Dallas : What's the worst thing JR ever did?

I saw a similar topic about Abby on the KL board and got me thinking to what was the worst thing JR ever did? Off the top of my head I would say keeping Lucy away from her parents. But there are so many things in all of the seasons that I will have to think about all of them. But that is the first one that comes to mind. Larry Hagman played the bad guy very well. He made the character believable.

Some of the worst things J.R. did:

mortgaging Southfork behind his parents' backs to finance his risky Asian oil wells. In the end, it paid off, but for awhile, the Ewings almost lost Southfork.

forging his father's will (The Red File) to give him access to drill on Southfork once Jock died.

selling off the majority of his shares in the Asian oil wells to his friends/colleagues knowing that the Asian government was going to nationalize the wells and the wells would be worthless. He profited from the deal, his friends were wiped out (Seth Stone even committed suicide).

A year later, J.R. bought back his friends' shares in the wells and financed a revolution of the Asian government that nationalized his wells in order to get the wells back. He almost lost Ewing Oil and went to prison.

Season 10, J.R. hired mercenary B.D. Calhoun to blow up Arabian oil fields when the price of American crude was on the decline. J.R. chickened out and called the Feds, most of the mercenaries were killed, except Calhoun who came back to terrorize J.R. and his family. Eventually, J.R. did lose Ewing Oil because of his shenanigans.

After Mark Graison's death, J.R. sent Pam on a wild goose chase around the world to find Mark to keep her away from Bobby.

J.R. had an affair with his wife's sister and impregnates her.

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mortgaging Southfork behind his parents' backs to finance his risky Asian oil wells. In the end, it paid off, but for awhile, the Ewings almost lost Southfork.

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Yes, that was one of the worst since it involved his family.

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Season 10, J.R. hired mercenary B.D. Calhoun to blow up Arabian oil fields when the price of American crude was on the decline. J.R. chickened out and called the Feds, most of the mercenaries were killed, except Calhoun who came back to terrorize J.R. and his family. Eventually, J.R. did lose Ewing Oil because of his shenanigans.

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Yes, especially when Calhoun grabbed John Ross. Luckily Bobby and Ray were there to save the day.

JR has done so many things it's hard to remember every single one of them.

I thought the way he wanted to make it look like Sue Ellen was starting to drink again was awful.

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selling off the majority of his shares in the Asian oil wells to his friends/colleagues knowing that the Asian government was going to nationalize the wells and the wells would be worthless. He profited from the deal, his friends were wiped out (Seth Stone even committed suicide).

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And Having an affair with Seth Stone's widow. He was getting Seth and Marilee every which way.

LOL to be fair lots of guys had a crack at Marlielee Stone.

Having Sue Ellen committed.

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Having Sue Ellen committed.

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I actually don't think that was a bad thing. Granted, J.R. may have had selfish motives, but Sue Ellen was seven months pregnant and wouldn't stop drinking.

That's right! I forgot about that. I guess I was thinking that he had done it more than once! But yeah, now I remember she was pregnant and he had to stop her from harming the baby. Thanks for refreshing my memory!

True she was drinking which was harmful to her unborn baby however she was drinking because JR was making her so miserable.

As Sue Ellen once said to J.R., "Joan of Arc would have been a drunk too if she had been married to you."

That was a classic line from Sue Ellen.

Blackmailing Bobby with what they both thought was JRs baby Christopher.

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Blackmailing Bobby with what they both thought was JRs baby Christopher.

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That was bad. Then years later, he compounded it by bringing Lisa Alden to town to sue for custody of Chris. J.R. claims his scheme was to play the white knight to save Bobby and Chris so Bobby would get on board with his plan to take back Ewing Oil from Weststar, but part of me believes that J.R.'s plan (or maybe the original script) was that J.R. planned for Lisa to actually permanently take Chris away from Bobby (thus, severing any ties Bobby had with Pam, who had just left town following her car accident).

You're right. The Lisa Alden scheme was just plain heartless. Even for JR. I remember the motive being he gets rid of Lisa and saves the day if Bobby joins him and buys Westar stock. To use his brother's child. My God.

All this being said, I think JR was at his worst the first 3 seasons. Although, I think the use of Christopher ( both times) was the worst, his body of work in the first 3 was unreal. He was much worse to Sue Ellen during the 1st marriage, including making her look like she was still drinking ( along with having an affair with her own sister!!). He forged his daddy's will, overthrew a foreign govt, the Asian oil wells scheme. He was soo bad in fact, that Jeff Farraday was afraid to blackmail him and went to Bobby instead.

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He was soo bad in fact, that Jeff Farraday was afraid to blackmail him and went to Bobby instead.

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Jeff didn't know J.R. IIRC, Jeff called Ewing Oil and asked to speak to Mr. Ewing and got Bobby by mistake.

Nope, he sent Bobby specifically a note with a photo of Kristen holding Christopher. He told Bobby Kristen said Bobby was the brother who could be trusted.

Farraday specifically asked for Bobby and then spoke to him about Kristin

Bobby- " Why are you asking me? Why not ask JR? She was his sister in law"

Farraday- " Because JRs reputation reaches all the way to California, and I don't want any part of him"

I like to think he really did push Kristin off the balcony, very violently, with intent to murder her. If so, that ranks up there, I suppose.

Among JR's faults was his acting and not thinking ahead or having a plan B which got him into hot water on more than one occasion.

Actually, JR took Lucy from Valene not Gary and eventhough it was never stated, one could assume that JR did it for Jock and Ellie who I would imagine Jock or Ellie or both asked him to retrieve their then only grandchild. I am sure over the years, JR regretted that decision.

I will say that JR not wanting Lucy and Valene to reconnect was dumb on his part. He should have wanted them together so they can leave Dallas and Gary would have no reason to come back to Dallas.

Did JR do things that were bad sure. Larry Hagman and the writers were careful not make JR over the top evil but they watered JR down over time.

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I will say that JR not wanting Lucy and Valene to reconnect was dumb on his part. He should have wanted them together so they can leave Dallas and Gary would have no reason to come back to Dallas.

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Yeah, this is the main reason I never understood that. It was almost like JR was acting like he was the father of Lucy.

I believe he kidnapped Lucy with Jock and Miss Ellie's blessing.

I don't know if this has been said, but causing Pam to miscarriage.

I have always felt that as well. I mean why else would JR want Lucy?