Middlin’ along
Dallas Decoder will soon begin critiquing the original show’s eighth season, which aired from 1984 to 1985. Here are 18 reasons to love it.
Side eye
18. Whenever Pam throws shade. She does it a lot this season.
Metaphor much?
17. When Bobby stops wearing shades. Those things are as big as Southfork!
In good hands with him
16. Dr. President David Palmer. Babe’s farmer shows up too.
Bitches be crazy
15. This nut finally gets caught. Even better: She gets away.
Genus: Hipsterous precursorous
14. Eddie’s wall of hats. Keep on trucking, dude.
Me, me, me
13. Mandy’s wall of Mandy. Keep it classy, honey.
Be nice, J.R.
12. Jamie’s makeover. “What’s next? Are we going to cap her teeth?”
Don’t poke out his eye
11. These lapels. All hail Sue Ellen, intergalactic space empress!
Never change, Ray
10. Ray’s workout gear. It’s also the outfit he wears to weddings, funerals, birthdays and bar mitzvahs.
Blonde ambition
9. This. I bet Jordan helped do her hair.
Groin show
8. Sue Ellen’s parting shot. Who kneed J.R.?
Far out
7. Road trip! Best part of this storyline: Philip Chan guest stars as Edward Chan.
Stay. Please.
6. Jenna goes to jail. She also gets out. (Can’t have everything.)
Eat your heart out, Harv
5. Scotty Demarest. “It is a sy-lun-suh.”
Swoon!
4. Cousin Jack. Best mole since Julie Grey’s.
Beats the sanitarium
3. “The Institute for Advanced Awareness.” Because if anyone needs their awareness advanced, it’s her.
Again with the metaphors
2. We don’t like tomato juice either. But we never turn down eggs and toast.
Death is but a dream
1. “Swan Song.” Who cares if the last few scenes are a dream? This is “Dallas’s” finest hour. (Or its finest hour-and-a-half, if you want to get technical about it.)
Why do you love “Dallas’s” eighth season? Share your comments below and read more “Dal-Lists.”
Dallas Decoder 
Can’t wait for your critiques Chris – what took you so long? I love the actor who played Scotty Demarest (what a wonderful name).
Season 8, though still good, is the first “silly” season of Dallas, by which I mean the moderate silliness that was always there but more than counter-balanced by the great drama is now the other way round.
Nevertheless, bring it on!
Bring on the critiques
Hope you enjoy them!
Season 8 is the first “silly” season of Dallas, by which I mean the silliness that was always there to an extent, but more than counter-balanced by the great drama, is now the other way around.
Still, bring it on!
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, Paul. Thanks!
what about the new and really improved Miss Ellie?
Is she really all that new, or improved?
Is she really improved? Or new?
In my books, albeit if not new… she really is improved… sorry for all BBG fans… but Donna Reed was a better actress…and she did a great job in this part… sadly her last
Thanks for this. A lot of fans feel differently than you, so I appreciate hearing this perspective.
Love this season Can’t wait for your great reviews! VP shines in this season. She looks so beautiful and she has well grown into her role here. Swan Song is indeed Dallas finest hour. Travilla is great. The ball. This season is grand.
Thanks, Dan. Hopefully you’ll enjoy the critiques!
I totally agree with Dan. VP is amazing in this season. I fell in love with Pam all over again during season 8, in terms of her physical beauty and the material she was given.
can’t wait for the critiques… indeed, season eight would have been the perfect moment to end dallas…it could have gone in a blaze of glory…best season for Dallas as a daytime TV drama as it was supposed to be…best costumes without the silliness of the next year’s plots…best costumes and consistent dressing up of the female characters…the return of BBG will bring two Travilla dresses and a sack on set on any given scene..In season 8 everything is as shouid be in terms of soapland parallel universes…loved them all including Sue Ellen herpes in Hong Kong. .bring them on Chris…
Herpes in Hong Kong? I don’t remember that storyline!
not a storyline it’s just that if you look closely… Sue Ellen sports a big herpes during the hong kong expedition… or so i see it…maybe i’m wrong…:)
Season 8 was certainly wonderful spectacle – I imagine the budget reached it’s all time peak this year, including an amazing trip to Hong Kong that was actually filmed in Hong Kong!
I think this was the season the dreaded Dynasty nudged ahead of Dallas in the ratings, but if they had gone to Hong Kong there would have been some stock footage of Hong Kong with a caption saying “Hong Kong” and then cut to some obvious studio interiors in Hollywood – Dallas was still the classier of the two shows, even in this season where they were, to some extent, just coasting along.
As the President of Ewing Oil Co. Lt.-Canada, I, R. J. Koopmans order you to do 36 seasons to love season 9, 72 to love season 10 & so on! Can u handle that boy? Brothers Bob & J.R. could!
Have mercy. Let me get through Season 8 first. …
hello chris where is my comment
Which comment, R.J.?
Never mind. I found a comment from you in the spam folder. I approved it and now it’s posted. Sorry about that.
Anonymous said Donna Reed was a better actress than BBG, what have you been smoking or drinking? Donna Reed was not a good actress maybe in her early days although I have never seen her act besides A Wonderful Life, but she was no way better, thank God BBG came back!!!!!
These are great picks CB and funny, love it !!!!!
Thanks, MaryAnn!