasn’t officially killed off. No one saw anyone in his car that blew up which remains the current cliffhanger. As for Pam, once the explosion’s been done she should have been killed off there on the spot. She was improperly written out with the way Bobby after seeing her gravely ill immediately stops caring whatever happens to her and has no interest in knowing whether she’s alright or not. It was probably that they initially planned to kill her off on the spot during that crash. Then afterwards they changed their mind and decided to write her off alive. Yes Bobby just before the crash already felt their marriage was falling apart and that she’d soon walk out on him. Therefore, it should have still been that Pam would walk out on him and Christopher by sending him those divorce papers and a letter asking not to be found without any injuries or crash.
Victoria Principal at first didn’t like the way that JR and Sue Ellen have developed into the lead characters when the show was initially meant for Bobby and Pam to be the main characters. She didn’t want her character to remain married to Bobby, and during the 82-83 season when Pam walked out on Bobby the People magazine stated that she asked writers to divorce her from Bobby which they honored her request. Then the only time she later liked being on the show was when Bobby was killed off making her the number two character next to JR. Then when Bobby returned she decided all because of that to leave because she didn’t want her character to be downgraded once again as Bobby’s wife despite her fans wanting it that way. Bobby then did have a feeling his marriage with Pam would soon once again fall apart, and writers were thinking about something like that of writing her off. I think she was improperly written off. When Pam ran off and sent Bobby those divorce papers asking to never be found wanting to be alone, I think it should have been this way without any crash or injuries taking place. That way making it easier for Bobby to get over her and move on which he did, but this doesn’t make sense letting her go this easily and wanting to move on right after seeing her in such critical condition and then never interested in ever knowing whether she was alright. The time that crash has taken place it probably was initially meant to kill her off instantly, and then they probably changed their minds and decided not to kill her which I think they should have only because the crash has already taken place. The times they brought in Margaret Michaels was a test to see whether fans would want a Pam re-cast which they rejected both times and preferred Bobby to find a new wife in which the second time was right before he married April.
I remember right before the crash Pamela had just found out she could have children by her doctor she was so excited when she hung up from talking to Bobby, seems they would’ve been heading in a new direction with their lives, then the crash, now she doesn’t want to have anything to do with Bobby or Christopher!? I loved Pam and Bobby, besides waiting to see what JR always had up his sleeves, they were the reason I watched the show.
Why everyone say that Pam should be alive but April has the best score? Come on… Everyone knows that Sheree is amazing and her caracter is the best, no mattet what the haters say.
Dallas should be brought back to tv..
Yes, it should. Thanks Betty!
Mickey Trotter.
Pamela Ewing should have stayed alive period. No ifs ands or buts about it.
Oh and Victoria Principal is the ONLY person for that role
I miss April