Who Done It (Dallas episode)

Infobox Television episode
Series = Dallas
Title = Who Done it
Season = 3
Episode = 4
Production = 58
Airdate = November 21, 1980
Writer = Loraine Despres
Director = Leonard Katzman
Guests = Mary Crosby as Kristin Shepard
Susan Howard as Donna Culver
Leigh McCloskey as Mitch Cooper
Laurence Haddon as Franklin Horner
Jeff Cooper as Dr. Simon Elby
Tom Fuccello as Dave Culver
Tyler Banks as John Ross Ewing III
Prev = Nightmare
Next = Taste of Success

"Who Done It" is the fourth episode in the third season (1980-1981) of the television series "Dallas".

Overview

'"Who Done It'" resolved the "Who shot J.R.?" cliffhanger from the previous season. It gained the highest rating of any television episode in US history, a record it held until February 1983 when the final episode of "M*A*S*H" aired. "Who Done It" remains second on the list of all-time most watched television episodes.

Plot summary

After a considerable number of suspects have been identified, Sue Ellen deduces that it was Kristin who shot J.R. At her psychiatrist's office, as she is discussing the gun and how it made its way to her bedroom, she remembers that the last time it was in her possession was when she was at Kristin's condo. She finds J.R. at home, when Kristin shows up and Sue Ellen reveals all.

Apparently, when Sue Ellen showed up at her sister's apartment with the gun (looking for J.R.), Kristin calmly offered her a drink, with the knowledge that she was drunk and would most likely pass out. Once that happened, after placing Sue Ellen back in her car, unconscious, Kristin took the gun and used it to shoot J.R., the next day planting the gun in Sue Ellen's closet in order to frame her.

After J.R. hears everything and is about to notify the police, Kristin drops a bombshell of her own: she is pregnant with J.R.'s baby and threatens to reveal everything if the police are brought in. Facing the prospect of another scandal should his child be born in prison, J.R. decides the matter should be handled quietly.

Trivia

The revelation that Kristin was the shooter was one of several scenes filmed in which Jock, Miss Ellie, Bobby, Lucy, Sue Ellen, Pam, Cliff, Vaughn Leland, Marilee Stone, Jordan Lee, and Alan Beam all took turns being the shooter. Due to the amount of enemies J.R. made, many people would have good reason to shoot him. As a joke Larry Hagman was even filmed shooting himself. In a reunion documentary in 2005, J.R. is seen telling everyone, "Missed!" Then he drank his rum and soda and, in true cartoon fashion, leaks from several places like a human sieve.