On May 3, 1991, CBS aired the finale of Dallas after 14 seasons and 357 episodes. The show ended, quite literally, with a bang.
Originally premiering in 1978, Dallas told the story of the Ewing family, led by matriarch Sue Ellen (Barbara Bel Geddes), her husband Jock (Jim Davis), and their children, J.R. and Bobby (Patrick Duffy), along with their extended family and friends. The series' popularity quickly changed the landscape of television, with competitors following suit and building the primetime soap genre with series such as Dynasty, Knots Landing, and Falcon Crest.
The series became known for its intricate storylines, its ensemble cast, and its cliffhanger endings that kept viewers tuning in week after week.
As Dallas continued, over time, J.R. moved from being a secondary character in the Romeo and Juliet love story of his brother and sister-in-law to the forefront of the series. Viewers became hooked on the scheming oil tycoon's wandering eye, which ultimately led to the jaw-dropping, iconic cliffhanger: "Who Shot J.R.?"
From that point forward, the series became a cultural phenomenon, as the entire nation waited for the revelation. At one point, President Jimmy Carter, while at a fundraiser in Dallas, reportedly joked, "I came to Dallas to find out confidentially who shot J.R."
At its peak, Dallas was watched by over 83 million viewers, notably for the Season 4 episode "Who Dun It?" when Sue Ellen's sister, J.R.'s mistress Kristen Shepard (Mary Cosby), was revealed as the culprit.
A promotional still from the American television series shows American actress Mary Crosby (as Kristin Shepard), 1980. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)? SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox?
In 1991, CBS built anticipation for the finale by promoting J.R. Ewing's "Judgment Day," teasing the return of six iconic characters from the series run, and promising viewers that the series would end with a memorable "bang."
Inspired by It's A Wonderful Life, the finale finds J.R. guided by Adam (Joel Grey), a spirit. Adam shows J.R. what his loved ones' lives would have been like without him.
The episode centered on J.R.'s closest circle, including brothers Bobby and Gary (Ted Shackleford), rival Cliff Barnes, wife Sue Ellen, mistress Kristen Shepard, and others.
After the experience, Adam urges J.R. to take his own life. J.R. resists, tells Adam to return to heaven, and Adam cryptically asks J.R. what made him think he came from Heaven as J.R. wakes up.
Still conflicted, J.R. is again visited by Adam, now in a red suit, who urges him to act. Adam yells, "Do IT!" The scene shifts to Bobby returning home, hearing a gunshot, and rushing to find J.R., exclaiming, "Oh, my God!" The series ends with a freeze frame on Bobby in the doorway, leaving J.R.'s fate unknown.
Over 22 million people watched the finale, which ranked among TV Guide Network's top 15 Most Unforgettable Finales in 2011.
Reflecting on the finale, fans posted their reactions on X,(formerly Twitter), with one user saying, "Truly one of the more bizarre series finales that I can remember! Though I like that it ended on a cliffhanger."
The mystery of J.R.'s fate was finally addressed five years later with the TV movie Dallas: J.R. Returns. In this follow-up, Bobby discovers J.R. speaking to the devil, and the gunshot was revealed to have shattered a mirror.
Dallas returned in 2012 when TNT revived the series for three seasons, concluding again in 2014, 21 years after the original finale.
Dallas is available for streaming on various video-on-demand platforms such as YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV.
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