You're remembering correctly. Victoria Principal as Pam exited the series at the end of Season 9 (season 10 on the DVDs) when her car crashed into an oil tanker on the freeway. Every time she appeared after that, she was just some extra wrapped up in bandages before Pam disappeared. Her explanation in the series for her leaving Bobby, Christopher, Cliff and the rest of the Ewings was simply that she was left horribly disfigured by the car wreck and didn't want them to see her that way - it would be easier for her to know the remembered her as she was, not as she now would be. Not long after, Margaret Michaels showed up on the show as a love interest for Bobby, who was totally in to her because of her obvious resemblance to Pam. He had a brief affair with her but ended it because he realized it wasn't fair to Margaret Michaels' character. About a year or so later, Cliff tries tracking Pam down, and actually finds her, this time played by Margaret Michaels (now actually playing Pam instead of her doppleganger). When they finally sit down to talk, she tells him she doesn't ever want to see him again but also that she doesn't want Cliff to tell Bobby or Christopher that he'd found her. Soon after Cliff leaves, Pam's doctor/fiance steps out of the shadows asking her why she didn't tell Cliff that she was also dying. So, again, while soaps sure do like to pull this crap with us about killing people and then bringing them back, the ramifications on the Ewings would be huge and honestly, they did everything they could in 1988 to get rid of Pam without actually getting rid of her. And honestly, I doubt very much the writers of nuDallas would go to all the trouble of explaining all this away if they couldn't get Principal back for it, regardless of how little sense it would make to have her back after the Margaret Michaels episodes.
Great news! I'm assuming they'll ignore the fact that in the Knots universe Bobby is dead, though that fact was never mentioned on the series again anyway. Looking forward to seeing Wersching too!
It wouldn't be too hard to do. After the dream season was aborted, Shackleford and Van Ark only ever appeared on Dallas again during its final two episodes, as alternate versions of Gary and Valene. Through the course of the series though, Gary was mentioned numerous times. In the scope of Dallas, it'd be really easy to just ignore that little bit of discontinuity. I myself will be very interested to see if any of these new younger cast members turn out to be Bobby and Betsy, Gary and Valene's twins from Knots. At the very least I'd love to see Gary, Valene and Lucy together in at least one scene! Me too!
On GH, Duke Lavery supposedly died 20 years ago, then came back as a guy with a new face, who then died. Now the "original" is back & the doppelganger was supposedly a fake. Soaps
Really, I'm not opposed to Principal coming back. I'm just not sure how they'd be able to do it. But really more importantly is the fact that she just hasn't shown any interest in coming back. So... if they can't get Victoria Principal to do it, would they bother bringing Pam back? That's the question we should be asking ourselves.
I have to say, even with his recent health problems, I did NOT see this coming. As to what this would mean for the TV series, I will only say I hope he gets as touching a send-off as his TV "father" Jim Davis did back in 1981.
RIP, Larry. You made this show worth watching... (and the 1978 series too!) I do feel I, unfortunately, did see this coming. He looked pretty frail as the season aired last summer. According to some reports he's still star in some of season 2 when it airs in January. I know it's probably disrespectful upon *just* learning of his death in what capacity he'll appear, but I know he loved Dallas, Dallas was his life and I'm sure the character will also die off sending shock waves throughout the storyline. With Jan 28th fast approaching, I'm sure part of this upcoming season is still in the can and we'll see JR ride again... which does soften the blow someone. I'm off for a stiff drink in solidarity, and maybe a look at a couple of the old episodes.
Very sad news. Barbara Eden put it best: There has never been anyone like Larry, and there never will be anyone else like Larry. RIP
Make it a bourbon & branch, J.R.'s drink of choice. This news just plain sucks. I really think, even in his more limited role, Larry made the new show tick just the same as the old one. I love Bobby too, but it's going to be hard to keep the show going if the young 'uns don't get a lot better.
Agreed. My interest was only kept by JR. To be blunt, without JR, I don't see myself watching the new Dallas.
Damn, this sucks. I'll still be watching, but it's hard not to think the new show's days are numbered. You think of all the things the original Dallas survived — Jim Davis' death, a year of Donna Reed as Miss Ellie, a year without Patrick Duffy, and the damn near shark-jumping storyline reset required to bring him back — but I think Dallas without Hagman's J.R. is one thing it can't survive.
Dallas can probably putter along for a bit even without Hagman as a moderately popular soap by cable standards, and former fans may give it a ratings boost in S2 as they tune in to see how the writers will give JR an appropriate sendoff, but it'll never be the same. The younger characters just don't have the oomph to carry the show on their own. The ratings will most likely spiral down and they'll be lucky to eke out three cable length seasons.
It's probably the death blow to the show. What kept it alive was the presence of Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy.
Nostalgia will keep it going for a time, and cable doesn't have the same ratings expectations as broadcast. It just needs to appeal to a niche, and "fans of the original show that consider the remake good enough" could be just that niche. Who knows, maybe the writers and actors can up their game in time to save the show.
8 Simple Rules held on after the death of John Ritter, and did a wonderful job. it was only canceled because ABC didn't think they could syndicate such a sad show. However it's a sad day for TV, and I think everyone should worry a little less about a TV show. He will always be a part of it, even in death.