Eileen " Mike " Prince Pollock (March 22, 1926 – December 5, 2012) and Robert " Bob " Mason Pollock (March 19, 1917 – July 11, 2016) were an American married couple who worked as television screenwriters and producers best known for work on the series Dynasty and its spin-off series The Colbys , the latter of which the Pollocks co-created with Dynasty creators Richard and Esther Shapiro .
139-464: Alexis Carrington Colby (also Morell , Dexter and Rowan ) is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty . She is the ex-wife of Blake Carrington ( John Forsythe ) and her schemes cause one problem after another for him and their children. The role was originated by Joan Collins in the first episode of the show's second season in 1981, though the character appeared briefly in
278-464: A Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess in 1984, and again in 1985. A Dynasty reboot premiered on The CW on October 11, 2017. Executive producer Sallie Patrick said in August 2017 that Alexis would be introduced during the first season, but that the role had yet to be cast. She later said "We knew Alexis was coming before we even started shooting the pilot, which allowed us to pave
417-403: A Dynasty prequel feature film script set in the 1960s, and were shopping it to studios for a possible film franchise. In a September 2011 interview, Dynasty actress Joan Collins chatted about a Dynasty television revival: "I've been in constant contact with Esther Shapiro, who wrote it, and apparently they've written a script." In September 2016, it was announced that a Dynasty reboot
556-602: A Drama Series . Evans and Collins were each nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Evans in 1983, and Collins in 1984); both actresses lost to Tyne Daly for her work on the CBS police drama series Cagney and Lacey . Dynasty was also an award winner at the People's Choice Awards . Evans won Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program in 1982, and Favorite Female TV Performer in 1983. In 1984, she won Favorite Female TV Performer, and
695-520: A balcony, which Paulsen said "meant that the following year we could get rid of anybody we wished." Paulsen said "I think Joan Collins was angry because she kind of saw what I was doing." Collins was subsequently quoted at the Cannes Film Festival saying that she would not return the next season. However, in May 1989, new ABC entertainment president Robert A. Iger cancelled Dynasty , leaving
834-463: A bandaged, non-speaking Alexis in the sixteenth and seventeenth episodes of the second season. Elizabeth Gillies , who stars as Alexis's daughter Fallon , played the role of Alexis after Sheridan's departure for three episodes near the end of the second season. The role was recast with Elaine Hendrix for season three. Alexis' schemes to destroy ex-husband Blake, undermine his marriage to Krystle ( Linda Evans ), and control her children drive much of
973-476: A brief period before its characters were flattened into the caricatures that came to define the prime-time soap genre thanks to "ratings pressures and the introduction of diva Joan Collins...[which] put an end to challenging story lines". The first season of Dynasty was "modestly popular" among viewers, ranking #28 with a 19.0 Nielsen rating , while #1 series Dallas achieved a 31.8 rating that season. ABC reran season one in summer 1981 at 10:00 PM on Wednesdays,
1112-576: A catfight in a koi pond, it would be inappropriate for Joan to smack Linda with a koi." As Dynasty begins, powerful oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) is about to marry the younger Krystle Jennings (Linda Evans), his former secretary. Beautiful, earnest, and new to Blake's world, Krystle finds a hostile reception in the Carrington household—the staff patronizes her, and Blake's headstrong and promiscuous daughter Fallon ( Pamela Sue Martin ) resents her. Though devoted to Krystle, Blake himself
1251-455: A character, but the character could have been played by 50 people and 49 of them would have failed. She made it work." Collins said in 2012 that Larry Hagman 's performance as J.R. Ewing on Dallas had inspired her to play Alexis. Alexis' annual catfights with Linda Evans ' Krystle became eagerly anticipated, and Alexis would later have similar brawls with Dominique Deveraux ( Diahann Carroll ) and Sable Colby ( Stephanie Beacham ). As
1390-537: A clean slate, Alexis finds herself softening to Blake but ultimately tells him the truth as he reunites with Krystle. Krystina receives a heart transplant but is later temporarily kidnapped by Sarah Curtis ( Cassie Yates ), the mother of the dead girl from whom Krystina received her new heart; Sammy Jo's marriage to Clay crumbles and she falls into bed with Steven; Amanda leaves town; and Ben's daughter Leslie ( Terri Garber ) arrives. Adam's season-long romance with Blake's secretary Dana Waring ( Leann Hunley ) culminates in
1529-638: A condition that Alexis happily accepts. Two episodes previously, after their infant grandson L.B. Colby (son of Fallon and Jeff Colby ) is kidnapped, former spouses Blake and Alexis make a televised plea that he be returned. Alexis confesses a dark secret from their past: their firstborn son, Adam , had been kidnapped as a baby and had never been returned. Traumatized by the event, they had hidden his existence from their subsequent children, Fallon and Steven. Meanwhile, in Billings, Montana , an old woman named Kate Torrance tearfully tells her grandson Michael that he
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#17327724694281668-460: A false accusation of illegal weapons dealings orchestrated by Alexis to ruin Blake's financial empire. In the season finale, Fallon disappears just before her second wedding to Jeff (now divorced from Kirby) as her car seemingly collides with a truck on a stormy night (to accommodate the departure of Pamela Sue Martin from the series), while Alexis is arrested for the murder of Mark Jennings. Driven by
1807-538: A fast clip that a new tragedy seemed to befall the Carrington family every five minutes." The Pollocks brought the daytime series The Doctors its highest ratings in the early 1970s. They also wrote for General Hospital from 1976 to 1977. In 1997, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California , Walk of Stars was dedicated to them. On December 5, 2012, six months after Eileen Pollock "suffered
1946-540: A fire, and then arranges for her plastic surgeon to make her look like Fallon. Gillies's portrayal, facilitated by prosthetics, was a temporary recast to give producers time to find a suitable replacement for Sheridan. Patrick explained that the news of Sheridan's departure was sudden, but producers did not want to rush replacing her and "compromise the integrity of the casting process". She said "We have an amazing cast and wanted to add someone of their caliber to that role. We wanted to take our time with that." Patrick added, "In
2085-420: A gay male version of Sammy Jo; Alan Dale as Carrington majordomo Anders ; Nick Wechsler as Matthew Blaisdel ; Brianna Brown as Claudia; Wakeema Hollis as Jeff's sister Monica Colby ; Maddison Brown as Kirby, Sam Underwood as Adam; and Michael Michele as Dominique. Nathalie Kelley initially appears as Cristal in season one, but is replaced with Ana Brenda Contreras in season two, who
2224-470: A glamorous, wealthy black woman who comes to Denver to reveal she is in fact Blake's secret half-sister. After Blake's father, Tom Carrington, makes Blake, Alexis and Dominique equal heirs to his estate after he dies, with Dominique as executor, Alexis is furious. She attempts to disrupt Dominique's businesses as much as possible but Dominique counters her at every turn proving herself to be every bit as tough as Alexis is. Their rivalry would span three seasons of
2363-444: A gunshot settles Alexis as Krystle's implacable nemesis. Other new characters of the season are the psychiatrist Nick Toscanni ( James Farentino ), who tries to seduce Krystle while bedding Fallon and plotting against Blake; and Krystle's greedy niece Sammy Jo Dean ( Heather Locklear ), who marries Steven for his money. The season finale sees Blake left for dead on a mountain after a fight with Nick. By that time, Dynasty had entered
2502-707: A host of female imitators in other prime time soaps." Esther Shapiro said in the season one DVD commentary, "When Alexis came into it, it changed the tenor ... And that's the way they are now on television: you have your traditional villain, and I think that plays to a different denominator." In 2002, TV Guide ranked Alexis number 40 on its list of the 50 Greatest Television Characters of All Time. The magazine named her #7 in its 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time, and in 2016 Rolling Stone ranked her #27 of its 40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time. In 2015, executive producer Lee Daniels noted that Taraji P. Henson 's character Cookie Lyon in his TV series Empire
2641-422: A host of female imitators in other prime-time soaps." Producer E. Duke Vincent said of Collins in 2005, "Joan Collins is the queen of the archetype … How do you get that? You get it in the storytelling, obviously, but the actress herself, her personality, brought something to that role which I don't think anybody else could have done." Spelling added, "We didn't write Joan Collins. She played Joan Collins … We wrote
2780-483: A mother-daughter situation, and I think that will add some juice to the show." A press release announced that the character "will return unexpectedly ... challenging Blake's marriage to Cristal, seeking to reunite with her children, and fighting to claim what is hers." Alexis first appeared in the season one episode " Poor Little Rich Girl " on March 23, 2018. Patrick said: We've found our own way to pay tribute to Alexis' OG entrance and that fabulous outfit. Just as in
2919-465: A near-reconciliation with an amnesiac Blake. TV Guide named Alexis No. 7 in its 2013 list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time", and in 2016 Rolling Stone ranked her No. 27 of its "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time". In 2015, executive producer Lee Daniels noted that Taraji P. Henson 's character Cookie Lyon in his TV series Empire was partially based on Alexis. In the first-season finale episode, " The Testimony ", Blake Carrington
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#17327724694283058-895: A new cast premiered on The CW in October 2017. Dynasty was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama every year from 1981 to 1986, winning in 1984. The series spawned a successful line of fashion and luxury products, and also a spin-off series called The Colbys . Other notable cast members included Pamela Sue Martin , Lloyd Bochner , Heather Locklear , Catherine Oxenberg , Michael Nader , Diahann Carroll , Emma Samms , Rock Hudson , Kate O'Mara , and Stephanie Beacham . Aaron Spelling, already well known for his successful ABC series, including Starsky & Hutch , Charlie's Angels , The Love Boat , Fantasy Island , Vega$ and Hart to Hart , took on Richard and Esther Shapiro's vision of
3197-445: A passionate kiss, before Dex resists. Dex turns to recently fired Denver-Carrington PR Director Tracy Kendall for solace in a one-night stand, then pays Tracy to get a job at ColbyCo to spy on Alexis for him. Tracy, fed up with Dex's obsession with Alexis, tells Alexis about Dex's plan. Alexis is simultaneously angry and intrigued, eventually reuniting with Dex before Fallon's wedding and her arrest for Mark Jennings' murder. After Alexis
3336-539: A railing and falling off a second-story balcony while Adam, Sable, and Monica (Sable's daughter) watch in horror. Two years after her fall at the Carlton, in 1991, Alexis (who managed to turn in mid-air and land on top of Dex, who "didn't fare that well") meets Jeremy Van Dorn , head of Trans-Media Relations, who convinces her she needs to diversify her business. However, Jeremy is actually working for an international consortium who has its eye on ColbyCo. When Alexis learns
3475-579: A ravine together into a puddle of mud, before having their final showdown brawl in a fashion studio in the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion . Later in the series, Alexis also has a catfight with Blake's half-sister Dominque ( Diahann Carroll ), and then her own cousin Sable ( Stephanie Beacham ). She even has a brawl with her on-again, off-again lover and one-time husband, Dex ( Michael Nader ). Krystle's niece Sammy Jo ( Heather Locklear ) also has her fair share of catfights, as she first engages in
3614-464: A rich and powerful family who "lived and sinned" in a 48-room Denver mansion. Esther Shapiro said that an inspiration for the show was I, Claudius , a fictionalized depiction of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of Roman emperors . Shapiro said in 1985, "We wanted to do something that would be fun, an American fantasy. We thought people had seen enough stories where families fell apart. We wanted
3753-401: A sense of humor, I tried to give her vulnerability, because she was betrayed by her ex-husband and her whole family, and I tried to bring other dimensions to the character. Though Maggie Wickman appeared briefly at the end of the first-season finale as the veiled surprise witness, the role of Alexis was originated by Joan Collins in the first episode of the show's second season in 1981. Collins
3892-408: A shotgun to make Krystle's horse throw her; the pregnant Krystle miscarries and is told she will probably be unable to have more. Alexis becomes romantically involved with Cecil, now Blake's adversary, but Cecil has a heart attack while in bed with her. In 1982, Alexis and Cecil marry on his deathbed (episode 40), Cecil exacting a promise from Alexis that she will use his company ColbyCo to ruin Blake,
4031-606: A slap fight with Claudia ( Pamela Bellwood ) before taking on Amanda ( Catherine Oxenberg ) in a brawl in a swimming pool. Sammy Jo later fights Fallon ( Emma Samms ) in a horse trough and the mud around it. Evans even battles with herself at the climax of a 1985–1986 storyline in which Krystle is imprisoned and replaced by a lookalike named Rita (also played by Evans); Krystle ends up battling Rita in order to escape. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly termed Alexis and Krystle's catfights "the gold standard of scratching and clawing." The so-called "Moldavian Massacre" occurred during
4170-535: A strong, nineteenth-century sort of family where people were in conflict but loved each other in spite of everything." Intended by ABC to be a competitor for CBS's Dallas , the working title for Dynasty was Oil . Initially, the two main families featured in the series were known as the Parkhursts and Corbys. By the time production began, they had been renamed the Carringtons and Colbys. George Peppard
4309-566: A taste of her poison. According to Alexis, Fallon is not Blake's daughter at all: her father is really Blake's longtime friend and business rival, Cecil Colby . The secret eats at Steven, and Fallon eventually finds out. Ultimately, it is proven untrue. Alexis' consistent meddling and intrusions help improve Krystle's relationship with Fallon, Joseph, and the rest of the household staff, and they soon accept her unconditionally as Blake's wife. Alexis makes an enemy in Krystle when she purposefully fires
Alexis Colby - Misplaced Pages Continue
4448-463: A technicality. The household staff remembers the first Mrs. Carrington all too well—especially longtime Carrington majordomo Joseph Anders . Staunchly loyal to Blake, Joseph has a particular dislike for Alexis and has followed her scandalous adventures for years through the tabloids. Fallon, although not openly hostile, keeps an icy distance from Alexis and the two trade subtle barbs; Steven is seduced by his mother's apparent devotion to him, but soon gets
4587-436: A three-hour event on January 12, 1981. During its run, Dynasty explored issues such as rape, homosexuality, and racial integration , and put middle-aged women in the forefront. Acknowledging that the show is, however, primarily entertaining, producer Douglas S. Cramer said, "We walk a fine line, just this side of camp. Careful calculations are made. We sense that while it might be wonderful for Krystle and Alexis to have
4726-407: A trophy to her father. She channels her energies into toying with various male suitors, including the Carrington chauffeur Michael Culhane ( Wayne Northrop ). At the end of the three-hour premiere episode " Oil ", Steven finally confronts his father, criticizing Blake's capitalistic values and seemingly amoral business practices. Blake explodes, revealing the secret of which Steven thought his father
4865-490: A vacation. Realizing that Jeff will "recover" when he's not breathing toxic fumes every day, Adam confesses to Alexis, who orders Adam to have the paint removed from Jeff's office. Adam warns his mother that if she betrays him, he will implicate her in the scheme, since Alexis used Jeff's poor health to trick him into signing over his son's shares in Denver-Carrington to her. In episode 66, Alexis learns that Fallon
5004-405: A very specific cadence in her speech, a way of talking that took a minute for me to make sure it was right...I hope she likes it. I really tried to do my absolute best." Gillies said " Grant Show couldn't even look at me...he was being incredibly squirmy and uncomfortable. It was probably my favorite of all the scenes I shot [as Alexis]. He's so funny and earnest in his performance, because he really
5143-568: A wedding, which is punctuated in the May 6, 1987, season finale by Alexis's car plunging off a bridge into a river and the violent return of a vengeful Matthew Blaisdel. Although the first episode of season seven premiered with a high Nielsen rating of a 20.1, the competition with Magnum, P.I. , now in the same time slot, and the constant storyline changes led to Dynasty falling out of the top 20 to No. 25. With The Colbys cancelled, Jeff and Fallon return for Dynasty 's eighth season, their marriage falling apart again. Matthew, returned from
5282-895: Is always a simpler solution than divorce." Her third marriage (to Dex) ends in divorce after Alexis catches him in bed with her adult daughter Amanda ( Catherine Oxenberg ). The name Alexis uses the most consistently over the course of the series is Alexis Colby, though her marriage to Cecil Colby is her shortest. Alexis is romantically linked to a number of men over the years, including oilman Rashid Ahmed ( John Saxon ); tennis pro (and Krystle's first husband) Mark Jennings ( Geoffrey Scott ); King Galen of Moldavia ( Joel Fabiani ); shipping tycoon Zach Powers ( Ricardo Montalbán ); Congressman Neal McVane ( Paul Burke ); Blake's brother Ben Carrington ( Christopher Cazenove ); Dirk Maurier ( Jon Cypher ) and his nephew Gavin Maurier ( Neil Dickson ); Cecil's brother Jason Colby ( Charlton Heston ); and even
5421-466: Is devoted to Blake and has long held a grudge against Alexis, a grudge further fueled by her testimony. Fallon says to her mother: You're even more beautiful and more ugly than that grand English lady I vaguely remember, and whom I've tried very hard to forget existed these past sixteen years. Alexis soon sparks the ire of Blake's wife Krystle , and brazenly moves into a cottage on the Carrington estate: her former art studio which she still owns, thanks to
5560-557: Is driven closer to Amanda. When Dex catches Alexis imagining herself as Queen of Moldavia (complete with crown) in episode 135, he is heartbroken. Amanda finds a drunken Dex and they make love again - only to be caught in the act by Alexis in episode 136. Alexis immediately flies to St Thomas for a quick divorce. In the meantime, Alexis' younger sister Cassandra Morell is released from a Caracas, Venezuela prison, having been incarcerated years before after an incident involving Alexis and her then-paramour, Zach Powers . Calling herself Caress,
5699-491: Is full of stolen Nazi treasure, hidden there by Blake's late father. Roger's body had been disturbed from its hiding place by a man looking for the treasure. The man happens to have been hired by Alexis' cousin Sable Colby , who was looking for some embarrassing information on her ex-husband Jason . But Sable has not come to Denver for having a revenge on Jason only but also on Alexis, who has betrayed her at several times in
Alexis Colby - Misplaced Pages Continue
5838-469: Is in crisis after the birth of their daughter Krystina , Dominique struggles to be accepted as a Carrington and loses her husband Brady Lloyd ( Billy Dee Williams ) in the process, and Sammy Jo discovers she is the heiress to a huge fortune. At the end of the season, an amnesiac Fallon (now portrayed by actress Emma Samms ) reappears while the rest of the family go to Europe for the wedding of Amanda and Prince Michael of Moldavia ( Michael Praed ). During
5977-484: Is investigating Jeff's mysterious illness and warns Adam that if Fallon learns the truth that he's on his own. In return, Adam tricks Alexis into signing documents that make it look like she ordered the office to be painted. Alexis travels to Montana to investigate her son's background and learns from Dr. Edwards that Adam had experimented with drugs as a teen and suffered a psychotic breakdown. She becomes more sympathetic to Adam at this point, feeling guilty that they gave up
6116-418: Is on trial for murder, and a female mystery witness in a large hat and veil appears. Writers Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock , brought in for season two, were told by series creators Richard and Esther Shapiro that the character would be Blake's ex-wife Madeline, who would be played by Sophia Loren for four to six episodes. The Pollocks renamed her Alexis, told executive producer Aaron Spelling that Loren
6255-575: Is really the Carrington heir. Armed with items from Adam Carrington's baby carriage, lawyer "Michael" comes to Denver and is eventually accepted as a Carrington; but like Alexis, his selfishness, greed and ambition put him at odds with all of his relatives at one time or another. In episode 42, Alexis offers Adam a job at ColbyCo. When she also recruits Fallon's husband Jeff, Adam is jealous. Revealing his devious nature, Adam has Jeff's office painted with toxic paint. Gradually, Jeff's behavior becomes increasingly erratic. In episode 51, Alexis sends Jeff away on
6394-468: Is revealed that Sean is actually the son of former Carrington majordomo Joseph Anders , and is bent on avenging his father (who committed suicide) and sister, Kirby (who had been ill-treated by Alexis). Sean has an affair with Leslie Carrington and schemes to destroy the family, but is ultimately killed by Dex after trying to kill Alexis. A body is found at the bottom of a lake on the Carrington property in 1988. The dead body turns out to be Roger Grimes,
6533-516: Is short-lived, and the pursuit of children unravels Adam and Dana's marriage. Sean begins to manipulate and destroy the Carringtons from the inside, and he fights Dex to the death in the March 30, 1988 season finale. Blake, who failed being elected as governor of Colorado, comes home to find Krystle missing and their bedroom in shambles. For the first time since its debut, the show had dropped out of
6672-572: Is so uncomfortable." Gillies explained that a lifecast was made of her to create the prosthetics, which took five hours to get into and about 45 minutes to get out of. Though Gillies said that she enjoyed the double role and would do it again if asked, she and Patrick agreed that "production-wise, it's challenging." Dynasty (1981 TV series) Dynasty is an American prime time soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981, to May 11, 1989. The series, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling , revolves around
6811-559: Is then recast with Daniella Alonso in season three. Nicollette Sheridan plays Alexis in seasons one and two, and Elaine Hendrix steps into the role for season three. Season one of the new Dynasty premiered in the United States on October 11, 2017. The series was later renewed for a second , third , fourth , and fifth season . In May 2022, The CW announced the fifth season would be Dynasty 's last. Robert Mason Pollock The second-season additions of
6950-457: Is too preoccupied with his company, Denver-Carrington, and blind to Krystle's predicament. Her only ally is her stepson Steven ( Al Corley ), whose complicated relationship with Blake stems from their fundamental political differences and Steven's reluctance to step into his role as future leader of the Carrington empire. Meanwhile, Fallon, better suited to follow in Blake's footsteps, is (as a woman) underestimated by and considered little more than
7089-462: The Carringtons , a wealthy family residing in Denver . Dynasty stars John Forsythe as oil magnate Blake Carrington , Linda Evans as his new wife Krystle , and later Joan Collins as his former wife Alexis . Dynasty was conceived by ABC to compete with CBS 's prime time series Dallas . Ratings for the show's first season were unimpressive, but a revamp for the second season that included
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#17327724694287228-487: The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (James in 1985, and Thomson in 1987). The series was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards over the course of its run, but only won once, for Outstanding Costumes for a Series in 1984. The show was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 1982. From 1982 to 1984, Forsythe received three consecutive nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in
7367-458: The spin-off series The Colbys . Spurned by Blake, Alexis finds his estranged brother Ben ( Christopher Cazenove ) and the duo successfully plot to strip Blake of his fortune. Steven's budding relationship with the closeted Bart Fallmont ( Kevin Conroy ) is ruined by Adam's business-motivated public revelation that Bart is gay. Amanda, who has divorced Prince Michael, fights with Sammy Jo for
7506-445: The 15 May 1985 season finale " Royal Wedding ", terrorists interrupt the ceremony in an attempt to kill Galen and spray the chapel with gunfire, leaving the entire wedding party seemingly dead or dying on the floor. Alexis survives the wedding massacre, as do most of the wedding guests, but she is kept as prisoner as the rebels want to sign a deal with ColbyCo. Eventually she is released when Blake pays ransom for her (and for Krystle who
7645-527: The May 15, 1985 fifth-season finale. Amanda and Prince Michael's royal wedding is interrupted by terrorists during a military coup in Moldavia, riddling the chapel with bullets and leaving all of the major characters lying seemingly lifeless. Esther Shapiro later said, "It was a fairy-tale terrorist attack. It was beautifully shot, like a Goya painting." It was watched by an audience of 25.9 million. In 2011, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly named it one of
7784-563: The Nielsen ratings. The Pollocks "soft-pedaled the business angle" of the show and "bombarded viewers with every soap opera staple in the book, presented at such a fast clip that a new tragedy seemed to befall the Carrington family every five minutes." Alexis's testimony notwithstanding, Krystle is immediately put off by the former Mrs. Carrington's condescending attitude and manipulations; Krystle's subsequent discovery that Alexis had caused her miscarriage by intentionally startling her horse with
7923-464: The Pollocks and actress Joan Collins (in the role of Alexis ) are generally credited with Dynasty' s subsequent rise in the ratings ; it became the number one series in 1985. According to The Soap Opera Encyclopedia written by Christopher Schemering , the Pollocks "soft-pedaled the business angle" of the show and "bombarded viewers with every soap opera staple in the book, presented at such
8062-467: The Top 20. Esther Shapiro lamented in the season one DVD commentary, "Had the series been left to us, and been a less huge hit, I think we would have seen these characters realized pretty much the way they are [in season one]. When Alexis came into it, it changed the tenor...And that's the way they are now on television: you have your traditional villain, and I think that plays to a different denominator." In
8201-505: The action over the series' run. Passionate, shrewd, and vengeful, Alexis loves her children fiercely and will do anything to protect them, but she often ignores their own needs and desires in place of what she thinks is best. Alexis marries three additional times, to Cecil Colby ( Lloyd Bochner ), Dex Dexter ( Michael Nader ), and Sean Rowan ( James Healey ). She is widowed twice, first by Cecil and then by fourth husband Sean, prompting Alexis' cousin Sable to remark that with Alexis "death
8340-449: The arrival of Collins as scheming Alexis saw ratings enter the top 20. By the fall of 1982, it was a top 10 show, and by the spring of 1985, it was the #1 show in the United States. The series declined considerably in popularity during its final three seasons, and it was ultimately cancelled in the spring of 1989 after nine seasons and 220 episodes. A two-part miniseries , Dynasty: The Reunion , aired in October 1991. A reboot series with
8479-561: The award Favorite Nighttime Dramatic Serial. Dynasty won Soap Opera Digest Awards in 1984 and 1985 for Outstanding Primetime Soap. In 1984 Forsythe, Evans and Collins won the awards for Outstanding Lead Actor, Actress and Villainess. John Forsythe won another award for Outstanding Actor in a Mature Role. Evans and Collins won the awards in the same categories in 1985, while Catherine Oxenberg won two awards, for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Female Newcomer. A spin-off, The Colbys , debuted in 1985, as Fallon "returned from
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#17327724694288618-513: The best of Alexis in a business deal (he discovers information in her office and acts on it before she can) and offers her a 60–40 split so they can work together. Although Alexis resists, by episode 72 they become lovers. Their relationship is tempestuous and passionate. In episodes 82 and 83, Dex learns that Alexis has slept with Rashid Ahmed in order to sabotage a deal he has with Blake. A furious Dex confronts Alexis. She slaps him, and much to her shock, he slaps her back. Their fight soon turns into
8757-414: The brief affair Amanda had with Dex when they found themselves snowed in together in a remote cabin, Alexis proposes Dex to marry her and, as he regrets his actions, he accepts the proposal. Later, Alexis becomes suspicious and tries to keeps Amanda out from Dex by marrying her to Prince Michael of Moldavia, son of King Galen that she had known years ago. But during the wedding celebration which takes place in
8896-423: The cast members, including John Forsythe , Joan Collins , John James , Heather Locklear and Emma Samms agreed to reprise their roles in early 1991. It was unknown during pre-production which characters the reunion film would include. Linda Evans was brought back last-minute, just before the final script was penned, as was Kathleen Beller . Jack Coleman , who had played Steven Carrington from 1982 to 1988,
9035-406: The cast's memories of the show, both on and off-screen; a collection of gowns worn by the female characters; as well as members of the cast participating in several cooking, craft and fashion segments. The reunion episode also featured a new opening of the show's iconic theme song, which included Home & Family hosts Mark Steines and Christina Ferrare . Linda Evans did not participate on-air in
9174-514: The character of Alexis was based on the Roman empress Livia as characterized in the 1934 novel I, Claudius . Of creating the character, Collins said in 2018, "I was basing her on all the businessmen I knew who were heartless, really. The other part of her brain, the glamorous part with the over-the-top clothes, I based on one of my best friends called Cappy Badrutt. She was extremely glamorous, and unfortunately very miserable. But I don't think Alexis
9313-424: The charming and ambitious Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter ( Michael Nader ), the scheming public relations assistant Tracy Kendall ( Deborah Adair ), the unscrupulous playboy Peter De Vilbis ( Helmut Berger ), and Blake's illegitimate African American half-sister, Dominique Deveraux ( Diahann Carroll ). The main story lines included a custody battle between Steven and Blake over Steven and Sammy Jo's son Danny , and
9452-552: The cliffhanger last episode of season nine as the series finale. The majority of the cast, including Collins, reunited for the two-part, four-hour miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion in 1991. In Dynasty 's first-season finale episode, " The Testimony ", Blake Carrington is on trial for killing his son Steven 's male lover, Ted Dinard . A veiled surprise witness for the prosecution appears, and Blake angrily asks his lawyer: "What's she doing here?" Blake's daughter Fallon gasps in recognition, "Oh my God, that's my mother." As
9591-881: The companion book Dynasty: The Authorized Biography of the Carringtons , which included an introduction by Esther Shapiro. The Authorized Biography featured storyline synopses in the form of extended biographies of the main characters, descriptions of primary locations (like the Carrington Estate and La Mirage) and dozens of photos from the series. The first season of Dynasty was released on Region 1 DVD on April 19, 2005, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment . The rights to subsequent seasons (and Season 1 rights for other regions) reverted to CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount ) in November 2006. Seasons 1 through 4 were made available on iTunes in May 2012. The Shapiros announced on January 12, 2011, that they had written
9730-488: The daughter of longtime Carrington majordomo Joseph ( Lee Bergere ). Kirby catches Adam's eye but weds Jeff after his divorce from Fallon. In the middle of the season, news that Steven has been killed in an accident in Indonesia comes to the Carringtons; he survives, but undergoes plastic surgery and returns to Denver (portrayed by Jack Coleman ). In the third-season cliffhanger, Alexis lures Krystle to Steven's cabin and
9869-401: The dead but troubled by headaches, holds the Carringtons hostage in hopes that Krystle will run away with him. Steven ends the siege by reluctantly stabbing his old friend to death. Alexis is saved by a handsome, mysterious stranger, Sean Rowan ( James Healey ). She later marries him, not realizing that he is Joseph's son and Kirby's brother, bent on revenge. Steven and Sammy Jo's reconciliation
10008-420: The dead" and ex-husband Jeff followed her to Los Angeles, where they became embroiled in the family intrigues of Jeff's wealthy California relatives. Pamela Sue Martin had been asked to reprise the role of Fallon but declined which led to the casting of Emma Samms in the role. Ratings for The Colbys were poor and the show lasted for just two seasons, ending in 1987. Both Fallon and Jeff returned to Dynasty after
10147-536: The favors of Clay Fallmont ( Ted McGinley ). The May 21, 1986, season finale finds Blake strangling Alexis while the rest of the cast is in peril at the La Mirage hotel, which has been accidentally set afire by Claudia. As the seventh season begins in September 1986, Blake stops short of killing Alexis, whom he had been strangling in the previous season's cliffhanger, after learning she had bought his mansion and
10286-694: The fictional storylines originally presented on Dynasty . On May 2, 2006, a non-fiction television special named Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar aired on CBS . It assembled former cast members from the series in John Forsythe, Joan Collins and Linda Evans, as well as the four original actors who played the Carrington children (Pamela Sue Martin, Al Corley, Gordon Thomson and Catherine Oxenberg). Heather Locklear, John James, and Diahann Carroll declined to participate, but cast members Pamela Bellwood, Jack Coleman and Emma Samms were included in prerecorded interviews. The special showed various clips from
10425-469: The first episode of season six garnered a 28.1 rating (becoming the most watched episode of the series) as viewers wanted to see who had survived the season five cliffhanger. Although still a top ten series, Dynasty dropped from first to seventh place in the ratings for its sixth season, which featured a look-alike woman named Rita who poses as Krystle (with both roles played by Linda Evans ), introduced Alexis's sister Caress ( Kate O'Mara ), and launched
10564-554: The first season, "The audience told us almost immediately: All they wanted to do was be in the mansion. [They] couldn't care less about the oil fields. They didn't want to see grubby rooms." Fallon makes a secret business deal with Blake's old friend and more-powerful business rival Cecil Colby ( Lloyd Bochner ), marrying his nephew Jeff ( John James ) to secure Cecil's financial assistance for her father. When Blake stumbles upon Steven in an innocent goodbye embrace with his former lover Ted Dinard ( Mark Withers ), Blake angrily pushes
10703-501: The first-season finale, non-speaking and face unseen. Collins remained on the show until the finale in 1989, and then returned as Alexis for the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion . The character appeared later in the first season of the 2017 Dynasty reboot series, portrayed by Nicollette Sheridan from the sixteenth episode of the first season to the fifteenth episode of the second season. Stand-in Amy Sutherland played
10842-410: The height of Dynasty 's popularity in 1985, Esther Shapiro said, "we've done important things for women with Dynasty . For middle-aged women. You know, to let them know that it's OK to want power and be romantic." Collins said in 2018, "Every single person on Dynasty was good-looking. You wanted to see rich, good-looking people fighting with each other." In 2012, The New York Times credited
10981-517: The hospital with no memories of the last 25 years. Alexis has him discharged from the hospital and convinces him that they're still married. However, when Krystle finds them, Blake's memories return. While angry at being deceived by Alexis, he forgives her and they reach a more peaceful coexistence. A handsome stranger saves Alexis from drowning in a river in 1987; dashing Sean Rowan soon sweeps her off her feet and they marry. Sean soon insinuates himself into her business, alienating Alexis' son Adam. It
11120-432: The idea to produce licensed products that included sheets and towels, jewelry and furs, 'Forever Krystle' perfume, and 'Carrington' men's cologne. Linda Evans was hired as a spokesperson for the beverage Crystal Light due to her character's name. Two novels were published, based on scripts from early episodes— Dynasty (1983) and Alexis Returns (1984) —written by Eileen Lottman. In 1984, Doubleday/Dolphin published
11259-399: The man with whom Alexis was sleeping when she and Blake divorced. He had been dead for 20 years but the cold temperatures in the lake preserved his body. Ultimately, it is revealed that 8-year-old Fallon had shot Grimes after finding him beating Alexis, and Blake's late father had hidden the body in a mine under the lake to protect Fallon. The situation is complicated by the fact that the mine
11398-459: The men are set as both business and romantic rivals. Blake is further enraged when Steven goes to work for longtime friend Matthew, in whom Steven sees qualities lacking in Blake. Though previously in a relationship with another man, Steven finds himself drawn to Claudia, who is putting her life back together after spending time in a psychiatric hospital. Esther Shapiro later said in the DVD commentary of
11537-475: The new head writer and producer Camille Marchetta , who had devised the wildly successful "Who Shot J.R.?" scenario on Dallas five years earlier, Dynasty hit No. 1 in the fifth season. In the story, Alexis is exonerated and her secret daughter Amanda Bedford ( Catherine Oxenberg ) comes to Denver and discovers that Blake is her father. Steven has married Claudia but leaves her for a man and Claudia starts an affair with Adam. The marriage of Blake and Krystle
11676-514: The new time slot for season two, and initiated a media blitz to promote the series. In the first episode of the second season, titled " Enter Alexis ", the mysterious witness removes her sunglasses to reveal British actress Joan Collins as a new arrival to the series. Collins's Alexis Carrington blazed a trail across the show and its story lines; the additions of Collins and the "formidable writing team" of Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock are generally credited with Dynasty 's subsequent rise in
11815-747: The only two original cast members to appear in the final episode. Dynasty was a top 30 show from its first through seventh season, reaching No. 1 for the 1984–85 season with a Nielsen rating of 25.0 or an average tune-in audience of 21.2 million homes per episode. Dynasty was initially syndicated in reruns by Metromedia Producers Corporation in September 1985, on stations such as KTTV in Los Angeles, and WNEW-TV 5 in New York City, while season 6 began airing on ABC. This initial syndication package consisted of all 117 episodes (originally 114 on ABC) that had been produced up to this point. At
11954-543: The original series, Alexis will shake up familiar dynamics and threatens relationships—Blake and Cristal, Blake and Fallon, even Fallon and Steven. And while she says she's back for her children, with Alexis you always have to wonder if what she says is true. Pedowitz later said "Nicollette has been a great addition. She is a disrupting force, she is that diva." The CW announced on February 25, 2019, that Sheridan would be leaving Dynasty to focus on "some personal family responsibilities." Sheridan said in her own statement that she
12093-560: The past. Most of the season's action revolves around the battle between Alexis and Sable. In episode 220, the final episode of the series, at the Carlton Hotel Dex confronts Sable and Alexis for using him and throwing him aside. He mentions that Sable is pregnant, much to her chagrin. Alexis and Adam taunt Dex with the news, causing Dex to push Adam to the floor in frustration. When Dex turns his back, Adam rushes him. Dex falls backward into Alexis, sending them both crashing through
12232-483: The pilot episode. Some of the other exterior shots of the Carrington mansion (including the lily pond catfight) were shot at a 17-room Palladian house called Arden Villa in Pasadena, California . Costume designer Nolan Miller designed approximately 3,000 costumes over the course of the series, saying "I never want to see them wearing the same outfit twice". His weekly wardrobe budget was $ 35,000. John Forsythe
12371-630: The popularity of Nolan Miller's costumes with "setting a trend for thick shoulder pads during a decade of power dressing". Dynasty was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama every year from 1981 to 1986, winning in 1984. Forsythe and Collins were also nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress every year from 1981 to 1986, and Evans was nominated for Best Actress every year from 1981 to 1985. Evans won in 1982 (tying with Barbara Bel Geddes of rival series Dallas ), Forsythe won in 1983 and 1984, and Collins won in 1983. John James and Gordon Thomson were also nominated for
12510-419: The reunion episode, but sent a message to the cast, which was read on air. The creations of series costume designer Nolan Miller became so popular that Dynasty spawned its own line of women's apparel called "The Dynasty Collection"—a series of haute couture designs based on costumes worn by Joan Collins, Linda Evans and Diahann Carroll. A men's fashion line followed. Esther Shapiro herself came up with
12649-570: The role himself. He said "I was big fan of Nicollette from way back when. She wanted it, and she will be great in it." Sheridan said of the Dynasty role, "I thought [ Dynasty ] was such a splashy, fun, strong comeback. It was just the right thing at the right time." Sheridan admitted, "I have always been attracted to playing the naughty girl. And for some reason, my audience loves seeing me in that role. It's challenging to make that person likable, and I get to do it again [with Alexis]." Sheridan's casting
12788-454: The run of the series, the rivalry between Alexis and Krystle is a primary driver for the melodrama. Alexis resents Krystle's role as Blake's wife and mistress of the Carrington household, and tries to undermine her at every opportunity, while Krystle makes increasingly bold efforts to keep Alexis from interfering in the lives of their mutual loved ones. The pair have numerous verbal spats that sometimes lead to physical altercations. "Unfortunately,
12927-690: The search for their lost son so many years ago, condemning him to such a tragic life. As she doesn't want his past drug addiction to be widely known, Alexis is resigned to suffer the consequences of his actions. Therefore, she gave up her control of Denver-Carrington. Later, in 1983, she becomes romantically involved with Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter , the son of a Denver-Carrington board member Sam Dexter, an old friend of Blake Carrington's. Dex has been sent by his father to understand why ColbyCo. abruptly abandoned its plans to acquire Denver-Carrington. In episode 69, Dex confronts Blake and his ex-wife Alexis Colby. Dex and Alexis are immediately drawn to each other. Dex gets
13066-534: The season's 22 episodes. Former The Colbys character Sable ( Stephanie Beacham ) was brought in as both a platonic confidante for Blake and a nemesis for Alexis, and Tracy Scoggins also reprised her Colbys role as Sable's daughter Monica . A storyline involving a murder and an old secret tying the Carrington, Colby, and Dexter families together spanned the season as Alexis and Sable sparred first over business and then over Dex. The series moved from Wednesday to Thursday, but ratings continued to decline and Dynasty
13205-483: The season, Dynasty attracted controversy when Rock Hudson 's real-life HIV -positive status was revealed after a romantic storyline between his character Daniel Reece and Evans's Krystle. Hudson's scenes required him to kiss Evans and, as news that he had contracted AIDS broke, there was speculation Evans would be at risk. The event led to a Screen Actors Guild rule requiring the notification of performers in advance of any scenes that require open-mouth kissing. Over
13344-565: The second night averaged 20.3 million. Critical reviews were not favorable, with many feeling the script was poor and that the film was merely an attempt of ABC's wish to "cash-in" on an old series. Dynasty was shot at Warner Hollywood Studios in West Hollywood, California . The Filoli estate in Woodside, California , was used as the 48-room Carrington mansion in the opening credits, establishing shots, and some outdoor scenes in
13483-402: The second season opens with the episode " Enter Alexis ", the character has not only a face but a name: Alexis Morell Carrington. She had been exiled from Denver by Blake after an affair with Carrington estate manager Roger Grimes; her testimony, that Blake has a violent temper, proves damaging to his case. At odds with his father, Steven is drawn to the mother he hardly remembers; Fallon, however,
13622-518: The series ended. The cable channel SOAPnet aired repeats of all nine seasons. In January 2004, creator Esther Shapiro participated in a marathon of the show's episodes, called "Serial Bowl: Alexis vs. Krystle", giving behind-the-scenes tidbits and factoids. On January 2, 2005, ABC aired a fictionalized television movie titled Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure , chronicling the creation and backstage details of Dynasty . It received poor reviews both for content and for historical accuracy, and
13761-585: The series was named Favorite TV Drama in a tie with the NBC drama Hill Street Blues . Evans and the series again won those same honors in 1985, with Evans sharing the Favorite Female TV Performer prize with her co-star, Collins. Evans won the award again in 1986, and the series tied with Miami Vice for Favorite TV Dramatic Program. In 1987, Dynasty tied with the CBS series Dallas for
13900-605: The series, as the cast reminisced about their time on the show. The special was filmed at the Filoli estate, the location originally used for exterior shots of the Carringtons' mansion in the series. On January 26, 2015, Home & Family hosted a Dynasty reunion for one episode on the Hallmark Channel . It assembled former cast members from the series, including Pamela Sue Martin, Al Corley, Gordon Thomson, John James and Pamela Bellwood. The reunion episode focused on
14039-422: The series. Also in 1984, a young woman named Amanda Bedford appears on Alexis' doorstep; she is Alexis' daughter, and as news of her spreads, Blake takes a special interest. He soon learns that Alexis was pregnant when he banished her decades before. Though Alexis insists that Amanda's father is a ski instructor with whom she was involved, it is eventually revealed that she is indeed Blake's daughter. Unaware of
14178-446: The seven "Unforgettable Cliff-Hangers" of prime time dramatic television. When the series resumed on September 25, 1985, it was revealed that only two minor characters had died: Steven's boyfriend Luke Fuller ( Billy Campbell ), who was mortally wounded saving Claudia's life, and Jeff's love interest Lady Ashley Mitchell ( Ali MacGraw ). In the 2006 CBS special Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar , Gordon Thomson stated that it
14317-451: The show so interesting and popular." Collins said in 2017: I went into the show, I was told that it was a failing show and that it was about to be cancelled, so they expected me to bring something to it to make it much more interesting to the viewer. That was a challenge, and it wasn't necessarily all in the writing. But I did find that the character was multifaceted, and wasn't just the plain old straightforward bitch type. I tried to give her
14456-469: The sixth season began, Collins was in a tense contract renegotiation with the show, seeking an increased salary. The first episode of the new season, which followed the " Moldavian Massacre " cliffhanger, was rewritten without Alexis. Collins reportedly signed a $ 60,000 per episode contract, and returned for the season's second episode. Dynasty declined in ratings in later seasons. Brought on for season nine, executive producer David Paulsen found that there
14595-524: The spirit of the OG Dynasty , we just went for the biggest twist possible as an homage to the double castings and doppelgängers they had on the original series." Gillies said: I've always loved the character of Alexis, even from the original Dynasty . I'm a huge Joan Collins fan, and what Nicollette did with the role was wonderful. She made it her own, and she developed such a following with her version of Alexis. When they presented it to me, I thought it
14734-416: The stand and helps Ben to win over Blake during the trial (episodes 141 & 142). Wanting revenge, Blake mortgages his house and holdings on the hope that he will gain control over ColbyCo. Thanks to Ben and Alexis, he loses both the house and the holdings and also his lucrative South China Sea oil leases. In the cliffhanger season finale, Alexis informs Blake she has bought his house. Furious, he grabs her by
14873-458: The thing people remember about this show is the catfights ," noted Collins in 1991. Entertainment columnist Sue Cameron said in 2018 that the catfights became so popular that the press were invited to watch the filming of them. Krystle and Alexis famously brawl for the first time in Alexis's studio, and then later in a lily pond. They also hurl mud at each other at a beauty salon, and slide down
15012-529: The third season (ranked fifth in the ratings), Alexis marries Cecil on his deathbed and acquires his company, ColbyCo. In the meantime, Adam Carrington ( Gordon Thomson ), the long-lost son of Alexis and Blake who had been kidnapped in infancy, reappears in Denver and almost starts an affair with Fallon before they discover they are siblings. Also introduced are Krystle's ex-husband, tennis pro Mark Jennings ( Geoffrey Scott ), and Kirby Anders ( Kathleen Beller ),
15151-411: The throat and starts to strangle her. Alexis is saved when Krystle pulls Blake off of her. Weeks after, Blake finds a way to force Alexis and Ben to relinquish their ownership of Denver-Carrington and all its holdings back to him. Later on, Blake, Alexis, and Ben are in southeast Asia visiting an oil rig when it catches on fire. Ben rescues a trapped Blake moments before the rig explodes. Blake awakens in
15290-469: The top 30, to No. 41 in the ratings. David Paulsen joined Dynasty as Executive Supervising Producer for its ninth season, and took over the plotting of the series. In a money-saving move, Evans appeared in only six episodes early in the season as an ailing Krystle seeks brain surgery in Switzerland but is left in an offscreen coma. Similarly to cut costs, Collins was contracted for only 13 out of
15429-455: The truth and wants to put an end to their partnership, Jeremy tries to kill her but she is saved at the last minute by Adam. The additions of Collins as Alexis and the "formidable writing team" of Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock are generally credited with Dynasty 's rise in the Nielsen ratings in its second season, the start of the series' rise to #1. Collins's performance "set off
15568-449: The two are locked inside while the cabin is set ablaze by an unseen arsonist, later revealed to be Joseph, who had meant for the fire to kill only Alexis and not Krystle. With the show's popularity soaring in the fourth season (now the third-most-watched program of 1983–1984), former President Gerald Ford guest-starred as himself in 1983, along with his wife Betty and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger . New characters included
15707-477: The two men apart; Ted falls backward and hits his head, the injury proving fatal. Blake is arrested and charged with murder, and an angry Steven testifies that Ted's death had been the result of malicious intent. A veiled surprise witness for the prosecution appears in the season finale " The Testimony ", and Fallon gasps in recognition: "Oh my God, that's my mother!" The series' first 13 episodes have been seen in retrospect to be Dynasty 's "arthouse" era,
15846-423: The way for her ... throughout the season, we hear Blake, Steven, and Fallon's memories about the woman who abandoned their family. So by the time she actually enters the series, we've established expectations about her character—which Alexis will happily break." The character has a cameo in the pilot episode , seen briefly in a flashback sequence. Patrick said in September 2017: There are certainly Easter eggs along
15985-532: The way until her grand entrance. What we like is that we know when she's coming. I'm not sure they knew their timing of her [on the original Dynasty ], so she was really absent from the first year. When she did show up, it was a huge twist and a great surprise. Since we live in a world that already knows about Alexis and knows about Joan Collins, we thought it'd be fun to build up that wonderful, delicious character before her grand entrance. We can only bring her in once, so we're taking our time to figure it out. The role
16124-572: The younger Morell comes to Denver and hopes to make a fortune by writing a scathing tell-all book about Alexis and exposing her sister's darkest secrets. Alexis finds out about the book, secretly buys the publishing company and scuttles the project. In 1986, Alexis turns on Blake as she wants him again in her life (episode 137). When he refuses to have an affair with her, she decides to destroy him for good. She flies to Australia and encourages Blake's brother Ben to come back in Denver and claim his share of his late father's estate. Alexis commits perjury on
16263-475: Was a key factor in the decision to give Dynasty a back nine order of episodes after the initial 13. Pedowitz said in January 2018, "I'm disappointed in the ratings, I wanted it to do more, but I'm happy with the production values that Josh, Steph and Sallie are doing. There are changes coming, I'm thrilled to have Nicollette [Sheridan] ... I'm looking forward to Nicollette and Liz [Gillies] really going at it as
16402-419: Was absent from the season six opener, as she was in a tense contract renegotiation with the show, seeking an increased salary. As a result, the first episode had to be rewritten to explain her absence and many of Alexis's scenes were given to Krystle. Collins's demands were met (she reportedly signed a $ 60,000 per episode contract) and she returned to the series in the season's second episode. Despite her absence,
16541-538: Was also imprisoned). The King is missing and presumed dead, however, Alexis learns that he is being held for ransom. Dex agrees to help her rescue the King. They sneak into Moldavia where they are captured. In episode 125, Dex escapes and rescues Alexis and Galen. Upon returning to Denver, Dex refuses to let a paralyzed Galen recuperate in their home. Dex suspects (correctly) that Galen is feigning his paralysis and tries to force him to walk. When Alexis rushes to his defense, Dex
16680-595: Was an English actress with a prolific film and television career, best known at that point for appearing in the Bette Davis film The Virgin Queen (1955), and for B movies like Land of the Pharaohs (1955), The Stud (1978), and The Bitch (1979). The addition of Alexis, as well as the Pollocks' change in the writing, were credited with lifting Dynasty in the ratings , and the character "quickly set off
16819-508: Was arrested for the murder of Mark Jennings in episode 88, Dex rallies to her defense and bails her out of jail. Once she is found guilty because Steven testified against her, Dex and Adam desperately try to clear her name. They eventually uncover evidence that Neal McVane is the killer, trying to frame Alexis for ruining him. Alexis is freed. Also around this time, Alexis meets a formidable new adversary in Dominique Deveraux ,
16958-587: Was cast as series patriarch Blake Carrington, but ultimately had difficulties dealing with the somewhat unsympathetic role, and was quickly replaced with John Forsythe. Filmed in 1980, the pilot was among many delayed due to a strike precipitated by animosity between the television networks and the partnership of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists . Dynasty finally premiered on ABC as
17097-555: Was cast with Nicollette Sheridan in November 2017. Sheridan, known for portraying Paige Matheson on Knots Landing and Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives , had been absent from series television since her character was killed off Desperate Housewives in 2009. Though a longtime friend of Joan Collins, and a 1980s soap star herself, Sheridan claimed to have never seen the 1980s version of Dynasty . The CW president Mark Pedowitz , who had been president of ABC Studios during Sheridan's run on Desperate Housewives , called her about
17236-438: Was coordinated: Each dress had its own particular hat, purse, gloves, shoes, and it never varied. Joan Crawford didn't mix and match. We decided to take it one step further: Alexis would never wear the same thing twice. In fact, no one on Dynasty would." The character of Alexis is a foil for "good girl" Krystle ( Linda Evans ), with an opposing moral stature and attitude. Described as "scheming, conniving, and ruthless", Alexis
17375-417: Was crazy, but I love a challenge...Whatever I did, I was really paying tribute to the character that Nicollette built and carrying on the storyline that she had taken on so far. I did my best to embody everything she built with the character...It was pretty exciting. I was flattered they asked me, and I hope that once the fans see more, they'll embrace it. It's all in good fun. Gillies said of Sheridan, "She has
17514-481: Was criticized by Forsythe, Evans, and Collins in separate press releases. Filmed in Australia, the movie starred Bartholomew John as Forsythe, Melora Hardin as Evans, and Alice Krige as Collins. The film begins with a disclaimer noting the inclusion of "time compression and composite and fictionalized characters and incidents," and takes dramatic license with both the historical timeline and events, as well as
17653-435: Was evicting him and Krystle. Claudia has died in the fire she set, and Amanda (now played by Karen Cellini ) is rescued by a returning Michael Culhane, Blake's chauffeur from the first season. Blake turns the tables on Ben and Alexis and recovers his wealth, but loses his memory after an oil rig explosion. Alexis finds Blake and, with everyone believing he is dead, perpetuates the belief that they are still married. Living with
17792-593: Was in development at The CW , co-written by Josh Schwartz , Stephanie Savage , and Sallie Patrick . The project received a series order in May 2017. With the Shapiros also producing, the new series finds heiress Fallon facing off against her soon-to-be stepmother Cristal , a Hispanic woman. The CW's Dynasty features Grant Show as Blake; Elizabeth Gillies as Fallon; Sam Adegoke as Jeff; Robert Christopher Riley as Blake's chauffeur Michael ; James Mackay as Steven; Rafael de la Fuente as Sam Jones ,
17931-468: Was leaving to spend more time with her terminally ill mother in Los Angeles . She last appeared in the season two episode " Motherly Overprotectiveness ". Elizabeth Gillies , who was already playing Fallon on the show, took over the role after Sheridan's departure for three episodes near the end of the second season. In the story, Alexis's vengeful son Adam ( Sam Underwood ) pushes her face into
18070-430: Was miserable. I think she enjoyed her life and lived it to the fullest." She had previously singled out Donald Trump to be one inspiration for the character in a 2013 PBS interview. Shapiro said in 1985 that she and costume designer Nolan Miller "had the same vision" for Alexis: Joan Crawford . She added, "Nolan had designed for Crawford, and he told me that she had a photo index of every outfit she owned. Everything
18209-569: Was no money left in the budget for any shoots outside of the studio, which he felt were important for the show. He hoped to reduce costs for the season by, among other things, cutting Collins from 22 episodes to 11 (she ultimately appeared in 13). At that time, she reportedly earned at least $ 100,000 per episode. Paulsen also brought in Beacham as her The Colbys character Sable to play opposite Collins. The ninth-season finale ended with several characters in peril, including Alexis and Dex plunging from
18348-451: Was not right for the part, and warned him that "If you get rid of this character in four episodes, you are throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars." Joan Collins said in 2018 that in addition to Loren, producers pursued Elizabeth Taylor and Jessica Walter . According to Collins, "They were waiting for Jessica until the very last minute, so they didn't cast me until two weeks before we started shooting." Esther Shapiro later said that
18487-584: Was often called a "superbitch" and the "quintessential character you love to hate" by critics. Vernon Scott of the Sun-Sentinel called the character "the scourge of Dynasty ". In 2018, Collins said that she invented Alexis's backstory as a socialite exiled by Blake after he caught her having an affair. She said "Alexis had the affair because Blake was at his oil rigs all the time. She'd been young and lonely, and now she wanted to beat him at his own game. And she succeeded in many ways. I think that's what made
18626-465: Was partially based on Alexis. Praising Cookie and Henson, several journalists have compared Cookie to Alexis. Collins was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series every year from 1981 to 1986, winning in 1983. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1984. In 1985, Collins shared a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Performer with her co-star, Linda Evans . She won
18765-494: Was ranked No. 69 in the United States for the season. In May 1989, new ABC entertainment president Robert A. Iger cancelled Dynasty , making the last episode of season nine the series finale. The show ended on a cliffhanger with Blake, Fallon, Krystina, Alexis, and Dex in mortal peril. As an attempt to wrap up plotlines left unresolved by Dynasty 's cancellation, ABC produced a two-part miniseries titled Dynasty: The Reunion , which aired in October 1991. Many of
18904-476: Was the follow-up that was the letdown, not the cliffhanger itself. John James stated in the 2001 episode of E! The True Hollywood Story featuring Dynasty that the Moldavian Massacre was when the show "maxed out" and "overdosed" on outrageousness. Creator Esther Shapiro stated in 2001 that she thought the cliffhanger was "well produced" but that they "could've done something else". Joan Collins
19043-424: Was the only cast member to appear in all 220 episodes of the series. Linda Evans appeared in 204 of the 220 episodes, leaving the series after appearing in only six episodes of the ninth and final season. Joan Collins, who did not join the cast until the second season, also missed one episode in season 6 and nine episodes in season 9, and was consequently present for a total of 195 episodes. Forsythe and John James were
19182-477: Was unavailable to reprise his role, so he was replaced with Al Corley , who originated the part in 1981. Gordon Thomson also originally agreed to appear in the film but ABC refused to align the shooting schedule with his work on the daytime series Santa Barbara , and replaced him with Robin Sachs . Dynasty: The Reunion aired on October 20 and October 22, 1991. The first night averaged 23 million viewers,
19321-674: Was unaware: Blake is disgusted by Steven's homosexuality , and his refusal to "conform" sets father and son at odds for some time. In counterpoint to the Carringtons are the Blaisdels; Denver-Carrington geologist Matthew ( Bo Hopkins )—unhappily married to the emotionally fragile Claudia ( Pamela Bellwood )—is Krystle's ex-lover. Returning from an extended assignment in the Middle East, Matthew quits and goes into business with wildcatter Walter Lankershim ( Dale Robertson ), and as Blake's behavior begins pushing Krystle toward Matthew,
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