This most extravagant of soap operas, which ran for 13 years, reached its height in the 1980s when its celebration of conspicuous consumption caught the mood of the times. It centred on the Ewing family, Texan oil millionaires constantly at war with each other. The main inhabitants of Southfork Ranch were: father Jock (Jim Davis) mother Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) warring sons JR, Gary and Bobby (Larry Hagman, David Ackroyd and Patrick Duffy) and their wives.
Most of the best-known plot lines involved eldest son JR, everyone's favourite villain, and his drunken wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) whose love-hate relationship is sustained throughout the series. However, plenty of melodrama was provided by other relatives such as Bobby's beautiful but dim-witted wife Pamela (Victoria Principal) and Gary's scheming daughter Lucy (Charlene Tilton.) When not fighting with each other, the Ewings had plenty of energy to spare for their mortal enemy, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval.)
Most of the best-known plot lines involved eldest son JR, everyone's favourite villain, and his drunken wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) whose love-hate relationship is sustained throughout the series. However, plenty of melodrama was provided by other relatives such as Bobby's beautiful but dim-witted wife Pamela (Victoria Principal) and Gary's scheming daughter Lucy (Charlene Tilton.) When not fighting with each other, the Ewings had plenty of energy to spare for their mortal enemy, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval.)