Dynasty Top Scenes - Alexis Sends For Dominique

I am not sure why I waited so long to finally highlight one of the most classic scenes of Dynasty. It is definitely in my Top 5 scenes of all time. Dominique Deveraux arrives in Denver for reasons only she knows (at this point). After asking around about Alexis, Alexis sends for Dominique to learn more about this woman.

The conversation between the two is nothing more than a catty tit-for-tat that ends with Dominique insulting Alexis’s champagne and caviar. Really, does it get any better than that. You can watch this scene over and over and again and be amused on so many levels.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Alexis and Dominique Fight

We had to wait until Season 7 for Alexis and Dominique to have it out - but it was worth it. Now that Alexis owns a newspaper, she has nothing better to do than to have her critic write a scathing review of Dominique’s act. Dominique does not take it well and she storms into Alexis’s bedroom demanding a retraction. Like that it is going to happen.

This leads to a quick fight in Alexis’s bedroom with the poor dog watching from the bed until it gets accidentally hit by one of the stunt men fighting. Lin and Adam come in to break up the fight (Amazingly, Dominique managed to re-tuck in her shirt) and Dominique is carried out screaming, “I’ll slap her.” I mean, how great is that.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Krystle and Rita Fight

I have said quite a few times that I was not the biggest fan of the Krystle-Rita storyline. My biggest complaint is that it dragged on too long. I mean, c’mon, only L.B. was even remotely suspicious. Still, the storyline did give some great moments - including the denouement - where Krystle and Rita (or two men in drag) have an epic catfight in the attic of Delta Rho.

Look, is anyone ever going to beat Krystle in a fight? Rita may have been the first, but Sammy Jo arrives in time to make sure she gives the final knock blow to Rita. Well, she better hope it was Rita. (It was!)

Dynasty Character Miss - Emily Fallmont (Pat Crowley)

I think I am being too kind calling these character misses instead of Dynasty’s most annoying characters. Oh well. Season 6 saw the introduction of the Fallmont family. Buck, the Senator, who has some bad blood in the past with Blake but who Blake needs help from in order to build his pipeline. His whiny wife, Emily and his two sons - Bart (closeted gay outed by Adam) and Clay (who for some reason lasted the longest).

Emily Fallmont had a past with Ben Carrington. In fact, Emily was with Ben Carrington the day that Blake and Ben’s mother died - the death that was at the center of Tom Carrington’s inheritance. Ben and Alexis lied on the stand about who was to look after Blake and Ben’s mother the day she died in a fire. It was supposed to be Ben but he was too busy fooling around with Emily - who happened to be married to Buck at the time. Ben, however, testified that it was supposed to be Blake and that he was working on an oil rig at the time.

Who suffered more - Emily, or us having to watch her suffer?

Okay - this is easy to clear up. Emily should just go tell the truth. Oh, but Emily could not do that because it would ruin her marriage to Buck. So? Do the right thing Emily. No, instead we have Emily crying and acting tormented all the time. Then, to make it better, Caress starts to blackmail her - until Ben takes care of Caress by shipping her back to Venezuela.

This whole saga drags into Season 7 as Buck gets angrier and more drunk and the pressure builds on Emily to tell the truth. Seriously - Blake lost everything because you are too afraid to say you had an affair like 25 years ago. C’mon. (Oh, and c’mon Blake - stop with this chivalry garbage - force Emily’s hand). And to make it worse - Emily is just so whiny all the time. Fortunately, we are put out of our misery - when Buck calls Emily out in the lobby of the Carlton hotel and she runs off. Do people really just run off and not pay attention to what is going on around them. (Yes, Fallon did it all the time).

Emily meets her demise when she runs into a taxi that I am pretty sure slammed on the breaks in time. You can see for yourself in the video below. There is no way anyone would die from this. Heck, they didn’t even bother to bloody Emily up as she laid there dying from running into a stopped taxi.

Dynasty Character Miss - Lady Ashley (Ali MacGraw)

Okay, I am totally copping out with my first write up on the worst/most annoying characters on Dynasty. But, I like to ease into things. Lady Ashley was definitely one of the most universally reviled characters on the show, and for good reason.

Lady Ashley was some sort of high society individual from New England who immediately set her sights on Blake. And Blake, for some reason, did not sense it (unlike with Tracy - who he nailed right away - wait that doesn’t sound right). Blake played dumb on this one, while all the time punishing Krystle for her relationship with Daniel Reese (who clearly had his sights on Krystle and Krystle wasn’t as naive about it)

Lady Ashley tried to spar with Alexis, and try is the best you can say about that. Alexis always got the best of her - which was not that hard. That did not stop Lady Ashley from constantly embarrassing herself and being the show’s punching bag.

I am shuddering

Once Lady Ashley realized she did not have a chance with Blake, she moved onto Jeff. Ugh - who thought it could get worse. Come on Jeff - I prefer you with the fake marriage to Nicole. Thankfully, our long nightmare of Lady Ashley ended at the royal wedding where it was clear that Lady Ashley was dead (we didn’t need to wait until the opening of Season 6 to find that out).

One final thought - what also made Lady Ashley so horrible was Ali MacGraw’s acting. There was just something about MacGraw that was off. She delivered her lines in a weird tone (I couldn’t even tolerate the way she said Dominique) and made these odd, robotic facial expressions and head movements. MacGraw was definitely out of her league on this show, and she knew it.

This is a lot of hate for someone who appeared in only 14 episodes - but it felt like so many more.

Dynasty Season Ranked - Summary

Just to summarize the ranking of the Dynasty seasons in one post:

1. Season 9 - Sable vs. Alexis, Who Killed Roger Grimes, Krystle in a coma

2. Season 3 - Claudia on the roof, Introduction of Adam and Mark, Blake’s search for Steven

3. Season 4 - Alexis goes to jail, Steven marries Claudia, Dominique arrives

4. Season 5 - Amanda arrives, #1 in the Neilsen ratings, Moldovian Massacre

5. Season 6 - Alexis triumphs over Blake, Ben and Carress arrive, Krystle/Rita

6. Season 2 - Joan Collins enters as Alexis, Dr. Toscani is everywhere, Steven marries Sammy Jo and then leaves

7. Season 1 - Blake tries to control his family, Krystle and Steven tries to find their place in Blake’s world, Claudia tries to rebuild her life

8. Season 8 - Blake vs. Alexis for governor, Sean Rowan tries to destroy everything, Jeff and Fallon return to Denver

9. Season 7 - Blake gets Denver Carrington back, Adam weds Dana, everyone makes amends

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #1 Season 9 (1988-1989)

Some (okay many) may not agree with my belief that Season 9 of Dynasty was its best. Linda Evans had left the season early and Joan Collins only appeared in half of the episodes. Still, the season was compelling, well written and provided so many great bitchy moments that we all love.

In a weird sense, Season 9 showed that Dynasty could move past its formula of centering around Blake-Krystle-Alexis - which was tried in Season 8 but with less success. Granted, it was too late to save the show from cancellation.

Season 9 saw the arrival of Sable to take on her cousin Alexis - and actually get the best of her for the most part. There was a compelling murder mystery as it appeared that poor Roger Grimes was actually killed and not maimed when Blake caught him with Alexis all those years ago. Fallon returned to her own self (Emma Samms finally appeared comfortable in the role). Adam, as well, returned to psychopathic self.

The season was fast paced and there never seemed to be a filler moment. Finally, the last few episodes set up many possibilities for a Season 10 (the mystery woman in the car, Monica and Jeff learning they are not siblings, Sable’s pregnancy, even Sammy Jo and the priest.) Alas, we didn’t get the pleasure of a Season 10. Still, it was great that Dynasty ended on a high note as Seasons 7-8 were pretty lackluster.

The rivalry to end all rivalries

Highlights

Sable vs. Alexis - Probably my favorite storyline of the series. Yes, Alexis battled with Krystle and Dominique, but Sable almost always seemed to get the best of her. It was great to finally see Alexis on the ropes. Alexis was able to win a few battles, but it is hard to argue that Sable did not win the war by getting Dex. Every scene between the two was gold which we should have known based on the brief interaction between the two in Season 6.

Who Killed Roger Grimes - I have to give credit to the writers for allowing this storyline to span the entire season. You have Fallon’s obsession with the crime, Alexis’s determination to prove Blake did it, and Blake’s determination to prevent everyone from learning the truth (not about the murder but about what was buried under the Carrington estate). In the end, there was a great twist of who killed him (a very young Fallon) even if Alexis somehow forgot that.

Adam Returns to Form - With Dana sneaking off in the middle of the night, Adam lacked that individual to control his darker impulses and they came out to full form during the season. This lead to Blake kicking him out of the mansion. In fact, it is hard to count how many people took a shot at Adam during the season (Dex, Blake and Jeff - heck even Monica slapped him hard).

Fallon, Sammy Jo and Jeff - The love triangle took a cute turn as Sammy Jo and Fallon realize, after a fight in the mud, that there is no reason they should fight over Jeff. Heck, the two actually became friends as Fallon partnered up with Zorelli and Sammy Jo fell for a priest. This left Jeff out in the cold (somewhat) which was a good thing since Jeff probably should have cooled it with the ladies. That said, while the writers hinted at pairing Jeff with Monica, I am glad it never happened (and will pretend that would not have happened in a Season 10).

Lowlights

Virginia - Okay, I feel the need to always find some sort of lowlight for each season. Virginia, Krystle’s cousin, is an interesting character. We meet her when Krystle runs off to Dayton and she brings her cousin back to the mansion. Now, we have the classic middle class interacting with the very wealthy. Fine and all that. Then, we learn that Virginia was a teen street walker who had known Dex at the time. That was a bit too much. I always got the impression that the writers had more plans for Virginia but then pulled back and sent her home to Dayton - which was for the best.

Not necessary, but still not the worse thing.

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #2 Season 3 (1982-1983)

It was a hard decision for me between deciding what was the best season and what was the second best season. Both are pretty much equal, but I had to choose. So, I went with Season 3 being the second best season of the show.

Season 3 brought us so many great moments: Claudia on the roof with “Fallon’s baby”, the arrival of Adam (Alexis and Blake’s son who had been kidnapped as a baby), the arrival of Mark Jennings (Krystle’s first but not ex-husband), the transformation of Steven following an oil rig explosion, Fallon opening up La Mirage, the fight between Alexis and Krystle in the lily pond, Congressman McVane strangling Alexis, Alexis at the board of Denver Carrington as she is about to force a merger, and I could go on and on.

It is safe to say that Dynasty really took off in Season 3 and it set up how the standard for the following 3 seasons. The season ended with Alexis and Krystle trapped in a fire in Steven’s cabin (who set it being more important than whether Krystle and Alexis will survive), Blake determined to take custody of Steven’s child and Kirby finding out that she is pregnant with Adam’s (via rape) baby and not Jeff’s.

The season was pretty much perfect except for one little thing. . . see below

What a great party Season 3 was!

Highlights

Alexis vs. Blake - With the untimely death of Cecil, Alexis found herself a very wealthy woman and with the power to destroy Blake. She could not do it alone, as her long last son, Adam, put in motion the events that led to Alexis trying to force a merger between Denver Carrington and Colby Co., making Blake the junior partner.

Adam Carrington - With the departure of Steven at the end of Season 2, the writers decided to introduce the first son of Alexis and Blake who was kidnapped as a baby. It is a shame that Adam pretty much turned out to be a sociopath - raping Kirby, flirting with Fallon (did he really not know?) and poisoning Jeff. Adam added a great dark element to the show.

Mark Jennings - I actually liked the introduction of Mark, Krystle’s playboy/tennis pro ex-husband. Problem is, Mark never got the divorce. Even though it was never serious that Mark would win Krystle back, he did have great chemistry with both Fallon and Alexis as he ran around La Mirage in short shorts (so 80s).

La Mirage - Season 3 introduced another scene for action to take place, La Mirage, a resort that Fallon took over and renovated to prove that she is just as capable in business as her father. This also added another dimension to Fallon’s character. It was great to see Fallon to continue to mature.

Steven #2 - With Al Corley not coming back in the role of Steven, the writers eventually brought in Jack Coleman to play the “black sheep” of the family. Instead of just introducing the new Steven and act like all is cool, the writers decided to have the new Steven get a new face (with a mole) as a result of an oil rig fire. Steven had no intention of returning to Denver until he found out he had a son. This son would become a fulcrum of tension between Steven and Blake (who had wanted the child for Krystle).

Almost reminds me of Jason from Friday the 13th Part 2

Lowlight

Kirby - Sorry, I have to pick on Kirby. It seems we always have to have some sort of middle class individual interact with the very wealthy. This season it was Kirby, the daughter of Joseph who returned from university just to be L.B.’s nanny. That was fine with Kirby who wanted to be with Jeff. Unfortunately for Kirby, Adam had his eyes on her and took what he wanted. In the end, she did get Jeff but then realized she was carrying Adam’s child. I made Kirby sound more exciting that she was. The storylines with Kirby are strong, it’s just how they wrote the character that was weak. Kirby was pretty annoying (not as annoying as Lindsey but annoying nonetheless).

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #3 Season 4 (1983-1984)

Season 4 is the middle of Dynasty’s “sweet spot” (Season 3-5). The season started with Joseph committing suicide after his failed attempts to kill Alexis, Blake fighting Steven for custody of Danny and Kirby trying to kill her baby through a riding accident. After wrapping up the Season 3 storylines, it gets better by having Claudia return to give Steven the victory over his father, the arrival of Dex and having Mark move into Alexis’s suite (for protection) adding a fun and humorous element to the season.

There were some additions that were either not well thought out (Peter DeVilbis) or just poorly used (Tracy Kendall). Still, the drama was there as Claudia gets Blake and Steven to reconcile, Fallon finally sees Peter for what he is and then reunites with Jeff, Adam tries to make a life with Kirby (who really wants nothing to do with him), Blake stops Alexis’s merger, and Blake and Krystle finally emerge as the super couple of the show.

Come on - we got to see Alexis sing. Doesn’t get better than that!

The season ends with one of its better cliffhangers as Dominique arrives and reveals to herself and the audience that she is a Carrington, Alexis is arrested for the murder of Mark Jennings and Fallon runs off just as she is about to marry Jeff. It really is a shame that Pamela Sue Martin made this her last season. Why leak a show when it is at its peak?

Highlights

Claudia Returns - Claudia was always a personal favorite of mine and I am glad that the show’s producers brought her back. It is Claudia that ensures that Steven is able to keep custody of his child. Granted, this required Claudia and Steven to be a married couple (how happily is a question). Later in the season Claudia is tortured by Sammy Jo making her believe that Matthew and Lindsey are still alive.

Dex - Sam Dexter’s son, Dex, takes over his father’s spot on the Denver Carrington Board of Directors and butts heads with Blake over the merger with Colby Co. Dex is definitely taken in by Alexis and the two have great chemistry.

Fallon and Jeff - Despite Fallon’s short lived romance with Peter DeVilibis, it was great to see Fallon and Jeff work together to expose Adam for poisoning Jeff. That closeness did drive a wedge between Kirby and Jeff, but who cares. Jeff and Kirby were so boring together. So boring. By the end of the season, it looked as if Jeff and Fallon were to be married, and this time Fallon really wanting it. But, those mysterious headaches that were so common on Dynasty caused Fallon to drive off in the rain and led to a supposed accident.

Mark and Alexis - After the multiple attempts on her life, Alexis decided she needed protection and turns to Mark. Mark moving into the Penthouse was a great move and added some fun scenes between the two. At the same time, it gave Mark an opportunity to get some dirt on Alexis to blackmail her (with the help of Congressman McVane). It is a shame it did not work out well for Mark as we went tumbling from the balcony of the penthouse.

Poor Joseph

Lowlights

Peter DeVilbis - I am not sure why the show thought this was a good idea. I mean, Helmut Berger looked so old compared to Pamela Sue Martin and two really had no chemistry. It just never worked. It’s a good thing he was not on the show long.

Tracy - Now, this is not trashing Deborah Adair, who is a good actress and did a great job as Tracy. It is just that she was not used appropriately. Initially, Tracy was going to drive a wedge between Blake and Krystle but once Krystle got pregnant, that was never going to happen (and John Forsythe would not allow Blake to cheat). Tracy does try one last attempt to seduce Blake in Singapore but he easily exposes her. She teams with Dex to get at Alexis (a better use of the character), but that only lasted a short time as Tracy departs.

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #4 Season 5 (1984-1985)

Ranking the top 4 seasons (Season 3-5 and 9) is a little difficult because they are all really good and my favorites (with Seasons 3-5 being the sweet spot of the shot). But, rank them I must. With that caveat, I am ranking Season 5 as the 4th best season of the show.

The season started off really strong, and why would it not with Alexis on trial for the murder of Mark Jennings. Granted, it was a little weak having Steven being the one to convict his mother since there was no indication that Steven saw anything when Mark died in Season 4 (in fact, it was highly unlikely). Still, it was great drama and with the actual killer being Congressman McVane in drag.

Crazy Times

The departure of Fallon was met with the arrival of Amanda (also hinted at near the end of Season 4). Now, Amanda was not as interesting as Fallon but there was something about the way Catherine Oxenberg played her that made for interesting drama. It also gave a great opportunity for mother and daughter to vie for the affection of Dex. Alexis won of course, and solved her Amanda issue, temporarily, by marrying her off to a prince - a wedding which did not end well.

In the end, Season 5 will be best remembered for two things: 1.) it was the season that Dynasty finished #1 in the Nielsen ratings and 2.) the season finale where terrorists ambush Amanda and Prince Michael’s wedding, wildly shooting everywhere leaving the viewers to wonder who survived (we all know that Lady Ashley was a goner). Oh, maybe I should add a third, this was the season of the “infamous” kiss between Linda Evans and Rock Hudson and the scare this caused when Hudson died of AIDS. Yes, things were way different back then.

So close

Highlights

• Alexis On Trial - Alexis’s trial for the murder of Mark Jennings was so gripping and gave us the opportunity to see Joan Collins in the prison blues. Joan Collins really shined during these first 7 episodes.

• Dominique’s Move to Be Accepted as a Carrington - While Blake was quick to accept Amanda as his daughter, he was not as quick to welcome Dominique into the family. Dominique was torn by so many feelings but in the end, it was her desire to be accepted into the family that drove her and not any need to “get Blake.” Blake was slow to come around and it took Tom’s deathbed confession for Blake to finally accept the truth. This gave Blake an ally in his struggle against Alexis.

• Steven and Claudia’s Marriage Collapses - Let’s face it, how long were these two really going to last. It was also nice to make Steven “gay” again even if he struggled with his desire to be “normal.” It didn’t hurt, that he had the very attractive Luke pursuing him. Steven finally gave in and accepted his reality (for a while) but made the grave mistake of brining Luke to his sister’s wedding.

• Amanda - Amanda and her portrayal by Catherine Oxenberg has always fascinated me. I mean, Oxenberg made her so wooden. I am not sure if that was intentional, but there was just something about Amanda that made you not want to hate her even though she was pretty much annoying (but not like the Kirby find of annoying).

Lowlights

• Lady Ashley - Enough said

• Daniel Reese - I get the need to bring on big names on the hottest television show. And maybe it may have worked out with Rock Hudson had he not been ill. At the same time, did we need another season of another man fighting Blake for the affection of Krystle. Once Krystle had Blake’s child, that should have been it. At least after this storyline, there never was any real strain in the marriage between Blake and Krystle as they became a super couple.

• Jeff and Nicole - Jeff did not take the disappearance and death of Fallon very well. Jeff’s struggle with accepting Fallon’s death and acting like a prick was entertaining. Then, it got ruined by teaming up Jeff with Nicole and hinting that Fallon was still alive. Then it got worse when the writers decided to discard Nicole (good move) and then pair Jeff with Lady Ashley (horrible move).

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #5 Season 6 (1985-1986)

Season 6 was probably the first season of the show which wasn’t as good as the previous season (don’t assume what this means for the ranking of the other seasons). Season 6 really had a slow start - namely because of poor, drawn out story lines. Yeah, it is tough to have a cliffhanger with everyone potentially dead and then kill off no one of importance. It’s further tough because the beginning of the season is also being used to promote the spin-off, The Colbys.

Still, that does not excuse two of the weakest storylines in the show’s history: Rita-Krystle, and Alexis’s continued obsession with being “Queen” of Moldavia. I have noted before that the Rita-Krystle storyline could have worked for a few weeks, but the first half of the season was too much. I mean, Blake couldn’t tell that it wasn’t his wife.

At the same time, the storyline with Prince Michael and King Galen was even worse. The two of them should have been killed off, and the show move on from the royal fantasy. It was cute for a while, but that was it. I mean, what is the point of having some displaced royals running around Denver.

Oddly, the best parts of the first half of the season involved the introduction of the Colbys.

No No No

At least the writers turned it around in the second half, and the show became very much enjoyable again. The introduction of Blake’s brother, Ben, and Alexis’s sister, Caress, was a success and made the show great fun. Further adding to the fun was pinning Sammy Jo against Amanda. Ahhh, if only the season had started as so.

Finally, you get to the great cliffhanger where Alexis finally achieves her goal and kicks Blake and Krystle from the mansion. This was too much for Blake who finally did what he probably had wanted to do for years - kill Alexis.

Maybe, Maybe, Maybe

Highlights

• Ben and Caress - Ben had been mentioned in Season 5 (on Tom’s deathbed) so it was only a matter of time that Alexis would find him in her attempts to destroy Blake. Alexis probably did not expect her sister to arrive from that Venezuelan prison but her arrival added another bitch/diva to the mix. The two new characters put the focus of the show back where it belonged - the struggle between Blake and Alexis.

• Sammy Jo and Amanda - Now that Sammy Jo has money, she matured and became a more interesting character. Meanwhile, Catherine Oxenberg finally seemed to be more comfortable in the role of Amanda. It was only a matter of time before the writers pinned the two against each other - even if it was for the affection of Clay. (I am neutral on the Fallmonts except for Emily who was super annoying.)

• Blake Takes the Fight to Alexis - It was good to see Blake finally take the fight to Alexis, especially after Alexis and Ben lied about the death of Blake’s mother. Krystle tried to warn Blake about obsessing over Alexis and that should have foreshadowed what was going to happen. Unlike Alexis, Blake refused to fight dirty and it cost him everything in the end.

Yes, Yes, Yes

Lowlights

• The royals come to Denver - Why oh why did the writers just not leave Galen and Michael in Moldova. At least they kept King Galen there for a while, but Alexis then had to ruin it by dressing as a nun to rescue the man. There really was no need to add them into the mix. Amanda clearly did not love Michael and she couldn’t even be a princess. And Alexis was suckered by King Galen for sometime. Gladly, both women came to their senses and the two were shipped off (to where? Who cares!)

• Rita and Krystle - I have written numerous times about this storyline, but let’s just harp again on a few things. How could Rita pull off being Krystle for so long. I mean, Sammy Jo barely knew Krystle so what could she have told her. Further, is Blake that stupid? I mean, L.B. of all people knew something was off. And let’s not forget when Joel and Krystle run into Alexis and Dex at some dive bar - and no one figured it out then. At least the catfight between Linda Evans was fun.

• Claudia’s Greed - I have also written about this storyline. I did not like making Claudia obsess about some stupid oil well. I guess all that time with the Carringtons (especially Adam) finally corrupted Claudia. I would have preferred the writers work Pamela Bellwood’s pregnancy into the show - but no such luck. Her candle vigil at the end was a nice touch though.

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #6 Season 2 (1981-1982)

Gee, what could have happened in Season 2 that forever changed Dynasty? That’s right, Joan Collins joined the cast as Blake’s ex-wife, Alexis. The arrival of Alexis forever changed the dynamic of the show as Alexis tried to challenge Krystle to become Mrs. Carrington again. When that failed, Alexis teamed up with Blake’s rival, Cecil Colby, to destroy Blake.

Blake not only had to deal with Alexis and Cecil, but struggled (literally at the end) with Dr. Nick Toscani, a psychiatrist who somehow managed to integrate himself into the Carrington household in his plan to get revenge against Blake because he blamed Blake for the suicide of his brother.

Season 2 is when the classic type of soap opera storylines are introduced and emphasized. There is Blake’s temporary blindness, accusations of infidelity, revenge (so much revenge), blackmail, and of course that catfight in Alexis’s studio. Season 2 was really a fun season and it was the beginning of what made Dynasty the great show that it was. (Oh and it got rid of Lindsey.)

Things never will be the same in Denver

Highlights

• Enter Alexis - Of course. The arrival of Blake’s ex-wife caused even greater chaos in Blake’s already tumultuous life. Alexis’s initial plan was clearly to get rid of Krystle and have Blake take her back. I totally love that Alexis was able to live on the grounds which made the tension even greater. The lengths Alexis was willing to go to leads to her greatest sin, shooting off the gun which caused Krystle’s miscarriage.

• Sammy Jo - Sammy Jo, as Krystle’s scheming niece, was also a great addition to the show. My only issue with the introduction of Sammy Jo was pairing her with Steven, which never seemed natural to me. I mean if Steven was to go back to women, why not just rekindle things with Claudia (which he lamely attempts) instead of pursuing Sammy Jo.

• Combative Cecil - I like how Cecil because a true rival to Blake in Season 2, even if Blake was slow to realize who Logan was. Also, you have to appreciate how Cecil manipulated Claudia to get to Blake. Finally, how can you hate Cecil having a heart attack while having sex with Alexis, soon after their engagement.

• Fallon - Pamela Sue Martin’s portrayal of Fallon was excellent even though I do not mention it enough. It was pleasurable to see Fallon, married to Jeff, pursue Dr. Nick Toscani (probably because he showed interest in Krystle). Further, Fallon’s last minute decision not to abort Jeff’s baby added greater humanity and complexity to the character.

• Keeping Claudia - Even though Claudia was held up in the mansion for most of the season, it was a great move by the writers to keep Claudia on the show, while getting rid of Matthew and Lindsey.

Lowlights

• Ruining Steven - The writers pretty much ruined Steven for most of the season. While Steven’s attempt to still fit in made for some great programming, the pairing with Sammy Jo and the flirting with being a race car driver (that lasted all of a hot second) just didn’t work. Al Corley agreed which is why he left the show. At least Corley’s final scene (“Steven is gay”) made for some great programming.

• Dr. Nick Toscani - This is a tough one because I am more neutral on Dr. Toscani. He was just too many things to too many people. The revenge on Blake seemed pretty contrived, he gave it up quickly, and then rekindled it with gusto. And even though Dr. Toscani was everywhere, his role was always minor to the main storylines.

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #7 Season 1 (1981)

It is kind of unfair to rank Season 1 at all since it really was a different show than the Dynasty we all love. But, if you look at Season 1 and ignore all that came after it, Season 1 is actually pretty good. But, then why did I rank it so low. That’s easy, many of the other seasons are just better.

Season 1 really is the story of Blake trying to get his family to fit his mold and the others struggling to belong in Blake’s world. Meanwhile, on the middle class side (the classic soap mixing of classes), Matthew struggles to bring his family back together even though he is in love with another woman. Claudia struggles to get her life back together following her breakdown. Even poor Lindsay struggles with being a normal teenage girl and learning that her parents only got married because Claudia became pregnant.

Season 1 wasn’t bad, Lindsay, why are you crying?

Aside from the family drama, there is the subtle critique of capitalism and the tension between old money (Cecil), new money (Blake) and those wanting to enter that world (Walter). In the spirit of the 80s/Reagan era, that critique is tossed aside by Season 2 as capitalism and wealth are celebrated.

The season climaxes with Blake on trial for killing (was it accidental?) Steven’s former lover. The trial itself is interesting on so many levels but it is the ending that made Dynasty what it became - the arrival of Blake’s ex-wife Alexis.

Highlights

• Steven’s attempts to become a man in a mold different than what Blake wants. Blake wants Steven to straighten up but Steven, who does not know who he wants to be, has his own ideas. Instead of working for Blake at Denver Carrington, Steven decides to work for Walter and Matthew. Even there, Steven struggles to fit in with the wildcatters trying to strike it rich.

• Krystle’s attempt to become the lady of the house. She buts head with Fallon who does not want her there. She also has to battle Joseph who was less than eager to give up control of the mansion. Blake makes sure that everyone respects Krystle, but has a hard time respecting Krystle himself. As Blake’s business teeters, he shuts Krystle out and takes out his rage on her. Even though tempted by Matthew, Krystle stays loyal to Blake especially at his murder trial.

• I enjoyed watching Blake being the tough and not always likeable business person. This Blake is willing to play dirty. He is not the virtuous capitalist of later seasons.

• The romance between Claudia and Steven just works. Two outsiders coming together with a love on a deeper level (despite the sex).

Lowlights

• Of course we have to trash Lindsay. It is not her fault but the teenage girl coming of age story just does not work. Besides, you have Fallon’s far more interesting antics. Lindsay is always crying and it is kind of funny now that she made a big deal of finding out her parents only got married because Claudia got pregnant (something more common than people like to acknowledge.

• Really, it is just Lindsay that sucked about Season 1. Maybe the lack of bitchy lines too - but that is because Season 1 is just so different.

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #8 Season 8 (1987-1988)

Season 8 was not bad but it wasn’t that great either. At least the writers found a way to have Blake and Alexis at each other’s throats (not literally this time) by having Blake running for governor and then having Alexis join the race just to make sure he loses. There was greater focus on the younger characters this season although some of the storylines were either predictable or disappointing (in that they could have done more with it). Finally, there was Sean Rowan who was too prominent in the season.

The season was more streamlined than the few before that - fewer characters and episodes. That formula did work as the season did not feel to drag on and on like Season 7. Storylines moved quickly and you did not get the feel that the writers made a hard shift change halfway through the season (as they did in Seasons 6 and 7).

The season finale was just okay. I did like Fallon seducing Jeff just before Sammy Jo arrived to accept Jeff’s marriage proposal. You just knew that Steven was going to leave again - you could see it coming from mid-Season 7. Dana turning on Adam guaranteed Karen getting custody of their child. It was obvious that Sean would be the one killed when the gun went off between he and Dex. The writers were not willing to have Blake win the governor’s race but did leave a bit of room to have Blake win a recount if the writers of Season 9 so chose. Finally, you have Krystle just leaving with Blake exasperated that he thought they had more time. Oh, I forgot poor Leslie - left in that cabin never to be heard of again.

I will end on one positive - the more recently I watch this season, the more I actually liked it. If you would have had me rank the season 5 years ago, Season 8 would be last, but now it has moved up a spot.

The season was not that bad

Highlights

• The return of Fallon and Jeff to Denver. I also liked that Jeff and Fallon’s marriage fell apart over the UFO thingy and pairing Jeff with Sammy Jo. Meanwhile, Emma Samms finally came into her own as Fallon near the end of the season (and more so in Season 9).

• The governor’s race - as noted before this actually allowed conflict again between Blake and Alexis. It was only natural that Blake would eventually run for office though I did find it interesting that the oil baron chose the environment as his main issue. Meanwhile, it is only natural that Alexis would challenge him and have the horror of wearing pastels as here main issue.

• I did like how Steven was treated this season as he tried something new (running the football team) but continued to feel isolated in Denver (from his odd relationship with Sammy Jo to his running of Denver Carrington). Along with this, Josh Harris was an entertaining character - it was a shame they killed him off though an overdose.

Lowlights

• Sean Rowan - I can never complain enough about this. I mean what are the odds that Alexis would happen to drive her car off a bridge right where Joseph’s son (that we did not know about) happened to be to rescue her. Alexis was so grateful that she pursued him, married him and gave him control of Colby Co. But, Sean was not satisfied with that. He blackmailed Dana and convinced Karen’s husband to reenter her life (all as a way to get even with Adam). But, Sean was not done - he had to get involved with Leslie and tried to destroy Denver Carrington. He was quite busy.

• Ruining Leslie - with the return of Fallon, there really was no need for a second young female character (sorry Sammy Jo), but did they have to make Leslie so ambitious. First, she goes after Jeff. Then, she ditches working for Dex (a pairing of those two would work) to become Alexis’s clone. When Alexis runs for governor, she becomes involved with Sean and ends up getting caught up in the kidnapping of Adam and Karen’s baby. It all ends with Sean viciously beating her and Steven promising to get her help.

• The surrogacy - this storyline was ripped directly from headlines of the day (Baby M) so it was obvious what was going to happen when Adam and Dana decide to hire Karen to have their child. It may have worked better had Adam and Karen had some sort of spark (there did seem to be some chemistry). It also did not help that Dana was pretty much suffering the entire season (waste of her character).

Dynasty Seasons Ranked - #9 Season 7 (1986-1987)

Season 7 of Dynasty was a hot mess, and not in a good way. The Season 6 finale was one of the better ones but the following season did not keep up the energy. It was a disaster. Poor Claudia was killed off and didn’t even get a decent funeral. Catherine Oxenberg was replaced by Karen Cellini who was just so horrible that Amanda just sort of disappeared. Michael Culhane was brought back for no reason. I can go on and on, and I will.

Alexis finally got the mansion and control of Denver Carrington. But, what did she do? She decided to buy a newspaper to kick Blake while he was down by blaming him for setting the fire at La Mirage (during his sister’s engagement party). That made no sense. Meanwhile, Blake just happened to have a piece of land from his mother that he was ready to develop. Except, Blake scrapped the whole thing because Michael Culhane muscled his way in. That doesn’t matter because Blake was able to get his holdings back when Emily Fallmont, who could not stop crying and just being plain annoying, wrote a letter of Alexis and Ben’s perjury before running into a slow moving car (which amazingly kills her).

With Alexis and Ben giving Blake and Dominique back what they stole, the second half of the show switched gears completely. No longer was the tension between Alexis and Blake central to the show (they were getting along). This made the show boring and more like a poorly done family drama which was the worst thing that could have happened. There was poor Krystina getting a new heart just to be kidnapped by the mother of the donor. There was Neal McVane getting out of prison for murder after a couple of years to blackmail Adam about not being a Carrington. Steven and Sammy Jo pretended to play house but without the sex. Alexis rode on the back of a motorcycle and ate a hot dog on a date (who just wanted her money).

It just was not the same show and it ended with Matthew Blaisdel showing up with a bunch of his pals from South America to reclaim Krystle. (Not sure what Matthew thought this was going to accomplish.) Meanwhile, Alexis distraught over not having a man, stole a cheap car and drove off a bridge. This season could not end soon enough.

Retract this season before I cram it down your throat!

Highlights

• Alexis and Blake spending tender moments together in Singapore when Blake had amnesia following another oil rig explosion. It was nice to see what a married Blake and Alexis were like.

• The arrival of Ben’s daughter Leslie. I actually like the character and she was the best addition of the season. And even the plot of her and Clay possibly being half siblings was interesting - gotta have the incest.

• Dominique and Alexis’s cat fight - yes it was over a stupid reason but Dominique is quite the fighter.

Lowlights

• The whole blaming Blake for the fire at La Mirage, which includes the husband of one of the victims threatening to kill Krystle.

• The return of Michael Culhane and teaming him up with American Amanda.

• Alexis buying the Denver Mirror and running it instead of Colby Co.

• Emily Fallmont’s constant crying.

• The drama with Krystina and the heart transplant. It was so predictable and just plain boring.

• Steven being confused again and Sammy Jo somehow thinking she could have Steven back.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Krystle and Alexis's Final Scene Together

Thanks to Sable, Krystle learns that the body that turned up at the lake was none other than Roger Grimes - the man Blake had a run in with many years ago. No wonder Alexis is resuming her attacks on Blake. Krystle will not allow Alexis to get away with it. But, really what can Krystle do - she has a brain condition that can kill her.

That does not stop Krystle from making one final threat to Alexis. After breaking a fancy vase, Krystle holds a book to Alexis’s throat and warns her that she could kill her and no jury will ever convict her. How many times has poor Alexis had someone literally at her throat?

Ultimately, Krystle’s threat is hollow and Alexis knows it. Krystle will not be around long enough to stop Alexis. Good thing Sable had promised to do that for her.

Two parts of this scene are hilarious. When Krystle asks Alexis what she is doing, and Alexis responds with a reference to drinking champagne. And then there is when Alexis offers to take care of Krystle if worse came to worse. When Krystle tells Alexis that she is the last person to take care of Krystina, Alexis makes one of her many snarky remarks that she perfected in Season 9.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Tracy Quits

One of the new characters introduced in Season 4 of Dynasty was Tracy Kendall. Tracy worked at Denver Carrington and hope to get the position as head of Public Relations until Blake decided to give it to his questionably qualified wife, Krystle. Tracy, always ambitious (in a good way), tried to sabotage Krystle to get the position she believed she was entitled to. It is so hard to be mean to Krystle. Besides, Tracy found another route for her ambition just as Krystle went on maternity leave (okay, Krystle never came back to Denver Carrington in that position.)

Further, Tracy decided to make a play for Blake while the two were in Hong Kong, but Blake was too smart for her and fired her on the spot. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Dex and Alexis brawled (literally). Tracy and Dex found one another and Dex convinced Tracy to join Colby Co to spy on Alexis for him. Alexis had other plans for Tracy - she wanted her to sleep with a banker to get information on Blake’s loan.

That seemed a step too far for Tracy who had no problem sleeping with other men to get what she wanted and she lets Alexis have it before quitting.

This is probably Deborah Adair’s best scene on the show, and her last. Sadly, the writers really did not know what to do with Tracy. They probably should have tied her to Dex and Alexis from the beginning than to have her interfere with Blake and Krystle. It also did not help that John Forsythe would not allow his character to cheat on Krystle. The writers did waste Adair’s talent. At least we got one of the best lines ever on the show, “I didn’t sign on this ship of vipers to become the company whore.” Oh, and mocking Joan Collins’ accent.

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 - Claudia's Vigil For The Liars

Recently, we were lighting candles for a Colombia Christmas tradition and for some reason I could only think of Claudia lighting candles for all the liars in her life. So, of course I had to post the video - Pamela Bellwood’s final scene.

Claudia had been doing so much better after getting out of the sanitarium and even helped Steven win custody of his son. But, her sanity did not last long as Steven returned to his true self and Claudia got caught up with Adam. To be fair, getting involved with Adam would make anyone crazy.

Claudia finally thought she had her ticket out of the Carrington hell with an oil well she obsessed about. Claudia finally got her oil well but it amazingly dried up. Claudia would not be economically independent. What other option did Claudia have than to light candles for all those who treated her poorly. How would Claudia know that a non-existent gust of wind would knock over a candle and set the curtains on fire in record time? Were the curtains were treated with gasoline?

Clutching a photo (probably of nothing), Claudia screams while the fire spreads out of control instead of just leaving. I guess Claudia would rather take her chances with the fire than to see the liars at Dominque’s engagement party.

Dynasty Top Scenes - Claudia and Sammy Jo Slap It Out

Blake decides to take custody of Danny from Steven because he does not approve of Steven’s lifestyle - and maybe for Krystle, but Krystle wants no part of it. Despite evereyone’s better judgment, Andrew Laird calls Sammy Jo to the stand and she pretty much lies about Steven, by painting his as a deviant (in other words - gay). Everyone knows she is lying (other than the judge).

Claudia decides to take it upon herself to put Sammy Jo in her place and confronts her at La Mirage. I mean, that seems the normal thing someone would do. Claudia demands that Sammy Jo go back and tell the truth that Steven is a real man (seemingly because he has heterosexual sex). As if Sammy Jo will do that.

Claudia has the only appropriate response, she slaps Sammy Jo. Not to be outdone, Sammy Jo slaps Claudia back. Oh, it’s on! But, not for long, Claudia winds up and really slaps the hell out of Sammy Jo. Claudia is victorious against Sammy Jo (for now). Proud of her victory, Claudia leaves Sammy Jo’s room and fixes her jaw. That’s right Claudia, never let them see that it hurts!

To be fair, Claudia does come up with a more practical way to help Steven. She convinces Steven to marry him and that is enough for Steven to keep custody of his child.

From Episode 64 - The Hearing Part 2