The Shot Viewed Round the World - March 21, 2007

Murderers don't like witnesses; there's something about homicide that brings out the loner in people. But an attempted murder on the evening of March 21, 1980, wasn't like most shootings: this violent act had 300 million witnesses.  Ruthless Texas oilman J.R. Ewing was gunned down and left for dead by a person or persons unknown in his Dallas office. The crime captured the world's attention for eight months as fans and armchair detectives around the globe tried to answer the burning question: Who shot J.R.? Was it Sue Ellen, J.R.'s long-suffering wife? Was it Bobby, his brother? Or did his mother, Miss Ellie, finally reach the limits of her patience?  When the answer finally came in November, 83.6 million Americans were interested enough to give the show the then-largest audience in TV history (it still ranks second if one excludes Super Bowls). If you weren't one of the millions glued to the set to find out who did shoot J.R., we won't spoil the mystery. But we will warn you, never underestimate the power of a woman scorned. Suggested Sites... Fandom: Dallas Wiki - episode guides, bios of characters and actors, and more. From Dallas to Spoiler Alerts, the Rise and Fall of the Cliffhanger - David Sims of The Atlantic examines the cultural impact. Wikipedia: Cliffhangers - a history of things that are "To Be Continued." To Be DIScontinued - a history of TV shows that were supposed to resolve -- but didn't. Who Shot Mr. Burns? - if it's good enough for Dallas, it's good enough for Springfield.