Dallas: The Complete Fourth Season

**NOTE - This review contains spoilers**

Having originally aired during the 1980-81 TV season on CBS, this fourth season of "Dallas" was the series' peak in terms of viewership, grabbing a whopping 34 share and becoming the most-watched program of the season. (To put that in perspective, "American Idol" achieved a 17 share at its peak--half the viewers that "Dallas" pulled in this season).

Viewers had waited all summer long to find out the answer to the million-dollar question, "Who Shot J.R.?".

They actually had to wait a little longer as the assailant's identity would not be revealed for a few more episodes. Sue Ellen initially took the rap due to circumstantial evidence and she is jailed until she's bailed out anonymously. It is eventually revealed that her sister Kristin was the one who pulled the trigger, but she escapes incarceration by announcing she's carrying J.R.'s unborn child, so he pays her off and she flees to California. Unfortunately, this means my favorite female character disappears from the series.

After a series of "bad romances", Lucy finally lands hard-working and proud medical student Mitch Cooper and they marry at Southfork. To fill Mary Crosby's shoes, a new devious female arrives in the form of Mitch's sister Afton Cooper, played by Audrey Landers, who specialized in bitchy roles like this. Anne Francis ("Honey West") shows up as her mother, Arliss. Lucy and Mitch are given a luxurious condominium as a wedding gift and later Lucy lands a job as a model with Pam's help. But the job does nothing but cause a rift in her marriage.

Pam gets a perm this season and locates her presumed-dead mother (Priscilla Pointer) while learning she can never give birth to a child. She and Bobby also encounter marriage problems due to his new job as President of Ewing Oil.

Having Bobby run the company takes a lot of the fun out of these episodes. J.R. spends the first half of the season in a wheelchair trying to gain back control of the company and it just isn't as much fun without him in the driver's seat. Once he gets his bearings back, he's wheeling and dealing like never before, and operating on an International level, trying to overthrow a foreign government and trying to put the moves on his new Public Relations advisor, Lesley Stewart (Susan Flannery of "The Bold and the Beautiful"). I didn't care much for Flannery's portrayal. She's not necessarily written as a villainess, but her feline-like persona confuses the viewer into thinking she may be.

Donna Culver helps Bobby get elected to State Senate, much to the chagrin of Cliff Barnes, and later Donna and Ray Krebbs decide to marry. This after Ray discovers he is actually Jock's illegitimate son, from a WWII affair between Jock and Ray's mother, a nurse. It's great to see the good-natured Donna show her fangs a few times this season, especially when standing up to J.R.

When Miss Ellie discovers Jock has kept one too many secrets from her, and with the two of them on opposing sides of a land-development project, she ultimately seeks legal counsel for divorce.

Sue Ellen is now the doting mother to John Ross, and a chance meeting has her rekindling an old relationship with her college boyfriend (Monte Markham). But it's a different romantic entanglement that has her fleeing Southfork for good with her baby in the season finale. Season's end also features the welcome return of Mary Crosby and her entrance is a memorable one, filmed slowly from the feet up as she struts into the hotel lobby announcing her arrival. Her return is short-lived, as she turns up dead in the Ewing swimming pool shortly after threatening J.R.

Overall, another great season of "Dallas". I didn't like it as much as Season 3, but Audrey Landers is almost as interesting as Mary Crosby in the beautiful schemer role.

I must note that the music cues during the first half of the season were terrible; the same ominous piano chords played over and over. It got very dull and monotonous and added nothing to the show. Thankfully, there was a new score during the second half.

This set contains a great bonus feature in Return to Southfork, a 90 minute reunion that brings Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Victoria Principal, Charlene Tilton, Steve Kanaly, Ken Kercheval and Mary Crosby together again to reminisce. They answer viewer questions, count down the Top Ten "Dallas" cliffhangers as voted by fans, and show bloopers and gag reels never seen before. Everyone looks good but Linda Gray and Mary Crosby seem to have aged the best.

The discs are once again dual-sided, the picture quality varies from bright and clear, to very grainy, and the audio is very low.

Most fans would consider this the ultimate season of "Dallas" due to the "Who Shot J.R" frenzy. 4 out of 5 stars.

Number one TV show in the world when originally broadcast, this Season 4 DVD is highly recommended and its first episode is one of the most watched episodes in TV history:

1) No More Mister Nice Guy (Part One)
J.R. lies close to death as the Ewing family awaits news of his fate and the police search for clues and suspects. All hope for J.R. to regain consciousness and that he will be able to shed some light on the identity of his assailant.

2) No More Mister Nice Guy (Part Two)
J.R. undergoes the helplessness of paralysis as Bobby takes over Ewing Oil with Jock's blessing. Sue Ellen feels guilty that she may have shot J.R. in a drunken stupor and the list of suspects grow.

3) Nightmare
While Bobby tries to run Ewing Oil, he feels J.R.'s influence even from his hospital bed. Sue Ellen is arrested after the gun used to shoot J.R. is found with her fingerprints on it.

4) Who Done It?
Sue Ellen is released after bail is posted by an anonymous source. She then seeks solace from her sister Kristin and her psychiatrist, after being ignored by the Ewings. The shooter confesses in front of the family and the Ewings apologize to Sue Ellen.

5) Taste of Success
As Ewing Oil's president, Bobby finds the power intoxicating and J.R. tries to sabotage his plans to buy a refinery, something Jock has always wanted and which J.R. could never accomplish.

6) Venezuelan Connection
The relationship between Bobby and J.R. deteriorates when Bobby refuses to step down as President of Ewing Oil. Jock finds himself caught in the middle of the conflict, especially as Bobby seems to be doing a better job.

7) The Fourth Son
The sinking of an oil tanker could have disastrous financial consequences for Ewing Oil. Family matters change forever when Ray Krebbs' presumed father shows up with news that Ray is really Jock's son. Jock shocks his family when he welcomes Ray into the family, much to Miss Ellie's and J.R.'s dismay.

8) Trouble at Ewing 23
An extortionist threatening to blow up Ewing 23 gives J.R. opportunity to put a halt to his fading fortunes with the company and the family by out-maneuvering Bobby.

9) The Prodigal Mother
Pam believes she has at last found her mother, but all hopes of a reconciliation are dashed by the woman. Lucy proposes marriage to Mitch and J.R. plans to put Bobby in trouble with Jock.

10) Executive Wife
J.R. encourages Jock to clinch a business deal aware that it will cause serious problems for Bobby. Pam is feeling neglected by her husband. The Ewings are against Lucy marrying Mitch.

11) End of the Road (Part One)
J.R. continues to try to discredit Bobby in the fight for Ewing Oil, as well as showing an interest in Mitch's sister which upsets Sue Ellen. J.R. asks his secretary to continue to spy on Bobby and his deals for him.

12) End of the Road (Part Two)
Lucy and Mitch's wedding proves eventful when Sue Ellen makes a play for an old boyfriend so as to get even with J.R. Bobby resigns as President of Ewing Oil, and Miss Ellie accuses Jock of unforgivable behavior.

13) Making of a President
J.R. hires a high-pressure public relations woman when he regains control of Ewing Oil. Sue Ellen discovers Pam meeting a male business associate. Jock continues to keep secret the Takapa project from wife Ellie.

14) Start the Revolution with Me
J.R. goes ahead with plans to topple the foreign government which confiscated his oil fields. Bobby's ambitions at work alienate him from Pam, and Sue Ellen resumes an old friendship with Clint.

15) The Quest
J.R. refuses to acknowledge the fact that Sue Ellen is being followed, so she decides to take things into her own hands. J.R. is determined that Cliff Barnes does not get chosen to run for public office.

16) Lover, Come Back
Fortune favors J.R. as his foreign coup brings the cartel back to Ewing Oil. Sue Ellen is shocked to find Dusty Farlow still alive, and Mitch discovers that Lucy has been lying to him.

17) The New Mrs. Ewing
Donna and Ray tie the knot, and Bobby's jealousy over Pam results in a confrontation with Alex. Miss Ellie, unaware that Jock is involved with Takapa, announces to the family that she has legally stopped the Takapa development and is stunned with Jock's angry outburst "I AM TAKAPA!".

18) Mark of Cain
Leslie Stewart (Susan Flannery) has J.R. right where she wants him and has secret tape recordings of him. Bobby is caught in the middle of Jock and Ellie's feud, and Sue Ellen continues to seek comfort from Clint.

19) The Gathering Storm
Jock threatens to sell the company if Miss Ellie divorces him, thanks to J.R.'s manipulations. Cliff doesn't know that it was his real mother who visited him and he told off. Jock stays at a hotel while Miss Ellie is alone at home and cries.

20) Ewing vs. Ewing
Donna and Ray try to reconcile Jock and Miss Ellie, who has already taken advice about a divorce. J.R. accelerates his efforts to sell off Ewing Oil. Bobby resents his father ordering him to vote in his favor.

21) New Beginnings
Jock and Miss Ellie's reconciliation results in a second honeymoon and the end of J.R.'s scheme to sell Ewing Oil. Donna angrily comes to J.R.'s office and confronts him about getting Ray involved in high-stakes business.

22) Full Circle
Kristin returns from California to reveal another scheme. Sue Ellen meets Dusty again; Lucy moves out on Mitch; Cliff uses Westar's help to build a case against J.R. in connection with the South-East Asian coup and hands the materials over to Bobby's Senate committee.

23) Ewing-Gate
A triple-edged crisis for J.R. as he faces the possible loss of Ewing Oil and a prison sentence, a blackmail plot by Kristin and threats by Sue Ellen to take John Ross away from Southfork. Cliff finds a dead body floating in the Southfork pool with J.R. looking down from the balcony. Who is the dead woman? Did J.R. push her off the balcony?

Great condition and came super fast. Bought it as a gift for my Dad and he will be very excited to open this up. It is much cheaper to order from Amazon then to buy this DVD at the store.