Season 3 - Episode Guide

Sue Ellen returns home from the hospital, but is not a thrilled new mom. The family worries she is sinking into depression, not caring about anything, including her new baby. J.R begins to mentor Dallas's newest lawyer, Alan Beam. The rest of the family, minus Sue Ellen, take frequent trips into the hospital to visit John Ross, still too weak to come home. Unfortunately, this does not go on for long because JR and Sue Ellen learn from a group of reporters that John Ross has been kidnapped.

Jock is set up by a hoaxer, Bobby thinks Cliff may have taken John Ross, and hunts him down. J.R gets a call from Ames and Garr claiming they have the child and demand a ransom. Pamela, Bobby and Cliff work together to find the baby, leading them to a bereaved mother.

Sue Ellen's mother, and predatory sister, Kristin, arrive at Southfork for a visit to see baby John Ross, much to Lucy's displeasure. Digger Barnes is back in Dallas visiting Cliff and Pam, but he's not well. He's diagnosed with a genetic disease which affects the whole family. Though they know that John Ross may be Cliff's son, he and Pam decide to keep the disease a secret. Meanwhile, J.R starts to take a closer look at Sue Ellen's baby sister.

Pam continues to worry about her family's health and its possible effects on John Ross, and her pregnancy. Valene returns to town, determined to have Lucy forgive her. She enlists Bobby's help, but Lucy is not receptive.

J.R can't keep his eyes off Sue-Ellen's sister, Kristin, so he gives her a job at Ewing Oil, and moves her into the Ewing condo. Pam tells Bobby about her pregnancy, but says nothing about her disease. J.R. continues to secretly finance Cliff Barnes' election campaign, and also mortgages the Southfork Ranch for his drilling project in southeast Asia.

J.R. and Jock get wounded by sniper fire when three of Jock's enemies from the past catch up with him during a hunting trip to Louisiana. In his pain, Jock reveals a secret about his past. Miss Ellie pays a worrying visit to the hospital.

Sue Ellen is unhappy with her marriage to J.R. and she looks for psychiatric help. J.R. is stalling over Jock's request about Amanda. Pam has an accident- she falls down from her horse and loses her baby again. She finally tells Bobby about her hereditary disease.

It's Ewing Rodeo day, and the family is out in force, with both Bobby and Ray showing their riding skills. Sue Ellen has her head turned by cowboy Dusty Farlow at a restaurant. J.R. is does not approve and makes it very clear to Dusty - and Sue Ellen. Ellie is preoccupied. A clean and sober Digger comes to the rodeo to see John Ross III.

J.R.'s stalling over Jock's request for Amanda's will provision is revealed. Sue Ellen continues to meet with Dusty, who encourages her to leave J.R. Miss Ellie receives the news she dreaded about her breast. She doesn't tell Jock because in the past he left his first wife Amanda because she became ill. She goes into the hospital for treatment.

Miss Ellie's tumor is completely removed along with her breast, but she falls into a depression, fearing losing Jock. Lucy can't handle Ellie's operation and avoids her. J.R. reveals his plan for dealing with Cliff.

It's Jock's birthday, and J.R. stages a fight with Alan Bean at his party, attracting Lucy's eye, but in pursuing him, she witnesses an important meeting. Miss Ellie is still struggling with her self-image. Bobby investigates J.R's Asian project.

The drilling in Asia run into serious trouble because of a typhoon and the banks demand their loan back. The Ewings are shocked to learn J.R. has mortgaged Southfork. However, the ranch has substantial oil reserves below. Will Miss Ellie allow drilling on Southfork to save Ewing Oil?

Pam is getting closer to baby John Ross. The section 40 well on Southfork is uncapped. Jock takes control, and wants to sell the Asian field leases, leaving J.R. feeling undermined and rejected. Sue Ellen feels no-one cares about her, and she can't feel for her baby in return. A disturbing discovery is found where Ray is building his house.

It's Gary's birthday, and Miss Ellie is missing him terribly. She begs Lucy to find Gary through Valene. J.R. takes Kristin off for another "business trip", which doesn't go quite as planned. Meanwhile Gary shows up in Bobby's office and agrees to meet Miss Ellie, who is overjoyed.

Pam throws herself into work to make up for not spending time with the baby, at the expense of time with Bobby. J.R. plots to get rid of Jock by getting Bobby back into the office. Ray and Donna start seeing each other after Sam Culver's death. Pam lets a secret slip to J.R.

Lucy is secretly seeing Alan Beam, but all he is interested in is her family's money. Pam is promoted at her job once again and problems in her marriage, and the bedroom, are on the rise. Kristin is finding her charms on the wane to J.R., and she isn't happy. J.R. sees an opportunity to rid himself of Lucy, and Gary... once and for all.

It's D-Day for Cliff's campaign as his funds dry up. Sue Ellen meets up with Dusty again. Cliff makes it public that he's John Ross's father, so the Ewings decide to sue. Cliff counter-sues for custody and to determine the baby's paternity.

Pam has to go to Paris for work, and although he doesn't approve, Bobby takes her to the airport and runs into Jenna Wade, his old girlfriend. They spend a lot of time together and reminisce about old times. JR attempts to take an interest in Sue Ellen's life, which annoys Sue Ellen, and prevents her from seeing Dusty. Donna and Ray realize they come from different lifestyles. Miss Ellie concentrates on defeating land developer, Matt Devlin.

Bobby wants to save his marriage and asks Pam for help but she doesn't think she can. She feels guilty because she can't have a baby. Sue Ellen wants a divorce but J.R. says he will never allow her to take John Ross away from him. Sue Ellen has to decide - J.R. or Dusty.

J.R. is pressuring Alan Beam to marry Lucy as soon as possible, but she's got a new crush. Cliff feels he is finished professionally but Bobby tries to help him Kristin finds she is being increasingly sidelined. Sue Ellen tries a new strategy in her fight with J.R. Jock frustrates J.R.'s plans for Lucy and Alan by pulling strings to get him a legal partnership in Dallas. Lucy does some hard thinking over her choices.

Sue Ellen's plan seems to be working, but J.R. has made plans of his own. The investigation into the body found on Ray's land continues. Alan Beam pays the price for his failure. Sue Ellen hires a private eye to track J.R.s movements, but J.R has ways around that. Using the scheming Kristin, and the police, he starts to set Sue Ellen up as a drunk again in retaliation.

Cliff is put in charge of the investigation into the possible murder on Southfork and pursues the Ewings. Miss Ellie continues to fight the park development. Digger's back, and drinking again - he's found unconscious at Cliff's. Sue Ellen turns to Bobby as she becomes further embroiled in J.R.s plan. Then she hears some devastating news.

Jock is bailed over the charges, and they hire a top trial lawyer. Miss Ellie makes her position clear with Matt. Sue Ellen falls apart after the news of Dusty's death, and hits the bottle again. J.R.s evidence at the trial is damning. Digger is slipping fast but makes a startling confession on his deathbed.

J.R.'s Asian fields mature and the bank loans are paid off, but there's danger on the horizon. Sue Ellen is lost in an alcoholic haze. Pam is confused and needs to find out about her past. Kristin reaches the end of her tether and contacts Alan Beam. Whilst Pam, Bobby, Jock and Ellie go to see Amanda, J.R. makes a bold, dangerous move to protect his assets.

The cartel members and J.R.'s banker are financially ruined after the nationalization of the Asian fields. Seth Stone, one of the cartel members, kills himself. J.R. moves to drive Kristin and Alan Beam out of town and he wants to put Sue Ellen back into the sanitarium. Pam and Bobby leave Dallas when Bobby learns that J.R. shut down an oil field to stop Cliff from having his portion of revenge based on an agreement between Digger and Jock which Cliff has found among Digger's papers. An unknown visitor calls on J.R. late at the office.