Dallas (Season 4) DVD Review

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 everyone loves to hate), its 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 Bobbys 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 youll 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 Ellies childhood home and current residence for 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 havent seen it, then immediately start watching from the beginning episodes of the first season. You wont be disappointed!

The Dallas (Season 4) DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere No More Mister Nice Guy in which the shooting of J.R. forces Bobby to temporarily take over Ewing Oil while his older brother recovers. The promotion slowly changes Bobby into the vindictive brother he always loathed. Meanwhile, Sue Ellen wonders if she shot J.R. herself while mired in the foggy haze of a drinking binge Other notable episodes include Start the Revolution with Me in which J.R. attempts to orchestrate a counter-revolution in order to regain the Ewings Asian oil wells that were nationalized shortly before his shooting, and the season finale Ewing-Gate in which J.R.s underhanded dealings in the Asian oil deals threaten to bring down all of Ewing Oil

Below is a list of episodes included on the Dallas (Season 4) DVD:

Episode 55 (No More Mister Nice Guy: Part 1) Air Date: 11-07-1980
Episode 56 (No More Mister Nice Guy: Part 2) Air Date: 11-09-1980
Episode 57 (Nightmare) Air Date: 11-14-1980
Episode 58 (Who Done It?) Air Date: 11-21-1980
Episode 59 (Taste of Success) Air Date: 11-28-1980
Episode 60 (The Venezuelan Connection) Air Date: 12-05-1980
Episode 61 (The Fourth Son) Air Date: 12-12-1980
Episode 62 (Trouble at Ewing 23) Air Date: 12-19-1980
Episode 63 (The Prodigal Mother) Air Date: 01-02-1981
Episode 64 (Executive Wife) Air Date: 01-09-1981
Episode 65 (End of the Road: Part 1) Air Date: 01-16-1981
Episode 66 (End of the Road: Part 2) Air Date: 01-23-1981
Episode 67 (Making of a President) Air Date: 01-30-1981
Episode 68 (Start the Revolution with Me) Air Date: 02-06-1981
Episode 69 (The Quest) Air Date: 02-13-1981
Episode 70 (Lover, Come Back) Air Date: 02-20-1981
Episode 71 (The New Mrs. Ewing) Air Date: 02-27-1981
Episode 72 (Mark of Cain) Air Date: 03-13-1981
Episode 73 (The Gathering Storm) Air Date: 03-27-1981
Episode 74 (Ewing vs. Ewing) Air Date: 04-03-1981
Episode 75 (New Beginnings) Air Date: 04-10-1981
Episode 76 (Full Circle) Air Date: 04-17-1981
Episode 77 (Ewing-Gate) Air Date: 05-01-1981

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find where you can find more reviews of movies and TV series. Source: http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/03/dallas-season-4-dvd.html

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