Dallas - Season 13 [DVD] [Dual Disc Format]*

This season is Dallas 'last hurrah' as the following year it was cancelled.

You can really feel the writers trying desperately to revive the show, covering up the loss of so many original cast members by bringing in sexy new arrivals and with an opening credit that really gave the show a more dramatic, less 80's throw back, feel.

Inducing the wonderful Lesley Anne Down (star of TV films and the miniseries North & South) as a powerful 90's career woman (a possible match for JR?) was a stroke of genius and the arrival of Sasha Mitchell as JR's grown up son, all muscle and quaffed hair was also fantastic. Kimberly Foster (whatever happened to her?) also helped spice things up as April's scheming minx little sister.

Its a shame though that these new arrivals hog all the best storyline's and scripts, leaving poor Miss Ellie & Clayton with a nonsense 'murder mystery' to solve (which kept them both away from Southfolk far too much) and Lucy, only just returned, had nothing to do it seemed except answer the 'phone and give messages.

I think the writers missed one big trick though by not keeping the character of Vanessa (played by the striking Gayle Hunnicutt) around longer. It would have been interesting to see her battle Cally for JR's affections and try life at Southfolk, especially as Hunnicutt portrayed her with such class and grace.

There are some fab moments, some great 'topical' storylines (the oil spill for example) and the season cliffhanger when finally someone gets one over on good ol' JR is wonderful to behold. Perhaps if the network and stuck with Dallas and they'd continue to push the show forward (making it more Melrose Place) it could've lasted longer. Regardless, this season shows that the grand dame of 80's supersoap at least went down fighting. Enjoy!!

Oh dear ! This was a brave attempt by the producers and writers to revive the series after the accumulative blows of Pam,Ray,Jenna,Charlie,Sue Ellen and Jeremy Wendell upping sticks and leaving.This was to be the last time we saw Miss Ellie and in the next season Clayton is hardly seen at all.Lucy has little to do as well and it is the last full series with April Stevens.

They try hard by rehashing old chestnuts about Jock's old friends and have a Pam lookalike cropping up.Also there is a mini-resurgence in the Barnes-Ewing feud.JR & Bobby face a new rival in Carter Mackay who is played by the great actor George Kennedy.That is the one worthy new addition to the cast and it works very well indeed.He has many interesting storyline's as his son dies due to drugs and as he gets married as well.April's sister is very annoying indeed as is JR's illegitimate son James.Just as Murder She Wrote got too Dallas style towards to end of its run just so Dallas gets positively Agatha Christie as Clayton and Miss Ellie tackle a mystery or two.Cathy Podewell tries hard as Cally and you cannot blame her for not being Linda Grey as Sue Ellen.

It is clear from this season that a fine cast is crumbling away and the writers have run out of ideas.Just watch the mini-series that started it and then watch a few episodes of this and you can see why Lorrimar had to end things.The quality of the show had gone downhill.This season is a poor relation to previous ones as there are a diminishing number of the cast that we really loved and gave the show a feel good factor.

When doing the reunion movies in 1996 & 1998 they should have learnt from this and used more of the original cast.But that said it is nice to see JR going ten to the dozen with the usual bad behavior,Bobby wowing the ladies and Cliff proving that you underrate him at you peril !

This is a wise purchase for Dallas fans who cannot grasp why their beloved show had to end.Watching it explains why viewing figures where waning.

DALLAS - Season 13
Not the best Season starting to loose it, its not the show i fell in love with exciting stories and can't wait to next Episode now its 'Is this Episode finish Yet'.
Linda Gray is sadly missed.Lucy Gets No Main storyline but great on liners against J.R Which Are Funny.
We get Kimberly Foster as Michelle Stevens, Lesley-Anne Down as Stephanie Rogers (Pointless Character)
Sasha Mitchell as James Beaumont (A Great Addition To The Show)

Stupid Story-lines:
The all Pam Look a Like Bobby falling for her (yawn)
Murder Mystery With Clayton And Miss Ellie (Boring) Its Murder She Wrote Rip Off
Unseaworthy tanker (Double Yawn)

Piture 7/10
Sound 9/10