Dynasty Discussion Thread

[j swift]

If memory serves, the whole thing happened due to a donation to the Carousel of Hope Ball which benefits juvenile diabetes, and it was filmed on location at the ball in Colorado.

Fun fact, it was Barbara Davis (widow of Marvin Davis), the inspo for the Colbys, and grandmother to Brandon (greasybear) Davis and Jason (RIP, gummybear) Davis, who chaired the event for years.

Edited January 10 by j swift

[Franko]

*smacks head* Yes, that would make more sense for the Fords to donate their salaries to the charity they were there in support of, as opposed to Betty's cause. Again, assuming that they did donate their money.

[Soapsuds]

Dynasty debuted 44 years ago yesterday.

[Soapsuds]

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[Chris 2]

Her marriage to Manuel lasted three more years after leaving the show. She shoulda taken the million bucks.

[DRW50]

I don't really think she left because of her marriage. She was visibly burnt out with the show. Staying would have given her more money but if she wanted to go, I don't think she was wrong to go. They got so much wrong with Fallon until the final season.

[Chris B]

I don't blame her either. If you need the money and are willing to phone it in, stay, but if you have a chance to leave, take it. Fallon was a great character in the first season and as soon as season 2 started they removed everything that was interesting about the character. The Fallon of seasons 2-8 was a ridiculously hysterical heroine with very little appeal. 

[te.]

Yep, her hair was literally falling out. She also never really seemed into the Hollywood lifestyle and fame. 

[kalbir]

In the grand scheme of things Pamela Sue Martin was smart to walk away when she did. She probably saw the weaknesses showing in the writing.

[j swift]

@kalbir Your posting made me think about how much the basic ethos of the show changed from season one onward.  I'll summarize my reaction, realizing that it is an overstatement based upon years of episodes.

S1, Krystle and Steven are sort of the moral center of the show, and they are trying to tell everyone that love is more important than the acquisition of wealth.  Blake learns to trust and value his partner.  Fallon learns that playing with Blake's money is less essential than earning his respect.  There's a late 1970s value system at play.  

Then S2 onward, the tables turn, and it is all about how the acquisition of power through wealth gives people freedom.  Alexis wants her own agency and to be free of the judgment of men.  Fallon gets a hotel empire in order to satiate her desire for independence.  Steven has a literal about face (

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).  

Making Blake a beneviolent hero suddenly changes the writing from being about prioritzing relationships over to money, to valuing all the things that money can buy.  It was a way of mollifying the masses to the disparity of wealth.  Whereas in the 70s, we told the middle class that money can't buy happiness.  The 80s were about that anyone could find success, and we should ignore the systematic issues that create disproportionate wealth.

Edited January 31 by j swift

[kalbir]

Dynasty is very much a product of the Reagan era and to me it was the epitome of Reagan era excess and greed. It's quite telling that it's run began just before Reagan took office and ended shortly after Reagan left office.

[Khan]

I can't remember who said it - maybe it was someone on this board? - but whoever said it was correct: DALLAS epitomized the first Reagan administration and the ascendance to wealth; and DYNASTY epitomized the second, with the consolidation of it.

[DRW50]

That makes a lot of sense.

We could even tie the bizarre Krystal brain tumor/damage story to the end of the Reagan era - she started the show strong and vibrant and ends as a disappearing shell. 

Neighbours recently introduced another member of their rich family, who is named Fallon Morell. Another reminder that the main memory many have of Dynasty now seems to be stupid names...and the family in question is another reminder of just how dull rich families often are on soaps (Dynasty in particular after the first few seasons).

Edited February 5 by DRW50

[Liberty City]

I wish the remaster were on streaming; cmon Prime Video, time to put it back up.

[DRW50]

I was watching this Locher Room interview from a few years ago to see what Susan Scannell said about Another Life, but she also gave some interesting details about her time at Dynasty. It starts somewhere around 35 minutes.

She says she had a MeToo incident. Her refusal to go along with what this person wanted led the show to go overbudget. This person (she doesn't give any names but does say "she" at one point) was tight with people on the show, so Susan ended up taking the fall. She only found out when a tabloid person asked what she was wearing to a reunion event, which she hadn't heard of. Susan also says that she was basically blacklisted in the industry due to this incident.

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