Dallas: The Complete Third Season (DVD)

The fine folks at Warner Home Video released "Dallas: The Complete Third Season", a 5-Disc collection of DVDs, on August 9th, 2005. This set contains all 25 "Dallas" episodes from the 1979-1980 season (which marked the second full season for the series, following the 5-episode "Mini-Series" that aired in April of 1978).Disc 5 of this very pleasant DVD boxed set contains THE biggest cliffhanger in television history, which is episode #25 of this third season ("A House Divided"). J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) crumples to the floor in his office building after being struck with multiple bullets that were fired by an unknown assailant. But....who pulled that trigger? Who shot J.R.? That was the big question during the summer of 1980 after J.R. got plugged. We'd have to wait until November 21, 1980, to find out the answer to that inquiry which took the nation by storm that summer and fall. The wait for the cliffhanger's resolution was even longer than normal, extending the suspense still more, when an actors' strike in Hollywood delayed the beginning of the 1980-'81 TV season.A/V TALK --- Video and audio quality for this collection of Dallas episodes would rank in the "above average" range, IMHO. These shows look and sound darn good to me, in fact. Colors look quite natural, while the audio comes through clean and clear.There's a bit of grain and fuzziness during some parts of some episodes (especially during the opening and closing credits), but overall I'm very happy with the way these shows look here. .... The screen ratio is the original TV ratio of 1.33:1 (Full Frame); while the audio has been encoded with care in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (English only).These 25 episodes appear to me to be the full-length versions, except for the end-of-episode "Coming Up Next Week" trailer clips, which have been omitted here, just like they were on the 'Seasons 1 & 2' set. But the "previews" shown before each show are intact here. Running time per episode = approx. 48 to 49 minutes.Chapter breaks are included for all episodes. There are 6 Chapter Stops per show, divided up just perfectly in all the appropriate locations. A break just after the Main Titles is included, so you can skip directly to Act One of each program.THE PACKAGING --- I just love the image we find on the front cover of this set. It's a copy-and-paste job, sure -- but it looks great IMO -- with J.R. beaming with sinister glee (like he always does before pulling the rug out from under some poor, unsuspecting sucker in a fixed business deal). And then we've got a dandy pic of Sue Ellen, whose expression here conveys perfectly what her character was all about. Her smile here exhibits just the right blend of sleaziness and contempt, which were two of the oft-seen parts within the mixed bag of emotions that Linda Gray brought to the role of Sue Ellen throughout the long run of "Dallas". And she did it with such style and grace too. Gotta love that "S'Ellen"! Fantastic cover design!This "Dallas Season 3" set comes in a slimmer package than the first (Seasons 1 & 2) set. Same number of discs in each of those sets (5), but the S.3 package contains fewer flaps and panels within the nicely-done Digipak case. This due to the fact that four of the five discs are arranged in "overlapping" disc trays. A lot of collectors hate this overlapping design with a passion; but I think it looks pretty good actually, and reduces the amount of space required to completely unfold this type of packaging.These hubs/trays are fairly nice -- not holding the discs too tightly. So the discs can be freed without too much risk of physical pain and/or disc-bending resulting.When all Dallas #3 discs are removed, a nice picture of the Dallas skyline is revealed on the case underneath (similar to the previous 'Dallas 1 & 2' set).Four of the five discs are double-sided, with episodes on both sides of Discs #1 through 4, while Disc 5 contains just the last episode of the season ("A House Divided") plus a bonus "Dallas" documentary.Normally, dual-sided discs are kind of hard to read, because there's no labels on them (only tiny writing on the inner ring of the discs to identify the side numbers). But with this DVD set, Warner Bros. has done a clever thing IMO (some people might disagree, but I think it's a much better way of labelling double-sided DVDs) -- they've placed writing on just Side A of each dual-sided disc, with the "B" side left totally void of printing/labelling.In my opinion, this one-sided labelling is much nicer and user-friendly, because it's obvious which side is Side A or B by just glancing to see if there's any writing on the disc. There's no need to read the writing at all -- if you see any writing, it's Side A. No writing = Side B. Good idea. No eye strain to read the itty-bitty "A" and "B".I'd much prefer single-sided DVDs for all releases. But if we have to have double-sided ones, the ONE-sided labelling procedure is a good method of identifying the side numbers, in my view.Since Disc #5 of this set is only single-sided, it would have been nice (IMHO) to have included some disc artwork for that platter, but none is included (I guess in an effort to make all five discs look the same). And since that disc contains just one episode, which is the big hullabaloo-creating cliffhanger, it would have been a nifty touch by Warner Bros. if perhaps they had put on that disc a picture of J.R. lying wounded on the floor after receiving his "just deserts". But, oh well, ya can't have every little trivial thing I guess. :-)EXTRAS --- As far as bonus DVD materials, there's a 20-minute "Who Shot J.R.?" documentary on Disc 5 of this third-season set, which was quite good (although I wish it was a bit lengthier; precise run time is 19:53). Copyright date for this bonus is 2005.Cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray, plus series creator David Jacobs give new filmed interviews and talk about the unbelievable "Who Shot J.R.?" phenomenon that swept America (and the world) in 1980. Various "Dallas" episode clips are seen throughout this piece.The featurette opens with a clever "Main Title" sequence, which inserts present-day pictures of those participating in this program into actual "Dallas" opening-credits footage.I would have enjoyed seeing some of the behind-the-camera stuff that was filmed (which I assume still exists in some Hollywood vault someplace) showing various outtakes and goings-on on the Dallas set during the making of the classic cliffhanger episode ("A House Divided"). I recall seeing that behind-the-scenes footage on some "magazine"-type program in 1980 prior to the opening of the '80-'81 TV season. Unfortunately, though, none of that footage is included in this DVD documentary."Who Shot J.R.?" Documentary DVD Specs ---- Video is 1.33:1 Full Frame. .... Audio is in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. .... No subtitles. .... No Chapter Breaks.Plus, there are Audio Commentaries provided by stars Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy for two episodes ("Sue Ellen's Choice" and "A House Divided"). Some fun and interesting tidbits of info can be gleaned by listening to the two Commentary Tracks. I also like the way these audio tracks were recorded -- in 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo, with Linda's voice dominating one speaker, while Patrick's comments predominantly fill up the other front speaker. Nice stereo effect.BOOKLET --- Unlike Dallas 1 & 2, the third-season package includes a multi-page (fold-out style) booklet with episode information for the twenty-five programs included in the set. This booklet includes some nice photos too, including a really outstanding publicity still of Sue Ellen and sister Kristin in front of the Southfork main house. The cover of the booklet has a picture of a wounded and crumpling J.R. Ewing after he's been filled with hot lead. Nicely done.MENUS --- The "Dallas Season 3" Menu design is the same as the first Dallas DVD release. Upon initial disc load-up, the familiar and rousing opening theme music is played (and will repeat until a Menu selection is made).All Menus feature "static" (non-animated) images, with the Main Menu offering up a good-looking group photo of the Ewing clan, which is the same picture that can be found on two of the fold-out panels of the inner packaging for this boxed set.These Menus are "anamorphic" in nature. I can't quite understand, though, why Menus for a Full-Frame (1.33:1 ratio) TV show like this would be anamorphically-encoded when the programming contained on the discs is not in anamorphic widescreen? Many Full-Frame DVDs are like this however; certainly not just this one. Oh, well. Just another trivial matter that's of little consequence in the long run. It's just something that doesn't seem to be necessary, IMO."PLAY ALL"? --- Yes. A "Play All Episodes" option is located on all discs in this set. It's labelled simply "Play" on the Main Menu screen. It cannot be accessed via the "Episodes" Sub-Menu however.SUBTITLES? --- Yes indeed. English, French, and Spanish subtitles can be accessed for all episodes.---------------------Closing Props.......Dallas fans, as it says on the back cover of this DVD box -- "This is the one". .... That, indeed, it is. A very good collection of top-notch "Dallas" dramas, complete with large doses of backstabbing, boozing, and bickering. Plus, of course, that whale of a season finale, when J.R. finally "gets his" (in the shape of a couple of well-placed bullets). What more could anybody want?

Season Three of the long-running primetime soap opera Dallas featured quite possibly one of the busiest television seasons ever and featured what is called the greatest cliffhanger in television history in the final episode.Of course throughout its run, Dallas was known for having great cliffhangers, but in season three, the writers and producers really hit the nail on the head. To someone who was watching the show in 1980, the final scene of the final episode of season three probably came as quite a shock. I knew what was going to happen and I was still a little taken aback. That's what great television is all about.And season three completely plays up to that moment right from the start. With all the lying and cheating and backstabbing that take place, the writers are building viewers up so that when the big moment happens, it seems justified, yet at the same time, still comes as a shock.The shooting of Ewing Oil president JR Ewing (Larry Hagman) created quite a buzz in the television world and when it was revealed who shot him near the beginning of season four, that episode ranked as one of the top-rated television shows of all time. But surely just about everybody would say that JR deserved the bullets.In the age of the Internet and all other forms of information, even though I have never seen an episode of Dallas beyond the first three seasons on DVD, I know who shot JR, but I still will buy season four and get the inside track on just what he or she was thinking when pulling the trigger.Season three certainly ran the gamut of emotions, with no time to stop and catch your breath. It began with the two part story about the kidnapping of JR and Sue Ellen's (Linda Gray) baby, John Ross Ewing III. With suspects aplenty, the Ewing Oil magnate's first thought turns to his brother in law, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) who may or may not be the baby's father.When the youngster is finally returned to the family, Sue Ellen becomes cold and detached from the child, while Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal) grows attached to the child after losing a baby of her own in a horseback riding accident. Sue Ellen continues to grow detached from John Ross and an affair with Dusty Farlow, who's family would come to play a huge part in future seasons, and trips to see a psychiatrist just estrange her more. As the season ends, the entire Ewing family is concerned about Sue Ellen's drinking and JR is ready to commit her to the sanitarium, much like he did in season two.Bobby (Patrick Duffy) and Pamela Ewing have an up and down season, as they lose a baby and also have to deal with the fallout between her brother Cliff and the Ewing family. After Pamela loses the baby, she grows very attached to John Ross, which upsets Bobby as he wants to have a baby of his own. But unbeknownst to him, Pamela is scared that a disease she may carry could affect her child. She goes on a search for her mother when it is revealed that her father Digger is not really her father. As the season winds down, Bobby and Pamela are leaving Southfork after another of JR's schemes pushes Bobby over the edge.Ewing matriarch Miss Ellie Ewing (Barbara Bel Geddes) faces a battle with breast cancer, which forces her to get a masectomy. She keeps everything to herself as she is afraid that the change in her life will stop her husband Jock (Jim Davis) from loving her. Jock also faces a tough fight from Miss Ellie when it is revealed that he was married before he met her and divorced his wife when she developed mental problems. Jock, JR, Bobby and ranch foreman Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly) go on a hunting trip that finds them being shot at and JR and Jock's lives at stake thanks to Jock's business tactics many years earlier when he still ran Ewing Oil.Young Lucy Ewing (Charlene Tilton) is enrolled at college and starts dating a lawyer named Alan Beam (guest star Randolph Powell) who JR is using to set up Cliff Barnes. Lucy dates the young man mainly because she thinks JR hates him, but secretly, he and JR are working together to get Cliff out of the Office of Land Management. They become engaged as JR hatches a plot to get Lucy out of Dallas for good, but his plan backfires when Jock gets Alan a job in Dallas. Lucy also gets to spend time with her parents, Gary (Ted Shackleford) and Valene (Joan Van Ark) who also spin off into their own prime time soap opera Knot's Landing, during this season.And of course JR. His biggest storyline of the season is his mortgaging of Southfork to finance oil wells in Asia, wells which strike it rich and become a boon for Ewing Oil. But nationalization of the Asian wells sends JR scrambling to sell off most of his shares to his "Business partners," who in turn are dealt a staggering loss, giving any of them a motive to shoot him in the finale. He also has an affair with his wife's sister Kristin (guest star Mary Crosby), who plots with Alan Beam for revenge, giving both of them, as well as Sue Ellen, who he is planning on sending to a sanitarium, a motive to shoot him. It seems JR had a lot of enemies. No wonder the ratings were so high for the who done it show.As for extras, this set has a couple of good commentaries with Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy, including on the "A House Divided" episode, the final cliffhanger at the end of the season. There is also a featurette on the show and its popularity, particularly in dealing with the cliffhanger of JR being shot.All told, this was a great follow-up to a solid releas of the first two seasons. I never watched this show on television, mainly because I was too young, but I am thoroughly enjoying the episodes on DVD.

looking back at this is a special experience. we were encouraged in the 90s to remember Dallas as though it were little more than a tacky joke, but with a greater length of hindsight this show proves itself to be superbly written and engaging on a number of levels that today's programming simply refuses to address.there are intricate plot twists, deep characterisations and a warmth that is hard to explain.there are a few exceptions, but generally modern TV dramas are one dimensional and shallow. Dallas proves that glamour, sex and power were not enough to make a great show in the 1980s; clever storylines, sharp twists and a rich examination of the human psyche were also required.the quality of this stuff forces home the sad truth that today's society is so dumbed down that all we want is mindless trash on our TV. Dallas had everything and -- compared to today's programming -- so much more.

I'm watching these Dallas DVDs in the wrong order I realise and I now see it is this season that Dallas becomes really good not season 4 ( if anything this is slightly better ). In fact I'm tempted to give it 5 stars - it's brilliant, addictive and builds to a tremendous ( and very famous ) climax.Although there are a few one-off/stand alone episodes or storylines in this season on the whole this is the first season to be properly episodic - ie. things happen in one episode that lead onto the next episode like a true Soap. After the slightly hit and miss first/second season this is when Dallas has the confidence to be itself - and there's certainly no need to worry about viewers not tuning in to "next week's episode" - I watched the whole series in 3 days!You could list all the reasons why Dallas is great - the clever plots that weave together seamlessly, the fantastic larger than life characters and settings, the fact that there's something in it for everyone ( this season in particular has everything from bar-room brawls/Western style shootouts and rodeos to Miss Ellie's mastectomy and Pam's feelings of inadequacy as a wife with a lot of big business wheeling and dealing, sick cattle and Sue Ellen's alcoholism thrown in for good measure!) and you still couldn't do justice to it - if ever there was a show you have to watch to really appreciate it it's this one.Particular highlights of this season - the towering performance of Jim Davis as Jock and Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie, her mastectomy storyline is truly touching and well acted - who said Dallas was just escapist entertainment?Linda Gray's superb performance as Sue Ellen, she has an almost relentlessly traumatic season ( a few brief moments of happiness aside, such as when she finally bonds with her baby and her short-lived affair with Dusty ) she emerges as the true heroine of Dallas.And ofcourse Larry Hagman as JR - injecting just enough likeable traits into his basically bad charater and emerging in this season as the character we all loved to hate for the next decade or so.I don't give it 5 stars just yet because I'm being as hard as possible for the benefit of people today who may be tempted to buy this but aren't Dallas fanatics. Some people may say it's a little dated ( this season is 1979-1980 after all, Jimmy Carter was still President ), feminists will say the female characters are exploited as eye candy or victims ( Sue Ellen is a bit of both ) and the whole Southeast Asian plot doesn't stand up to analysis - what exactly is the Southeast Asian Government when it's at home? But the main reason is that brilliant though this season is, later seasons are even better so 4 stars will have to do. Also with regard to the DVD itself a few episodes weren't exactly perfect picture/sound quality.Minor flaws aside this is excellent, a must-buy and so much better than anything that's on TV today I'd definitely recommend you get this asap!P.S. there's a few special features of interest - Linda Gray and Pat Duffy's commentary on 2 episodes and a short documentary with David Jacobs/Larry Hagman about the "Who shot JR?" phenomonon.

I am so glad we ordered this from josierocks ,,->>she has been a star.The dvd was missing and she replaced it very quickly and within a few days the new one was here.We are thoroughly enjoying watching the original series,, SO much much better than the new one. J.R. at his evil, machiavellian best. If you were to purchase 1 & 2 you will be on to number 13 & 14 before you can blink.Marvellous.Larry Hagman was Dallas. and his passing, [if they make a new T.V. series of New Dallas] will be sorely missed.

I am an avid Dallas fan and had taped every episode from the TV to Video Tape which takes up a lot of room in my loft - so I decided to upgrade to Dallas on DVD! - Very Good Quality, Speedy Delivery and I am enjoying watching the series all over again. I would highly recommend this product and the Seller

Having just wached one episode - many more to go - excellent quality (was a bit worried as discs looked blank, but all okay). Title written very small in the middle of disc. Forget how good this was - beats Eastenders hands down. Great value for money as loads of episodes to watch. New series coming back on TV soon!