of three networks. >> more than 30 million people are addicted to it. social critics are mystified by its success. what is it? it's television's prime time prairie potboiler "dallas." >> a move like that will destroy all of ewing oil and ruin our family name! >> i assure you, a thought like that never crossed my mind. >> brother or no brother, whatever it takes, i'll stop you from destroying ewing oil. >> "dallas" really did establish new ground in terms of a weekly one-hour show that literally captivated america for 13 years. >> "dallas" is a television show which in some ways is rooted in the 1970s. and one of the crazy things that emerges is this character, j.r. ewing, as a pop phenomenon. >> tell me, j.r., which slut are you going to stay with tonight? >> what difference does it make? whoever it is, it's got to be more interesting than the slut i'm looking at right now. >> he was such a delicious villain. everyone was completely enamored by this character. >> at this point, so many people were watching television that