What If There Was a Season 3 of The Colbys?

by That Paragon of Sanctity

Unfortunately for The Colbys, it was cancelled just at it was hitting its stride (going up against Cheers will not help any show’s rating). Based on Dynasty, we get some resolution to the Colbys Season 2 Cliffhangers:

  • Frankie survives the crash and runs off with Jason

  • Monica has no contact with Cash or Scott so they must have gone back to Washington D.C. and Monica decided not to fight

  • Miles likely did not find Channing since he was with Fallon in the Reunion

  • The aliens return Fallon and her talking about it ruins her marriage to Jeff

The real love triangle

Of course, if there was an actual Season 3 of The Colbys, things would have been different and we can only speculate. So, let me speculate:

  • Frankie was going to be killed off. I believe Katharine Ross said she was not coming back and getting rid of Frankie sets up some great storylines: Jeff blaming Jason for Frankie’s death and a love triangle among Jason/Sable/Zach (which should have always been the primary love triangle).

  • There should be the custody batter for Scott.

  • Miles finds Channing and stops her from getting the abortion. The plot line with Lucas (Jason’s lawsuit) had not been resolved. And, Channing has a younger brother who could make an appearance.

  • Bliss and Kolya are definitely gone.

  • Even though Phillip escaped from the crash, you can spend a few episodes pretending to look for him and then just ignore him. (As was done with Dr. Nick Toscani and Joel Abrigore). Maybe a Phillip can appear in a Season 6 of The Colbys.

  • As for Fallon and the UFO - it should be used the same way that it was used on Dynasty - to drive a wedge between her and Jeff (intensified by Jeff fighting with Jason).

Obviously, there would be newer characters and storylines but that is how I would like to have seen the cliffhangers of Season 2 resolved. (I really, really wanted Frankie to die!)

Fallon's UFO Adventure

by That Paragon of Sanctity

I still haven’t got to the final episode of the Colbys where Fallon is taken away by a UFO, but I still think I can comment on the scene and how I feel I am one of the few people who actually liked it. Yes, it was incredible. Yes, it was campy. Yes, it adds a Sci-Fi element to a s soap opera. But it was also just one scene. I mean, if there was a Season 3 of The Colbys or Dynasty Season 8 had Fallon’s crazy adventures in space (like Josie and The Pussycats), that would be too much. But, that never happened.

Actually, I think the writers handled it well. Fallon believed she had been abducted and Jeff, of course, believed she was crazy. And, let’s face it, if there was going to be one character on the show who would probably believe they were abducted (well, Fallon went willingly), it would be Fallon (I can hear the cries of “No, Claudia” now.) Fallon even showed some interest in others that were abducted by aliens and her obsession with it helped destroy her second marriage to Jeff.

They didn’t put a lot of effort into the design of the UFO

Of course, you can only take the storyline so far. Further, Blake was running for governor and the last thing he needs is stories about his daughter swearing she took a wonderful ride with aliens. The storyline did not last as long as some of the other ridiculous storylines (Rita-Krystle, cough cough). It lasted as long as it should have.

The scene does create the perfect narrative for the night time soaps of the 1980s and their waning popularity. The scene was a Hail Mary pass to save The Colbys and it did not work (even though Season 2 of The Colbys was pretty good). TV viewing habits in the United States were changing - people were less interested in outlandish storylines, outlandish sets and outlandish clothes (which is probably why Knots Landing was able to continue to 1993). It happens. Still, I am totally down with Fallon running off with some alien - she needed the break from the Miles-Jeff competition. I get it!

Why Use Rape Without Consequences?

by That Paragon of Sanctity

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.

The Final Push for The Colbys Recaps

by That Paragon of Sanctity

Could it actually be true. Since I have returned from Colombia, I have been pushing to finish up the recap for The Colbys. I mean it has only taken me numerous years to recap Dynasty and The Colbys. Ideally, the recaps will be finished before Thanksgiving as well as redesigning some of the navigation pages. As always, I might be a bit ambitious, but we will see what happens.