Season Three

Dallas was on a roll! By season three, it had transitioned from stand-alone episodes to a true serial format. Overall, the season ranked as number six. By season's end, everyone was asking, "Who shot J.R.?"

Midway through the season, Knots Landing premiered on December 27, 1979. Dallas characters crossed over to the cul-de-sac for three episodes this season:

• Bobby appeared in "Pilot" on December 27, 1979

• J.R. appeared in "Community Spirit" on January 3, 1980

• Lucy appeared in "Home is for the Healing" on January 31, 1980

More information about the crossover episodes can be found on the Knots Landing page.

Sue Ellen isn't showing any interest in Baby John. Cliff thinks he is the father. Lawyer Alan Beam comes to town and pairs up with J.R.

The family comes together to find out who kidnapped the baby. Bobby suspects Cliff , J.R. suspects former associates, while Pam suspects someone else.

Kristin comes to Southfork and J.R. takes an interest. Digger has a medical issue, but Pam and Cliff keep quiet about the possibility of baby John having the genetic disorder passed down from Digger.

Valene returns to Dallas seeking Lucy's forgiveness. Pam does not tell Bobby about her pregnancy.

Bobby learns about Pam's pregnancy. J.R. hires Kristen as a secretary at Ewing Oil J.R. makes a business deal that may put Southfork at risk.

Miss Ellie gets some bad news. The Ewing men go on a hunting trip but run into trouble with someone with an old grudge. Jock shares a secret with J.R.

J.R. becomes suspicious of Sue Ellen's trips into town. Bobby befriends Luke Middens. Pam has an accident.

At the annual Ewing rodeo, Sue Ellen is drawn to Dusty Farlow. Digger gets his first look at John Ross. Ray learns why Donna Culver went back to her husband.

Jock confesses a secret. Fearful of him leaving, Miss Ellie tries to keep a secret of her own. She undergoes a mastectomy when her breast tumor is found to be cancerous. Sue Ellen spends time with Dusty. Alan continues J.R.'s plan to get Cliff out of the way by urging Cliff to run for Congress.

Miss Ellie falls deeper into despair following her mastectomy. She is angry at Jock for keeping something from her for 40 years. Digger tells Miss Ellie he still loves her. Lucy is afraid. Jock and Bobby find out about J.R.'s plan to displace Cliff, but Jock backs J.R. Dusty tries to convince Sue Ellen to leave J.R.

Lucy throws herself at Alan Beam, who sees her as a ticket to the good life. Pam learns from Cliff that J.R. is up to something. Bobby looks into J.R.'s dealings and discovers the Asian oil deal.

A typhoon delays J.R.'s drilling in Asia as his bank loan becomes due. Bobby uncovers that J.R. has mortgaged Southfork and he is forced to tell Jock and Ellie that they may lose everything. Ellie makes a supreme sacrifice in an effort to save her home.

Sue Ellen's avoidance of her own baby becomes a source of conflict between her and J.R. When he sees the pain Ellie is going through preparing to pump oil out of Southfork, Jock decides to sell the Asian oil leases even though it means losing millions. J.R. tries to stop him. Ray finds a skeleton. After fighting with Cliff, Sue Ellen's interest in John Ross leaves Pam feeling as if she has “lost” another child.

Gary and Valene are back in Dallas and plan to be remarried. J.R. and Kristin go on a 'business trip' and are interrupted by Kristin's ex-boyfriend, Rudy Millington as well as news of the wedding.

This episode led directly into the pilot of Knots Landing which debuted the next evening.

J.R. thinks bringing Bobby back into Ewing Oil will keep Jock out of the office and at home with Miss Ellie. J.R. works to get Pam a promotion while she and Bobby disagree about the time she spends working. Ray and Donna Culver reconnect after the death of her husband.

Kristin tells J.R. about the relationship between Lucy and Alan Beam. J.R. works the romance to his own advantage by encouraging him to marry Lucy.

Cliff announces he is quitting the race for Congress. A drunk Digger tells a reporter that Cliff is the father of Sue Ellen's baby. As a result of legal action, Sue Ellen, J.R., and Cliff take blood tests to prove once and for all the baby's actual paternity.

Sue Ellen goes closer to Dusty Pam goes on a buyer's trip to Paris with Harrison Page and Bobby has a picnic with Jenna Wade, who is back in town. Ray decides to break up with Donna as he believes he has nothing in common with her.

Dusty wants Sue Ellen to leave J.R. but J.R. won't give up John Ross. As Bobby and Pam's marriage is strained, Jenna pays Pam a visit and declares her intentions. Donna tries to reconcile with Ray.

J.R. pressures Alan to marry Lucy. Cliff suddenly runs out of campaign money. Jock arranges for Alan to become a partner in Harv Smithfield's law firm. Lucy realizes she isn't really in love. Sue Ellen publicly plays the loving wife.

Sue Ellen's plan to get dirt on J.R. does not go as planned. Kristin joins J.R. to discredit Sue Ellen once he agrees to marry her.

As a new assistant district attorney, Cliff reopens the investigation into a thirty-year-old murder on Southfork unearthing clues that point to Jock. Sue Ellen prepares to leave J.R. and her baby when she hears about Dusty Farlow's tragic end.

Jock is put on trial for the murder of Hutch McKinney. J.R. is afraid testifying will incriminate his father. Sue Ellen deals with Dusty's death by turning to alcohol. Digger dies but not before making a shocking confession.

While Jock and most of the family travels to Colorado to visit Amanda, Sue Ellen stays in Dallas continues drinking. When J.R. gets bad news about the Asian oil leases he uses unsuspecting cartel members to get himself out of hot water.

J.R.'s business dealings ruin relationships with the cartel. Kristin and Alan look for a way to get revenge against J.R. J.R. wants Sue Ellen back in rehab. Bobby and Pam are disgusted when J.R. finds a way to cheat Cliff and leave Southfork.

Cliffhanger: Who shot J.R.?