20150710

DYNASTY

"Six months without 'Dynasty' is hard on our audiences," Esther Shapiro expressed. Between 1984 and 1987, fans voted 'Dynasty' their favorite TV drama at the People's Choice Awards. Its popularity gave rise to the spin-off series, 'Dynasty II: The Colbys', which fans also voted their favorite new TV drama in 1986 at the People's Choice Awards. "With $2.5 million spent on sets alone, we'll have a great look," John James told the press at the time. "I can hardly believe I had only 3 lines in the first show. Now the character of Jeff Colby has been responsible for the creation of the spin-off, starring a Hollywood legend like Charlton Heston." From the outset, Ricardo Montalbán cautioned, "I think this show would stand on its own merit or collapse on its own fault." 

"Looking over the last decade (the 1980s)," one commentator said in 1991, "there was perhaps no television series that better reflected the free-spending Reagan era than 'Dynasty.'" Linda Evans observed, "I suppose 'Dynasty' was a sign of the times and how our country was growing." Esther insisted, "We were doing a show about a family, where we talk a lot about the values of love...Conflict between people who love each other." 

In one scene: 

Fallon: Aren't you going to work today? 

Jeff: Why should I? Everyone sees me as a lounge lizard. Terrific! I'll lounge a while more. I might think I'll go shopping. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll send the bills to Blake Carrington or maybe to you. I got the name I might as well enjoy the game, hey? 

Jeff then went on to say, "One thing about us lizards, we like the sun and quiet. We're like those iguanas down at the Galopandos. It was the clear sky, the sound of the wind, a little kelp nibble and we're happy. What we don’t like are shrikes. You know what shrikes are?…They're little pretty birds who devour. They swoop down and devour everything they can, everything." 

"You can't have drama without the spark and energy of a villain, otherwise you violate the laws of drama," Gordon Thomson explained. John Forsythe reasoned, "...The oil rig situation interested the audience less than what was going on in the Carrington house." Linda remarked, "There are so many women like her (Krystle), who made a choice to live with a man. That's an old-fashioned dream but it's a part of life that should be represented." Bo Hopkins added, "Matthew thinks the old way. He trusts people, but if you ever give him cause to distrust you've lost a friend." 

In another scene: 

Matthew: Well, I’m really please for you Krystle. You've got a good life. A happy life.

Krystle: You know life would be easier if you weren't a wildcatter.

Matthew: Well, I'm doing the best I can. It's just that right now I’m rolling a big stone up a steep hill. 

Krystle: I know that and so does Blake…He doesn't want you go on breaking your heart over that pile of junk you called a drill rig…If you were to bring your leases into under the Denver Carrington corporate umbrella…Blake is set up to help you develop that property. He can make you a wealthy man Matthew.

Aaron Spelling made the point, "Every recession needs an escape. Look how well Charlie Chaplin did during the Depression...I remember, when my sister used to take me to the movies, she would come home and try and make herself up the way Ginger Rogers made herself up for Fred Astaire. (In the '80s), millions of the people have the same fantasy with the 'Dynasty' characters."

Another scene:

Blake: I ask you to wear the emerald necklace tonight.

Krystle: I thought pearl would look better with this dress.

Blake: Well, they might but I like to see you in the emerald. Just this one last time.

Krystle: I don't understand.

Blake: Well, you said you could always help me in anyway than you would do it, didn’t you?...Well you know that the creditors are biting at my heels. I had to regroup. I had to sell something. Now the money that I would get from the necklace wouldn't be very much but it would help a bit.

"I always thought I was born at the wrong time," Nolan Miller expressed. "I wanted to be a costume designer in the '30s and '40s. 'Dynasty' fulfils that fantasy for me...I probably design 70% of the women's clothes on 'Dynasty'...We had an original concept for the 3 starring women. Alexis was overly dramatic, overdressed, overjeweled with too many hats and too many sables. Fallon was the spoiled little rich kid who always wore the latest avant-garde fashions. And Krystle was quiet with simple tastes and classic styles." Nolan also made the comment, "For 5 years I did 'Charlie's Angels'...They wore blue jeans, turtleneck sweaters and leather jackets - and even then everybody felt they were overdressed."

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