Dallas can be easily regarded as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time. Excellent plots and twists, acting, brilliant characters, cliffhangers and setting is what gives this show its iconic status. Viewers are treated to the complications and exciting events that surround the dynamic Ewing family. From Ewing Oil to Southfork Ranch the drama and intensity never seems to stop. Dallas beautifully show us a traditional family structure largely influenced by the Patriarch (Jock) and Matriarch (Miss Ellie). But this is so ordinary or traditional family and every family can be said to have its black sheep. J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, steals the show with his incredible performance as the unscrupulous and scheming oil baron in Dallas. We are treated to a number of schemes and manipulations through the episodes as J.R aims to have his cake and eat it too. In 1980 J.R's schemes had gone too far which led to the biggest event in television history, Who Shot JR? The beauty of this cliffhanger was almost anyone in the show was a suspect, he was that evil. More people in America tuned in to watch who shot JR than vote in the Presidential election. This show also helped make the cliffhanger popular that kept audiences on the edge of their seats. Nowadays many shows use cliffhangers. While the quality of the show declined in its latter seasons the show will be remembered most for its twists and performances of earlier seasons (1-10). Dallas is as entertaining and relevant as it was then as it is today. The combination of plots, twists, unique setting and great scheming by J.R makes this show timeless. His character and the show will forever occupy a special place in the TV sphere. Evil never dies.

Well, I just want to publish my very own personal review about this global smash hit. And keep it that way.Liked it A lot when it was on screen here in Sweden during the years about 1981-1993(?). (Some 2-3 year delay from U.S prime time.) That was a usual standard for American TV shows for European watchers by then.... (National television was Russian style in Sweden too, you know.) Got curious when my mother got hooked on the Ewing/Barnes feud, myself being just seven years old at the time. (I naturally didn't get so much out of it then.)What was meant by the creators of "DALLAS" to be a five act drama TV show with the troublesome marriage between Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes in center, grows to be the major series of the 80's. (The response from the viewers after some episodes were so good that the producers called for an extension.)We were allowed to get into the flesh of a family, with sons and daughters always fought each other for power and wellness. Office suits mixed with rancher blue jeans. Oil business and kettle care in the same sweet melody.When the DALLAS show was released over here on DVD in a "two season per year-plan" in the early 00's, It was time to take the trip all over again. During a six year period, I consistently dug deeply into it season by season during free time, and enjoyed it to the fullest.The Southfork Ranch almost became my own living room.Not A member of A fan base, I want to share my own profit of taking the trip from start to finish:"The Jock Ewing Years" are/were DALLAS at it's best. Jim Davis was the Brando of the Ewings, without doubt. The plot of the whole show was more centered and interesting while he was present. The screen writers re-grouped the three sons of an oil-mafia matriarch, surly in a "godfather" style. Late Larry Hagman (R.I.P) was the senior son J.R, the natural heir of the throne. Always thinking business, besides the hunger for women as a pleasure. Stone cold and calculating, he smashed every fly that came around him trying to steal his limelight. 2nd son Gary was placed beside in script, for several reasons. (Fans aware of "Knots Landing", uh?) Baby brother Bobby eventually took the fight with his older brother for the captain's seat; after having his "easy living"-years he rapidly learn the business, but a little too late to ever compete with his way too superior brother, who were always one step ahead.(Actor Patrick Duffy once said that an early take with Larry Hagman, which included some physical acting, ending up with Hagman laughing at his opponent's bad acting, was a real boost to shape up, and never feel minor in acting skills to Larry in a scene ever again.) Cowboy Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly), the janitor of SF ranch, grows highly during this long history of the Ewings. Starting as kind of a youth manservant to them, he turns out to be more family than anybody of the Ewings ever dreamed of. (My personal favorite down to earth personality figure during the whole saga.) Forced into a world he never wanted to be part of.On the opposite side, One Cliff Barnes always moaning of his father's stolen piece in the Ewings wealth, him being a partner to Jock Ewing in their oil "teen-years". (But drank it away.) Cliff B builds his own castle, but keeps up having hard time to compete with old J.R Ewing as Texas Oil Baron no. 1. Some good strikes on the way for Clifford, from time to time, always gave the series some fresh air and a forward push. The family drama went on for years and years. People comes and goes. Weddings, barbecue parties, and some good fist fights at the annual Oil Baron's Ball. Liquor for breakfast, coffee for lunch. Heavy fuel for hard people.Halfway the series gets a little stalled, but the writers kept on finding new and sometimes cheer ways to keep the story going on. Yes, there's alcoholic intoxicated wives on the way.It's getting kind of silly around the "dream-season" alright. (A solution created because of the actors big egos $....)But I kept on watching it after that anyway, didn't I?And did I love the ride?YES. To the final "shot".

Dallas was and still is a TV phenomenon. It took the model of the tired old American soap and turned it into something fresh, fascinating and compelling watched by millions of people around the world. It used for the first time the device of the cliffhanger at the end of the season to keep people coming back for more. Personally I believe the 1981-1984 central seasons were its high point with the titanic struggle between JR and Bobby for control of Ewing Oil plus other strong story lines.What was the secret of its success and longevity? I believe this is down to 3 factors.1. The story lines cleverly combined subjects that would appeal to a mass audience - love and sex, glamour, money and power, family problems, and controversial subjects for the time e.g. Sue Ellen's alcoholism that attracted interest and raised awareness.2. Excellent writing with top notch scripts.3. Superb acting from the key cast team. I have to single out Larry Hagman's performance as JR, I have never seen any performance to match it in any TV drama. He completely got under JR's skin and while he showed us what a monster the man was, he also made us aware of his redeeming features (particularly his strong sense of family) so that we never quite lost empathy for him. Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Ken Kercheval also gave remarkable performances as Bobby the 'good' brother who was never boring, Sue Ellen the wronged wife who eventually found a life of her own and Cliff, JR's neurotic, bungling rival who rarely managed to best him.

Dallas is like a novel I can,t put down.I like the show,I can see why people stayed on Friday or Saturday nights just to watch it back then.Dallas is one of my favorite shows,Im looking forward to watching season7 on DVD,in July.My grandma and grandma watched it back then,I cant wait to see what happens to south fork and how they saved they from burning down,and how they rebuilt it.I wonder what miss Ellie thought of Jr and ray for causing it to catch fire.Im not looking forward to season 8 though,when bobby leaves the show.Im going to miss seeing him on the show.I cant wait to see who gets to be president of euiwng oil.then to find out they didn't have to have that contest in the first place,I cant wait for it to com out...dvdfreak1970