Dallas: Who Shot JR. - Can someone explain this

[pegusus]

ok so i'm watching the emmy's (i know i'm gay) and they mention how this show still holds the record for like biggest viewership when this episode came on. I've heard about this a few times but I've never seen one episode of this show and don't really know anything about it. I know it's before my time but there are other shows before my time that I've seen or heard about more so I'm just wondering to anyone who was around then what was the gist of this show or the big deal about it that even like 30 years later it still holds the record for most viewership. I find that absolutely insane that this show could hold this record this long esp. granted there are more tvs nowadays and idk i guess people watch more tv.

[amplify]

somebody shot JR.
we didn't know who.
turns out, once we found out, we didn't care.
I thought the final MASH held the record.

[Yeti]

the record is held by the finale of MASH fwiw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ision_episodes

[inside??]

I doubt it will ever be broken since now there are 1000 different channels vs 2 for most people back then.

[Quicksilvre]

[ QUOTE ]
nd they mention how this show still holds the record for like biggest viewership when this episode came on.

[/ QUOTE ]

If they meant ratings, I believe the M*A*S*H series finale is the highest rated TV program of all time. If they meant total viewers, then I'm sure that it must be a World Cup final (internationally) or a Super Bowl (just US).

ldo

As for your question of why it captivated so many people...dunno. It was before my time. In any case none of these top-five or top-ten TV episodes in ratings are likely to be bumped from their spots; cable/satellite TV and the Internet spread people too thin nowadays.

Edit: dang it amplify/Yeti, stop being so fast

[ncboiler]

Dallas was on of the biggest shows on the air at the time and JR was one of the most popular/hated characters at the time. The show was big with the women and they live for this kind of [censored].

[Chips Ahoy]

There were only 3 channels then. The worst rated show with only 3 channels had a bigger audience than the best rated show today with many more choices. So, a show with buzz had really big numbers.

[mason55]

it was allll a dream

[ncboiler]

[ QUOTE ]


it was allll a dream

[/ QUOTE ]

Most stupid, asinine, retarded, unimaginative, _______, ______,plot line ever.

[JuntMonkey]

After watching the E! True Hollywood Story: Dallas in October of 2001, I became obsessed with the "Who Shot J.R.?" phenomenon. The DVD's didn't start coming out until 2005, but when they did I started buying them. J.R. gets shot at the end of Season Three (which is really Season Two, as Season One is only like 6 episodes). I took a reasonable break and then started on Season Four. They actually do not give it away in the first episode, it's not until the third or fourth.

After I learned the identity I almost completely lost interest and have stopped watching the show. So basically I watched 3.5 seasons of television for one moment. It was worth it as I love the 80's.

The reasons for it being so popular and the high ratings have already been explained. Imagine the "what's in the hatch?" Lost cliffhanger over the course of a summer if there were only 3-4 channels in existence. Who Shot J.R. was the first major season-ending cliffhanger.

Incidentally, should I buy the official (and new) Who Shot J.R. shirt or make one that says "I Know Who Shot J.R."?