TV has had countless cliffhangers in its history, but nothing still beats one mystery from a CBS series that left 83 million looking for plot answers in 1980. While also effective in movies, small-screen narratives are the best avenue for lingering storylines, especially on network and cable shows that have set return dates every year. In the last few decades, several notable cliffhangers have continued to be a favorite topic of conversation among avid TV watchers
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HBO left fans wondering if Jon Snow lived after his stabbing in the Game of Thrones season 5 finale; meanwhile, AMC kept viewers wondering who Negan killed in The Walking Dead season 6 capper. A few years earlier, Lost had two buzzworthy cliffhangers, involving Boone and Locke discovering a hatch that went underground and its flash-forward scene. NBC’s The Good Place season 1 finale floored everyone with Eleanor’s epiphany and ABC’s Friends season 4 finale, when Ross mistakenly said Rachel’s name during his wedding to Emily.
Dallas Season 3 Ended With JR’s Shooting Cliffhanger On March 21, 1980
While all of the aforementioned cliffhangers were perfectly executed and indisputably memorable, the biggest cliffhanger in TV history actually happened nearly half a century ago in CBS’s Dallas. Running from 1978 to 1991, the series followed two high society families in Texas, who also happened to be in constant conflict with each other. At the heart of the show was Bobby and Pam’s marriage, who were from the feuding clans.
Over time, however, Dallas expanded its narrative, with Bobby’s older brother, J.R., becoming a prominent character. Regarded as the series’ villain, he was at the center of TV’s most prominent cliffhanger with the “Who Shot J.R.” mystery. Dallas season 3 finale, “A House Divided,” ended with J.R. getting shot while working late at his office. Considering how he spent the rest of the outing pretty much antagonizing and sabotaging everyone, it made it difficult to pinpoint who actually committed the crime. Unfortunately for fans, since it was the year-ender for the show, they had to wait months for the answer.
When Did Dallas Solve The Cliffhanger & Who Actually Shot JR?
The cliffhanger got so big that throughout the eight-month TV cycle break, CBS used the “Who Shot J.R.” campaign to drum up hype. Merchandise was sold with the catchphrase, which became very popular during the summer break. The mystery transcended the TV industry, as it became a cultural talking point not just in the United States but also in other countries.
CBS ended the “Who Shot J.R.” campaign in Dallas season 4, episode 4, “Who Done It.” It revealed that Kristin Shepard, his sister-in-law and former mistress, committed the crime after an intense argument. The suspect tried framing Sue Ellen, his wife, for the attempted murder, but the truth eventually came out. Between 83 million and 90 million American viewers tuned in to find out who the culprit was, which translated to a whopping 76% of all U.S. viewers (via NYT). For a time, “Who Done It” was the highest-rated TV episode ever, until it was broken in February 1983 by MASH‘s finale.
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