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Dallas
Season 3
DVD cover
No. of episodes25
Release
Original network CBS
Original releaseSeptember 21, 1979 (1979-09-21) –
March 21, 1980 (1980-03-21)
Season chronology
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Season 2
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Season 4
List of episodes

The third season of the television series Dallas aired on CBS during the 1979–80 TV season.

Cast

Starring

In alphabetical order:

Also starring

Special guest stars

Notable guest stars

Future series regular Susan Howard returns as Donna Culver for four episodes. The character Jenna Wade, who will be portrayed by series regular Priscilla Presley in later seasons, also returns for two episodes, now played by Francine Tacker. Longrunning supporting actors Jared Martin (Steven "Dusty" Farlow). George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena Wald), Tom Fuccello (Dave Culver), Jeff Cooper (Dr. Simon Ellby), Dennis Patrick (Vaughn Leland) and Barry Corbin (Sheriff Fenton Washburn) make their debuts. Mel Ferrer (Harrison Page) appears in two episodes as Pam's immediate supervisor at The Store after her promotion to Buyer. Stephen Elliott (Scotty Demarest) and Martha Scott (Patricia Shepard), who appear in one and two episodes, respectively, will return as "special guest stars" for seasons 8 and 10 (Elliot), and 9 (Scott). Characters Gary (now played by Ted Shackelford) and Valene Ewing ( Joan Van Ark) appear for one and two episodes, respectively, promoting Dallas spinoff Knots Landing, premiering in December 1979.

Crew

David Jacobs, creator of the series, returns to write his final Dallas episode, "Return Engagements", which leads into the pilot episode of Jacobs' brainchild Knots Landing. The season's episode writers include showrunner Leonard Katzman, the returning Camille Marchetta, Arthur Bernard Lewis, Worley Thorne, D. C. Fontana, Richard Fontana, and Rena Down, as well as new additions Loraine Despres, Jeff Young, Linda B. Elstad and Barbara Searles. Lee Rich and Philip Capice continue to serve as executive producers. Katzman serves as producer, and Cliff Fenneman as associate producer, while Arthur Bernard Lewis continues as executive story editor, and Camille Marchetta as story editor.

DVD release

Season three of Dallas was released by Warner Bros. Home Video, on a Region 1 DVD box set of five double-sided DVDs, on August 9, 2005. In addition to the 25 episodes, it also includes commentaries by Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray, and the featurette "Who Shot J.R.?: The Dallas Phenomenon". [1]

Knots Landing

The Dallas spin-off series Knots Landing premiered in December 1979, and throughout the season, three Knots Landing episodes featured Dallas characters: Bobby ( Patrick Duffy) appeared in Pilot (airing on December 27, 1979); J.R. ( Larry Hagman) in Community Spirit (January 3, 1980); and Lucy ( Charlene Tilton) in Home is for the Healing (January 31, 1980, her only Knots Landing appearance).

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal U.S. air dateOriginal U.K. air date Prod.
code
Rating/share
(households)
301"Whatever Happened to Baby John?: Part 1" Leonard Katzman Camille MarchettaSeptember 21, 1979 (1979-09-21)November 17, 197918813621.1/35 [2]
The happiness felt by the Ewing family on Sue Ellen's return from the hospital changes to concern when it becomes obvious she has little enthusiasm for anything, including her new baby. Bobby and Pam discover Cliff Barnes is continuing with his efforts to claim Sue Ellen and the baby as his. J.R. is surprised when two of his former business associates are paroled from jail.
312"Whatever Happened to Baby John?: Part 2"Leonard KatzmanCamille MarchettaSeptember 28, 1979 (1979-09-28)November 24, 197918813721.9/38 [3]
Though Bobby thinks Cliff may have taken John Ross, this ends up not being true. J.R thinks some of his thugs may have taken the child, but they are all wrong. Pamela ends up solving the kidnapping mystery by remembering a woman, Priscilla Duncan, whom she saw several times staring at babies at the hospital. It turns out Priscilla lost her baby, and her husband ran out on her, leaving her desperate and alone, so she stole John Ross. The baby is finally returned to its natural parents, but Sue Ellen is not overly emotional about the outcome.
323"The Silent Killer" Irving J. Moore Arthur Bernard LewisOctober 5, 1979 (1979-10-05)December 1, 197918813918.5/31 [4]
Cliff Barnes flies his father, Digger, to Dallas to show him how he's getting even with the Ewings. But Digger's sudden medical problem places a cloud over Cliff, Pam, and even Sue Ellen's new baby. A doctor's examination discloses that Digger has a genetic disorder that has not only been passed to his children, Pam and Cliff, but also to their offspring, which could prove fatal to John Ewing III if Cliff is actually the father, as he firmly believes. Kristin Shepard, Sue Ellen's younger sister, comes to town.
334"Secrets"Leonard KatzmanArthur Bernard LewisOctober 12, 1979 (1979-10-12)December 8, 197918813821.2/35 [5]
Lucy's mother Valene visits and tries to re-establish some understanding with her daughter. Pamela, already depressed with the reality of the Barnes family genetic disorder, suddenly has to cope with the news that she is pregnant. Valene implores Bobby to urge Lucy to meet with her. Pamela tries to decide whether to tell her husband the news, as well as her horrible secret, or decide on the fate of her unborn baby alone.
345"The Kristin Affair"Irving J. Moore Worley ThorneOctober 19, 1979 (1979-10-19)December 15, 197918814223.8/43 [6]
Kristin gets a summer job at Ewing Oil as she openly vies for J.R.'s attention. Bobby learns about Pam's pregnancy before she can make a decision about getting an abortion. J.R. has his hands full as he tries to consummate the biggest oil deal of his life, as well as beginning his own kind of relationship with his sister-in-law.
356"The Dove Hunt"Leonard Katzman D. C. Fontana & Richard FontanaOctober 26, 1979 (1979-10-26)December 22, 197918814326.3/47 [7]
On a hunting trip in Louisiana with J.R., Bobby and Ray, Jock finds himself the target of revenge from a man he doesn't even remember. Ellie is afraid that she might be facing surgery after finding a lump on her breast. Jock and J.R. are wounded by a sniper while hunting. With their vehicle sabotaged, Bobby and Ray have to walk to town for help and, thinking he might not recover, Jock reveals a secret to J.R. that he has been hiding from Ellie since they were married.
367"The Lost Child"Irving J. MooreRena DownNovember 2, 1979 (1979-11-02)December 29, 197918814025.9/44 [8]
Bobby finds himself getting attached to Luke Middens, the young son of one of the hired hands, which only makes Pam's efforts to tell Bobby the truth about their unborn child even more difficult. Eventually, however, she is forced to confess. J.R. becomes suspicious of Sue Ellen's frequent trips to town, and when she refuses to acknowledge her activities, he hires a private detective to follow her. Pam suffers a miscarriage in a riding accident.
378"Rodeo"Leonard KatzmanCamille MarchettaNovember 9, 1979 (1979-11-09)January 5, 198018814522.3/39 [9]
At the annual Ewing-sponsored rodeo, Sue Ellen finds herself drawn to Dusty Farlow, a cowboy participant. Digger holds good his threat to see "his" grandson. J.R. feels threatened by Sue Ellen's sudden enthusiasm for life as she openly displays interest in Dusty. Lucy forces Ray to deal with a painful situation he tried to forget.
389"Mastectomy"Irving J. MooreArthur Bernard LewisNovember 16, 1979 (1979-11-16)January 12, 198018814628.9/50 [10]
3910188147
Ellie is afraid to tell Jock about the lump in her breast after he reveals he was married before and divorced his first wife when she became mentally ill. Her fear is Jock will leave her also if a mastectomy becomes necessary. Alan Beam continues J.R.'s plan to get Cliff out of the way. Sue Ellen keeps visiting a coffee shop with the hopes of meeting Dusty Farlow again. Ellie undergoes a lifesaving mastectomy. After undergoing the mastectomy, Ellie begins to face what life is going to be like for her. She and Jock seem to be drifting apart as her anger grows over the secret he kept from her for forty years. Digger proves himself a friend to Ellie and they have a long talk. Ellie realizes that she cannot go back in time but she must make peace with the present and the future. Lucy is cold to Ellie as she hides her fears that she will inherit breast cancer. Jock backs J.R. over Bobby in the plan to push Cliff aside. Sue Ellen meets Dusty at a hotel.
4011"The Heiress" Leslie H. MartinsonLoraine DespresNovember 23, 1979 (1979-11-23)January 19, 198018814123.2/40 [11]
Lucy decides that Alan Beam is the man for her after she witnesses him standing up to J.R. although she doesn't know the fight was staged by Alan and J.R. to further convince Cliff of Beam's loyalty. Lucy makes an obvious play for Alan, who sees her as his ticket to riches. Pam accuses Bobby of trying to ruin her brother when she accidentally learns about J.R.'s secret Asian oil deal from Cliff.
4112"Ellie Saves the Day" Gunnar HellströmArthur Bernard Lewis & David Michael JacobsNovember 30, 1979 (1979-11-30)January 26, 198018814424.2/39 [12]
J.R. is caught from all sides when a typhoon delays the oil drilling in Asia as his bank loan becomes due. Bobby discovers that J.R. has mortgaged Southfork and he is forced to tell Jock and Ellie that they may lose everything. J.R. believes that once Cliff resigns his post as head of the Office of Land Management, the banks will extend their loan deadline. But he's crushed when the efforts of all the Ewing men seem to have failed. Ellie makes a supreme sacrifice in an effort to save Southfork.
4213"Mother of the Year" Larry HagmanRena DownDecember 14, 1979 (1979-12-14)February 2, 198018814925.7/44 [13]
Sue Ellen's avoidance of John Ross becomes a source of conflict between her and J.R. and between Bobby and Pam, who have begun to think of the child as her own. Seeing the pain Ellie is going through as workmen prepare to pump oil out of Southfork, Jock decides to sell the Asian oil leases even though it means losing millions. J.R., of course, tries to stop him.
4314"Return Engagements"Gunnar Hellström David JacobsDecember 20, 1979 (1979-12-20)February 9, 198018814826.6/45 [14]
Ellie's sadness on the occasion of her missing son Gary's birthday quickly changes to jubilation when she learns he and Valene are both back in Dallas and plan to be remarried. Ellie plans to keep the news of the wedding a secret from J.R., who's on a business trip with Kristin, but Sue Ellen delights in giving him the news. She also tells Rudy Millington, Kristin's boyfriend, where to find her. This episode sets up Knots Landing.
4415"Love and Marriage" Alexander SingerLeonard KatzmanDecember 21, 1979 (1979-12-21)February 16, 198018815026.5/45 [14]
J.R. decides that bringing Bobby back into Ewing Oil is the best way to keep Jock out of the office. J.R. also aims to get Pam a promotion to keep Bobby's mind off his troubled marriage. Pam is using work to hide from her own unhappiness. Ray seems to have found happiness at last when Donna Culver re-enters his life.
4516"Power Play" Leslie H. MartinsonJeff YoungJanuary 4, 1980 (1980-01-04)February 23, 198018815127.0/45 [15]
Alan Beam's "romance" with Lucy is discovered by Kristin who believes once J.R. knows about it he will quickly get rid of the ambitious young lawyer. J.R. fools everyone by encouraging Alan to follow through with his plans to marry Lucy. Lucy puts off deciding about Alan's proposal until J.R. orders her not to see him again, then she makes a startling announcement.
4617"Paternity Suit" Harry HarrisLoraine DespresJanuary 11, 1980 (1980-01-11)March 1, 198018815228.7/46 [16]
After Cliff announces he is quitting the race for Congress, Digger returns to the bottle and drunkenly tells a reporter that Cliff is really the father of Sue Ellen's baby. Jock insists the family sue Cliff, who counter sues for custody of his son. Sue Ellen, J.R. and Cliff then take blood tests to prove once and for all who the baby's real father is. It proves to be J.R., who then embraces his son for the first time.
4718"Jenna's Return"Irving J. MooreCamille MarchettaJanuary 18, 1980 (1980-01-18)March 8, 198018815327.2/45 [17]
Sue Ellen actively sees Dusty. Pam leaves town. An angry Bobby runs into Jenna Wade. Ray ponders if he and Donna have anything in common besides their love. J.R. gets angry and jealous of Sue Ellen's unexplained nights out. Kristin tries to take advantage of the situation to permanently enter J.R.'s life.
4819"Sue Ellen's Choice"Leonard KatzmanCamille MarchettaFebruary 1, 1980 (1980-02-01)March 15, 198018815428.6/44 [18]
Sue Ellen is being pressured by Dusty to leave J.R. Pam and Bobby's marriage continues to strain towards breaking point. Donna makes a last attempt to get Ray to change his mind about marriage. Sue Ellen makes her decision and asks J.R. for a divorce, but his reaction is not at all what she expects. Pam is surprised when Jenna visits and declares her intentions towards Bobby.
4920"Second Thoughts"Irving J. MooreLinda B. ElstadFebruary 8, 1980 (1980-02-08)March 22, 198018815831.1/49 [19]
J.R. keeps pressuring Alan Beam to marry Lucy very soon. Cliff resigns from the OLM to run in the elections for Congress. But J.R.'s scheme to ruin him is a success and Cliff runs out of campaign money. For the moment, he is finished professionally and has nowhere to go. Bobby feels sorry for Cliff and decides to do some job hunting for him. This provokes a furious reaction from J.R.. Jock foils J.R.'s plans for Lucy and Alan by offering Alan a legal partnership in Dallas. Now J.R. tries to stop the marriage because there's no longer anything in it for him.
5021"Divorce, Ewing Style"Leonard KatzmanLeonard KatzmanFebruary 15, 1980 (1980-02-15)March 29, 198018815525.4/40 [20]
Sue Ellen takes great pains to appear the perfect wife and mother in preparation for her divorce action. When J.R. realizes what she is planning, he decides to stage a strong counterattack. J.R. is furious when he learns Sue Ellen has a private detective following him on his nocturnal visits. He decides the best way to keep her from leaving with their son is to convince everyone that Sue Ellen is drinking again.
5122"Jock's Trial: Part I"Irving J. MooreArthur Bernard LewisFebruary 22, 1980 (1980-02-22)April 5, 198018815623.0/36 [21]
As the new assistant district attorney, Cliff jumps at the chance to work on the investigation of a body found on Southfork. Sue Ellen fights to convince the family that she is not drinking again. Cliff's investigation unearths some new clues which tie the murder closer and closer to Jock. Sue Ellen prepares to leave J.R. and her baby when she hears of a plane crash and Dusty's death. Jock is arrested for murder.
5223"Jock's Trial: Part II"Irving J. MooreArthur Bernard LewisFebruary 29, 1980 (1980-02-29)April 5, 198018815727.1/45 [22]
While Jock faces his murder trial, other family members are distracted with their own problems: Sue Ellen drinks to forget Dusty's death. Pam watches Digger slowly deteriorate in a hospital. J.R. fears his testimony will incriminate his father. The family hires famed criminal attorney, Scotty Demerest, only to be told that Cliff's case against Jock is dangerously incriminating. But as Digger slowly dies on his deathbed, he confesses that he was the real killer of the body found on Southfork and tells Pam that the man he killed was her biological father when he discovered Cliff and Pam's mother was having an affair.
5324"The Wheeler Dealer"Alexander SingerBarbara SearlesMarch 14, 1980 (1980-03-14)April 12, 198018815925.7/45 [23]
With most of the family visiting Jock's first wife in a Colorado sanitarium, J.R. uses the time to try to set up an even bigger oil deal with the now profitable Asian wells. Sue Ellen and Pam deal with their separate grief in very different ways. Pam becomes determined to learn about her long-believed dead mother. Sue Ellen again seeks alcohol for her solace, which pleases J.R. since he plans to rid himself of his wife.
5425" A House Divided"Irving J. MooreRena DownMarch 21, 1980 (1980-03-21)May 26, 198018816032.7/52 [24]
J.R.'s selling of the Asian oil leases before news of the fields' nationalization is made public, wipes out the fortunes of Ewing Oil's former business associates and also creates untold havoc within the family. J.R.'s business dealings also disgust Bobby so much that he and Pamela move out of Southfork. Sue Ellen decides to stop drinking and to wage her own battle against J.R.'s efforts to send her back to the sanitarium. Cliff also plans his own revenge against J.R.. Suspects are aplenty when J.R. while working late at the office, is shot. But who pulled the trigger...?

References

  1. ^ Lambert, David (April 20, 2005). "'Dallas' DVD news: Season 3 earlier than we thought". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  2. ^ Warner, Peter (September 26, 1979). "NBC's peacock takes flight over webs 1st time in year". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 258, no. 27. p. 4. ProQuest  2598223095.
  3. ^ Warner, Peter (October 3, 1979). "ABC wins week; new CBS series are struck by lightning". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 258, no. 32. p. 13. ProQuest  2598226448.
  4. ^ National Nielsen TV Audience Estimates (October 1–14, 1979) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  5. ^ Warner, Peter (October 17, 1979). "ABC wins week but Series attracts lowest rates in years". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 258, no. 42. p. 5. ProQuest  2598219182.
  6. ^ Warner, Peter (October 24, 1979). "Baseball takes ABC to top but CBS series shine". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 258, no. 47. p. 5. ProQuest  2598220856.
  7. ^ Warner, Peter (October 24, 1979). "CBS decisively wins its 1st week of new season". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 2. p. 8. ProQuest  2471827818.
  8. ^ Hack, Richard (November 7, 1979). "ABC gobbles up competition with 'Jaws' in ratings war". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 7. p. 9. ProQuest  2585297180.
  9. ^ "ABC lengthens Nov. sweeps while CBS continues drive". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 12. November 14, 1979. p. 8. ProQuest  2598216097.
  10. ^ "CBS wins week, climbing to 2nd place; NBC trails". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 17. November 21, 1979. p. 8. ProQuest  2598204831.
  11. ^ Warner, Peter (November 28, 1979). "CBS wins second straight week; ABC finishes third". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 21. p. 8. ProQuest  2471842730.
  12. ^ Warner, Peter (December 5, 1979). "ABC wins on Ray Leonard ko of CBS; NBC bruised too". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259. p. 8. ProQuest  2598198064.
  13. ^ Hack, Richard (December 19, 1979). "ABC edges CBS and leaves NBC 3.3 points behind". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 36. p. 8. ProQuest  2598194656.
  14. ^ a b Warner, Peter (December 31, 1979). "CBS outpaces ABC and NBC by wide margins". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 43. p. 10. ProQuest  2598150854.
  15. ^ Warner, Peter (January 9, 1980). "ABC finishes last during week of Dec. 31-Jan. 6". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 259, no. 49. p. 8. ProQuest  2598140149.
  16. ^ Warner, Peter (January 16, 1980). "CBS wins wk; now within 1/10th point of ABC for season". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 4. p. 4. ProQuest  2598153464.
  17. ^ Warner, Peter (January 16, 1980). "CBS ratings up, tie with ABC; best since 1976". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 4. p. 43. ProQuest  2598161738.
  18. ^ Warner, Peter (February 6, 1980). "ABC wins week; again tied with CBS in season-to-date". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 19. p. 4. ProQuest  2587828140.
  19. ^ Warner, Peter (February 13, 1980). "CBS noses ABC to again take season-to-date lead". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 24. p. 6. ProQuest  2598150758.
  20. ^ "ABC, bolstered by Olympics, dominates Nielsen to Feb. 17". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 29. February 21, 1980. p. 6. ProQuest  2471861447.
  21. ^ Warner, Peter (February 27, 1980). "NBC strong, CBS weak but ABC skates hardest in rates". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 33. p. 21. ProQuest  2598183459.
  22. ^ "CBS wins week in Nielsens, but ABC sweeps 'sweeps'". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 38. March 5, 1980. p. 33. ProQuest  2598183064.
  23. ^ Warner, Peter (March 19, 1980). "ABC wins ratings in volatile week of premieres, repeats". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 260, no. 48. p. 6. ProQuest  2598183265.
  24. ^ Warner, Peter (March 26, 1980). "CBS wins week, takes close 2nd to ABC in season-to-date". The Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 261, no. 3. p. 4. ProQuest  2598163869.

External links