The Day the World Stopped to See Who Shot That Smug Smirkin' J.R. Ewing: A Tale of Ratings Records and Cliffhangers of Epic Proportions
Remember the good ol' days of appointment television? Back when everyone gathered around the flickering box at the same time, united by a single dramatic question? Well, folks, in 1980, that question was: Who shot J.R. Ewing?
Yep, J.R., the oil baron with a smile that could curdle milk and a moral compass that pointed due south, got himself shot on the season finale of Dallas. And let me tell you, the world went into meltdown.
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| How Many People Watched Dallas Who Shot Jr |
A Cliffhanger of National Importance
The season ended with J.R. sprawled on the floor, clutching his gut and gasping for air. A whole lot of characters had a motive, from his scorned ex-mistresses to his ever-scheming family. The producers were diabolical geniuses (or maybe just really good at cliffhangers). This wasn't just a whodunit for the Carringtons, this was a whodunit for America!
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Ratings That Blew Up the Nielsen Box
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Eight agonizing months later, the answer finally arrived. The episode revealing the culprit, aptly titled "Who Done It?", became a television event. An estimated 83 million Americans tuned in, which at the time was a record-breaking number of viewers. That's more people than voted in the entire presidential election that year! Apparently, the American public cared deeply about who put J.R. out of commission (although, let's be honest, some of those viewers might have secretly been cheering).
The Global Phenomenon of J.R.'s Downfall
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But the drama wasn't just contained within the US borders. This was an international phenomenon! An estimated 350 million people around the world tuned in to see who iced J.R. Newspapers ran headlines speculating on the culprit. Even the Turkish parliament was suspended so legislators could catch the big reveal!
So, Whodunit? (Spoiler Alert: It's Not Santa)
Okay, okay, I won't leave you hanging. The culprit turned out to be Kristin Shepard, J.R.'s sister-in-law and former flame. Talk about a tangled web of Ewing family drama!
How Many People Watched Dallas: Who Shot J.R.? FAQ
- How many people watched the episode "Who Done It?" An estimated 83 million viewers in the US alone.
- Did the "Who shot J.R.?" cliffhanger break any records? Yes! It was the highest-rated television episode in US history at the time.
- Was the "Who shot J.R.?" phenomenon just an American thing? Nope! An estimated 350 million people around the world tuned in.
- Who ended up shooting J.R.? Kristin Shepard, his sister-in-law and former lover. (Plot twist!)
- Is J.R. still dead? Spoiler alert (for a very old show): No, he miraculously recovered and continued his scheming ways.
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