Who Shot JR?

The TV drama “Dallas” commanded a popular following in the late 1970s. But its fan base rocketed to the stratosphere when it ended a season with an unknown assailant shooting the villainous lead character, J.R. Ewing. “Who shot JR?” became not just a minor puzzle for gossip but instead captured the nation’s attention as if it were the assassination of a beloved political figure. Speculation about potential suspects and conspiracy theories filtered through millions of conversations. When the mystery was finally cleared up eight months later, some 83 million television viewers tuned in to watch.