"Dallas" (1978) TV series 1978-1991

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Creator:

David Jacobs

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Release Date:

2 April 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The soapy, backstabbing machinations of Dallas oil magnate J.R. Ewing and his family.

Plot Keywords:

Oil | Texas | Soap Opera | Ranch | Lost Season

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 40 wins & 80 nominations

Cast

Larry Hagman	...	J.R. Ewing (357 episodes, 1978-1991)
Patrick Duffy	...	Bobby Ewing (327 episodes, 1978-1991)
Linda Gray	...	Sue Ellen Ewing (308 episodes, 1978-1991)
Ken Kercheval	...	Cliff Barnes (288 episodes, 1978-1991)
Steve Kanaly	...	Ray Krebbs (259 episodes, 1978-1991)
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Miss Ellie Ewing / ... (255 episodes, 1978-1990)
Victoria Principal	...	Pamela Barnes Ewing (251 episodes, 1978-1987)
Charlene Tilton	...	Lucy Ewing Cooper / ... (215 episodes, 1978-1990)
Howard Keel	...	Clayton Farlow (208 episodes, 1981-1991)
Susan Howard	...	Donna Culver Krebbs / ... (198 episodes, 1979-1987)
Deborah Rennard	...	Sly Lovegren (158 episodes, 1981-1991)

Also Known As:

Oil (USA) (working title)
The Linda Evans-Project (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (356 episodes) | Argentina:60 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 (some episodes) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Lorimar Television

Trivia:

Larry Hagman (John Ross 'J.R.' Ewing, Jr.) is the only actor to appear in all 357 episodes of the series.

Quotes:

Sue Ellen Shepard Ewing: You and I will not live as man and wife. From now on, it's seperate bedrooms and seperate lives.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Boem-Boem (1982) (TV)

Dallas Is Still One Of The Most Entertaining TV Shows Ever Produced In USA

I remember the days when people used to get excited about TV programs. In a time when Cable TV didn't exist and VCRs were still a few years ahead of us, certain TV shows became an essential part of the family routine. No, I'm not that old, but I do remember when people literally left work or school and ran home in order to see a specific TV show. No one was allowed to call us at home during specific hours of the evening, and dinnertime was arranged around what was on TV every night. If you are 21 years old or older, it is most likely that you know what I'm talking about. During those days, we didn't have a VCR to record specific programs and we simply didn't have the luxury of waiting for late night re-runs – you had one chance, and one chance only to watch the latest episode of your favorite TV show. You knew the rules and what was at stake, and you always made sure to be in front of the TV at the same time, at the same channel, every day of the week. Of all those TV shows that somehow managed to control our lives and dictate when we could go out of the house, no other program was more addictive that "Dallas," a TV series that captured Americans' attention like no other series before or after.

This exciting program about the ups and downs of "The Ewings," a powerful Texan family, was so well done and entertaining (with marvelous cliffhangers at the end of each episode) that it was almost impossible to resist. In retrospective, I think the program was amazingly popular because it dealt with the pleasures and sins of capitalism, something viewers in America were familiar with. I also believe "Dallas" was such a huge success with all sorts of audiences mainly because it exploited our natural interest in the world of the rich and famous. The series presented an array of interesting characters that more or less wanted to succeed at any cost in a very competitive society. Having beautiful actors, great locales, and strong melodramatic scenes did not hurt the show, either, and "Dallas" quickly became the most watched and talked about TV show for over a decade.

"Dallas," even if we compare it to other modern, more sophisticated dramas like "The West Wing" or "The Sopranos," is still a very effective and entertaining TV drama. The series did lose some of its magic after six or seven seasons, but at this early stage, the show demonstrates genuine signs of hard work and a great desire to please the audience. However, like most popular series, most people (including myself), didn't catch the fever right away, and some of us never saw those initial episodes from the first couple of seasons. Warner helps us correct that mistake. For an old TV program, the series look good on DVD.

The new DVD sets make watching the show fun all over again. The transfers are not perfect, but this is expected from such an old TV program. The main thing here is the show itself, which is presented unedited and commercial free, with some nice extras as the frosting on the cake. The retail price is affordable, and the package is nicely done. The "Dallas" DVD sets are a fine product that I highly recommend if you are a fan of the series, or if you are just simply curious about one of the definitive TV series from the 1980s.