Search - Dallas: The Complete Third Season on DVD

That OTHER Texan that everyone loves to hate!

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 08/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Dallas's" place in television history is cemented and Larry Hagman's "J.R. Ewing" ranks as one of the medium's most despicable yet captivating characters. That said, the third season (actually the SECOND full one) has more to tout than Mary Martin's son and the cliffhanger-to-end-all-cliffhangers, "A House Divided".

This is the season that introduced Mary Crosby's wickedly alluring "Kristen Sheppard". The role had been originated by Coleen Camp in two earlier episodes but Bing's daughter made it her own, assuring her place in the annuls of television crime with an episode that would premiere in the following season. Also on hand is Martha Stewart as Sue Ellen's mother. Stewart had a lengthy Hollywood career and is best remembered for her motherly roles, having played Charlton Heston's mom twice in both The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur.

This is also the year that Gary Shackleford took over as "Gary Ewing," the estranged son that would later be the star of the "Dallas" spinoff "Knots Landing," also starring Joan Van Ark ("Valene Ewing").

"Dallas" also featured a variety of supporting players, culled from some longstanding character actors, that added to the success of the series. Dennis Patrick ("Vaughn Leland"), George Petrie ("Harve Smithfield"), veteran Morgan Woodard ("Punk Anderson"), movie legend Keenan Wynn ("Digger Barnes") and even Marlon Brando's sister Jocelyn ("Mrs. Reeves") are colorful additions to the "Dallas" gallery.

In addition, season three introduced Jared Martin as "Dusty Farlow," the true love of Sue Ellen's life, as well as the fictional son of future cast member Howard Keel.

"Dallas" also continued its occasional jab at contemporary and provocative issues, especially with the two-parter "Mastectomy," featuring bravura work from Barbara Bel Geddes, as "Miss Ellie" copes with the emotional and physical aftermath of the surgery, and Jim Davis's "Jock Ewing" having to make his wife feel that she is still the woman that he fell for forty years earlier.

But, more than anything, this is the season wherein Linda Gray ("Sue Ellen") emerged as one of television's best actresses. She ran the gamut of emotions as the much-maligned wife of the lecherous J.R., showing both supreme strength and extreme vulnerability.

It is a shame that neither she or Hagman ever received the coveted Emmy for their efforts.

The DVD compilitation features two episodes with interesting commentary by Duffy and Gray.

The only downside is the double-sided disc format. This seems like episodes "on the cheap" and a show of this stature deserves better."

The greatest TV show in history, and Season 3 sports the gre

Britt Gillette | Chesapeake, VA USA | 07/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nominated for 18 Emmys and 15 Golden Globes in its thirteen season run, Dallas is the epitome of the prime-time drama/soap opera genre. Premiering in 1978 as a five part mini-series, the show combines the usual sex and innuendo of classic afternoon soap operas with the freewheeling adventure of Texas wildcats and filthy rich capitalist oil barons. The combination of business dealings and rampant affairs tested well with both the male and female demographic, prompting CBS to make Dallas a regular part of its prime-time lineup. The result was one of the most successful television shows in history. In fact, the so-called 'Who shot J.R.?" episode ("A House Divided" Air Date: 3-21-1980) still reigns as the second most watched TV show in history (the season finale of MASH is #1). With one of most memorable characters ever created (the man everybody loves to hate), it's no surprise that Dallas held the #1 or #2 spot in the Nielsen ratings for most of the 1980s...

Dallas spent most of its television life in the Friday night time slot following the successful CBS series, The Dukes Of Hazzard. Creator David Jacobs originally intended to create a series around a poor Texas girl, Pam Barnes (Victoria Principal), who marries into a wealthy family (The Ewings) with whom her family has been feuding for decades. The first five episodes mostly center around the family discord faced by Pam and her husband Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) as they attempt to bring their families to a truce. But it soon became apparent to producers of the show that Bobby's scoundrel of a brother, Ewing Oil President J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), would be the true star of the show. Son of Ewing Oil founder Jock Ewing (Jim Davis) and his wife Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), J.R. sought to make Ewing Oil the largest independent oil company in the world, and he intended to go to any lengths necessary to get what he wanted. And as you'll see, sooner or later, J.R. always gets what he wants... Along the way, he butts heads with life-long rival Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval), drives his own wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) to alcoholism, and even mortgages the beloved Southfork Ranch (Miss Ellie's childhood home and the current residence of the majority of the Ewing clan). Southfork foreman Ray Krebs (Steve Kanaly) and Ewing grandchild Lucy (Charlene Tilton) add flavorful subplots to a series often dominated by J.R.'s nefarious schemes. In short, Dallas offers its viewers everything - money, sex, violence, conspiracy, intricate business dealings, etc. If you haven't seen it, then immediately start watching from the beginning episodes of Season 1. You won't be disappointed...!

The Dallas (Season 3) DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere "What Ever Happened to Baby John" in which Sue Ellen returns to Southfork after recovering from the previous season's car wreck and delivering the Ewing's first grandson, John Ross. But Sue Ellen is not joyous. In fact, she sinks into a deep depression marked by bouts of alcoholism. Meanwhile, J.R. has taken on a talented lawyer, Alan Beam, as his understudy... John Ross remains in the hospital, recovering from his premature birth, until the family learns that he's been kidnapped. Everyone offers a theory on who did it, but it takes Pam's powers of observation to solve the mystery... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Ellie Saves the Day" in which the family learns of J.R.'s devious plan to mortgage Southfork in order to drill for oil in Asia, and "A House Divided" in which J.R.'s crooked deal of selling the rights to Ewing Oil's Asian wells to his friends (because he knew they would soon be nationalized) comes back to haunt him when the season finale ends with his being shot in the most famous cliffhanger in television history...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Dallas (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 30 (What Ever Happened to Baby John?: Part 1)
Episode 31 (What Ever Happened to Baby John?: Part 2)
Episode 32 (The Silent Killer)
Episode 33 (Secrets)
Episode 34 (The Kristin Affair)
Episode 35 (The Dove Hunt)
Episode 36 (The Lost Child)
Episode 37 (Rodeo)
Episode 38 (Mastectomy: Part 1)
Episode 39 (Mastectomy: Part 2)
Episode 40 (The Heiress)
Episode 41 (Ellie Saves the Day)
Episode 42 (Mother of the Year)
Episode 43 (Return Engagements)
Episode 44 (Love and Marriage)
Episode 45 (Power Play)
Episode 46 (Paternity Suit)
Episode 47 (Jenna's Return)
Episode 48 (Sue Ellen's Choice)
Episode 49 (Second Thoughts)
Episode 50 (Divorce - Ewing Style)
Episode 51 (Jock's Trial: Part 1)
Episode 52 (Jock's Trial: Part 2)
Episode 53 (The Wheeler Dealer)
Episode 54 (A House Divided)

The DVD Report"

A must own DVD

William | Australia | 08/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, Dallas Season 3 has arrived on DVD and it is a pleasure to own. This is the season where everything started to fall in to place ... and you can definitely feel the shift in pace from the pilot and first season DVD. Dont get me wrong, the first DVD is still a treat to watch, but it is patchy in parts, whereas this new season brings high quality episodes again and again. Larry Hagman is simply brilliant as his role of JR continues to evolve just as the other characters do. We also see the pain that plagues Bobby and Pam as they come to the realisation they will never have children. And who can forget the late Barbara Bel Geddes as the ever loving Ms Elley? Barbara brought 100% class to this show.

As another reviewer stated, this season wasn't really the season that the world anticipated ... it was actually the next season because people were desperate to learn the killer's identity. Still, this season has plenty of action in the build up to JR being shot - everyone hated him and you were left wondering who could have done it. This season was the very first soap to introduce a cliffhanger which captured the world. But interesting to note, the JR cliffhanger was not the originally intended cliffhanger for this season. Extra episodes were produced because of the show's incredible popularity, so there was a last minute decision not to go with the original cliffhanger of Jock being put on trial for murder (about four episodes before JR got shot).

DVD FEATURES: The episodes have had some clean-up done, but alot of dirt and softness in still evident - but considering the age it has to be expected. There are two episodes with commentary from Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray. The documentary "Who Shot JR Phenomenon" is a fantastic 20 minute presentation starring Patrick, Larry, Linda and Charlene reliving the magic and mayham of this cliffhanger, and how it affected their lives. Pure gold.

COMMENT ABOUT WARNER BROS: It is unfortunate that Warner Bros are so slow to release Dallas seasons on DVD. It has taken them a year to release this latest season, and according to reports, this is what will happen with the next installment (August 2006). Technology is rapidly moving, and I think Warner Bros should reconsider. DVD technology will be replaced before we know it. With 9 seasons all up, it would be great to release them all now (please!) thank you."

Another bulls eye from Warner Bros

Tom | Toronto | 08/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Watching the third season of Dallas on DVD, I was struck at how good the writing was for this season. When you watch the early episodes, with the introduction of Kristen and Alan Beam, you realize the writers were weaving together an engrossing tale. So, by the time that shot is fired at J.R., everything comes together.

The season itself is extremely entertaining, from Pam and Bobby's troubled marriage, to Cliff's ill-fated run for office, to Miss Ellie facing a personal struggle, and of course, the marriage from hell between J.R. and Sue Ellen. Forget Carlos and Gabrielle on Desperate Housewives, J.R. and Sue Ellen defined "dysfunctional marriage" 20 years ago. Like a previous reviewer wrote, it's a shame that both Larry Hagman and particularly Linda Gray were not awarded Emmys for their performances; they're simply brilliant. Nobody could play sexy, heartbreak, conniving and vulnerability like Linda Gray could. She's completely watchable, from her affairs with Cliff and Dusty to her put downs on J.R., and her evolution from stone cold child bearer to loving mother is completely believeable and moving. The rest of the cast is great as well, although I always thought Charlene Tilton, aside from a few episodes throughout the seasons, was the weak link in the cast.

If you loved Dallas, you will enjoy this collection. Aside from the occasional outfit and hairstyle, the show is still as edgy and entertaining as it was years ago."