Dynasty Storyline Hit: Blake Has a Sister

Most fans of Dynasty know how Diahann Carroll joined the cast of Dynasty. She wanted, and the fans deserved, a black bitch. Someone to battle Alexis. But, how do you fit Carroll into the show? The writers created an air of mystery with Carroll’s arrival as Dominique Deveraux. Who exactly was she? Dominique was more than just a woman who needed a separate room for her clothes and who enjoyed insulting Alexis’ champagne and caviar. (Granted, that was amazing.)

Dominique sure knew how to make an entrance

At the end of Season 4, the viewers learn who Dominque is. And, just to prevent the secret from getting out too soon, a few scenes were shot (including one where Dominique reveals that she is Kirby’s mother - thank goodness that did not happen). In the end, we all learn that Dominique is a Carrington. More specifically, we discover at the beginning of Season 5, that she is Blake’s sister.

Of course, Blake was just not going to accept Dominique as his sister although he would accept her millions of dollars to help him get out of his bankruptcy. No, Dominique had to fight her way to her position as a Carrington and was finally accepted when Tom admitted on his death bed that Dominique was his daughter.

Good thing for Blake that he found his sister when he did - he needed someone to help him battle Alexis now the Ktystle was content just raising their child. Dominique did battle somewhat with Alexis and they had some great scenes together.

At the same time, one can argue that Dominique was underused on the show, and that is true. Making her a Carrington limited her love interests. Also, she only had so many resources to counter Alexis. Still, Carroll does an amazing job as Dominique and has her own style of delivering her lines that just works. That smirk get me every time.

One last thought - and this is definitely positive. No one ever said, “But she’s black.” Carroll and Spelling got their black bitch but her race was never addressed. The closest Dominque’s race was referenced was when she learned that Garrett lied about being married when they first met all those years ago. We never learn why Garrett lied to Dominique, but we cannot say that Dominique’s race did not play a role in that decision.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Take This Junk and Your Blonde Tramp

I really do not know why I waited so long to post this scene, because this is probably my favorite from the series. I can watch it over and over again (and I do). After a weak start to Season 6, the writers decided to go all in for the second half of the season and it worked. It culminates in the one thing that Alexis has wanted from Blake - and it is not the love of their children - it was the mansion.

Yes, how Alexis got the mansion is not realistic at all, and you just can’t kick someone out of their home without notice. But, who cares? It makes for great television. The luggage sitting there at the foot of the stairs (I am surprised Alexis didn’t have Krystina there), and Alexis at the top of the stairs with the furs. Blake’s reaction is understandable. I mean who hasn’t wanted to strangle Alexis (and he wasn’t the first to try).

My only issue is that the writers really botched the fallout in Season 7. Ahhh. no matter for now. At this point, let’s just enjoy Alexis’s glistening lips as Blake strangles her.

Dynasty Storyline Miss: Blake Caused the Fire at La Mirage

Season 6 ended on one of the highpoints of the series - Alexis out maneuvered Blake into owning all of his holdings, including the mansion. Alexis evicts Blake and his “blond tramp” and is on the verge of gaining control of Denver Carrington. What more can she do? Apparently, Alexis is not finished and decides her victory is the perfect time to go into the newspaper industry for the sole purpose of destroying Blake and blaming the fire at La Mirage (caused by Claudia) on Blake.

Great job Claudia

Why would Alexis switch gears so quickly? Alexis can finally merge Colby Co and Denver Carrington (granted, she will be stuck with Ben and not Blake) - but turns away from that just so she can kick Blake while he is down. I get why Alexis would do it. But, what makes no sense is why others, especially the D.A. were quick to believe that Blake had someone set the fire at La Mirage.

Hasn’t Krystle suffered enough

It makes absolutely no sense that Blake would have someone set La Mirage a blaze while almost his entire family was there to celebrate Dominique’s engagement party. Would Blake really risk everyone he loves just because he was somewhat over-extended (final word about the South China Sea leases had not come in yet)? Who knew Alexis’s new venture can have such influence.

Thankfully, Jackie cleared this up very quickly

And to further show how ridiculous this is - Alexis and Dominique were able to figure out what had happened very quickly after Blake had been denied bail. It wasn’t a hard mystery to solve. It also helped that Dominque’s daughter, Jackie, just happened to see Claudia open the door to her suite with the flames going on behind her. So, Claudia actually opened the door and then just stood there - she didn’t try to run or anything. Wait, why am I trying to make sense of this.

The plot also led to a needless subplot of the husband of one of the individuals who died in the fire deciding to kill Krystle in revenge. Krystle is able to talk him out of shooting her. Further, poor Krystle had some sort of medical condition that required rest but Krystle was too busy playing Nancy Drew with Dominique to follow the doctor’s advice. Poor Krystle always seems to have medical issues. So fragile.

What, no Adam

Yes, it is important to keep the fighting between Blake and Alexis going after Alexis achieved her goal (and the second half of season 7 when Blake and Alexis were getting along was such a snooze), but the writers could have come up with something better. It is as if we are to ignore why the family was at La Mirage that night. The one good thing about this lame story line is that it only dragged on for about 5 episodes.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Blake's AIDS PSA

Season 7 of Dynasty was not only a mess but just odd at times. One of the oddest scenes, is this exchange between Blake and Steven in the season finale. Steven tells Blake that he is leaving Denver (again), and Blake does not want Steven to go because there is AIDS out there. What? Is there no AIDS in Denver? Maybe there is none in the Carrington Mansion. I am not sure about Delta Rho.

And, Steven’s response, that he may choose to be celibate if he has to, is just strange. Granted, I may be looking at this from my current eyes, and not thinking of how HIV/AIDS was viewed or portrayed in 1987. Props to Blake for noting that it was not just a gay disease. Further, Dynasty should have addressed the issue after the hysteria following the death of Rock Hudson, and his kissing scene with Krystle. But, the scene is just odd.

In the end, Steven (Jack Coleman) waits a year before leaving Denver - giving him the opportunity to kill Matthew, run Denver Carrington and a football team, and have some strange living arrangement with Sammy Jo. Maybe Steven should have taken his chances out there earlier.

Dynasty Episode Analysis - "The Hearing, Part 2"

There is so much going on in this episode as we transition to many storylines that will dominate Season 4. The shifting alliances of the Carrington sons, Alexis still being targeted even after Joseph’s death, Fallon and Jeff drawing closer together while Kirby is further isolated. With all that, the focus of this episode is the continuing custody battle between Blake and Steven over Steven’s son, Danny.

Even though Blake did not buy Danny from Sammy Jo, he did believe Danny would help fill the void in Krystle after she miscarried (thanks to Alexis). However, Steven had not died in the oil rig explosion and returned home for the son he did not know he had. Krystle graciously gave Danny to Steven (in an amazing scene on the stairs). When Blake challenged Steven’s right to raise his own child, Steven decided to take Danny and leave the mansion. The more Blake tried to keep Danny for Krystle, the more he lost Danny and Krystle.

Blake, why did you bring her back

When Blake learned that Steven was living with his lawyer, Chris Deegan, as friends, he was determined to get Danny out of that environment, even if it would tear the family apart. Nothing was going to stop Blake. The hearing did not go well for him. Alexis lied about Blake buying Danny. Krystle sang Steven’s praises as a father.

Blake had no choice but to have Andrew Laird, his attorney, call Sammy Jo to the stand to dispute that Blake bought Danny. But, Sammy Jo did more than just dispute the accusation against Blake. She lied about Steven as she painted him as a man always on the prowl to have sex with other men. Blake did convince Krystle that he never intended for Sammy Jo to say such things. But, Blake unleashed all of this.

Krystle was not thrilled

Finally, Steven takes the stand and decides that his principles are more important than winning custody of Danny. Steven refuses to answer Andrew’s question whether Chris is his lover. Supposedly, they are just friends but Steven refuses to say that because it should not matter. Yes, he is correct and yes, the only reason they are in court is because Blake did not believe that he and Chris were just friends - but, come on, put your principles aside. Steven is so much like his father.

Steven’s testimony greatly damages his chance to win custody which is really odd because Chris could have just testified that they were only friends. But, why allow for that, when you can have Claudia save the day. Yes, crazy Claudia. Claudia confronts Sammy Jo to tell her that Steven is a real man - and a slap fest ensues. Finally, Claudia has a solution to Steven’s plight - and tells him to pack (they go to marry).

The episode has an interesting and conflicting view of homosexuality and the rights of gay parenting (which was much more contentious at the time). Steven was 100% correct when he was on the stand that his sexuality should not matter as to whether he should have custody of his child. But, at the same time, he is pursuing Claudia and marries Claudia so as to keep his child. Further, Claudia had to make a point that Steven is a “real man”.

And neither was Claudia

It is disturbing that the custody of Danny only turns on the issue as to whether Steven and Chris are living together as lovers. Blake, in effect, is blackmailing Steven into being straight. And that is pretty much what happens for the rest of the season. Since Steven does marry Claudia he is allowed to keep his child. Later, when Steven is divorced from Claudia and single, Sammy Jo threatens to take custody of Danny by claiming that Steven is unfit because he is gay. Steven resolves that matter without going to court (giving Sammy Jo custody). Steven wants to live his true self with his son but others won’t allow it.

Other highlights from the episode:

• Someone trashes Alexis’s apartment which eventually forces her to have Mark move in as her personal protection.

• With Jeff and Fallon about to learn the truth about Jeff’s poisoning, Adam prepares to set Alexis up for the poisoning. Further, it brings Jeff and Fallon closer together.

• There is a thawing in the relationship between Krystle (who is living at La Mirage) and Blake.

Dynasty Episode Analysis - "The Vote"

One of the reasons Cecil had married Alexis was to recruit her to help him destroy Blake. Unfortunately, a heart attack left Alexis alone in charge of Colby Co. to battle Blake. Alexis has no experience running an oil company (or probably even working) and has no idea how she can destroy Blake. Alexis has the good fortune that her kidnapped first son, Adam, has returned and is a sociopath. Adam poisons Jeff and a poisoned Jeff turns over L.B.’s stock (that Blake stupidly gave him) to Alexis. Combined with the stock that Cecil had purchased, Alexis now has controlling interest in Denver Carrington and she is going to use it to force a merger the two companies.

Of course, Alexis is less interested in a merger of the two companies than a merger between her and Blake. And Blake will do anything in his power to stop the merger. Blake has his man in Washington, Congressman Neil McVane, delaying the merger. Alexis has a plan to thwart Congressman McVane - she has learned that McVane has is own Washington Lolita.

Assertive Alexis taking on the old white men.

Colby Co has grossly undervalued Denver Carrington’s assets and Blake demands a meeting with Alexis to resolve the matter. Alexis claims she is too busy to meet in the office but that he should meet her in her apartment after work. Alexis isn’t busy working though. No, Alexis is busy getting dirt on Congressman McVane and preventing Fallon from getting involved with Mark Jennings (Alexis wants Mark to go back to Krystle so she can have Blake).

Blake realizes what Alexis is doing and it becomes more obvious when Alexis changes into a sexier (and not work appropriate) outfit to discuss business with Blake. Alexis is hoping for dinner for two but Blake has a better idea - he is going to call Krystle and have her join them. Enraged, Alexis tells Blake they can meet the following day in the office and after Blake leaves, vows how she hates the man. Ahhhh, there is a fine line between love and hate.

The episode sets up nicely the tension within Alexis and whether she is a feminist icon - an embodiment of female power. You have Alexis enter the Denver Carrington Boardroom full of old white men and pretty much have them do her bidding. At the same time, the motive for Alexis is not business related but personal - she wants Blake back. Further, you have the hard working Blake who chastises his Board of Directors for abandoning him and the company that he built from the ground up. Meanwhile, you have Alexis, who inherited her company and just uses her power and wealth to manipulate others. One wonders how Colby Co functions (at this point because of two men - Jeff and Adam, and soon to be joined by a third - Steven).

Seductive Alexis only using her leverage to win Blake back.

And, who does Alexis blame? Men. There is the scene with Adam where Alexis learns that McVane is thwarting the merger. Alexis is tired of cold, unfeeling men running her life. Women are soft until men ruin them. There is one thing Alexis has learned from these men, “use or be used.” Is Alexis a feminist/self made woman or just a stereotype of female emotionality? She is being driven by emotion (love, hate, revenge) while Blake is being driven by a desire to retain what he has earned.

Through it all, Alexis is terribly entertaining so you cannot help but love her.

Other interesting storylines in the episode:

• The tension between an unaccepting Blake and Steven continues and Krystle is caught in the middle.

• Kirby feels like a third wheel to Jeff and Fallon even though Jeff is married to Kirby.

• Adam, as always, acts like a real asshole.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Blake Wants to Straighten Steven Out

First season Blake was pretty bad ass, or maybe just an asshole. Anyway, in the first episode of Dynasty., Oil, Blake is determined to get his family in order before marrying Krystle. And, that includes straightening out his son Steven who has spent the last two years in NYC, following graduation, finding himself. Blake believes Steven has had sufficient time.

Steven has returned for the wedding and Blake waits to call for Steven to speak to him about his future. Blake wants Steven to work at Denver Carrington and finally give back to what he has taken for so long. (Fallon will give back by marrying Jeff.) Blake actually has a point here and Steven’s counter that the oil business is corrupt and harmful to the United States really is not much of an argument. It does provide a debate about capitalism (which we only see in Season 1, after Season 1- capitalism is great!).

Blake let’s his real motive out when he tells Steven how can he respect the opinion of a man who would touch another man. Wow! That is pretty harsh. Blake swears he did not want to tell Steven what he learned in such a manner, but he clearly did. Or, maybe Blake thought that he could force Steven to return to Denver to work and his homosexuality would just magically go away. Yes, Blake has a lot of power, but he is not that powerful.

Blake is ready to help Steven go straight, but Steven does not know whether he wants such help or that he wants to change. That, of course, sets off Blake who notes that it is a shame that the American Psychiatric Association no longer considers homosexuality a disease since he could have endowed an Institute for the study of “Faggotry” (that’s a new word). I don’t know why Blake still could not create such an Institute - it would be interesting. For the record, Magnus Hirschfeld had founded such an institute in Germany in 1897, the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee (which was destroyed by the Nazis). Blake was only 80 years late.

The scene works because this is when the audience learns that Steven is gay and really sets up the tension between Blake and Steven for the next 5 seasons (until poor Luke is shot and killed at Amanda’s wedding). The treatment of Steven’s sexuality is very Freudian and clinical. Blake has this weird mix of understanding of Steven’s sexuality and determination to make Steven straight.

The scene is also interesting because of this conflict between Blake the capitalist and Steven the anti-capitalist, living off Blake’s labor. Blake, rightly, calls Steven out for his hypocrisy. Further, Steven’s critique of Denver Carrington is not its harm to the environment, but the selling out of the United States by getting in bed with Middle Eastern despots and manipulating oil prices. Of course this is a product of the times - OPEC boycotts, price increases and the Iranian Revolution.

Things never go well between Blake and Steven in the library

Audiences today would definitely be harsh on Blake for trying to change his son (and saying he cannot respect his son because he is gay) but homosexuality was not an issue that most people spoke of in 1981 - which makes the storyline itself revolutionizing. There is a mixed record as to how Dynasty treated Steven’s sexuality but it also mirrors America’s changing attitudes at the time. Because of disco and the growing gay rights movement, discussions of sexuality were more common in 1981, but the growing evangelical movement and the AIDS crisis distorted the national conversation and Dynasty tried to steer a path.

Why Use Rape Without Consequences?

A common plot in soap operas is the rape of a character, and usually by a character who faces no consequences for his actions. This was more common back in the 1980s (and before) than today because of how we view and treat rape/sexual assault today. Even though we would be horrified by such treatment of rape today on television, it was horrible back then.

There were three rapes on Dynasty/The Colbys and none of the perpetrators faced any consequences for his action. Further, the rape itself did not drive any sort of plotline. It seems that it happened just to have something happen.

In Episode 7 of Dynasty “Krystle’s Lie” - Blake becomes angry with Krystle because he wanted to have a baby and he learns that Krystle has been hiding the fact that she has been taking birth control. The angry Blake rapes Krystle as a result of her deception. (Note, how the episode is entitled Krystle’s Lie and not Blake’s Assault) The following day, Blake feels guilty for what he has done and apologizes to Krystle. It is referenced here and there (particularly after Adam rapes Kirby). Regardless, the question remains, why have Blake rape Krystle?

Blake tries to apologize to Krystle after raping her

In reality, the rape could have explored the larger issue of marital rape which at the time was not illegal in many states - including Colorado (if the husband and wife were not separated). Before the mid 1970s, a husband could not be criminally liable for sexually assaulting his spouse. (assuming they were together in some states, other states had no exceptions). Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, the laws were changed to recognize marital rape as a crime but there were still loopholes in the statutes that were eventually cleaned up. However, that discussion did not happen. Basically, Blake raped Krystle (even if not a crime at the time), she eventually forgave him and that was it.

Similar to Blake, Miles raped Fallon while they were married. At that time, the act was likely a crime in California since Fallon resisted (a requirement for California).. Still, the only consequence Miles faced was physical violence from Jeff which became more intense when there was the prospect that Fallon could have become pregnant as a result of the rape. At least this time, all the characters involved referred to it what it was - rape. Still, Sable did not seem to care that Miles raped Fallon when she learned that it could have resulted in Fallon’s pregnancy. Miles being the father of Fallon’s baby was more important the act of conception.

Finally, we have Adam and Kirby. Adam’s rape of Kirby was the most violent (not that violence matters) and everyone in the family seemed to not care - other than Jeff who of course got into a fight with Adam. Kirby never went the police and no one forced her to do so (there are probably class issues involved here). In fact, when Kirby discovered that the rape resulted in her pregnancy, Adam wanted to do the the right thing by marrying Kirby - which is what Adam wanted all along. Basically, by raping Kirby, Adam almost got what he had wanted.

In the end, these rapes seemed gratuitous and are actually harmful. Yes, it was a different time, but to allow three main characters rape three other main characters and have nothing happen (other than the occasional chastisement or feelings of guilt) really does a disservice to any discussion of sexual assault. Obviously, you cannot ship Blake, Miles or Adam off to jail. Then, don’t have them be rapists.