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Dallas

Dallas

A family ruthless in its quest for power and passion.

1978–1991Ended14 seasons356 episodes~60 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

The world's first mega-soap, and one of the most popular ever produced, Dallas had it all. Beautiful women, expensive cars, and men playing Monopoly with real buildings. Famous for one of the best cliffhangers in TV history, as the world asked "Who shot J.R.?" A slow-burner to begin with, Dallas hit its stride in the 2nd season, with long storylines and expert character development. Dallas ruled the airwaves in the 1980's.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dallas?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dallas to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Dallas?

Dallas earns 5 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Dallas worth watching?

Dallas' Midcredits score is the 54th percentile of all shows, from 19K ratings across 2 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

54th percentile

Better received than 54% of shows

50th percentile among Drama40th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)48th
Approval (how many liked it)60th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

70 /100

48th percentile of all shows

47th percentile among Drama37th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

75% liked it

60th percentile of all shows

54th percentile among Drama48th percentile among 1970s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

19K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Drama97th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 17% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps acknowledge the show's massive cultural impact and Larry Hagman's unforgettable performance as JR Ewing, even if they disagree on the show's overall quality.

Fans praised

  • Larry Hagman's scene-stealing charisma as JR Ewing
  • The groundbreaking season-finale cliffhanger format, especially 'Who Shot J.R.?'
  • The Ewing/Barnes feud and family power struggles

Detractors panned

  • The infamous dream sequence that erased a whole season's plotline
  • The show overstaying its welcome, with later seasons losing quality
  • Plotlines becoming increasingly far-fetched and less credible over time

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Larry Hagman's iconic performance as JR Ewing is universally acknowledged, with fans praising his charisma and even detractors conceding his dominance.

CharactersDivisive80

Richly drawn characters like JR, Bobby, and Sue Ellen, though some later arcs became repetitive or unbelievable.

TensionDivisive80

The 'Who Shot J.R.?' cliffhanger and ongoing business feuds are highlighted as suspenseful, though some find later plots contrived.

OriginalityDivisive80

Pioneered the prime-time soap format and the season-ending cliffhanger, making it a blueprint for later shows.

AtmosphereDivisive75

The blend of Texas oil wealth, family drama, and suspense creates a compelling, immersive world.

Plot and storyDivisive70

The central Ewing/Barnes feud and business intrigue are praised, but the dream sequence and later seasons are heavily criticized for losing coherence.

PacingDivisive60

Early seasons are praised for tight storytelling, but later seasons drag with stretched plots.

Emotional impactDivisive60

Fans feel invested in the characters' fates, but the dream sequence undermines emotional stakes for some.

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 23 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 39 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart

Episodes

14 seasons

Season 14 · 1990 · 23 episodes

  • S14E1

    April in Paris

    Nov 2, 199045 min
  • S14E2

    Charade

    Nov 9, 199045 min
  • S14E3

    One Last Kiss

    Nov 16, 199045 min
  • S14E4

    Terminus

    Nov 23, 199045 min
  • S14E5

    Tunnel of Love

    Nov 30, 199045 min
  • S14E6

    Heart and Soul

    Dec 7, 199045 min

Watch experience

What is Dallas like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
SerializedOne continuous story
ToneDallas plays its melodramatic conflicts with a straight face, allowing J.R.'s sardonic edge to provide wry humor.
The rideThe show sustains a tense, dramatic atmosphere with frequent shifts between high-stakes business maneuvering and personal turmoil, peaking in the middle seasons.
StructureThe story is told in a linear three-act structure across episodes and seasons, no notable non-linear devices.
Episode formatThe show is a continuous serial following the Ewing family's ongoing business and personal conflicts, with each season building on the last.
Season formatEach season continues the same overarching storylines and character arcs for the Ewing family.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayViewers leave smiling at the over-the-top schemes and family drama, satisfied by the guilty-pleasure entertainment.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series centers on the Ewing-Barnes feud, with J.R. Ewing as the manipulative tyrant that the family and rivals must overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 2% · Class 4% (this title) · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Power

Power · 5% of showsCorruption · 3% of showsClass · 4% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show is centrally about how wealth and control are wielded, and how the pursuit of power corrupts family and personal relationships.
StanceThe show observes the moral compromises and power dynamics within a wealthy Texan family without overtly celebrating or condemning its characters.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralRealistic
Supportive music · original score
SettingThe oil-rich world of the Ewing family in Dallas, Texas
MusicThe iconic theme tune and dramatic orchestral cues punctuate key plot turns.

Content guide

Is Dallas okay for kids?

TV-14

Dallas is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany12
  • Brazil12
  • FinlandK12
  • Netherlands12
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Dallas have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dallas?

Cast

Larry Hagman
as J.R. Ewing
Ken Kercheval
as Cliff Barnes
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Patrick Duffy
as Bobby Ewing
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Linda Gray
as Sue Ellen Ewing
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Barbara Bel Geddes
as Miss Ellie Ewing
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Steve Kanaly
as Ray Krebbs
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Howard Keel
as Clayton Farlow
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Victoria Principal
as Pamela Barnes Ewing
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Charlene Tilton
as Lucy Ewing Cooper
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Susan Howard
as Donna Culver Krebbs

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like Dallas include Avonlea (1990), Bonanza (1959) and The Young and the Restless (1973).

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